10 Important Lab Safety Rules

Criteria For An Effective Extensive Reading Program For...

Literature Review Criteria for an Effective Extensive Reading Program for English Learners Wesley Pulido California State University, San Bernardino Criteria for an Effective Extensive Reading Program for English Learners Introduction The term second-language acquisition (SLA) has multiple meanings. Generally, it describes learning a second language. It specifically names the theory of the manner in which second-language learners learn a second language. As Dà ­az-Rico (2013) has stated, second-language acquisition is â€Å"learning any language (whether third or twentieth) in school or in some other way after the first language† (p.6). Second-language acquisition can be compared to second- language learning. The latter of the†¦show more content†¦Alan Maley stated, Given the limited hours of instruction in most programs, students will never be exposed to enough vocabulary, enough times, to acquire the necessary quantum in classrooms alone. Out of class learning is the only way, and one of the most convenient and proven ways of doing so is through massive independent reading, entailing repeated encounters with vocabulary in context. (Maley, 2012, p. 308). Maley confirmed the important role of reading both inside and out of class in order to expose English Learners to as much vocabulary as possible through the use of literary texts. What Is Extensive Reading? Extensive Reading is a method to improve the reading ability of readers. When second-language learners read extensively, they independently use easy-readers to build their fluency rate. Moreover, readers learn to read by reading instead of through the direct instruction of the reading components such as comprehension, grammar and vocabulary. According to Carrell and Carson (1997), Extensive Reading has two characteristics. First, learners read numerous amounts of varied reading material. Second, the reading focuses on the meaning of the text as opposed to the language. It is important to distinguish the difference between Intensive Reading and Extensive Reading to fully understand the Extensive Reading approach. Intensive Reading is an approach that requires examination of a short passage. The instruction is focused on breaking down the textShow MoreRelatedInclusive Classrooms For Students With Disabilities875 Words   |  4 PagesInclusive classrooms attempt to recognize and respond to the numerous sorts of differences that children take to the classroom. In conventional classrooms, these distinctions may prompt children being demoted to varied reading or math groups, or being distinguished as learning disabled or gifted. In the current educational atmosphere, educators need support as they attempt to meet all children s individual needs while as yet keeping up elevated expectations and an interconne cted classroom groupRead MoreThe Effects Of Extensive Reading On Reading2753 Words   |  12 Pagesdesigned to discuss the effects of the extensive reading approach compared with the intensive reading approach for language learners’ reading and give some considerations for implementing the extensive reading in EFL classroom. There is definite limitations that the current intensive reading approach cannot guide second language learners to be fluent and pleasant readers. Many studies and research prove the positive effects of extensive reading on reading speed, reading fluency, vocabulary development andRead More2010 Secondary Education Curriculum in English6955 Words   |  28 PagesRepublic of the Philippines Department of Education Bureau of Secondary Education Curriculum Development Division Pasig City March 26, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS ii I. II. III. IV. V. Introduction Conceptual Framework in English Concept Matrix Performance Matrix Program and General Standards Three-Stage Curriculum Framework Annexes A. B. The Monitoring and Evaluation of the Implementation of the 2002 Secondary Education Curriculum: Findings and Recommendations Guide Questions for the Review of theRead MoreVocabulary Acquisition Through Audio-Video Aids3146 Words   |  13 Pagesvocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension with the help of technology. Furthermore, the variety of media such as text, graphics, audio, and video for delivering content has attracted many instructors and students to use the Internet. These multimedia components get and hold learners interest, which many researchers believe is important when teaching the video generation. First, it starts with a brief overview of the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. It continuesRead MoreNational Assessment Program : Literacy And Numeracy1853 Words   |  8 PagesI. Introduction The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a series of tests administered annually to all Australian students. NAPLAN is divided into separate components for Numeracy and Literacy, including Reading, Writing, Spelling and Grammar. An article published in the Sydney Morning Herald in 2013 reported that students from a language background other than English (LBOTE) were performing better than students from English-speaking backgrounds (non-LBOTE) in both literacyRead MoreDistinguishing Between A Learning Disability And Language Acquisition2085 Words   |  9 PagesAcquisition in English Language Learners One of the biggest errors made in schooling today is placing a student who is an English Language Learner into special education because of errors made in interpreting language acquisition as a learning or language disability. There has been no single method that has proven to be fully effective when distinguishing between English language learning students and students with a learning disability. As a result, students can end up in classrooms or programs that areRead MorePresenting the Rationale for the Field-Study, Its Aims and Scope, the Research Questions, Significance, Methods, and Design of the Field-Study.11884 Words   |  48 Pagesroles of materials appear in almost all books on course design. Materials not only provide learners with a wide range of useful and fascinating information but also can play a part in enhancing learners’ motivation- thus, facilitate their acquisition (Dudley- Evans St John, 1998; Nonaka, 2001). On materials, it can be seen that the textbook is the ‘visible heart’ of any ELT (English Language Teaching) program. Several advantages of using textbook have been suggested by researchers. For example, textbooksRead MoreDirect Method in Foreign Language Teaching5667 Words   |  23 Pagesand the ‘direct method’ came together in the work of Harold E. Palmer (1877–1949) who taught English along Berlitz lines in Belgium from 1902 until the German invasion in 1914. . He was then forced to return to London where he renewed an earlier contact with Daniel Jones (1881–1967) who had since become the head of the Phonetics Department at London University and was about to publish his famous English pronouncing dictionary (1917). The two worked together for nearly seven years (1915–22), duringRead MoreLearning Vocabulary And Impacts Of Reading Essay10232 Words   |  41 Pagesfrom the past researches or opinions about the important of the learnin g vocabulary and impacts of reading and short story in the scope of language learning and teaching and also the relation between reading, short story and vocabulary learning. Theattention of this section especially is on reviewing of the impacts of the reading story on English, especially, vocabulary learning of the EFL learners. For the first part of this chapter, it’s better to start with the definition of vocabulary. 2.2 TheRead MoreSupporting the Development of English Literacy in English Language Learners22851 Words   |  92 PagesSUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH LITERACY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS Key Issues and Promising Practices Diane August August Associates Report No. 61 February 2003 This report was published by the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR), a national research and development center supported by a grant (No. R-117-D40005) from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI), U.S. Department of Education. The content or opinions expressed

