UK Retail Banking Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

UK Retail Banking Sector - Essay Example These form 90% of the total market share of the industry. HSBC takes the top position with assets worth $1,267,777 million. The major groups within which this sector can be divided are the big banks, also called High Street banks, the Building Societies, and the Direct Banks. The High Street banks are the normal banks which provide accounts and loans to customers and businesses. They also have branches which can be accessed by customers. â€Å"Building societies are mutual societies, which are owned by their members for the benefit of members i.e. of both savers and borrowers alike.† (Davidmann 2006). These societies were earlier catering to the mortgage market only but have now started providing deposit and accounts to the customers very much like the normal banks. Direct Banks do not have any branches but reach the customer through the internet and other electronic sources. Many High Street banks like HSBC and Barclays also provide direct banking solutions for the convenience of the consumers but unlike Direct Banks, they have their branches for other activities like product sale etc. Tesco Perso nal Finance, First Direct, and Egg are some examples of Direct Banks in the UK. As stated earlier, HSBC holds the top position by market value also at 122.29 pounds (2010). Building societies are not listed but Nationwide building society is one of the main financial institutes. These societies have now started working more or less like banks. The retail banking sector provides loans for various needs and attract deposits from customers to partly finance these loans. The transactions are mostly small in value but high in volume (Buckle and Thompson 2004). As this sector earns through volumes, it is very important to attract customers by providing product differentiation. This is provided by most of the banks by using highly complex Information Technology networks.  

Macroeconomics and Microeconomics,Government spending and Fiscal Essay

Macroeconomics and Microeconomics,Government spending and Fiscal Policy, Taxation, - Essay Example Problem with this measure is that it does not include the goods and services that are not made public. 3. The US does not use tariffs and foreign exchange rates to control or influence its economy because they have signed a policy with the WTO which has barred them for conducting such activities in order to promote international trade. The monetary policy tool is used to decrease or increase the amount of capital within an economy. The government adopts an expansionary monetary policy in order to increase money supply within the country and adopts a contraction one to make the opposite possible. The government uses the tool of taxes to in order to increase and decrease a certain economic activity from taking place. Taxes are levied on individual goods and services. Government may influence the employment side of the economy when it uses the job training and education tool to influence economy. Monetary policy has a major impact on the economy of a country as it does not impacts a certain portion of the economy, rather it effects the entire population and the their spending and saving patterns. 4. President Obama plans to decrease the budget deficit by decreasing government spending by a considerable amount, similar are the plans of Romney, but along this plan he even plans to decrease taxes in order to increase spending which will ultimately increase revenue and GDP. 5. Market is a place where buyers and sellers interact with each other to conduct transactions, regulations are rules and guidelines set to control the activities of buyers and sellers to make sure that both groups do not cheat each other. 6. Demand is the number of goods and services that a person is willing, able and has the money to buy and supply is the amount of goods and services manufacturers are, willing and able to sell at a particular price. Demand and supply

Career Profile: Physical Therapy Assistant

Career Profile: Physical Therapy Assistant Health Care Career: Physical Therapy Assistant Rodny German Sotolongo Job Description Physical therapy assistants (PTAs) offer care in varying forms including teaching clients/patients exercises for purposes of mobility, coordination and strength, training patients on how to use mobility aids such as walkers, cranes or crutches (American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 2014). They also offer massage and train patients on the same as well as use of electrotherapy and physical agents such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound. Therefore, PTAs usually offer physical therapy services while under the supervision and direction of licensed physical therapists. These services are offered to persons of different ages with medical conditions or problems or any other health-related condition, which limits their capability to move or undertake functional activities during their everyday lives (APTA, 2014). Additionally, PTAs also measure any changes in the performance of a patient due to the physical therapy that has been offered. Their work settings vary from outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, home health to sports facilities and private practices. The scope of practice for the PTAs as set by the APTA consists of examining patients and their histories, testing and measuring their strength, balance, range of motion, muscle performance, coordination, posture, motor function and respiration under the supervision and direction of a licensed PT (APTA, 2014). They may also be involved in implementing the various patients’ treatment plans through the various modes of therapy to ensure continuity of care. With continuing treatment, progress is documented, and modifications may be made and implemented according to the PTs directions. The standard code of ethics for PTAs as delineated by the House of Delegates of the APTA emphasizes the special obligation of a PTA to ensure that a patient achieves greater independence, wellness and health as well as improved life quality (APTA, 2008). This is achieved by respecting patients’ rights and dignity, being compassionate and trustworthy, abiding by the law during decision-making and demonstrating integrity in their workplace. They should also enhance their competence by acquiring skills, knowledge and abilities. Education, Registration and certification A PTA education should be obtained from an accredited college or university after a two-year CAPTE-accredited associate degree. The program usually takes two years comprised of five semesters during which general education, clinical education and physical therapy courses are offered. The contents of primary physical therapy include although not limited to physiology and anatomy, biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise physiology, clinical pathology, neuroscience, behavioral sciences, ethics/values and communication (Education Portal, 2013). About 75 percent of a PTA curriculum is based on lab and classroom (didactic) study with the remaining 25 percent being dedicated for clinical education. A PTA student must also spend an average of 16 weeks on full-time experiences of clinical education. Ideally, the whole program costs about 7,816 dollars and 26,493 dollars in tuition fees in public and private institutions annually respectively according to 2008 approximations. Upon completion of the PTA program, one is awarded an associate degree in Physical Therapy Assistant. In order to practice as a PTA, one ought to be registered, certified or licensed by the particular state he/she wishes to work in, which requires passing of the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) (APTA, 2014). This exam is administered by the State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Completion of continuing education is also necessary in order to ensure that certification or licensure is maintained. Besides, PTAs are expected to be CPR certified. Employment The job outlook for this career shows a high demand for PTAs within the healthcare workforce despite the downturn in the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be a 35 percent growth in PTA employment between 2008 and 2018, which is a much faster rate of growth than any other healthcare occupation as the demand for their services grows. For example, in the month of October there were 2500 PTA jobs advertised in LinkedIn. Apparently, there are jobs that require one to have some experience while others welcome even those without experience (Education Portal, 2013). Ideally, those with experience are more preferable due to the skills, knowledge and the abilities that they possess, which at the same time warrants a higher pay compared to those without experience. The latter definitely start with a lower remuneration. Entry-level PTAs often start with a median salary of $42,100 although it may be as low as $32,420 while experienced PTAs earn a median salary of $52,160, which may rise up to about $62,360. Usually, becoming a PTA is only a beginning because there are various opportunities for career development with or without advancement in education. One can advance knowledge and skills in one field out of the many that include geriatric, pediatric, cardiopulmonary, integumentary, musculoskeletal or neuromuscular (APTA, 2014). Fellowship programs enable one to obtain skills and knowledge in a physical therapy subspecialty. They usually require at least 1000 hours of clinical experience in three years or 36 months. One can as well advance by undertaking postprofessional degrees such as postdoctoral programs or postprofessional ScD and PhD programs. Professional Activities APTA is the only professional body for physical therapists. In fact, PTA students can join and nationally the student 2014 membership charge stood at $80 with variations from state to state (APTA, 2014). Various journals have been publishing research issues related to physical therapy including the Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal located in Caroline Street of St. Louis, MO, the Journal of Physical Therapy published in Mullana-Amabala, Haryana, India and the Journal of the American Physical Therapy published in Baltimore. In most of the states, Continuing Educational Units (CEUs) are required for purposes of renewing practice licenses. CEUs are therefore required during every renewal with variations in the number of hours from state to state. For example, in the state of Alabama only 6 hours are required, 24 hours for Arkansas, none for Colorado, 20 hours for Illinois and 30 hours for Oklahoma among others (Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (ASBPT), 2014). These continuing education requirements can be met in various ways including taking or attending seminars or lectures related to the profession either in person or online. Courses may as well be offered by accredited professional organization on relevant topics (Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, 2008). Similarly, promoting a profession to outside audiences may satisfy the continuing education requirement leading to earning of a CEU. Each CEU comprises of ten hours of taking part in recognized continuing education session with qu alified sponsorship and instruction. Reflection/ Personal career