Pros And Cons Of Mandatory Minimum Sentences - 1008 Words

Mandatory minimum sentences are court decisions where judicial discretion is limited by law. Usually when people are convicted of certain crimes they must be punished with at least a minimum number of years in prison. The article I picked to review is an article on mandatory minimum sentences. The article reviews the pros and cons of mandatory sentencing. I will go over the pros and cons described in the article and give my opinion on how I feel about them. Staring with the pros of mandatory minimum sentences, the first pro is that mandatory minimum sentences discourage people from committing crimes. In the United States reportedly experienced a drop in crime when many of the mandatory sentencing laws were put into place in the†¦show more content†¦I look at the example of a single mother who has gotten caught up with the wrong people and has committed a crime that falls under mandatory sentencing. Juries can easily be manipulated by the defendant’s lawyer into feeling sorry for this woman who has committed a crime. With mandatory sentencing the juries do not have to take into account the single mother’s hardships that sentencing may cause (8 Pros and Cons of Mandatory Minimum Sentences). There are also cons of mandatory sentencing. One con is that mandatory sentencing can be unfair. Mandatory minimum sentences have no choice but award the same minimum punishment to everyone who commits the same crime regardless of the individual’s situation or circumstances. For example a criminal with a very lengthy criminal record and a first time offender will both get the same amount of time. Another con is that mandatory sentencing can lead to overcrowding in prisons. With mandatory minimum sentencing people will go to jail even if it is their first offense. As a result of this people who should have possibly got lighter sentences or maybe sentencing that did not involve jail time, like probation, will end up in jail and this cau ses overcrowding. Overcrowding can then cause even more problems to the prisoner’s health, safety, and security. An increased prison population leads to more expenses and theseShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Sentencing in the Justice System630 Words   |  3 Pagespredispose the price an offender has to pay for the crime committed. There are many pros and cons for the many different types of sentencing we use in the criminal justice system. Their are some extremely harsh sentencing we also have some that are very sympathetic. The topics I will be discussing more in depth are, Mandatory minimum, Indeterminate sentencing, and Truth in sentencing. Mandatory minimum sentencing, are among the most contentious of sentencing plans because they establishRead MoreClassical Perspective And Mandatory Sentencing Act837 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Perspective and Mandatory Sentencing Act The classical perspective founded by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham; stated that at people choose to commit crime after they considered the pros and cons that could be associated with a crime, and believed that the pros outweighed the cons (Tonry,2014). The theory relied on deterring criminal acts by assuring that the consequences of crime are absolute, harsh, and quickly administered (Tonry,2014). Mandatory Sentencing Act Today, more thanRead MoreCriminal Justice Outline1660 Words   |  7 PagesDeterminate- pros and cons b. Indeterminate- pros and cons c. Mandatory- pros and cons d. Specific or general deterrence Determinate sentencing a. Time- Each punishment is set person to person regardless b. Punishment- does not discriminate c. Community- deter people from committing it again Indeterminate Sentencing a. Courts and judges role in helping the offender b. Community outlooks c. Fines and minimums Mandatory sentencing a. Maximum fines and set prison sentences bRead MoreIndeterminate Structured Sentencing1106 Words   |  5 Pagesa judge gets the decision as to what the sentence will be for the offender. As I look at this information I feel that the judge should have a say in what the sentence will be, but not have all the power as to what it will be. A Parole Board gets to determine as to what the amount of time is that the offender will spend in prison for the crime he or she has committed. In this type of sentencing, one of the guidelines is that when determining the sentence it should meet all of the needs of the offenderRead MoreMeasure 11 Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pagespeople a mandatory minimum sentence starting at 5 years 10 months, and going up all the way to 25 years in prison. The law gives a list of about 21 crimes that, if committed by a person, come with a set amount of time that must be served day for day by the offender, without any chance of good-time, work-time, or the possibility of a second look. Applying to ages 15 and up, this law takes the power out of the judge’s hands when it comes to sentencing someone, and forces the judge to give a mandatory minimumRead MoreThe Fair Sentencing Act For Mandatory Minimum Sentences953 Words   |  4 Pages#1 Three salient points from the films/lectures were assessments of change from the five stages of change model (Norcross, j. c., n.d.), the Fair Sentencing Act for mandatory minimum sentences (American Civil Liberties Union, 2010), and eliminating government involvement in regulation of drugs and alcohol substance, while allowing the various states to manage control (ABC News.com, 2007). The first salient point was based on Norcross (n.d.) explaining that finding out and recognizing where the consumerRead MorePrison Reform Is Not The Best Option For Punishing Criminals Essay921 Words   |  4 Pagesprison are mandatory minimum sentencing laws. C. Mandatory minimum sentencing laws are a harsh set of laws that are enforced through the justice system. They set a minimum punishment for crimes where the judge cannot lower the sentence length for any reason. This takes away discretion from the judge and causes the criminal justice system to be harsher when it comes to sentencing (Kearney 9). 