Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines

Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank Of The Philippines Republic Act No. 6848, otherwise known as â€Å"The Charter of the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines† outlines that the primary purpose of the Islamic bank is â€Å"to promote and accelerate the socio-economic development of the Autonomous Region by performing banking, financing and investment operations and to establish and participate in agricultural, commercial and industrial ventures based on the Islamic concept of banking.† In addition to allowing the bank to act as a universal bank capable of offering both conventional and Islamic banking products and services, the Sections No. 10 the bargaining power of multilateral and bilateral aid organizations(USTDA, WB, ADB, JBIC) is high due to their involvement with micro-finance and development banks; the large size and unorganized nature of the labor sector affords it little bargaining power; bargaining power among depositors is highly skewed towards the higher income deciles who’s deposits ac count for 88.3% of the savings in banks, with the lower deciles having nor bargaining power. (2) With regard to the bargaining power of buyers, the higher income deciles belonging to the middle and upper classes resided and/or did business in the National Capital Region (NCR) and demand services such as â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦electronic banking, payroll services, and bill payments.†; The power portions of the population find it difficult to obtain financing from formal banks due to their situation, and thus do not have much bargaining power, but their sheer numbers offer a potentially large market. (3) With regard to the threat of new entrants, any new Islamic banks allowed by the BSP could actually benefit the Amanah Bank by providing much needed visibility for the beleaguered Philippine Islamic banking sector. (4) With regard to the threat of substitute, notable alternatives that customers may opt for are informal financial institutions, employers that provide loan programs, or complete abstinence from banking entirely. Another threat is the outflow of capital from the country. (5) With regard to rivalry among existing players, the tendency of banks to be large tends to lead them to avoid small borrowers and savers, as such the government has had to develop the banking system so as to include such institutions as thrift and rural banks which cater to the needs of small borrowers and savers who would otherwise resort to informal institutions. In order to counter the threat of oligopoly the government competes in the financial sector via the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP). (Isnaji, 2003)

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of conventional 35mm single Essay

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of conventional 35mm single lens reflex cameras to other film formats and type of image - Essay Example To shed some light on this topic, the pros and cons of a 35 mm SLR over other film formats and image capturing systems have been detailed in this article. What is an SLR An SLR or Single Lens Reflex camera is one that has a ‘reflex mirror’ which allows the user to directly view the image being shot through the lens of the camera (Rowse2007). In simpler words, unlike other cameras which have a viewing system different from the lens of the camera, the SLR has only one viewing system and allows the user to see exactly what is being photographed through the viewfinder. SLR or Point and Shoot While deciding which camera one needs to buy, one needs to balance utility with price to choose a camera perfectly suited to their needs. Both SLRs and point and shoots have their own strengths and weaknesses with respect to each other. For example, SLRs have much faster shutter speeds than point and shoot cameras. This can duly be adjusted for the film being used and the abundance of li ght, giving the photographer multiple options for using high speed films (greater ISO) without risking grainy output in the photographs. Also, there is an almost negligible time lag between when the shutter is pressed and the film is exposed, giving the photographer a better opportunity of capturing the perfect moment even with a moving subject. Such is not the case with point and shoot cameras. Both digital and film P&S cameras have a time lag between when the shutter button is clicked and the sensor or film is exposed. This renders them more or less useless for anything but still photography and memories with orchestrated poses. An SLR allows the user to control almost every aspect of photography. He can adjust the light entering through the aperture, the speed of the film, the duration for which the shutter exposes the film, the focus of the image and even the kind of lens being used. Even the best of the point and shoot cameras can’t hold a candle to these features. The f act that the SLR allows for interchangeable lenses means that the photographer is ready for almost any kind of shot whether a close up, extreme close up, long or a wide shot. The lack of this feature sorely limits prospects with point and shoots. The quality of optics (lenses) in even the worst SLRs tops that in the best point and shoot cameras. The compatibility of these lenses with other camera bodies means that the investment in the lenses is not wasted if the camera body malfunctions. To upgrade, the photographer only needs to change the camera body, which itself is extremely durable compared to a point and shoot. However, an SLR also has certain limitations. One extremely limiting factor is the price of an SLR camera which is many times that of a point and shoot camera. Another prohibiting factor is the size and weight of SLR cameras. The weight of an SLR camera along with its lens kit, filters, flash apparatus and tripod can make it pretty inconvenient to carry around and also , an SLR requires considerable setup time for the perfect shot to be taken. A point and shoot can be fit into the user’s pocket, whipped out when needed and is ready to capture images. Another issue with SLRs is maintenance. Considering that the SLR is

UK public finances Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