Language Barriers Free Essays

Language barriers can impede the educational progress of minorities. The United States is facing the challenge of language barriers in the way of educational progress of minorities. There are approximately 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Barriers or any similar topic only for you Order Now 5 million children who are not proficient in English language due to their different native language. The United States has received maximum number of new arrivals in 1960s. these arrivals included refugees, illegal and legal immigrants and migrants. As a result, number of enrolled students increased significantly and a large number of new comers were admitted in the public schools of the United States. These newly enrolled students were from different nations so they were proficient in their native languages but their proficiency level regarding English language was very low or none. There were not/hardly able to speak English. To overcome this challenge, several educational policies, and legislation and court decisions were made (Berman et al, 1992). The Bilingual Education Act of 1968, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Act was the first step that was taken to overcome the challenge of language barrier. The purpose of this Act was to make sure that all the Mexican American children learn to speak English to an extent that can enable them to actively participate in their educational activities. The role of this Act was later expanded to overcome the language barrier of all non-English speaking children. It is shown in Chavez, (1991, p. 11-12): â€Å"It is not the purpose of the bill to create pockets of different languages through the country †¦ but just to try to make those children fully literate in English†. Several steps were taken to overcome the language barrier. The purpose of all the steps was to enable all non-English speaking children to speak English fluently. An example of such as decision was made in Lau v. Nichols (1974) when the United States Supreme Court declared that every non-English speaking child has got the right to get special assistance in learning English. It stated: There is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education. †¦ Teaching English to the students of Chinese ancestry who do not speak the language is one choice. Giving instruction to the group in Chinese is another. There may be others. (Chavez, 1991, pp. 14-15) A large number of Limited English Proficient students are enrolling in the 10th grade test. It was also found that the number of Hispanic high school graduates was very less all over the country. This was due to large number of students who were dropped out of the school. Although there have been several efforts to improve the English language of non-English speaking students specially Hispanic students but it is found that despite all these efforts, the drop out rate of Hispanic students has not decreased to a significant extent (Hispanic Dropout Project, 1998). Conclusion English language learners are usually exempted from appearing in the assessments that are done for native English speakers. It is quite unfair because non-English speaking students are left behind. It is suggested that non-English speakers should also be allowed to appear in the same assessment programs that are done for English speakers. This will help the non-English speakers to get out of the feeling of left out and they will progress a breast with native English speakers. References Berman, P., Chambers, J., Gandara, P., McLaughlin, B., Minicucci, C., Nelson, D., Olsen, L, Parrish, T. (1992). Meeting the challenge of language diversity: An evaluation of programs for pupils with limited proficiency in English. Berkeley, CA: BW Associates. Chavez, L. (1991). Out of the barrio: Towards a new politics of Hispanic assimilation. New York: Basic. Hispanic Dropout Project. (1998). No more excuses: The final report of the Hispanic dropout project. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974).                         How to cite Language Barriers, Essay examples

