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Copyright © 2019 Nahid Zarei et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
One of the most important factors related to learners' willingness to communicate (WTC) is teachers' use of socioaffective and pedagogic strategies, which are tightly related to cultural context of education. The present qualitative study, using focus group interview, investigated 19 EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers' perspectives about their socioaffective and pedagogic strategy use in intermediate classes, with a focus on Iranian culture, as an effort to understand to what extent these strategies are facilitating or debilitating of students' WTC. Using Creswell's six steps of inductive analysis, two main themes of facilitating and hindering factors emerged. The findings are suggestive in terms of contribution of several cultural and social factors related to the interaction between EFL teachers and students and its relation to WTC. It also discusses the implications of the study for EFL teachers.
With the advent of communicative approaches to language learning, classroom participation has assumed paramount importance, because it is believed that learners' competence in English as a second language (L2) is developed through performance . This importance has diverted researchers' attention to the construct of willingness to communicate (WTC).
WTC is "a readiness to enter into discourse at a particular time with a specific person or persons, using a L2" (, p. 547). It depends on both personal traits and situational factors , which can be changed under varying circumstantial conditions. Therefore, these conditions should be given due attention in second language pedagogy. In fact, from a context-sensitive view, a student's low or high WTC may be the result of several external and situational factors residing in the immediate context . Out of the external variables, teachers play a determining role in engendering WTC. Mercer and Howe  found that teachers' use of certain interactional strategies affects students' participation in class and consequently their educational outcomes. Therefore, besides their content knowledge, teachers' specific strategies, such as socioaffective and pedagogic strategies may push the learners forward by manipulating other variables in the classroom environment or stop them short of learning.
Social strategies have been defined as communicative strategies that assist in conveying messages to others and as a result expedite the teaching process , and affective strategies involve lowering affective filter . Pedagogic strategies are procedures that serve as the basis for a teacher's classroom behavior and activities (Feinman-Nemser and Flodden, 1986, Shulman, 1986, 1987, as cited in ).
There is a growing body of literature recognizing the important role of teachers in fostering interaction and participation in L2 classrooms. Some of these studies focused on teachers' attitude and teaching style [9–11], involvement [4, 10], and teacher immediacy [9–12]. They have employed various methodologies; for example, Zarrinabadi  examined the effect of teachers on Iranian university students' WTC utilizing a focused essay technique. He asked students to write about their feelings and situations in which they were most willing or unwilling to communicate in L2. The results revealed that teachers' wait time, support, error correction, and decision on the topic had a main impact on students' willingness to communicate. Using a questionnaire survey and taking a structural equation modeling approach, Fallah  tested a model of L2 communication that examined the potential connections among WTC in English, three individual differences (shyness, motivation, and communication self-confidence) and one situational variable (teacher immediacy) in Iranian EFL context. The findings of his study indicated significant positive paths from motivation and communication self-confidence and negative paths from shyness to self-confidence and motivation and from teacher immediacy to shyness.
Most of the studies (e.g., [11, 12]) have been informative regarding teacher's role in classroom interaction and learners' WTC; however, to the best knowledge of the authors, the decisive role of teachers regarding their use of socioaffective and pedagogic strategies and learners' WTC, within cultural context of Iran, has not been focused. Hence, the purpose of this study, employing a qualitative research, is to explore Iranian EFL teachers' perspectives toward socioaffective and pedagogic strategy use in engendering WTC in the classroom within cultural context of Iran.
WTC was originally developed in the field of first language (L1) communication by McCroskey and Baer , who regarded it as "a personality-based, trait-like predisposition which is relatively consistent across a variety of communication contexts and types of receivers" (p. 6). However, MacIntyre  adapted it for L2 studies as a situated construct which is influenced by both immediate situational factors and more enduring ones. MacIntyre et al.  devised a pyramid shape structure called heuristic model, composed of several layers, to show the range of potential influences on WTC in the L2. Differentiating between stable enduring influences (such as personality traits) and situation specific influences informing communication behavior (e.g., desire to communicate with a specific person), the model assumed importance .
The construct has assumed an important role in second language acquisition due to the interactive opportunity it can create first in the classroom and then in authentic situations. Willingness to communicate functions as a path to language learning inasmuch as higher levels of WTC contribute to more frequent L2 use , and this increased interaction is thought to promote successful L2 development [16, 17]. Empirical studies have not only found that L2 WTC is related to some inherently stable individual factors such as personality, age, and gender [18–20] but they have also discovered that it is related to some situational and contextual factors, such as topic, interlocutors, group size, cultural background, teacher, and classroom social environment  [4, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 22, 23]. From among these situational factors teachers' socioaffective and pedagogic strategies, as one of the learner external variables , are the main focus of the present study.
Since learning is both affective and cognitive in nature [6, 25, 26], teachers need to deploy both socioaffective and pedagogic strategies to enrich classroom interaction and to aid learning. Pedagogic strategies are the knowledge of both handling specific language items and knowledge about techniques and procedures which facilitate learning . Some of these strategies which may affect teacher-student interactional patterns and relationships are teachers' error correction, wait time, , and their ability of adaptation (congruence) , to name a few. Socioaffective strategies are about student-teacher relationships (building rapport). Brown  defined socioaffective strategies as a set of emotional and instructional strategies used to facilitate and accelerate the process of teaching and learning through tackling students' emotions. These strategies, according to Brown, pertain to social meditating activity and emotional interaction with others. O'Malley and Chamot  also defined them as strategies that are related to social mediating activity and transacting with others. Examples of these characteristics include being kind, supportive, caring, approachable, entertaining, and friendly  and teachers' verbal and nonverbal immediacy [11, 12], politeness, and fairness. As Daly and Kreiser  noted, teachers enhance their interpersonal relationship with their students hoping that if they are liked by their students, they will pay more attention to their instructions, will participate more actively, and as a consequence, learn more.
To avoid confusion and overlap, in this paper, we have used the term socioaffective strategies to refer to those instructional strategies that improve teacher-student rapport and pedagogic strategies to refer to the instructional strategies that assist the teacher in transmitting the teaching material.
Teachers are the main role players in EFL classes, and their strategies may affect learners' WTC in the classroom within each cultural context. What governs this pattern in Iran may pertain to some cultural values in the country affecting the social context at the macro level and the classroom context at the microlevel.
Iran has been categorized as a collectivist culture in several studies [34–37]. However, some other scholars believe that Iran is very high on the in-group collectivism (the extent to which individuals are attached to their families and circles of friends) and rather low on the institutional collectivism (the extent to which members of the societies respect broader societal interests versus individual interests) [38, 39]. This orientation has led Iranians to demonstrate closeness to family and in-group members (close friends) and lack of trust to out-group [39, 40], which might affect their interaction pattern and communicative behavior in social context, including classroom context.
This hierarchy starts from family and continues to school and finally to the society, which might have a decisive role affecting the degree of interaction, which, in turn, highlights the important role of the teacher and socioaffective and pedagogic strategies he or she uses in the classroom to raise students' WTC. Iran also scores high on uncertainty avoidance; in other words, people have low tolerance of ambiguity and unstructured situations, and they feel uncomfortable in novel or unknown situations . Considering masculinity vs. femininity dimension, in a study conducted by Hofstede  and Saboori et al. , Iran was found to be a relatively feminine country, in which the emotional and social role differentiation between genders is not high.
So far, numerous studies have been conducted attempting to examine teachers' role in classroom interaction and communication, generally, and WTC, particularly; however, none of them paid due attention to the role of culture in Iranian context, except for studies conducted in Chinese cultural context [4, 10, 23]. Furthermore, to the best knowledge of the researchers, most of the studies probed into the issue from learners' point of view ignoring to address teachers in data collection. Moreover, none of these studies have used the focus group interview for data collection. In fact, the focus group is "synergistic" because it creates an environment that results in a deep and insightful discussion . Accordingly, the present study was prompted to answer the following question. What are Iranian EFL teachers' perceptions of socioaffective and pedagogic strategy use in engendering WTC in the classroom within cultural context of Iran?
