Wednesday, July 31, 2019

“Chemistry” written by Graham Swift Essay

In the opening of the story, Graham Swift uses descritptive writing to give us a striking image of the pond, where he went with his grandfather and mother, â€Å"The pond in our park was circular, exposed, perhaps fifty yards across. When the wind blew, the little waves travelled across it and slapped the paved edges like a minature sea.† This helps the reader gain a more precise image in their head of the park where the narrator is, and it also helps make the story more interesting to read. The opening of the story is also parallel to the end. The narrator in the story, goes back to the pond at the end of the story, and again gives us good imagery description of it, â€Å"Dead willow leaves floated on it†. I found this interesting, because it makes the story cyclical, and may be a reminder of the journey of growing up and of the acceptance ‘ â€Å"You must accept it – you can’t get it back† ‘. It also convinces us to believe that the na rrator went back to the park, for wishful thinking – hoping that his grandfather would return and not wanting to left go of the past. When I first began reading the story, I believed that it was a female narrator. One of the reasonings for this is because it said, â€Å"My grandmother died suddenly†¦ all I know is that I must have had her looks.† However, we are later informed that the narrator is a ten year old boy. We aware of this because his mother calls him her â€Å"little man† and she also says, ‘ â€Å"He’s only ten, what can he know?† ‘. I find this extremely interesting in the story, because he appears to be extremely mature, intelligent and formal. Although he is only ten years old, he uses complex words and sentences such as â€Å"fundamentals of chemistry†, â€Å"haunches† and â€Å"reconciled them in mutual grief†. However, he is cold blooded as he rarely describes how he is feeling and has never mentioned about being upset when his father and grandmother died. This is an unusual perspective to use as he is so young, yet faced with traumatizing experiences, but I believe that the author has done this to highlight his innocent and because he will have few prejudices. This means he will tell the story how it is, without changing it to suit what he believes or his own opinions. An example of this, is when his father comes to see him. Although I believe that it is a dream, the narrator is convinced that his father came to see him – â€Å"That night father came to the bedroom. I knew it was him†. At the beginning of the story, I find it interesting, that the author describes the boat journey, over the pond towards grandfather as â€Å"trouble free†. Then, all of a sudden the boat sinks. I believe that the author purposely makes the boat sink when Ralph is immediately introduced to the story, â€Å"Then one day – it must have been soon after mother met Ralph – we watched the boat†¦ become deeper and deeper in the water.† This contrasts greatly with the boat journey on the pond before the boy’s mother met Ralph, and poses questions in the readers mind that Ralph is going to stop the boy’s and grandfathers â€Å"trouble free† life. I believe that this is interesting because he is indirectly warning the readers that Ralph is going to make things worse, which is symbolic of the sinking boat. An example of Ralph making things worse later in the story, is during meal times. This is because since Ralph’s appearance, the narrator’s mother would cook the things that only Ralph liked and forget to produce meals that grandfather was of. Thus resulting in arguments at meal times, when grandfather was sent out to his shed. Although the story is quite dull and morbid, the author uses humour, when the boy says, â€Å"I wondered how Grandmother could be at the bottom of the Irish Sea and at the same time what Father was doing there†. Again, this highlights his innocence and although it is humerous we are not laughing with him, but at his ignorance. In the story, there are many time shifts. Numerous times the narrator goes back in time, to update and tell the reader of a previous event, such as the relationships between his mother and grandfather before Ralph came along, and explaining why his mother and him came to live with his grandfather . This may be significant in the story because he preferred things in the past, compared to now. I find the relationship between the narrators mother and grandfather interesting. â€Å"He refused to leave the house in which my grandmother had lived, and my parents refused to leave theirs†, tells us that they are both arrogant and selfish and will not give in to their stubborness for one another. The narrator tells us that his mother is also hypocritical towards her father, â€Å"no matter how neglectful and even hurtful she might be to Grandfather herself, she wouldn’t have forgiven someone else’s hurting him†. Also, she tries to punish her father by isolating him from them (as he was â€Å"runing their meals†) by saying â€Å"do you want to take yours out to your shed?!† When he dies, her mother shows no remorse and â€Å"did not cry†. The narrator tells us that, it was as though she had â€Å"this look of relief, as if she had recovered from an illness†. The narrator does not say this, but we assume that the illness was her father. The boy believes that his mother is in love with Ralph, and would choose him over her father, â€Å"If Ralph hurts Grandfather it means I’m right – he doesn’t really care about mother at all; but if mother is cruel to Grandfather it means she really loves Ralph†. However, he also says â€Å"She looked trapped and helpless†, when Ralph and his mother were cuddling, which puts questions in our mind about their relationship and if she is truly happy. Within the story there are many hidden messages and meanings. There are many questions that remained unanswered too. An example of this is when the boy’s father came to visit him during the night. He says to him, ‘ â€Å"It was her. She made a hole in the bottom of the boat, not big enough to notice, so it would sink – so you and Grandfather would watch it sink. The boat sank – like my plane† ‘. The questions that this poses in my mind are: Did the boy’s mother kill her father? Did she kill the boys Grandfather? Is he looking for someone to blame? Did she purposely sink his boat? I think it is ironic that his father â€Å"visited† him, on the night that his Grandfather had died. I believe the author did this purposely to add more mystery and confusion to the story. Another example which raises hints and questions to the reader is the cherry laurel bushes that were growing in their garden. He says, â€Å"Only the cherry-laurel bushes were partly denuded – for some reason Grandfather had been picking their leaves.† Further on in the story, when the boy goes out to the shed, he begins questioning his Grandfather about the chemicals he had. ‘ â€Å"Laurel water. Prussic acid.† He smiled. â€Å"Not for drinking.† ‘ The smile may indicate to the reader that he is smiling to the boy through innocence; telling him to politely and informaly not to drink it, or he his smiling to himself, asthough he has something planned. Again, this poses more questions in my mind but it contradicts my believing that the boys mother killed the boys Grandfather, and because of this it adds more unanswered questions. Also in the story, I find interesting that the official verdict was â€Å"suicide by swallowing prussic acid†, which is an argument for his Grandafther commiting suicide (as he had some prussic acid in his shed), yet the boy is extremely cynical and believes his mother murdered her father. † But all of the other things that should have been explained – or confessed – she never did explain†, and â€Å"I wanted to tell them – about how suicide can be murder† indicate this to us. His mother says to the boy, ‘ â€Å"†¦he wouldn’t have lived much longer anyway† ‘ which may inform the reader that she is trying to justify her actions (murder). Throughout the story is the theme of chemistry and how things are â€Å"changed – not made†. His Grandfather’s job, before retirement, was gold-plating and now, in the shed in the garden, he carries out many experiments, â€Å"I don’t think Grandfather practised chemistry for any particular reason†.The chemistry Grandfather experiments with and changes is a metaphor of what is happening in the home, ‘ â€Å"People change too, don’t they?† ‘ His Grandfather replies with â€Å"They change. But the element’s don’t change.† This is telling the reader, that although people/elements can change and become something else, underneath it all they are still made of the same as they were before.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Evaluating The Waste Water Treatment Processes Environmental Sciences Essay