UK public finances - Essay Example According to forecasts published by the HM Treasury for the month of June -July 2010 and June - July 2011, it is evident that GDP during the same period will increase from 1.2% to 2.1% respectively (HM Treasury Report July, 2010) The detailed overview of the public finances databank available from the government, it is revealed that the current budget surplus is -105.6 billion and net borrowing of 154.6 billion with overall net debt of 53.8% for the year 2009-10. It is further evident from the data below that the trend in net borrowing is decreasing thereby promoting the growth of GDP. The table below shows that current budget surplus has come down to zero resulting in healthy GDP of 67.4% by 2014-15. (Table 1) The data furnished above should motivate the executives and decision makers to invest in the country eyeing the long term objective of making profit. However the following diagram shows that most of expenditure is targeted towards social protection which aggregates to 28%, which is understood in the present circumstances of continuous threat of terror attacks. Health and Education is also one of the important areas where the government is spending huge money. According to following diagram, it is suggested that company executives may invest in other areas like housing loans and insurances as the government spending in those areas is very minimal. It is forecasted that the government would receive majority of its income from tax deductions, which means good income to the public, followed by National Insurance (17%). Figure 1 Figure 2 (Source: Public Sector Finances Data Bank - HM Treasury http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk) The government received 153.5 billion as Income Tax in the year 2008-09, 96.9 billion from National Insurance, 78.4 billion from VAT and also from tobacco duty, fuel duty, spirits, wine, beer and cider duties, air passenger duty. As mentioned above, company executives may focus on providing products and fix prices keeping in view the predicted spending and generated income by the government. As the diagram (Figure 1) shows that government spending is huge in social protection but least in housing and environment, it is assumed that opportunity persists for the businesses in realty and banking sector. It is assumed that banking sector will flourish during the next few years as financial assistance could be provided to the people from agricultural sector as well as in realty sector. (http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk) It is important to mention that economics uses theories and methods to study the behavior of people involved with allocating resources and aiming to reach some optimum situation (Elliott and Payne, 2005:1). As the government is

Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Essay Example for Free

Habeas Corpus and the War on Terror Essay In this paper I will be diving in to the history of Habeas Corpus and how it has evolved over the years. I will briefly explain the origination of the habeas corpus, the role it plays in U. S. A and what current action is being taken about it. I will be also looking in to the Bush administration and the way they dealt with habeas corpus. The original purpose of habeas corpus was to bring people into court rather than out of imprisonment and by the year 1230, the writs utility for that purpose was a well-known aspect of English common law. Known as the Great Writ, its codification into English law came by way of Parliament in the Habeas Corpus Act of 1641, created in response to the King of Englands actions during what is now referred to as Darnells Case. In Darnell, five English noblemen were thrown into the castles dungeon deep for failure to support their countrys dual wars against France and Spain. The men filed suit, requesting the King provide an explanation as to their imprisonment. King Charles refused, on review; the court upheld the monarchys steadfast silence, stating that the law did not require the King to provide any justification for their detention. The public outcry against this decision was deafening, prompting Parliamentary action the following year. Parliament expanded habeas rights several years later with the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679, additionally requiring charges to be brought within a specific time period for anyone detained for criminal acts. By 1765, habeas corpus was firmly imbedded within the foundation of English law, as noted by William Blackstone, who described the Great Writ as a second magna carta, a stable bulwark of our liberties. This fundamental English right successfully traversed the Atlantic Ocean when our founders incorporated the doctrine of habeas corpus into the U. S. Constitution. As stated, The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it. Known as the Suspension Clause, this provision specifically places the ability to suspend habeas corpus in the hands of Congress only during times of rebellion or invasion. Despite the clarity of the clause, the American debate on habeas corpus only begins at this point. The Great Writ of habeas corpus has long had an iconic status as the writ of liberty which ensured that no person could be detained in prison without being put to trial by a jury of his peers. According to the traditional version, popularized by Whiggish constitutional writers from the late seventeenth century onwards, the English constitution as embodied in the common law had, since time immemorial, striven to protect the fundamental rights of Englishmen and women, which included the right to personal liberty obban, M. Halliday, P. D. (2011). Habeas Corpus is an ancient common law prerogative writ a legal procedure to which you have an undeniable right. It is an extraordinary remedy at law. Upon proper application, or even on naked knowledge alone, a court is empowered, and is duty bound, to issue the Extraordinary Writ of Habeas Corpus commanding one who is restraining liberty to forthwith produce before the court the person who is in custody and to show because why the liberty of that person is being restrained. Absent a sufficient showing for a proper restraint of liberty, the court is duty bound to order the restraint eliminated and the person discharged. Habeas Corpus is fundamental to American and all other English common law derivative systems of jurisprudence. It is the ultimate lawful and peaceable remedy for adjudicating the providence of liberty’s restraint. Robertson. J, (2002). After the attacks of 11 September 2001, came the war in Afghanistan followed by the war in Iraq: a two-pronged engagement collectively known as the Global War on Terror As U. S. rmed forces captured enemy combatants by the M35 truckload, the Bush administration pondered how to systematically detain such persons in a manner that would provide adequate detention while maintaining intelligence-gathering capabilities vital to the war efforts. The answer was found on the island of Cuba: Guantanamo Bay. U. S. naval forces have occupied this site since 1903, and it seemed to provide the perfect solution. Relying on the Courts previous precedent in Johnson v. Eisentrager, govemment officials believed that keeping enemy combatants outside the realm of U.  