1. Although mandatory minimum sentencing laws make it so the justice system can avoid sentence disparityRead MoreEssay on Mandatory Minimum Sentencing1955 Words   |  8 PagesEach year in America many people received prison sentences for crimes that pose little if any danger or harm to our society. Mandatory Minimum Sentencing in the American Justice System has long been argued by both Lawmakers and the public. We will go over some of the history of mandatory minimum sentences as well as the many pros and cons to these types of sentences. Some examples of pros and cons are the overall effect on public safety, the effect on the offenders, the cost to taxpayers, theRead MoreKaplan Unit 3 Paper1504 Words   |  7 PagesSome pros about indeterminate sentencing are mandatory minimum sentences and keeping offenders off the streets. A con of intermediate sentencing is the sentencing of non-violent offenders to unjustly harsh prison terms where they crowd prisons that are already full . Determinate sentencing is when the mandatory minimum sentence is enhanced for certain crimes. Sentencing guidelines allow judges to consider the individual circumstances of the case when determining sentencing. Mandatory minimum sentencesRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Modern Prisons1261 Words   |  6 Pagesthere will be mass destruction, and small problems that people have with prisons can be fixed and dealt with. Here are some of the problems that people have with prisons. Population. The rising population of prisoners in the United States alone is a con for prisons. There are just simply too many people. According to the Sentencing Project, the United States has 2.2 million criminals in its prisons and jails. That is a 500% increase over the last 40 years. â€Å"Changes in law and policy, not changes in

Angelou’s Poetry Explores Various Sides of the Human...

The definition of the human condition is that it encompasses the unique features of being human without having to consider one’s gender, race, culture or class. It captures the unalterable part of humanity that is inherent and innate to human beings. This consists of concerns such as the meaning of life, the search for gratification, the sense of curiosity, the inevitability of isolation or awareness regarding the inescapability of death. It can be summed up as the fundamental issues of human existence. My personal perspective on what the human condition is, is the state we are in. It refers to what we need as humans and the experiences we go through for instants the need for basic necessities like food, shelter, drugs, sex etc. We want to†¦show more content†¦The poem ‘The Lesson’ discusses some of the outcomes and the title suggests they know it’s harmful yet they keep doing it. The structure of this particular poem is all in one with no single stanza’s. This is done purposely to emphasise how there are no breaks or stops when taking drugs. Once you take them, it’s hard quitting and people don’t stop to think, they just carry on. The first line, â€Å"I keep on dying again† shows how people know what they’re doing and how it’s affecting them and by the use of â€Å"again†, it’s clear they are occasionally experiencing it. It doesn’t just affect their physical appearance but their insides too.Their â€Å"Veins collapse†, showing how by each take they are decaying within and how they are slowing down and on to the same pace as children opening their â€Å"Small fists†. This very stark description enables us to get a feel of how it’s damaging the insides of our bodies yet those addicts still carry on. Angelou emphasises how they simply don’t care as the idea of â€Å"old tombs, Rotting flesh and worms† is not enough to make them think twice. After taking them for a long period of time, it’s becomes evident on the physical side for example the â€Å"lines along† the face which is marking the long years of taking drugs. It’s symbolising the desperate need for humans to escape reality and take them to a place similar to heaven. Angelou ends this poem with the voice admitting they will keep taking it despite what

Empowering And Transformational Leadership -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Empowering And Transformational Leadership? Answer: Introducation In order to identify the degree of leadership skills I possess, there are 5 of the diagnostic tools that have been selected for the analysis. These five tools helped me in analysing myself as the leaders so that I can find the gap and make the improvements. The first tool that has been used was leadership visibility inventory test. It was a scaling test in which my visibility and credibility was tested. First ten questions in the test were for visibility and I have scored 56 in that and other questions were for credibility on which I have scored 54. Score of 56 in visibility suggests that I am a visible person scoring of 54 in the next section suggests that I am a very credible person. The overall discussion or the scoring of the test suggests that I have the capability to visible in the crowd but there is the scope of improvement in it. The next tool that I have used was big five personality traits. This is the tool that deals with some characteristic of being a leader (Mumford, Campion Morgeson, 2007). The scoring on those characteristic helped me in analysing my skills. The first characteristic was extroversion. It is the trait that deals with being social with the community. I have scored 31, and this suggests that I am quite extrovert and social in nature. Another trait is agreeableness. In this I have scored 25 and this suggests that I am in moderate condition. I agree with the people at times but sometimes I remain on my point. The next trait is conscientiousness, it is the trait that is about being hard working and dedicated. Again I score 25 in this test and this suggests