Friday, September 6, 2019
The Impacts of Poor Parental Responsibility on Future Criminality Essay Example for Free
The Impacts of Poor Parental Responsibility on Future Criminality Essay Introduction            Criminality is one of the most alarming social issues today. Despite efforts of the government and private organizations to minimize the occurrence of violence and offense, the statistics cease to decline. The age of offenders, on the contrary, continues to drop. (Asher 2006) reports that of the 9.6 million arrested by the FBI Uniform Crime Report in 2003, 16% were under the age of 18. Five percent barely reached 15 years of age. Studies have continuously pointed to many different causes and risk factors leading to juvenile offense and adult delinquency. Childhood factors, on the other hand, remains to be an essential point of many of these studies. One of these conditions in childhood is parenting.            Management of parental responsibilities and parenting styles differ significantly depending on the family structure and the societal conditions in which the family is in. As such, one parent’s reaction to a behavior manifested by a child may vary from another parent’s response. Likewise, factors surrounding a child can affect how he is going to respond to the actions and reactions of his parents. However, it is important to note that the child spends his formative years at home. This validates saying that management of parental responsibility affects the behavior of children, and can be a good indicator and intervention for a child’s risk for future criminality. Good and Bad Parenting            Parenting is a lifetime career, and it is a job that each parent should strive to be good at. When couples practice positive parenting, it shields their children from the likelihood of becoming a delinquent later in life. (Asher 2006) It is the parents, not the neighborhood, who establish the conditions at home. One, in fact, does not affect the other. (Thornberry and Hall 2005) These circumstances directly affect the growth of the children. (Eklund and af Klinteberg 2006) claims that poor parenting can lead to the development of antisocial behavior in children which they can carry to adulthood. (Huesmann 2002) agrees, saying that when a family is deprived of interaction and nurturing children are more prone to be aggressiveâ€â€a trait which may lead to criminality. Having two parents at home is not the sole requirement. The involvement of both parents to take on the roles of rearing the children and the relationship of the mother and the father with the children are equally important. (Eklund and af Klinteberg 2006) Both the mother and father or the figures playing these roles have different parenting perspectives that can shape their children. These perspectives should be agreed upon and communicated about, establishing a clear parenting system. The parenting system can be divided into three styles as formulated by Baumrind. The authoritarian parenting style puts control over the child and initiates a set of rules which the child should follow. Often, punishment is given if the child fails to abide by the rules. Authoritative, sometimes called equalitarian parenting, makes the child a part of the decision-making process. It exercises open communication with the child and sorts out circumstances before punishments, if applicable, are given. Permissive parenting, on the other hand, puts little control over the child and often lets the child decide for himself. (Parenting n.d.) (Smith 2004) claims that parenting styles may affect a teenager’s risk to be involved in deviant behavior and criminality. When parents neglect their children, impose harsh disciplinary measures, and create situations that lead to transitions in the family structure such as divorce or separation, the children are at a high risk of delinquency later in life. In a survey conducted to 39 parents of juvenile offenders, 46% were authoritarian, 29% were authoritative (equalitarian), and 25% were permissive. (Asher, 2006) This establishes a link in the likelihood of criminality among children who grew up in a controlling parenting style. This is not surprising because authoritarian parents have a hard time monitoring the activities of their children, who may not trust them with information of their activities for fear of rejection or being scolded. (Smith 2004) Permissive parenting, however, results in children who lack self control because they grew up in a family environment where little control is put over them. The best parenting style may be said to be the authoritative (equalitarian) parenting style which produces confident children with good social skills. (Parenting n.d.) But apart from parenting style, other factors may affect the risk of a child’s involvement in criminality. Linking Parental Responsibility and Delinquency            Even if parents practice authoritative parenting and strive to raise the perfect kids, several other aspects of the home can make or break a growing up child. Divorce, child abuse, exposure to substance abuse, religious orientation, and the family climate as a whole are family occurrences that may contribute to a child’s likelihood to be involved in crimes and offenses later in life. Divorce            Ideally, children should have a mother and a father, or persons who will take on the roles of the parents. When one parent is absent, it produces a family setting that differs from the standard, creating an environment for a child that deviates from the family setting that he knows and/or hears about. Children should grow up with a mother to nurture them and a father to support their emotional and social development. Without a father or a father figure, kids have a tendency to be aggressive, and lack patience and sense of responsibility. (Asher 2006)  (Thornberry et al 1999) claims that children whose families often go through transitions are more likely to be violent and be delinquents. A significant portion of the population studied in Rochester, Denver, and Pittsburgh also manifested drug use and abuse. The study showed that the more disruptions the family go through, the more likely the child is going to be delinquent later on. (Asher 2006) further proves this by quoting Chapman in saying that 53% of convicts grew up in homes without two-parent setups. Child Abuse and Maltreatment            Sometimes, it takes the rod to discipline a child; but using the rod too often may defeat the purpose and lead otherwise. When children are punished physically, they develop fear or much worse anger that leads to avoidance. (Parenting n.d.)           Parents may go out of control and unconsciously abuse the children physically, and raise criminals without knowing it.            Sixty eight percent of juvenile delinquents have been abused or neglected in their childhood. What the parents of these teenagers never knew is that child abuse increases a child’s risk to become a criminal later in life by as much as 40%. Exposure to violence can lead a child to become violent to others himself, as violence and aggression is learned early in life. This may later on result in offenses and criminality. (Love our Children USA 2005) In fact, in a study of 388 white males in Idaho, (Heck and Walsh 2000) proved that maltreatment in children accounted for the likelihood of violent delinquencies later on. (Huesmann 2002) agrees, saying that children who are rejected by their parents and received harsh punishments grow up aggressive, putting them at a high risk of being arrested when they grow up. Exposure to Substance Abuse            A study developed by (Eklund and af Klinteberg 2006) proved that alcohol abuse at home contributed as a major factor for persistent criminality in children. The study also showed that children reared in households where there is alcohol abuse had a tendency to abuse alcohol themselves. Today, alcohol is not the only culprit that parents should watch for. Variations of illegal drugs and drug alternatives are also widely available, and the children will most likely be exposed to them especially when parents abuse them. This becomes a risk factor for them to have violent behavior and to get involved in criminal activities at the worst. Religious Orientation            It is a challenge to every couple to raise their children in an environment that believes in a supreme being, no matter what sect or religion the couple belongs to. This proves to be a protective factor for children, defending them from becoming delinquents later in life. Parents who attended church more when their children were at their formative years, which is before the age of eight, had little or no problems with their children becoming arrested or convicted. They also find it easier to communicate with their children and discuss problems, a factor that helps the children be expressive and avoids them from having violent tendencies and committing offenses. (Huesmann 2002) Family Climate            The condition of the family as a whole can be a major indicator of later delinquency in children. According to (McCord 1991), couples should properly manage maternal competence, paternal interaction, and family expectations as these can be directly linked to juvenile delinquency. The poorer these factors were managed, the more likely delinquency can occur.            