Learning Strategies

Abstract Language is a very important tool of communication, and it becomes even more effective if well mastered. Therefore, for ease of communication with people from different cultures, acquisition of a second language is paramount.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Learning Strategies – Second Language Acquisition (English) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper will discuss the process of learning a second language including the good language learner strategies, classification of the learning strategies, strategic instructions attempts and the style and strategies-based instructions combined. Generally, strategies and procedures to apply in the learning of a second language should blend well with the learners needs in order to provide the expected outcome. In addition, the learning process of a second language will be based on three classifications of learning strategies including the function- based classification, skills-based classification, and the learning and use-based classification. All these classifications provide varied but equally useful outcomes in the acquisition of a second language. The paper will conclude by highlighting the strengths of learning procedures and strategies in acquisition of English language. Introduction Second language acquisition is the process that involves learning of a second language, which is different from an individual’s first language or mother tongue. Second language acquisition usually involves learning the art of writing or speaking another language. Since learning a new language may be quite difficult, it is usually important to have a goal or purpose for studying a second language; this may include to enhance practical communication or for civilization into the culture where that language is spoken (Lamb Reinders, 2008). This paper will discuss second language acquisition in relation to English language. Language Lear ner Strategies According to DÃ ¶rnyei (2005), language-learning strategies refer to various specific means, procedures, actions, and techniques including behaviors and steps use by individuals and students to promote their own learning. On the other hand, language acquisition strategies may be viewed as the awareness and conscious styles and procedures used by individuals and students to learn a new language.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, strategies are the methods that an individual consciously selects and uses in the process of learning the language; this is in addition to the use of materials that aid in the learning process of the language in question (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2005). Moreover, Johnson (2004) is on the opinion that the interaction with environment rather than an inherent aspect of a leaner mainly influences second language learning. The student and individual ’s selected learning methods, procedures, and strategies should always go hand in hand when combined in order to promote the learning process. Normally, many people find it difficult to master a second language if they are not subjected to the environment that demand such learning or if a second language was not complemented with learning first language early in life (Robinson, 2002, p.95). It is always important that learners use the best strategies according to their preferences. This will highly motivate the learner; indeed, the learning of English as a second language will be effective, as the learner will be able to learn by himself or herself without depending on others. This will make the learner to do more research about the language without depending on anybody, since the learner will be able to gain self-confidence, hence making learning of the language more effective and enjoyable. In addition, it is important and advantageous for the learner to use relevant strate gies, which may include proper demonstration of the said strategy and application of better methods on how to evaluate and transfer the method and the strategy to other useful related task in the learning process. Besides, for better learning of a second language, and in this case English, it is important to apply proper assessment techniques in order to assess the learner’s capability to learn; this will allow selection of the best method. Therefore, learning process can apply assessment tools like interviews and observations in order to assess the learner’s needs easily. Again, learning can use other assessment procedures, which include the use of dialogue journals and the process of thinking aloud method in assessment of the learners.