Plan I believe that I can fit in this career field because of my desire to work with and assist persons with functional problems or ill health, with the aim of assisting them achieve functional abilities. At the end of the therapeutic regime, we (patient and I) will be able to see the results culminating from our hard work, a sign of valuable contribution to the recovery of an individual as well as quality of his life (APATA, 2014). This is bound to give me great satisfaction in my career as a PTA. Besides, I am a compassionate, caring and kind person with a passion of helping people. In order to be a professional PTA, my goal is to graduate as a competent entry-level PTA who functions effectively under supervision and direction of a licensed PT in the next two years. My learning objectives include acquiring knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to enable practice as a PTA as well as to instill in me value-based behaviors required for the profession. Further, in order that I may achieve my career goals and objectives I should ensure that, I am good in mathematics and physical sciences such as Biology, Chemistry and Anatomy among others (APTA, 2011). Besides, I will learn by example from my mentors, supervisors and senior students on the best PTA practices. References American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (2008). Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant. Alexandria: American Physical Therapy Association. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (2011). Values-Based bheaviors for the Physical Therapy Assistant. Alexandria: American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (2014). Practice and Patient Care. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from American Physical Therapy Association: http://www.apta.org/PatientCare/ Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy (ASBPT). (2014). Continuing Education. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from Arkansas State Board of Physical Therapy: http://www.arptb.org/education/ Education Portal. (2013). Physical Therapy Assistant: Overview of Career Education. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from Education Portal: http://education-portal.com/articles/Physical_Therapy_Assistant_Overview_of_Career_Education.html Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. (2008). Jurisdiction Licensure Reference Guide: Continuing Competence. Baltimore: Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Divorce and the Decline of Morality Essay -- Giving up on Marriage

As America's divorce rate continues to skyrocket, it seems that morality continues to plummet. Approximately sixty-five percent of all marriages in America end in divorce, and this number does not seem to be declining any time soon. Are we creating a new generation "Y" of single parents? Is a broken home the wave of the future? If Americans don't get a grip on morality, this will surely be the case. It is not possible to pinpoint exactly why America's divorce rate is so high, much higher than that of previous decades. There are so many issues today that contribute to divorce than had existed in the past. Take teen pregnancy, for instance. It is alarming that so many of our children are having children themselves. They feel they must get married at fifteen and sixteen because it is what's right for the baby. Needless to say, most teen marriages under these circumstances usually end in divorce. What kind of life is this for a child? What kind of values will they learn from their parents example? According to Stuart Shepard, staff writer for Focus on the Family, "divorce tears down our moral and social responsibility to our children. They see marriages as if things don't work out, you can just leave and not work it out" (Shepard np). Adult children of divorced families are three times more likely to get divorced than adult children raised with both parents in the home (Markman 128). This negative pattern of divorce is one that could go on for generations if Americans are not willing to slow down their rate of divorce. Another contributing factor is the fact that divorce is much more accepted by society as a whole. Even though a lot of American... ...hildren." 1997, November 20. 2000, June 25. Markman, H.J. and S. Stanley. Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps For A Loving and Lasting Relationship. San Francisco: Josey Bass, Inc, 1994. Shepard, S. "Study Examined Effects of Divorce". Focus on Family 2000, June 5: np. Stanley, S. Marriage in the 90's: A Nationwide Random Phone Survey. Denver, Colorado: PREP, Inc. 1997. Treas, J. and D. Giesen "Sexual Infidelity Among Married and Cohabiting Americans". Journal of Marriage and the Family Vol 62 (2000) : 48-60. U.S. Bureau of the Census. "Marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the 1990's." Washington, D.C.: Us. Government Printing Office, 1998. Zachary, G.P. "America: Straight-Laced Public Yawns at Scandal". The Wall Street Journal 1998, Feb 9: section B, p.1

Issues Surrounding Deviant Behavior of Police Officers