Initial participants of this qualitative study were 25 female EFL teachers selected through purposeful sampling, in which the site and participants were selected in accordance with the criteria we had in mind , including high proficiency and teaching experience from four popular English institutes in Tabriz, Iran. We conducted the research in private language institutes in Iran because compared with the state schools, these institutes are more willing to adapt themselves to communicative approach to language teaching. On average, the classes included 15 female students (with the age range of 15–24, M = 18.06) taking intermediate general English courses. The researchers selected the most proficient teachers (hired with the entrance score of +100 in TOEFL, PBT, or IELTS score of 7.5 and recommended by the observers on-site) with an age range of 28 to 55 and teaching experience of 6–22 years purposefully so that they would be "information rich" (, p. 169). Six of these participants participated in the pilot study (see Table 1), and 19 of them took part in the main study (see Table 2). They all spoke Azeri Turkish as their native language. Twenty one of them were holding a master's degree in TESOL; three of them had a B.A. in TESOL; and one of them had a Ph.D. in TESOL.
Table 1: Participants of the pilot group.
Table 2: Participants of the main group.
The method of data collection for the teachers' perspectives was focus group interview. A set of questions were designed by the researchers to explore teachers' socioaffective and pedagogic strategy use with a focus on cultural context of Iran. The study consisted of two phases, the pilot and main. We consulted Cresswell  for the number of participants and followed Krueger's  guidelines about participants, environment, moderator, analysis, and reporting to provide structure to the focus group interview. We used a semistructured interview with open-ended questions to allow for any additional questions and ideas raised during the interview . The interview, in the pilot (), was face to face and was recorded on two high-tech mobile phones in case one of them malfunctioned and the other would record the information. The main study focus group was conducted through Telegram (Telegram is a widely used social network in Iran. It permits forming a group of any size, and easily provides a discussion forum both synchronic and asynchronic. It also registers the time and date of the interaction) (social media); therefore, we used an Asus laptop to gather the data from the desktop Telegram.
The researchers divided the participants into four groups. Six of them participated in the pilot, and 19 teachers participated in the main study. The interview questions were given to teachers a week before the interview in the pilot study, while they were sent through Telegram in the main study. Having explained the goal of the research and procedures in detail in both the pilot and main study, we secured their consent before their participation and assured anonymity. The interview took three hours in the pilot study and a week in the main study.
It is worth noting that we resorted to technology (i.e., Telegram, a social network) to gather data in the main study for several reasons. First, because of the teachers' tight schedule, it was difficult to specify a certain time to meet for the interview. Second, teachers' writing on Telegram would facilitate the process of analysis; for data transcription, it would not be required. Indeed, such interviews save researchers the time and cost of transcription, because the textual data are self-transcribing . Another advantage is that approaches mediated through text supply data otherwise unavailable in face-to-face approaches. In addition, as the participants were going to write their ideas in the group on Telegram, it would eliminate the need for member check after the transcription. Last, some participants are not as talkative as the others in the focus group interview, but they may have a better chance to participate on-line, which is another potential advantage of mediated approaches that they can even out power differences and encourage full participation from all members .
Having taken into consideration all the points mentioned above, the researcher started the interview. After informing the participants, we made a group on Telegram and added them to the group. The participants received the questions on Telegram one at a time. They had one day to answer the questions. The interview was mostly synchronic (usually after 9 p.m.), with one of the researchers as the moderator, and sometimes asynchronic (usually during the day). The researcher intervened and gave a feedback to the interviewees regularly to keep them active and interactive.
The recordings of focus group interviews, in the pilot, were transcribed verbatim by the researcher following the instructions provided by Friedman ; that is, we used a standard orthography and included features of imperfect speech, such as hesitation markers, cutoffs and restarts, pauses, and fillers. However, we excluded nonverbal speech owing to the recording system (smart phones). The transcription yielded 5,074 words.
In the main study, the data were copied and pasted on the Microsoft Word file. The interview yielded 16, 188 words. The researchers followed Cresswell's  six steps of inductive analysis, in both phases, to abstract the data (see Appendix for an example of coding process). In the first cycle, having read the text several times, we coded the data. In the second cycle coding, patterns within the data were developed and categorized. Finally, two overarching themes with some minor themes evolved. To achieve reliability, we had a second coder, already skilled in coding, who double-code some random samples from different sections of the dataset as recommended by Revesz . To take into account the chance agreement, the researchers applied Cohen's Kappa coder reliability, which is calculated by dividing the number of agreements by the total number of decisions made. The level of interrater reliability by Cohen's Kappa was found to be 0.76.
Two specific themes emerged from the focus group interview, depicting the perspectives of EFL teachers toward socioaffective and pedagogic strategies deployed in EFL classes to raise WTC within cultural context of Iran. These themes include (a) facilitating factors and (b) hindering factors (Table 3). Quotations used within each theme indicate verbatim remarks by the participants.
Table 3: Teachers' perspectives on socioaffective and pedagogic strategies in raising WTC.
The participants' remarks regarding facilitating factors, as Table 1 indicates, included (a) developing positive relationship, (b) choice of the topic, and (c) teaching style, which are as follows.
As a result, learners do not expect proximity from teachers. One of the participants stated when they walked into the classroom during group or pair work to monitor their students' activities, they caused interruption or withdrawal on the part of the students, because they felt insecure when monitored closely by the teacher.
However, another participant said that she tries to be standing up most of the time in a position to reach all the students and encourage WTC. Another strategy to express immediacy by teachers in this study was to address students by the first name basis. Nonetheless, as seniority still affects communicative behavior in Iran, and addressing a student by first name is not a common practice in the educational setting, the teachers stated that they considered the language learners' age while addressing them. What the teachers found interesting was their older students' tendency to be called by their first name because they said they felt comfortable to join the communicative activates.
Humor, as another motivational teaching strategy , was emphasized by the teachers. They pointed to the determining role of laughter and humor in the atmosphere of the class especially when engendered by the teacher himself/herself. They asserted that it eases the tension and opens the atmosphere to participation except in some classes with too many noisy students, in which they preferred to be somewhat more serious in order to be able to control them.
To encourage students' participation, eye contact was also mentioned as one of the facilitating factors. One of the teachers said "some of the reticent students who don't want to participate usually sit somewhere out of sight, so when you keep eye contact with them you make them involve" (ID: 18, age: 32).As Richmond asserted "when there is little eye contact between students and teacher, students do not know when to ask, or how to approach the teacher" (2002, p.73).
One of my teachers used to turn his back to us and write on the board without explaining the lesson. He asked questions and then answered himself. We felt suffocated in the class because we were not allowed to talk or we would be called names (ID: 2, age: 32).
The teachers said they tried to listen to their students attentively while putting on a welcoming expression, respect their ideas by thanking them for sharing their ideas, and be sympathetic to their problems. Teachers' listening to their students as a counselor, in or outside the class, attentively acts as a reinforcement and can change their students' communication behavior . Caring teachers, according to Steele , respect their students through encouraging words and the "often-stated belief" that students can remove learning barriers. One of the teachers noted when questions and problems are dealt with respectfully, they do not feel humiliated, and as a result, they are more willing to talk. She added she convinces the students that what they say is interesting and worthy of attention. As in Iranian culture, girls' silence is a sign of politeness; one of the teachers felt the need to remind the reticent students of their power and to encourage them to express their opinion on the issues raised in the class. One of the teachers said, "when I feel a student is not able to answer my question, I provide a model answer or call upon another student to answer and finally I go back to her for the answer" (ID: 12, age: 34).
(3) Fairness. Another effective strategy the teachers employed in their classes was to ensure fairness to prevent the students' unwillingness to participate. In the educational setting, needs-based fairness has been advised by Ruth and Berry . Fairness, in this logic, does not mean that teachers provide equal support and instruction to all the students but more to those who need to achieve academically (Collins, 2003, Forlin and Forlin, 2002 as cited in ). Despite seeming reasonable, needs-based fairness may not sound fair in some situations from the students' point of view. For instance, the teachers maintained that female students were more sensitive about teachers' treatment and they sometimes complained about their discriminatory behavior. For example, when the teacher admired a student over her achievement, the others expected to be praised, too; otherwise, they would avoid participation.
