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Evaluation of IELTS Preparatory Courses in Iran: Teaching Practices and Strategies in Focus
Omid Rezaei
Hossein Barati
Manijeh Youhanaee
Faculty of Foreign Languages University of Isfahan, Iran
The aim of this study was to discover teaching practices and strategies employed in IELTS preparatory courses taught via strategy-based vs. nonstrategy-based instruction in Isfahan, Iran. In so doing, two preparatory courses: strategy-based vs. nonstrategy-based instruction were selected. Courses were observed by employing Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) which is a standard observation scheme (Hayes, 2003). The results revealed that positive washback was observed in both strategy-based and nonstrategy-based classes and candidates in strategy-based group outperformed their counterparts in nonstrategy-based group in reading and writing section of IELTS. In contrast, nonstrategy-based group performed significantly better in speaking section. There was, however, no significant difference between the two groups' performance on the listening section of the test. The findings of the study will have implications for both IELTS teachers and preparation centers in determining effective teaching methods for the courses they offer.
Preparatory Course
washback
Language proficiency tests have gained unprecedented prominence in modern societies. They provide vital information for policy-makers to make crucial decisions about the professional and academic life of test takers. Language tests are controversial issues and continue to make debates among language researchers and test developers. Such tests can have tremendous effect on individual test taker's life, micro level, and on the society, macro level. They can select, motivate, and reward; in the same way they can exclude, demotivate, and punish.
The last few decades have witnessed a great number of studies on test impact on teaching or 'washback'. This has helped researchers to examine the desirable as well as undesirable effects tests might have at macro level, as they might at micro level.
One such areas where the effects of test at both micro and macro levels are greatly observed is in preparatory courses for the tests such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). These tests serve as gatekeepers for admission of international students to English-speaking universities. The daily increase in the demand of students worldwide for getting prepared for the high stakes tests has led to countless preparatory classes, in a way that the present situation could rightly be referred to as test preparation industry.
In Iran too, test preparatory classes have been quite common in the last few years. The study has particularly focused on IELTS preparatory courses in the country. IELTS is a task-based test which has been considered as a reliable indication of English proficiency on an international scale (Hayes, 2003). The IELTS Test (IELTS.org) is an established and widely used international English language proficiency exam that comes in two formats, each for a different purpose: Academic and General Training. The test has four sections, one for each of the language skills, which are equally weighted to give an overall averaged band of proficiency measured from zero (lowest) to nine (highest).
IELTS preparatory courses are mostly characterized by being short and providing candidates with the required skills and strategies for completing the test successfully. Teachers for such courses are pressed by both the candidates who need their IELTS score as soon as possible, and the institutes which expect successful courses for their advertisement.
It is obvious, then, that IELTS has great impact (i.e., washback) on its preparatory courses. Washback studies traditionally followed two lines of research. Firstly, to investigate the effect of a new test on teachers and learners (e.g., Cheng 1997; Qi, 2002 in Chinese context; Watanbe, 1996 in Japanese context). Secondly, to examine the effect of a test which is not compatible with the current teaching principles and techniques in an educational context (e.g., Alderson & Hamp-Lyons, 1996).
On this ground, IELTS assesses the required language skills in the test takers who need to handle academic tasks in their later foreign education. Therefore, the test's preparatory courses should mirror university tasks necessary for graduate education. This is basically concerned with principles of communicative language teaching and hence focuses on English for Academic purposes (EAP), authentic materials and tasks, and learner-centered approach which aim to promote learner autonomy.
This study was an attempt to evaluate the way IELTS preparatory courses are offered and to see in particular how the teaching practices used in such courses affect their success. With this in mind, the study focuses on the way the structure of the test affects the method of instruction employed by the teachers. This, to the best of the researchers' knowledge, has so far been left intact area in Iran.
Research investigating the consequential validity of the IELTS Test has considered washback on teaching practices (Green 2006a, 2007; Mickan & Motteram, 2008), teaching materials (Saville & Hawkey, 2004), learners' approaches to test preparation (Brown, 1998; Elder & O'Loughlin, 2003; Green, 2007; Read & Hayes, 2003; Mickan & Motteram, 2009), learners' perspectives on IELTS preparatory course expectations and outcomes (Green 2006a) and score gain (Elder & O'Loughlin, 2003; Green, 2007; Humphreys et al., 2012; O'Loughlin & Arkoudis, 2009).
Based on the effect high stakes tests, especially IELTS, have on society, in general, and on individuals, in particular, both test developers and testing researchers have focused on the washback of such tests. For instance, research on the washback of IELTS (e.g., Read & Hayes, 2003; Hayes & Read, 2004; Saville & Hawkey, 2004; Hawkey, 2006; Mickan & Motteram 2008, 2009) has shed light on the sophistication of the educational system and test scores interpretation, specifically in accordance with role of teachers (see also Gibson & Swan 2008).
Read and Hayes carried out a study in two phases on the impact of IELTS on the preparatory courses in New Zealand (Hayes, 2003; Read & Hayes, 2003; Hayes & Read, 2004). The first phase of the study showed that preparatory courses in the country are generally of three types: (1) as an independent, part-time course that was relatively short; (2) as an optional component of a full-time general English program; and (3) as an integrated component of an extended full-time course in English for academic purposes (EAP).
In the second phase, which was in form of observation, two IELTS preparatory courses in two different public English schools were observed. Both courses had the aim of preparing candidates for academic module of IELTS. The first course was an independent course providing candidates with strategies and skills required in the test by focusing on the components of the course. The second course was a general course with the aim of improving candidates' general proficiency, academic skills and finally making students familiar with the test.
The study highlighted a great difference between these two courses. The most obvious was 'who had control of the lessons' (Hayes & Read, 2004, p. 104). In the first class teacher was in the complete control of the class and spent most of the time of the class teaching effective strategies for taking the test. On the other hand, in the second class teacher mostly served the role of an assistant for learners practicing individually or in pairs. Regarding the content, in the first class content was mostly IELTS-like materials. On the contrary, the second class covered a wider range of materials with the purpose of teaching language skills. In spite of these differences, not much variation was observed between the pretest and posttest of both classes. Findings of the study revealed that there was a great deal of negative washback in the first school. However, the differences between the two courses may be attributable to their specific aims and structures rather than to the test per se. Therefore, to better understand and explain its effects on teaching, a comprehensive evaluation of the test preparation program is necessary.
Mickan and Motteram (2008) conducted a narrower scrutiny of IELTS preparatory courses in Australia. They took a step further by analyzing not only the content and teaching practices in the class but also the interaction between teachers and learners. Consistent with the findings of Hayes and Read (2004), this study also showed that preparatory courses are mainly teacher-centered and test-oriented. Dominant activities were test practice, test skills-focused exercises, and explanations of the format and content of the IELTS modules and test-taking procedures. The instruction also focused on language awareness, particularly on the discourses and linguistic elements relevant to actually doing the test. The focus on language was integrated into the modelling of responses, reflections on test items and giving feedback on practice tests. However, the researchers did not consider these activities as instances of negative washback, they argued from the sociocultural perspective that the instruction in the IELTS preparation class constituted a process of socialization into test-taking behaviors and into the values or priorities embodied in the test.
One of the drawbacks of IELTS-observational studies is that they lack a comparison between courses aimed at IELTS preparation with those with purposes other than exam preparation. Without this comparison, it would be hard to evidentially link the observed practices to the test. Accordingly, Green (2006) conducted a series of observations focusing on IELTS preparatory courses and classes for EAP writing in the UK by comparing the test preparation classes and the nontest EAP classes, "evidence was found for substantial areas of common practice between IELTS and other forms of EAP, but also for some narrowing of focus in IELTS preparatory classes that could be traced to test design features" (Green, 2006, p. 333). In accordance with Alderson and Hamp-Lyons' (1996) study in the TOEFL context, this study revealed that teachers' practices in IELTS preparatory courses may be based on the test or the other way round. Therefore, Green (2006, pp. 363–364) noted "many of the differences observed between classes might be linked rather to teacher or institutional variables, such as levels of professional training and beliefs about effective learning, than to the influence of the test".
In a more recent study, Sadeghi and Ketabi (2014) investigated the impact of high stakes tests on preparatory courses in Iranian context. The study was carried out by selecting four IELTS and TOEFL preparatory courses in Iran. The design of the study was ethnographic and the instruments for collecting data were observation and field notes. To have more precise and directed observation, University of Cambridge Observation Scheme (UCOS) was also used. The scheme was used to show how much instruction was test-driven. The results revealed that preparatory courses, methods of teaching, and syllabus were heavily influenced by the test. Therefore, this study is an attempt to address the following questions in Iranian context:
What teaching practices are employed in IELTS preparatory courses taught via strategy-based vs. nonstrategy-based instruction?
Which teaching method: strategy-based vs. nonstrategy-based is more significantly effective on candidates' performance on different sections of IELTS?
3.1 Design
Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were employed, therefore the design of this study is mixed-method.
The participants of this study were Iranian IELTS candidates pursuing their preparation for IELTS in an IELTS preparation center in Isfahan, Iran. Generally, there are two types of IELTS preparatory courses held in this preparation center. First, the course which is part of the normal curriculum of the center which means that graduates of the center enter the IELTS course as a requirement to complete their general English courses and the determined curriculum of the center. Second, the courses which participants take part in through a placement test and they seek preparation for attending the test. The former courses are mostly aimed at improving the proficiency of participants through IELTS-oriented tasks and exercises. Therefore, test-taking strategies and skills are not in the focus of the course (nonstrategy-based courses). The latter courses were mostly oriented on making participants familiar with test-taking strategies and skills. In these courses participants get familiar and practice employing test-taking strategies to improve their test scores (strategy-based courses).
To fulfill the purpose of the study one nonstrategy-based and one strategy-based IELTS preparation classes were selected. Prior to the beginning of the study the course director in the center was informed of the whole process of data collection and he was asked to fill in a consent form for ethical consideration of the study. Each class whether strategy based or nonstrategy-based included eight participants.
All participants took an authentic IELTS past paper to make the researcher sure of their homogeneity. To standardize the scoring of the test, IELTS official scoring procedure from www.IELTS.org was utilized. All the prospective participants of the study scored 4-5 based on standard scoring scale of IELTS.
3.3 Instruments
3.3.1 Observation
For observing classes two methods of observation were possible. One was recording the whole class sessions by using a camera and another was by completing field notes and using coding sheets. Using camera in classes was against the policy of the IELTS preparation center the second method of observation was employed by the researcher. Instead of simply coding the classroom interactions and activities in real time, notes were taken during the lesson and timings were recorded to the nearest second. The notes were used to code COLT as the standard observation checklist used in this study.
The scheme is oriented on a solid theory of communicative approach in language teaching. It scrutinizes all aspects of teaching processes and strategies from a communicative point of view. It examines the discourse of teachers and students, the form of the questions students and teachers ask, type of tasks an exercises completed in the class, the materials covered in the class with a focus on the authenticity of the materials.
The scheme is made up of two parts, but only its first part (part A) was utilized in this study. Yu (2006) mentions that Part A concerns with the macro level analysis of activities in the classroom which must be completed during the teaching time which is based on five criteria. The first criterion is activity type which enables the observer to examine the type of tasks and exercises used in the class. The second criterion deals with participant organization, such as teacher-centered activities as opposed to student-centered activities, and it records the amount of time devoted to different types of class interaction. The third criterion which is content focuses on the orientation of the content and whether they are code-based of meaning-based. Code-based instruction is characterized as form-focused teaching which mainly is concerned with form, function, discourse, and sociolinguistic rules, whereas meaning-based orientation is realized by the subclasses of other categories.Students' modalityas the fourth criterion is mainly about the amount of time learners spend on four skills of language in the time of the class. The last criterion, materials, deals with the type, length, and source of texts being used in the class.
3.3.2 IELTS retired test
A retired IELTS test adapted from Cambridge IELTS series was employed to both homogenize the participants and make sure that they all have the same level of proficiency and also to measure the efficacy of strategy-based as opposed to nonstrategy-based methods of teaching IELTS preparatory courses. The test was adopted from the past paper collection published by Cambridge University press to obviate the need for estimating the reliability and validity of the test by the researcher. Because the test was already valid and reliable there was no need for piloting the test.
3.4.1 Course selection
To answer this study's questions an IELTS preparation center in Isfahan, Iran was selected. To start the study, it was necessary to get the written permission from IELTS preparation center's administrator. In so doing, the center's administrator was informed about the whole process of data collection and a written permission was signed by the center had two types of courses: one for graduate learners of the center who completed general English courses and another one was exam preparatory course for those who would take part in the actual test. In the former course learners after passing a general English course consisting of 12 semesters are required to take part in IELTS preparation courses which is considered as an advanced course. In spite of the fact that these courses are labeled as preparatory courses, they are nonstrategy-based courses in which the primary goal is to enhance learners' general proficiency rather than making them familiar with test-taking strategies. On the other hand, the latter courses are designed for those candidates who are real IELTS candidates who will take part in the test after finishing the course. These courses have the purpose of making students strategic test-takers and also familiarizing them with the test format and tasks, therefore they are mainly strategy-based courses.
3.4.2 Precourse activities
In the center one strategy-based and one nonstrategy-based class including eight participants were selected. To ensure that all candidates have the same level of proficiency prior to observation they all sat for a retired IELTS test. Based on IELTS scores those who scored between four and five were deemed as the participants.
3.4.3 Whilecourse activities
Both strategy-based and nonstrategy-based courses were based on four skills tested in IELTS. Ten sessions each 120 minutes depending on the administrative policy of the center were devoted to each skill. For observation five session of 10 sessions allocated to teaching each skill were randomly selected. The whole sessions from the beginning to the end were observed by the researcher and field notes with exact timing of the events in the class were filled. Coding sheets of COLT were completed after each observation based on field notes.
3.4.4 Postcourse activities
The 41st session of the course was the assessment session in which a retired IELTS test was administered to examine the efficiency of methods employed in the courses. The timing and all administration conditions were kept similar to the real test. All participants were informed of the results of the test through email. At the end of the process of data collection to appreciate both participants, instructors and administrators of each center were given an IELTS preparation book as a gift.
3.5 Data Analysis
3.5.1 Qualitative data
To make the researcher able to decide on the teaching practices and strategies employed in each class data obtained from observations had to be coded based on the percentage of the time of the class devoted to each category of observation schemes. Field notes were used to compensate for inaccuracy of observation schemes due to the fact that simultaneous observation and completing the form could cause inaccuracy on the part of the observer. After coding the observation schemes the percentage of time devoted to each category under COLT in strategy-based and nonstrategy-based classes were compared.
3.5.2 Quantitative data
To compare the effectiveness of the methods, test scores of posttest of both classes were put in independent sample t-test.
4.1 Teaching Practices and Strategies
The categories under the observation scheme used in this study, that is, COLT were coded based on the time devoted to each category and subcategory during the whole class time. The results are presented in Tables.
The first COLT category is concerned with the focus of the activity in the class and whether it is oriented on the teacher or on the students working as a whole class, in groups or as individuals. Table 1 illustrates the percentage of time devoted to each subcategory of participant organization in both groups.
Participant Organization
Strategy-based
Non strategy-based
Teacher to Student/Class %
Student to Student/Class %
Choral %
Group - same task %
Individual - same task %
Individual - different tasks %
Total % of Participant organization
As it is evident from Table 1, strategy-based class was more teacher centered than nonstrategy-based class. It can be inferred that 46%, which is almost half of the time of the class, was devoted to teacher-initiated activities. On the other hand, 39% of the class time in nonstrategy-based class was allocated to student-student interaction and activities. Another sharp difference between the groups was related to the amount of the time spent on individual activities and group work. In strategy-based class only 13.5% of the time of the class was devoted to group and pair work activities. On the on the hand, in nonstrategy-based class almost twice as much time as in the strategy-based class was spent on group work. In contrast, carrying out tasks individually was more evident in strategy-based classes with 22.8% of the time as opposed to nonstrategy-based class with 11%.
In the second category of COLT content of classroom from different perspectives is evaluated. Firstly, it checks on the orientation of the content whether it focuses on meaning or form. There is also a dichotomy that shows if the content refers to the immediate classroom (Narrow), or encompasses broader topics (Broad).
Nonstrategy-based
Procedure only %