Different attributes of police culture are developed and sustained in the course of selecting, training and accepting police officers into the different ranks where they fit. By passing through the rigorous recruitment and training process, the police are subjected to a group or organization in which they are expected to portray a sense of admirable assimilation of culture (Stoddard, 1968; Barker, 1978; Williams, 1984; Atkinson & Housley, 2003). However, this is not usually the case.According to Barker (1978), a considerable amount of research findings shows that that there has been a chronicled increase in cases of police officers becoming isolated and therefore adopting deviant behavior. This form of isolation has been perceived to be meant to protect the police in their assignments, some of which involve dangerous undertakings such as dealing in drugs cases, protecting victims of harassment and so forth (Stoddard, 1968; Barker, 1978; Atkinson & Garcia, 2005).The element of danger in activities that the police partake in develops a tendency of the police to be suspicious. The suspicion is raised by the fact that the police officers become wary of possible crime instances and develop general suspicion towards everyone (Atkinson & Housley, 2003). This behavior leads the police officers to alienate themselves from friends, the community, the legal system an even from their spouses and families (Garcia, 2005). But the continued isolation results in the police officers having the potential to engage in deviant behavior (Stoddard, 1968; Barker, 1978).According to Williams (1984), deviance is not an attribute of the act committed by a person; rather, it is the consequence of the rules and sanctions applied to others by an offender (Stoddard, 1968; Garcia, 2005). Thus a deviant person is one to whom the label of deviance has successfully been applied. When various definitions of deviance apply to specific firms of criminal laws, it easy for sociologists to neglect th e aspect of behavior (Atkinson & Housley, 2003). Therefore, acts of deviance by the police officers in many aspects of their delivery of service may be ignored (Atkinson & Housley, 2003).Along the line legal affairs, courts, the legislature and the citizens also affect the behavior of police officers. Police officers are liable for questioning from the legislature, the courts and the citizenry in the process of handling various types of crimes and administering laws (Garcia, 2005). There have been wide concerns that the manner in which police officers handle different cases affects the outcome of various proceedings a great deal (Paoline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003).Of great concern is that if police officers portray any from of bias in handling legal issues, this results in a wide variance in the way in which laws are administered (Paoline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003). Since the 1970s, various authors such as Barker (1978) and Stoddard (1968) have highlighted the fact that there is a proliferation of police cynicism. A review of other literature works done by other authors such as Paoline (2001) and Atkinson and Garcia (2005) shows that there is a correlation between deviant behavior among a majority of police officers and the contours of the anomie theory.Thus, it is not surprising that police may exhibit deviance in handling cases involving alcohol and general drug abuse; they may be involved in sexual misconduct as well portraying acts of laxity in responding to cases that involve sexual violence- because for one, they may be the culprits in the cases (Paoline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003; Barker, 1978; Stoddard, 1968). Police deviance and ethics There are many issues surrounding the work of police officers. The tasks that the officers engage in during in their day-to-day operations are of a slippery nature.This is highlighted by the fact that there is a potential for progressive deterioration of social and moral inhibitions and the perceived se nse of acceptability of engaging in deviant conduct (Paoline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003). Police officers are involved in a variety of undercover activities that may involve putting up with false identities as well as inducing crime. (Paoline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003). In this context, it is possible for police officers to be involve in criminal activities since they may use their hidden identity to mastermind criminal acts.This is why Paoline (2001) suggests that there have been many instances where the police have been involved in inducing crime rather than reducing it. There are many other issues surrounding the work that police officers do. Paoline (2001) also notes that police are allowed to make false promises in order to bust criminal activities. But this freedom makes subjects civilians to instances that may be dehumanizing because of the way in which the police portray deviance.Police officers also find themselves handling sensitive court cases in which they are able to manipulate evidence and earn a lot of money from those involved (Atkinson & Housley, 2003). Paoline (2001) has noted that there are many cases where police officers strain truth that could be use as evidence in a suit in order to protect their friends and or relatives. In pursuit of truth in cases involving alcohol and drugs, Atkinson and Housley (2003) have noted that police do invade the strategic drug locations but may cause more losses than the amount that would be recovered by colluding with the drug dealers.Along this line, what is more perturbing is the way in which some police officers handle the offenders in drugs cases (Atkinson & Housley, 2003). For instance, the police department is a system that condemns dealing min drugs, but it is common to find police officers involved in drug trafficking because of the perverted institutional framework (Atkinson & Housley, 2003). It is also common for place officer to condemn civilians who deal in drugs and contraband, but is amazing how the same department condones officers who deal in drugs. Issues surrounding deviance and the impact of deviant behaviorAlthough deviance by police officers is inculcated due to their isolation from many members of