In addition, teachers considered unfair treatment detrimental to the atmosphere of the class believing that in case of unfair treatment students start distancing, lose confidence in them, and become reticent. In general, teachers' fair treatment might affect classroom atmosphere because it may affect students' cohesiveness. Clement et al.  found that classroom interaction and learning were considerably affected by student cohesiveness because learners in a cohesive group may feel more motivated to study and do learning tasks (Peng, 2009, as cited in ).
(4) Teachers' Enthusiasm. Teachers' enthusiasm, active presentation, and dynamism cause pupils to like him or her , which may reduce tension in the classroom atmosphere and foster participation. The interviewed teachers agreed that their liveliness encouraged the learners' WTC. One of the teachers stated "I disagree with the idea that a teacher needs to nod and say things like ok and then move on to another student. This kills life in the class and hinders participation" (ID: 10, age: 37). As Steele stated, teaching without passion has a "pedestrian quality." The teacher presents the lesson but doesn't try to make the experience memorable . Recalling a school memory, another teacher said "one day I noticed the teacher was so energetic, lively and the next day she looked tired and angry, then I didn't dare to speak. I preferred to keep quiet" (ID: 8, age: 36).
Several researchers emphasized the importance of topic in raising interaction (Cao and Philip, 2006) [4, 11, 60]. In addition to learners' familiarity with the topic and register done by Cao , the participants believed that in order to encourage their learners' involvement, they brought their personal life and experience to classroom. This built confidence and encouraged them to talk about their own real-life problems, interests, and experiences. They said since students are mostly the same age, have more or less similar problems at school, society, or even families, and share homogeneous cultural background, the real-life examples are more tangible to them. They also noted that the topics raised by the students are so appealing that the whole class can become involved. One of the teachers believed that the conversation largely depends on the attitude the teacher has toward the topic. One of the teachers believed that in order to involve all students in the discussion, she usually writes a range of topics on the board and the students vote; the teacher chooses the topic, which gets majority of the approval.
Challenging activities and teachers' error correction strategies were mentioned as the most important facilitating factors related to teaching style. Each of these factors merits a detailed elaboration, which is as follows.
The teachers stated that challenging questions such as referential questions can force even the most reserved to state their ideas. The literature about referential questions confirms that these questions make for longer and more complex student utterances than display questions . In addition, they believed when it comes to a warm up, asking a general question is important. For instance, one of the teachers said, "I usually ask serial questions rather than disjointed ones to encourage talk" (ID: 24, age: 39). Another one noted, "If the teacher can engender a series of questions and responses based on the responses she gets from her students, a better conversation and exchange of ideas will be witnessed" (ID: 6, age: 30). They also pointed to the significance of using different questions to challenge the learners to take part and as a result, increase the amount of time allocated to student talk. One of the teachers believed that in order not to miss the engagement of low-proficiency students in challenging activities, teachers need to give more "talking time" to them, so that they can express themselves.
As one of the commonly applied strategies in the classroom, error correction has always been a controversial issue in L2 classes. Some of the previous studies [62–65] found very strong preferences for metalinguistic and recasts among Iranian EFL learners, and Japanese EFL learners and learners of Japanese, respectively. Unlike Kaivanpanah et al.'s  findings which did not reveal any clear preference for immediate versus delayed CF in oral communication, the results of Zhang and Rahimi  study indicated that the immediate corrective feedback was ranked the first by both high- and low-anxiety Iranian EFL learners. In fact, their study echoes Mackey's  view that CF is the most effective when it is given in context at the time when the learner makes an error. Whatever is the approach to corrective feedback, the principle purpose, especially in oral interaction, is not to interrupt the flow of speech. When asked about the type of feedback provided in the classes in order not to impede the progress of interaction, the participant teachers said they avoided correcting them on the spot, unless the mistake was so serious that they had to stop them and have on the spot correction. The teachers also stated they tried to wait for some time to see if the students were able to finish their sentences or correct themselves. They mostly agreed with correcting their mistakes indirectly or by eliciting self-correction.
One of the controversial issues among participants was peer-correction. Some of them believed students prefer teacher-correction rather than peer-correction, which is a mentality rooted in teachers' authority; however, some allowed peer-correction because they believed it could lead to all students' attentiveness and participation in the class.
Cognitive congruence or teacher's adaptability refers to the ability of teachers to express themselves in a comprehensible language by using concepts students use and explaining them in ways students can easily understand . Teachers' congruence or adaptability according to interviewees affects EFL learners' WTC. As one of the teachers said when the lesson is beyond the students' comprehension level, they withdraw and become reticent. The teachers agreed that when students do not grasp the concepts, they lose their confidence; therefore, they even avoid the teacher's eye contact. One of the teachers believed that "by encouraging students to let us know whether they understand the lesson or not, we can help them become more involved" (ID: 25, age: 55).
Some other factors were mentioned as debilitating ones to interaction: (1) teachers' role, (2) teaching style, and (3) institutional expectations.
According to Murray and Christison , "Student-teacher interactions mostly reflect the dominant societal values such as those related to gender, class, ethnicity, or race. Classroom discourse, then, can either perpetuate the power imbalances of society, or challenge those power relations" (p. 49). Regarding the educational context of Iran, the teachers in this study said that teacher-centered classes are more common in Iran. Most teachers prefer to hold the floor and not leave it to the students in order not to have problems with time and class management; in addition, just few of them encourage talk in the classroom. As teachers play more the role of a transmitter of the information, role relationships between teachers and learners become unequal; as a result, teachers talk most of the time .
As it was already mentioned (Section 1), the teaching style may affect students' participation pattern [9–11]. All the teachers agreed that the dominant teaching style in the educational system of Iran affected the students' expectations and participation patterns. They asserted that due to the effect of sheer teacher-centered methods at schools, students expected to be spoon-fed in these institutes as well; therefore, they adopted more passive roles in the class. They also added, owing to the dominant system of education, students did not have a sense of cooperation and did not develop the social skill of working in groups or pairs which might encourage WTC (Cao and Philip, 2006) [14, 70]. As a result, teachers were not in favor of the pair/group work. Besides, the participants said they actually did not know how to implement the group/pair work strategies appropriately in the class. As Murray and Chrisitson  noted, cooperative learning is a complicated practice because it is based on a set of skills and principles, and it requires that learners realize the value of group work, develop the necessary language skills for group work, be given time to practice the skills, and learn how to process their experiences as a group and think about them.
As Richards  said "Different types of institutions create their own "culture," that is, settings where people interact and where patterns emerge for communication, decision making, role relations, and conduct" (p. 97). The participants were complaining about the intensive syllabus they were dictated by the institutes to follow and advised to fully adhere to it, which they believed affected communication patterns in the class and teachers' freedom to encourage more interaction. Sharing her teaching session, one of the participants said, "I told the students while speaking about cats that I don't like them and that they give me bad vibes! The supervisor who was observing the class later told me that we are not supposed to talk about our feelings or experiences!" (ID: 5, age: 28). Another teacher highlighted the role of materials covered in the class and mentioned "discussion topics are the ones related to book material which don't sometimes apply to students' real life or their interests" (ID: 11, age: 37); as a result, learners are not willing to talk most often. As Alagheband  said in Iran, decision making considering planning, curriculum development, material development, and methodology is within the powers of central government, which despite its advantages in creating unity and order, seizes the opportunity from individuals and does not leave a room for their creativity.
This qualitative study attempted to examine Iranian EFL teachers' perspectives toward socioaffective and pedagogic strategy use in engendering WTC in the classroom, with a focus on culture. The results of the study revealed some facilitating factors such as developing positive relationships, choice of the topic, teaching style, and teachers' enthusiasm and some hindering factors including teachers' role, teaching style, and institutional expectations.
The data gathered through the focus group interview indicated that immediacy behaviors such as using students' first name, eye contact, appearance, and sense of humor strengthen the relationship with students, which is decisive in enhancing WTC. However, considering the space, they were distant due to accepted power rules in the system of education, which is a manifestation of Iranian culture. Regarding humor, the study confirmed the results from the recent research [73–75] indicating that humor leads to a safe, supportive, and motivating environment. The teachers' sense of humor also encourages the inhibited students to participate when they find the atmosphere congenial and welcoming.