Form - Vocabulary only %
Form - Pronunciation only %
Form - Grammar only %
Form - Spelling only %
Function only %
Discourse only %
Sociolinguistics only %
Form - vocabulary and Discourse %
Form - vocabulary and Form – Grammar %
Narrow %
Broad %
Total Content %
The fact that strategy-based classes are teacher fronted is also reflected in the content category and especially in procedure subcategory which is 22.5% of the total time of the class. In contrast, nonstrategy-based classes allocate only 6.4% of their time to this sub category. Following the principles of strategy-based instruction, the strategy based teacher spent 22% of the time of the class focusing on the broad topics mostly IELTS exam itself. Similarly, the nonstrategy-based teacher took more broad topics into consideration at 14.6% that included the monitoring of group and pair work activities. Another obvious difference between the classes was regarding pronunciation. No time was devoted to pronunciation in strategy-based classes as opposed to nonstrategy-based classes in which 3.4% of the whole time of the class is spent on practice of pronunciation.
Next category of COLT deals with control of materials. It checks on who is responsible for the selection of materials. Decisions on the content are made either by the teacher, the student/s, the teacher and text, or a combination. Table 3 shows the percentage of the time each subcategory was in charge of the content of the course.
Content Control
Teacher/text %
Teacher/text/ student %
Total % of Content control
As it can be seen from Table 3 in strategy based classes 64.7% of the time of the class teachers made decisions about the content of the course, and the rest 36.3% was shared between students and the teacher. And students where never allowed to make decision about content on their own. On the other hand, in nonstrategy-based classes this was divided between teacher and students and tasks evenly at 54.5%. This could be seen when students were asked to carry out group and pair work. Teacher/text alone account for 46.5% of the total time of the class.
The fact that strategy-based class was more teacher-centered was again highlighted in this category. When comparing strategy-based and nonstrategy-based classes it can be seen that students enjoy more freedom to have control over the selection of materials compared with strategy-based ones. Besides, students in nonstrategy-based class spend more time on productive skills than receptive skills in contrast to strategy-based classes.
In the next section which is called 'students modality' the amount of time devoted to each language skill and also their combinations are examined. It also includes a section concerning acting and drawing which was actually absent in the classes in the focus of this study (Table 4).
Student Modality
Listening only %
Speaking only %
Reading only %
Writing only %
Other only %
L + S %
L + R %
L + W %
S + R %
L + S + W %
L + S + R %
Total % of Student modality
Listening in isolation with 28% was the most frequently-used skill in strategy-based class. It is followed by speaking with 16.5% of the total time of the class. Reading with 12% and writing with 7.5% are less frequently-used skills in the class. In this regard, time was more equally devoted to skills in nonstrategy-based classes, and reading was the most frequently-used skill at 27.2%.
Considering the combination of skills, a counterbalance between L+S and L+ R in strategy-based and nonstrategy-based was observed. Time devoted to L + S combination in strategy-based is twice as much as the time devoted to the same combination in nonstrategy-based classes. The same was true about L + R combination in a reverse direction. In case of triple combination of skills in strategy-based class only 7% of the time was devoted to L+S+R combination. On the other hand, in nonstrategy-based class L+S+W combination L + S + R combination devoted 2.5% and 2.1% of the time to themselves respectively.
The last category of COLT deals with the materials used in classes. It looks at the materials from two perspectives one regarding the length of the materials and the other regarding the authenticity of the materials. The former perspective labels one sentence and short texts as 'minimal' and longer units of language as 'extended'. The latter perspectives labels materials either designed for educational purposes for nonnative speakers (L2 NNS) or piece of writing for native speakers. Besides, audio and video materials are also recognized here. Table 5 shows the averaged of the results of materials on which activities are based.
Length and Authenticity of Material Used
Minimal L2 - NNS %
Extended L2 - NNS %
Minimal + Extended + L2-NNS %
Minimal + Audio + L2-NNS %
Extended + Audio + L2-NNS %
Audio + L2-NNS %
Audio + Visual + L2-NNS %
Minimal + Visual + L2-NNS %
Minimal + Student Made %
Extended + Student Made %
Minimal + Visual + L2-NS
Visual + Student Made
Visual + L2-NNS
Total % of Materials used
The results indicated that Minimal L2- NNS was the most common category in both classes. Also, this Table indicates that non strategy-based teacher made use of more visual materials for example educational videos to improve the candidates' listening at 19.3% as opposed to 0.00% in strategy-based classes. In addition, in nonstrategy-based class a wider range of materials were used (i.e., Audio + Visual + L2-NNS, Minimal + Student Made) such as vocabulary revision exercises, discussion questions, and academic word lists which were absent in nonstrategy-based class.
4.2 Results of Comparing Methods
To ensure the homogeneity of the candidates prior to the beginning of the experiment all of them sat for IELTS retired test those who scored 4-5 were chosen as the target participants of the study. The posttest scores of candidates in both strategy-based and nonstrategy-based groups were compared by running independent sample t-test. For the test is made up of 4 skills, each skill was separately compared in both groups (p < .001).
The results obtained from speaking posttest indicated that non strategy-based group (M = 6.53, SD= .39) outperformed strategy-based group (M= 5.50, SD= .30), t (16) = -10.97. Table 6 shows the results of t-test run on speaking posttest.
The Results of t-test in Speaking Posttest
Sig. (2-tailed)
Mean Difference
Regarding reading posttest, strategy-based group (M = 5.92, SD = .35) gained significantly higher scores than nonstrategy-based group (M= 5.05, SD = .36), t (16) = 9.25. Table 7 illustrates the results of t-test of posttest scores of both groups.
Table7
The Results of t-test in Reading Posttest
Sig. (2tailed)
An independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare the performances of both groups in writing posttest. There was a significant difference in the scores for strategy-based group (M = 6.41, SD = 0.33) and nonstrategy-based group (M = 5.5, SD = 0.36); t (16) = 9.61. These results suggest that strategy-based group performed significantly better than nonstrategy-based group in writing section of the test. Table 8 shows the results of t-test on writing posttest.
The Results of t-test in Writing Posttest
In the last section of the test, listening, strategy-based group (M= 7.01, SD= 0.41) and nonstrategy-based group (M= 7.10, SD = 0.33) did not perform significantly differently t (16) = - 0.85. Table 9 reports the results of t-test on listening posttest.
The Results of t-test in Listening Posttest
-.851
-.0856
This study attempted to investigate different teaching practices and strategies used in IELTS preparatory courses in Isfahan, Iran. In so doing, two major types of IELTS preparatory courses: strategy-based and nonstrategy-based were observed by employing COLT observation scheme. COLT which is a standard observation scheme (Hayes, 2003) helped the researcher to scrutinize every nuance of the courses meticulously. Two types of preparatory courses in the focus of this study were strategy-based and nonstrategy-based courses. The former was aimed at making candidates familiar with different sections of the test and helping them employ test-taking strategies for getting better results on the test. This was accomplished by teaching test-taking strategies and using exam-like materials. On the other hand, the latter courses tried to increase the level of proficiency of the candidates and teaching test-taking strategies was not in the focus of the course at all. Because, the latter type of preparatory course was in fact the advanced level of the curriculum of the center, IELTS was not the main focus, instead increasing learners' communicative competence and language proficiency was pursued. In other words, IELTS tasks were used as formative assessment to help the instructor to notice the deficiencies of teaching practices.
In this section the results obtained from COLT are discussed and evidence of existence of washback in both classes are traced. Taking participant organization which focuses on the orientation of activities into account, the results suggested that strategy-based class was more teacher fronted in comparison with nonstrategy-based class. This is in line with the findings of the study conducted by Hayes and Read (2004). They showed that in IELTS preparatory courses teachers are in complete control of class as opposed to EAP courses in which learner-centeredness is more noticeable. Being teacher-centered is one of the remarkable characteristics of exam preparatory courses. Having to make candidates familiar with an array of strategies that are to be employed in the test, teachers have to be in the center of the class and take the control of the activities in the class (Baily, 1996).
On the other hand, in nonstrategy-based classes learners played more active role and most of the activities were in form of role plays and group work. This could in fact reflect the essence of communicative approach to language teaching and learning. This is in line with findings of the study conducted by Sadeghi and Ketabi (2014) that showed student-initiated activities can be considered as instance of positive washback. Therefore, the construct of IELTS which is communicative is mirrored in teaching practices in nonstrategy-based courses through learner-centered activities.
The second category of IELTS is concerned with content of the materials used in the class. As the result revealed, in strategy-based class teacher was mainly concerned with broad topics that included talking about the test itself and strategies and tips needed to carry out the tasks successfully and this is an indication of washback. On the contrary, in nonstrategy-based class sociolinguistic aspect language was also taken into consideration that is an indication of communication approach to language. Therefore, in both classes signs of washback of the test was observed.
Teacher-centeredness of strategy-based class once again was highlighted by the fact that teachers for 64.7% of the time of the class made decision about the content of the course. In contrast, teacher in strategy-based class 46.5% of the time determined the content of the course. The findings of this part of observation are in agreement with those of Hayes (2003) that also came up with the conclusion that teachers in IELTS preparatory courses as opposed to EAP courses are more concerned with deciding on the content of course. This suggest that nonstrategy-based class was more dominated by principles which considered active role of learners in providing materials. On the other hand, the test dictated use of exam-like materials which consequently put the burden of making decision about the content on the shoulder of teachers.
Next section of COLT is concerned with student modality or portion of time devoted to each skill or combination of skills in the class. The results revealed that nonstrategy-based course was mostly oriented on productive skills, speaking and writing, this can be partly explained by the fact that nonstrategy-based class involved a lot of pair work and group work whereas strategy-based class is dominated mostly by receptive skills. This is due to the fact that classroom discourse is mainly about IELTS itself and reading tips and instruction of employing test-taking strategies. These findings are in line with those of Green (2006) that suggest many teaching practices in preparatory courses should be traced to the test design which means that test imposes its impact even on student modality.
The last category of COLT, dealing with the materials used in class, showed that nonstrategy-based class used a wider range of materials including audio-visual materials comparing to strategy-based class. Washback of the test was observed in strategy-based class due to the fact that the materials used in this class were mainly exam-like. Practice tests made a great portion of materials in strategy-based class. On the other hand, in nonstrategy-based class authentic materials were used to enhance the learners' exposure to real life language and exam-task were mostly assigned as homework.
In the second part of the study the result of the posttest of both groups were compared. Strategy-based group outperformed nonstrategy-based group in reading and writing section of the test. It may be explained by use of exam-like materials during the class which gave the candidates the opportunity to experience the test before the actual test. The results are not in line with those of Humphreys et al. (2012) that indicated using exam-like materials have no significant effect on score gain of IELTS candidates.
On the contrary, nonstrategy-based group outperformed strategy-based group in speaking posttest. This is in line with study conducted by Elder and O'Loughlin (2003) which claimed that using interactive tasks and group work comparing to teaching strategies have more significant effect on candidates' performance in speaking section of IELTS. This can be justified by the fact that pair work and group work can make more contribution to candidates' oral ability rather than teaching speaking strategies that are mainly in form of prefabricated chunks.
In addition, no significant difference was observed between the performances of both groups in listening posttest. In this regard, nonstrategy-based group being exposed to authentic materials may have given the candidates the ability to deal with speaking tasks of IELTS as well as those in nonstrategy-based who practiced exam-like materials and sample tests. It may be inferred that increasing exposure to authentic material can have the same effect as employing strategies on candidates' performance.
6. Conclusions and Implications
This study attempted to carry out an evaluation of teaching practices and strategies employed in IELTS preparatory courses taught via strategy-based vs. nonstrategy-based instruction. To this end, using a standard observation scheme, both types of instructions were observed within their corresponding courses. Moreover, many previous studies in the literature concerned analysis of ILETS courses which drew significant conclusions and implications for the current field; and this study had a similar purpose. Particularly, it focused on the teaching practices and strategies in IELTS preparatory courses. It also investigated the presence of positive washback of the test in such courses. Based on the observations and the results of the posttest strategy-based course, focusing on familiarizing candidates with test-taking strategies, instances of positive washback were observed, especially on reading and writing sections of the test. On the contrary, nonstrategy-based course, based on communicative approach and using exam tasks as assessment, showed better performance on speaking. Furthermore, it was observed that performance of both groups was equal on listening posttest.
Regarding offering implications for the conditions of IELTS courses, it can be suggested that, using the present findings, IELTS instructors can implement a useful array of teaching practices and strategies in preparatory courses. IELTS preparation centers can also benefit from the results by determining the policy of the center to enhance the fruitfulness of the courses and helping more candidates to gain better scores in IELTS.
With regard to findings related to washback effect it can be recommended that, if provided with sufficient time, ILETS instructors can use posttest activities more to evaluate their students' learning. As proved by the results of the study, one influential activity can be checking learning of skills through washback. Furthermore, the notion of washback gains more importance particularly for those instructors who do not include it in their teaching procedures. So, it is expected that IELTS learners be more conscious of their learning processes through feedbacks they receive.
Alderson, J. C., & Hamp-Lyons L. (1996). TOEFL preparatory courses: A study of washback. Language Testing, 13(3), 280-297.
Bachman, L., & Palmer A. (1996). Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bailey, K. (1999). Washback in language testing. Princeton: Educational Testing Service.
Brown, J. D. H. (1998). An investigation into approaches to IELTS preparation, with particular focus on the academic writing component of the test. IELTS Research Reports, 1, 20-37.
Cheng, L. (1997). How does washback influence teaching? Implications for Hong Kong. Language and education, 11(1), 38 – 54.
Davies, A. (1999). Dictionary of language testing. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.
Elder, C., & O'Loughlin, K. (2003). Investigating the relationship between intensive English language study and band score gain on IELTS. IELTS Research Reports, 4, 207-254.
Gibson, C., & Swan, A. (2008). The significance of sociolinguistic backgrounds of teachers of IELTS test preparation courses in selected Malaysian institutions. IELTS Research Reports, 8(1), 45 – 144.
Green, A. (2006a). Washback to the learner: Learner and teacher perspectives on IELTS preparatory course expectations and outcomes. Assessing Writing, 11(2), 113–134.
Green, A. (2006b).Watching for washback: Observing the influence of the IELTS academic writing test in the classroom. Language Assessment Quarterly, 3(4), 333–368.
Green, A. (2007). IELTS washback in context: Preparation for academic writing in higher education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Humphreys, P., Haugh, M., Fenton-Smith, M., Lobo, A., Michael, R., & Walkinshaw, I. (2012). Tracking international students' English proficiency over the first semester of undergraduate study. IELTS Research Reports, 8(3),1-41.
Hawkey, R. A. H. (2006). Impact theory and practice: Studies of the IELTS test and ProgettoLingue: Studies in Language Testing.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press and Cambridge ESOL.
Hayes, B., & Read, J. (2004). Preparing students for the IELTS academic module in New Zealand. In L. Cheng, Y. Watanabe and A. Curtis (Eds.), (in press). Washback in language testing: Research contexts and method. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Hayes, B. M. (2003). IELTS preparation in New Zealand: an investigation into the nature of the courses and evidence of washback (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Victoria University, Wilington.
Mickan, P., & Motteram, J. 2008. An ethnographic study of classroom instruction in an IELTS preparation program. IELTS Research Reports, 8(4), 17-43.
O'Loughlin, K., & Arkoudis, S. (2009).Investigating IELTS exit score gains in higher education. IELTS Research Reports, 7(2), 95 – 180.
Luxia, Q. (2002). Is testing an efficient agent for pedagogical change? Examining the intended washback of the writing task in a high-stakes English test in China. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 14(1), 51-74.
Read, J., & Hayes, B. (2003). The impact of IELTS on preparation for academic study in New Zealand. IELTS Research Reports, 5(4), 153-206.
Sadeghi, S., & Ketabi, S. (2014). High-stake test preparation courses: Washback in accountability contexts. Journal of Education & Human Development, 3(1), 17-26.
Saville, N., & Hawkey, R. (2004). A study of impact of the IELTS, with special reference to its washback on classroom materials. In L. Cheng, Y. Watanabe & A. Curtis (Eds.), Washback in language testing: Research contexts and method (pp. 125-147). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Swain, M. (1985). Large-scale communicative language testing: A case study. In Y. P. Lee, A. C. Y. Fok, R. Lord, & G. Low (Eds.), New directions in language testing (pp. 135-156). Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Wall, D. (1997). Impact and washback in language testing. In C. Clapham & D. Corson (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education (pp. 291-302). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Watanabe, Y. (1996a). Does grammar-translation come from the entrance examination? Preliminary findings from classroom-based research. Language Testing, 13(3), 319-333.
Watanabe, Y. (1996b). Investigating washback in Japanese classrooms: Problems of methodology. In G. Wigglesworth & C. Elder (Eds.), The language testing cycle: From inception to washback (pp. 319-333). Australia: Applied Linguistics Association Publication.
Rezaei, O., Barati, H., & Youhanaee, M. (2016). Evaluation of IELTS Preparatory Courses in Iran: Teaching Practices and Strategies in Focus. Teaching English Language, 10(2), 47-71. doi: 10.22132/tel.2016.53547
Omid Rezaei; Hossein Barati; Manijeh Youhanaee. "Evaluation of IELTS Preparatory Courses in Iran: Teaching Practices and Strategies in Focus". Teaching English Language, 10, 2, 2016, 47-71. doi: 10.22132/tel.2016.53547
Rezaei, O., Barati, H., Youhanaee, M. (2016). 'Evaluation of IELTS Preparatory Courses in Iran: Teaching Practices and Strategies in Focus', Teaching English Language, 10(2), pp. 47-71. doi: 10.22132/tel.2016.53547
Rezaei, O., Barati, H., Youhanaee, M. Evaluation of IELTS Preparatory Courses in Iran: Teaching Practices and Strategies in Focus. Teaching English Language, 2016; 10(2): 47-71. doi: 10.22132/tel.2016.53547