S. territory would preclude such individual’s filing, among other things, claims for habeas corpus review. The govemments legal position was tested almost as quickly as the detainees arrived. Beginning in 2002, the United States transported captured enemy combatants to the area of Guantanamo Bay known as Camp X-Ray. Applications for writs of habeas corpus by Guantanamo detainees were made as early as February 2002. In Coalition of Clergy v. Bush, the U. S. District Court for the Central District of California first approached this issue in line with govemment expectations. Relying on Johnson v. Eisentrager, the court held that several U. S. citizens under the Coalition of Clergy, Lawyers, and Professors who had filed show cause petitions on behalf of enemy combatants held at Guantanamo Bay lacked standing to assert claims on behalf of the detainees. The court further concluded that, even if petitioners did have standing, this court lacked jurisdiction to entertain those claims. Moreover, the court found that no federal court would have jurisdiction over petitioners claims, so there is no basis to transfer this matter to another federal district court. Because Guantanamo Bay remained outside U. S. sovereignty, the case closely mirrored that of Eisentrager As a result, the United States failed to maintain jurisdiction and the court dismissed the petition. In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force which grants the President power to use all necessary and appropriate force' against all who either participated in any way in those attacks or gave refuge to those who participated. Under this authority, the Department of Defense ordered several enemy combatants to be transferred to Guantanamo Bay for detention. In Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, a plurality of the Court recognized that the ability to detain individuals engaged in armed conflict against the United States was so fundamental and accepted an incident to war as to be an exercise of the necessary and appropriate force Congress has authorized the President to use. Notwithstanding this explicit sanction of detention, the Court held that the citizen-detainee seeking to challenge his classification as an enemy combatant must receive notice of the factual basis for his classification, and a fair opportunity to rebut the Governments factual assertions before a neutral decision maker. The Court suggested that this could be done by an appropriately authorized and properly constituted military tribunal. Pond, B. C. (2009). The rationale for the U. S. detention policy derives from the Bush administrations comprehensive military order issued on November 13, 001, which is intended to govern the Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War against Terrorism. Purportedly modeled after a proclamation and military order issued by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II, President Bushs military order limits the use of military commissions to any non-citizen for whom the president determines: is or was a member of al Qaeda, has committed, aided or abetted, or conspired to commit terrorist acts, or has knowingly harbored one or more of these individuals. Several months after the issuance of this military order, the administration began using the term enemy combatant to describe those subject to detention and trial by military commission. The administrations definition of enemy combatant, however, has varied over time. The administration sometimes uses the enemy combatant label as a term of art to describe a new and unique category of combatant in the post 9/11 world. On other occasions, the administration uses the term generically to describe what traditionally has been called lawful and unlawful combatants, while at other times the term is used synonymously with unlawful combatants. According to this definition, the term enemy combatant is not limited to war combatants alone, but includes anyone who has aided terrorist organizations fighting against the United States, including those who may have unwittingly given financial support to al Qaeda. The Joint Chiefs of Staff issued a slightly different definition of enemy combatant on March 23, 2005. According to Joint Publication 3-63, entitled Joint Doctrine for Detainee Operations, the term enemy combatant describes a new category of detainee and includes, but is not necessarily limited to, a member or agent of Al Qaeda, Taliban, or another international terrorist organization against which [the] United States is engaged in an armed conflict. Staab, J. B. (2008). Conclusion The premise behind habeas corpus as stated is to bring people into court rather than out of imprisonment. However in my opinion, during the Bush administration, they found a way around this law so as to not have to give a trial. While I want justice like the next person, I would not like to be in a situation where I am being held under the pretence that I a criminal without evidence or a trial. I am not saying that the people held were/are innocent, but I can’t help but to think we cannot be sure. I think that capturing these people were also done out of revenge and thus not urging anyone to think of their right. The 9/11 attack was gut ranching and frankly something I never want to experience again, so I do understand the need to talk less and carry a big stick. From an honest stand point, after 9/11 I was scared to do anything, while I am of no Middle Eastern decent, I look like an Indian person from India, that meant no one ask you where you are from when they look at you suspiciously. Even with all the rights I have in the U. S. A if I was suspected of being suspicious and someone higher and more powerful said that I had dealing with terrorists activities, no one will honestly believe me because of the way I look. Bring me to my point that without a trial we cannot tell for sure of the people being held in Cuba was innocent or guilty without a trail.

Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales :: essays research papers

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, which was published in March 1981 by Bantam Books in New York, New York is a funny piece of work about twenty- nine characters and their stories while on their way to Canterbury. The twenty-nine characters have to tell two stories on their trip to Canterbury. In the Wife of Bath tale, the wife of bath tells of a tale of a young knight, the central character in the story. After he raped a woman, he must roam the countryside in search to the answer to the question â€Å"what is it that women most desire?† This is the plot, for he must find the answer in order to live. The knight only has one year to get to answer this question and then he has to return to King Arthur’s court and await his sentence. The setting is in King Arthur’s court when a young man saw a pretty maiden and raped her. The King was going to sentence him to death but the Queen decided to give him one year to answer the question . The story is told from the Wife of Bath’s point of view for she is narrating the story. So the conflict, being that he has to find the answer, is established. The knight’s journey does not go well. Finally on the last day that he has, he comes up to a group of women, as he approaches they disappear and an old woman appears. This part is the climax of the plot because it is when the knight finally knows the answer. The old woman says that she knows the answer but she will only tell it to the Queen and in return she must do anything that she asks of him. The knight agrees. Finally, while in the presence of the Queen, she tells her that the answer to what all women desire is sovereignty over their husbands. No one disagrees with her answer and so the old woman asks that she be married to the knight. The knight having sworn to do whatever she pleased reluctantly agrees. But this is not the resolution. It happens later on while on their wedding night. The knight is somewhat disgusted and so the old woman goes on to lecture him on the trivial nature of appearances. She tells the knight whether he would prefer to have a woman ugly by day, yet loyal and faithful the rest of the time or to be beautiful and take his chances the rest of the time.

Assessing Writing Skills in a Communicative Paradigm Essay

Communicative Language Testing is intended to assess learners’ ability to using the target language in real life situations. Its now ten years since Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been introduced in secondary English curriculum of Bangladesh. Therefore, the test of English at the SSC level is now facing the challenges of assessing learners’ communicative skills. This study looks at the existing model of the SSC English test and explores the possibilities of incorporating a more communicatively based test format. The study is carried out on the basis of an evaluation of the test items on writing skills set in the SSC test papers. It also explores the views of Bangladeshi secondary English teachers and internationally renowned Language Testing Experts. In this paper, it is argued that, though secondary English education in Bangladesh has stepped into a communicative era ten years back, the current SSC test is not in accordance with the curriculum objectives. It is found that the test items on writing lack both validity and reliability. Suggestions made for improving the current SSC test include: defining the purpose of communication in English for SSC level learners, drafting test specifications, setting test items which are more relevant to a communicative purpose, and developing a marking scheme to mark the subjective items. Introduction The concept of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has had much influence in the fields of English language teaching, curriculum and test design. Since the 1970s, there have been considerable developments in the area of language testing. Various theories and practical testing models have evolved following the concept of communicative competence. Bangladesh has introduced a communicative English curriculum at its secondary education sector. However, the aims and objectives of the communicative curriculum can never be achieved without a testing system that assesses the communicative ability of learners. This paper looks at the existing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) English examination to identify the elements of communicative testing in it and examines the suitability of this testing system to the curriculum goals. The study involves a critical analysis of the current SSC test. It also explores the views of Bangladeshi secondary English teachers and two internationally renowned language testing experts on the SSC test and investigates the ways of making it more communicatively based. Background of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Bangladesh The teaching of English in Bangladesh has a long history that traces back to the colonial era. However, the British models of teaching English continued to influence the ELT scenario of post-colonial Bengal even after the colonial rule was over in 1947. Since then the grammar translation method continued to influence the ELT scenario as the most dominant teaching method in the Indian subcontinent. After the independence of Bangladesh (1971), several attempts were made to re-design ELT sector with little or no success. In 1990, a four year ELT project called Orientation of Secondary School Teachers for Teaching English in Bangladesh (OSSTTEB) was jointly launched by the Government of Bangladesh and DFID, UK to improve English Language Teaching and Learning at secondary level. This project revised, adapted and revamped the secondary English curriculum (Hoque, 1999). In 1997, a major step was initiated with the introduction of English Language Teaching Improvement Project (ELTIP). The project started working with a view to improving the communicative competence of the secondary level learners. Under this project, a communicative curriculum, revised text books and newly written Teachers’ Guides (TGs) were developed and some 30 thousand English teachers, test administrators, and markers were trained. The SSC examination The SSC is the first public examination in Bangladesh that learners sit for after 10 years of schooling. Students take English as a compulsory subject at this level. The examination is administered countrywide through the seven Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE). The question papers are set by the respective BISE independently following the national curriculum and syllabus of National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). The syllabus document of NCTB explicitly recommends a testing system that is in keeping with the spirits of CLT. The new syllabus document for classes 9-10 (NCTB 1999: 135) mentions, â€Å"Until and unless a suitable public examination is devised that tests English language skills rather than students’ ability to memorise and copy without understanding, the aims and objectives of the syllabus can never be realised.