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Learning Strategies – Second Language Acquisition (English) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lastly, the use of self-re port surveys can also be used in some learners to enable them to assess the best strategy and style of learning English language. Classification of the Learning Strategies There are various assessment tools and procedures that can be used to enable learners know the best step and strategy to use in the acquisition of second language. To begin with, there is the use of assessment technique and strategy known as learning and use-based classification method. In this method, learners tend to select the learning strategy and style consciously (DÃ ¶rnyei, 2005). Here, the student is able to identify and select materials that are important and are more necessary, for example the identification of important and common words in an extract of a book. In addition, it may also involve making distinction about the major materials and details that need proper mastery in the learning process of the language. Furthermore, the student is able to be involved in the grouping of important facts in the text according to their categories and meaning. Lastly, the student is able to start doing his or her homework alone, including the use of various strategies of enhancing quick memory, for example, the use of mnemonics and even proper repetition to improve memory of the content learnt in class. The language use strategy involves the selection of the best method to use in the process of learning the language. This requires application of retrieval methods in order to encourage the students to recall what they learnt in classroom properly. Again, this strategy can use rehearsal means and methods to help the student to master the content of the language in his/her mind in advance. In addition, the use of communication skills and strategies can be applied in this procedure and classification in order to make the student be able to start conversation with others using the learnt language (Gotz, 2013). The other classification category is skilled-based classification method. Here, skills are required to enhance mastery of a foreign language effectively. These skills normally include listening and reading skills, as well as writing skills; this may involve skills such as the use of skimming and scanning of texts in a book or listening to the sounds of a conversation (Macaro, 2010, p.96).Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Here, the use of writing and speaking skills may be employed, for example, the reviewing of various parts of a text as well as the art of keeping conversation flowing. In addition, it can apply the use of vocabulary and language translation methods in order for the student to evaluate whether he or she has proper mastery of the language (Macaro, 2010). The last classification method is the function-based classification method. This method involves cognitive, affective, and social elements of the mind in determining whether the student is using the best method or not. According to Saville-Troike (2005), the functionality approach to learning second language begins with assumption that the function of second language is communication and any linguistics will be developed with focus to communication. It is also important to focus on real situations of language use as well as competence in order to improve the student’s memory lapse, hence allowing him/her to master the language faster and with confidence (Saville-Troike, 2005). The use of social aspect will be necessary in the process of socialization and interaction with other learners who are native speakers of the English language; this will help the student to get more clarification about the learnt language. Lastly, there is the metacognitive aspect of the mind that will enable the student to have proper planning of next routines about the language and to monitor and evaluate the performance concerning the language (Robinson Ellis, 2008). Conclusion The above discussion has defined second language acquisition as the process that involves learning of a second language, which is different from an individual’s first language or mother tongue. However, this might be challenging, hence the need to use learning strategies in the acquisition of the language. In addition, language is very important in communication and in building relationship, hence it is important that language be learnt using the b est strategies and styles that should work in harmony in order to produce better and good performance in the learning process. Lastly, best strategies and assessment methods to use in the acquisition and learning of English should be adopted. Some of the strategies discussed in the paper are function-based classification methods, skills-based classification methods, and the learning and use based classification category. The discussion also details that, when these styles and strategies are applied and used appropriately, learning English as a second language become less challenging. References DÃ ¶rnyei, Z. (2005). The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. New Jersey, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers. Gotz, S. (2013). Fluency in Native and Nonnative English Speech. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Company. Johnson, M. (2004). Philosophy of Second Language Acquisition. New Haven, CT, USA: Yale Universi ty Press. Lamb, T., Reinders, H. (Eds.). (2008). Learner and Teacher Autonomy: Concepts, Realities, and Responses. Amsterdam, NLD: John Benjamin Publishing Company. Macaro, E. (Ed.). (2010). Continuum Companion to Second Language Acquisition. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. Robinson, P. (2002). Individual Differences and Instructed Language Learning. Philadelphia, Netherlands: John Benjamins. Robinson, P., and Ellis, N. (Eds.) (2008). Handbook of cognitive linguistics and second language acquisition. New York, USA: Routledge. Saville-Troike, M. (2005). Introducing second language acquisition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. This term paper on Learning Strategies – Second Language Acquisition (English) was written and submitted by user Uriah R. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

