Hockey is primarily a skill-based game. Though it’s not as physically demanding as rugby and wrestling are, players are required to demonstrate due dexterity on field in order to succeed. Like in any other outdoor game, the uniforms sported by the player go a long way in governing their performance on field. The importance of comfort can never be undermined when it comes to selecting the hockey uniforms. The wrong fit (of jerseys sported by the players) can actually do more damage than one can even imagine. Imagine a player trying to score a goal with that heavy hockey stick but is unable to do that because the jersey sleeves have ended up acting as a hindrance!!! It may well happen! Don’t be too surprised if it does happen.

How prudent are you when it comes to selecting hockey jerseys?

So, needless to say, there’s a lot of thought that goes into creating hockey jerseys. There’s so much that you need to consider before picking up uniforms for your team. Comfort, style and team consensus are definitely the foremost factors to be considered. The right fit and fabric are the two most important components to be considered here. We have already indicated what exactly can happen if the fit is not right. The wrong fabric can turn out to be a potent source of discomfort as well. Modern sweat-absorbent hockey jerseys have experienced significant trajectory in recent times- thanks to the ever intensifying humidity under which players are mostly performing today.

Manufacturers, needless to say, employ highly advanced manufacturing techniques in a bid to cater to the needs of customers. One needs to find out whether the manufacturing company is duly equipped to deliver large orders (if that’s the need) on time or not.

Are you taking these steps without fail? Do check them!

In order to be duly sure about the quality of the jerseys thus procured, you should invest some time for your ground research. Do conduct a thorough background research of the manufacturers selling these jerseys. How do you make sure that you are only getting the right value for your money? You can do that by looking up reviews on the internet. Check out who your peers and other teams have endorsed online and who they have criticized. Make sure that you’re actually seeking personal recommendations in a bid to find out who is performing well in the market, who is able to deliver products on time, who is offering the best speed-cost-quality combination etc. Make sure you are actually securing answers to these questions before getting your hands on the products.

Make sure that when you are settling for custom choices you are spelling out the specifications to the designers correctly so that they can work in accordance. It is so important to ensure that you are keeping these points in mind when you are in the process of selecting the jerseys. The design and hue should be decided after procuring common consent (i.e. from all team members).

How and where you mount your rear view camera will play a big role in its efficiency. Here are a few of the most common mounting methods to help you decide which will best suit your needs:

Flush Mounts

The flush mount, also known as remote mounts or bullet mounts, are cylindrical rear view cameras meant to be embedded inside a car’s chassis.

These are the most common mounts for reverse cameras due to their low profile as well as the way they are better protected against the elements thanks to the camera being embedded instead of exposed. Some models are even designed to be painted over, further reducing their profile and making the camera less exposed.

The downside, however, is that you’ll need to drill a hole into your car. This will be relatively easy if your reversing camera kit comes with its own hole saw, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a completely compatible one if the saw doesn’t come with the kit.

Another downside is that these cameras usually have a very narrow field of view, meaning that you won’t be able to see much. This is unless the lens protrudes from the surface. You’ll then have to choose between a low-profile camera or one that sticks out like a sore thumb to get a better FoV.

License Plate Mounts

These plate mounts come in two flavors – you either mount a long rear view camera on top of the plate, or you install a full license plate frame to replace the current license plate frame you have installed.

The primary advantage here is the ease of installation. No need to drill holes in your car, just fix the mount in place. You may spend a little more time for the full license plate mounts, but you still won’t have to damage your car just to install your rear backup camera.

The downside, however, is that a top-mounted camera will be quite unstable if it is not properly installed as it may be shaken loose over time. If you go for a full license plate frame mount though, you get a lot more support thanks to four screw mounts providing maximum stability.

Hitch and Tailgate Handle Mounts

These mounts will only work for compatible vehicles (i.e. pickups with tailgates and vehicles with hitch mounts), but they offer quite a few advantages over the other types of mounts listed here.

Hitch mounts replace your average hitch; allowing you to tow vehicles and trailers as needed while giving your camera an even better field of view thanks to the hitch protruding from the car’s rear. Tailgate handle mounts replace the tailgate handles; making them very discreet and hard to spot at first glance.

The downside, however, is a more complicated installation process. This is especially true for tailgate handle mounts, as you have to unscrew and pull out the existing handle while replacing the new handle in the process. Another downside is that not all vehicles can supply the necessary horsepower to tow vehicles, and not all drivers want to install a tow hitch mount on their car.