† Moreover samples of question papers were provided in the TGs and Teachers were encouraged to follow the test models. Research Questions This study is concerned with the following research questions: 1. How are students’ writing skills tested by the existing SSC English examinations? 2. To what extent are these test items communicatively based? 3. What do Bangladeshi teachers and the international testing experts think of the current SSC English examination? 4. How can the SSC examination be improved to reflect the goals stated in the national curriculum and syllabus document? Research methodology The approach to this resaerch belongs to the interpretative epistemology which argues that knowledge, in social research, is concerned not with generalization, prediction and control but with interpretation, meaning and illumination (Usher, 1996: 12). The approach here is guided by the belief that reality is a complex phenomenon which does not admit orderly events or simple cause-effect relationship. The data used is not only concerned with facts but also with values. In looking at a testing system which is comparatively new in the context of Bangladesh, it is admitted that reality is a human construct. The aim here is to explore perspectives and shared meanings (Wellington, 2000: 16) and the data used here is qualitative. The research procedure uses three different sources for collecting data and involves three steps. They are: a) a critical evaluation of the SSC English test format, b) collecting the views of Bangladeshi English teachers through questionnaires and, c) interviewing the two Australian testing experts based at Melbourne Univeristy. The evaluation of SSC examination includes a close analysis of the existing SSC test papers, syllabus document and marking criteria. The questionnaire attempts to explore the values and attitudes of secondary English teachers in relation to the SSC English testing system. The interviews with the language testing experts are intended to generate valuable ideas that could be applicable in improving the testing system of SSC. The development of modern language testing The development of modern language testing occurred in three historical phases prior to and during the 1970s. These three periods are- the scientific era, the psychometric-structuralist era and the integrative sociolinguistic era Spolsky (1978:5). According to Spolsky, the pre-scientific era was characterised by a lack of concern for statistical matters or for such notions as objectivity and reliability in language testing whereas the psychometric-structuralist period was concerned with tests that focus on discrete item tests. In fact, the psychometric-structuralist approach provided the basis for the flourishing of the standardised language test with its emphasis on discrete structure point items. However, discrete point tests were also criticised for being insufficient indicators of language proficiency (Oller 1979: 212). Language testing was directed to global tests in the 1970s, which opened up the psycholinguistic-sociolinguistic era (Weir, 1988: 3). This format of global and in tegrative tests (such as cloze) gained theoretical support from many researchers. Davies distinguishes four important types of language tests on the basis of their function or use- achievement tests, proficiency tests, aptitude tests and diagnostic tests (Davies and Allan 1977: 46-7). While achievement tests are concerned with assessing what has been learned of a known syllabus, proficiency tests are based on assessing the learning of either a known or unknown syllabus. The concept of communicative competence The idea of communicative language teaching emerged in the 1970s following Hymes’ theory of communicative competence, which greatly emphasised learners’ ability to use language in context, particularly, in terms of social demands of performance (McNamara, 2000: 116). Hymes believes that knowing a language is more than knowing its rules. Once Hymes proposed the idea of communicative competence, it was expanded in various ways during the following two decades. The term competence was interpreted in many different ways by researchers. To some it simply means the ability to ‘communicate’; to others it means the social rules of language use; and to yet other, it refers to a set of abilities including knowledge of linguistics, socio-linguistics and discourse rules (Bachman & Palmar, 1984: 34). However, the basic idea of communicative competence remains the ability to use language appropriately, both receptively and productively, in real situations (Kiato, et al. 1996: 1) The development of communicative language testing The idea of communicative testing was developed on the basis of Hymes’ two dimensional model of communicative competence that comprises a linguistic and a sociolinguistic element. Davies et al. gives the following definition of communicative language tests: Communicative tests are tests of communicative skills, typically used in contradistinction to tests of grammatical knowledge. Such tests often claim to operationalise theories of communicative competence, although the form they take will depend on which dimension they choose to emphasise, be it specificity to context, authenticity of materials or the simulation of real life performance.   (Davies et al. 1999: 26) Harrison mentions three ingredients which distinguishes a communicative language test from other tests. He argues: 1. A communicative test should assess language used for a purpose beyond itself. 