Mothers should be able to handle the household and manage it with authority yet compassion. Fathers should have more interaction with the other members of the family, especially with the children, instead of becoming the quiet stereotype that old media has portrayed the paternal role. Family expectations should be moderatedâ€â€not too high and strict nor too low and permissiveâ€â€so that the children can grow up goal oriented. In a study, only 5% of boys raised in this ideal family setting were involved in criminality, while 47% of those who grew up under the contrary circumstances became delinquents. (McCord 1991) Parental Responsibilities and Liabilities            The parents’ role in rearing their children does not stop when the children leave the house. Unless the children are more than 18 years of age, parents are held responsible in supervising them. Education is one of the most sensitive responsibilities that parents have over their children, as parents are tasked to ensure that their children go to school until the age of 16. Likewise, parents are held liable when children go astray and make offenses towards other people and the law. (Governor’s Crime Commission 2000)            Juvenile delinquency does not only affect the well-being of the child but the parents as well. As parents, they are responsible in attending the hearings and make efforts in speaking with the attorney and the judge to be informed about the development of the case. Parents may also be asked by victims to be responsible and pay for the damages caused by their children. (Governor’s Crime Commission 2000) In certain instances, parents may also have to accomplish community service sentences with their children, attend seminars to improve parental responsibility, or worse lose custody of their children when the court finds that they cannot responsibly handle them. (Colorado Judicial Branch 2001)            To avoid such inconveniences, it is wise for parents to take charge of the children. The younger the children are disciplined, the less likely that they will develop problems with delinquency and criminality when they grow older. Even before the children enter school, parents should start educating themselves and accessing training programs that will help them be responsible parents. They should learn how to detect problems and solve them proactively, and promote openness of communication with their children to lessen the risk of future criminality. Discussion            Rearing children can be a difficult task, and a sensitive one at that. A child’s experiences in his early age can greatly affect his perception of life, of people, and of the society. Therefore, it is important that parents or people taking on the role of parents be attentive enough to the emotional, social, psychological, and physiological needs of the children they are raising.            Parenting can be any of three styles, and it is dependent on the parents and the background of the family to choose which style works best for them. However, studies have repeatedly proven that authoritative, otherwise known as equalitarian parenting, is the style that gets the best results. As it is a positive parenting approach and involves the children in the process of parenting and decision making, this style opens the communication lines between the parents and the child, making the child more comfortable to interact with them. This contradicts authoritarian parenting which assumes full control of the child, creating hostility between the parents and the child. On the other hand, authoritative (equalitarian) parenting corrects the improper management and imposition of discipline carried out with permissive parenting. The choice of parenting style, though, is not enough. Parents should also take care of their choices, which affect the occurrences at home. Divorce, child abuse and maltreatment, substance abuse, religious orientation, and the family climate are other indicators of good parenting.            While divorce is a choice for the couples to make, couples should consider the effects of the separation to their children. The same intervention applies especially if new people will be involved in the relationship after the divorce. The preparedness of the children in accepting the family transition can spell the impact for them in the future. Child abuse and maltreatment should also be avoided, and induction of punishment should be put under control as this exposes the child to violence and other psychological effects that can lead him to be violent as well when he becomes an adult. Substance abuse in parents can also greatly affect substance abuse among children; and even if parents do not abuse drugs or alcohol their perception and management of these issues among their children can pretty much put a certain level of control over the children’s choice to abuse substances later on. Religious orientation and family climate should also be as positive as possible, to help raise kids that are not prone to delinquency.            Parents are responsible for their children until they reach the age of 18. Thus, it is important that parents impose discipline among their children and prevent future criminality. Conclusion            The statistics of crime rates and criminals are on the rise, and a good starting point in curtailing the growth of the statistics can be found at home. Poor parenting puts children at risk to becoming criminals. In effect, if parents observe good parenting practices and manage the growth of their children properly, there is less chance for their children to become delinquents, and more chance in raising productive members of the society.   References Asher, J. â€Å"Exploring the Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Juvenile Delinquency.†2006. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?miami1165594171 (27 April 2007) Colorado Judicial Branch. â€Å"Answers to Your Questions About Juvenile Delinquency.†2001. http://www.courts.state.co.us/exec/pubed/brochures/juvenile.pdf (2 May 2007) Eklund, J. and af Klinteberg, B. â€Å"Stability of and Change in Criminal Behavior: A Prospective Study of Young Male Lawbreakers and Controls.†2006. http://www.iafmhs.org/files/Eklundspring06.pdf (27 April 2007) Governor’s Crime Commission. â€Å"You and the Juvenile Justice System: A Guide for Youths, Parents, and Victims.†2000. http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/documents/justice.pdf (2 May 2007) Heck, C. and Walsh, A. â€Å"The Effects of Maltreatment and Family Structure on Minor and Serious Delinquency.†2000. http://www.sagepub.com/martin/Heck.pdf (27 April 2007) Huesmann, L. R. â€Å"Childhood Predictors of Adult Criminality: Are All Risk Factors Reflected in Childhood Aggressiveness?†2002. http://www.andrews.edu/~rbailey/Chapter%2016/10133509.pdf (27 April 2007) Love our Children USA. â€Å"Teen Violence Prevention.†2005. http://www.loveourchildrenusa.org/parent_preventteenviolence.php (27 April 2007) McCord, J. â€Å"Family Relationships, Juvenile Delinquency, and Adult Criminality.†1991.  http://courses.missouristate.edu/KarlKunkel/SOC540/mccord.pdf (27 April 2007) Parenting. â€Å"Parenting.†N.d. www.radford.edu/~dhall/parenting.ppt (27 April 2007) Smith, D. â€Å"Parenting and Delinquency at Ages 12 to 15.†2004. http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/cls/esytc/findings/digest3.pdf (27 April 2007) Thornberry, T. and Hall, G. â€Å"The Joint Impact of Family and Community Structure on Violent Delinquency.†2005. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/215999.pdf (27 April 2007) Thornberry, T. et al. â€Å"Family Disruption and Delinquency.†1999. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/178285.pdf (27 April 2007)
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Consequences Of Passive Listening English Language Essay
Consequences Of Passive Listening English Language Essay Passive listening occurs when a person is fully aware of a lecture, Conversation, or something audio that is going on in his or her presence but the person does not react to it. This essay is going to attempt to explain in details the consequences of passive listening. A passive listener does not interrupt the speaker or perform any action whatsoever at the same time in which the speaker is delivering his or her speech. In most cases, a passive listener does not nod his or her head, make appropriate facial expressions, and make eye contacts with the speaker or any other action that indicates whether a person is paying attention or not. When a person concentrates on making non-verbal cues (nodding, eye contacts and so on), then he or she is probably not paying much attention in other words, listening passively because those actions come naturally to a person who is actively listening i.e. he or she does not have to concentrate on doing them. In some cases, passive listening is associated with students in the class room. A student who is listening passively to a lecture barely pays attention to details but at the end of the lecture, the student tends to remember 10% or less of the information passed through during the lecture session. This is because although the student was not paying much attention to the details, the student will zone in and out of his or her mind at regular intervals and in the process accidentally take in some valuable information. Usually, passive listening in students is caused by a dull lecture or an interruption in which a student is attracted to for example, cell phones. It is not always the fault of the lecturer because some topics are uninteresting by nature. Despite all the reasons and excuses a student might have for his or her lack of interest during lectures, the consequences for this action will have to be put into consideration because it can adversely affect a persons academic participation and result. Listening passively without checking in on a conversation to verify that you have a message correct often leads to communication error. By simply being in a conversation without interjecting questions or active statements that uncover the speakers real message, a persons personal ideas might begin to form about what the message might mean instead of what the message actually means. An example is when an apprentice technician joins the audience in an inaugural lecture. If he listens passively, he will only manage to listen to the sounds, he will not be able to meaningfully identify the spoken signals not to talk of correctly interpreting what is being said. This will result in errors in the persons solutions or answers. If a person is listening passively, then the person is not speaking. Effective communication allows both the message sender and the receiver to express themselves in an even exchange of ideas. A passive listener can be compared to a rock, you can see it and you know it is there, but it does not seem to be absorbing anything that you are saying. The reason why passive listening is mostly associated with students is because it occurs mainly with teenagers. Passive listening requires a lot of focus because a passive listener severely focuses on what he or she is listening to but is not doing anything apart from listening meaning he or she is not absorbing any information. The strain on unmonitored focus affects a persons ability to understand. A person can store information correctly in the brain only when both the mind and brain of the individual are relaxed. Straining the brain to listen without any interest on details therefore results in a persons lack of understanding, wastage of time and possibly head ache or brain clogging. Some other practitioners of passive listening techniques are those attempting to learn a foreign