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Darren Randolph
No White Smoke Yet
Randolph's West Ham medical is the longest I've ever known - Boro boss
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper has been heavily linked with the Premier League club.
By Sinead Farrell Monday 13 Jan 2020, 4:39 PM
Mon 4:39 PM 8,671 Views 2 Comments
https://the42.ie/4964040
Darren Randolph [file pic].
Image: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
MIDDLESBROUGH MANAGER JONATHAN Woodgate says Darren Randolph is undergoing "the longest medical in history" amid reports that he is joining West Ham.
It was recently reported that the Premier League side were "very hopeful" of securing the services of the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper despite a delay with the transfer.
There were concerns over Randolph's thigh injury, which has kept the 32-year-old on the sidelines since the end of November as well as putting a hold on his £4 million move.
The situation with Darren is it's the longest medical I've ever known in history," Woodgate said at a press conference ahead of his side's FA Cup third-round clash with Spurs on Tuesday.
"And I've had a few medicals myself and passed a few, but this is like, this is unbelievable really. Let's see what happens over the next 48 hours."
When asked if he thought the move was likely to happen Woodgate said he wasn't "a betting man" before going on to outline what might happen if Randolph's transfer to West Ham doesn't go ahead.
"Darren's a professional. Look at what he's done for the football club. He's been an outstanding keeper for us. So he'll be professional. You'd play Darren anywhere, he'll be absolutely fine."
West Ham's first choice goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has struggled with injury at times this season which could create an opening for Randolph.
The Poland international was withdrawn with a hamstring injury during the defeat to Sheffield United last Friday. Fabianski was playing in his fourth game since returning from a long-term hip injury at the end of December.
With Ireland's Euro 2020 playoff against Slovakia on the horizon in March, Randolph will be hopeful of earning plenty of game time if he can complete his move to the London Stadium club.
"Well, is he going to be a number two?" said Woodgate when asked about Randolph's motivation for moving to West Ham. "Fabianski's injured, so he's going for [number] one, isn't he?
"Listen, I love Darren Randolph. He's a top keeper. He hasn't gone yet so let's see."
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13.01.20 'Disgraceful anti-Irish and sectarian abuse' - Support for James McClean after latest controversy
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NYtor designs, develops and validates novel molecular diagnostic assays. Our extensive expertise in multiplex qPCR (real-time PCR) development ensures design of robust and sensitive assays for application in e.g. gene expression, genotyping and detection of pathogens.
Tailor-made applications and approaches are an important aspect of our service. NYtor is a reliable business partner, focusing on long-term relationships based on personal interactions.
NYtor is currently in transition phase towards obtaining ISO 13485 certification.