Keep all these in mind, and you’ll have a much clearer idea of what kind of rear view camera mount will best suit your needs and preferences!

When it comes to a DIY rear view camera installation, the easiest system to install is a wireless backup camera that makes use of the existing rear license plate mounting holes. It is much easier than a wired rear view camera installation because it is not necessary to run several feet of video cable from the rear of your car, through the cabin, and up to the dashboard. Other than that, any rear view camera installation is basically the same.

Rear view cameras have become a more and more popular safety feature that is a standard feature of many new cars. In only a couple of years, backup cameras will become mandatory on all new cars.

Tools

The tools you will need are simple:

• Either a blade or Philips screwdriver to remove the license plate, license plate light, and mount the camera
• Double-sided tape in lieu of screws to mount the transmitter or power supply in the rear of your vehicle
• You may want to use a drill driver to mount the wireless transmitter inside the rear of your vehicle
• If you are unable to take advantage of the license plate light to route wiring, you may need to use a drill to make a small hole to route the wires
• If you do have to drill a hole, make sure you use the rubber grommet that comes with the kit to protect the wires from the rough edges of the hole
• Wiring connections to splice the power cables into the backup light wiring
• Make sure you have an available 12V power port to plug-in the video display monitor or have a plan for how your will hardwire the video display into your existing under-dash wiring

Wireless Backup Camera System Installation Steps

Each wireless backup camera system comes with three main components; a camera, a transmitter, and a video display / receiver.

Mount the Camera

1. Mount the reverse camera on the rear license plate by removing the license plate mounting screws and using them to mount the camera.
2. Every vehicle requires a lighted rear license plate and that is done usually with two lights on either side of and above the plate. Remove the light closest to the camera mount's wiring source and route the wires through the hole with the other light wires. Replace the license plate light.
3. Route the wires inside the rear of your car or trunk to the closest rear taillight housing. You will need to identify the backup light wire and splice the appropriate camera power wire to that wire. This will insure that the camera system only operates when your vehicle is in reverse. This is for safety purposes.
4. The wireless transmitter will also need to be mounted inside the trunk or rear of the car and connected to the appropriate wire from the camera. Once that is complete, you are done at the rear of the car.

Mount the Video Display

1. The video display is easy to install, but may be difficult to give a finished look. Most units simply plug into a 12V power outlet (like a cigarette lighter) for power and may even have the receiver built-in.
2. The video display can often be mounted on the dash or windshield with the included mount.
3. Some video displays come in the form of a replacement rear view mirror. These are typically mounted over the existing mirror with built-in adjustable clamps. A rearview mirror camera that replaces the existing mirror is more difficult to install and those steps are not covered here.
4. If you decide to hide the wiring, you can run the power cord into the headliner, down the A-pillar, under the dash, and either to the nearest 12V power plug or wired directly into the vehicles wiring.

Test the System

1. Turn on the car and place the car in reverse. The video display should come on automatically with the rearview camera's video displayed.
2. When you put the car's transmission in any other position, the video display should go blank.

With your new aftermarket rearview camera system installed, you will be able to backup and park safer than before. It's easy to see why a wireless backup camera is such a popular safety device on vehicles.

In food processing, harvested crops or butchered animals are used as the raw ingredients for making and packaging food products that are attractive, marketable and have long-shelf lives.

Attractive means that the product both tastes and looks good. To be marketable, it must match the kinds of food being demanded by consumers. Food products that have a long-shelf life reduce the costs of wastage for producers, distributors and retailers.

Development of food processing

Food processing dates back to our prehistory — when fire was discovered and cooking invented. The various ways in which food can be cooked are all forms of food processing.

Food preservation also began in prehistory, and the first ‘long shelf-life’ foods were produced by drying food in the sun and by preserving food with salt. Preservation with salt was common with soldiers, sailors and other travelers until canning was invented in the early 19th century.

The ancient Bulgarians invented the first instant food (bulgur) nearly 8.000 years ago, when found a way to parboil and dry whole wheat so that the grain only has to be reheated before it can be eaten.

One of the first ready-to-eat meals was devised by the ancient Celts when they invented the haggis and what is now known as the Cornish pasty.

Another processed food, cheese, was invented by the nomads of Arabia when they noticed how milk curdled as they jogged along all day on their camels and ponies.

The prehistoric methods of cooking and preserving food remained largely unchanged until the industrial revolution.