2. A communicative test should depend on the bridging of an information gap. It has to propose a language using purpose which can be fulfilled by the communicative skill so far acquired by the learners. 3. A communicative test should represent an encounter. The situation at the end of it should be different from what it was at the beginning, and this means that there has to be some sequence within the test. (Harrison, 1983: 77-8) Competence Vs performance There have been debates among the researchers regarding the nature and function of communicative tests. One issue of controversy was how to specify the components of communicative competence and to relate them in measuring performances. Another complication arose as the terms ‘competence’ and ‘performance’ were used differently by various researchers suggesting important distinctions between them. Chomsky (1965) claimed that ‘competence’ refers to the linguistic system which an ideal native speaker has internalized whereas ‘performance’ is mainly concerned with the psychological factors that are involved in the perception and production of speech. Later Hymes (1972) explicitly, and Campbell and Wales (1970) implicitly proposed a broader notion of communicative competence in which they included grammatical competence as well as contextual or sociolinguistic competence. They, however, adopted the distinction between communicative ‘competence’ and ‘performance’. According to Canale and Swain (1980: 3) ‘competence’ refers to knowledge of grammar and other aspects of language while ‘performance’ refers to actual use. For the language testing researchers it was difficult to determine an ideal test model, which could be valid and reliable enough to test communicative competence. They were concerned with what performances for task based activities need to be devised in order to assess learners’ communicative competence. The most discussed answer to this query is the one provided by Canale and Swain (1980) who, in their influential work ‘Approaches to Second Language Testing’ specified four aspects of knowledge or competence- grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence and discourse competence. What makes good communicative tests? Though a communicative language test intents to measure how students use language in real life, it is difficult to set a task that can measure communicative competence in real contexts. Ellison (2001: 44) argues that testing by its very nature is artificial and unless we are to follow an examinee around all the time noting how he/she deals with the target language in all situations, we necessarily have a less than real situation. However, it should be the aim of the test setter to try and complement real situations as much as possible. Referring to the difficulty of identifying the elements of communicative testing Morrow (1991) states: The essential question which a communicative test must answer is whether or not (or how well) a candidate can use language to communicate meanings. But ‘communicate meanings’ is very elusive criterion indeed on which to base judgment. (Morrow, 1991: 112) There have been attempts to develop a model for communicative competence and valid tests of its components. Bachman and Palmer (1984: 35) describe three approaches: the skill-component approach, communicative approach and measurement approach to specify what language tests measure. Offering a detailed interpretation of the Canale-Swain communicative approach, Bachman and Palmer specify some factors (trait factors, modal factors, method factors) that should be considered while designing a performance test. Having examined the structure of a model which encompasses these three factors, Skehan (1991: 9) regarded it as ‘being of pivotal importance in influencing the language testing theories and practices throughout the 1990s.’ Later Bachman went further as he offered important distinctions between task-based and construct-based approaches to test design. He explained: The procedures for design, development, and use of language tests must incorporate both a specification of the assessment task to be included and definition of the abilities to be assessed. (Bachman, 2000: 456) Task based language assessment gave rise to two questions: a) How real-life task types are identified, selected and characterized and how pedagogic or assessment tasks are related to these (Bachman, 2000: 459) . The discussion of different approaches to language testing are concerned with their strengths and limitations in terms of the criteria of validity and reliability. Validity in language testing is about whether a test can measure what it is intended to measure. Other arguments regarding the test validity include the question of content relevance and representativeness, task difficulty etc. Reliability refers to the extent to which test scores are consistent. Assessing second language writing Assessment of second language writing has been discussed on the basis of two different approaches: objective test of writing and direct test of writing. Objective tests claim to test writing through verbal reasoning, error recognition and other measures that have been shown fairly highly with measured writing ability (Lyons, 1991: 5). In direct tests of writing, actual samples of students’ writings are assessed. In fact, direct tests of writing have won the support of many researchers as they engage students with more communicative and creative task types. However, this approach has also been criticised for lacking reliability. Despite their problems with reliability, direct tests are still very popular in many academic settings throughout the world. Kiato et al. (1996: 2) refer to some typical problems of testing writing. They point out that testing writing objectively may not necessarily reflect the way it is used by the students in the real world. On the other hand, testing of writing in a way that reflects how the students use writing in real world is difficult to evaluate objectively and the test setters has less control over the writing tasks. However, they argue that the ability to write should involve six component skills- grammatical ability, lexical ability, mechanical ability, stylistic skills, organisational skills and judgment of appropriacy. Among the writing tasks they find useful are: gap filling, form completion, making