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On Stage: A roundup of musical acts appearing before Jan. 2 at local venues
Apex Theatre Studios will present "Eb Scrooge: A Southern Fried Carol" on Dec. 16-18 at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall.
Image from The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
Posted Thursday, December 1, 2022 12:00 am
A roundup of musical acts appearing soon at local venues.
PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL
1050 A1A North, Ponte Vedra Beach
Purchase tickets at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre box office or ticketmaster.com.
For further information about each act, go to pvconcerthall.com/events.
Rome & Duddy — The Winter Moon Tour — 7 p.m. Dec. 1
The Wood Brothers — With special guest Rainbow Girls. 8 p.m. Dec. 6
Ana Popovic — 7 p.m. Dec. 7
UNF Choral Ensembles: Carols and Messiah Favorites — 7 p.m. Dec. 9
The Fab Four — The Ultimate Tribute — 8 p.m. Dec. 10
The Outlaws — Greengrass and Yuletide Jam — With Pat Travers. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11
Mindi Abair "I Can't Wait for Christmas" — With special guests Vincent Ingala, Adam Hawley and Lindsey Webster. 8 p.m. Dec. 14
Apex Theatre Studios Presents "Eb Scrooge: A Southern Fried Carol" — Dec. 16-18
ST. AUGUSTINE AMPHITHEARE
1340C A1A South, St. Augustine
Box office hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets sold at the box office are available via credit- and debit-card only. A valid ID is required for all box office transactions and ticket purchases must be made in person.
Tickets may also be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
For further information about each act, go to theamp.com/events.
The Front Bottoms with Special Guest Sydney Sprague — 7 p.m. Dec. 9
Venardos Circus — Dec. 16-Jan. 1
— Compiled by Shaun Ryan