Domestic effluent intervention or sewerage intervention, is the procedure of taking contaminations from effluent and family sewerage, both overflow ( wastewaters ) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological procedures to take physical, chemical and biological contaminations. Its aim is to bring forth an environmentally-safe fluid waste watercourse ( or treated wastewater ) and a solid waste ( or treated sludge ) suitable for disposal or reuse ( normally as farm fertiliser ) . Using advanced engineering it is now possible to re-use sewerage wastewater for imbibing H2O, although Singapore is the lone state to implement such engineering on a production graduated table in its production of NEWater. 1.2 ORIGIN OF WASTE WATER Sewage is created by residential, institutional, and commercial and industrial constitutions and includes family waste liquid from lavatories, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks and so forth that is disposed of via cloacas. In many countries, sewerage besides includes liquid waste from industry and commercialism. The separation and draining of family waste into greywater and blackwater is going more common in the developed universe, with greywater being permitted to be used for irrigating workss or recycled for blushing lavatories. Sewage may include stormwater overflow. Sewage systems capable of managing stormwater are known as combined systems. Combined sewer systems are normally avoided now because precipitation causes widely changing flows cut downing sewerage intervention works efficiency. Combined cloacas require much larger, more expensive, intervention installations than healthful cloacas. Heavy storm overflow may overpower the sewerage intervention system, doing a spill or flood. Sanitary cloacas are typically much smaller than combined cloacas, and they are non designed to transport stormwater. Backups of natural sewerage can happen if inordinate Infiltration/Inflow is allowed into a healthful cloaca system. Modern sewered developments be given to be provided with separate storm drain systems for rainwater. As rainfall travels over roofs and the land, it may pick up assorted contaminations including dirt atoms and other deposit, heavy metals, organic compounds, carnal waste, and oil and lubricating oil. ( See urban overflow. ) Some legal powers require stormwater to have some degree of intervention before being discharged straight into waterways. Examples of intervention procedures used for stormwater include keeping basins, wetlands, buried vaults with assorted sorts of media filters, and vortex centrifuges ( to take harsh solids ) . Chapter TWO 2.1 OVERVIEW OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES Sewage can be treated near to where it is created, a decentralized system, ( in infected armored combat vehicles, biofilters or aerophilic intervention systems ) , or be collected and transported via a web of pipes and pump Stationss to a municipal intervention works, a centralized system, ( see sewage and pipes and substructure ) . Sewage aggregation and intervention is typically capable to local, province and federal ordinances and criterions. Industrial beginnings of effluent frequently require specialised intervention processes as shown in the diagram below: Procedure Flow Diagram for a typical intervention works via Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands ( SFCW ) Sewage intervention by and large involves three phases, called primary, secondary and third intervention. Primary intervention consists of temporarily keeping the sewerage in a quiescent basin where heavy solids can settle to the underside while oil, lubricating oil and lighter solids float to the surface. The settled and floating stuffs are removed and the staying liquid may be discharged or subjected to secondary intervention. Secondary intervention removes dissolved and suspended biological affair. Secondary intervention is typically performed by autochthonal, water-borne microorganisms in a managed home ground. Secondary intervention may necessitate a separation procedure to take the microorganisms from the treated H2O prior to dispatch or third intervention. Third intervention is sometimes defined as anything more than primary and secondary intervention in order to let rejection into a extremely sensitive or delicate ecosystem ( estuaries, low-flow rivers, coral reefs etc. ) . Treated H2O is sometimes disinfected chemically or physically ( for illustration, by lagunas and microfiltration ) prior to dispatch into a watercourse, river, bay, laguna or wetland, or it can be used for the irrigation of a golf class, green manner or park. If it is sufficiently clean, it can besides be used for groundwater recharge or agricultural intents. 2.2 PRE-TREATMENT Pre-treatment removes stuffs that can be easy collected from the natural waste H2O before they damage or clog the pumps and skimmers of primary intervention clarifiers ( rubbish, tree limbs, foliages, etc. ) . Screening The inflowing sewerage H2O is screened to take all big objects like tins, shreds, sticks, fictile packages etc. carried in the sewerage watercourse. This is most normally done with an automated automatically raked saloon screen in modern workss functioning big populations, whilst in smaller or less modern workss a manually cleaned screen may be used. The raking action of a mechanical saloon screen is typically paced harmonizing to the accretion on the saloon screens and/or flow rate. The solids are collected and subsequently disposed in a landfill or incinerated. Bar screens or mesh screens of changing sizes may be used to optimise solids remotion. If gross solids are non removed they become entrained in pipes and traveling parts of the intervention works and can do significant harm and inefficiency in the procedure. GRIT REMOVAL Pre-treatment may include a sand or grit channel or chamber where the speed of the entrance effluent is adjusted to let the colony of sand, grit, rocks, and broken glass. These atoms are removed because they may damage pumps and other equipment. For little healthful cloaca systems, the grit Chamberss may non be necessary, but grit remotion is desirable at larger workss. FAT AND GREASE REMOVAL In some larger workss, fat and lubricating oil is removed by go throughing the sewerage through a little armored combat vehicle where skimmers collect the fat natation on the surface. Air blowers in the base of the armored combat vehicle may besides be used to assist retrieve the fat as a foam. In most workss nevertheless, fat and lubricating oil remotion takes topographic point in the primary colony armored combat vehicle utilizing mechanical surface skimmers. 2.3 PRIMARY TREATMENT In the primary deposit phase, sewerage flows through big armored combat vehicles, normally called â€Å" primary clarifiers † or â€Å" primary deposit armored combat vehicles. † The armored combat vehicles are used to settle sludge while lubricating oil and oils rise to the surface and are skimmed off. Primary settling armored combat vehicles are normally equipped with automatically goaded scrapers that continually drive the gathered sludge towards a hopper in the base of the armored combat vehicle where it is pumped to sludge intervention installations. Grease and oil from the drifting stuff can sometimes be recovered for saponification. The dimensions of the armored combat vehicle should be designed to consequence remotion of a high per centum of the floatables and sludge. A typical deposit armored combat vehicle may take from 60 to 65 per centum of suspended solids, and from 30 to 35 per centum of biochemical O demand ( BOD ) from the sewerage. 2.4 SECONDARY TREATMENT Secondary intervention is designed to well degrade the biological content of the sewerage which are derived from human waste, nutrient waste, soaps and detergent. The bulk of municipal workss handle the settled sewerage spirits utilizing aerophilic biological procedures. To be effectual, the biology necessitate both O and nutrient to populate. The bacterium and Protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic contaminations ( e.g. sugars, fats, organic short-chain C molecules, etc. ) and adhere much of the less soluble fractions into floc. Secondary intervention systems are classified as fixed-film or suspended-growth systems. Fixed-film or affiliated growing systems include dribbling filters and revolving biological contactors, where the biomass grows on media and the sewerage passes over its surface. Suspended-growth systems include activated sludge, where the biomass is assorted with the sewerage and can be operated in a smaller infinite than fixed-film systems that treat the same sum of H2O. However, fixed-film systems are more able to get by with drastic alterations in the sum of biological stuff and can supply higher remotion rates for organic stuff and suspended solids than suspended growing systems. [ 6 ] :11-13 Rough ining filters are intended to handle peculiarly strong or variable organic tonss, typically industrial, to let them to so be treated by conventional secondary intervention procedures. Features include filters filled with media to which effluent is applied. They are designed to let high hydraulic burden and a high degree of aeration. On larger installings, air is forced through the media utilizing blowers. The attendant effluent is normally within the normal scope for conventional intervention procedures. A generalised, conventional diagram of an activated sludge procedure. A filter removes a little per centum of the suspended organic affair, while the bulk of the organic affair undergoes a alteration of character, merely due to the biological oxidization and nitrification taking topographic point in the filter. With this aerophilic oxidization and nitrification, the organic solids are converted into coagulated suspended mass, which is heavier and bulkier, and can settle to the underside of a armored combat vehicle. The wastewater of the filter is hence passed through a deposit armored combat vehicle, called a secondary clarifier, secondary subsiding armored combat vehicle or humus armored combat vehicle. ACTIVATED SLUDGE In general, activated sludge workss encompass a assortment of mechanisms and procedures that use dissolved O to advance the growing of biological floc that well removes organic stuff. The procedure traps particulate stuff and can, under ideal conditions, convert ammonium hydroxide to nitrite and nitrate and finally to nitrogen gas. SURFACE-AERATED BASINS ( LAGOONS ) Many little municipal sewerage systems in the United States ( 1 million gal./day or less ) usage aerated lagunas. Most biological oxidization processes for handling industrial effluents have in common the usage of O ( or air ) and microbic action. Surface-aerated basins achieve 80 to 90 per centum remotion of BOD with keeping times of 1 to 10 yearss. The basins may run in deepness from 1.5 to 5.0 meters and utilize motor-driven aerators drifting on the surface of the effluent. In an aerated basin system, the aerators provide two maps: they transfer air into the basins required by the biological oxidization reactions, and they provide the commixture required for scattering the air and for reaching the reactants ( that is, O, effluent and bug ) . Typically, the drifting surface aerators are rated to present the sum of air tantamount to 1.8 to 2.7A kilograms O2/kWA ·h. However, they do non supply as good commixture as is usually achieved in activated sludge systems and hence aerated basins do non accomplish the same public presentation degree as activated sludge units. Biological oxidization procedures are sensitive to temperature and, between 0 A °C and 40 A °C, the rate of biological reactions increase with temperature. Most surface aerated vass operate at between 4 A °C and 32 A °C. CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS Constructed wetlands ( can either be surface flow or subsurface flow, horizontal or perpendicular flow ) , include engineered reedbeds and belong to the household of phytorestoration and ecotechnologies ; they provide a high grade of biological betterment and depending on design, act as a primary, secondary and sometimes third intervention, besides see phytoremediation. One illustration is a little reedbed used to clean the drainage from the elephants ‘ enclosure at Chester Zoo in England ; legion CWs are used to recycle the H2O of the metropolis of Honfleur in France and legion other towns in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia. They are known to be extremely productive systems as they copy natural wetlands, called the â€Å" Kidneys of the Earth † for their cardinal recycling capacity of the hydrological rhythm in the biosphere. Robust and dependable, their intervention capacities improve as clip spell by, at the antonym of conventional intervention workss whose machine ry age with clip. They are being progressively used, although equal and experient design are more cardinal than