The study also highlighted the impact of teachers' supportive behavior on learners' WTC. When teachers respect their students by using praise words, sympathize with their students, place a value on what learners say, and make them believe in themselves, they find the courage to participate. This corroborates Kang's  findings, which indicated that teachers' friendly and supportive behavior was effective in students' involvement. Confirmed by the previous research (Cao and Philip, 2006) [11, 16], the importance of topic was also highlighted by this study. According to the participants, students volunteer to participate when the topic is related to their real life and interest. They also believed teachers' attitudes toward the topic is important to arouse enthusiasm in learners. Teachers' enthusiasm was found to be another facilitating factor in engendering learners' talk. It appears when teachers are lively and enthusiastic, they affect classroom social climate; as a result, they may encourage WTC. The teachers also found discriminatory behavior detrimental believing that it is exclusive; therefore, it leads to students' distancing and unwillingness to communicate. Teachers' congruence was discovered to be another influential factor in the learners' WTC. Therefore, it is suggested that EFL teachers use specific discourse moves to make the input more comprehensible and prevent learners' reticence. For instance, using certain discourse moves such as clarification requests and comprehension checks would make input more comprehensible .
Another point emphasized by the teachers was challenging students by asking referential questions rather than display questions to encourage talk. This is also recommended by McNeil , who believed that these kinds of questions trigger longer and more complex responses. Regarding error correction, although the results revealed self-correction and peer-correction to trigger talk in the classroom, the students still preferred teachers' correction. This may refer to Iranian predisposition to uncertainty avoidance, which also affects their learning pattern. In fact, the students trust their teachers as a source of knowledge to alleviate their anxiety in case of being exposed to complicated learning situations.
In addition to facilitating factors, the results of the study revealed some hindering factors in students' participation, in general, WTC, and in particular, in the class. Most of these hindering factors trace back to the cultural context of Iran, which affects the system of education and teacher-student interaction. It was revealed that the teacher's role in class determines students' roles; therefore, in teacher-fronted classes, students are not afforded enough opportunity to express themselves. In essence, in countries with high levels of power distance, such as Iran, daily lives of children partially dictate them to obey those in positions of authority; therefore, they learn to accept the teacher's words and not challenge those .
However, despite the fact that teachers are the source of knowledge and must be in control of the class, they should create a balance between their role and students', so that students adopt a more active role and take on the responsibility for their own learning. In fact, except for some teacher-fronted tasks requiring high levels of complex teacher talk and very little learner participation, others should result in more active learner participation . As Murray and Christison  stated, "In terms of language development, English language learners can expect to get more input, more complex language input, and more opportunities to refine communication through natural talk while participating in well-designed cooperative learning activities" (p. 191). In spite of this fact, cooperative learning, according to the results of this study, is not widely practiced in EFL classes in Iran. As Javidan and Dastmalchi  noted, Iran is very low in institutional collectivism but high in in-group collectivism; consequently, this in-group collectivism leads to strong family orientation and reduction in "radius of trust." In such cultures, members learn to trust their in-group members but not outsiders. This tendency also affects the way children are educated. According to Javidan and Datmalchi , "In Iran all academic work is based on individual achievement and entails little if any group work; little opportunity is provided for children to learn collective action throughout the 12 years of schooling and even in university classes" (p. 132). This may deny the students the chance to share their learning and ideas with the others and hinder the interaction among students.
Therefore, the results of this study suggested that the teachers in EFL contexts, especially in educational systems similar to the context of this study, need to be cultural-wise and try to create cohesion and trust between members in the class and encourage group activities. The results also showed that institutional expectations and rules are limiting and do not allow creativity for the teachers and students. In fact, Iranian cultures' static orientation toward the present and respect to tradition and adaptability  on the one hand and power rules on the other hand affect individuals' decision-making abilities. However, according to Alagheband , although one of the goals of education in any society is enhancing the status-quo, it should also be the source of development. Therefore, it is suggested that institutions take into account the ongoing learning needs and make some changes to the system to fulfill the EFL learners' present needs.
Nonetheless, an important point which merits a mention here is to avoid stereotyping cultural characteristics. Besides, although "culture is always a collective phenomenon, it can be connected to different collectives and within each collective there is a variety of individuals" (, p. 3). However, Murray and Christison  noted that cultures are not static but dynamic and prone to changes, especially in this era of vast communication; therefore, any shift in people's belief and value may be the consequence of intercultural interactions, which may especially be true about EFL teachers and learners. In addition, the way the learners' identity is shaped through encountering experiences in the learning environment should not be ignored. These personal experiences may either reinforce previous values and beliefs or reshape them . In spite of the abovementioned debilitating factors present in the educational context of Iran, what was gleaned from the data (As the data are driven from a small-scale study in one region in Iran, a city in East Azarbaijan, with its own particular geographical and ethnic group characteristics interwoven with cultural background, the ideas expressed by teachers in this study might be suggestive rather than conclusive) bears a witness to the idea that the communication rules in educational setting of Iran have started to be relaxing, at least in language classes. For instance, the teachers face some students who resist discipline in the classroom and do not wait for the teachers' permission to talk, or they feel intimate enough to give compliments on the teachers' appearance, which was considered a kind of por'ru (rude) behavior in the past . In addition, the teachers said that they sometimes let their students correct not only their peers but also the teacher. This was not the case that some decades ago as one of the teachers said from her personal experience as a student that the teacher would not let them express their opinion.
Since teachers' socioaffective and pedagogic strategies may have a great influence on students' WTC, it is imperative that teachers integrate them into their teaching. The EFL teachers should sometimes question the values and presuppositions in cultural practices and products in their own environment (Byram, 1997, as cited in ) and substitute them with facilitating classroom practices.
The findings of the study highlighted the importance of teacher factors in boosting learners' WTC; however, they are subject to at least three limitations. First, as the study was part of a larger study for the Ph.D. dissertation, the sample size was small due to practicality problems in terms of time and scope. Therefore, further research with larger sample size regarding the role of teachers would be more worthwhile and generalizable to Iranian culture. Second, as Iran is a multilingual and multicultural country, a future study investigating teacher factors in the other regions or a focus group made up of teachers from different regions would yield more results that are representatives. Another limitation refers to the gender of the participants. The classes in the educational system of Iran (except for university classes) are segregated; as a result, we were able to choose merely female teachers, teaching to female students. Conducting research with male teachers may render different results because males and females have different communication styles .
Eliminate causes of stress (immediacy) as much as you can and you will see the result in form of a more relaxed atmosphere (immediacy) in the class. You could also try using encouraging words plus more words of praise (support) and attentive listening (support) to whatever they say, important or not, and you will have their appreciation as well as increased participation in an attempt to win your approval. Risk of humiliating oneself is a key barrier to their self-expression, so if you can clarify the fact that they are there to learn and no matter what they say, they will not be laughed at (support), you earn their trust and hence their cooperation. In addition, challenging questions (challenging activities) can force even the most reserved to defend themselves and their ideas ... last but not the least is the fact that since you are mostly dealing with girls, you have to constantly remind them of their powers (support), that they are allowed (and it is ok for them) to express their ideas.
We will provide the data used for this study if it is required by the journal.
The present study is a part of larger Ph. D project conducted by the first author; therefore, she would like to thank Dr. Saeidi, the supervisor, and Dr. Ahangari, the advisor, for providing insightful comments and suggestions. The authors would also like to thank the teachers for their cooperation and providing their valuable experience without which the study would be impossible. The authors are also grateful to unknown reviewers for their invaluable comments to polish and enrich this paper.
D. Brown, Teaching by Principles: An interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy, Pearson, London, UK, 2000.
R. L. Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know, Heinle and Heinle, Boston, MA, USA, 1990.
J. C. McCroskey and J. E. Baer, Willingness to Communicate: The Construct and Its Measurement, Paper Presented at the Annual Convention of the Speech Communication Association, Denver, CO, USA, 1985.
M. J. O'Malley and A. U. Chamot, Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1990.
E. Goffman, Forms of Talk, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 1981.
G. Hofstede, Culture's Consequences, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2nd edition, 2001.
F. Sharifian, Cultural Conceptualizations and Language: Theoretical Framework and Applications, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam/Philadelphia, Netherlands, 2011.