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Xbox-bound Iraq War video game sure to upset some people (and it already has)
Is it too soon to release a video game based on the Iraq War? Not if you're Konami, which will publish the Atomic Games-devloped Six Days in Fallujah, a survival horror game set during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Needless to say, some folks aren't happy about this.
A British Army colonel is calling for the game, which is scheduled for release next year for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, to be banned in the UK—if not the world. Says the colonel:
Considering the enormous loss of life in the Iraq War, glorifying it in a video game demonstrates very poor judgement and bad taste. It is particularly crass when you consider what actually happened in Fallujah…
To be fair to Konami, it did enlist the help of several veterans of the battle for their input. So it's inaccurate to characterize this as every member of the Multi-National Force being upset.
What strikes me most, as a gamer, is that the game will be a survival horror game, but one without the typical survival horror elements like zombies or monsters. In a sense, it's more along the lines of Silent Hill, what with its horror being equally steeped in psychology as dogs-crashing-through-windows fright. Apparently, the survival horror comes from the "unpredictable, terrifying, and very real tactics employed by the insurgents that were scattered throughout Fallujah."
Pretty odd premise, but I'll wait till I see the game before I condemn Konami for being insensitive jerks. That's only fair.


What is online case review?
It's a way to have a police officer and magistrate review your traffic ticket without having to come to court for a hearing.
It's not. There's a real magistrate and law enforcement officer on the other side, making decisions about your case based on the same criteria they would if you went to court in person. It just takes place through this website.
You submit a request online for a reduced charge. If you are eligible, the police officer reviews your request and makes a recommendation to the magistrate, who then makes the final decision. You get a text or email with the result.
Is there a charge for online case review?
Everyone makes mistakes. If you have a good driving record, the magistrate and police officer may be willing to give you a lesser charge that does not add points to your license.
What is Matterhorn and Court Innovations?
Spun out of the University of Michigan Law School, Court Innovations Inc. is the maker of Matterhorn, this website. Courts license it to interact with the public, so that you have an opportunity to be heard without physically having to go to court! The court provides it as a service to you.
We will send an email or text as well as update the message on your status page when you come back to the website. Full payment is due within 7 days.
Late notices are mailed to the plate registration address on file with the Michigan Secretary of State.


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Hallam Hurt
Hallam Hurt MD
Dr. Hallam Hurt is a neonatologist who has cared for sick and at-risk babies for more than four decades. She is a faculty member at PolicyLab and a professor of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Division of Neonatology and Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. In this capacity Dr. Hurt is an attending neonatologist in the Intensive Care Nursery at the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, a role in which she not only cares for babies and their families but also is actively involved in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows . In 2003 Dr. Hurt co-founded the Special Babies Clinic, a developmental follow-up clinic for high- risk and preterm infants discharged from the Intensive Care Nursery of the Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania. This clinic has approximately 600 visits per year, with many families coming from challenging socio-economic conditions found in West Philadelphia. In her role as an attending in Special Babies Clinic Dr. Hurt sees first hand not only outcomes related to extreme prematurity but also the influence of the environment on child development. The Clinic provides an extraordinary opportunity for teaching trainees ranging from medical students to international observers.
To attenuate deleterious effects of poverty on our youngest, support for at-risk infants and their families cannot begin too soon.
Dr. Hurt is well known for her investigation of the effects of gestational cocaine exposure on infants. In 1989 she initiated a study of exposed and non-exposed infants, all of low socio-economic status, that concluded after approximately a quarter of a century. Her findings, surprising to many, were that exposed and non-exposed subjects did not differ in developmental or cognitive outcome, however, both groups were performing poorly when compared to test norms. This finding led Dr. Hurt to her current endeavors: investigating effects of poverty on child outcome. Specifically, she seeks to define which aspects of the environment of poverty most affect child developmental outcome, whether the effects of poverty are detectable in brain structure, and how early in life developmental and brain effects can be identified. Preliminary results of these investigations show effects of poverty are detectable in infancy, far sooner than preschool age. Given these findings, coupled with the well-established decline in developmental outcome of children raised in poverty, Dr. Hurt has called for an increase in interventions to be initiated in infancy. Interventions at later ages are laudable, but may be well after foundational developmental and neural patterns are in place. Moreover, Dr. Hurt's other recent research endeavors include determining trajectories of risk behavior and substance use in adolescents, adolescent suicidal ideation, and gambling in youth.
Dr. Hurt is responsible for a summer endeavor, Special Trips for Special Babies, in which prior at-risk infants and their families visit either the Philadelphia Zoo or the Please Touch Museum. She also is a mentor for and actively involved in Babies and Books, an endeavor in which parents are instructed in the importance of reading to their infants, no matter how preterm, while the infant is hospitalized.
Dr. Hurt is an enthusiastic teacher and advocate, committed to the babies and families for whom she cares.
See More Experts
Email: Hurt@email.chop.edu
Gestational Cocaine Exposure
How Early is Early? Poverty's Effects on Infant Development
Related Publications and Tools
Modeling Trajectories of Sensation Seeking and Impulsivity Dimensions from Early to Late Adolescence: Universal Trends or...
A Portrait of Disadvantage: Understanding Poverty's Influence on Child Development
Turning 1 Year of Age in a Low Socioeconomic Environment: A Portrait of Disadvantage
Working Memory Ability and Early Drug Use Progression as Predictors of Adolescent Substance Use Disorders
PolicyLab Releases New Brief on Child Poverty
Study: Poverty impacts babies learning ability in their first year
Children in Low-Income Families Exhibit Poorer Cognitive Development as Early as Age One
New PolicyLab Study — Turning 1 Year of Age in a Low Socioeconomic Environment: A Portrait of Disadvantage
Study Points to Better Strategies to Prevent Drug Addiction in Adolescents
Find out what's new at PolicyLab Learn More


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Henry Connor Bost House is a historic home located near South River, Rowan County, North Carolina. It is also very close to Salisbury, NC.   It was built in 1869, and is a two-story, center-hall plan, Greek Revival style frame dwelling. It is sheathed in weatherboard and has a full-width, hipped roof porch. It was purchased in 1961 from the second owners and fully restored in 1993.

The home is surrounded by 135 acres of private rolling hills and woodlands.  The acreage is protected by the Three Rivers Land Trust.   It is now used as a special event venue and airbnb/vacation rental under the name of Henry Connor Bost House and Farm.  The family also uses the home for family gatherings/vacations.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

References

Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina
Greek Revival houses in North Carolina
Houses completed in 1869
Houses in Rowan County, North Carolina
National Register of Historic Places in Rowan County, North Carolina
1869 establishments in North Carolina

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Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter is a Network Adapters device. This driver was developed by Broadcom. The hardware id of this driver is PCI/VEN_14E4&DEV_4354; this string has to match your hardware.
You can download from the link below the driver setup file for the Broadcom Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter driver. The archive contains version 6.30.223.255 released on 2014-09-30 of the driver.
This driver was installed by many users and received an average rating of 3.3 stars out of 71252 votes.
Take a look at the list of detected driver updates. Scroll the list down until you locate the Broadcom Broadcom 802.11n Network Adapter driver. Click on Update.


The home improvement and garden wholesaler has taken on Martin Sutcliffe as manager for Decco Leeds, following Andrew Ballantine's promotion to chief operating officer. The appointment was effective from August 1.
Mr Sutcliffe joins Decco from sister company Edmundson Electrical, where he began his career in 2011 as a graduate trainee. Since then he has managed three different branches; the most recent being Edmundson Electrical Grimsby.
Decco boasts seven locations around the UK totalling more than 350,000sq ft of warehousing space and holding over £10million worth of stock. The business supplies independent high street retailers and garden centres throughout the UK.


At ZIPIT we're hungry for great design and practical functionality. Our Wildlings lunch bag with straps delivers both, giving you another reason to be happy when the lunch bell rings. The Wildlings lunch box measures 8.6" x 3.9" x 10.6", and comes with thoughtful details like adjustable straps, a sturdy carrying handle, mesh inner pouch and 2 pockets for bottles.
Give your favorite student a great start to the school year with a gift of a Wildlings Lunch Bag. The quality is outstanding and the printed Wildling - with it's adorable features - makes it extra special.