language the audio way that is through an mp3 player or an audio CD player. This is common because when advertising these products, the marketing team make promises of satisfying results to whoever uses them. They include attractive slogans like learn French the easy way just by listening to this audio CD while finishing your chores. If a person is performing a task while listening to something, then the person is listening passively. The shocking truth is that passive listening cannot get a person to fluency in a language because it ever rarely produces any good results. What is even worse is that it will not help the ability of the person to understand the language he or she is attempting to learn. It is a fact that a passive listener is unable to correctly store, interpret and recall information, this fact also applies to a language learner who is listening passively. In plain words, a language learner who is listening passively will not be able to store, interpret and recall what has been said because language learning needs some amount of focus and understanding. In some cases, a person does not deliberately listen passively to a lecture or speech, passive listening can occur due to absent mindedness. In this situation, the source of this action is either the speaker or the listener. The speaker can be the cause of passive listening in an individual if his or her voice volume is too low and the listeners will have to strain their ears to listen. There will come a point in time when the listeners will finally give up on listening to the lecture because they are tired of straining their ears and the rest of the valuable information the speaker has to deliver will pass by the listeners ears and go to waste. There is also the case of complexity. When the speaker is using too many complex words or unnecessary issues and details, the listener tends to zone out and start to imagine all sorts of consequences for the discussion at hand and in the process missing out on some of the important key points. The listeners can also be at fault because at tim es, they focus on passing judgment on the speaker, topic or lecture so much that they forget the currently important speech they are supposed to be actively listening to and as a result they listen passively and miss out on the most important parts of the lecture. In my research I have learnt that the word consequence means outcome. The outcome of an event can be both good and bad since everything that has an advantage has a disadvantage. Everything I have mentioned on passive listening so far has been negative but it also has its own advantages.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Benefits of Teaching Culture and Language
Benefits of Teaching Culture and Language Definition of culture Culture (from the Latin â€Å"cutura†stemming from colre meaning â€Å"to cultivate†) generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance. â€Å"Farhang†, meaning culture, has always been the focal point of Iranian civilization. Values (the ideas about what in life seems important), norms (expectations of how people will behave in various situations), institutions (the structure of a society), and artifacts (things or aspects of material culture, which derive from values and norms) are four components of culture (Wikipedia, 2009). The culture of a people refers to all aspects of shared life in community. Children growing up in a social group learn ways of doing things, ways of expressing themselves, ways of looking at things, what things they should value and what things they should despise or avoid, what is expected of them and what they may expect of others. We can define culture from different points of view. But the most common definition of culture among several scholars is what Haddley (2003) have in his book â€Å"Teaching Language in Context†. She tries to classify aspects of culture into two groups. The first group is the best in human life. This is what is called Big-C culture. Literature, music, art, etc. fall into this category. The second group is everything in human life. This is called the small-c culture. This category includes the way people eat, dress, and behaves in their society. The importance of studying culture There are many benefits that people can obtain from studying culture. It is useful for understanding the people of other cultures and also one’s own culture (Kitao, 1991). It can also help us to be more tolerant (Saz as cited in De Gordon, 2007). Dominant thoughts in the societies during the history, the way people look at the world, living manners and different forms of socializing, enculturation and like that lead us to a better understanding and appreciation of economic affairs. According to various developments in the world we can say that although the content and form of culture may change, it never fade away. (Pahlavan, 2003). Culture has been studied under different sciences and fields of study and this can show the importance of culture by dealing with this phenomenon. Culture and language In this section we will come to a wider area and look at the culture with respect to the relation it may have to the concept of language. As usual in this section we will divide these relationships into different sections according to what different scholars believe. There are three kinds of relationship determined between culture and language. The structure of a language determines the way in which speakers of that language view the world. The culture of a people finds reflection in the language they employ. Cultural requirements certainly influence how a language used and perhaps determines why specific bits and pieces are the way they are. A neutral: there is little or no relationship between language and culture (Wardaugh, 1993) Culture and L2/FL Teaching and learning Although some teachers think that the present of culture in current writings is relative recent, a review of the L2/FL literature shows that this is clearly not the case. The early ages were the time people learned an L2/FL for the purpose of reading and studying its literature. Literature is categorized as the high culture or the best in human life (brook, 1975, as cited in Haddley 2003, p.361). The next stage of concerning with culture is the era of Audio-lingual. This is the era of communication goals in language teaching and the time the emphasis is on the â€Å"little c culture†. In 1970s, the communicative competence replaced the audio-lingual method. In this new paradigm a more natural integration of language and culture takes place through a communicative approach than a more grammatically base approach (Lessard-Clouston, 1997). Why teach culture In the previous section we saw that the relationship between language and culture is undeniable. Despite this certain fact we should think of the implication of this reality in a real situation. Therefore, we raise another question regarding the importance of teaching culture and why a teacher should teach culture in the classroom. In order to fully learn a foreign language, an individual needs to understand the culture that goes along with it. What follow are some of the reasons for teaching culture in the classroom. Giving the students a reason to study the target language. Help in teaching grammar: relating abstract sounds and forms of a language to real places and people. In achieving high motivation, culture classes does have a great role because learners like culturally based activities such as singing, dancing, role playing, doing research on countries and people, etc. It gives learners a liking for the native speakers of the target language. Culture studies have a humanizing and a motivating effect on the language learner and the learning process. They help learners observe similarities and differences among various cultural groups. Teaching culture (intercultural learning) Many people have shown their own contribution to the issue of relation between culture and L2/FL learning as well as the role of culture in learning/teaching a language in the classroom. Almost every book in the area of language learning has a chapter in teaching culture. Chastain (1987) maintains that language is used to convey meaning, but meaning is determined by culture. One of the major hurdles to the successful implementation of culture goals in language classes revolves around attitudes. Brown (2000) also has some points in this area: It is apparent that culture as an integrated set of behaviors and modes of perception, becomes highly important in the learning of an L2. The two are intricately interwoven so that one cannot separate the two without losing the significance of either language or culture. Dimitrios Thanasoulas (2001) says that the teaching of culture should become an integral part of foreign language instruction. Culture should be our message to students and language our medium. Teachers should present students with a true picture or representation of another culture and language. Baker (2003) believes that culture has become an increasingly integrated component of English language teaching in recent years. He argues that the root of integrating culture in language learning processes come from the theory of communicative competence delivered by Hymes (1972, as cited in Haddley, 2000, pp.3-5). In this theory communicative competence involves an understanding of the norms of social interaction of one socio-cultural community. This concept of communicative competence is called intercultural communicative competence. Central to the notion of intercultural communicative competence is cultural awareness. Culture and language teaching methods From the early stages of teaching language a lot of methods have been discovered by methodologists and researchers with different points of view towards second language teaching and learning. I’ll investigate several methodologies and their approach to culture and its relationship with language teaching and learning. Grammar-translation method: a fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read its literature. Direct method: culture consists of more than the fine arts (students study cultural values). Audio-lingual method: culture consists of the everyday behavior and lifestyle of the target language speakers. Language cannot be separated from culture. Silent Way method: they believe that culture, as reflected in students unique world view, is inseparable from their language. Suggestopedia: it says that the culture which students learn concerns the everyday life of people who