corrections, letter and essay writing. Weir (1988: 63-4) offers an elaborate discussion on both indirect (objective) and direct tests and distinguishes the two types. He argues that writing can be divided into discrete elements such as grammar, vocabulary and punctuation etc. and these elements are tested separately by the use of objective tests. He suggested that both productive and receptive skills can be broken down in to levels of grammar and lexis according to a discrete point framework and objective tasks such as cloze, selective deletion, gap filling etc. can be designed for testing reading with writing. Weir describes the direct test of writing as a more integrative test which tests a candidate’s ability to perform certain of the functional tasks required in the performance of duties in the target situation. Research on writing involving both native speakers and second language are also concerned with basic studies of the nature of writing process in order to relate them to the validity of writing test tasks. Some of the questions concerned are: 1. To what extent is performance influenced by the amount of prior knowledge that writers have about the topic that they are asked to write about in a test? 2. Does it make a difference how the writing task is specified on the test paper? 3. Do different types of tasks produce significant difference in the performance of learners in a writing test? (Read, 1991: 77) Johns (1991: 171) suggests three criteria for academic testing of writing- (1) use of reading for writing assessment: testing for audience awareness, (2) exploitation of common writing genres: argumentation and problem solution, and (3) testing of subject matter, conceptual control and planning. He insists that reading and writing be combined to give a more authentic context for testing writing for academic purpose. He says: Because reading and writing are interconnected at all academic levels, it seems unprofessional and certainly unacademic to test writing without the genuine interactivity that reading provides. (Johns, 19991: 176) Literature on testing has suggested different strategies to cope with the problem of making direct writing tasks. The problem with these tasks is they are very difficult to mark as the marking of such tasks is somewhat subjective. One solution suggested by many testing experts is to use an analytical marking scheme to help make the marking consistent. Murphy (1979: 19) outlined the nature of a marking scheme demanded by the Associated Examining Boards, â€Å"A marking scheme is a comprehensive document indicating the explicit criteria against which candidate’s answers will be judged; it enables the examiners to relate particular marks to answers of specified quality.† There have been discussions on two types of marking for free writing tasks- impressionistic and analytic. However there are arguments over what valid and reliable measures of writing can be used and what might be the relationship of these measures to overall impressionistic quality rating. The TOFEL examination included a direct writing measure (Connor, 1991: 216) in 1986 for the test of written English that was marked holistically (TOFEL test of written English guide 1989). A great deal of research was conducted by the Educational Testing Service into the development and validation of a measure to assess communicative competence in writing (Bridgman Carlson, 1983; Carlson et al. 1985). A holistic scoring guide was developed to mark two general topics-comparison/contrast and describing a graph that had six levels and included syntactic and rhetorical criteria. The Test of Written English Scoring Guidelines (1989) identified the following criteria of a written task. An essay in the highest category is- well organized and well developed, effectively addressed the writing task, uses appropriate details to support or illustrate ideas, shows unity, coherence and progression, displays consistent facility in the use of language, and demonstrates syntactic variety and appropriate word choice. (The Test of Written English Scoring Guidelines, 989) The marking scheme suggested by ELTIP to help teachers assess writing compositions is made on the basis of five criteria- grammar, vocabulary, mechanical accuracy, communication and content. A Marking scheme like this shows how developments in language testing research are providing models to cope with the challenges of marking writing tasks. The SSC Curriculum, syllabus and the test The SSC is the school leaving public examination for grad 10 students. English is a compulsory subject at this level and the test of English is an achievement test in kind. The test is designed to test reading and writing skills only as there is no provision of testing listening and speaking skills. The NCTB syllabus of English focuses on the development of the four skills through learner-centred activities within meaningful contexts. It gives importance to choosing contexts which reflect actual social situations outside the classroom and make the learning of English ‘relevant, interesting and enjoyable’. It is expected as per the syllabus that students should achieve an ‘elementary to intermediate command of the four language skills’ by the end of secondary level. The curriculum document specifies the objective and purposes of learning English as it states: English needs to be recognised as an essential work-oriented skill that is needed if the employment, development and educational needs of the country are to be met successfully. Increased communicative competence in English, therefore, constitutes a vital skill for learners at this stage. (SSC Syllabus Document, 1999, NCTB: 136) Terminal competencies in four skills are specified in the NCTB syllabus. The competencies for writing skills for grade 10 are defined as follows: Students should be able to- a) write simple dialogues, formal and informal letters including letters of application and reports. b) demonstrate imagination and creativity in appropriate writing forms. c) fill in the forms (i.e. job applications etc.) and write a curriculum vitae d) plan and organise the above tasks efficiently so as to communicate ideas and facts clearly, accurately and with relevance to the topic. e) take notes and dictations f) use different punctuation and geographical devices appropriately.