W. O. Beeman, Language, Status, and Power in Iran: Advances in Semiotics, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, USA, 1986.
G. Hofstede, Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations across Nations, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2001.
Z. Dorneyi, Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2007.
M. Q. Patton, Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, USA, 2nd edition, 1990.
J. W. Cresswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Pearson, Boston, MA, USA, 4th edition, 2012.
S. J. Tracy, Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact, Wiley Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2013.
A. Mehrabian, Silent Messages: Implicit Communications of Emotions and Attitudes, Wadsworth, Belmont, CA, USA, 1981.
M. Mohsenian Rad, The Cultural Roots of Communication in Iran, Chapter Publications, Tehran, Iran, 2008.
Z. Dornyei, Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2001.
A. A. Farhangi, Human Communication: Foundations, vol. 1, Rasa Cultural Service Institution, Tehran, Iran, 1995, in Persian.
C. F. Steele, The Inspired Teacher, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, VA, USA, 2009.
A. Mackey, Conversational Interaction in Second Language Acquisition: A Collection of Empirical Studies, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2007.
D. A. Murray and M. A. Christison, What English Teachers Need to Know, vol. 1, Taylor & Francis, UK, 2011.
J. C. Richards, Curriculum Development in Language Teaching, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2001.
A. Alaghehband, Sociology of Education, Ravan Publications, Tehran, Iran, 2015.
J. Corbett, An Intercultural Approach to Language Teaching, Multilingual Matters Ltd., Clevedon, UK, 2003.
D. Tannen, You just don't understand: Women and Men in Conversation, Virago Press, London, UK, 1992.


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CRPF DG meets J&K LG to discuss security situation
The director general of CRPF, A P Maheshwari on Thursday met Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu and discussed the prevailing security situation in the union territory, an official spokesperson said. They discussed various other issues relating to the overall security environment in the UT, he added.
The DG and the LG also discussed about the current security deployment and their interface with the public, the spokesperson said. Murmu advised close surveillance on all fronts to meet the security challenges and ensuring the safety and security of the people.
Girish Chandra Murmu
UPDATE 1-U.S. blacklists PDVSA aircraft in latest Venezuela sanctions
The United States on Tuesday blacklisted 15 aircraft belonging to Venezuelan state oil company Petrleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, the latest in a series of actions targeting the socialist government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.W...
L.A. council asks MLB to name Dodgers the 2017, '18 champs
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday that asks commissioner Rob Manfred to strip the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox of their recent World Series titles and instead crown the Dodgers as the champions o...
Reuters People News Summary
Following is a summary of current people news briefs. Female Icelandic Joker composer makes film awards historyGolden Globe-winning Icelandic musician Hildur Gudnadottir, 37, usually lives a quiet life in Berlin, but is about to see a lot m...
Reuters Odd News Summary
Following is a summary of current odd news briefs. Doctor TikTok-ed off with injured All Blacks loose forward SaveaInjured All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has been ordered to curb his use of the social media platform TikTok as he recov...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Terry Roland Posted On May 27, 2013
Beginning with a set of new songs from their album, Buddy & Jim, they performed with high energy. As they tour in support of their new collaborative CD simply titled, Buddy & Jim, they are obviously out for a good time with old friends. At one point during the show, Lauderdale acknowledged his debt to L.A's country elder-statesman, Ronnie Mack, who helped give the two musicians their start at his legendary Barn Dance at the Palomino club in North Hollywood twenty years ago. The show felt like a homecoming for the two friends. Los Angeles was a key part of their musical journey.
During the middle of the two-hour set, Lauderdale and the band left the stage. Buddy Miller then launched solo into "Fall on the Rock," "Shelter Me," and "Wide River To Cross," which had the feel of an anguished blues-poet in the tradition of Blind Willie Johnson. Without resorting to guitar pyro-technical tricks his guitar and voice were covered in song. Whether it was secular or sacred, it was all music of the soul. He came about as close to Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn as possible in country music. It was stunning set, well performed and heartfelt. As he walked off the stage, it seemed as though he left smoke and ashes behind.
Rather than trying to follow Miller's performance, Lauderdale wisely opened with a new love song that brought the audience into his trance. It was just the right way to follow Miller. He then went back into his catalog included classic songs like "King of Broken Hearts."
During the final set they returned to material from Buddy & Jim and finished the show with an encore of the Everly Brother's "Let It Be Me," and the 50's influenced, "The Wobble." As they left the stage, a job well-done, what was most evident was how, when two powerfully talented artists operate in friendship rather than ego, the best in country music becomes a source of energy and passion as powerful as any rap or rock music that is usually favored in the mainstream.


Nanuan Travels being a reputed name in the travel and tourism industry offer the most reliable, easy and convenient car rental services. Our services are available round the clock and throughout India so that our clients can avail the best advantage at their doorstep. We understand the clients requirements and accordingly provide them with the best car so that they can enjoy their tour. Driven by experienced and trained chauffeurs all the cars provided by us are in a well maintained condition. We offers budget car coach rentals along with having discount car coach India. Keeping a close watch on the travel industry, Nanuan Travels has remained a leader in both business and leisure rentals. Nanuan Travels provide car rental agency for luxury car rental service in India in very large scale.
Through our world class services we have successfully catered to a large number of clients within the country. Our services have earned us accolades from all quarters for offering ultimate comfort to all our customers and handling both individual as well as corporate travels with ease. It is our reliability and timeliness that has made us the most preferred ones in the industry today. Our clients belong to Govt., Semi Govt., Central Undertaking as well as corporate sector also.


[Guntersville Lake] If you braved the high muddy water the results were very good.
[Guntersville Lake] The cold hurt but by the end of the week things looked normal!
[Guntersville Lake] cold weather changed the bite sowing down and being precise was key!
[Guntersville Lake] Tough week the elements making being out there tough on the body!
[Guntersville Lake] Fall is near changes are abound and fishing picking up!
[Guntersville Lake] The dog days are setting in so stay focused so you catch your bites!
[Guntersville Lake] Some challenges this week but still lots of fun on Guntersville!
[Guntersville Lake] The hot water is slowing things some but still catching good bass.


Dr. Jose Bonelli is an internal medicine physician with Adventist Medical Group.
He graduated from Cornell University and the University of Puerto Rico/Autonomous University of Guadalajara and completed his residency in Baltimore at St. Agnes Hospital. Dr. Bonelli has been practicing medicine for over 20 years in the Silver Spring, MD area.
Dr. Bonelli has special interest in treating metabolic diseases like diabetes, thyroid disease, hypertension, and cholesterol problems. He is very active in the community, participating in many health fairs in the local area. He has also done community work in D.C. health clinics.
Dr. Bonelli is fluent in Spanish and has a good knowledge of French. His practice is located in Silver Spring, Maryland.


4:23pm: A resident approached an officer to report a larceny on Harvard Street. The victim left their bag on a bench and when they returned found it missing.
5:17pm: A shoplifting occurred on Comm Ave. A suspect, described as a tall white male in a white button down and blue jeans, was witnessed leaving the store with unpaid merchandise.
8:22pm: A resident reported that their wallet was taken while shopping at a local business on Beacon Street. The victim gave the description of a possible suspect to officers and stated that they believe they were pickpocketed. The description was given as a Middle Eastern man, about 40 years old, heavy set, and wearing a brown t-shirt and khakis.
9:47am: A shoplifting was reported at a business on Harvard Street. Officers were given the description of a suspect, and were able to recover the suspect's bicycle nearby. The suspect was described as a male in his 20s, wearing dark pants, an orange t-shirt, and a green and orange baseball hat.
Last night at approximately 8:30PM, Brookline Dispatch sent several units to the area of Pond Ave. and Highland Rd. for a report of a subject who was exposing himself. The subject was last seen in the area of Ward's Pond. The caller, described the subject as a hispanic/latino male, 5'05" to 5'06", in his forties or fifties. He was wearing a navy blue jacket or sweater with a white stripe across the shoulders and with navy blue or black pants.
Two victims were walking their dogs around Wards Pond when they observed a male subject standing on the path facing them with his zipper down and he was exposing himself. Officers responded and located the subject a short distance away. As a result of the investigation the subject was arrested and charged with Open and Gross Lewdness.