What the Mind Is and What It is Not Essays

What the Mind Is and What It is Not Essays What the Mind Is and What It is Not Essay What the Mind Is and What It is Not Essay Countless doctrines have been set forth to shed greater understanding on how the mind works, and the many factors that shape thinking.   The strands of thought among various philosophers, authors, psychologists, sociologists may be similar in some ways, but divergent views largely exist.   Notwithstanding the countless studies made and linked to the mind, not to mention all the present-day discussions and goals of creating a healthy mind, the latter remains an enigma. Across cultures, the nature function of the mind had been the subject of countless debates. Much effort has been expended to shed greater light on cognitive processes and their relationship to the external world. By its very nature, the mind tends to be restless, and it can only be truly understood by studying the various forces that influence or bear impact on it. Pointing out what the mind is – and what it is not – may be the first logical step in that direction. What the Mind Is and What It is Not The mind is usually referred to in many different ways – as a person or animal’s intellectual abilities, cognitive process, or mental skills. Quite often, the study of the mind is linked to the theory of evolution. Some clues on the complexities of the human mind may be obtained by turning to the study of man’s closest living species – the apes/chimpanzees, with their noteworthy social and general intelligence (Gorman, p. 13).   A clear picture of the mind can be initially explored by looking back many years ago and looking at common ancestors. â€Å"Looking at modern apes can tell much about the cognitive abilities of the common ancestor living 6 million years ago† (Gorman, p. 11). Nonetheless, while there may be striking similarities between chimpanzees and men in the way the brain is wired, this is but just a portion, or not really a dominant force shaping the development of   the human mind.   At this   point, it is important to differen tiate the mind from the brain. Theorists aver that while the brain is something that can be dissected and studied under the microscope, the mind â€Å"is an abstract concept that usually refers to the activities the brain generates† (Andreasen, 1984, p. 21).   In essence, the mind is not the brain. The mind, and brain, however, are inextricably linked. While it is easy to understand that man’s behavior, since he first came into existence, can be attributed to the evolution of his brain, â€Å"nothing is known about how the structure of our minds depends on the structure of our brains; nobody even knows which brain structures it is that our cognitive capacities depend on†¦ unlike our minds, our brains are, by any gross measure, very like those of apes† (Fodor, 1998, par. 11) Also, as German philosopher Immanuel Kant puts it, â€Å"the human mind is not passively formed by objects of perception; it actively `forms’ the raw material of objects given in perception. It adds something of its own to knowledge† (Ziniewicz, 1996, par. 3).   Simply put, the mind is not merely what it unwittingly absorbs from all the environmental stimuli or even psychic forces acting on it.   It is not a mere storehouse of data or knowledge, but more of a thinking, analyzing mechanism. While there are so many concepts or data bombarding human beings at different developmental stages, the interaction of genetic and environmental factors largely determine how those information are processed. This is a view supported by many sociologists who have undertaken studies on cognitive development. The various external factors may be closely examined to fully understand how the mind works. The mind may be seen, then, as a dynamic multi-tasker. â€Å"The mind is not a single entity but is composed of a number of faculties specialized for solving different adaptive problems†¦ it is a system of organs of computation that enabled our ancestors to survive and reproduce in the physical and social worlds in which our species spent most of its evolutionary history† (Pinker 2005). Indeed, the interplay of various forces, ranging from biological to psychological, need to be considered to get a better grasp on what the mind is and how it works. There are so many simplistic ways to describe the mind in the context of how it assimilates information, how it processes that information, and how it arrives at solutions to problems and complexities in life requiring attention or action. Like any other system, â€Å"the human mind contains a certain amount of psychic energy†¦ striving to maintain an equilibrium† (Andreasen, 1984, p. 22).   This was expressed by Sigmund Freud, the celebrated Austrian psychiatrist well known for his theories of the subconscious mind.   Psychologist and author Howard Gardner, on the other hand, established that the mind is equipped with multiple intelligences, which   include â€Å"linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, and two forms of personal intelligence† (Gorman, p. 5). There are many other theories elaborating on the workings of the mind and the many forces that come together to affect and influence people’s modes of thinking and behaving. It is safe to deduce from many given views theories, that the mind is not static.