The development of modern food processing technology began in the early 19th century in response to the needs of the military. In 1809 a vacuum bottling technique was invented so Napoleon could feed his troops. Canning was invented in 1810 and, after the makers of the cans stopped using lead (which is highly poisonous) for the inner lining of the tins, canned goods became common throughout the world. Pasteurisation, discovered in 1862, advanced the micro-biological safety of milk and similar products significantly.

Cooling decreases the reproductive rate of bacteria and thus the rate at which food spoils. Cooling as a storage technique has been in use for hundreds of years. Ice-houses, packed with fresh snow during the winter, were used to preserve food by chilling from the mid-18th century onwards and worked fairly well most of the year round in northern climates.

Commercial refrigeration, using toxic refrigerants which made the technology unsafe in the home, was in use for almost four decades before the first domestic refrigerators were introduced in 1915.

Fridges in the home gained wide acceptance in the 1930s when non-toxic and non-flammable refrigerants such as Freon were invented.

The expansion of the food processing industry in the second half of the 20th century was due to three needs:(a) food to feed the troops efficiently during World War II, (b) food that could be consumed under conditions of zero gravity during forays into outer space, and (c) the pursuit of the convenience demanded by the busy consumer society.

To respond to these needs food scientists invented freeze-drying, spray-drying, and juice concentrates among a host of other processing technologies. They also introduced artificial sweeteners, colouring agents and chemical preservatives. In the closing years of the last century they came up with dried instant soups, reconstituted juices and fruits, and the ‘self-cooking’ meals (MREs) so beloved of military brass but not the grunts.

The ‘pursuit of convenience’ has lead to the expansion of frozen foods from simple bags of frozen peas to juice concentrates and complex TV dinners. Those who process food now use the perceived value of time as the foundation of their market appeal.

Benefits of processed foods

Initially, processed foods helped to alleviate food shortages and improve overall nutrition by making new foods available globally. Modern food processing delivers many additional benefits:

• De-activating the pathogenic micro-organisms found in fresh vegetables and raw meats (such as salmonella), reduces food-borne diseases and makes food safer.
• Because processed foods are less susceptible to spoilage than fresh foods, modern processing, storage and transportation can deliver a wide variety of food from around the world, giving us choices in our supermarkets that would have been unimaginable to our ancestors.
• Processing can often improve the taste of food, though it can also have the opposite effect.
• The nutritional value of food can be increased by the addition of extra nutrients and vitamins during processing.
• The nutritional value can also be made more consistent and reliable.
• Modern processing technologies can also improve the quality of life for people who have allergies by removing the proteins that cause allergic reactions.
• The mass production of food means that processed foods are much cheaper to produce than the cost of making meals from raw ingredients at home.

Processed foods are also extremely convenient. Households are freed from the time-consuming tasks of preparing and cooking foods that are in their natural state… the food processing industry makes everything from peeled potatoes ready for boiling to prepared-meals that just have to be heated in a micro-wave oven for a few minutes.

Hazards

Processed foods are undoubtedly a great boon. But all is not sweetness and light.

Generally speaking, fresh unprocessed food will contain a higher proportion of naturally occurring fibre, vitamins and minerals than the same food after processing by the food industry. Vitamin C, for example, is destroyed by heat and so fresh fruit will contain more vitamin C than canned fruit.

Indeed, nutrients are often deliberately removed from food during processing in order to improve taste, appearance or shelf-life. Examples include bread, pasta and ready-made meals.

The result is empty calories. Processed foods have a higher ratio of calories to other essential nutrients than fresh, unprocessed foods. They are often energy-dense while being nutritionally poor.

Processing can introduce hazards that are not found in unprocessed foods, due to additives, preservatives, chemically-hardened vegetable oils or trans-fats, and excessive sugar and salt. Indeed, the additives in processed foods… flavourings, sweeteners, stabilisers, texture-enhancing agents and preservatives among other… may have little or no nutritive value, or may actually be unhealthy.

Preservatives used to extend shelf-life, such as nitrites or sulphites, may lead to ill-health. In fact, the addition of many chemicals for flavouring and preservation has been shown to cause human and animal cells to grow rapidly, without dying off, thus increasing the risk of a variety of cancers.

Cheap ingredients that mimic the properties of natural ingredients, such as trans-fats made by chemically-hardening vegetable oils that take the place of more-expensive natural saturated fats or cold-pressed oils, have been shown to cause severe health problems in numerous studies. But they are still widely used because of their low-cost and consumer ignorance.