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sodapix sodapix | Thinkstockphotos.com
Bacteria's Unique Design—Pooling Resources
by Dr. Georgia Purdom on December 14, 2014
God created bacteria to perform vital roles in every imaginable environment. To help them perform those roles, He gave them unique designs to share information so they're prepared for new challenges.
It's a dark and stormy night, and the bacteria living in a small puddle outside the factory are struggling to survive. Nutrients are scarce, and the man-made substances found in the wastewater are unusable by the bacteria. Will they perish? The answer will surprise you!
Unlike humans and many animals, bacteria typically do not have the same choices in dealing with their environment. If they live outside and it's raining, they can't put up an umbrella or go inside. If nutrients are low, they can't go to the grocery store and get food. Instead God designed bacteria to be "master adapters," with genetic resources that humans and animals don't have.
An Ocean of Options
Originally God designed bacteria to be invaluable servants to plants and animals in His "very good" world ( Genesis 1:31 ); and the vast majority of bacteria still display beneficial characteristics. In the human gut, for instance, they break down nutrients and produce vitamins that we can't make on our own and we couldn't survive without. They also make many essential elements, such as sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon—from soil, water, and air—available to living things. In our fallen world, bacteria even break down deadly pollutants, such as waste products from factories.
God in His wisdom and grace designed these microscopic marvels with special genetic tools to adapt and survive in a fallen world, so that they can continue these servant roles. Bacteria are very small, and there is no way they could carry the full complement of genes they might need for every environmental situation they would face. It would also waste time and energy to replicate all that DNA every time the bacteria reproduced. Instead the full complement of genes, called the pan-genome, is "split" among varying strains of the same species. Furthermore, some species are capable of acquiring genes from other bacterial species.
As a result of genetic exchange among bacteria, the genome for any given bacterial genus or species is not easily defined. The material available to bacteria is like a "genetic ocean" that is constantly ebbing and flowing through bacteria, often via viruses (called bacteriophages) that infect bacteria and acquire and carry bacterial DNA to other bacteria. An estimated 1031 bacteriophages (ten thousand billion billion billion) fill the earth, and bacteriophages infect 1024 bacteria per second.1 There is a tremendous amount of genetic material flowing in and out of bacteria at any given time!
For just about any species other than bacteria, if you sequence the genome (the DNA present in the nucleus) of one member of the species, it will be very similar to every other member of that species. For example, my DNA is only 0.1% different from that of each person reading this article. This similarity allows scientists to talk about the human genome as opposed to human genomes.
But for just about any bacterial species, if you sequence the genome of one strain, it will likely be very different from other strains within that same species. In fact if you sequence 20 different strains, you will find many genes unique to only one strain! Again, this is what scientists often refer to as a pan-genome since it is present across many strains in a given species.
Consider the example of Escherichia coli, a common gut bacterium. The genome of each strain consists of approximately 5,000 genes. About 2,200 of those genes are found in virtually every other strain of E. coli sequenced.2 These genes (and the proteins produced from them), called core genes, are considered housekeeping genes and are needed by every strain for basic cellular functions. The remaining 2,800 genes are specific to that strain and called accessory or adaptive genes. These genes help it adapt and function in a specific environment.3 For example, a study that compared proteins produced by two harmful strains and one harmless strain of E. coli found that nearly 40% of the proteins produced by all three strains were the same, but 47% of the proteins were produced by only one strain.4
Think about the potential size of the E. coli pan-genome (all accessory genes in all strains). It is currently believed to be 10,000–13,000 genes and growing. For every new strain of E. coli sequenced, in fact, researchers expect (based on mathematical extrapolations) that 300 new genes will be discovered!5 It is very possible that the pan-genome of some bacterial species could consist of tens of thousands of genes, with some pangenomes being larger than the human genome of only 28,000–30,000 genes.
Bacteria's Pool of Accessory Genes
All humans have the same set of genes in their DNA, but that's not true of bacteria. Bacteria share genes from a common pool, so that each individual does not have to retain them all.
Each individual E. coli, for instance, has nearly 5,000 genes in its DNA. But the total number of genes within the whole species of E. coli (called its pan-genome) is over 10,000. And we're discovering more genes all the time.
The same basic 2,200 genes appear in virtually every E. coli. Called core genes, these perform basic functions necessary for every cell. The remaining 2,800 genes appear in only some E. coli. Called accessory or adaptive genes, they help different bacteria survive in different environments.
This marvelous gene-sharing program allows bacteria to fulfill their many important roles in our changing, post-Fall world.
Tools of Adaptation
How do bacteria acquire this great diversity of genes? Two major mechanisms are available to help bacteria adapt to changing environments: mutations (in conjunction with natural selection) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Each mechanism is marvelously controlled to allow maximum adaptability within God's specific goals for each species.
Mutations (and Natural Selection). Mutations are a change in the DNA sequence. Since DNA contains the instructions for making proteins, mutations can alter the structure or function of proteins. Mutant proteins can accomplish different tasks that allow the bacteria to survive better in a given situation (for example, break down a man-made substance in wastewater from a factory and use it for nutrition). The better-equipped bacteria will survive via natural selection and grow, reproduce, and eventually become the dominant bacteria.
For example, in the mid-1970s, bacteria were discovered in ponds with wastewater from a nylon factory. These bacteria (Arthobacter sp. K172) could digest the byproducts from manufacturing nylon, a man-made polymer that had never existed before it was produced in the 1940s. Thus, these bacteria must have acquired their ability to break down nylon in only a few decades.
How could they do this? In 2007, genetic analyses showed that mutations in a pre-existing gene in the bacteria, known as EII, produced a protein capable of breaking down nylon.6 The normal version of EII was found to break down a substance very similar to nylon. The mutations were essentially "tweaks" that allowed the bacteria to break down nylon and adapt and survive in a seemingly inhospitable environment.
Horizontal Gene Transfer. Another way that bacteria adapt is to borrow genetic material from other bacteria by a process known as horizontal gene transfer. This is different from vertical gene transfer, which occurs with traditional reproduction from parent to child. Instead, bacteria pass along their genes to other, separate bacteria.
There are three main ways this amazing transfer is accomplished: transformation, conjugation, and transduction. In transformation, the bacteria take in free-floating DNA directly from the environment. When bacteria die, the cells rupture and their DNA becomes part of the environment. Nearby living bacterial cells can then take up the DNA, which becomes part of their own genetic makeup.
Despite its wonderful flexibility, bacterial adaptation doesn't change a bacterium into a completely different kind of organism.
Conjugation is the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another through a physical connection, a "bridge," between the two. It's the bacterial equivalent of sexual reproduction.
Transduction is the transfer of genetic material from one bacterium to another by viruses (the bacteriophages mentioned above, and yes, even bacteria can have viral infections!). The viruses are able to incorporate bacterial DNA into their own viral DNA and transfer it into the next bacteria they infect.
Horizontal gene transfer is nearly exclusive to bacteria because they need to adapt to such a wide variety of different environmental situations to survive. For example, antibiotic resistance genes and virulence (disease-causing) genes are often transferred among bacteria.
Unfortunately, in our fallen world, mutation and horizontal gene transfer don't work perfectly. Sometimes in the process of adapting to a new environment, bacteria acquire genetic changes that also lead to disease. Understanding why some changes are bad is an active area of creation science research.
Despite its wonderful flexibility, bacterial adaptation doesn't change a bacterium into a completely different kind of organism because it doesn't result in the origin of novel genetic information needed for this type of change. In the case of bacteria, it is the alteration or exchange of pre-existing genetic information.
Mutations and natural selection have never been observed to originate novel information of the type necessary for molecules-to-man evolution. This is consistent with Scripture, which states that God created organisms according to their kind, implying that they were to reproduce according to their kind (Genesis 1, 6, and 8). We observe mechanisms that allow bacteria to adapt within limits but not to evolve into different kinds of organisms.
Just like with mutation and natural selection, horizontal gene transfer does not result in the origin of novel genetic information necessary for molecules-to-man evolution. The genetic information was pre-existing in other bacteria and was merely transferred from one bacterium to another. It's like having money in your right pocket and putting it in your left pocket. You haven't become any richer; you've just changed the location of your money.
God designed bacteria with these elaborate mechanisms so they could adapt quickly and share their genes in a post-Fall, post-Flood world. This has allowed them to refill the earth ( Genesis 8:16–19 ) and continue their many good functions. The availability of a wide variety of genetic material that can be acquired quickly is absolutely essential to the bacteria's master adapter abilities.
We're still in the early stages of understanding this amazing design. So far, pan-genome studies have concentrated on comparing harmful strains to harmless ones to determine disease-causing genes and create better treatments. But more wonders are in store, as the Creator's wise designs come to light.
Although nearly 40,000 bacterial genomes have been sequenced to date, this represents only a very small fraction of the actual number of bacterial species thought to exist (in the hundreds of thousands to millions). Many species cannot be cultured (grown) in the lab, making study difficult. In addition, only a handful of the trillions of bacteriophages thought to exist have been sequenced. To put it plainly, a lot of information is floating out there in the "genetic ocean" that we know nothing about! As better sequencing and culturing technologies are developed, it will be exciting to see in even greater depth God's grand design for bacteria, His master adapters.
Dr. Georgia Purdom is a speaker and researcher for Answers in Genesis. She earned her doctorate from Ohio State University in molecular genetics and spent six years as a professor of biology at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University.
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Hervé Tettelin, et al., "Genome Analysis of Multiple Pathogenic Isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae: Implications for the Microbial 'Pan-genome,'" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2005) 102:13,950–13,955.
Marie Touchon, et al., "Organised Genome Dynamics in the Escherichia coli Species Results in Highly Diverse Adaptive Paths," PLOS Genetics (2009) 5:e1000344.
R. A. Welch, et al., "Extensive Mosaic Structure Revealed by the Complete Genome Sequence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2002) 99:17,020–17,024.
Alex Mira, et al., "The Bacterial Pan-genome: A New Paradigm in Microbiology," International Microbiology (2010) 13:45–57.
Kevin Anderson and Georgia Purdom, "A Creationist Perspective of Beneficial Mutations in Bacteria," Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Creationism (Pittsburgh: Creation Science Fellowship), 73–86.
Georgia Purdom DVD Set$39.99Sale
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33 Inspirational Quotes About Heroes: Do Heroes Wear Capes?
Blockbuster movies will have us believe that to be a hero, you have to wear a bright spandex suit and funny tights. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. Heroes are those who work hard every single day to make the world a better place. They are in the faces of people we see on the streets every day.
Heroes get up and persevere even when they're knocked down. For all of you who are still struggling to find the hero within, here are the best 33 quotes about heroes to help you find the strength to face everyday obstacles.
33 Best Quotes About Heroes
Inspirational Quotes About Heroes
#1. "All of us start from zero. We make the right decision and become a hero." — Govinda
#2. "We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day." — Brad Meltzer
#3. "Ultimately, a hero is a man who would argue with the gods, and so awakens devils to contest his vision. The more a man can achieve, the more he may be certain that the devil will inhabit a part of his creation." — Norman Mailer
#4. "A hero is brave in deeds as well as words." — Aesop
#5. "To have no heroes is to have no aspiration, to live on the momentum of the past, to be thrown back upon routine, sensuality, and the narrow self." — Charles Horton Cooley
#6. "I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel." — Florence Nightingale
#7. "We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, discovering we have the strength to stare it down." — Eleanor Roosevelt
#8. "Heroes are made in the hour of defeat. Success is, therefore, well described as a series of glorious defeats." — Mahatma Gandhi
#9. "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." — Christopher Reeve
Empowering Quotes About Heroes
#10. "We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too." — Helen Hayes
#11. "Heroism is endurance for one moment more." — George Kennan
#12. "The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common the heroic." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
#13. "All the heroes of tomorrow are the heretics of today." — E.Y. Harburg
#14. "To be heroic may mean nothing more than this then, to stand in the face of the status quo, in the face of an easy collapse into the madness of an increasingly chaotic world and represent another way." — Mike Alsford
#15. "The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example." — Benjamin Disraeli
#16. "I think a hero is any person really intent on making this a better place for all people." — Maya Angelou
#17. "The prudent see only the difficulties, the bold only the advantages, of a great enterprise; the hero sees both; diminishes the former and makes the latter preponderate, and so conquers." — Johann Kaspar Lavater
#18. "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." — Joseph Campbell
Motivational Quotes About Heroes
#19. "A hero. You want to be one of those rare human beings who make history, rather than merely watch it flow around you like water around a rock." — Dan Simmons
#20. "Nothing is given to man on earth; the struggle is built into the nature of life, and conflict is possible. The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen." — Andrew Bernstein
#21. "Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They're just braver five minutes longer." — Ronald Reagan
#22. "Heroism is not only in the man, but in the occasion." — Calvin Coolidge
#23. "Real heroes are men who fall and fail and are flawed, but win out in the end because they've stayed true to their ideals and beliefs and commitments." — Kevin Costner
#24. "Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with." ― Brodi Ashton
#25. "A hero is a man who does what he can." — Romain Rolland
#26. "Heroes don't have the need to be known as heroes, they just do what heroes do because it is right and it must be done." — Shannon A. Thompson
Insightful Quotes About Heroes
#27. "Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It is all part of the fairy tale." — Peter S. Beagle
#28. "That is why embittered people find heroes and madmen a perennial source of fascination, for they have no fear of life or death. Both heroes and madmen are indifferent to danger and will forge ahead regardless of what other people say." — Paulo Coelho
#29. "I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." — Bob Dylan
#30. "My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results. But it is the effort that's heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight." ― George R.R. Martin
#31. "The hero draws inspiration from the virtue of his ancestors." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
#32. "Friends are the real superheroes. They battle our worst enemies — loneliness, grief, anxiety, depression, fear, and doubt every time they come around." — Richelle E. Goodrich
#33. "He who says, "I know no fear," is no hero. No man knows courage unless he does know fear, and has that in him which is superior to fear, and conquers it." — Lyman Abbott
You don't need a lot of money or a fancy suit to become a hero. All it takes is doing a good deed every day, no matter how big or small. If you see injustice, speak up and give a voice to those who can't speak for themselves. Hopefully, these quotes about heroes will help you do just that.