that I am dedicated towards my work but bit is required to be more dedicated. Neuroticism is the personality trait that shows the management aspect in which I have scored 20 that means I am in middle of the scale. The last trait is opennes s to experience. In this trait, I have scored 46 that mean I am a dreamer. I used to accept the new and innovative things that comes ion my way and this nature makes me an innovative personality. I used to perform the same tasks with different methods and try to be efficient every time. Another tool that has been used by me was perceived leader integrity scale. It is the tool that includes the question which needs to be filled by the other person in order to take the concern about the behaviour of the other person (Puccio, Mance Murdock, 2010). My mates have helped me in doing so. They have filled the forms for me. The appendix 3 shows one of the forms that indicates my scoring. I have scored 46 in the same and this suggests that I am highly ethical in nature. All the above used methods have shown my different traits. The next is leadership style survey that is about identifying that which leadership style I believe in. around 15 questions have been asked to me and I have encircled the numbers that best suited me. For analysis of the scoring, all the questions were divided into 3 sets and the scoring is done as per the questions. The total of the scores have been calculated. The one in which I have scored the highest is the 2nd set that is about participative leadership, this suggests that I am the person who use participative leadership style the most. After that, I used to apply delegative style sometimes as per the analysis because I scored little less in this segment. The next and the most important tool is self-assessment questionnaire tool. This is designed in order to measure the authenticity of the self-leadership. There are various components that need to be identified in this tool. The first one is the self-awareness, next is moral perspective and the other two are balanced processing and relational transparency. Comparison of the scores in all these contexts helps in analysing my stronger and weaker points. The scores above 16 suggest that I have the stronger authentic leadership in that context and low score suggests that I have weaker authentic leadership in that particular context. As per the results of the analysis, it has been identified that I am the leader who does not show authentic leadership in context of self-awareness and relational transparency but in other two contexts, there is large scope of improvement. It has been verified by the incidences that I have experienced in last few months. Once I have experienced that I was not a visible person in spite of the fact that I was the one who had done all the preparation for the program that was conducted in our class activity. At the day of the activity, all the credits were given to the students who were active in talking to the teachers and were performing the fore front activities. This made me realise that I am lacking in this skills and it is confirmed by the diagnostic tools. Another incidence that was happened recently with me suggested that I do not have the self-confidence to convey my things. Once I and my friends have prepared the presentation and all the designing part were done by me. one of my friends have presented the same in front of the class and my teacher asked that who have contributed in making the designs and I have not gathered the courage to tell her that I was the one and my friend got all the credits. This incidenc e forces me to make efforts in developing the same. Literature review: Leadership is defined as the ability of the person to guide and influence others in order to make them work in a particular direction so that the gaols of the organisation and the individual can be achieved, it has been analysed that the leaders should have some of the traits in him in order to be the effective one (Heifetz, Grashow Linsky, 2009). There are several leadership styles and theories that has been postulated and given by the theorist in earlier as well as in modern times. These theories such as transformational leadership, transactional leadership, contingency theory, scientific management theory etc. have something in common and this is the leader as the role model, who is followed by his followers (Spillane, 2012). Thus, this suggests that a leader should follow the path that he wants his followers to follow. For this, it is required that the leader should know himself very well and should be self-aware about his weaknesses and strengths. This develops the concept of s elf-awareness in leadership (Axelrod, 2017). As far as the above diagnosis is considered, it has been realised by my scores that I have two of the major weaknesses in terms of being an effective leader. The first one is the self-confidence and the other one is the visibility. Self-awareness is the understanding of the individual about his own self such as his values, beliefs, ambitions, emotions, strengths and weaknesses (Paustian-Underdahl, Walker Woehr, 2014). This is not an easy task and requires years to develop this trait in oneself. Once it is developed, it helps the individual to be self-aware and also helps in to handle himself and his behaviours in the situations (Dabke, 2016). It has been analysed that the level of self-awareness is also linked with the influence and performance. It is suggested that the more the leader is aware of him, the more he can become influential and convince the others to follow the guidelines (Avolio, 2007). Self-awareness is the concept that is directly associated with the aspect of emotional intelligence and thus it has been analysed that the one who is aware of himself have the capability to understand the emotions of others (Rukmani, Ramesh Jayakrishnan, 2010). Leaders who are high in emotional intelligence does not mean that they are emotional but they have they intelligently handle the situation