speak the language. The use of fine arts (music, art and drama) enables suggestions to reach the subconscious. Community language learning: it believes in integrating the culture with language. Total Physical Response: says that culture is the life style of people who speak the target language natively. In Communicative Language Teaching: culture is the life style of people who use the language natively. The cultural-communicative learning paradigm: â€Å"learning a language is learning a culture. Intercultural competence Intercultural competence is an enormously popular concept nowadays, its content being discussed in a great variety of contexts. It is not possible to arrive at one particular definition of the concept it is always contextually determined, colored by the latest discourses on competence, culture, communication, language, etc (Risager, 2000). Looking for a comprehensive definition of this phrase, we encounter a lot of different ideas and various definitions. By Alvino E. Fantini (1997) a basic definition of intercultural competence includes: The fundamental acceptance of people who are different to oneself outside one’s own culture. The ability to interact with them in a genuinely constructive manner which is free of negative attitude (e.g. prejudice, defensiveness, apathy, aggression etc.) The ability to create a synthesis, something which is neither â€Å"mine†nor â€Å"yours†, but which is new and would not have been possible had we not combined our different background and approaches (www.kwintessential.co.uk, 2009). Penn State (2009) has also â€Å"A simple definition†: â€Å"the abilities to perform effectively and appropriately with members of another language-culture background on their terms. And finally, In essence intercultural competence can be summed up as the ability to work well across cultures. Culture in Foreign Language Curriculum A major goal of foreign language instruction is to increase students’ literacy in languages other than their own, thereby also increasing literacy in that culture. The concept of literacy encompasses the students ability to read with understanding, to write with clarity and accuracy, to understand what is heard, and to speak comprehensibly with accurate grammar and pronunciation. To communicate successfully in another language, students develop facility, with the language, familiarity with the culture that use the language, and awareness of the ways in which language and culture interact in society. Reaching this point is central to developing literacy in any language. Two aspects of culture appropriate to be included in the foreign language curriculum are: first, the society’s production of art, music, and literature, and second, the social conventions of that society’s members. Culture in the classroom Now it is the time to come to the classroom and investigate culture related to the requirements of the class: Foreign Language Teachers and Foreign Language Learners. Culture and language teachers Traditionally, language teachers have listed culture as one of the five principal objectives of second language study. Attaching the same value to culture as to each of the four language skills is no surprise because of its importance in the development of global awareness and international understanding, in being able to function in the second language society, and in stimulating and maintaining students’ interests and motivation. The primary goal and dominant focus of attention in most classes continues to be language, to the detriment of achieving desirable cultural objectives. As conclusion to this, the teacher ought to be able to describe and assess his or her own intercultural competence. A foreign language teacher should be able to: Understand the contributions and lifestyles of the various cultural groups Recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, discrimination, and prejudices Create learning environments that contribute to the self-esteem of all persons and all positive interpersonal relations Respect human diversity and personal rights (Lafayette, 1979, p. 132). Some authors do recommend placing the greater emphasis on culture. What these authors are advocating is an organized, systematic presentation of the major characteristics of the second language culture that will lead students to an understanding and an appreciation of the culture. In many regards, culture is taught implicitly, imbedded in the linguistic forms that students are learning. To make students aware of the cultural features reflected in the language, teachers can make those cultural features an explicit topic of discussion in relation to the linguistic forms being studied. It is important for a language teacher as an influential figure in the class to be interculturally aware and responsive. Teachers should be aware of and sensitive to the cultural differences (Valdes, 1986), and its influences on students’ growth and learning. They should also be aware of their own cultural values and beliefs (Wang, 2006). Culture and language learners One of the principal reasons for stressing culture in language classes has to do with the students. They are extremely interested in the people who speak the language they are studying (Chastain, 1987). A program which seeks to develop systematic progress in cultural understanding side by side with growing mastery of the language will ensure that the language learners are able to communicate with the speakers of the language in the fullest sense of the word. Intercultural contact is both a means and an end in second language studies. It is impossible to identify the specific ethnic and cultural groups that represent native speakers of the language. As a result, in order to investigate the role of the intercultural contact in foreign language learning environments, we first need to explore what kind of contact students of foreign languages have with home and how frequently, what attitudes they display and how they see the role of contact in language learning. It appears that favorable contact leads to the discovery of cultural similarity and of our common humanity. Then, contact will improve attitudes (Piage R. M., et al., 1998).
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers
Al Capone I: Al Capone was born in New York City in 1899. His father, Gabriel and his wife, Teresa, came to America in 1894. They brought their two kids, Vincenzo, and Raffaele. In 1895 their third son was born, who they named Salvatore. II: The Capone family was nice and quit, Gabriel never hit the kids, he just "preached" to them and they'd listen. "...nothing about the Capone family was inherently disturbed, violent, or dishonest." Gabriel became an American citizen in 1906, his children all had Italian names but for the outside world they'd have different names. III: After Al was born Gabriel moved the family to an apartment above his barbershop in Brooklyn. This move would influence Al forever, he was exposed to other nationalities, Swedes, Irish, Germans, and Chinese lived in the neighborhood instead Italians as it had been. Education didn't mean much for many in New York, after you got out of high school you'd probably get a job. Al had good grades until he entered 6th grade. When he was fourteen he yelled at a teacher who hit him, he hit her back and was expelled from school, he never went to school again after that. About the same time that happened his family moved to a neighborhood that had a long lasting impression on him. This is where he met his first crime boss, Johnny Torrio and his future wife, Mae. IV: Johnny Torrio was a smart crime boss. He realized you needed brains and allies to survive. Many young boys worked for him, running errands mainly. But he started to trust the young Al Capone and gave him larger jobs to do. Many kids were in gangs, wether it be gangs of nationality, Irish, Italian, German, or ones of religion, Jewish gangs. V: Al was a good kid, came home on time and helped the family. No one would have suspected Al of becoming a mob boss. For awhile he worked at regular jobs, first a munitions factory then worked as a paper cutter. Frankie Yale was another crime boss except just the opposite of the "peaceful" Johnny Torrio. He built his gang off muscle. Yale opened a bar on Coney Island called the Havard Inn. Johnny Torrio got Al a job working there as a bartender. VI: Capone’s job at the Harvard Inn was to be a bartender, a bouncer and even wait on tables. One day he was waiting on a young couple and he leaned over and said to the woman "Honey, you have a nice ass and I mean that as a c... ...Jack Guzik and Frank Nitti. Later that year Ralph was indicted on tax evasion charges, he wasn't smart about covering up his money like Al was. "The Untouchables" had enough evidence to get permission from judges to take down Capone's breweries. The government realized they need a man inside and sent Michael J. Malone and another agent. XXI: Records from a raid on Hawthorne Hotel showed financial operations of the Hawthorne Smoke Shop. Al Capone opened a soup kitchen for those who lost their jobs in the great depression to try and restore his image in 1930. XXII: The Untouchables had taken over forty-five of Capone's trucks and raided tons of breweries. Wiretaps proved how bad things were going, a big blow was when a brewery was raided that produced 20,000 gallons a day. XXIII: Capone was arrested and brought to trial. He didn't worry too much since he had bribed the jury, the judge found out about this and changed the jury so it would be a fair trial. Capone was convicted of a few counts and was sentenced to 11 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/capone/index_1.html?sect=15
Animal behavior :: essays research papers