Globalization and Religion in Latin America Essay

Dr. Marian Cusimano Love’s argument on globalization is very clear and straight forward as she pointed out the other side of globalization, which according to her creates institutional crises â€Å"as existing states and regimes are having difficulties in coping with the challenges globalization brings† (p. 2). She contends that this difficulty creates and exacerbates institutional gap. The institutional gap according to the author is that while globalization is at fast pace, institutional responses is slow. The problems move faster than the solutions to it and this cannot be managed by any government alone even by the strongest state in the world. However the author’s emphasis falls on the institutional gap that exists between the rich and poor countries. Here, the author rightly pointed out the wide discrepancy of the rich and poor countries in the sharing of the benefits of globalization. The author argues that only the rich countries led by the United States enjoy the benefits of globalization as the world economy is ruled by Multinational Corporation, which only cares about profits while the states seek wealth and development. Thus, the author pointed out that whether globalization is driven by multinational companies or by powerful states,† many observers decry the ethical basis of globalization is driven by an ethic of crass materialism and consumption, or western cultural imperialism† (p. 4) As the ethical issue widens, the author emphasized that today more than half of the world’s population are not getting any benefits of globalization, and human development is unfulfilled, sacred creation is destroyed, and human life is lost. This emphasis clearly implies a strong course of action in favor of the poor people or poor states that cannot advance or protect their interest in the global economy. The author noted that this problem is looming and worsening as the world’s poorest population is growing which will further enhance the gap between the rich and the poor. The author’s discussion of the unequal sharing of the benefits of globalization calls for a unified response from rich countries on the growing ethical concerns between the rich and poor countries, because, after all poor people are also sacred creation. But as the author turned to religion to search for answer to the growing institutional and ethical crises brought about by globalization, it appears that this is not possible as the corporations and states are not only engines but are both engine and beneficiaries of globalization. In turning to religion, the author presented an entirely different view from that of the states or corporation. The author noted that corporations view people as a source of profit while the state sees people as a subject to be governed or taxpayers. Religion sees people not as an instrument or a servant or useful object, but a spiritual being created by God, therefore he must be independent. He has the right to share in the blessings, which is the product of economic development. The author argues, â€Å"Religious organization has long been playing an active role in globalization† (p. 5), and can be a mediating institution in the institutional and ethical gap between the rich and the poor. I believed that the author is right in saying that religious organization â€Å"may have some advantages in responding to these institutional gaps, to help manage the problem of globalization† (p. 6). Indeed, many religious international organizations are doing exactly these things. The author cited that there is already a course of action taken in coordination with the Roman Catholic bishops of Latin America and the Canadian Bishops Conference, which is a seminar on debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries. This is important course of action because it proves that religious institution can indeed fulfill the task of bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. The Latin American Catholic bishops were coordinated for the conference for the reason perhaps that many of the world’s poorer country is located in Latin America. It is where most of these ethical problems relating to benefit of globalization are generally experienced. In bridging the gap by the Catholic Church, the author pointed out that the US bishops and the United States Catholic Church â€Å"may not be well equipped to bridge the gaps created by global problems† (P. 8) as US Catholic bishops are not quick to make decisions, and â€Å"many developing countries believed that globalization benefits the US at their expense† (p 8). I think these reasons are valid, as it has been mentioned in this paper that the US along with other rich countries and multinational corporations are the ones who get most of the globalization benefits. But Catholic Church is a global institution with highly organized yet centralized leadership, which would be ideal in mediating or bridging the gap created by the problem of globalization. The Latin American Catholic Church can perfectly facilitates this bridging as the economy of most Latin American nation belongs to the third world economies. They maybe fully know the whole agenda of bridging the gaps between the poor and the rich economies of the world. The author noted that the Catholic Church has over 2000 years’ experience as a global institution, which made the Catholic Church deserving of the task. Furthermore the author pointed out that â€Å"globalization brings institutional gaps, but the Catholic Church has rich, extensive networks and institutions, from schools and hospitals to parishes and social development agencies, which are not only service oriented but in it for the long haul† (p.8). Religion bridges the institutional gap of rich and poor by presenting alternative visions of globalization, which is seeing people not as market, nor instrument but people of God that participate in the benefits of globalization. Work Cited Love, Maryann Cusimano. Bridging the Gap: Globalization and Religion, and the Institutions of the U. S. Catholic Church. USA: American Academy of Religions Conference, November 20, 2001.