Sugars, fats and salts are usually added to processed foods to improve flavour and as preservatives. As diabetics, we are all well aware of the effects of excessive sugar, fat and on our already damaged systems. Eating large amounts of processed food means consuming too much sugars, fats and salts, which, even if you a in full health, can lead to a variety of problems such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, stomach cancer, obesity, and of course diabetes.

Another problem with processed foods is that, where low-quality ingredients are used, this can be disguised during manufacturing.

In the processing industry, a food product will go through several intermediate steps in independent factories before it is finalised in the factory that finishes it.

This is similar to the use of sub-contractors in car manufacturing, where many independent factories products parts, such as electrical systems, bumpers, and other sub-systems, in accordance with the final manufacturer’s specifications. These parts are then sold to the car plant where the car is finally assembled from the bought-in parts.

Because the ingredients in processed foods are often made in large quantities during the early stages of the manufacturing process, any hygiene problems in the facilities that produce a basic ingredient that is used widely by other factories in the later stages of production can have serious effects on the quality and safety of many final food products.

Despite the hazards, everyone eats processed foods almost exclusively nowadays. As a result, people eat more quickly and no longer seem aware of the way food is grown and how it is a gift of nature.

It seems to me, also, that food has become more of a necessary interruption in our busy lives and less of a social occasion to be enjoyed.

Eating processed foods

You can’t get away from eating some processed foods… the convenience is irresistible.

When you eat processed foods you reduce the likelihood of being poisoned or picking up a food-borne disease. The nutritional value of what you eat may be more consistent and you will probably be ingesting more nutrients and vitamins than you would get by eating only unprocessed food.

On the other hand, by eating processed foods you are exposing yourself to a potential loss of heat-sensitive vitamins and nutrients that are removed to improve shelf-life, taste and appearance. You are also exposing yourself to the potential adverse effects on your health of various additives and preservatives, some of which can be very serious indeed.

The calorie-dense nature of processed foods, due to the large quantities of sugars and fats they contain, makes them extremely problematic for diabetics and those with high cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

The only solution is to choose the processed foods you buy with extreme care — by reading the labels on the packaging — and to focus your diet on fresh or frozen produce as much as possible.

If you’ll follow and learn this three-step method of analyzing published essays I show here, you’ll be able to understand published essays and write your own essays about them.

Carl Sagan has written an excellent essay, “The Abstraction of Beasts,” providing another strong illustration of the old view – new view pattern intuitively used in all published essays.

#1 – Usually in the first paragraph, an old view is stated that leads directly to a new view thesis, most often a reversal of the old view. The new view thesis is stated at the end of that paragraph or within the next paragraph or two or so, depending on the length of the essay.

You noticed, didn’t you, that Sagan immediately identifies the old view in the very first sentence of the first paragraph:

“Beasts abstract not,” announced John Locke, expressing mankind’s prevailing opinion throughout recorded history.

Hard to miss, right? But did you spot the new view thesis in his second paragraph? There, Sagan suggests his new view thesis reverse of the old view with two questions:

Could abstract thought be a matter not of kind but of degree? Could other animals be capable of abstract thought but more rarely or less deeply than humans?

Note that, although he’s suggesting a reverse of the old view, Sagan is saying, not of kind but of degree and but more rarely or less deeply than humans. So he’s suggesting that the reverse of Beasts abstract not is possible- that beasts actually do abstract – but perhaps not a complete reversal, not fully up to the level of human abstracting. Now read paragraphs three and four of the essay (begins, We have the impression that) and four (begins, There is, of course,). In that third paragraph-after restating in the first sentence the idea that animals are not very intelligent-Sagan asks a long question: But have we examined the possibility of animal intelligence carefully enough, or, as in Francois Truffaut’s poignant film “The Wild Child,” do we simply equate the absence of our style of expression of intelligence with the absence of intelligence?

The important part of that question is the very last part – or do we simply equate the absence of our style of expression of intelligence with the absence of intelligence?

To respond to that question, Sagan then provides a quote from Montaigne (who in 1580 published the first book ever on essays) that questions man’s ability to communicate, not animals’ ability to communicate. (Ignore the footnote in the essay, but read it later, okay?)

The first sentence of the fourth paragraph begins by reversing the first sentence of the third paragraph (animals are not very intelligent), or at least indicating that there’s an exception: There is, of course, a considerable body of anecdotal information suggesting chimpanzee intelligence.

With that beginning, you expected to find more about chimpanzee intelligence, right?