and understand the emotions and the perspective of the other person (Eragula, 2015). This does not act as the weakness but becomes the strength of the leaders to help their followers (Schmitt, Realo, Voracek Allik, 2008). All leaders do not have any idea about how to be a leader. Some of the leaders feel unwilling to become self-aware because they have restricted knowledge about the skills and the responsibilities of leader and failed to realise that they just nit have to guide the followers but also have to negotiate with them so that dis-functioning can be prevented. Leadership is actually about inspiring and motivating the followers so that they can perform with grace and efficiency (Schmitt, Allik, McCrae Benet-Martnez, 2007). The leaders who are not self-aware, it becomes very difficult for them to treat others and understand others situations. The leadership without self-awareness results in non-efficiency. If the leaders themselves do not have any idea about their own strengths and weaknesses, it is very difficult for them to analyse the strengths and weakness of the other person (Joo Jo, 2017). The leaders have to handle many situations where they cannot react suddenly but should have the capability to analyse the situations and perspective of the other person so that effective decision can be made that benefits the follower as well as the organisation (Cobb-Clark Schurer, 2012). The study suggests that self-confidence is the very basic skill that needs to be developed for becoming a great leader and I have to make efforts to achieve the same. Another weakness that I have faced is of visibility. I am not that much visible in the social gatherings and this act as my weakness and restrict me to become good leader. It is very important to be visible and famous. If the person does not have the charm to be visible in the social gathering then it is a big doubt that he can be the leader or not. This is because leaders should have the personality that grabs the attention of others and this is the reason why people follow the leaders because of the charismatic personality (Komarraju, Karau, Schmeck Avdic, 2011). Visibility can be improved when accounting leader has the self confidence in him. There are various theories such as charismatic theory of leadership that suggests that self-confidence is then a very important part of effective leadership (Gibson, 2017). Self-confidence of the leaders can be communicated by his personality and the way he interact with others (Tekleab, Sims Jr, Yun, Tesluk Cox, 2008). Self-confidence disp lay in the leader automatically motivates his team to perform effectively because if the person himself is not confident then it is impossible for him to motivate and inspire the other people to work and perform the tasks in contingencies. Even if the situations are not favourable, the leaders have to show their self-confidence so that the team and the followers feel motivated (Furnham, Monsen Ahmetoglu, 2009). When leaders does not have the confidence in them then they try to hide their weakness and thus may results in arrogant behaviour or may be perceived as the arrogance by the followers. These types of leaders know that they do not have the confidence to be visible so they try to look good and create their person in that way (Obiwuru, Okwu, Akpa, Nwankwere, 2011). These leaders normal fails to be a good listener and come up with the leadership style that does not allow their followers to share their views (Bratton, Dodd Brown, 2011). They find it very offensive when some other person neglect their view and say anything against them. This also results in bad and poor relationship between the employees and the leaders and if the relationship between the leaders and the employees is not good then it may result in poor workplace environment (Van Dierendonck Nuijten, 2011). This is the situation, where it becomes more difficult for the leaders to handle the people and retain them. Trust issues may develop and thing get deteriorated gradually (Tierney Farmer, 2011). The way of thinking of the confident leaders is very different from the under confident one. They accept their strength and weakness in any way without being offensive (Liden, Wayne, Zhao Henderson, 2008). They are open and accept the criticisms by others and also take it in positive manner. It has been analysed that most of the leaders who have confidence in them believes in transferring the same to their followers (Avey, Palanski Walumbwa, 2011). At the end of the day, it has been analysed that leadership is about having the confidence and making the decision in such a way so that it can be followed by the followers and they can have trust on the leaders. Action plan: This action plan is made in order to develop some of the leadership skills and traits that can help me in filing the gap between the competencies that I need to be the good leader and the competencies that I actually have in me. Following are the strategies and the activities that are required to be done by me in order to fill the competency gap. Identification of the target skills It is required to identify the skills that are being developed. The two skills that need to be developed by me are self-awareness and self-confidence. 1 month Personality development courses It is required to take the personality development occurs that helps in developing the personality as well as the self confidence 2- 3months Reading books and watching videos Reading motivational and positive books and watching the similar kid of videos helps in developing a sense of optimism which somehow develop the confidence 1-6 months Feedback Feedback from others can help in analyzing the skills and the perception of other people in order to develop the competency of self-awareness 1-2 months Mentoring Mentoring is also required in order to monitor the overall action plan 1 month Evaluating the learning methods It is the action that helps in evaluating the progress of learning methods that has been used 1 month Analyzing the progress This can be analyzed by asking other team members and the people. 