the society, it is vice that also relates to other vices such as corruption, misconduct and favoritism. All these terms are characterized by friction between vices and virtues (Paline, 2001; Atkinson & Housley, 2003). Deviance per se is a kind of behavior that is incompatible with norms, ethics and values (Ben-Yehuda, 1990). On the other hand corruption is a forbidden act that involves inappropriate use of office for gain (Ben-Yehuda, 1990).Deviance and corruption are both epitomes of misconduct since misconduct is any kind of violation of laid out procedures in various departments (Ben-Yehuda, 1990). Yet, closely related to deviance is favoritism, which is characterized by unfair breaks from of procedures in order to please friends and relatives or to accom modate their interests (Ben-Yehuda, 1990). It is not surprising therefore, that even favoritism is one of the characteristics of deviance as exhibited by police officers. Drinking and use of drugs while on duty or off dutyIt is commonplace for police officers to be engaged in drinking of alcohol or use of other drugs while on duty and even when they off duty (Ben-Yehuda, 1990). This is augmented by the fact that most duties at the stations involve interviews with victims, which give the police a chance to solicit for drugs or alcohol (Ben-Yehuda, 1990). Disposal of contraband drugs is one of the major sources of the drugs used by police officers in that instead of disposing the drugs, some of the police officers keep the drugs for their own use (Ben-Yehuda, 1990).The drugs are taken as a means to reduce stress, to get high, or develop an alienation from the job (Barker, 1978). But obviously, this has far-reaching consequences such as low productivity and consequently, proliferation of crime (Barker, 1978). Away from the duty station, some officers engage in drinking and use of drugs as a form of recreation but this in most cases emanates from corrupt deals (Stoddard, 1968; Barker, 1978). This is because the officers obtain the drugs from rip-offs from victims and perpetrators of crime (Stoddard, 1968; Barker, 1978).This in effect sets a bad example to the public domain in regard to the behavior of the police. The effect of alcohol use among police officers is evident in the slow process in which cases are handled, poor processing of documents, and so forth because it affects mental judgment (Stoddard, 1968). According to Barker (1978) and Stoddard (1968), police officers have a tendency to mix drugs and illicit drugs because of the wide sub cultural support for alcohol and alcoholism, hence the drug abusers cover up the drug deal with alcoholism.According to Atkinson (2003), the problem of police officers engaging in use of drugs becomes more intriguing when p olice partake in the drug syndicate as dealers or sellers. It is common to hear of stories of police officers supplying drugs in rock concerts (Atkinson, 2003). The situation is undoubtedly caused by the police officers’ greed for monetary gain (Atkinson, 2003). Nevertheless, some police officers have been on record suggesting that they supply drugs in the concerts as an undercover operation to identify the drug’s users (Atkinson, 2003).In spite of such an excuse, it is obvious that the officers use gatherings to make quick money from drugs (Atkinson, 2003). The trend of police involvement in drug syndicates has been widespread in many states of the United States. But the police seem to be comfortable with the status quo. Police Officer Associations in many regions save for a few places like Hawaii have opposed suggestions to carry out random drug testing (Atkinson, 2003).In particular, the associations oppose suggestions to perform drug tests on police officers who ar e involved in shooting incidents, as doing so immediately after the shooting event tends to taint the image of the police officer (Atkinson, 2003). The irony is that the same groups of police officers support stiff punishment for any persons involved in dealings that involve illicit drugs. This partisan stance by police depicts a point that they are not ready discard totally get rid of deviant acts. Cases of sexual misconduct and violenceAccording to many police sources, the police usually come in contacts with many cases that are sexually- arousing (Atkinson, 2003). Thus it commonplace for police to be in touch with promiscuous women (Atkinson, 2003). This causes the police to develop ties after some time. In addition, a significant number of women who get attracted to police uniform because they guaranteed of security when they are with the police (Atkinson, 2003). These women commonly wave at the police, and wait for them at stopovers where they hold meetings and even have sex wi th them.The police do this in spite of them being aware that such acts amount to deviance (Stoddard, 1968). There are situations such as that in which police officers take advantage of the vulnerability of women and use it to extend their deviance (Kraska & Kappeler, 1995). One is at traffic stops in which the officers get closer looks at the women and note further information about them (Stoddard, 1968). The impact of this is that such women become vulnerable and easily give in to the officers’ demands when they meet subsequent times.Secondly, police officers do fox hunting in which they target college girls and make sexual demands, threatening the girls with arrest if they are not wiling to give in (Kraska & Kappeler, 1995). Thirdly, the police also practice voyeurism in which they peep through windows to see naked women under they pretext that they are on security patrols (Stoddard, 1968). Other instances of sexual misconduct involve police officers making forceful