Last night at approximately 9:50PM, Brookline Dispatch received a call for a robbery in progress on Vernon Street. Reporting party was a witness to the incident and immediately contacted Police. A Suspect description was given as a black male, approximately 26 years of age, clean shaven, wearing dark colored pants, and dark colored puffy jacket or hoodie with a logo on the front. Suspect was last seen running on Vernon Street heading towards Park St. The adult male victim was discovered to have suffered non life threatening stab wounds to his upper body. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. This is an active investigation.
At 3:45AM this morning an officer on patrol spotted a subject in a drive way on Upland road. As a result of the investigation, the subject was found to be breaking into cars. Evidence was also recovered from a vehicle on Irving Street and from a vehicle from Juniper Street. The subject is a juvenile out of Boston. He faces several charges related to breaking into cars. Residents are reminded to lock their cars and keep valuables out of sight.
2:16am: A man was arrested at a traffic stop on Skyline Park for Operating After Suspension.
8:02pm: A bike was stolen from Davis Ave. The bike was taken from an open garage earlier in the day.
1:02pm: A man was arrested on an existing warrant on South Street.
2:15am: A man was arrested at the intersection of Comm Ave Fuller Street for Tagging and Disorderly conduct. The suspect originally fled on a non-motorized scooter, but officers were able to apprehend him.
8:40am: A bike was reported stolen from a bike rack at Brookline Place on 6/10. The bike was locked to the rack when it was taken.
11:41am: A vehicle was reported broken into on Walnut Street. Sunglasses and cash were taken when the vehicle was broken into earlier in the morning. The car was unlocked at the time.
8:17pm: Officers responded to a shoplifting call on Beacon Street. Both the item and a suspect were quickly located. The suspect will be summonsed to court.
3:26pm: Officers responded to the activation of the Brookline Police Bait Bike. The combination lock was cut, removed, and left by the bike. The suspects left the Bait Bike behind, and officers were able to locate two suspects. They will be summonsed to court.
8:42pm: A package was reported stolen from a communal area in a residential building on Beacon Street. The theft is believed to have occurred on 6/10.


Buying a home is a huge decision. Picking a home is about the single biggest financial decision most will make in their lives. In a recently conducted survey, homeowners were asked what they would do differently if they had a "do over" with their home purchase. While most reported being happy with their final decision, there were several general areas homeowners would handle differently if given the chance.
1. They would understand their mortgage and financing options better.
Ninety percent of those surveyed said that while they believed they understood their financing options pretty well at the time of purchase, in hindsight they would have been better off to understand the entire process more thoroughly. They commonly reported wishing they understood the entire closing process better, understood their financing options and their mortgage better, and wishing they had more experience in how to make or negotiate an offer.
Many in the survey suggested they would buy either a larger or smaller home if given the chance. Sometimes people don't realize how much "stuff" they have until they try to fit it into their new space and realize it won't fit. Some also said they would choose a different neighborhood if given the chance.
Thirty-nine percent of homebuyers said they would likely purchase a home with a different size or price. Many realize after the initial honeymoon period wears off that they simply paid too much for the house or didn't purchase enough house to meet their long term needs.
Around forty percent of homebuyers believed it would take less time than it did to go through the entire process, from looking at potential homes to going through the closing process. These homebuyers said they would not expect such speed in a future move.
Four of five in the survey believed their new home was move-in ready, but quickly realized that repairs or renovations were needed. Just over half also reported being unpleasantly surprised by the costs of maintaining their new home. These buyers said that in the future, they would work to have a better understanding of these costs before purchasing a new home.


Cadillac introduces the Carbon Black sport package for the 2017 model year ATS-V Coupe.
Pricing for the Carbon Black sport package for the 2017 ATS-V Coupe has not yet been announced. We expect pricing information to be released when 2017 model year vehicles go into production in the August/September 2016 timeframe.


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UNESCO Mobilizes Support for Ghana's Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction Efforts
unesco ghana drr
UNESCO in collaboration with Challenge Company Limited, a company based in Japan, which develops and manufactures innovative products for Earthquake Early Warning System, has provided support to Ghana's preparedness towards earthquake disaster risk reduction.
In August 2019, UNESCO invited Mr. Kazuo Sasaki, the representative director of Challenge co. to join a UNESCO Disaster Risk Reduction team on a fact-finding mission to Ghana on earthquake disaster risk reduction. After a number of consultations with various institutions including the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), a couple of priorities were identified:
The lack of awareness creation and education of the population on earthquakes and their associated risks were identified.
Ghana's seismic network is not extensive. Most of the seismic monitoring equipment at eight stations installed in 2012 is currently not working.
During the final meetings with the relevant agencies, Mr. Sasaki announced his intention to donate equipment called EQ guards to GGSA and NADMO. Mr. Sasaki returned to Ghana on 16 November 2019, to install EQ guards, that can function both as a seismic monitoring network and as an earthquake early warning system. A set of eight equipment has been donated by Challenge co. for this purpose.
The equipment has been installed at the NADMO office and the GGSA. One of the equipment was installed at the office of the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly. Communities in Gbawe and Weija are part of Ghana's earthquake-prone zones. The Peduase Lodge and Ghana's House of Parliament are the other places where GGSA and NADMO have proposed for the equipment to be installed.
By way of creating awareness on earthquakes, a forum was organized by GGSA and UNESCO in collaboration with the Gbawe-Weija Municipal Assembly on 20 November 2019. As part of the forum, Mr. Sasaki took about 80 staff and some community members of the Gbawe-Municipal Assembly through evacuation drill exercises. The response was positive: participants are now informed that an early warning system coupled to good risk reduction practices such as dropping to the floor and protecting one's head from direct impact or taking cover under beds or tables, could contribute to saving about 80% of lives during an earthquake. A brilliant initiative to educate, sensitize and protect!
Science for a Sustainable Future, Building Capacity in Science and Engineering, Science for Society, Geology, Ecosystems and Biodiversity


Rollin' Vietnamese have settled into their new home in the arcade at Broadmead, pleasing workers looking for a speedy feed at lunch, tired shoppers wanting something less obvious than a cafe sandwich or fast food bite and those needing a quick feed before heading to a gig or cinema outing. But what about everyone else? For those of us that can't get to the Arcade, Rollin' Vietnamese will come to you.
To take advantage of this work day treat, you call Rollin' Vietnamese before 11am in the morning, order your food and either pay over the phone or on delivery with cash. Pick the time you wish for it to turn up and you're done! The food will be delivered to your office boxed up with cutlery should you require it.
Goi Cuon (Summer Roll) - Rice paper rolls packed with vermicelli, carrots, cucumber, beansprout and herbs and a choice of meat or veggie fillings and dipping sauce.
Bun Bo Hue - Spicy noodles soup served with beansprout, fresh herbs and chilies and your choice of beef, prawn or chicken addition.
Of course we at Wriggle had to be the first to give it a go and ordered enough food to feed the 12 or so in the oven. We decided to try a bit of everything for the full experience, plus we are a hungry group!
Everything that showed up was freshly made and smelled heavenly! The Banh mi were packed with swet and tangy pickled veg and succulent BBQ chicken. We had a selection of summer rolls that were complimented by the zingy dipping sauces, the prawn ones were popular as well as the tofu. The gelatinous rice wrapper was delicious and we enjoyed the difference in texture to what we were used to when it came to East Asian rolls. The soup packed a punch and turned up at the perfect slurping temperature and a generous amount of fixings. Finally the Bun salad was the crowd pleaser. A fresh salad with the perfect balance of sweetness from the pickles and peanuts, savoury from the herbs and umami from the nuoc mam. Absolutely brilliant and we want the recipe!
There is a minimum order required for free delivery of £40, call Rollin' Vietnamese on 0117 431 1093 to order your office lunch asap!


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BikeHorns.Review
Bike Horns Review
Riding your bike in a safe manner is one of the most responsible things you can do. People walking down the street or drivers on the road are always careful one towards the other. Drivers must pay attention to pedestrians, and pedestrians to cars. But what about bikers? You have to admit that a driver will always be careful not to run over a pedestrian, but when it comes to bicycles, not so much. Bikers are not very respected in traffic, which is why there are a lot of accidents every year.