1 month Gantt chart: Below is the Gantt chart that shows the timelines for all the 6 months in order to improve the leadership skills. This chart describes the activities as well that are conducted in order to develop the same. 1 month 2 month 3 month 4 month 5 month 6 month Identification of target skills Personality development courses Reading books and watching videos Feedback Mentoring Evaluation of the learning methods Analyzing the progress Conclusion: It has been concluded from the report that leadership is the very important skill and it is required to develop the same. There are many diagnostic tools that can be used such as visibility inventory test, big five personality test, perceived leader integrity test, leadership style survey and self-assessment questionnaire tool. As per the result of visibility and credibility is concerned, it has been analysed that I have scored 56 which suggests that there is the scope of improvement. The next test that is big five personality test suggests that I am good in all the aspects. The scale of perceived leader integrity scale suggests that I am highly ethical in nature. Another test has been conducted that is regarding leadership style survey w which suggests that I use participative style and the last one is self-assessment questionnaire tool which suggests that I am not that much confident and thus I have to improve the same. Overall results of the tests described that I have to develop the skills such as self-confidence and visibility in me and this requires the action plan to be implemented. References: Avey, J. B., Palanski, M. E., Walumbwa, F. O. (2011). When leadership goes unnoticed: The moderating role of follower self-esteem on the relationship between ethical leadership and follower behavior.Journal of Business Ethics,98(4), 573-582. Avolio, B. J. (2007). Promoting more integrative strategies for leadership theory-building.American Psychologist,62(1), 25. Axelrod, R. H. (2017). Leadership and Self-Confidence. InLeadership Today(pp. 297-313). Springer, Cham. Cobb-Clark, D. A., Schurer, S. (2012). The stability of big-five personality traits. Economics Letters,115(1), 11-15. Dabke, D. (2016). Impact of leaders emotional intelligence and transformational behavior on perceived leadership effectiveness: A multiple source view.Business Perspectives and Research,4(1), 27-40. Eragula, R. (2015). Confidence in Leadership.Advances in Economics and Business Management,2(11), 1070-1072. Furnham, A., Monsen, J., Ahmetoglu, G. (2009). Typical intellectual engagement, Big Five personality traits, approaches to learning and cognitive ability predictors of academic performance.British Journal of Educational Psychology,79(4), 769-782. Gibson, E. W. (2017). Leadership in statistics: Increasing our value and visibility.The American Statistician, (just-accepted), 00-00. Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., Linsky, M. (2009).The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press. Joo, B. K., Jo, S. J. (2017). The effects of perceived authentic leadership and core self-evaluations on organizational citizenship behavior: The role of psychological empowerment as a partial mediator.Leadership Organization Development Journal,38(3), 463-481. Komarraju, M., Karau, S. J., Schmeck, R. R., Avdic, A. (2011). The Big Five personality traits, learning styles, and academic achievement.Personality and individual differences,51(4), 472-477. Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., Zhao, H., Henderson, D. (2008). Servant leadership: Development of a multidimensional measure and multi-level assessment.The leadership quarterly,19(2), 161-177. Mumford, T. V., Campion, M. A., Morgeson, F. P. (2007). The leadership skills strataplex: Leadership skill requirements across organizational levels.The Leadership Quarterly,18(2), 154-166. Obiwuru, T. C., Okwu, A. T., Akpa, V. O., Nwankwere, I. A. (2011). Effects of leadership style on organizational performance: A survey of selected small scale enterprises in Ikosi-Ketu council development area of Lagos State, Nigeria.Australian Journal of Business and Management Research,1(7), 100. Paustian-Underdahl, S. C., Walker, L. S., Woehr, D. J. (2014). Gender and perceptions of leadership effectiveness: A meta-analysis of contextual moderators.Journal of applied psychology,99(6), 1129. Puccio, G. J., Mance, M., Murdock, M. C. (2010).Creative leadership: Skills that drive change. Sage Publications. Rukmani, K., Ramesh, M., Jayakrishnan, J. (2010). Effect of leadership styles on organizational effectiveness.European Journal of Social Sciences,15(3), 365-369. Schmitt, D. P., Allik, J., McCrae, R. R., Benet-Martnez, V. (2007). The geographic distribution of Big Five personality traits: Patterns and profiles of human self-description across 56 nations.Journal of cross-cultural psychology,38(2), 173-212. Schmitt, D. P., Realo, A., Voracek, M., Allik, J. (2008). Why can't a man be more like a woman? Sex differences in Big Five personality traits across 55 cultures.Journal of personality and social psychology,94(1), 168. Spillane, J. P. (2012).Distributed leadership(Vol. 4). John Wiley Sons. Tekleab, A. G., Sims Jr, H. P., Yun, S., Tesluk, P. E., Cox, J. (2008). Are we on the same page? Effects of self-awareness of empowering and transformational leadership.Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies,14(3), 185-201. Tierney, P., Farmer, S. M. (2011). Creative self-efficacy development and creative performance over time.Journal of Applied Psychology,96(2), 277. Bratton, V. K., Dodd, N. G., Brown, F. W. (2011). The impact of emotional intelligence on accuracy of self-awareness and leadership performance.Leadership Organization Development Journal,32(2), 127-149. Van Dierendonck, D., Nuijten, I. (2011). The servant leadership survey: Development and validation of a multidimensional measure.Journal of business and psychology,26(3), 249-267.