for other systems and infinite restriction may hinder their usage. FILTER BEDS ( OXIDIZING BEDS ) In older workss and those having variable burdens, dribbling filter beds are used where the settled sewerage spirits is spread onto the surface of a bed made up of coke ( carbonized coal ) , limestone french friess or specially fabricated fictile media. Such media must hold big surface countries to back up the biofilms that form. The spirits is typically distributed through perforated spray weaponries. The distributed spirits drips through the bed and is collected in drains at the base. These drains besides provide a beginning of air which percolates up through the bed, maintaining it aerophilic. Biological movies of bacteriums, Protozoa and fungi signifier on the media ‘s surfaces and eat or otherwise cut down the organic content. This biofilm is frequently grazed by insect larvae, snails, and worms which help keep an optimum thickness. Overloading of beds increases the thickness of the movie taking to clogging of the filter media and ponding on the surface. SOIL BIO-TECHNOLOGY A new procedure called Soil Bio-Technology ( SBT ) developed at IIT Bombay has shown enormous betterments in procedure efficiency enabling entire H2O reuse, due to highly low runing power demands of less than 50 Js per kilogram of treated H2O. Typically SBT systems can accomplish chemical O demand ( COD ) degrees less than 10A mg/L from sewerage input of COD 400A mg/L. SBT workss exhibit high decreases in COD values and bacterial counts as a consequence of the really high microbic densenesss available in the media. Unlike conventional intervention workss, SBT workss produce undistinguished sums of sludge, preventing the demand for sludge disposal countries that are required by other engineerings. BIOLOGICAL AERATED FILTERS Biological Aerated ( or Anoxic ) Filter ( BAF ) or Biofilters combine filtration with biological C decrease, nitrification or denitrification. BAF normally includes a reactor filled with a filter media. The media is either in suspension or supported by a crushed rock bed at the pes of the filter. The double intent of this media is to back up extremely active biomass that is attached to it and to filtrate suspended solids. Carbon decrease and ammonium hydroxide transition occurs in aerophilic manner and sometime achieved in a individual reactor while nitrate transition occurs in anoxic manner. BAF is operated either in upflow or downflow constellation depending on design specified by maker. Conventional diagram of a typical revolving biological contactor ( RBC ) . The treated wastewater clarifier/settler is non included in the diagram. ROTATING BIOLOGICAL CONTACTORS Revolving biological contactors ( RBCs ) are mechanical secondary intervention systems, which are robust and capable of defying rushs in organic burden. RBCs were foremost installed in Germany in 1960 and have since been developed and refined into a dependable operating unit. The revolving discs back up the growing of bacteriums and micro-organisms nowadays in the sewerage, which break down and brace organic pollutants. To be successful, micro-organisms need both O to populate and nutrient to turn. Oxygen is obtained from the ambiance as the discs rotate. As the micro-organisms grow, they build up on the media until they are sloughed off due to shear forces provided by the revolving phonograph record in the sewerage. Effluent from the RBC is so passed through concluding clarifiers where the microorganisms in suspension settee as a sludge. The sludge is withdrawn from the clarifier for farther intervention. A functionally similar biological filtering system has become popular as portion of place fish tank filtration and purification. The fish tank H2O is drawn up out of the armored combat vehicle and so cascaded over a freely whirling corrugated fiber-mesh wheel before go throughing through a media filter and back into the fish tank. The whirling mesh wheel develops a biofilm coating of micro-organisms that feed on the suspended wastes in the fish tank H2O and are besides exposed to the ambiance as the wheel rotates. This is particularly good at taking waste. MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS Membrane bioreactors ( MBR ) combine activated sludge intervention with a membrane liquid-solid separation procedure. The membrane constituent uses low force per unit area microfiltration or extremist filtration membranes and eliminates the demand for elucidation and third filtration. The membranes are typically immersed in the aeration armored combat vehicle ; nevertheless, some applications utilize a separate membrane armored combat vehicle. One of the cardinal benefits of an MBR system is that it efficaciously overcomes the restrictions associated with hapless subsiding of sludge in conventional activated sludge ( CAS ) processes. The engineering permits bioreactor operation with well higher assorted spirits suspended solids ( MLSS ) concentration than CAS systems, which are limited by sludge subsiding. The procedure is typically operated at MLSS in the scope of 8,000-12,000A mg/L, while CAS are operated in the scope of 2,000-3,000A mg/L. The elevated biomass concentration in the MBR procedure allows for really effectual remotion of both soluble and particulate biodegradable stuffs at higher burden rates. Therefore increased sludge keeping times, normally transcending 15 yearss, guarantee complete nitrification even in highly cold conditions. SECONDARY SEDIMENTATION The concluding measure in the secondary intervention phase is to settle out the biological floc or filter stuff through a secondary clarifier and to bring forth sewage H2O incorporating low degrees of organic stuff and suspended affair. TERTIARY TREATMENT The intent of third intervention is to supply a concluding intervention phase to raise the outflowing quality before it is discharged to the receiving environment ( sea, river, lake, land, etc. ) . More than one third intervention procedure may be used at any intervention works. If disinfection is practiced, it is ever the concluding procedure. It is besides called â€Å" outflowing shining. † Filtration Sand filtration removes much of the residuary suspended affair. Filtration over activated C, besides called C surface assimilation, removes residuary toxins. LAGOONING Lagooning provides colony and farther biological betterment through storage in big semisynthetic pools or lagunas. These lagunas are extremely aerophilic and colonisation by native macrophytes, particularly reeds, is frequently encouraged. Small filter feeding invertebrates such as Daphnia and species of Rotifera greatly assist in intervention by taking all right particulates. NUTRIENT REMOVAL Effluent may incorporate high degrees of the foods N and P. Excessive release to the environment can take to a physique up of foods, called eutrophication, which can in bend encourage the giantism of weeds, algae, and blue-green algaes ( bluish green algae ) . This may do an algal bloom, a rapid growing in the population of algae. The algae Numberss are unsustainable and finally most of them die. The decomposition of the algae by bacteriums uses up so much of O in the H2O that most or all of the animate beings die, which creates more organic affair for the bacteriums to break up. In add-on to doing deoxygenation, some algal species produce toxins that contaminate imbibing H2O supplies. Different intervention procedures are required to take N and P. NITROGEN REMOVAL The remotion of N is effected through the biological oxidization of N from ammonium hydroxide to nitrate ( nitrification ) , followed by denitrification, the decrease of nitrate to nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas is released to the ambiance and therefore removed from the H2O. Nitrification itself is a two-step aerophilic procedure, each measure facilitated by a different type of bacteriums. The oxidization of ammonium hydroxide ( NH3 ) to nitrite ( NO2a?’ ) is most frequently facilitated by Nitrosomonas spp. ( nitroso mentioning to the formation of a nitroso functional group ) . Nitrite oxidization to nitrate ( NO3a?’ ) , though traditionally believed to be facilitated by Nitrobacter spp. ( nitro mentioning the formation of a nitro functional group ) , is now known to be facilitated in the environment about entirely by Nitrospira spp. Denitrification requires anoxic conditions to promote the appropriate biological communities to organize. It is facilitated by a broad diverseness of bacteriums. Sand filters, lagooning and reed beds can all be used to cut down N, but the activated sludge procedure ( if designed good ) can make the occupation the most easy. Since denitrification is the decrease of nitrate to dinitrogen gas, an negatron giver is needed. This can be, depending on the effluent, organic affair ( from fecal matters ) , sulfide, or an added giver like methyl alcohol. PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL Phosphorus remotion is of import as it is a confining food for algae growing in many fresh H2O systems. ( For a description of the negative effects of algae, see Nutrient remotion ) . It is besides peculiarly of import for H2O reuse systems where high P concentrations may take to fouling of downstream equipment such as rearward osmosis. Phosphorus can be removed biologically in a procedure called enhanced biological P remotion. In this procedure, specific bacterium, called polyphosphate roll uping beings ( PAOs ) , are selectively enriched and roll up big measures of P within their cells ( up to 20 per centum of their mass ) . When the biomass enriched in these bacteriums is separated from the treated H2O, these biosolids have a high fertiliser value. Phosphorus remotion can besides be achieved by chemical precipitation, normally with salts of Fe ( e.g. ferrous chloride ) , aluminium ( e.g. alum ) , or lime. This may take to inordinate sludge production as hydrated oxides precipitates and the added chemicals can be expensive. Chemical P remotion requires significantly smaller equipment footmark than biological remotion, is easier to run and is frequently more dependable than biological P removalA . Another method for P remotion is to utilize farinaceous laterite. Once removed, P, in the signifier of a phosphate-rich sludge, may be stored in a land fill or resold for usage in fertiliser. Disinfection The intent of disinfection in the intervention of waste H2O is to well cut down the figure of micro-organisms in the H2O to be discharged back into the environment. The effectivity of disinfection depends on the quality of the H2O being treated ( e.g. , cloud cover, pH, etc. ) , the type of disinfection being used, the bactericidal dose ( concentration and clip ) , and other environmental variables. Cloudy H2O will be treated less successfully, since solid affair can screen organisms, particularly from ultraviolet visible radiation or if contact times are low. By and large, short contact times, low doses and high flows all militate against effectual disinfection. Common methods of disinfection include ozone, Cl, ultraviolet visible radiation, or Na hypochlorite. Chloramine, which is used for imbibing H2O, is non used in waste H2O intervention because of its continuity. Chlorination remains the most common signifier of waste H2O disinfection in North America due to its low cost and long-run history of effectivity. One disadvantage is that chlorination of residuary organic stuff can bring forth chlorinated-organic compounds that may be carcinogenic or harmful to the environment. Residual Cl or chloramines may besides be capable of chlorinating organic stuff in the natural aquatic environment. Further, because residuary Cl is toxic to aquatic species, the treated wastewater must besides be chemically dechlorinated, adding to the complexness and cost of intervention. Ultraviolet ( UV ) light can be used alternatively of Cl, I, or other chemicals. Because no chemicals are used, the treated H2O has no inauspicious consequence on beings that subsequently devour it, as may be the instance with other methods. UV radiation causes harm to the familial construction of bacteriums, viruses, and other pathogens, doing them incapable of reproduction. The cardinal disadvantages of UV disinfection are the demand for frequent lamp care and replacing and the demand for a extremely treated wastewater to guarantee that the mark micro-organisms are non shielded from the UV radiation ( i.e. , any solids nowadays in the treated wastewater may protect micro-organisms from the UV visible radiation ) . In the United Kingdom, UV visible radiation is going the most common agencies of disinfection because of the concerns about the impacts of Cl in chlorinating residuary organics in the effluent and in chlorinating organics in the receiving H2O. Some sewerage intervention s ystems in Canada and the US besides use UV visible radiation for their outflowing H2O disinfection. Ozone ( O3 ) is generated by go throughing O ( O2 ) through a high electromotive force possible resulting in a 3rd O atom going attached and organizing O3. Ozone is really unstable and reactive and oxidizes most organic stuff it comes in contact with, thereby destructing many infective micro-organisms. Ozone is considered to be safer than Cl because, unlike Cl which has to be stored on site ( extremely toxicant in the event of an inadvertent release ) , ozone is generated onsite as needed. Ozonation besides produces fewer disinfection byproducts than chlorination. A disadvantage of ozone disinfection is the high cost of the ozone coevals equipment and the demands for particular operators. ODOUR CONTROL Smells emitted by sewerage intervention are typically an indicant of an anaerobic or â€Å" infected † status. Early phases of processing will be given to bring forth fetid gases, with H sulphide being most common in bring forthing ailments. Large procedure workss in urban countries will frequently handle the smells with C reactors, a contact media with bio-slimes, little doses of Cl, or go arounding fluids to biologically capture and metabolise the objectionable gases. Other methods of odour control exist, including add-on of Fe salts, H peroxide, Ca nitrate, etc. to pull off H sulphide degrees. Package Plants AND BATCH REACTORS To utilize less infinite, dainty hard waste and intermittent flows, a figure of designs of intercrossed intervention workss have been produced. Such workss frequently combine at least two phases of the three chief intervention phases into one combined phase. In the UK, where a big figure of effluent intervention workss serve little populations, bundle workss are a feasible option to constructing a big construction for each procedure phase. In the US, bundle workss are typically used in rural countries, main road remainder Michigans and dawdler Parkss. One type of system that combines secondary intervention and colony is the sequencing batch reactor ( SBR ) . Typically, activated sludge is assorted with natural entrance sewerage, and so assorted and aerated. The settled sludge is run away and re-aerated before a proportion is returned to the headworks. SBR workss are now being deployed in many parts of the universe. The disadvantage of the SBR procedure is that it requires a precise control of timing, blending and aeration. This preciseness is typically achieved with computing machine controls linked to detectors. Such a complex, delicate system is unsuited to topographic points where controls may be undependable, ill maintained, or where the power supply may be intermittent. Extended aeration bundle workss use separate basins for aeration and subsiding, and are slightly larger than SBR workss with decreased timing sensitiveness. Package workss may be referred to every bit high charged or low charged. This refers to the manner the biological burden is processed. In high charged systems, the biological phase is presented with a high organic burden and the combined floc and organic stuff is so oxygenated for a few hours before being charged once more with a new burden. In the low charged system the biological phase contains a low organic burden and is combined with flocculate for longer times. SLUDGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL The sludges accumulated in a effluent intervention procedure must be treated and disposed of in a safe and effectual mode. The intent of digestion is to cut down the sum of organic affair and the figure of disease-causing micro-organisms present in the solids. The most common intervention options include anaerobiotic digestion, aerophilic digestion, and composting. Incineration is besides used albeit to a much lesser grade. Sludge intervention depends on the sum of solids generated and other site-specific conditions. Composting is most frequently applied to small-scale workss with aerophilic digestion for mid sized operations, and anaerobiotic digestion for the larger-scale operations. ANAEROBIC DIGESTION Anaerobic digestion is a bacterial procedure that is carried out in the absence of O. The procedure can either be thermophilic digestion, in which sludge is fermented in armored combat vehicles at a temperature of 55A °C, or mesophilic, at a temperature of around 36A °C. Though leting shorter keeping clip ( and therefore smaller armored combat vehicles ) , thermophilic digestion is more expensive in footings of energy ingestion for heating the sludge. Anaerobic digestion is the most common ( mesophilic ) intervention of domestic sewerage in infected armored combat vehicles, which usually retain the sewerage from one twenty-four hours to two yearss, cut downing the BOD by approximately 35 to 40 per centum. This decrease can be increased with a combination of anaerobiotic and aerophilic intervention by put ining Aerobic Treatment Units ( ATUs ) in the infected armored combat vehicle. One major characteristic of anaerobiotic digestion is the production of biogas ( with the most utile constituent being methane ) , which can be used in generators for electricity production and/or in boilers for warming intents. AEROBIC DIGESTION Aerobic digestion is a bacterial procedure happening in the presence of O. Under aerophilic conditions, bacteriums quickly consume organic affair and change over it into C dioxide. The operating costs used to be characteristically much greater for aerophilic digestion because of the energy used by the blowers, pumps and motors needed to add O to the procedure. Aerobic digestion can besides be achieved by utilizing diffuser systems or jet aerators to oxidise the sludge. COMPOSTING Composting is besides an aerophilic procedure that involves blending the sludge with beginnings of C such as sawdust, straw or wood french friess. In the presence of O, bacterium digest both the effluent solids and the added C beginning and, in making so, produce a big sum of heat. Incineration Incineration of sludge is less common because of air emanations concerns and the auxiliary fuel ( typically natural gases or fuel oil ) required to fire the low calorific value sludge and zap residuary H2O. Stepped multiple fireplace incinerators with high abode clip and fluidized bed incinerators are the most common systems used to burn effluent sludge. Co-firing in municipal waste-to-energy workss is on occasion done, this option being less expensive presuming the installations already exist for solid waste and there is no demand for subsidiary fuel. Chapter THREE TERTIARY TREATMENT 3.1 SLUDGE DISPOSAL When a liquid sludge is produced, farther intervention may be required to do it suited for concluding disposal. Typically, sludges are thickened ( dewatered ) to cut down the volumes transported off-site for disposal. There is no procedure which wholly eliminates the demand to dispose of biosolids. There is, nevertheless, an extra measure some metropoliss are taking to superheat sludge and change over it into little pelletized granules that are high in N and other organic stuffs. In New York City, for illustration, several sewerage intervention workss have dewatering installations that use big extractors along with the add-on of chemicals such as polymer to farther take liquid from the sludge. The removed fluid, called centrate, is typically reintroduced into the effluent procedure. The merchandise which is left is called â€Å" bar † and that is picked up by companies which turn it into fertilizer pellets. This merchandise is so sold to local husbandmans and sod farms as a di rt amendment or fertiliser, cut downing the sum of infinite required to dispose of sludge in landfills. Much sludge arising from commercial or industrial countries is contaminated with toxic stuffs that are released into the cloacas from the industrial procedures. Elevated concentrations of such stuffs may do the sludge unsuitable for agricultural usage and it may so hold to be incinerated or disposed of to landfill. 3.2 TREATMENT IN THE RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT Many procedures in a effluent intervention works are designed to mime the natural intervention processes that occur in the environment, whether that environment is a natural H2O organic structure or the land. If non overloaded, bacteriums in the environment will devour organic contaminations, although this will cut down the degrees of O in the H2O and may significantly alter the overall ecology of the receiving H2O. Native bacterial populations feed on the organic contaminations, and the Numberss of disease-causing micro-organisms are reduced by natural environmental conditions such as predation or exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Consequently, in instances where the receiving environment provides a high degree of dilution, a high grade of effluent intervention may non be required. However, recent grounds has demonstrated that really low degrees of specific contaminations in effluent, including endocrines ( from animate being farming and residue from human hormonal contraceptive me thod methods ) and man-made stuffs such as phthalates that mimic endocrines in their action, can hold an unpredictable inauspicious impact on the natural biology and potentially on worlds if the H2O is re-used for imbibing H2O. [ 21 ] In the US and EU, uncontrolled discharges of effluent to the environment are non permitted under jurisprudence, and rigorous H2O quality demands are to be met. ( For demands in the US, see Clean Water Act. ) A important menace in the coming decennaries will be the increasing uncontrolled discharges of effluent within quickly developing states. 3.3 SEWAGE TREATMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Few dependable figures on the portion of the effluent collected in cloacas that is being treated in the universe exist. In many developing states the majority of domestic and industrial effluent is discharged without any intervention or after primary intervention merely. In Latin America about 15 % of gathered effluent base on ballss through intervention workss ( with varying degrees of existent intervention ) . In Venezuela, a below mean state in South America with regard to wastewater intervention, 97 per centum of the state ‘s sewerage is discharged natural into the environment. In a comparatively developed Middle Eastern state such as Iran, Tehran ‘s bulk of population has wholly untreated sewerage injected to the metropolis ‘s groundwater. However now the building of major parts of the sewerage system, aggregation and intervention, in Tehran is about complete, and under development, due to be to the full completed by the terminal of 2012. In Israel, approximately 50 per centum of agricultural H2O use ( entire usage was 1 billion three-dimensional meters in 2008 ) is provided through reclaimed cloaca H2O. Future programs call for increased usage of treated cloaca H2O every bit good as more desalinization workss.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Management information system project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management information system project - Essay Example Ellebeare has very few links. Although these links are working which are mainly for the year and month of production or sale of the products, they are not enough. The site is not very interesting when you consider that you will have to scroll down to the different items. It could use some subtopics or subtitles for the different items. 11) How objective is the website? Is a particular viewpoint presented in the website? If so, what is the viewpoint? If not, give evidence of how the website covers more than one viewpoint. Be sure to state what viewpoints are covered. The objectivity of the Net-a-porter website is well noted in its structure and design and also the content. The website is all about selling luxurious fashion items and from the vision statement on the home page â€Å"The worlds premier online luxury fashion destination," it has not gone off that view point at any instance. The ASOS website is also quite. The different products presented are quite real items that would interest the average person as a baseball cap, denim jackets, etc. The site has several viewpoints. It also quite advocates for different fashion trends some that are classy while others are just normal and not classy. Ellebeare is not quite objective. The portrayed view point is that of classy and outgoing fashion. This is well depicted in the fashion posters that are on the website. It is very classy and colorful too. It is quite catchy especially when you scroll down and get to see the beautiful ladies modeling the different items. Fact means a true piece of data or information while opinion means a belief, way of thinking or judgment. With these in mind, it is evident that ASOS presents both facts and opinions. The facts are expressed in the website as they state the prices of different items. They also express facts about different products in detail as they categorize the different items according to type. Net-a-porter presents