Personal Development Planning GSM London Foundation

Question: a) Demonstrate ability to reflect on chosen subjects to highlight the skills acquired and emphasise how improvement in performance is being achieved. b) Exhibit motivation and confidence in engaging in personal and career development and planning. c) Demonstrate progressive learning through a series of agreed milestones. ? Answer: Personal Development Planning: Personal development planning is a planning that helps people to increase their skills, experience, and self-awareness. So this is a process that designed for them to make them aware of their abilities, make them think about their personal development. It helps people to make a plan to develop skills which they need in future for academic studies, and thus they can increase their career opportunities (Bath.ac.uk, 2015). As there is a term planning in PDP (personal development planning), so it cannot be a process of taking random decisions. First people need to make a plan for their future depending upon their abilities and skills then they have to set a goal for their life. After from that, they need to acquire relevant skills to accomplish their goal (Still, 2015). There are three important parts that are an important part of personal development planning: Using Social Media to create a Professional Brand: It is an important tool that is helpful for creating personal development program for students. It is all about building relationships between people to stay connected with other people. When a person shares her activities with other people, this helps others to get knowledge about activities and accomplishments. This may create chances for others to take a advantage of success which again make others more focused and stronger (Robinson, 2015). People become more accomplished if they allow this tool to make them aware of the unknown there and help them to overcome the fears. So a community or group on any social networking site helps people to expand their connection and creates opportunities and enables them to be more focused and organized. This increases their confidence that encourage them to take more risk in their lives. People get chances to stay connected with other strong people who inspire them (Nash, 2015). So a relatively weaker person gets benefits and becomes a stronger one. Connection with a business person is useful of making positive relationships with others; this also creates opportunities to them. When two persons who are more focused and confident, stay connected through social media then this is named as Master Minding. So by sharing activities and lessons people experienced as an employee or employer, they can inspire others and help them to gain knowledge. Many jobs sites help people to search jobs t hat are suitable for them, and at the same time it helps the employer to find a better employee in their organizations (Johnson, 2010). A job seeker who spends more time on the internet to get job notifications has more opportunities than a job seeker who spends his time in looking for jobs in a door-to-door basis (Cottrell, 2010). Computer literacy skills: This refers to the capability of operating and as well as use the programs with efficiency. A person who is well trained in computer programs often gets a good job in a good organization. Programs such as word processing, presentations, and spreadsheet help a person to arrange their thoughts in an organized manner. So if a person knows how to operate these programs can easily get good jobs in various institutions. A person is having knowledge of internet and can access it easily; can communicate with others people of her organizations. Various Financial institutions, banking institutions deal with different types of data regarding cost, revenue, etc. which are not easily manageable and analytics in those institutions could not handled those without any software. These data have many faults for which it does not give the proper estimation results to analytics. Therefore, they need software that automatically remove those faults and give proper estimation results after giving relevant commands in that software (Nash, 2015). Even if a person starts her career in the lower-division job, she can get promotions to higher level jobs after acquiring perfect knowledge about computer skills. A person having good knowledge in computer programs can get a leadership position in a renowned organization. This skill does not refer that one who wants to get a job needs not to be well known about everything in the computer. But some basic knowledge and some programs that are relevant and important for a persons job profile are needed. Basic computer knowledge enables a person to take classes in schools and colleges, but she needs to be trained in different programs to get a job. The computer is a medium through which people can communicate with others and can leave messages in mail accounts, Facebook accounts, etc. So computer literacy skills have become important as all institutions depend on computerized works (McKay, 2015). Importance of presentation skills on Personal Development Skills: It is common for many individuals that they all deliver their first presentations to a job interview. So they know the importance of a presentation. This skill is called learnt skill cause if a person works on this skill becomes confident enough to explain their thoughts through the presentation. The so good presentation leaves a good impression about that person that presents professional skill. So this skill helps a person to speak at large internal meetings. Many people possessed good knowledge about their subject as well as current situations in the market, but this is not sufficient to get a job. A person has to present herself in a suitable manner and make the employer understand about her acquired skills in an organized way. The duty of a person is to make the employer understand the importance of her presence in the organization (Cottrell, 2010). Many people are afraid of presenting herself which has an impact on their work. So people who are well presented and well behaved i n their organizations gets extra advantages. So to create good career opportunities, people must develop their presentation skills. A well presenter who is very good in speaking is appreciated by all. So knowledge is not the only thing that creates advantages and opportunities, it is the good presentation of people that matters most. So a superior quality product is not enough to gain profits, presentation of that product is needed the most. So there is a need for a leader who delivers clear messages, and it is necessary for a leader to promote his product. It is also true that better presentation is not sufficient to guarantee the success but this ensures chances of success (Wilson, 2014). Conclusions: GSM London Foundation helps students in developing their skills, and it focuses on students strength. They have introduced a Year 0 programme that improve students job prospect; it helps people to begin their degree course. People who have enough work experience but do not have enough academic knowledge get benefits from this program. So this program has effective outcomes in both long terms and short term. In the short run, people find it interesting and useful for their future. As GSM introduced innovative learning program that combines learning projects. Seminars, e-learning program, online revisions, audio and video recording of class lectures, practice classes that enable a person to be more efficient. They can get a degree in various subjects. It also has long run effects on the Personal Development Planning of the student. As it gives facilities to those who feel that, they are not able to get any degree after a certain age. References Bath.ac.uk, (2015). Personal development planning | University of Bath. [online] Available at: https://www.bath.ac.uk/learningandteaching/enhance-learning-experiences/personal-development-planning.html [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. Cottrell, S. (2010).Skills for success: The personal development planning handbook. Palgrave Macmillan. Eppi.ioe.ac.uk, (2015). Personal development planning. [online] Available at: https://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/Default.aspx?tabid=503 [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. Gsm.org.uk, (2015). [online] Available at: https://www.gsm.org.uk/foundation-year-zero [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. Johnson, D. (2010). How To: Use Social Media As a Personal Development Tool - Indie Business Network. [online] Indie Business Network. Available at: https://www.indiebusinessnetwork.com/how-to-use-social-media-as-personal-development-tools/ [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. McKay, D. (2015). Why Computer Literacy Is Such an Important Skill. [online] About.com Careers. Available at: https://careerplanning.about.com/od/importantskills/a/comp_literacy.htm [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. Nash, M. (2015). Personal development planning: a voyage of discovery.Dental Nursing,11(2), 104-108. Robinson, D. (2015). Personal Development Planning (PDP) - Support for students and staff - University of Exeter. [online] As.exeter.ac.uk. Available at: https://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/staffdevelopment/aspectsofacademicpractice/personaldevelopmentplanningpdp/ [Accessed 19 Jul. 2015]. Still, J. (2015). Managing Your Brand. Burlington: Elsevier Science. Wilson, J. P. (2014). International human resource development: Learning, education and training for individuals and organisations.Development and Learning in Organizations,28(2).