Suitability of a First Secondary English Textbook

Introduction English language is considered a foreign language in the Kingdom of Saud Arabia (KSA). Learners are introduced to the English language using EFL teaching materials at the sixth grade in public schools and at kindergarten to students who attend private schools.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Suitability of a First Secondary English Textbook specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Teaching materials for EFL in the KSA are developed by the ministry of education. These materials are then distributed to schools and bookshops. According to Shawer (2010), inequity in EFL materials in the KSA is that teachers and learners are not involved in the development of learning materials. Curriculum developers are employees of the government who are solely involved in all the development stages of learning materials, namely textbooks, radio programmes, and television programmes. Lack of inclusion of teachers and l earners in the development of EFL teaching materials in the KSA has resulted in poor relations between teachers and the materials. Teachers cannot completely internalise the materials or fully integrate them into their teaching.  Shawer (2010) recommends that it is important to evaluate EFL teaching materials before adapting them into the teaching and learning system. To begin with, EFL teaching materials are developed without the input of the teachers and the learners who are the main consumers. As such, materials that are presented by the ministry of education lack inclusivity. It is also important to note that most of the teachers are not first speakers of English. The materials used by such teachers as guides and textbooks should be easily understandable. Secondly, most of the learners in the KSA take English as a second language. Such learners may have difficulties in reading and appreciating these textbooks. Therefore, evaluation will ensure that EFL textbooks appeal to thei r language levels. Based on this background information concerning EFL in the KSA, this paper uses ‘Traveler 1 Student’s Book’ by Malkogianni to gauge its suitability as the first English textbook to the KSA learners.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A TEFL in Saudi Arabia Educational policy for teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Educational policy for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in the Kingdom of Saud Arabia ensures regulation at all levels where EFL is taught. EFL was introduced in the Kingdom of Saud Arabia by the ministry of education in 1925. Shawer (2010) confirms that the ministry of education has the power to dictate that EFL be taught from grade six through to the university. Most of the subjects in the KSA schools are also taught in English language, thus making it an important language of instruction and evaluation. In addition, several immigrants from western and other countries of the world use English in their communication. This observation makes it important for learners to understand the English language. Interaction between the KSA and other nations in diplomacy, peace, trade, aviation, and research also makes English important. The curriculum of teaching English at the secondary level The ministry of education develops the current curriculum for TEFL in conjunction with the directorate of curriculum. The current TEFL curriculum was developed in 1999. As a policy, TEFL was aimed at meeting the need for language skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in the KSA. Learners of EFL were then supposed to communicate in English with all speakers of the language. The foundation of TEFL in Saudi Arabia was on two-policy documents, namely teaching English in Saudi Arabia 1408H of 1989 and 1421H of 2000.  The Saudi Policy of Education is responsible for enforcement of curriculum for TEF L. Teaching of foreign languages such as English in Saud Arabia is engraved in this policy document under Article No. 50. Under this article, one of the functions of education is to â€Å"furnish students with at least one of the living languages, in addition to their original language, to enable them acquire knowledge and sciences from other communities and to participate in the service of Islam and humanity† (Al-Hajailan, 2003, p. 23). This function implies that TEFL is an objective and policy that is undertaken by the government. Therefore, learners appreciate English as a language for interaction and cultural exchange both at the national and international level. The policy is also aimed at achieving national goals of transfer and acquisition of scientific, technological, and cultural knowledge under the spirit of Islam.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Suitability of a First Secondary English Textbook specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The EFL curriculum adapts an excellent instructional design assessment (WIDA) in evaluating learner’s skills in listening, speaking, writing, and reading. The EFL curriculum also dictates new students joining the system to take a compulsory test that indicates whether they need ESL and if so the level of their conception. Learners also take WIDA-ACCESS test at the end of every year as an indication of their suitability for the next level. According to Al-Kharabsheh, Al-Azzam, and Obeidat (2009), at level I, English as a second language begins by emphasising the basics of language and its structures. Learners are also taught the basic tenses and vocabularies at this level. This plan enables learners to write simple English statements and paragraphs. Learners should also be taught how to write a topic sentence and support it using simple details. Teachers also emphasise the capitalisation and use of punctuation marks. Learners are also introduced to simple discussions to aid in their listening and speaking skills. At this level, the curriculum directs that EFL have two lessons per day. At level II, learners of English as a second language are introduced to fiction and real stories. This content aids to gauge their ability to understand and discuss stories in English. Learners are also introduced to visual cues, references, inferences, and prediction in reading. Properly written and punctuated sentences are also taught at this level. Learners should write correct sentences while at the same time ensuring proper punctuation. Finally, learners at this level are taught how to write complex sentences and/or make paragraphs. Learners should also know how to differentiate general ideas from specific ideas. At level III, complex ideas are introduced. Shawer (2010) asserts that learners are supposed to not only read and understand complex issues but also discuss them. Learners are also taught how to write complex essays. Such essays should have varying themes and structures. Skills for research and complex writing are also introduced at this level. At level IV, the curriculum recommends teachers to emphasise learners’ skills in communicating in proper English. Teaching and assessment of advanced reading, listening, and writing are done at this level.