AcTopp 2-in-1 Bike Horn Light
Ultra loud with 2 sounds and ultra bright LED light
Convenient to Install - With the soft plastic strap
USB Rechargeable Technology
Daway A15 Bike Light & Horn Set
super bright bike headlight, up to 300lm
1200MAH lithium battery, 2.5 hrs can be filled
waterproof, lightweight
Dealpeak Ultra Loud Bicycle Horn
works with 2 AAA batteries
compatible with all bikes including road bikes
5 kinds of sound effects, loud and clear sounds
Drivers will always respond to sounds around them. Honking, police sirens, ambulance sirens, they all are designed to attract attention. Which is why a bike horn sounds like a very good idea. But I don't mean any bike horn, the cheap one that makes a sound that is lower than a pair of winter tires (which is around 70dB). I mean a strong bike horn, one that will actually come into notice. Otherwise, no one will perceive the sound as a distress signal.
The benefits of a bike horn
In order to enjoy all the advantages of a bike horn, the level of sound is the most important. A low pitched sound will not draw anyone's attention. It doesn't matter which model you choose in the end. As long as it's loud, you should be okay.
You can avoid accidents. This may be the most obvious benefit of a bike horn, but I just want to make sure that you understand the importance of it. As I stated before, drivers don't actually pay attention to people on bikes. For some reason, they believe that bikers should not roam the streets; as if the roads are only destined for cars. I know it's wrong, but that's the reality. There are several studies, such as this one, which concluded that drivers don't pay attention to cyclists as much as to other cars. However, a high-quality, loud bike horn will make a difference. You will get noticed for sure, and accidents will not be as likely as without a horn.
You can send distress signals or you an alert someone if something is wrong. Let's say that you on the street and a car passes you by. You notice that the plate is not far from falling. What do you do? You cannot scream after the driver and tell him. He is moving a lot faster than you are, so chances are that he will not hear a thing. But a bike horn will change that. When they listen to a loud sound, drivers usually respond. And if they didn't do anything wrong in traffic, they know that something may be wrong. That will make them stop and check on things. That's what I do, at least. I learned over the years how to respond to situations like these. So my guess is that so did everyone else.
Some models come with a built-in light, which comes in handy when you want to ride your bike at night. It's an excellent solution, in my opinion. Everybody needs a light on their bicycles, so why not add a horn as well? The latest bike horns come with all kinds of exciting features that are meant to improve your overall experience, so make sure to take advantage of it.
How to look for the best bike horns
Talking about it and praising it is easy, but when you do a simple search and see that there are hundreds of models of bike horns, picking one may prove to be difficult. Which is why you have to filter. Think of what you want, what you need, and what you already have. After that, everything should go smoothly. Here are the most common points of interest.
The volume – choose a model that goes as high as possible. A weak sound will not alert anyone. Especially if the person who you are trying to alert is listening to music. There are models that go as up as 120 dB, which is almost as loud as a car honk. After all, that is what you want. A level of decibels that comes close to the one of a car's. That way you will be taken seriously and will be able to avoid dangerous
Batteries – you have to admit that nobody really uses disposable batteries anymore. I find it a good thing because it's cheaper and better for the environment. The best alternative is a rechargeable battery, which is the case with most bike horns. Not all, but most. It doesn't make a difference in quality. It remains the same, no matter the power supply it uses, but I believe it's more comfortable to recharge a battery than to buy new ones regularly. A rechargeable bike horn comes with a USB cable that will allow you to charge it using the USB ports on your computer or laptop.
Sound modes – if the model you pick has more than one sound modes, then that is the way to go. Some of them even go two ways at once. That is very useful. People tend to be more alert when they hear more than one distress signals. Have you ever wondered why police cars or ambulances have alternating sounds? Precisely for the reason I mentioned. It attracts attention quicker.
Extra features – the more, the merrier, I always say. Sometimes it's the little things that matter. A lot of bike horns are 2-in-1. The other feature consists of light most of the times. It is an excellent idea that manufacturers combined the two. The space on a handlebar is limited. If you have a horn, light, and maybe a speaker, space will be fully occupied. Like this, at least two of them require the space for one. The point is to browse until you find the product which has the features you need or want. I am sure that you will find what you are looking for.
What are the best bike horns?
I think you picked up a few things about bike horns, which means you are ready to make an informed decision. But if you still feel confused and don't know where to start, here are a few suggestions that may be of help.
Click here to buy on Amazon
As you may have figured out from the title, this horn also comes with an ultra bright LED light that is perfect for when you want to ride your bike at night. LED technology is known to light the way better than any other lights. The sounds that the horn makes are also ultra loud. There two feature will make your bike routes visible and safe. After all, that's what you are looking for, isn't it?
The bell has two modes. One is loud, 100db, and is perfect for environments where the noise levels are low, and the 'deafening' mode goes as up as 120 dB and is destined for busy city traffic, where all you can hear are cars honking. The light also comes with multiple patterns, three to be more exact. There is strong, low, and flash mode. You can simply make the switch by pressing a button on the device.
The horn is very easy to install. It comes with a soft plastic strap that you have to put around the handlebar. It will fit most bike models. The LED headlamp is just as easy to mount. You shouldn't meet any troubles doing it. As far as safety is concerned, it will not be an issue. The light button is conveniently placed on the device, and the bell button is connected to a 38 cm cable. It's easy and safe to use when you are riding down the street. The whole purpose of drawing people's attention is met.
The AcTopp bike horn has a rechargeable battery that can be charged up to 500 times. All you have to do is plug the device into your computer or laptop and keep it around two hours. That's how much it takes to charge fully. After that, you can use it continuously for two hours. Click here to read more reviews and buy on Amazon.
If you are worried about your safety as you are riding your bike, this set is the best option you have. It has a very loud horn that reaches 120db, and the light is super bright. What's more is that the set also comes with a red tail light. Warning drivers and pedestrians around you will be a piece of cake. There is no way they cannot hear or see you. You will feel safer.
The device is USB rechargeable with an auto-off feature for longer battery life. It is safe, durable, and it will save you money. The built-in 1200mAh can last as long as 2.5 hours after it is fully charged. Both front piece and the tail light take about 2 or 3 hours to charge, and once they reach full, they automatically power off. You don't have to worry that over-charging will damage it.
The horn comes with five sound modes, all of them reaching a sound level of 120 and 110 dB. The front light also comes with 3 modes: high, mid, and flashing. The rear light uses SMD LED highlighted lamp beads with 5 lighting modes (steady, strobe, side, phase, and flashing). No matter what you do in traffic, other participants will know. The design is high-quality, and the device is waterproof. You don't need to worry that the rain will ruin your lights or horn.
The setup is very simple, you don't need any tools. Both lights have an elastic rubber band that will fit most handlebars. You will be done with it in under a minute. Removing the lights are just as easy. Furthermore, the tail light can also be placed on the back of your helmet. But the choice is entirely yours. Whatever makes you feel safer. Click here to read more reviews and buy on Amazon.
Not that the previous models are very expensive, but I chose to include in my bike horns reviews a product that seems a bit more affordable. This one is simpler than the other two, but it will meet its purpose just as well. It may not be as fancy, but you will get all the features you need to feel safe.
The horn will reach 100 to 120 dB, so as far as sound is concerned, the horn will do its job. You have two buttons on the device. The black one is to engage the horn, and the red one changes the sound. Unlike the other two models I talked about, this one does not have a light as well. It's a simple horn. Simple, but reliable.
The setup is compatible with most handlebars and is very easy to achieve. The package includes a mini screwdriver, just in case you don't have any tools lying around. Another difference from the other two bike horns is that this one works with 2 AAA batteries (not included in the package). You will have to change them regularly, and the battery life depends on the quality you choose. Click here to read more reviews and buy on Amazon.
Judging by the features it holds, I am inclined to believe that the Daway A15 is the best bike horn that is currently available in this price range. It comes with a front light and a red taillight, the sound is ultra loud, you will make yourself heard, and the fact that it's waterproof just adds up to its awesomeness. I highly recommend it to people who want to feel safe during the day and during the night as well.