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Seyfi Cenap Berksoy (ur. 1903, zm. 12 listopada 1974) – turecki zapaśnik walczący w stylu klasycznym. Olimpijczyk z Paryża 1924, gdzie zajął dwunaste miejsce w wadze lekkociężkiej.

Letnie Igrzyska Olimpijskie 1924

Przypisy

Tureccy zapaśnicy
Tureccy olimpijczycy
Urodzeni w 1903
Zmarli w 1974
Uczestnicy Letnich Igrzysk Olimpijskich 1924


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Senate Bill 2305 (Carpenter-1986)
Chapter 1316Statutes of 1986
Senator Carpenter wrote the following to Governor Deukmejian in his August 29, 1986 letter requesting approval of Senate Bill 2305:
In 1984 I authored successful legislation which exempted public school closures from the California Environmental Quality Act. Having to prepare Environmental Impact Reports on school closures was a waste of a school district's time and money. Exemption from CEQA also had the positive effect of curtailing frivolous lawsuits by upset parents who didn't want their neighborhood schools closing.
It has now come to my attention that similar groups are pursuing legal action against school districts on the grounds that the transfer of students from a closed school should require an EIR. Once again school districts' time and money is being wasted fighting inane court battles.
This bill, SB 2305, will put a quick end to this problem by simply exempting the transfer of students from a closed school from the CEQA reporting requirements as specified. The bill has no opposition and received significant input from the Resources Agency.
(See Exhibit #10, document A-7 and #12, document PE-2)
The analysis prepared by the Resources Agency provided the following background on the Senate Bill 2305:
This bill would expand an exemption from CEQA requirements (SB 1355, Carpenter; Stats. 84, Ch. 1250) for the closure of any public school (grades K-12). In its initial form SB 1355 in 1984 would have exempted from CEQA both public school closures and school district reorganization activities. The Resources Agency opposed SB 1355 based upon the potential for adverse environmental effects resulting from school closures and district reorganizations, which under an exemption from CEQA would be neither analyzed nor mitigated and could result in increased costs. SB 1355 was enacted in an amended form providing an exemption from CEQA only for public school closures.
In a 1985 case involving the Rancho Palos Verdes School District, a Superior Court judge held that since a school closure is exempt from CEQA, the transfer of students from the closed school would also be exempt from CEQA requirements. The appellate courts have not ruled on the issue.
(See Exhibit #7, document SFA-5)


Don't think of me as just a writer. I'm also an experienced editor and editorial manager. I'm extremely proud of the information I've created and the people I've helped to develop along the way–and I'm thankful to them as well! I'm very good at taking complex concepts and making them useful and easy to understand. How? Just ask. Let's have a conversation.
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This site showcases my writing experience and tells you more about me. You can view my resume, see some sample of my work, and get to know me a little. My specialties are online and print documentation.
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Contributor Update: Tricia Psarreas Murray published in theEEEL
Tricia Psarreas Murray's "Revamped Clichés for Horror Movie Scenarios" was recently published on The Electronic Encyclopedia of Experimental Literature (theEEEL). Congrats, Tricia!
Earlier this year, Tricia's piece "A Few Test Searches Using the Movies Retitled Like Names of Friends Episodes App" was also published at theEEEL.
You can read Tricia's recent contribution to The Conium Review Online Compendium here.
Contributor Update: Michele Finn Johnson published in theEEEL
Michele Finn Johnson's "The Constant Nature of Toxicity" was recently published on The Electronic Encyclopedia of Experimental Literature.
Congrats on the publication, Michele!
Editor News: James R. Gapinski's "Cheat Codes" published on theEEEL
Our Managing Editor, James R. Gapinski, was recently published on theNewerYork's "Electronic Encyclopedia of Experimental Literature" (also called theEEEL if you're into the whole brevity thing). You can read "Cheat Codes" here.
"The Pale Investigator," by Mercedes Lawry
The Pale Investigator stored her dry goods in glass jars, appreciative of their colors and shapes. She kept fruit in a blonde basket and wooden spoons in an old tea tin featuring a cherubic child. The Pale Investigator favored a classic wardrobe in neutral colors and naturally, sensible shoes. She kept her loyalty cards in a small hand-stitched wallet, separate from her license, credit cards and cash. Her former boyfriend admired her pluck but could not accommodate her erratic hours. Her sister, the medical librarian, was secretly envious though tended to discredit her profession at holiday meals, once using the word "snoop," uttered with disdain. The Pale Investigator had a wide range of skills and an average grasp of global politics. Though she did not feel the need to make use of full disguises, she did keep a selection of hats in her trunk. The Pale Investigator dreamed of that one big case, the one that would introduce her to fame and fortune or some modest hybrid of the two. Once upon a time, she thought that her work might provide insight about the complexity of human nature, but thus far she had only discovered that people were mainly uninspired in their tawdry behavior while trying to achieve maximum pleasure. If she'd been forced to choose one single word to describe the collective activities of the general public, she would have to choose the word tedious.
Mercedes Lawry has previously published short fiction in several journals including, Gravel, Dying Goose, Cleaver, Garbanzo, Conclave, and theNewerYork. For many years, she's been publishing poetry in journals such as Poetry, Nimrod, Prairie Schooner, The Saint Ann's Review, and others and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Additionally, she's published stories, musings, and poems for children. She lives in Seattle.
Image Credit: © dikaya888 / Dollar Photo Club
"Senior Superlatives: All Seniors MUST Vote!" by Kayla Pongrac
Dear Class of 2015,
ALL STUDENTS in our graduating class are REQUIRED to vote for senior superlatives this year. Only a few people from last year's class participated in the voting process, and the people who did ended up voting for themselves (SOOOOOO NOT cool). This year, it is MANDATORY that you vote so that our yearbook is way better than the one produced by the class of 2014. Also, we've added new categories to our friendly competition, so don't skimp out on those new ones. Remember that you can only vote for yourself ONCE.
Now get to it (and don't forget to vote for me!).
Sincerely & with LOTS of <3 and hugs,
Stacie Hollan
2015 Yearbook Editor-in-Chief
@ILoveUStacieLoo15
SENIOR SUPERLATIVES '15 OFFICIAL BALLOT
RULES: VOTE FOR ONLY ONE PERSON. YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOURSELF ONLY ONCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOUR NAME:________________________________________ (all ballots will be kept confidential)
Old Categories
Nicest Eyes:
Nicest Hair:
Nicest Smile:
Coolest Tattoo:
Weirdest Piercing:
Class Clown:
Biggest Flirt:
Most Likely to Succeed:
Newbie Categories
Most Technologically Inclined:
Nicest Facebook Page:
Most Interesting Twitter Feed:
Most Likely to Invent a New Form of Social Media:
Best Dressed Hipster:
Most Impressive Vinyl Collector:
Most Likely to Own Stock in Starbucks One Day:
Most Likely to Drop His/Her iPhone or iPad in the Toilet:
PLEASE RETURN YOUR BALLOT TO ME BY EIGHTH PERIOD ON FRIDAY. OTHERWISE, I WILL REPORT YOU TO THE YEARBOOK ADVISOR.
Kayla Pongrac is an avid writer, reader, tea drinker, and record spinner. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in theNewerYork, Split Lip Magazine, Oblong, The Bohemyth, DUM DUM Zine, and Mixtape Methodology, among others. When she's not writing creatively, she's writing professionally—for two newspapers and a few magazines in her hometown of Johnstown, PA. To read more of Kayla's work, visit www.kaylapongrac.com or follow her on Twitter @KP_the_Promisee.
Image Credit: © Konovalov Pavel / Dollar Photo Club