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Al-Kharabsheh et al. (2009), the curriculum also recommends learners to be involved in journal writing where they should compose at least two journals every week. Such journals should have varying themes. Besides, they should portray comprehension of language and arguments. Development of vocabularies and observation of standards in English language are also emphasised and tested. Recent studies that evaluate the suitability of EFL syllabus Several recent studies have evaluated the suitableness of EFL syllabuses to learners in the KSA. Khafaji conducted one of such studies in 2004. Khafaji (2004) carried out an evaluation of English language teaching materials that are used in public secondary schools in the KSA. Under his evaluation, he explored the policies that guide TEFL in Saudi Arabia. In the analysis of his study, Khafaji (2004) realised that inaccessibility of learning materials for EFL in the KSA was an impediment to successful and motivating academic content a s recommended by the curriculum. Khafaji’s (2004) evaluation also realised that the use of audio-lingual method of teaching EFL was also a limitation to the teaching and learning of English language at this secondary school level. Another study by Alamri (2008) focused on the quality of English language textbook at the entry level, namely the sixth grade. The focal point of this assessment was on the superiority of English learning resources in instructing boys’ schools since they were brought in 2004. According to Alamri (2008), one of the foundations of EFL textbooks that form the basis for English learning in the KSA was analysed. The researcher deployed questionnaires to examine 93 English tongue tutors at the sixth grade and 11 administrators. This research was conducted in Riyadh Educational Zone in the KSA. In his findings, Alamri (2008) realised that teachers and supervisors favoured EFL textbooks, although they objected the adopted teaching methods. The study suggested the upgrading of such teaching materials. Finally, Habtoor (2012) carried out an evaluation to ascertain the quality of content that was contained in textbooks that were used in teaching English for specific purposes. Habtoor (2012) evaluated the substance of the textbooks that were utilised in teaching sophomore learners who were studying archaeology and tourism. The researcher evaluated the opinions of EFL teachers on the content of the textbook and its efficacy in teaching English language. According to Habtoor (2012), presentation of learning skills in relation to the learners’ needs and their study level was also evaluated. In this study, Habtoor (2012) realised that teachers recommended the textbook since it could meet the needs of the learners at that level. Discussion An introductory description of the textbook, context, and learners to whom it is designed ‘Traveler 1 Student’s Book’ by Malkogianni is a must-read textbook that is used for teaching English as a second language in the KSA. Malkogianni presents the fundamentals of English language. As a first secondary English textbook, the book is written in a simple language with simple vocabulary and sentence structure. The context of the English textbook for EFL is tailored towards the language level of the learners. O’Neill (2008) asserts that a textbook should have the basics of language and its structure. ‘Traveler 1 Student’s Book’ presents the readers with simple vocabularies that are commonly used in English. Malkogianni includes the structure of English tenses. He goes further to show how they are used in simple sentences and paragraphs. The textbook has a content that will enable learners at this level to use a topic sentence to write a simple paragraph with supporting details. In addition, the English textbook also introduces learners to punctuation, listening, and reading skills. These factors will meet the learners’ need s at this level. Students entering secondary schools in the KSA have very low comprehension of English language since it is introduced at a later age as a second language. Learners are not able to distinguish tenses, to punctuate sentences, and/or read well. As such, ‘Traveler 1 Student’s Book’ has been set to cater for these fundamentals of English language. The content of the syllabus for first secondary school entrants is appropriate for the psychological characteristics of the learners. Learners at this level are not ready for complex language structures and comprehension. Therefore, the syllabus is tailored to meet the language needs of these learners. The structure of the syllabus directs that learning at this level begin by being taught simple vocabularies, tenses, punctuation, and other basics of the English language. Teaching of the fundamentals first before introducing complex sentence structures ensures that learners are at home with the process for le arning. Introduction of simple to complex language structure ensures a procedural approach to the mental comprehension of learners.  In addition, individual differences in abilities, interest, and level of intelligence are also catered for in the EFL syllabus at this level. Learners are required to take examinations and assessment tests that indicate their language level. For example, new learners are required to take a test to guide teachers on whether the learner is acceptable in the class. In addition, at the end of every term, learners take examinations that indicate their learning ability. O’Neill (2008) confirms that through these examinations, learners are evaluated on their listening, reading, and writing skills. The teachers then use the results in addressing the language needs of individual students. The syllabus also takes care of learners’ language differences through recommending the use of group discussions. Learners are supposed to form simple paragrap hs, which they should discuss with their classmates. Teachers are also required to guide and direct the discussions. In doing so, teachers can spot any differences that exist between learners. Internal oral and written skills are also useful in addressing the language needs of individual learners. The purposes that are stated in this textbook meet the needs of the learners. The language needs of learners at this level include grasping basic language concepts. Learners are taught basic vocabularies, tenses, and sentence structure. Learning of tenses enables learners to begin making correct English sentences. Basic vocabularies that are taught at this level prepare learners for the next stage where they can understand simple sentences. Learners’ age and needs The substance of the syllabus is appropriate upon bearing in mind the students’ psychological status and speech development. At this level, learners’ level of skills in English language is low. Therefore, it is important to address it in a strategic developmental approach. The syllabus recommends teaching of basic tenses. According to Shawer (2010), learning of basic tenses at this level enables learners to comprehend change in time and actions that are expressed in basic sentences. The syllabus also recommends teaching of basic sentence structures to enable learners to piece up simple words together in making basic