In any given situation, the most important thing for you is to feel and be safe. A high-quality bike horn will help you achieve that feeling and will keep you out of harm's way. Click here to buy on Amazon
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Using_a_horn_on_a_bike_P5576629/
http://www.motorcycleforum.com/101-general-motorcycle-discussion/87803-decent-bike-horns.html
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12657484
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Federal Reserve › Commodities Futures Trading Commission
Regulators Tackle Board Effectiveness and Overdrafts
The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA): Recap and What to Expect in 2014
Financial Daily Dose 6.26.2019 | Top Story: US Tech Firms Find Ways to Resume Sales to Huawei
by Robins Kaplan LLP on 6/26/2019
Some U.S. tech firms are finding ways to get around the White House's Huawei no fly zone, with Micron, Qualcomm, and Intel leading the way...more
Your Daily Dose of Financial News
Samsung announced yesterday that it's postponing the official mass-market introduction of its new foldable smart phone (originally set for the end of the week) based on reports that the pricey device has been malfunctioning....more
As a mid-April blizzard again sucks all light (and life and hope) in the world away from us in the North, it feels like an awfully appropriate time to recognize the team of astronomers and other scientists (including Dr....more
by Robins Kaplan LLP on 4/8/2019
Pinterest has set a price range of $15 to $17 a share for its IPO roadshow today that "will value the company below its last private-market peg of $12 billion." The company also plans to attempt "the sunset version of...more
New evidence suggests that California's PG&E repeatedly "delayed a safety overhaul" on a high-voltage transmission line "that is a prime suspect behind the deadliest wildfire in California history." How repeatedly? Try 5...more
Volcker Rule
by K&L Gates LLP on 12/5/2018
Introduction - This practice note provides an overview of the Volcker Rule, which was enacted in 2010 as Section 619 of the comprehensive Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and...more
To no one's surprise, the Fed followed through with its months of promises and raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points yesterday. The FOMC also indicated that it's planning to raise rates again in December....more
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Proposes to Maintain $8 Billion Swap Dealer De Minimis Threshold and Approves Proposed...
by Shearman & Sterling LLP on 6/18/2018
At the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's open meeting on June 4, 2018, the CFTC voted to propose rules that would permanently maintain the swap dealer de minimis registration threshold at $8 billion. The Commission voted...more
Volcker Rule Regulatory Changes Are Coming
by Ropes & Gray LLP on 3/7/2018
Federal financial regulators responsible for enforcement of the Volcker Rule are about to embark on a process that will culminate in a significant revision to the regulations that went into effect eighteen months ago. In a...more
The Fed held its last Open Markets Committee meeting under outgoing Chair Yellen, and it agreed to hold the benchmark rate in a range between 1.25% and 1.5%. Here's the lowdown....more
CFTC Updates on Virtual Currency Regulation, Alternatives to Libor and Fallout From Brexit
by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP on 1/31/2018
In 2017, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo made clear he will strive to improve, not abolish, many reforms the CFTC adopted to implement the Dodd-Frank Act's mandate for new...more
Orrick's Financial Industry Week In Review
by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP on 12/15/2017
FRB Requests Public Comment on Proposal to Amend Regulation A - On December 4, 2017, the Federal Reserve Board ("FRB") requested public comment on a proposal to amend Regulation A to make certain technical adjustments,...more
Treasury's Third Report on Financial System Regulation Focuses on the Asset Management and Insurance Industries
by Dechert LLP on 12/5/2017
The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) recently released a report examining the regulatory framework for the asset management and insurance industries (Report). The Report is the third in a series of four reports that...more
by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP on 12/1/2017
FHFA Updates Progress on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Credit Risk Transfer Programs - On November 22, 2017, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") issued a status report on credit risk transfer transactions done in...more
Agencies Propose Simplifying Regulatory Capital Rules - On September 27, 2017, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced a proposed...more
Financial Services Weekly News - September 2017 #3
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Editor's Note - Cybersecurity Returns to Center Stage. The Equifax breach and recent news that the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) EDGAR test filing system was hacked in 2016 have brought cybersecurity back to...more
An Overview of the Volcker Rule
by K&L Gates LLP on 9/11/2017
This practice note provides an overview of the Volcker Rule, which was enacted in 2010 as Section 619 of the comprehensive Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and codified as the new...more
Federal Regulatory Agencies Announce Coordination of Reviews for Certain Foreign Funds Under "Volcker Rule"
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The Financial CHOICE Act Is Approved by US House Financial Services Committee
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Variation Margin Requirements Relief
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US and EU Regulators Provide Relief for Compliance with Variation Margin Requirements
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Home » Politics » 'We need to believe in Britain' – 'New Thatcher' Liz Truss issues rallying call to save UK
'We need to believe in Britain' – 'New Thatcher' Liz Truss issues rallying call to save UK
In a speech to the Chatham House think-tank, the Foreign Secretary plans to tell policy wonks that "it's time for Britain to be proud once again of who we are and what we stand for". She will hail a new era of an "outward-looking, patriotic and positive" nation.
Ms Truss has already invited comparisons with Margaret Thatcher posing similar to photos that were taken of the first female Prime Minister.
Last week, she posed on top of a tank in seeming homage to a notable shot of Ms Thatcher.
The picture of Ms Truss was taken during a visit to Estonia, amid growing tensions in Ukraine over building Russian forces on the border.
There, she told Vladimir Putin that it would be a "strategic mistake" to invade.
The image echoed a 1986 snap of Ms Thatcher on a tank during a trip to West Germany.
As well as bolstering her own image of a strong leader, Ms Truss is also said to be keen to boost Britain on the world stage.
According to the Mail on Sunday, who claimed Liz is setting herself up as the 'new thatcher', she will say during the speech: "We need to believe in Britain and project the best of Britain to the world.
"I want us to be confident, outward-looking, patriotic and positive and to be proud of our great country."
Ms Truss will add that "rather than being racked with shame about our history and doubt about our future, it's time for Britain to be proud once again of who we are and what we stand for".
In the past year, the Government has pushed more for British culture to be celebrated more in the face of wokeism, and for Britain's colonial past to be understood rather than hidden.
Last summer, when the BBC said it would not sing Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory at the last night of the Proms, Boris Johnson shot back that Britons should not be ashamed about the nation's past.
He said: "I think it's time we stopped our cringing embarrassment about our history – about our traditions, about our culture – and we stop this general bout of self-recrimination and wetness."
SNP moans it wants MORE money from Westminster despite record handout [REPORT]
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Brexit news: EU blasted over 'nutty' Northern Ireland trade rules [REACTION]
The Foreign Secretary wants UK diplomats to be "unleashed and empowered" to promote "the best of British business, culture and values of freedom, democracy and human rights around the world".
Britain has "so much to be proud of and to share with the world".
She will reportedly add: "I am putting this at the heart of the [Foreign Office's] mission – to go out there and show what's great about this country.
"We have the best diplomats and a world-leading diplomatic network with unique reach and expertise representing us across 180 countries.
"I want our foreign policy to project pride in our country."
According to a recent survey, Ms Truss remains at the top of a survey of which cabinet ministers are most liked by the party faithful.
A ConservativeHome satisfaction poll, released on November 30, found that the Foreign Secretary had a net satisfaction rating of 82.3 percent.
Brexit Secretary Lord Frost was second on 73.3 percent, while Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, placed 8th and 9th respectively.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson had a negative rating of over 17 percent.
A Foreign Office source told the Mail on Sunday: "Liz thinks we need to be more confident in promoting Britain.
"We've got the best diplomats and one of the biggest networks, but we need to do more with it. Think of it as diplomacy unchained."
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Abraham van Stolk  (1762-1819) was eigenaar van de gelijknamige Rotterdamse houthandel.

De familie Van Stolk bezat vanaf 1727 een houthandel aan de Rotterdamse Schie. Deze firma droeg sedert het begin van de negentiende eeuw de naam Abraham van Stolk.
Wegens stadsuitbreiding werd het bedrijf in 1927 gedwongen te verhuizen naar de Delfshavense Schie.
De weg langs het nieuwe bedrijf heet sinds 1928 de Abraham van Stolkweg.

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