Sunday, July 28, 2019

California's sex offender registration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

California's sex offender registration - Essay Example d a copy of the notification form processed in this stage is also sent to the DOJ. The sex offender tracking program is an expedient tool utilized for keeping track of the sex offenders in California since 1947; the state is also regarded as being the first ever to enact a sex offender registration law. This was major step towards public disclosure of criminals, for many states did not recognize such laws until the 1990s. These registration requirements are lifetime, and with an ever-increasing and current population of 35million people, California is respectively the holder of the largest database of sex offenders in the USA (Lockyer, 2002, 3). This lifelong obligation can only be reversed if the offender a ‘Certificate of Rehabilitation’ ten years after s/he has been released from custody or it can also be relieved if ‘Government’s pardon’ is attained. However, many serious offences are not even eligible to attain the aforementioned relieving docume nts (IPS, 2009, 1). There are certain conditions which must be met duly by the sex offenders, these are the requirements and the guidelines set by the DOJ. It is incumbent upon the registered offenders to update their whereabouts and necessary information per annum, within 5 working days of their birthday. This requirement is more stringent for some, the transients must update every month while the sexually violent predators are extended 90 days worth of time. Recently, they have also been imposed with the responsibility of submitting their vehicle license plate number along with a recent photograph. Since 2002, they have also been required to register themselves with the campus police department in case they plan to enroll in any courses, attend any specific programs or even as much as work. Furthermore, even for people who are sex offenders, if convicted by the military or federal court, of other states but they enter the jurisdiction of Californian state; they are required to reg ister within 5 working days of entering California. Those who fail to register and have been convicted of a felony would be convicted of a felony yet again in case of non-compliance. This tracking program requires regular updates, and if any offender violates the registration requirements, it would show the registrant to be in violation. It is necessary for the transients to update their status within five working days with a local agency, in case they change their address or is homeless; the local agency is then responsible for forwarding the information to the DOJ. The latter then updates the information in the database, on a regular daily basis. The website www.meganslaw.ca.gov is responsible for publishing the data online, however 25% of the offender’s records are kept confidential and are not publicly disclosed, this condition depends on the specific type of crime being committed. According to the information available on this government website, the sex offenders can ev ade public disclosure in the following conditions (Harris, 2009; Department of Justice, 2010): 1- Sexual battery by