victim recontacts in which they always ensure that they remain with the contacts of the female victims of crime who require psychological help (Kraska & Kappeler, 1995).Using the excuse of consoling the victims, many police officers usually end up harassing the women. Some police officers go further to touch the inmates of the opposite sex during routine searches or even worse, have sex with them. (Stoddard, 1968). In other cases, male police officers have been noted to let prostitutes go free if they have sex with them. The deviant behavior of police officers is further portrayed by the point that some officers get involved in rape (Kraska & Kappeler, 1995).Many rogue officers have been known to coerce women into having sex or raping victims who come to report other crimes. Some officers even perform ‘second rapes’ to victims of rape. The case in San Francisco in 1985 where a police recruit was handcuffed on a chair and a prostitute brought to perform oral sex on him is a sta rk indicator that some police officers are hostile towards each other (Kraska & Kappeler, 1995). The effects of sexual harassment have been grave, including mental torture and psychological trauma. Police brutalityIn spite of the fact that police officers usually undergo training to gain skills of handling the public, they seem to forget them once they are deployed, perhaps due the effect of too much isolation. Hence, they commonly exhibit use of excessive force while handling perpetrators of crime, and are fond of name-calling, ridicule, sarcasm and disrespect. Some of the instances in which brutality is exhibited by the police include use of obscene language, random and forceful searches, us of physical force approaching offenders with pistols.Conclusion In spite of the training that police officers usually undergo, it is apparent that isolation from other people inculcates in them some behavior that is unbecoming. The deviant behavior is shown when he police engage in drug abuse, get involved in sexual violence and other forms of unpleasant behavior. Deviance is characterized by behavior that is incompatible with norms, ethics and values and leads to the public’s loss of confidence in the police. Worse still, victims of police torture suffer a lot of trauma. References Atkinson, P & Housley, W. (2003). Interactionism: An Essay in Sociological AmnesiaLondon: SAGE Barker, T. (1978). An Empirical Study of Police Deviance Other Than Corruption. Journal of Police Science and Administration 6(3): 258-72 Ben-Yehuda, N. (1990). The Politics and Morality of Deviance: Moral Panics, Drug Abuse, Deviant Science, and Reversed Stigmatization. New York: SUNY Press Garcia V. (2005). Constructing the ‘other' within police culture: an analysis of a deviant unit within the police organization. Police Practice and Research: An International Journal, 6 (1):Â   78 – 80 Kraska P. B. & Kappeler V. E.(1995). To serve and pursue exploring police sexual violence against women. Justice Quarterly, 12(1):Â   85 – 111 Paoline, E A. (2001). Rethinking Police Culture: Officers' Occupational Attitudes. New York: LFB Scholarly Publishing Stoddard, E. (1968). The Informal Code of Police Deviancy: A Group Approach to Blue-Coat Crime. Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science 59: 210-13. Williams, G.H. (1984). The Law and Politics of Police Discretion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press

Philosophy of Education Essay

Introduction No doubts that the demand for English language proficiency is high as Malaysians enter the international arena. Ergo, the purpose of this paper is to discuss on one of the hottest issues that perturbs the nation – low English language proficiency among Malaysian students. In order to understand more about the issue, we sought to dig the root causes of the issue and in doing so we discovered that the teaching methods applied by teachers because of the factors are contributing to the issue as well. In other words, the factors are interrelated to the reasons why such ill teaching methods are being applied and all these are resulting in low production of good English speakers in Malaysia. First of all, low English language proficiency is the unsatisfactory ability of an individual to speak or perform in English. The overriding concern with this issue is not unreasonable as we need the language to thrive in this 21st century. On the other hand, teaching methodology refers to a set of different principles and methods that are used to instruct students in a teaching and learning environment. In the educational settings, it is rather important to induce the peak performance from the students. This simply means that, we have to conquer the deterrent (i. e. the factors of the issue), whether we modify them or we eliminate them. Like any other issues, there is no such theory as â€Å"one-size-fits-all† solution to handle it. Therefore, we, as the future English teachers want to bring forth several possible recommendations as ways to overcome this issue in hopes that these approaches can truly be implemented and make a difference in the history of English Education in  Malaysia. Issue The pressing issue with low English language proficiency among Malaysian students has been revolving in the ministry of Education. Most students had no problem coping English Language during preschool whereby they were only exposed to the alphabet and very simple words. The real problem began to exist in the elementary level when most of the students were unable to follow the lessons. Students who cannot master English basic skills in this elementary level will breed more problems during the secondary and tertiary level in schools. In primary