Simple Explanation What Is FAFSA

Simple Explanation What Is FAFSA SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you heard your high school counselor or other students reference the FAFSA, and you didn't know what they were talking about? What is FAFSA, and what do you have to know about it?Well, if you're hoping to get financial aid for college, then it's criticalthat you know about the FAFSA. In this article, I will explain what the FAFSA is, why it's important, and the information you need to fill it out. What Is the FAFSA? FAFSA is an acronym that stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Colleges and universities use this form to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs. Therefore, even though the FAFSA is technically the application for federal aid, you have to fill it out to receive state and college-sponsored financial aid as well. If you're hoping for any government or school financial aid for college, you should file a FAFSA. How does the FAFSA determine your eligibility for financial aid? The FAFSA is used by the US Department of Education to calculate your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC, for college. Your EFC is a dollar amount that reflects how much you can afford to pay for college for the following academic year. The lower your EFC, the more aid you're eligible to receive. Your EFC is determined based on income, assets, and other household information you'll be asked to provide on the FAFSA. What Information Is Required on the FAFSA? You can check out the FAFSA worksheet to see all of the information you need to properly fill out the FAFSA. Now, I'll explain the information you need to enter on the form. Citizenship Status/Alien Number You need to be a legal resident of the United States or a US citizen to submit a FAFSA. However, if you're an undocumented immigrant, you have other options to get financial aid for college. Dependency Status For FAFSA purposes, most of you will be considered dependents, meaning that you're under the care of your parents. All dependents have to answer questions about their parents on the FAFSA. Due to varying family situations, this is the FAFSA definition of a "parent" for the purposes of filling out this form: "Parent" refers to a biological or adoptive parent or a person determined by the state to be a parent (for example, if the parent is listed on the birth certificate). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older siblings, and uncles or aunts are not considered parents on the FAFSA unless they have legally adopted you. If your legal parents are living and married to each other, answer the questions on the FAFSA about both of them. If your legal parents are not married and live together, answer the questions about both of them. In case of divorce or separation, give information about the parent you lived with most in the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, give information about the parent who provided you the most financial support during the last 12 months or during the most recent year you received support. If your divorced or widowed parent has remarried, also provide information about your stepparent. Financial Information Dependents have to report information from their parents, including their parents' previous year's adjusted gross income, government aid, untaxed income, and any other financial benefits. Your parents may be able to use the IRS Retrieval Tool to transfer their tax return information to your online FAFSA. Also, you have to report any financial benefits you received in the previous year, even if you're a dependent. What Happens After You File Your FAFSA? Student Aid Report After you file your FAFSA, if you provide a valid e-mail address, you'll receive your Student Aid Report, or SAR, in 3-5 days. Without a valid e-mail address, you'll receive your SAR via mail in 7-10 days. Your SAR will have a summary of the information you submitted on your FAFSA along with your EFC. Remember that your EFC does not determine the amount of aid you will receive from colleges; it determines the amount of aid you're eligible to receive. The EFC that displays on your SAR is a calculation based on the information you provided on your FAFSA. If there are any errors in your SAR, you can correct the information online. If your application is incomplete, your SAR will not include an EFC, but it will display text that specifies any issues that need to be resolved. In this situation, you'll also be able to complete your FAFSA online. Financial Aid Award Letters The colleges you list on your FAFSA will have access to your information electronically one day after it's processed. Colleges will use the information from your FAFSA to help determine what financial aid they offer you. Shortly after you receive your college acceptances, or even with college acceptance letters, you'll receive financialaid award letters from the colleges that accepted you. However, if you apply early decision or early action, you may have to wait until those who applied for regular decision receive their acceptance notices to get your financial aid award letter. The financial aid award letter outlines your financial aid package, including the amount of aid you'll be offered in grants, government