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Living Long and Keeping Well Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Living Long and Keeping Well - Essay Example In their article "Living Long and Keeping Well: Elderly Canadians Account for Success in Aging," by Bassett, R; Bourbonnais, V; and McDowell, I, the writers have correctly researched aging population in Canada to find out the causes for their long life and well-being. Nonetheless, they have not found anything new in the research made by them. The research made by Bassett, R. et al lacks depth. Let me hasten to mention that if the purpose of the article is to reinforce the theory of good living and nutritious diet for long living, I have no objection to it. Indeed, in this age of fast and junk food, the need of nutritious diet has to be constantly reminded to make the right impact. However, my point is that Bassett et al have come up with analyses that do not provide any new insight into the causes that make for long, healthy lives. Reasons such as: keeping active, maintaining good nutrition, and the explanation of Francophones and Anglophones are very broad and these are useful in the case of every age group. The actual reason for longevity must go beyond what have been mentioned in the research (Canadian Journal on Aging). As already mentioned in the problem citing activities, good nutrition, etc. do not convincingly prove longevity. The hypotheses are based on general activities and food intake that anyway make for good health in any age group. There must be certain aspect unique to each individual responsible for his or her carrying on with aplomb even in advanced years. It may be the cup of green tea an aged couple may have been taking regularly since their middle years. It may be a long walk a bachelor may be enjoying since his youth. Such unique aspects have not been adequately covered. Samples There has not enough samples been tested to find out the end results of certain unique behavior. As mentioned earlier, an aged couple may have found elixir in the green cup of tea they have consumed regularly since their middle years. Talking to individuals and couples on the reason they feel are responsible for their longevity and analyzing them could prove to be more effective in the type of research Bassett et al have undertaken. Variables The variables researched by Bassett, R et al are too broad to be cited for the purpose of this study. Undoubtedly, they have come back to the same point of good hygiene and proper diet. However, there are millions who are equally adept at consuming good diet all their years and they have not lived long enough to convince the world that they have done nothing wrong to have their life cut short. Method Likewise, the method adopted for the purpose of the research does not cover well the precise reasons for the longevity of the aged in Canada. The reason that "physical illness was less significant than the will to adapt to illness and avoid further physical decline as long as possible" is also much too broad to shed any light on the uniqueness of the research (Canadian Journal on Aging). Conclusion After going through the article and reflecting on the points made by the writers, I am unable to find justification for treating the article with so much concern. This research would be better made by lay

Behavioural Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Behavioural Studies - Essay Example The development of motivation theory goes in the direction of individual approach to every employee. Abraham Maslow was the first to point to the fact that money and benefits aren’t the only factors motivating people. Frederick Herzberg and his colleagues carried out a broad research examining the factors contributing to job satisfaction and excellent performance of employees. As a result of their work Herzberg formulated the Motivation-Hygiene Theory or Dual-Factor Theory. Herzberg distinguished two types of separate factors. The first type are motivators resulting in job satisfaction, while the second type are hygienes, which simply prevent dissatisfaction. The motivators include: achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, and advancement. The hygienes are: company policy and administration, supervision, working conditions, salary, interpersonal relations, status, and security. If applied effectively, hygienes may prevent dissatisfaction, but do not provide a gua rantee of employees’ long-term satisfaction. If applied poorly, they result in negative feelings about the job. Motivators contribute to psychological growth and development on the job. They are associated with the concept of self-actualization and involve a challenge and opportunity to get pleasure of achievement and feeling worthwhile. If a manager wants to motivate people, it is necessary to concentrate on the job itself and not only on working conditions, provide opportunities for growth and development. However, this theory cannot be applied to all the employees. The practice shows that many people are quite satisfied by good working conditions and do not strive for further development. Moreover, people’s needs and goals change with time and motivators may be different in different situations, conditions and time periods. Victor Vroom argued that to make employees happy and satisfied with a job it is necessary

Friday, July 26, 2019

Gender, sex ( with using CAUSE AND EFFECT style) Essay

Gender, sex ( with using CAUSE AND EFFECT style) - Essay Example A child will learn from its parents the difference between man and woman, boy and girl and identify the attributes that are associated with each term. In this respect, a childs idea of a man would be different in a household where the male is the breadwinner as opposed to the female, and vice versa. Although these gender categories are highly stereotypical, they form the basis for the childs basic understanding of gender and what it means to be female or male. Secondly, cultural beliefs play a large part also, with the views of the parents a strong factor. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, a number of people may believe that women were born only in order to serve a men or for giving birth to a child and then to raise him. In the same vein, and to use an extreme example, Eskimo men exploit their wives in order to set up trading associations with other Eskimos. They frequently present their wives sexual services in front of other Eskimo man just to strengthen the hunting or business relationship. In an Eskimo household, imagine how a young girl would see herself after being bared to these ideas over her first 5 years at home. Of course, this is an extreme example but it substantiates the point. Another aspect is media, media also uses interpellation as a form of recruitment that can inspire individuals to recreate their gender identity, presenting issues in a light that encourage people to join up or take a stand thus aiding the expansion of a collective identity amongst a specific gender. Phrases such as: "It was recognized that people label someone a feminist when someone expresses emotions that distinguish women from doormats," are designed to incite people into joining a shared individuality in the form of a group, in this case feminism. Lastly, our peers are a huge influence on the way that we see gender, and identify with the requirements of the same. The boys in a childs school may all play football, and therefore it is

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Signal Processing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Signal Processing - Research Paper Example One of these digital signal processing techniques is adaptive filtering. Adaptive Filters Haykin (2006) defines an adaptive filter as a system which is self-designing and reliant on a recursive algorithm for its operation. This feature enables an adaptive to satisfactorily perform in an environment where there is scarce or no knowledge of the applicable statistics. Diniz & Netto (2002) observe that an adaptive filter is used when either the fixed specifications are not known, or these specifications cannot be met by filters which are time-invariant. Adaptive filter’s characteristics depend on the input signal and such filters are time-varying because their parameters continually change so as to satisfy a performance requirement. The two main groups of adaptive filters are linear and nonlinear. According to Stearns & Widrow (1985), linear adaptive filters calculate an approximation of the desired response by utilizing a linear permutation of the available group of observables t hat are applied to the filter’s input. Nonlinear adaptive filters are those that depend on the input signal and their parameters change continually. Also, adaptive filters can be classified as supervised and unsupervised adaptive filters. Supervised adaptive filters apply the presence of a training series that gives different outputs of a desired ouput for a particular input signal. The response that is desired is compared against the real output due to the input signal, and the error signal that results is used in adjusting the filter’s free parameters. Unsupervised adaptive filters perform alterations of their free parameters without the requirement for a desired response. Such filters are designed with a group of rules that enable it to calculate the input-output mapping with particular desirable properties (Sayed, 2003). Adaptive Filtering System Configuration Drumright (1998) establishes 4 major types of adaptive filtering configurations. These include adaptive no ise cancellation, adaptive inverse system, adaptive system identification and adaptive linear prediction. Algorithm implementation in all these systems, but the configuration is different. They all have the same general characteristics which include: an input signal x(n), a desired result d(n), an output signal y(n), an adaptive transfer function w(n) and an error signal e(n). e(n)=d(n)-y(n) The adaptive system identification determines a discrete approximation of the transfer function for an unknown analog or digital system. A similar input x(n) is applied to both the unknown system and the adaptive filter and the outputs are compared. The y(n) of the adaptive filter is subtracted from that of the unknown resulting in an error signal e(n) which is used to manipulate the filter coefficients of the adaptive system. In the adaptive noise cancellation configuration, an input x(n) and a noise source N1(n) are compared with a desired signal d(n) which comprises of a signal s(n) corrupted by another noise N0(n). The adaptive filter coefficients adapt to cause the error signal to be a noiseless version of the signal s(n). The adaptive linear prediction configuration performs two operations; linear prediction and noise cancellation. Finally, the adaptive inverse system models the inverse of the unknown system u(n), an aspect which is useful in adaptive equalization (Drumright, 1998). Conclusion Just as discussed above, the classical applications of adaptive filt