education, students are not being placed in a very conducive English language learning environment in which they will be given bountiful opportunities to use the language (Ali, 2003). Students fail to use English on a daily basis and when they are forced to use English to communicate, they speak pejorative English which causes the flow of communication to be stymied. This is probably the main reason why students converse in their own mother tongue more often than they do in English. In the modern age of technology, students with low English language proficiency will not make the most out of the internet because most of the websites are in English. If they cannot understand English used in the websites, they will have a hard time attempting to utilize the device. Not only that, the demand of high English language proficiency is around the globe. We can survive here in Malaysia with national language (i. e. Bahasa Malaysia) and our proud dialects yet we need English Language if we want the whole world to know us. Without a good grasp of the English language, students will be deprived of many opportunities in life since English is the international language. Hence, if we want to make a difference in this situation, we will have to start with the primary education. We believe that this issue shall no longer haunt the Malaysians once the root problems have been improvised or rather, solved. Factors The issue with the low English language proficiency among Malaysian students has arisen because the educators are not aware of the manipulative factors behind this tragic scenario. In this section, we will explore these contributory factors. First of all, the number of students is crucial in determining the quality of teaching and learning process. In Malaysia, most of the schools place 30-40 students in one class. In spite of the level of English standard of each student is different, teacher attempts to teach students in the same way. Due to this large number of students in one class, the teacher often has no choice but to apply the boring method – lecture method. To a certain extent, lecture method is appropriate but if that is the only method the teacher is going to apply in class, it will result in dullness and inefficiency. In addition, the large number of students inhibits the teacher to give attention to every single student thus passive learning ensues. Another factor of impeding the students’ ability in English language is that students themselves fall short of initiative and participation in the classroom (Juhana, 2012). Students show no interest in a so-called foreign language and hence very reluctant to get involved with the teaching and learning session. They are inactive to put their own effort in seeking knowledge. For instance, when a student does not understand a certain word in an essay, he or she expects the teacher to provide the meaning. So, instead of waiting for the students to take the initiative to check on the dictionary (which takes time), teacher simply resorts to spoon-feeding method (i. e. providing every material for the students). In the end, only the teacher is learning and the students will merely passively wait on the teacher for answers. In an English class, the reason students failed to use English effectively also attributes to the Eastern philosophy whereby a teacher has the tendency to criticize students’ mistakes very harshly. It demotivates students, making them fearful of speaking the next time and in the worst scenario, students hate the subject and pass up the opportunity of learning. Teachers are impatient with the students’ slips of tongue and they consider such mistakes as a sign of failure. When the students do speak correctly, the teachers think it is how it should be done and they rarely give any words of encouragement or compliments (Hassan & Jamaludin, n. d. ). This tendency indirectly renders the teacher to apply autocratic teaching style which is not helpful for English language learning. This method emphasizes on the teacher’s authoritative identity hence it is very hard for such strict-and-powerful autocratic image to smile and give compliments. Furthermore, due to the exam-oriented platform, many teachers rush through the year in order to push the students to sit for the examination (Ali, 2003). In the English classroom, many teachers have no time to concern with the understanding of students regarding to the rules of grammar, the structures of the sentences and whatnot. For example, they give students essays and require them to copy and memorize. The way to prepare the students for examination the teachers deem best is by drilling. However, such rote learning will only result in stress instead of meaningful learning experience. Eventually, the students are drilled to become competent only on papers but failed completely in daily usage of English. All these factors are equally pernicious in taking a toll on the second language performance among Malaysian students. As educators, we have to generate the strategies to overcome these factors and make the impossible possible. Solutions Previously, we have discovered many factors that indirectly cause the teacher to implement inappropriate teaching methods and so result in low English language proficiency. These factors sum up in one word: teacher-centered. This explains why the teachers are hardly implementing various innovative teaching methods. Teacher-centered method applied in today’s classroom is not effective anymore. Instead of using teacher-centered method, student-centered method which derived from the Modern and Western philosophies should be implemented. Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the context or the teacher. Hence, since the number of students is large, the schools should bring in more facilitators in a class to assist the students. This will help the facilitator pays close attention to the students. With the assistance of facilitators in a classroom, there is no reason why active learning cannot take place. For example, one leading teacher can carry out the group discussion and enable the children to experience hands-on learning. A French philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre, suggested that for youth, the existential moment arises when young people realize for the first time that choice is theirs, that they are responsible for themselves. The nature of reality for Existentialists is subjective, and it lies within the individual. They have the freedom to take charge of their own learning as  they are given the opportunity to manage their own learning process. We as teachers are responsible to facilitate the students in their learning process rather than teaching them what to do. This indirectly helps to provide opportunity for the students to take control of their own learning process. As they are interested in what they have chosen to read or learn, they will be the ones who solve the problem (e. g. meaning of a word) instead of being spoon-fed by the teachers. In this way they will be able to make progress in their lessons and participate more. Western philosophers stress on active participation on their learners but to criticize and demotivate the students is not proper in the western philosophy. Western education philosophy believes that providing compliments to the students is an important task for a teacher as it will motivate the students to strive hard. For example, compliments given to the students when they score well in their examination or did a good job in the task or assignments given by the teacher. However, teachers should not only provide compliment when they excel but also to give encouragement when they are not doing so well in the examination. For instance, during an English class, teacher distributes the test papers after the examination, it is not encouraged for the teacher to read out loud the score as it will demotivate and also embarrass the student. It is better that the teacher gives a word of encouragement so to push them to work harder next time. Furthermore, the education ministers should really abolish the exam-oriented system. Instead, the 50% coursework assessment should enter the system. Coursework can include all kinds of fun activities that require students to apply the language learned. This is to overcome the agonizing drilling method. With that, Western philosophy that emphasizes on understanding the subject matter can be very handy in this scenario. For example, the students should learn by understanding the reasons why each part of speech in grammar has different functions. In a nutshell, according to the Western philosophy, students learn by meaningful learning, they do not memorize what they have learnt but rather understand what they are learning. These philosophical resolutions are only useful provided the government, educators, teachers, parents and students and community at large give their best cooperation into making them a success. If we are serious about improvising the English language proficiency among Malaysian students, nothing can stop us, not even the factors of the failure in the first place. Conclusion In conclusion, teaching methodology contributes towards the effectiveness and success of the teaching and learning process. As what we have explored there are several factors that hinder the English Language proficiency among Malaysian students. Among those contributory factors discussed are the number of students, students’ shortfall of motivation, harsh criticism for students’ mistakes and the exam-oriented education system. All these factors are very much harmful in the process of second language acquisition (i. e. English Language). As such, we have provided remarkably appropriate strategies as the solutions to overcome this issue. They are the implementation of student-centered teaching which focuses on the students’ – their ideas and opinions, providing more teachers as facilitators in class, hands on learning (Progressivism), place importance on individual choice (Existentialism), giving compliments instead of criticism (Western Philosophy), and learn through understanding rather than mere memorization (Western Philosophy). Hence, by utilizing all the four education philosophies in moderation which are Modern philosophies such as Progressivism and Existentialism, also the two Western approaches that focus on students rather than the teachers. We strongly agree with usage of the Modern Philosophies and the Western Philosophies according to the needs and suitability of class as what we have discussed. We believe that we can produce an ideal education transformation to develop individual holistically and thus enhance the English Language proficiency by applying and practicing appropriate teaching methods to encounter the troublesome factors. References Ali, M. S. (2003). English Language Teaching in Primary Schools: Policy and Implementation Concerns. IPBA E-Journal, 2-3. Hassan, A. & Jamaludin, N. S. (n. d. ) Approaches & Values in Two Gigantic Educational Philosophies: East and West. Retrieved on March, 22, 2013 from http://www. oerj. org/View? action=viewPaper&paper=7 Juhana, J. (2012). Psychological Factors That Hinder Students from Speaking in English Class (A Case Study in a Senior High School in South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia). Journal of Education and Practice, Vol 3, No 12. , 103.