The study of animal behavior is Ethology. A large part of the studies have been conducted by Lonrenz and Niko Tinbergen who wanted to find out how animals saw the world.      For example, fishes. The male will protect its territory. They will become aggressive when they see the red belly of another fish. This reaction is innate or instinctive, it is automatic. An experiment was performed by placing a large red sheet of paper in the tank. This made the male fish aggressive. This aggressiveness is what will make the male more â€Å"fit†in order provide more sperm to the females. The red was the releaser/sign stimuli in this case.      If you take a chick for example, its mother will respond to sound instead of sight. When a chick is distressed and is placed in a sound proof container, the mother will not respond. However, when there is a physical barrier but not sound proof, the mother will respond to the chick’s cries. The releaser/sign stimulus is sound in this case. A bee will never see a white flower but instead it will see the â€Å"target’, which is the pollen.      Pheromones are not hormones. They are chemicals that are released outside of the animal, and have a scent that will give an effect. Therefore, pheromones can also be releaser/sign stimuli as well.      When a gull has captured a plentiful supply of fish in its neck, the baby will peck at its mother so the fish will be released for them to feed on. The baby gulls will respond to the back and forth swinging and the red dot on the mother’s beak.      When a releaser leads directly to behavior it is called a fix-action pattern. If an egg rolls out of a nest the mother will immediately try and recollect it. But if the egg is taken away the mother will still do it. This shows that once the switch is turned on it will continue. Fix action patterns can be learned by humans, and will soon become autonomic.      Usually hormones and timing will motivate animals and drive their behavior; timing through biological clocks, the animals circadium rhythms (approx 24hrs). This circadium rhythm may be altered by changing the animal’s environment. If a squirrel is put into the dark and exposed to artificial light, its cycle may shift. Each cell has a biological clock, which means each organ as well as the individual animal has one.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Benefits of a Yoga Practice
History of Yoga The exact history and origins of yoga is uncertain; however, there are pieces that have been connected and allow some conclusions. Stone carvings depicting figures in Yoga positions have been found in archeological sites in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world. The word Yoga means â€Å"to join or yoke together,†and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience.One of the earliest texts about Yoga was compiled by a scholar named Patanjali, who talked about the most common Yoga theories and practices of his time in a book called Yoga Sutras as early and the 1st and 2nd century B. C. or as late as the 5th century A. D. The system that he wrote is known as â€Å"Ashtanga Yoga†or the eight limbs of Yoga, gene rally known as Classical Yoga today. The eight steps include yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara, dharana, dhyana, and Samadhi. Yoga arrived to the United States somewhere around the late 1800s, but hadn’t become commonly known until the 1960s.It is well known that the techniques of Yoga can contribute to general health and well-being. Many physicians recommend Yoga to patients who suffer from heart disease, back pains, depression, arthritis, insomnia, asthma, and other chronic conditions. Philosophical Roots and Principles The philosophy of yoga has been passed on from teacher to student for many generations over the last 5,000 years. There is no true definition on what yoga really is. Some may say it is only a way to relax, others say it is a form of excersice, and others say it is a way of life.In essence, yoga practice aims to align the body with the mind through fluid movement and controlled breathing. At the base of the yoga practice, there are five basic principl es: exercise, breathing, relaxation, diet, and meditation. Exercise: This principle revolves around the idea that our physical body is meant to move and exercise. One’s spiritual health begins with physical health. Yoga benefits every part of your body – joints, muscles, blood circulation, digestion, etc. Practicing Yoga makes your body relaxed, gives you more strength and energy, and rejuvenates the various systems of the body.Breathing: Yoga’s lifestyle is centered around breathing. Yoga emphasizes attention to breath, and taking long, deep inhalations, making use of all the parts of your Lungs to increase your oxygen intake. Proper Breathing should be deep, slow and rhythmical. This increases lung capacity and oxygen flow throughout the body, which clears and cleanses the mind. Relaxation: One achieves inner peace through proper relaxation. Relaxation begins in the physical body, losing all tension within the muscles. This then extends to the mind, and positi vely affects one’s actions throughout the day.Diet: A proper diet should accompany a yoga practice to maintain a healthy physical body. Improper diet results to mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness. A proper diet should nourish both mind and body. It should consist of eating only natural foods, and only when one is hungry. Meditation: The most important aspect of yoga is positive thinking and meditation. Everything in the physical body is controlled through the mind. Meditation allows ones self to control the mind to channel positive thinking and spiritual health. This allowing a more relaxing Yoga practice, which leads to a calm and positive day,Why is nutrition important in yoga? The basic principle of nutrition in yoga is to eat small quantities of high quality foods without producing toxins. It is easy to result to heavily processed, nutrition poor, calorie dense foods within a normal life that’s full of stress. Eating unhealthy puts you at more risks of diseases, while a well-nourished body makes it easier to cope better, while also reducing your possibility of disease and reducing your stress levels. The body requires food to supply energy to function normally. It also needs it to repair tissue and organs. The perfect balance in diet is different for ach person. To find balance, it is important to know one’s own individual needs, the best preparation methods, the properties of foods, and to choose a broad range of high quality foods. When a good attitude and ample exercise are combined, one finds no limit to total health of the mind, body, and spirit. Five Yoga Poses Downward facing dog: Come to your hands and knees with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips. Curl the toes under and push back raising the hips and straightening the legs. Spread the fingers and ground down from the forearms into the fingertips.Outwardly rotate the upper arms broadening the collarbones. Let the head hang, mo ve the shoulder blades away from the ears towards the hips. Engage the quadriceps strongly to take the weight off the arms, making this a resting pose. Rotate the thighs inward, keep the tail high and sink your heels towards the floor. Dragonfly Pose: Begin standing in mountain pose. Shift your weight into your right leg and bring the left ankle to cross your right thigh just above the knee. Your shin will be parallel to the floor. This is same position from which you enter flying crow.Come into a forward bend, bringing the palms of the hands to the floor. Bend the right leg (the standing leg) and twist your torso to the right, walking your hands over until your palms come in front of the right foot. This is a similar arm position to side crow. Bend your elbows down to chaturanga position and bring the sole of your left foot onto the shelf created by your left upper arm. Try to get the foot as high up your arm as possible. Bring the right thigh to rest on the left upper arm as well. Tip forward, bringing your weight into your arms as the right leg straightens out to the side and right foot leaves the floor.To come out, bend the right knee and bring the right foot back to the floor. Half Moon Pose – Ardha Chandrasana: From Trikonasana, soften the right knee and bring the left hand to your hip. Bring the right hand to the floor about a foot in front of the right foot with the fingertips on the floor. Begin to straighten the right leg while simultaneously raising the left leg. Open the hips, stacking the left hip on top of the right hip. Bring the left leg straight and parallel to the floor, flexing the left foot with the toes facing forward.When you feel balanced on the right leg, reach the left arm up toward the ceiling, opening the chest and making a straight line with the right and left arms. Finally, bring the gaze up toward the left fingertips. Child's Pose – Balasana: From Downward Facing Dog, drop the knees to the floor. Spread the knees as wide as the mat, keeping the big toes touching. Bring the belly to rest between the thighs and the forehead to the floor. There are two possible arm variations: Either stretch the arms in front of you with the palms toward the floor or bring the arms back alongside the thighs with the palms facing upwards.Do whichever feel more comfortable to you. Bridge Pose – Setu Bandha Sarvangasana: Come to lie on the back. Bend the knees, bringing the soles of the feet parallel on the mat close to the buttocks. Lift the hips up towards the ceiling. Interlace the fingers behind your back and straighten the arms, pressing them down into the mat. Roll one shoulder under and then the other. Lift the hips higher. Draw the chest toward the chin, but do not move the chin toward the chest. Make sure the feet stay parallel. Release the hands and bring the upper, middle, and then lower back down. Rest, allowing the knees to knock together.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Business Plan on Indoor Sports Complex