Oliver Essays - English-language Films, British Films,

Oliver Twist And Anti Semism Charles Dickens being anti-Semitic when portraying the character Fagin as "the Jew", in his classic story Oliver Twist, or was he merely painting an accurate portrait of the 19th Century Jew in England? Some critics seem to believe so. Though there are no indications of neither anti-Semitic nor racist slurs throughout the story, Dickens' image turned out to follow the path of his time and place in history. The result is an enlightened picture of Victorian England's image of the Jew. The attitude towards Jews and Jewishness in 19th Century England demonstrates that Dickens was a man of his time. His attitude reflected the common British belief that Jews were villainous thieves. Fagin, a thief, is described by Dickens as "a very old shriveled Jew, whose villainous and repulsive face was obscured by a quantity of matted red hair"(Dickens 87). This common depiction of the Jew was accompanied by the stereotype that they had big noses and lured orphaned children into their filthy dens and turned them into derelicts. He was a thief because he did not have any skills, nor was he welcome anywhere. On the other hand, to describe Fagin in any other light would have to give the impression that Jews just might be humans after all. In reading this story, I discovered Fagin to be somewhat likeable and misunderstood. Though revolting to look at, having a repulsive disposition, and having manners and hygiene left to be desired I could not help but to feel sorry for the old guy. All he wanted to have was security in his old age. For example, when Fagin sees Oliver looking at him while admiring his treasures, Fagin asks the boy if he had seen any of his pretty things. Oliver tells him that he did. "Ah!" said the Jew, turning rather pale. "They- are mine, Oliver; my little property. All I have to live upon, in my old age. The folks call me a miser, my dear. Only a miser, that's all" (Dickens 1961: 91). I also found Fagin to be very charming in instances, almost likeable and having some redeeming qualities. Another example of Fagin's humanity is seen in the way he treats Oliver. Although Oliver plays a totally utilitarian role to Fagin, he becomes protective of him, even though the motives are purely selfish. When not being watched, Fagin has great self-control, even under duress. He is always cautioning Sikes against violence. There are some signs that Fagin still has a shade of humanity left in his perverted character. Several times throughout the story he exhibits some kindness towards Oliver. He checks his motives before he acts. Though the reader is still at bay with his actions, he still seems to have some sort of a conscience. It could be argued that Fagin and Oliver are somewhat similar. Though the reader does not see this at first, more in depth reading reveals that Oliver and Fagin mirror each other in who and what they are. Oliver, a boy without a home, Fagin, "The Jew", without a country. Fagin, in fact, is not seen as an Englishman. He is Jewish, which is a race all its own. Fagin is the outsider, unlike Oliver. His Jewishness places him at even more a disadvantage than Oliver's orphaned status. Both characters echo each other in asking for more; they are placed in oppositions so that for Oliver to claim his rightful place in society, Fagin must die. Dickens' stereotypical association of Fagin with a class of criminal perceived by him as almost invariably Jewish is based on a particular awareness of the commonly accepted wicked practices of this kind of Jew. Dickens' stereotypical association of Fagin with a class of criminal perceived by him as almost invariably Jewish is based on a particular awareness of the commonly accepted wicked practices of this kind of Jew. In Dickens and his Jewish Characters, Dickens answers a letter from a Jewess woman who wrote him concerned with the fact that Dickens may be in fact an anti-Semitic and wanted to allow Dickens to reply as to why the characterization of Fagin. His response was that "Fagin in Oliver Twist is a Jew because it unfortunately was true, of the time to which that story refers, that the class of criminal almost invariably was a Jew" (Dickens 1918:9). Critical reviews have been inclined to argue that Fagin is only a Jew in no more than name. "His main claim to Jewishness", contends critic Harry Stone, "is the fact that