sentences. Teaching of basic listening and reading skills also ensures that students can read ‘Basic English’ statements and/or listen to ‘Basic English’ audio materials. This step forms an important foundation for the next levels where more advanced structures are taught. The syllabus also addresses language development procedure. For example, it takes care of listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills. These basics form the basis for comprehending a new language. EFL goals and context The content of the textbook is also tailored to meet the Saudi EFL goals and purposes because English is taught and used in KSA as a second language. Since English language is introduced at the sixth grade in most public schools, there is a need to form a foundation as learners get into secondary schools. Shawer (2010) affirms that Saudi EFL goals include the development of English language for use in the academic development of learners. Examinations and teaching of students at all levels from the sixth grade is done in English. Therefore, learning of English language prepares learners for academics. Trade and international relations in the KSA is also done in English. Teaching of writing and listening skills is important for this goal. Moreover, people of Saudi interact with many immigrants using the English language. Therefore, learning of listening, reading, and speaking skills meets this goal. Saudi culture The social and religious needs of the KSA people are taken care of in the EFL syllabus. Having been developed by the ministry of education in conjunction with the department of curriculum development, Zarei and Khalessi (2011) confirm that the syllabus incorporates religious and social needs of the people. For example, in the introduction, the importance of learning the English language is stated for the people of Saud Arabia. For example, the language will enable the people who learn it to interact better with those of other communities in an effort to spread their ideologies. Therefore, the English language will enable learners to socialise with the international community. For example, English language is used in international diplomacy.  According to Zarei and Khalessi (2011), Islamic religious goals of the Kingdom of Saud Arabia are also taken care of in the EFL syllabus. Learning of the English language will also enable learners to read religious writings if they are written in English. The syllabus promotes the Islamic religious values. Learning of speaking and listening skills in English will enabl e students to socialise with other Islam believers in other parts of the world. Better comprehension of other people’s religions and culture will also be promoted by the learning of English language, which is spoken in many countries.  Zarei and Khalessi (2011) say that the cultural environment of the Kingdom of Saud Arabia is also reflected in the EFL syllabus. The need for scientific and technological acquisition and exchange is enshrined in the goals of the EFL syllabus. Therefore, learning of the English language will ensure that people of the KSA can easily interact with the international community. Issues such as reading and understanding scientific materials are imperative in the acquisition and exchange of information. English language will enable students at the upper levels of learning to carry out research and/or interact with others across the world. Those who understand the English language can also spread the culture of people of the KSA easily to other Englis h speakers across the world. Essential elements in the modern syllabus The modern EFL syllabus is based on several foundations that are based on modern life situation. For example, in terms of teaching tenses, the syllabus recommends the use of placards that indicate drawings of activities. Discussions of simple stories are also based on modern life and situations that happen in the day-by-day life of the student. For example, learners are told to make simple sentences in the application of the learned subject. In teaching listening and speaking skills in English, the use of audio materials is recommended by the syllabus. The stories and examples that are used in such materials are from the real-life situations in the KSA. For example, when teaching students on new vocabularies, the teacher uses words in the context of what students do in their daily life. According to O’Neill (2008), pictures and illustrations on the EFL textbooks are customised to the KSA environment. Such materials also enhance learners’ autonomy in thinking. Learners can learn by themselves from the environment. The use of simple language structure and illustrations that relate to their personal lives also motivates them to learn by themselves. Conclusion Evaluation of first secondary English textbook in the KSA indicates that both the syllabus and the textbook are appropriate. The textbook is organised to meet the learning needs of national and cultural goals. The structure of the curriculum is also procedural to enable leaders to build on skills that they have acquired from lower levels. Assessments at different levels also ensure continuity of language competence development. Recommendations This evaluation recommends the department of curriculum development to take in the opinion of teachers in developing the curriculum since they (teachers) are the direct end users. Secondly, the ministry of education should consider the needs of the learners when developing the curricul um. Thirdly, there should be a comprehensive training of English language teachers before they are posted to teach in the various KSA schools. Finally, there should be an inclusion of more integrative methods of TEFL in the syllabus. Reference List Alamri, A. (2008). An Evaluation of the Sixth Grade English Language Textbook for Saudi Boys’ Schools. KSA: King Saud University. Al-Hajailan, T. (2003). Teaching English in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh: Aldar Alsawlatiah Al-Kharabsheh, A., Al-Azzam, B., Obeidat, M. (2009). The English Department In The Arab World Re-Visited: Language, Literature, or Translation? A Student’s View. College Student Journal, 43(4), 961-978. Habtoor, A. (2012). English for Specific Purpose Textbook in EFL Milieu: An Instructor’s Perspective Evaluation. International Journal of Linguistics, 4(3), 1-45. Khafaji, A. (2004). An evaluation of the materials used for teaching English to the second secondary level in male public high school in Saudi Ara bia. Exeter, UK: University of Exeter. O’Neill, R. (2008). Why use textbooks? ELT Journal, 36(2), 104-111. Shawer, S. (2010) Communicative-based curriculum innovations between theory and practice: implications for EFL curriculum development and student cognitive and affective change. Curriculum Journal, 21(3), 333-359. Zarei, G., Khalessi, M. (2011). Cultural load in English language textbooks: an analysis of interchange series. Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 15(1), 294–301. This research paper on Suitability of a First Secondary English Textbook was written and submitted by user Samara C. to help you with your own studies. 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