[Type the document title] [Type the document subtitle] [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. ] 2013 3/28/2013 TabTable of Contents 1. 1 Business Model7 1. 1. 1 Company Overview7 1. 1. 3 Objectives8 1. 1. 4 Mission8 1. 1. 5 Vision8 What is Futsal? 8 1. 1. 6 Facilities9 1. 1. 7 SERVICES10 1. 1. 8 Pitch10 1. 1. 9 Sports Store10 1. 1. 10 Food Court10 1. 2. 1 Concept:11 1. 2. 2 Location11 1. 2. Management12 Company Ownership12 1. 2. 4 Personnel12 2 The marketing Plan13 2. 1 Market Analysis Summary13 2. 2 Market Segmentation14 Consumer Profile15 2. 3 Competition16 2. 3. 1 Competitive Edge16 2. 4 Sales Strategy17 2. 5 Pricing18 2. 6 Sales Strategy18 2. 7 Sales Forecast18 2. 8 Advertising Strategies19 Advertising and promotion:19 2. 9 Timeline20 3 Financials20 3. 1 Financing20 Start-up Funding21 3. 2 S tartup Cost23 Start-up Requirements23 Pro Forma Cash Flow23 4 Conclusions25 5 Bibliographies25 5. 1 Experiences25 LETTER of TRANSMITTAL March 29, 2013 Taufique Hossain (TmT)Lecturer, School of Business North South University Subject: Submission of Group Report. Dear Sir, It is a great pleasure for us to submit this group report on â€Å"Indoor Futsal†. We, Group SHOWTIME worked as a team to prepare the report as you instructed in the class. We are pleased to inform you that we have thoroughly enjoyed working through this group report. It has enabled us to gain valuable knowledge and experience that would help us in our career development. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to convey our deep regard for your valuable guidance and sincere inspiration. Also you can read Business Ethics ComprisesWe hope you will enjoy reading this paper. In presenting this report, we have tried our level best to include all the relevant ideas and the explanations to make the report informative and comprehensive. If you have any query regarding the interpretation of this project feel free to contact us. Thank you for believing in us and giving us this wonderful opportunity. Yours Sincerely, Name – ID – Contact Number ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Our first acknowledge goes to the almighty Allah for giving us the patience and courage to finish this task within its deadline.Then, we cordially thank our respected course instructor, Mr. Taufique Hossain for his continuous guidance and support to make this report possible. He assisted us whenever we needed any help. His generosity and liberality aid us to go further with this report without any hazardous situation. We are deeply indebted to the people who helped us in coming up with this authentic repo rt by taking part in the survey. It was crucial in the preparation of this report. We would like to thank each individual group member. Last but not the least we are very thankful to our family.Without their help this report would not be done so successfully, specially our mothers. We thank them all for their love and trust. Executive Summary This would be an ideal opportunity to paraphrase that philosophy about life and death, and explain why taken in context, rather than flippantly flung down beside a crime of humanity or a human tragedy, that there is both truth and beauty in what Football is more than just a game. It is more important than life and death, because it’s purely about life, which is eminently more important than death.But that is to disrobe the sentiment of its context, to be irresponsible with the words. Football is about what you are and how you meet the world, and nothing at all to do with the futility of wasting time considering death. Football is a bout doing all that you can, irrespective of what happens beyond your control. In this city, scarcely do we get the chance to exercise our passion, and even more scarcely do office goers get to get their passion for football alight. That’s where the beauty of indoor futsal comes in. Recognized by the FIFA as the official form of indoor football, it a star in its own rights.It is attractive for youth and middle aged corporate officials, who can exercise their passion for football long after the sun has gone down. After many arranged tournaments in the impromptu indoor sports complexes, there begs to be an organized solution for enthusiasts in this sport. That’s where â€Å"Sportsvana†comes in. It blends virtues of traditional football with an unprecedented package. We will offer a fully functioning sport store, sports rental, and food court and foosball table at our premises. Of those who are just about crazy for football, we offer an immersive experience bar an y other.Even if you like a game in your playstation better, we dare to convert you. On the other side, it functions in its legal form as a partnership business, and its marketing channels, promotions and financial projections are shown in the proposal. We blend innovative marketing technique with a truly unique USP, and our strong suit is being able bond with people, being enthusiasts and players as well. That said, there is a need to upgrade the market to suit women’s needs as well, and we will see to regularly hosting women’s futsal tournament, and make it as popular as women basketball or handball in this country.With the mission and vision on our sight, we cannot but be hopeful of our future, building a greater tomorrow with this harmonious sport. 1. 1 Organizational Plan 1. 1 Business Model After a hard day at the University or Office, many regard an even harder push in the field bliss. Football releases energy and revitalizes the young souls, by completely tiring them out. Or 30 something office goers, who have kept their passion for football alight. Dhaka city is not a place people can enjoy open fields. There are too many people and too less fields.In a random day, chances are you won’t even get a place in the field. That’s where the need of an organized platform comes, the need of a sports complex, that will organize the matches for you, book a place in the field, maybe provide food and relaxation, all in a nice and friendly package. That’s where the need of Sportsvana comes. 1. 1. 1 Company Overview Sportsvana Indoor Futsal is the only indoor futsal facility in the Dhaka City area. The population of Dhaka City is 240,000 residents. Sportsvana has two professional-style, lighted fields, (73†² x 140†²) featuring Field Turf ®, for fast-action, fun futsal.No matter what the weather conditions is, day or night, futsal players will find a safe, clean, and friendly atmosphere for futsal enjoyment. Several divis ions for youth, men, women, and coed provide all players–from beginners to highly skilled–the right environment for recreational yet competitive futsal. League play is continuous year round. All league participants are required to become members of Sportsvana Indoor Futsal. The annual fee is 3000 BDT. Team registration per session is 3500 BDT per hour. Each session has 10 games with championship awards being given to the first place team.In addition, skills clinics are available for beginning adults and those wishing to polish their skills. The two fields can also be rented for practices, preseason and post-season team parties, camps, clinics, school grad nights, fund raising tournaments, organized leagues and more. A futsal store is on site to provide leading futsal brands to players, teams, leagues and schools. The facility will also have a small cafe that will serve drinks, sandwiches, and pastry. Sportsvana is a fully integrated sports company that offers our clien ts, young or old, a full range of sports management services from conceptualization stages to execution.We are well equipped with experience and trained staffs in ensuring that all of our clients’ needs are met to a standard of excellence. We have the equipment to undertake all projects. Our experience encompasses; events designed to appeal to specific targeted participants, events with appeal to the general public, events with corporate appeal such as sponsorship and hospitality and events which we manage for clients. Often our management skills have to incorporate one or more of these elements which are; event creation, design and management, sponsorship, marketing and public relations and personality management.We offer corporations a solution to these problems. We are able to handle all the sporting needs Sportsvana Indoor Futsal projects that the center will have more than 800 members, 30 adult teams and 30 youth teams by the end of year one. 1. 1. 3 Objectives The objec tives for Sportsvana Indoor Futsal are the following: * Build facility membership to more than 800. * Register 30 adult and 25 youth teams by the end of first year of operation. * Develop facility potential * Expand to Bashundhara by year 3 * Break-even by year 3 * Open new facility in Uttara by year 5 1. 1. 4 MissionThe mission of Sportsvana Indoor Futsal is to provide Dhaka Ciyt residents with a state-of-the-art Futsal facility that will enable both youth and adults to enjoy the sport of Futsal year round. We hope to evoke sense of bonding and competitiveness among students and even office-goers, who will find nirvana through the game of Futsal and other sports, thus Sportsvana. 1. 1. 5 Vision Our vision is to build a harmonious platform for youth and thirty something’s for a better future. What is Futsal? Futsal is a variant of Futsal that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors.Its name is derived from the Portuguese futebol de salao and the Spanish futbol de salon (colloquially futbol sala), which can be translated as â€Å"hall Futsal†or â€Å"indoor Futsal†. During the sport’s second world championships held in Madrid in 1985, the name futbol Sala was used. Since then, all other names have been officially and internationally changed to futsal. Futsal ® (Five-a-Side Futsal) is â€Å"The Way the World Plays Indoor Futsal†and is the international form of indoor Futsal approved by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).It is played in all continents of the world by over 100 countries with 12 million players. The pitch is made up of wood or artificial material, Yinghui Court, or similar surface, although any flat, smooth and non-abrasive material may be used. The length of the pitch is in the range of 38–42 m (42–46 yd), and the width is in the range of 18–25 m in international matches. For other matches, it can be 25–42 m (27–46 yd)in length, while the width can be 15–25 m (16–27 yd), as long as the length of the longer boundary lines (touchlines) are greater than the shorter boundaries where the goals are placed (goal lines).The ceiling must be at least 4 m (4 yd) high. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 3 m (3 yd) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported xx by the goal posts must be 2 m (2. 2 yd) above the ground. Nets made of hemp, jute or nylon is attached to the back of the goalposts and crossbar. The lower part of the nets is attached to curved tubing or another suitable means of support. The depth of the goal is 80 cm at the top and 1 m at the bottom.Because the sport is a great skill developer, demanding quick reflexes, fast thinking and pin point passing, it is an exciting game for children as well as adults. The game is very economical and safe, simple and fun to play. Just by playing with the ball d evelops precise ball control and technical skill, agility, lightening reflexes and decision making. As the balls have less bounce they tend to stay in play longer and promote close ball control. After playing in enclosed areas and learning to think and react quickly, players find when they play to the full game they react well under pressure.Playing in enclosed areas develops creativity; players are also constantly placed in demanding decision making situations in enclosed areas which is a major reason why Futsal is one of the finest teachers of the quick pass and move. In Futsal it is very hard to defend against a team that is adept at this type of play. Playing the beautiful game of Futsal is developed through Futsal. 