The Nucleus - Definition, Structure, and Function

The Nucleus - Definition, Structure, and Function The cell nucleus​ is a membrane bound structure that contains the cells hereditary information and controls the cells growth and reproduction. It is the command center of a eukaryotic cell and is commonly the most prominent organelle in a cell. The Cell Nucleus You can think of the cell nucleus as a kind of command center containing all the chromosomal and genetic information needed for the reproduction of life. Distinguishing Characteristics The cell nucleus is bound by a double membrane called the nuclear envelope. This membrane separates the contents of the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Like the cell membrane, the nuclear envelope consists of phospholipids that form a lipid bilayer. The envelope helps to maintain the shape of the nucleus and assists in regulating the flow of molecules into and out of the nucleus through nuclear pores.  The nuclear envelope is connected with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in such a way that the internal compartment of the nuclear envelope is continuous with the lumen of the ER. The nucleus is the organelle which houses chromosomes. Chromosomes consist of DNA, which contains heredity information and instructions for cell growth, development, and reproduction. When a cell is resting i.e. not dividing, the chromosomes are organized into long entangled structures called chromatin and not into individual chromosomes as we typically think of them. Nucleoplasm Nucleoplasm is the gelatinous substance within the nuclear envelope. Also called karyoplasm, this semi-aqueous material  is similar to cytoplasm and is composed mainly of water with dissolved salts, enzymes, and organic molecules suspended within. The nucleolus and chromosomes are surrounded by nucleoplasm, which functions to cushion and protect the contents of the nucleus. Nucleoplasm also supports the nucleus by helping to maintain its shape. Additionally, nucleoplasm provides a medium by which materials, such as enzymes and nucleotides  (DNA and RNA subunits), can be transported throughout the nucleus. Substances are exchanged between the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm through nuclear pores. The Nucleolus Contained within the nucleus is a dense,  membrane-less structure composed of RNA and proteins called the nucleolus. The nucleolus contains nucleolar organizers, which are parts of chromosomes with the genes for ribosome synthesis on them. The nucleolus helps to synthesize ribosomes by transcribing and assembling ribosomal RNA  subunits. These subunits join together to form a ribosome during protein synthesis. Protein Synthesis The nucleus regulates the synthesis of proteins in the cytoplasm through the use of messenger RNA (mRNA). Messenger RNA is a transcribed DNA segment that serves as a template for protein production. It is produced in the nucleus and travels to the cytoplasm through the nuclear pores of the nuclear envelope. Once in the cytoplasm, ribosomes and another RNA molecule called transfer RNA work together to translate mRNA to produce proteins. Eukaryotic Cell Structures The cell nucleus is only one type of cell organelle. The following cell structures can also be found in a typical animal eukaryotic cell: Centrioles - help to organize the assembly of microtubules.Chromosomes - house cellular DNA.Cilia and Flagella - aid in cellular locomotion.Cell Membrane - protects the integrity of the interior of the cell.Endoplasmic Reticulum - synthesizes carbohydrates and lipids.Golgi Complex - manufactures, stores and ships certain cellular products.Lysosomes - digest cellular macromolecules.Mitochondria - provide energy for the cell.Ribosomes - responsible for protein production.Peroxisomes - detoxify alcohol, form bile acid, and use oxygen to break down fats.