loans, and scholarships. Subtract the amount of financial aid you're offered from the cost of attendance, and you can determine your out-of-pocket expenses for the upcoming academic year. Typically, you'll receive your aid award letters in March or April and have to commit to a college by May 1. Is the FAFSA Required? The FAFSA is only required if you want to be eligible for federal financial aid. Remember that most states and colleges also require the FAFSA to receive state or college-sponsored aid. If you or your parents can afford to pay the full cost of attendance to the colleges you apply to, then you don't have to file a FAFSA. If, based on your EFC, colleges determine that you can afford to pay the full cost of attending, you're unlikely to receive any need-based aid, even if you do file a FAFSA. Also, if you have received a scholarship that makes additional financial aid unnecessary, then you don't have to file a FAFSA. Keep in mind that regardless of whether or not you file a FAFSA, you or your parents can still take out loans to cover your college costs. What's Next? You need to submit a FAFSA to be eligible for valuable financial aid like the Pell Grant and work-study programs. Now that you understand the importance of the FAFSA, learn about how much college really costs. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Living on campus and living off campus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Living on campus and living off campus - Essay Example Living on campus was really fun as I stayed in one of the best dormitories on campus. I had the opportunity of living with students in my class as some of them lived in my dormitory. I live far from campus due to the accommodation problems in the city and I do not have the opportunity of living close to my fellow colleagues. Life off campus was really good socially as I had the freedom to jive as I wanted to, which would not have been possible if I was still staying on campus. Living on campus really benefited my academics as I would easily interact with my lecturers and fellow students. When I was living on campus, we usually organized a discussion class, where we shared knowledge and ideas on some courses taught in class. This is not possible living off campus as there are no students around me, not to talk of organizing a discussion class. Now that I live off campus, I have to go to the campus when I need some vital materials for my course and this has not made my academic experience worthwhile. Living on campus has benefited me more academically than living off campus. Though, I now have privacy staying off campus as I know that there is nobody watching my steps, but the fact remains that there is distraction living off campus, which was not the case when I was living on campus. The primary aim of everybody that lived on campus was their academics, but students that lived off campus had different aims and motives. For me to achieve academic success living off campus, I have to wade off these distractions and concentrate more on my studies. I now have to deal with the problem of paying the bills of social utilities off campus as I was not bothered by these problems when I was living on campus. I would say from my experience that life off campus has been more interesting than life on campus and would want to go back to living on campus if I have the opportunity. But I have also

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Paraphrase - Essay Example This was basically used in the experiment as the components are easy to control and manipulate due to the less number of parameters. Also the various parameters that will be controlled are as follows. Firstly, the damping time constant where there is an amplitude drop of half of the height. Secondly, the period length and finally the signal level attenuation. It is essential to also note that the single level attenuation is dependent on the total number of uses of the periods. The main reason for the use of ‘dampened sinusoids’ rather than the sinusoids that have been used in previous research is the following. The dampened sinusoids have been noted to be similar to the single pulse resonance sounds. This has been used in the past for communication by a number of animals and thus it plays a very important role in this research. Since the sound of the single dampened sinusoid is similar to that of one cycle of a vowel, thus the close resemblance to the natural sounds has been used in the research. The benefits of it are numerous and it has been noted that the control is also relatively easier. It will also be interesting to note that this is the only study which used stimuli with a wavelength shorter than one period and also with an increased length in the scale of the logarithm, with almost sixteen periods of the

My Jewish Experience Essay Example for Free