Now read paragraphs five (begins, Wallace concluded), six, and seven to see if you do find that out. Pay special attention to the last sentence of that seventh paragraph.

Paragraphs five, six, and seven do provide examples of animals showing some signs of intelligence: the baby orangutan, the chimpanzee genius, the two chimpanzees abusing the chicken, and the newborn chimp with the newborn baby being raised as equals in a human household. But at age three, the chimp could say only three words, with enormous difficulty, while the human child was happily babbling away.

Sagan then summarizes those examples by stating that chimps are only minimally competent with language, reasoning, and other higher mental functions, and he repeats the old view again: Beasts abstract not. That could be a signal the new view support is about to begin.

Now, in Sagan’s essay, read the next four paragraphs, starting with the paragraph beginning, But in thinking over these experiments and reading through the paragraph that starts with, There is by now.

In the first three of the next four paragraphs (beginning with, But in thinking over these experiments), Sagan points out how Beatrice and Robert Gardner had the brilliant idea of teaching chimpanzees a language they didn’t have to use with their mouths, the American sign language, Ameslan. Sagan doesn’t use enough keywords to let us know he’s getting back to the new view, but that’s just what he’s doing-and support does follow right away, starting with, There is by now.

#2 – Right after the new view thesis is stated, support for it begins with a story, an example, or reasoning.

And in the paragraph that begins, There is by now, Sagan generalizes that there’s a vast library of descriptions and films of chimpanzees using sign language, and then he narrows down his information to the fact that chimps are remarkably inventive in the construction of new words and phrases. In other words, chimpanzees are recorded on film-and in other ways-many times in the act of abstracting with Ameslan. (It would have been helpful if Sagan had come right out and used the keywords abstract or abstracting or abstractions, right?)

Then, despite not using introductions like for instance or for example for the next six paragraphs, Sagan gives specific examples of exact words and phrases of abstractions created and used by chimpanzees.

Take a good look at that by going back to the essay and reading from the paragraph starting, On seeing for the first time, all the way through the paragraph starting, Having learned the sign ‘open’ with a door. Then return here so we can round out our discussion on support for the new view thesis.

After all those examples of abstractions, the rest of the support for the new view thesis that beasts do abstract much like humans, includes-

• Boyce Rensberger, the American reporter, talking Ameslan with Washoe, the chimp (Ameslan was Rensberger’s first language)
• Chimpanzees & other primates learning other gestural languages
• Signing primates compared with microcephalic humans
• Chimps have parts of their left brain removed, resulting in loss of language capability, just as that removal does in humans
• Primates passing on information from generation to generation
• The mini-story of Helen Keller learning language
• A quote from Charles Darwin about the effects of using language

#3 – The conclusion should briefly restate the new view thesis, summarize the thesis support from body paragraphs, and look to some future aspect of the new view.

In the fifth paragraph before the conclusion, which begins, The continued use, Sagan begins looking to the future.

Go and read that paragraph, and read through to the end of the essay.

In that paragraph, Sagan asks questions about what would happen if chimpanzees were to establish a tradition of sign language usage for a couple of hundred years – or even for a couple of thousand years, such as we humans have done with language. And he speculates that in a few thousand years chimpanzees might have myths and legends about the origins of their language, just as we have our legends of Prometheus about the origins of mankind’s language.

Then, in the very last paragraph of the essay, Sagan backs up and begins talking about the possibility that we humans may have systematically exterminated or killed nonhuman primates because they were competition for us, and so we cut off their progression toward a civilized, language-oriented future:

We may have been the agent of natural selection in suppressing the intellectual competition. I think we may have pushed back the frontiers of intelligence and language ability among the nonhuman primates until their intelligence became just indiscernible. In teaching gestural language to the chimpanzees, we are beginning a belated attempt to make amends.

Sagan’s conclusion is weak on restating the old view and on summarizing main points that support the new view thesis. But the last sentence of Sagan’s essay does suggest a future continuation of mankind’s current effort to teach sign language to chimpanzees with, We are beginning a belated attempt to make amends. If we are beginning, then that strongly suggests more to follow in the future.

The entity known as ‘obsessive-compulsive disorder’ is actually not one but many entities grouped within a single category. Within this category are housed compulsions of various degrees of severity as well as ideational patterns that range from a small, insignificant thought that repeats itself often and at inappropriate times, to large, full-blown obsessive delusions that border on psychoses.