Symbolism on why people wear figuritive masks in front of others Essay

Symbolism on why people wear figuritive masks in front of others - Essay Example Since most of my old high school mates have moved away, I will instead visit the Westfield Gateway Mall. Since malls do not change much I expect to see familiar scenes during the night. I will take notes on a notebook which will include all activities which seem familiar and new ones that seem interesting (Metz and Mauk, 34). I will then use the most interesting of my notes to write my invention essay. My only concern in writing g this essay is that since the Westfield Gateway Mall is such a large place I may miss many interesting and new things due to lack of time. I visited the Westfield Gateway Mall one evening in order to make my observations. The Westfield Gateway Mall is packed with lines of cars in the huge parking lot. The doors are made of creative designs which seem to invite you into the bowels of the mall. The building gives off different feelings from its decor. The side of the building ranges from bumpy to smooth while the lights are in a variety of luminous green and y ellow to deep azures and purple. The mall is located within the Los Angeles District. The people, the places and the decor comprise what is the essence of Westfield Gateway Mall. Many different activities take place within the mall though not all are in plain sight. It takes an observant eye to see some of the subtle hints. I walk into the inviting sliding doors and head to the food counter attracted by the sweet aroma of fried chicken. As I walk inside I can instinctively sense eyes boring into my back though I meet turned heads when I turn around. I stand in line next to a teenage couple who can’t stop whispering into each others ears. Well the guy can’t stop talking into the girl’s ears while the girl seemed to have an absent look yet pretended to giggle at his every word. I get my burgers and head to a shiny table to savor the environment. Eating my burger, I look up at the numerous tables spread around the eatery and the kids screaming and scampering all ov er the place. At a table next to me are two ladies who were chatting while the husband talked on the phone with a blank look. I got interested in the blank look of the husband and started analyzing it more. It seemed to me that the husband was merely playing down the seriousness of the conversation for the sake of his wife. It seemed as if he was saying something he did not want his wife to hear though he did not want to leave the table as he was afraid of arousing suspicion. Meanwhile a birthday party is going on full swing at the corner of the eatery. One of the women pretends to be unconcerned when the children run to the party and attempt to grab the pieces of the cake. She wears a face of nonchalance though it is obvious to me that she is embarrassed at her child’s behavior. This is proved by the fact that she seems rooted to her seat and makes no attempt to go to restrain the misbehaving child. In the meantime I notice a waiter who I guessed to be in his mid twenties cl eaning out tables as patrons depart and come in. A family of three with a teenage daughter was seated two tables away. I observed the teenage daughter cast furtive glances at the young waiter though she vehemently denied any such thing when the father reprimanded her. This reminded me of my childhood memories when I was reprimanded for truancy and denied it yet it was clear for all to see my guilt. I go and lean on a railing to watch the steady stream of people coming and