My Jewish Experience Essay In a first glance, Hawaii seems to be a country that strictly holds its cultural values and identity with pride, leaving no room for foreign beliefs and practices to grow. However, my first impression has been proven wrong as for the first time, I set foot on the halls of Temple Emanu-el, a Jewish synagogue situated in 2550 Pali Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96817. On a Friday evening, 28 November 2008, half an hour past seven, I was exposed to the practices and beliefs of Orthodox Judaism through Rabbi Peter B. Schaktman .. It was a moment of mixed emotions for me since I only knew Judaism through books, television, films, and internet, and that I thought I would have been overwhelmed by the spectacle of one of the world’s major religious systems However, I was initially surprised by the size of the synagogue as it was totally different from how I had imagined it to be; the place was relatively small, perhaps because Judaism is not Hawaii’s main religion, nevertheless, the size of the place was just different from what I always thought. Judging by the size of the place, I would say that 300~350 people could seat accommodated in the synagogue. The structure’s ceiling was high, and the interior designs made me recall the facades of the Roman Catholic Church. The synagogue also contains what the pastor called an Ark, the ark is a decorated cabinet wherein the Torah of the synagogue is housed And like other places of worship, I also noticed that Temple Emanu-el also has a pulpit in an elevated platform where the torah and other scriptures are read. Judaism is a religion that promotes Jewish identity and culture, I seemed to have noticed that there is not much art in the in the Ark of Temple Emanu-el. The most probable reason is that the Jewish consider that part of the synagogue as the holiest area. Apart from the decorative curtain that serves as the cover for the Ark, the only objects to be seen in the synagogue are object of religious significance such as the ark and a candle stand. The only non-religious object close enough to be considered art were a couple of flowers in vases positioned near the ark. During the worship service proper, the only clergy member present in the synagogue was Rabbi Schaktman. I have no idea as to why he was the only clergyman present during the time, but during the worship services, he was accompanied by a Cantorial Soloist named Ken Aronowitz who sang the songs and hymns. Although religious hymns and songs are not to be appreciated as an artistic effort, I can say that Mr. Aronowitz’s voice is captivating enlightening. While I was participating in the worship services, I have observed that the devotees have the book named Gates of Prayer. I realized that people from the sect consider the book as a guide to the service and to spiritual enlightenment. From my experience that night, it appears that in every service, the Rabbi discusses and interprets every chapter of the book with the devotees. Based on my observation, the book contains the words of God as well as the hymns of praise to God. Continuing further with the practices and rituals, I noticed that a particular differences between Judaism and Christianity, first is on the discussion of the contents of Gates of Prayer. During the service, Rabbi Schaktman read and discussed the distinction of Jews from non-Jews through analysis of the words non-Jews celebrate : Jews Observe. The Rabbi interpreted the exact contents of the book, however, he just used a language that everyone could simply understand. There are certain moments where the Rabbi told us a story based on his experiences and related the story with the topic discussed during that night. And the story the Rabbi used was an article from the newspaper Honolulu Advertiser which revolved around the celebration of thanksgiving. The Rabbi said something about Jewish attitude for Thanksgiving, and in doing so, he implied that as a Jew, celebrating Thanksgiving is violating the Law of Moses and that conforming to tradition not set by God and his prophets Christmas should be eliminated. Another distinction I have observed in the Jewish worship service was the hymn or the songs of praise. In practicing Christianity, I had to separately bring the bible and a book which contains more than 700 songs. In Temple Emanu-el, the words from God (which is taken from the scriptures) and songs were compiled in the Gates of Prayer, and most of the songs of praise appear to be sung in the Hebrew language. In addition, the songs of praise come in between the Rabbi’s preaching. After he finished a paragraph in the book, people sing. Although I couldn’t understand the language of the hymn, the songs definitely got through me in such a way that the tunes of the songs remain in my head. If I had recorder, I really wanted to record the songs but, our instructor advised that it is a rude gesture to bring a recording device and record activities of people we are not familiar with. Another fascinating ritual is the Jewish commemoration of the dead. The walls on both sides of the Temple Emanu-el lists names of more than 500 people on wood surrounding the synagogue and right beside the names were light bulbs with a few turned on.. At first I thought it was some sort of decorative art to make the temple attractive, but I asked to Rabbi after the service, and he said that the names with the light bulbs turned on were the dead people who worshipped in the temple and died during that week or that month. The Rabbi also said that it was the Temple’s way of cherishing the memory of their deceased brothers and sisters. Although the temple’s ritual of honoring the deceased was