1. 1. 6 Facilities Sportsvana is an indoor court built to provide futsal addicts and players to enjoy real time playing futsal with friends and family.We provide all the amneties for them in order to enjoy their futsal time. * We provide most importantly futsal court which is the turf, futsal balls, food services place to relax and rest, and futsal equipments. * On top of that, we take jersey orders for teams which is interested to do when there is any tournament organized by us * We provide stalls for sporting goods related to futsal and excercising gear * We take on the spot orders for custom-made jerseys, team jerseys, sports memorabilia and other items related to other sports s well * A stacked food court EPL matches on projector and 5:1 music system * Shower and changing room * 2 foosball tables * Membership cards, which provide a discount at match prices and an sms derived SMART system which allows to book matches and see timetables. It will also allow you to be listed as a player, reviewing you lifetime scores, passes made, assists and miles run. * Games videography assists and many more to come†¦.. 1. 1. 7 SERVICES 4 Futsal Pitches (Turf, Decoflex, Herculan & Parquet Pitches on the built facility) . 2 International Size Basketball Courts converted Parquet Pitches.We provide only the best Futsal Balls, Excellent pitch conditions, Spectator Galleries, Lounge Area with Tables,Shower / Changing & Restrooms (Male & Female),Fans/Mist Fans, Sports Shop, Well stocked Food/Snacks/Ice Cream & Drinks, Booking services, EPL on Astro & Projectors. 1. 1. 8 Pitch Our pitch is converted from basketball court to futsal field. The lines and dimension of a futsal field is roughly the same of a basketball court. But additional measures will be taken in case of tournament, as white powder will be applied to create an international standard pitch.There are no walls around the Abahani facility. There is a wall along the Gymnasium Field, but as per game rules, rebound on walls is not allowed. The pitch will feature 5:1 music system with songs on request. 1. 1. 9 Sports Store There will be a small sport store on the facility for impulse buyers. It will feature * Latest jerseys of international and national teams * Futsal equipment su ch as turf shoes, balls, shorts and socks * Football memorabilia * Small selection of boots * Custom T-shirts Also the store will feature an area where you can order your custom jerseys and order sports equipment to specification 1. . 10 Food Court On the surroundings of the courts there will be a food and beverage area where users of the facility can replenish their bodies. This area has been placed so the users may have a bird's-eye view of the happenings on the courts while enjoying their favorite non-alcoholic beverage and/or snack. Included in this area will be a big screen TV that will show sporting events, sports news, or appropriate programs those users’ wishes to watch. This aspect of the facility will be crucial in providing the desired atmosphere The Supreme Courts hopes to create. A qualified, experienced person will be hired to run this aspect of the facility. He/she will have the responsibility to meet necessary standards and to report to, and work directly with the general partners to make sure the needs of the users in this area are met. If additional staff are required, this person will hire and train those people in accordance with The Supreme Courts policies. * A fast-food menu featuring subs, rolls, burgers and egg based products. There is also a counter for health drinks and protein bars. * EPL matches in projectors on selected days * 2 Foosball tables 1. 2 Administrative Plan . 2. 1 Concept: This indoor sports facility will be equipped with 2 full international-sized Futsal courts converted from concrete basketball ground. This facility will also be equipped with lighting poles to enable evening and night play. Many value-added facilities will be provided to our customers such as, lockers, female and male changing rooms with showers amenities, a small cafe, parking and free Wi-fi access. As a social trend today, the atmosphere that we are trying to create is towards a greener and healthier environment and lifestyle with eco-friendl y facilities (energy saving lights and water).In the tight and congested space of Dhaka City, few places remain which can provide this sort of facility session basis or at a rent. We have chosen the following areas for our base of operations. 1. 2. 2 Location * Our first and primary location will be the Abahani Indoor Basketball ground, fully equipped with light poles, bars and equipment to be made into a futsal pitch. The Abahani is also equipped with spectator stands, changing room, space for stalls and parking. * This location can be had for rent or lease if it doesn’t serve any other primary purpose. For example, if it doesn’t have any Basketball matches on that very particular time. For our secondary base, we have chosen the Dhaka University indoor games facility, with its basketball ground which can be converted into a futsal pitch. It lacks spectator stands, but it makes up in terms of practice space. * The outdoor futsal facility of the Abahani Stadium will als o be used. Initial plans are to turn to the Abahani Indoor Sports facility, in Dhanmondi. The facility will be taken on daily rent basis. The dates will be flexible according to the basketball timetable the facility has. It also has an outdoor futsal facility which will be used in turns. The Dhaka University Indoor games field will also be used simultaneously.We have future plans to expand to Bashundhara and build our own facility in Uttara. 1. 2. 3 Management Company Ownership Our business will be fully owned by the partners. The business will maintain a multiple proprietorship status for at least the first two years of operation. The initial management team for The Supreme Courts depends mainly on the general partners. Will stay within their expertise in running the day-to-day operations of the facility such as scheduling, marketing, and promotions, along with running and developing various leagues and programs for the community.Back-up for the general partners will include staff members who will compensate for the founders lack of experience in each area. The business projects that the Abahani facility will be so popular that a second indoor operation will be established in the nearby Bashundhara. At that time the business will reorganize to become an S Corporation. The ownership model will be based on partnership, and a rotational basis â€Å"Managing Partner†will be selected for overseeing administrative duties. Our organizational structure is as follows Financial Officer (outsourced) 1. 2. 4 PersonnelThe personnel of Sportsvana Indoor Futsal are as follows: * Manager (managing partner) * Asst manager (2 other partners) * Senior staff (2); * Staff (2); * Store staff person (1); * Cafe staff (2). A janitorial service will be contracted to clean the facility. But most of the maintenance work will be done by the Abahani field staff. A chart of their expected salary and qualification is given below Post| Salary (expected)| Qualification| Managing Part ner| Subjective to Profit/Loss| | Asst. Manager (partner)| Subjective to Profit/Loss| | Senior Staff| 16,000| H. S. C| Staff| 13,000| H.S. C| Store staff| 8,000| H. S. C| Cafeteria Staff| 7,000| H. S. C| The minimum working hours will be 3 hours to a maximum of 8 hours. The facility will run from prior schedules. 2 The marketing Plan 2. 1 Market Analysis Summary Futsal is a popular sport in Dhaka. Currently there are 6,000 children participating in the youth Futsal leagues, and 3,000 adults participating in the adult league. The number of players is growing dramatically. There are two factors that are impacting the popularity of Futsal. * The first is the large number of children in the county under the age of 12.There are approximately 30,000 children in the city under the age of 12. The projection is that the percentage of children under the age of 12 will continue to grow for the next five years. The most popular sport with this age group is football. * The second factor is th e growing number of young people between the ages of 24 – 35 that are participating in team sports. Participation in coed football has increased by 20% each year for the past three years. The demand for fields has led to the city building 2 new playing fields this year. Adult outdoor football league has grown by 50% over the past two years.Currently, there are 12 adult league teams participating in the outdoor city Futsal league. * The rise in the scene of â€Å"UNDERGROUND FOOTBALL†scene is a sign of the rising popularity of football. There has been a significant increase in the underground tournaments held each year. There hasn’t been any organized attempt to blend the events from all localities to a single mega event. * There has been a significant increase in football among office workers and corporate players. 2. 2 Market Segmentation 1. Weekend Warriors: an important market segment for The Sportsvanawill is the weekend warriors.These people don't li ke to be locked into long-term commitments but like the freedom to come and go when the opportunity presents itself. These people will be a target market for special promotions and periodic activities. These people may include corporate players and tournament teams. 2. Families: this is a smaller, but important market segment for our facility. We have â€Å"something for everyone†and that will attract families that want to become members of the facility as well as families who simply want a few hours of fun every now and again.These people will also be the main target for summer camps and activities that allow for fun and education for the children while the parents enjoy some relatively cheap babysitting. 3. Senior Citizens: this market segment will be our fastest growing market as more senior citizens are retiring to Henderson than any other group. When provided with health promoting programs, senior citizens are willing to participate due to the new focus on physical acti vity and the constant encouragement from family and physicians. In fact, this group was the fastest growing club membership segment over the last 10 years according to **.It grew up to four times faster than other segments. 