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Acquisition Strategy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Acquisition Strategy Analysis - Essay Example This paper will mention two organizations that are under a different industry operation but make use of acquisition strategies in order to make their positions stronger in today’s competitive business world (Chan, 2003). Advantage presented by a merger or acquisition to either two or even more organizations is an option of strategic positions that are attractive for the ability to achieve operating economies, thus strengthening the effects of the organization’s competitiveness and competencies, resulting to new avenues that allow more innovative market opportunities. An acquisition can be referred to as a combination between two or even more organizations or companies whereby, one of them thoroughly buys and assumes all the operations or processes of the other one. These strategies, if properly researched and handled, can result to generation of an enormous amount of profit to the organization; however, not every single company that makes use of mergers or acquisitions can be termed as successful. Most companies are yet to meet their goals or expectations as a result of acquisitions performance. In fact, a handful of the organizations have epically failed (Gamble & Thompson, 2011). ... Sixteen years ago after its publicity, its market capitalization was approximately 120 billion dollars, which is vastly larger than that of Xerox, Apple, and Dell combined. Cisco has managed to sail through whereas several because of its expertise in professionalizing processes which most firms occasionally embark on when they need them or when they are greedy to make more profits. The Airspace former CEO once said that most of the companies he had interacted with rarely use acquisition strategies and in fact, integration is their job at night. He went ahead to say that, unlike the others, Cisco consists of individuals whose initiative is to strategize both during the day and night. Acquisition therefore, to him, is the company’s core function (Gamble, 2011). According to experts, Cisco is a highly successful company in terms of identification of new technologies in the market and taking calculated corporate risks mainly in markets that are new. However, the main point to note is that the firm’s acquisition and merger operation strength lies elsewhere. The firm noticed that technology acquisition cannot only lie on technology but the people as well. Hooper, the CEO, said that the firm’s most strategic and useful asset is the people. The people in this case mean the firm’s expertise. He says that once the firm loses product managers and technologists who may have created, say, a router to a link after an acquisition, then it may be said to have lost an immense deal of products which might have only existed in the heads of those employees. The core nucleus to the firm’s acquisition machine may be said to be its development group. It comprises of 40 individuals securely tucked to a cubicle firm that is

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

English Lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

English Lit - Essay Example This is true to some extent, but again it cannot be generalized. This thesis statement can be more closely introspected if we give a thorough gaze and reviewing glance to the two great American autobiographies of the contemporary times. The two books taken into consideration are â€Å"The Autobiography of Malcolm X† by Malcolm X published in the year 1965 and â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings† by Maya Angelou published in the year 1969. â€Å"The Autobiography of Malcolm X† cannot be granted as an Autobiography in its truest sense as it was written by Alex Haley during the years 1964 and 1965. According to Haley, the book was written on the basis of the interview conducted by Haley with the great historical figure Malcolm X and the interview was conducted shortly before his death. The book was published in the year 1965 with an epilogue just after the death of Malcolm. Here lies the greatest controversy on the fact and fiction. Times Magazine claims â€Å"The Autobiography of Malcolm X† as â€Å"one of the most important nonfiction books of the 20th century† (Gray, 1998). But an autobiography should depend on the testimony and not on documentation. Haley himself admitted in his documentary â€Å"Eyes on the Prize† about the difficulty of recording the life and experience of Malcolm X as he was averse to talking about personal issues and was more keen on discussing about the â€Å"Nation of Islam† (American Experience, n.d.). Again, in a more controversial document, historian Manning Marable claimed that just before writing the book, Haley had collaborated with FBI to produce misleading criticism on Malcolm and his Nation of Islam. This is again a possibility for the distraction of truth and will always remain open for controversies and criticism (Democracy Now!, 2005). â€Å"The Autobiography of Malcolm X† encapsulates the upbringing of Malcolm in Michigan and his experience of adulthood to the quest of maturity in the city of Boston and New York.

Monday, July 22, 2019

A Lesson Before Dying Essay Example for Free

A Lesson Before Dying Essay â€Å"A Lesson Before Dying† takes place in a small Louisiana Cajun community in the late 1940’s. In the novel, Jefferson, a young black man, is an unwitting party to a liquor store shoot out in which three men are killed; being the only survivor, he is convicted of a murder and sentenced to death. To portray this novel Gaines displays respectable literary devices like setting, tone, and characterization; therefore helping I as the reader feel the emotions of Jefferson from his point of view. In the initial setting of the novel, Jefferson sits in a courtroom located in rural Louisiana, which is filled with anger, tension, isolation, and quietness from the people in the room. This setting of the book supports Jefferson’s personality in chapter nine when Jefferson’s character is introduced. Jefferson’s cell could be considered the second setting or Jefferson’s setting in the book. Jefferson’s relationship to the courtroom (initial setting) supports Jefferson’s personality in the prison. He is isolated just like in the courtroom. â€Å"There was an empty cell between Jefferson and the rest of the prisoners† (Gaines 71). Jefferson’s cell was not only isolated like a courtroom in rural Louisiana, but quiet. â€Å"Jefferson’s been quiet . . . He didn’t answer† (Gaines 71). Due to Jefferson’s isolation and quietness, he has built anger inside. An anger which had been building up since the courtroom conviction. â€Å"Nothing don’t matter,† he said looking up at the ceiling. The first setting of the novel is similar to Jefferson’s cell setting. The three settings: The courtrooms, location and time era of the town, and prison all have similarities to Jefferson’s character traits. The court trial scene embodies everything that is contained within the novel. All events that occur throughout the entire novel are a repercussion of Jeffersons court case. These circumstances set up the tone that is simply perceived throughout the novel. Gaines tone in the novel shifts as the novel progresses. Gaines made the novel begin with a pessimism view; everything seemed awful and negative especially the court trial. Gaines shows us this disgust tone by telling us the details of the jury members. The twelve â€Å"white† jury members of the case shows us that Jefferson felt dominated by the whites. As the novel goes on Gaines tone shifts and Jefferson seems more aware and confident, the anger and disgust diminishes the longer Jefferson sits in jail. The twelve white jury members were also Gaines way of showing the dominance, and power of the whites during this ime, only thinking that blacks are only good for working, and is incapable of thinking for themselves Do you see a modicum of intelligence? A trait inherited from his ancestors in the deepest jungle of blackest Africa What you see here is a thing that acts on command. â€Å"(Gaines7). Understanding this time era is important for the tone, and Gaines gives good examples representing the era to the tone. Gainess style is unique because the figurative language that he uses improves the readers mental picture. For example, when Gaines was describing Miss Emma at the beginning of the novel he says she became as immobile as a great stone or as one of our oak cypress stumps(Gaines 36). This allowed me as the reader to picture Miss Emma and the condition that she is in with a mental image throughout the entire novel. He also used figurative language while he describes in chapter fourteen the Louisiana Countryside. Gaines told in great detail the cemetery appearance as Grant walked through and then explain the smells and feelings he has while Grant explores the Sugar Cane Planation with Vivian. The literary devices were greatly put to use by Gaines to explain, and portray his novel to any reader. He has made a novel enjoyable for an audience that may not like reading due to his sarcasm (tone), and figurative language to set up numerous scenes. The settings are a main building block for this novel because the court room and the jail cell is when the story line is put together. Each trial, and everyday described by Gaines about Jefferson in jail puts the novel together into one amazing novel that I will be sure to recommend.

Free

Freefall by Joseph Stiglitz Essay Freefall: Free markets and the sinking of the global economy by Joseph Stiglitz (2010) One page Summary Joseph Stiglitz is an American economist and a professor at Columbia University. Dr. Stiglitz is currently the Chair of Columbia University’s Committee on Global Thought. He received his PhD. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1967. Dr. Stiglitz served as the World Bank’s Senior Vice President for Development Economics and Chief Economist from 1997 to 1999. He was the Chairman of President Clinton’s Council of Economic Advisors before his tenure at World Bank. In 2001, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his analysis of markets with asymmetric information and pioneered pivotal concepts such as adverse selection and moral hazard. He also founded a leading economics journal namely The Journal of Economic Perspectives. In 2011, Dr. Stiglitz was named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in Time. Freefall is a book concentrated at the financial crisis of 2007-2009. It is also a book about a battle of ideas, essentially the ideas that led to failed policies that precipitated the crisis. Nobel laureate, Joseph Stiglitz uncovers the fundamental causes of the crisis and the flawed policies taken by the financial institutions as well as the Federal Reserve in a historical, political and comparative context. The financial system may have exacerbated the collapse but the crisis instead as he argued, originated in an overblown housing market, which pushed the creation of America’s addiction to consumption when it should be saving. He argues about the market imperfections and misaligned incentives that distorted the decisions made by everyone from mortgage originators to credit-rating agencies. He mentions about regulators making the mistaken judgment that markets worked well and no regulations were needed. Under this misjudgment, banks were able to transform risky subprime mortgages into AAA-rated products and encouraged the uninformed poor people to take out variable-rate mortgages which resulted people rushing to get what seemed like ‘free lunch’. Stiglitz then mentions the policies made by both the Bush and Obama administrations at that time. He sees the little change from the Republican, far-right days of Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush. Despite Obama was elected on the promise of ‘hope’ and ‘change’ and was forced into the midst of the economic crisis from the first days in office, Stiglitz claims the restorative actions taken were done in a ‘muddle through’ way and describes how the Obama administration has shown a disturbing ongoing complacency towards bankers and continued to bail out ‘too big to fail’ banks that were prohibited by the Glass-Steagal Act in the earlier era. As a result, the government injected taxpayers’ money into the banks which allowed resumption of the culture of paying out outsized bonuses and taking high-risk transactions. He also criticized Obama refusing to formulate a vision by stating the entire electoral appeal was solely based on feel-good vagueness and argued that the lack of vision would put the ‘reform’ p rocess in halt which leave the country more fragile. He argues the state should have forced the banks to restructure financially at the height of the crisis, wiping out shareholders and instead handing out ownership to bondholders. Furthermore, he argues the need for a second round of stimulation plan beyond 2009’s $789 billion package as unemployment stood at around 10% and university graduates were lost in the harsh economic climate under the drastic cut in entry-level jobs. In the final chapters, Stiglitz emphasizes the need for regulations and argues the developed world must need a reformed financial system which performs core functions namely sound risk management and efficient payments mechanism. Whilst Stiglitz advocates for a forcible break-up of top banks together with statutory protection for the financial products such as derivatives, he argues that citizens, policymakers, government leaders and the private sector needs to rethink on how they value outputs in the economy so that it will narrow the inequalities in the society.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Assessment And Classroom Based Assessment English Language Essay