relatively new to me, it produced a deep impression on me. This is because I only knew of commemorating rituals in the traditions of Christianity. And I personally thought that the Christian practices of preserving the memory of the dead accorded with the other religious systems. Another ritual I saw during my visit at the Temple Emanu-el was the Jewish tradition on marriage. That night, an engaged couple came to the temple with their families, the Rabbi gave them blessing of Lynne Chun and Harvey Reackmil on the occasion of their upcoming marriage, and after the Rabbi granted the blessing, everyone started to say â€Å"mazltof! † I guess that it is their way of saying congratulations to the newly blessed couple. . After the speech of service, Rabbi Schaktman slowly came to our side and tried to make eye contact with each of us. I initially thought that I needed to pay for the collection just like in the Christian church that I used go to. But from the way he looked at us, I felt like he is trying to give us a chance to realize our sins for the past week and prompt us not to make the same mistakes again. Following the ending ceremony of the service, I came to a realization that the Jewish religion is not as promising as it claims itself to be. As far as I respect some of the Jewish beliefs, customs, traditions, and practices, I honestly find Judaism’s norms uncomfortable. One is that the doctrines are so individualistic and very prejudiced as the Rabbi discussed the evils of not being Jewish and how the Jewish way turns out as the right path in life. Also the Rabbi gave us an impression that I and the rest of the class who went there were not welcome in their temple or in their community. Maybe I was just being too sensitive in this matter, but when I tried to talk to the Rabbi, he did not pay any attention to what I was saying or to the questions I were asking. The experience was alienating, although the Rabbi constantly told us to comeback anytime, we felt it was just a gesture with no thought to it. As my disbelief and mistrust in God or any divine being, I find myself unmoved by the beliefs and practices of Judaism. Neither did its changed my skepticism of God As such, visiting the temple and participating in Jewish worship services did not affect my beliefs, ideas, and my own perception of the experience as well as the religion itself. However, it does not necessarily mean that I do not respect Judaism and all of its followers, as a matter of fact; despite the unwelcome treatment we received from the Rabbi, my utmost respect for Judaism and for its believers remain firm. Like other major religions in the world, my visit in Temple Emanu-el has proven that Judaism, as manifested by their doctrines and songs of praise, is a religion rich in tradition, culture, and ways to establish identity. But religion is not about continuation of tradition or establishment of identity, but it is more of professing and expressing personal beliefs regardless of what such beliefs hold.

Salem Witch Trials :: essays research papers

Dearest James, It has been a long time since we have talked. I hope you and your family are well in Jamestown, give your parents my best wishes, and tell your sister hello for me. I am writing to you in hopes that this will not be my last letter; for everything has gone to pieces in Salem. It all started when Faith and I decided one night to meet out in the field and play games in the moonlight. We meant no harm by it; we only thought it might be a bit fun to do something different. We never thought anyone would see us. Flashback Mary laughed heartily. â€Å"Stop it Faith, hush. You are being too noisy, some one may hear us, and then what would we do?† Faith giggled as she spun around. â€Å"It’s gorgeous tonight, don’t you agree? The moon is at it’s fullest, the stars are as bright as the sun itself, and we have it all to ourselves.† She turned to wait for a response, but Mary just shook her head. â€Å"Oh come on Mary, you know you want to just get up and dance. Come on now!† Faith took Mary’s hands and pulled her up to her feet. â€Å"Faith, I really don’t feel like dancing. What if we were to get caught? Then what would people think? They’d think we were crazy as drunkards, that’s what. None of this, let’s go now.† â€Å"Come on! Just this once, and then we’ll leave. Promise.† Mary rolled her eyes but joined in as Faith began to hum and dance around. After a few minutes Faith caught a glimpse of some one walking down the road. She slowly stopped dancing and tapped Mary on the shoulder. â€Å"Now who do you think that could be?† As Mary turned to look the man began jogging towards them. â€Å"Now look Faith, I told you we’d get caught. Come on now, we had better explain ourselves.† Mary took Faith’s hand and led her out onto the road. â€Å"Mr. Bradford!† she exclaimed. â€Å"What are you doing out at this hour?† His tired eye grew wide in surprise. â€Å"I†¦ I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began to stutter. â€Å"I have to go ladies†¦ good night,† and he scurried off. Faith furrowed her brow in confusion. â€Å"What do you suppose that was about?† â€Å"I don’t know.† Mary shook her head. â€Å"But I don’t like it, let’s get out of here.† Flash forward James, we had no idea anything would come of it.