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Why Evangelicals Should Support Immigration Reform (by Alan Cross)
October 29, 2013 by Guest Blogger
Alan Cross blogs at Downshore Drift, where this article was originally published.
When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 19:33-34)
I have written about the need for Immigration Reform in the past. Here are the relevant articles:
Should We Declare Amnesty? – Asks how America plans to deal with its illegal immigration problem and puts forward some solutions. Includes a history of U.S. Immigration law.
Resolution and Discussion for Alabama Baptists Calling for Ministry to Immigrants – I put forward a resolution at the Alabama Baptist State Convention last year calling for Alabama Baptists to minister to the immigrants and aliens in our midst, whether they are here legally or not. I also tell the story as to how and why that resolution never made it out of committee.
Could Alabama Baptists Lead the Way In Immigration Reform In America? Here, I put forward some ideas for the local church in regard to immigration reform, most notably in Alabama in response to the now struck down immigration law.
Today, I am on my way to Washington, D.C. for a two day event sponsored by the Evangelical Immigration Table and the National Immigration Forum calling for Immigration Reform. Congress is in position to act to try to bring reform to what has become a disastrous domestic policy in regard to the 12 million illegal aliens who now live and work in the United States. What are we to do? What should Evangelicals do? I will have a chance, according to the invitation that I received to attend the event, to speak to members of Alabama's Congressional delegation on this issue from an Evangelical perspective.
Last night, I met with 30 members of the Hispanic and Korean congregations that meet at and partner with Gateway and asked them about their perspective on immigration reform. They told me stories of the way that current U.S. policy affects the immigrant communities here. Since the law declares that children born here are automatically U.S. citizens, it has created very difficult situations for those who came here for work and to escape grinding poverty in other countries and have since had children. The illegal immigrant is effectively a "ghost" they said, and cannot participate in society – the very society that their children now belong to. They also cannot report crimes against them for fear of being deported, so they are preyed upon by others with impunity. It is obvious that the United States has no intention of deporting 12 million illegal aliens. So, what are they to do? They also cannot apply for legal status now if they came here illegally in the past. They are people without a country.
If the United States decided tomorrow to round up all 12 million illegal aliens and deport them and did so, that would be within its rights as a sovereign nation. But, the United States IS NOT going to do that. It knows and allows for 12 million illegal aliens to stay here and work and live in the shadows. If deportation is not going to happen – and it isn't – then we need to move forward with a plan that takes into account the situation as it is actually is, not as some want it to be.
Many Conservatives have rejected calls for amnesty because they fear that it will give Democrats the edge in elections in the future. That is not my concern. As an Evangelical Christian, my primary concern is to consider how we can keep families together and provide for justice and the common good. I would rather we have had no illegal aliens in the United States. I would like for all people to obey the Law. But, that is not what has happened. So, what do we do now? Here are my ideas:
Develop a way for otherwise productive and law-abiding illegal aliens to apply for and receive some kind of legal status here in America so they can work, pay taxes, participate in American society, and come out of the shadows. Hiding in the background only perpetuates generational poverty and future lawless behavior. They broke the law to come here – I understand that – but, they are here now and many of them are honest, hardworking, decent people. How can we help them achieve a status (it does not have to be as citizens with voting privileges) that allows them to participate legally?
Tie their legal status to some kind of civic or religious organization that can sponsor them, like a church or a non-profit that exists for community uplift. I understand that this arrangement might allow for abuse, but abuse is already occuring on a massive scale anyway. The benefit to connecting application for legal status to a church or civic organization is that it embeds the illegal alien in a legal community structure that can help them assimilate and ease the process of obtaining a legal status. It also requires the illegal alien to come out of the shadows and be known and participate in their community. This step can help alleviate many social ailments and reduce crime and hopelessness in immigrant communities. It can also help create social mobility.
Keep immigrant families together. Those who have children who are here legally and are citizens should be given priority. I understand the opposition to "anchor babies" but, we do not need to break up families. If they are here already and have children who are citizens, we should seek to incorporate the entire family into American life as has been done in the past.
Bring justice to immigrant communities to protect them from predatory practices and teach them how to assimilate fully into American culture. The fear that exists of deportation in immigrant communities has led to many crimes against them. They have no recourse. This must end. How can we create a way for illegal immigrants to report crimes against them without fear of deportation if they do? That is a necessary step.
I understand the opposition to full-blown amnesty. But, we have a massive problem on our hands whether we want to deal with it or not. There must be a way for illegal aliens who are not going to be deported to participate in American life, pay taxes, provide for their children, keep their families together, and to be protected from harm. If we are not going to make them citizens, how can we create a status for them to come out of the shadows of American life? How can we deal with the situation as it is instead of how we want it to be?
As we do this, we also need to secure the borders and to enforce the laws that require legal immigration to be the norm. I cannot enter any country in the world without the proper documentation without expecting to go to jail. It should be the same way in the United States and a country has every right to protect its borders and decide who gets to come in and who doesn't. The situation that we dealing with now comes from decades of haphazard laws and corrupt policies put forward both by big business and political parties who have beckoned illegal immigrants to come so that cheap labor is available. All of this has been at the immigrant's own risk of course and those who have benefitted from their presence have gotten a free pass. That needs to change as well.
Evangelicals are called upon by Scripture to consider the least of these in our midst. We are called to "do justice" (Micah 6:8). How can we participate in being part of the solution? How can we minister to the alien in our midst and help them transition into active participants in our communities? How can we minister the gospel to them and see them as people created "in the image of God" and not as "ghosts" in the land?


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package ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.utils;

import ua.com.javer.flowerexpert.entity.Temper;

import java.util.*;

public class TempersTestUtils {

    private static Temper temperHumour = new Temper(1, "humour");
    private static Temper temperTenderness = new Temper(2, "tender");
    private static Temper temperWisdom = new Temper(3, "wisdom");
    private static Temper temperModesty = new Temper(4, "modesty");
    private static Temper temperSociable = new Temper(5, "social");
    private static Temper temperMystery = new Temper(6, "mystery");
    private static Temper temperPride = new Temper(7, "pride");
    private static Temper temperCareless = new Temper(8, "careless");
    private static Temper additionalTemper = new Temper(9, "additional");

    public static Collection<Temper> getExpectedAllTempers() {
        return new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(temperHumour, temperTenderness, temperWisdom,
                temperModesty, temperSociable, temperMystery, temperPride, temperCareless));
    }

    public static Temper getAdditionalTemper() {
        return additionalTemper;
    }

    public static Temper getLastTemper() {
        return temperCareless;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Sail By Summer
Casual Heaven
«Casual Heaven» Songs about longing, lack of self-confidence, songs about indifference and choice of directions. It could be Big Thief, Charlie Cunningham or Death Cab For Cutie, inspired by the sound of epic bands like The Cure, Pink Floyd and Spiritualized. But first of all, this is Sail By Summer and their long awaited debut album «Casual Heaven».