4. Students: Another small market segment, students will be attracted to use this facility for various purposes without the pressure or hassle of a required membership. The simple daily walk-in fee will make The Sportsvana a very attractive place for these people. We have made an age chart to better understand our target customers. Consumer Profile Provided the data we have accumulated and psychological profiling of our customers, we have done a consumer profiling of our customers. We will focus on the following target customers: * Youths, ages 6-14 years of age. Adults, ages 24-35 years of age. 2. 3 Competition The competition of Sportsvana is not through direct competitors, but through means of other organizers of the sport. They are: 1. The Abahani Field: The vast Abahani Field, in which you can play for free, is one of our biggest competitors. But they lack in space and you might often struggle to find a place. 2. Organizers of events: These people satisfy our main target customers, the weekend warriors. This might be a tough call to attract players who are committed to a tournament. WE can analyze the market with Porters Five forces 2. 3. 1 Competitive EdgeThe Sportsvana’s competitive edge is twofold. First, The Supreme Courts is the only complex that offers 2 full-size basketball courts that are available for the members and the community to use and/or rent. On top of this, the scope and variation of the programs that will be run from this facility are unmatched by any other club in the area. The second part of our competitive edge is the location, size, and appearance of the facility that will attract many people into the complex. By maintaining our focus in our strategy, marketing, program development, and fulfillment, The Sp ortsvana will be known as the top sports club in Dhaka.We should be aware; however, that our competitive edge may be diluted if we become complacent in our program development and implementation. It will be important for us to keep up with the current trends in both sport and fitness programs. 2. 4 Sales Strategy Sales in the sport and are based on the services and amenities provided by the facility. The â€Å"something for everyone†slogan fits perfectly with us. All of the users of our facility must feel like they are getting the best possible value for their money. If there is a better value, for equal services, we will match or beat that value for our customers.Each person desiring a membership at Sportsvana will be able to sit down with a representative and be notified of all of their membership options. During this brief discussion, the person will be also being informed of all of the services, programs, and amenities we have to offer. It will be important to establi sh a relationship of trust with our members as membership retention is an important aspect in our business. 2. 5 Pricing Sportsvana  is an indoor Futsal facility that offers league play, Futsal training and a Futsal shop. The facility is also available to be rented out for special events.The following is the fee schedule: * Annual Facility Membership: 3000 BDT * Team Registration per Session: 15000 BDT * Facility Rental Fee: Member 300 BDT/hr, Non-Member 450 BDT/hr * Skill Clinic Fees: Range from 3000 BDT (per week) for children, to 12000 BDT for groups They are led by Futsal skill instructors with â€Å"A†Level Coaching Certification. The skill clinics are geared toward the novice who wants to improve their Futsal skills. The facility also has a Futsal shop that sells the very best in Futsal gear, indoor and outdoor. The shop has the best selection of turf shoes available in the city.Membership * Membership Fee: Sportsvana Indoor Futsal will offer a 25% discount on membership fees for the first six months. * Team Fee: The team fee will be reduced by 1000 BDT if the team registers before the early sign-up deadline. In addition, we will sell the facility rental potential to local schools, corporate, and civic organizations. 2. 6 Sales Strategy Sportsvana Indoor Futsal will sell the indoor facility to the current outdoor Futsal teams. We will operate a booth at the city's Futsal fields on the weekends for the two months before Sportsvana opens.In addition, we will call the team captains and coaches directly and sell the quality and convenience of the facility. Sportsvana Indoor Futsal will offer membership rates for field rental to these teams to get them in the facility. Spring is notorious for poor field conditions prior to the beginning of the Futsal season. During the first two weekends in April, Sportsvana Indoor Futsal will offer free indoor Futsal clinics for children and adults. 2. 7 Sales Forecast The following is the sal es forecast for the next three years. The clinics, cafe, and the Futsal shop will have direct cost of sales.The clinics will be hiring the coaches to lead the clinics. The Futsal shop's direct cost will be the wholesale price of the shop's inventory. Sportsvana Indoor Futsal will make a strong push to expand league play in the summer. The summer is usually softball and baseball season and only competitive Futsal teams play during the summer months. These competitive teams represent only 10% of young Futsal players. The outdoor adults Futsal leagues also don't operate during the summer months, leaving a large number of recreational Futsal players with opportunity to play.The only slow period for sales will be in November and December. Though league sessions end in mid-November, December has proven to be a poor month to begin a new league session. 2. 8 Advertising Strategies Channel 3 is called a â€Å"direct-marketing†channel, since it has no intermediary levels. In this case the manufacturer sells directly to customers. An example of a direct marketing channel would be a factory outlet store. Many holiday companies also market direct to consumers, bypassing a traditional retail intermediary – the travel agent. Advertising and promotion:A mixture of advertisements and networking will be used to increase visibility for Sportsvana. In first we will be focused on introducing the product. The advertisement will be done on different media e. g. television, newspaper and billboard to make people aware of the product. Our promotional activity will be focused on timing. We have devised the following timeframes: We will use these following channels of marketing, to be elaborated on the presentation * Guerilla Marketing: we will use graffiti, flyers and subliminal messaging * Posters: it will be our bulk promotional activity Flyers: To accompany the posters * Facebook Page: It will help us create a direct relationship with our members. 2. 9 Timeli ne We have etched out a specific time line for our objectives. 3 Financials 3. 1 Financing Our total capitalization from the 3 partners will be 70 lakhs. We will raise another 50 lakhs through loans and angel investors. Start-up Funding| Start-up Expenses to Fund| 7,845,000| Start-up Assets to Fund| 336,500| Total Funding Required| 8181500| Assets| | Non-cash Assets from Start-up| $0| Cash Requirements from Start-up| 336,500| Additional Cash Raised| $0|Cash Balance on Starting Date| 336,500| Total Assets| 336,500| Liabilities and Capital| | Liabilities| | Current Borrowing| $0| Long-term Liabilities| 5,000,000| Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills)| $0| Other Current Liabilities (interest-free)| $0| Total Liabilities| 5,000,000| Capital| | Planned Investment| | Investor 1| 100,000| Investor 2| 100,000| Investor 3| 100,000| Other| 200,000| Additional Investment Requirement| $0| Total Planned Investment| 5,000,000| Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses)| 7,845,000| Total Capital| (913,50 0)| Total Capital and Liabilities| 336,500|Total Funding| 12,000,000| | | General AssumptionsYear 1 Year 2 Year 3Plan Month 1 2 3Current Interest Rate 10. 00%10. 00 10. 00%Long-term Interest Rate 10. 00%10. 00 10. 00%Tax Rate 16. 25%15. 00 16. 25%Other 0003. 2 Startup Cost| | Start-up Requirements Start-up Expenses| | Legal(Including business understanding with Abahani)| 545,000| Brochures| 50,000| Insurance| 500,000|Rent | 4,000,000| Soccer Shop Setup| 1,500,000| Field Installation| 45,000| Cafe| 800,000| Total Start-up Expenses| 7,845,000| Start-up Assets| 150,000| Cash Required| 336,500| Start-up Inventory| 25,000| Other Current Assets| 25,000| Long-term Assets| 100,000| Total Assets| 336,500| Total Requirements| 8181500| Pro Forma Cash Flow | Year 1| Year 2| Year 3| Cash ReceivedCash from Operations| | | | Cash Sales| | | | Cash from Receivables| | | | Subtotal Cash from Operations| | | | Additional Cash Received| | | | Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received| | | | New Current Borrowi ng| | | |Sales of Other Current Assets| | | | Sales of Long-term Assets| | | | New Long-term Liabilities| | | | New Investment Received| | | | Subtotal Cash Received| | | | Expenditures from Operations| | | | Cash Spending| | | | Bill Payments| | | | Subtotal Spent on Operations| | | | Additional Cash Spent| | | | Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out| | | | Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing| | | | Other Liabilities Principal Repayment| | | | Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment| | | | Purchase Other Current Assets| | | | Purchase Long-term Assets| | | | Subtotal Cash Spent| | | |Net Cash Flow| | | | Cash Balance| | | | 4 Conclusions Sportsvana in an idea pitched by a group of late-teens. It was implemented in some tournaments. It hasn’t yet caught on, the idea of playing any kind of â€Å"football†indoors. But those who have played the tournaments can vouch that it was the one of the most action packed, fun and tiring game of their life. We can proudly say tha t we will cater to a group, who will be sports buffs, and hold football to their hearts. So, in essence, our USP not lies in our proposition or uniqueness, it is how we DELIVER everything in a delightful package.Whether you are a high school teen, or a battle hardened corporate officer, deliverance is something we hand out in spades. 5 Bibliographies 1. http://www. startupbizhub. com/How-to-Start-a-Sporting-Goods-Store. htm 2. http://playersindoornaperville. com/facility/ 3. http://www. socceramerica. com/article/49102/a-plan-to-spur-pick-up-play. html 4. http://www. smallbusinessbrief. com/forum/showthread. php? t=15420 5. http://www. freebie-articles. com/Art/74396/9/Start-up-your-own-indoor-soccer-business. html 5. 1 Experiences An indoor futsal tournament organized in the Dhaka University Indoor Stadium
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