Assessment And Classroom Based Assessment English Language Essay The aim of this chapter is to look at relevant research studies in relation to assessment in the classroom context, and to explore the role of classroom assessment in more details, with a specific focus on formative language assessment. It appears that the teachers classroom assessment practices and strategies may directly impact learners learning, and this includes young learners.(Oksana:not only with young learnersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..so what should I put here) Classroom teachers are in the front line of helping learners learning and assessing their performance in the classroom. Thus, the literature review is mainly concerned with the role of classroom assessment and the relationship between classroom assessment practices and learning. The following section clarifies some terminology and explores the links between assessment and learning with young language learners in the EFL context through a review of literature on experiences of assessment with primary-age learners. 2.2 Definitions of assessment and classroom-based assessment In this section, the definition of the term assessment is provided and the definition of classroom-based assessment (CBA) is discussed to provide more details of the relationship between assessment and learning in classrooms. In the educational context, the term assessment is often associated with testing for most of the teachers, learners and other stakeholders. However, testing is only one element of assessment and it actually encompasses a wider range of factors from tests to dynamic and collaborative activities and tasks. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the difference between assessment and testing before looking at the definition of classroom-based assessment(Oksana: insert page numberà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦what?). 2.2.1 The distinction between assessment and testing Ioannou-Georgior and Sophie (2003: 4) provide a broader interpretation of assessment; they describe assessment as a general term which includes all methods used to gather information about childrens knowledge, ability, understanding, attitudes and motivation. Assessment can be carried out through a number of instruments (for example, test, self-assessment), and can be formal or informal. This definition suggests that teachers may use both formal and informal methods to collect information in relation to learners performance, such as their ability and attitudes, as an evidence of learning. Ioannou-Georgior and Sophie (ibid) point out that assessment refers to all kinds of methods, whether they are formal or informal, with the aim of collecting evidences of learners learning.(Oksana: similar to above, suggestion: remove it) The studies of Rea-Dickins(2000), Lambert and Lines (2000) go further to suggest that assessment is a constant ongoing process rather than a onetime thing. Rea-Dickins (2000) illustrates assessment as the general process of monitoring of keeping track of the learners progress. (p. 376). She highlights that such process is a continuous method to monitor the learners performance. Lambert and Lines (2000) also show the similar view of point, they define assessment as the process of gathering, interpreting, recording and using information about pupils responses to educational tasks (p. 4) From their viewpoint, assessment is related to what teachers do during the process of teaching and learning, including gathering, diagnosing, recording and using information about pupils performance and feedback. As can be seen, assessment is a part of both teachers and learners life within classroom and is integrated to the process of teaching and learning. It is also used to monitor and respond to lea rners regular work, such as learning activities, tasks and tests. On the other hand, testing refers to a procedure that is used to measure learners ability by teachers and examiners (Rea-Dickins, 2000). According to Ioannou-Georgior and Sophie (2003), testing is a procedure with a certain objective and is used by teachers to assess learners performance in order to understand whether the learner has achieved this objective or not. They also point out that testing used tasks or exercises and assigns marks or grades based on quantitative results (p. 4) This seems to suggest that testing is one of the tools that used by teachers to assess their learners ability and is a way to demonstrate what learners have learnt. It also implies that testing is a onetime thing rather than an ongoing process. As can be seen, testing is a procedure with a certain objective and is used to collect quantitative results, in terms of marks or grades. It is used to measure what the learners have learnt and to check whether they have met their goal or not; meanwhile, assessme nt refers to all methods of collecting both quantitative and qualitative data in relation to learners performance and is a continuous process. (Oksana: Yes, but it is classroom based assessment specifically that does thisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..what?)In fact, through clarifying the boundaries between testing and assessment may help us to get insight into the meaning and definition of classroom-based assessment. 2.2.2 Definition of Classroom-Based Assessment Classroom-based assessment is defined by Airasian as the process of collecting, synthesizing and interpreting information to aid in classroom decision making (2005, p. 2). He highlights the work that teachers need to take during the process of assessment in the classroom context, with the aim of supporting teachers in decision making, such as deciding what forms of assessment are most appropriate for gaining information about learners learning and measuring achievement. In classrooms, teachers collect data in relation to learners needs, strength, and weakness and try to interpret the information on the basis of teachers own beliefs, capacities and knowledge. They then provide help to learners and may be able to support individual learning needs. Such ongoing processes, including assigning grades, providing feedback and learning opportunities, and modifying the teaching and learning, are aiming to renew, keep track and record learners performance in the classroom. By doing so, teacher s may be able to enhance learners learning and help them to close the gap between their current status and their target level (Sadler 1989). Further, Mckay describes that classroom assessment or teacher assessment refers to assessment carried out by teachers in the classroom (2006, p. 140). He then notes that classroom assessment may be formative, for instance, when the purpose is to provide feedback to help learners improve learning, or it may be summative, when the purpose is to record and report pupils achievement and attainment (Rea-Dickins 2000). As can be seen, the purposes for classroom assessment may lead to using assessment information formatively or summatively by teachers. For example, they may need to use formative assessment to identify learner needs and use summative assessment to provide learners achievement to school authorities in the end of a school year. In fact, there are a variety of purposes for teachers to use classroom assessment. Rea-Dickins suggests three objectives of using classroom assessment: teaching, nurturing learning, and measuring learning (2000). In other words, teachers may use classro om assessment to modify their teaching methods and materials, provide appropriate help to learners and meet the bureaucratic demands. Classroom assessment plays a significant role in collecting information about learners learning and can also be used to support teachers teaching and learning (Rea-Dickins, 2001). It is a continuous and integrated process which can be planned in advance as well as be unplanned, such as observing learners language performance during the course of teaching and assessment activities. The roles of teachers may have an impact on learners learning in the classroom, whether as facilitators to develop learners language development or as assessors to measure learners language learning, (Rea-Dickins, 2008). Teachers may use both formative and summative assessment as pedagogic tools to scaffold learners, adjust their teaching, and assign grades for learners in the classroom. It is important for teachers to develop classroom assessment skills and strategies, and bring about positive change in classrooms. The aims of adopting classroom assessment strategies are to support learners learning and te achers teaching, and to meet the ultimate achievement of the curriculum goals. Rea-Dickins (2001) provides a model of classroom assessment which illustrates teachers roles in four stages in the classroom assessment process (see Figure 2.1). It also reveals the fact that teachers may need to play a mediating role in order to deal with various demands from improving learning and modifying teaching. For instance, in stage 1, the Planning stage, teachers may be interpreters to explain the learning goals and assessment criteria with learners and evaluators to identify learners needs and levels. They may become supporter in stage 2 in order to scaffold learners and provide feedback to them. As for stage 3, teachers may also need to be interpreters to interpret the learning evidence and improvers to refine the assessment process; meanwhile, they may need to be reports to report and record the learning progress to administrative authorities. Stage 1: Planning Identifying the purpose for the assessment?(why?) Choosing the assessment activity(how) Preparing the learners for the assessment Who chooses/decides for each of the above Stage 4: Recording Dissemination Recording reporting progress toward NC Formal review for LEA or internal school purposes Strategies for dissemination of formal review of learners Stage 2: Implementation Introducing the assessment(why, what, how) Scaffolding, during assessment activity Learner self- peer monitoring Feedback to learners(immediate) Stage 3: Monitoring Recording evidence of achievement Interpreting evidence obtained from an assessment Revising teaching and learning plans Sharing findings with other teachers Feedback to learners (delayed) Figure 2.1 Process and strategies in classroom assessment  [1]   However, teachers may not be able to predict the complex interaction between these two assessment purposes before actually implementing the assessment active. For instance, teacher-planned summative assessment may also provide formative assessment opportunities for students during the teaching process. Rea-Dickins (2006) points out that the boundary and interaction between formative and summative purposes of assessment cannot be identified in any watertight way in advance, as they will unfold and be enacted through the classroom discourse (p. 183). As can be seen, teachers need to be flexible with their classroom assessment practices and be able to use both formative and summative assessment as pedagogic tools to scaffold learners, adjust their teaching, and assign grades for learners in the classroom. Thus, it is important for teachers to understand the functions of both formative and summative assessments and how to use them to modify their teaching, enhance pupil achievement, and report to school authorities, parents and other stakeholders. 2.3 The Functions of Classroom Assessment: Formative and Summative Assessment On the basis of the definition of classroom assessment (2.2), classroom assessment may be used as a variety of instruments by teachers to collect data in relation to learners needs, ability, knowledge, understanding and performance in the classroom. This seems to imply the primary role teachers play in classroom assessment process and the importance of linking formative and summative assessment to effectively enhance learners learning and report it to other stakeholders, including parents, other teachers, learners themselves, and school authorities. In this section, the functions of classroom assessment, in terms of formative and summative assessment, will be discussed, particularly with assessment for learning, through a review of the literature in relation to the role of both formative and summative assessment in classrooms. 2.3.1 The Role of Formative and Summative Assessment Classroom teachers are in the front line of assisting learners to develop their ability and enhance their learning, thus, it is crucial for teachers to recognize the different functions and characteristics between formative and summative assessments and to integrate them into everyday teaching and learning. Harlen and James (1997) share the different roles of formative and summative assessment in classroom assessment. They urge the need to distinguish the differences between formative and summative assessment, in terms of the functions and characteristics, and then connect and wave them together. To reveal the complexities of the differences between formative and summative, some research reports have provided a variety of interpretations to help teachers to clarify the concept of formative and summative assessment. According to the report of Task Group on Assessment and Testing, known as TGAT, it defines formative and summative assessment through clarifying the different purposes and timing between them. For formative assessment, teachers may use it to understand the the positive achievements of a pupil (DES/WO, 1988, para. 23) (Oksana: This is quite an old reference, is there anything newer/more recent on this point?)and then plan their teaching in order to help the pupil to reach to the next step. It highlights the dynamic process of teaching and learning in the classroom and more importantly, it points out the future direction through using the results of assessment. Formative assessment is a continuous process of adjusting teachers teaching and learners learning; meanwhile, summative assessment is used for systematic recording of learners overall achievement. In other words, teachers may use summative assessment to note learners performance, such as recording the grade or scores of teacher made and standardized tests, after a certain period of time. In 2001, Clarke expressed similar views in providing a clear illustration for formative and summative assessment: If we think of our children as plantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦summative assessment of the plants is the process of simply measuring them. The measurements might be interesting to compare and analyse, but, in themselves, they do not affect the growth of the plants. Formative assessment, on the other hand, is the garden equivalent of feeding and watering the plants directly affecting their growth (p2). As can be seen, the main function of formative assessment is to nurture pupils and improve learning, which is a continuous process of interaction between teachers and learners. For instance, in classrooms, teachers provide guidance for learners toward improvement through formative assessment feedback during the processes of teaching and learning. As for summative assessment, it takes place after the teaching and learning. Teachers may grade or make judgments in relation to learners learning in order to inform and report to other stakeholders. In the classroom, teachers use formative assessment to help learners learning as well as modify their own teaching methods and materials. They also use summative assessment to assign grades and report attainment at the end of a school year for administrative purposes (Bachman Palmer 1996). As such, formative assessment requires the ability of the teacher to diagnose learners performance, in terms of what causes him or her to get struck, and to help learner to understand what to learn, how they learn, and how well they have learned. 2.3.2 Formative Classroom Assessment: assessment for learning More recently, the focus of the classroom assessment studies has shifted from forms of test to the interactions between assessment and classroom learning. This shift also highlights the importance of the improvement of learning through formative teacher assessment. Black and Wiliam (1998) review a variety of past research studies in relation to classroom formative assessment. They point out that several empirical studies show evidence to support the claim that improving formative assessment do raise standards and help pupils learning, particularly with low ability pupils. They also present evidence in relation to how teachers use formative assessment practices and strategies to enhance pupils learning in the field of general education. A broader explanation of formative assessment is provided by Black and Wiliam, they illustrate that all those activities undertaken by teachers, and/or by their students, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged (1998, p.7). Their interpretation not only points out that formative assessment activities can be used by both teachers and learners but also indicates how teachers and students use feedback to adjust the teaching and learning. From this perspective, formative assessment is embedded in teaching and learning and can be used to prompt learner learning. Key formative assessment strategies, such as effective teacher feedback, teacher scaffolding, self- and peer- assessment, and raising learners self-esteem and motivation, may be integrated and embedded within teacher-learner(s) interactions(Rea-Dickins 2006). As can be seen, the activities that conduct by teachers, such as observation, teacher made tests, take-home tasks, and learners, including self- and peer- assessment, would provide information to help both teachers and learners improve themselves. Further, Brindley (2001) points out formative assessment should undertake by teachers during the learning process, by doing so, teachers can use the results to improve instruction (p. 137). In addition, Sadler (1989) connects formative assessment with feedback and believes that feedback to teachers and to learners are separate. He suggests that the aim of using feedback for teachers is to diagnose learners performance and modify their teaching in order to help learners to enhance their abilities; meanwhile, for learners, the purpose of using feedback is to monitor their performance and understand their own learning weaknesses and strengths. Further, Tunstall and Gipps (1996, p.393) identify two types of feedback used by teachers in classrooms: evaluative and descriptive feedback respectively. They suggest that the former seems to be more close to affective and conative (effort-based) aspects of learning with a performance goal, whereas the latter places the emphasis on the cognitive development with a mastery goal. Teachers act as facilitators in providing descriptive types of feedback, such as making suggestions and questioning as part of discussion, rather than directing (p. 401). As can be seen, there is a greater links between descriptive feedback and formative assessment. However, Torrance and Pryor (1998) point out that teacher feedback may have a negative influence on learners, for instance, when the teacher tries to correct learners mistakes which may lead to the impression of learners producing wrong answers. It may even be seen as criticism by the pupils and discourage learners self-esteem. Further, teacher feedback with praise may result in encouraging competition among learners instead of increasing learners motivation. Thus, it is important for teachers to recognize the influences and impact of formative assessment feedback on learner motivation and self-esteem. To sum up, classroom assessment is used by teachers to collect data in relation to the process and attainment of learners with aim of responding to individual needs and curricular demands. Formative assessment is crucial in enhancing learner learning and closing the gap between learners actual level and potential level. The following section explored assessment of young language learners in a foreign classroom context through review of past research studies in relation to classroom assessment in practice. 2.4Research on Assessment of Young Learners in the EFL Classrooms In this section, the relevant research studies of classroom assessment of young language learners are explored, followed by introducing a unique Taiwanese educational context, in terms of learning English in private ESL schools, as the classroom assessment context in this research. 2.4.1 Classroom Assessment of Young Language Learners Rea-Dickins (2000) points out that since the 1990s research studies in relation to assessment for foreign language learners has been more in evidence (e.g., Low et al., 1993; McKay et al., 1994; Edelenbos and Johnstone,1996; Breen et al., 1997; Leung and Teasdale, 1997). Language Testing proposes a special issue that is focusing on assessment for young language learners, who ages 5 to about 12, in the school system. The key idea of these reports in this issue is related to a variety of purposes for assessment for young language learners within an early years language learning curriculum which results in raising the awareness of wider issues in relation to assessment of young language learners, such as how the validity of classroom-based assessment is achieved. Teadeale and Leung (2000) draw the attention to the validity of implement alternative assessment and monitoring learners learning performance through teacher assessment. Rea-Dickins and Gardner (2000) also look at the same issue in relation to the implementation of formative classroom assessment, in terms of keeping track of learners language development, in the English as a Second Language (ESL) context. Their findings suggest the potential variables which may influence the validity of teacher assessment during the assessment procedure. This is followed by Gattullo who explores the way to implement formative assessment in the Italian primary foreign language classroom, where English is taught since grade 3 (age 8). She investigates different formative assessment processes through analyzing classroom assessment discourses and she also observes the everyday interactions between teachers and learners. The results suggest that instead of using formative assessment actions which may be m ore beneficial for learning, including observing process, examining product and metacognitive questioning; teachers use more common actions, such as questioning, correcting and judging. Continuing the theme of formative assessment of primary learners in the EFL context, Zangl (2000) provides the methods of assessment to gain information in relation to primary-age learners language skills. She argues that teachers may be able to draw a developmental picture for individual learners, including their general interactional skills and specific language skills, through ongoing assessment throughout primary school. Hasselgren (2000) looks at the innovative ways to develop materials, such as tests, teacher assessment, and learners self-assessment, which can improve both teachers and learners assessment skills in Norwegian primary schools. In the context of Norway, one significant difference is that there is no tradition of testing for young language learners due to local policy. This contributes to high-demand assessment methods, particularly in materials development and task design, and to the implementation of formative assessment, in terms of assessment for learning. Both teachers and learners are encouraged to develop their ability to assess. As can be seen, the national policy is one of important variables that influences teachers attitude towards integrating classroom-based assessment into their everyday language teaching. It is also crucial to take variables, such as learners prior cultural knowledge, teachers knowledge and ability in assessment, and the English curriculum, into account when assessing primary-age learners of English as a foreign language. Teachers should choose and design the appropriate assessment material for Young language learners. The material should be well adapted to learners cognitive and linguistic skills and to their interests. The work of Hasselgren suggests that classroom assessment may be influenced by a variety of factors, particularly by the national policy. These external elements, such as the government policy and English curriculum, may have direct impact on the implementation of assessment, teachers attitude towards classroom assessment and their classroom assessment practices in the EFL context. A brief history of primary school English education in Taiwan is explored in the next section to gain insight into a special English classroom in Taiwan. 2.4.2 ESL Program in Taiwan English teaching and learning for young learners has become increasingly important in Asian countries, such as Taiwan, China, Japan and Korea, where learners study English as a Foreign Language (EFL) over the past few decades. At this point it is useful to clarify some terminology before introducing the English educational context in Taiwan. The term English as a Second Language (ESL) used in countries, , such as Canada, North America and Australia, which refers to learners who are using English as the medium of instruction in school contexts but who are not English first language (L1) speakers (Rea-Dickins, 2000, p. 115). On the other hand, the term English as Foreign Language (EFL) refers to when English is taught to non-native English speakers in non- English speaking areas, such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. In 1997, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan decided to implement curricular and instructional reforms in elementary and junior high school education. One of the most significant changes is that English courses are officially introduced in grade 3 (age 9) with two 40-minute lessons per week (Ministry of Education, Republic of China, 2010). Since then, learning English has become a popular movement for young learners from the ages of 5 to 12 across the country. Butler (2004) points out that some Asian countries, such as Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, have introduced English language instruction at the elementary school level, with special focus on oral communication skills. Although the officially suggested starting age is 9, most parents want their children to learn English as soon as possible. The assumption of the younger the better in foreign language acquisition is supported by many Taiwanese parents, who believe an early start will help their children to achieve greater profici ency. These factors above contribute to the significant growth in the number of cram schools and private language schools across the country over the last decade. Cram school also known as abuxiban in Taiwan are very common and popular in competitive Asian countries, particularly in Taiwan and Japan. The aim of these schools is to help pupils to enhance their achievement scores (Harnisch, 1994; Oneil Fukumura, 1992; Stevenson Stigler, 1992). In 1999, a report from China Central News, on 6 April 1999, stated that at least more than one quarter of elementary pupils attend private language institutions after school to learn English. Tsai and Kuo (2008) report that there are more than 5,000 cram schools in Taiwan. Most English cram schools offer additional after-school teaching to enhance pupils English ability. In particular, numerous so-called ESL schools aim to help Taiwanese learners to learn English as a Second Language (ESL) through using American elementary textbooks and teaching all subjects, including handwriting, computer, music, social science, reading, math, science, grammar, phonics and writing, in English. They also offer an ESL p rogram to kindergarten children of 3 years old up to students in grade 6 (age 12). In general, kindergarten pupils and grade 1 to 2 learners receive an average of 4 to 5 lessons a day, each 30 minutes long. As for grade 3 to 6 learners, they receive approximately 2 to 3 lessons a day due to their longer elementary school hours. Such ESL schools provide a unique educational context to investigate these ESL English teachers perceptions of classroom assessment and their own classroom assessment practices.