The root cause of obsessive compulsive disorders, therefore, cannot be singled out as one, but rather falls into a range of causes that relate to each other yet differ in their point of origin. For example, the compulsion of hand-washing that is relatively common in today’s culture, used to have other features in centuries past. Today, this symptom is frequently an attempt to regulate the anxiety that occurs in relation to feeling that one’s life is out of control and that there is no way to remedy the situation. Efforts at regulating a single habit or compulsion are often, at their root, efforts to regain a sense of balance and of sanity, and to replace the fear of things escalating to a point of crisis, with a sense of being able to handle things.

Hand-washing is just one of many examples of compulsions that have to do with the separation of an individual’s psychic center from its true relationship with their emotional and physical life, so that the person no longer feels at the center of that life, but rather at the mercy of large forces that can sweep through it and sabotage their best efforts and intentions. These forces are often perceived as nameless and faceless, but exist with a sense of impending crisis or doom and color the perception of the world.

By contrast, such things as obsessive fantasies about a particular person or situation that repeat themselves with great frequency, interfering with the normal flow of mental activity that is ordinarily part of a day, often have their root in the perception of the world as dangerous or very risky in terms of what is possible, and are efforts to create an ideological alternative which is wish-satisfying, that is, which grants one the feeling, however temporary, that things would be alright if the fantasy were fulfilled. Since the fantasy is not often fulfillable in real-life terms, satisfaction on the mental level is sought as a substitute.

The separation between self and world that underlies many obsessive-compulsive disorders can arise from a variety of causes – a shock to one’s life such as a sudden loss or tragedy that is difficult to assimilate; a change of fortune or of relationship that involves losing something highly valued that was perceived as an essential part of one’s identity; a set of circumstances or conditions that give rise to intense fear or terror, irrespective of their cause. Each of these can lead to the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and each can be remedied by restoring the relationship of self to world in such a way that the self feels safe and in the center of their world once again.

The spiritual underpinnings of obsessive-compulsive behavior are those which arise out of a separation between the embodied self and the deeper spiritual matrix in which that self lives. The physical self, feeling itself to be alone and unprotected in the world, lets go of the idea that there is anywhere or anyone to turn to who can meet the present need for greater security. This perceived absence includes relationships with others but also the relationship with God. Many who develop compulsive habits are creating their own world of security as an alternative – a world which does not involve others – a world which can become more and more regulated by efforts at minute manipulation of details.

The impaired relationship context of those suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders needs to be restored on both the emotional and spiritual levels. Where an absence of safety has been the predominant feeling, trust needs to take its place. Where a sense of isolation has been experienced, one needs to be led gently back into the context of group alignment. These transitions, in themselves, will not alter the symptom picture, but they will create the restorative context in which further change can take place.

Similarly, re-acquaintance with one’s spiritual underpinnings can bring a deeper sense of safety and security for those who are open to it. Often, however, turning to God is the most difficult thing for one preoccupied with obsessions, since the mental world that has been created is both insular and self-contained, and since fear can prevent even the desire for escape from that world.

Nevertheless, for those who seek an exit from their own self-imposed mental prisons, re-introducing a relationship with the Divine and the development of a regular spiritual practice of meditation and alignment will, over time, undercut the attachments to a particular thought or behavior pattern as a way of regulating one’s safety in the world.

The inner isolation that severe obsessive or compulsive symptoms create can be very painful, even if part of a self-constructed inner world. Gentleness and a loving approach that invites one to leave the self-imposed prison are best, for these will support the underlying motivation to find a different resolution to the problems at hand.

In its most potent capacity, spiritual light of sufficient intensity can work miracles with obsessive-compulsive disorders, cutting through all the fear and isolation that are at the foundation of the disorder, and infusing a truth that simultaneously conveys love, safety, and a sense of all being well with the world. In the absence of light of this intensity, the slower path will lead to the same goal, but will just take a longer period of time.

Dice With Buddies/Yahtzee With Friends (by Scopely) are two games that are actually the same game. Literally. For no sane reason I can imagine two games have been created by the same company that are EXACTLY ALIKE, to the point where you could (and I have) start a game in, say, Yahtzee, and continue it in Dice. The only difference I can see is the color scheme (Yahtzee goes with the familiar red and yellow while Dice does blue and lighter blue).

Leaving the head scratching over this mystery aside. Dice With Buddies is a worthwhile game (I’m sticking with Dice here because that’s what I’ve kept on my phone… simply because I prefer the blue color scheme), available of Android, iOS, and Facebook. Everyone has played Yahtzee, and if you haven’t, where did you grow up? Or maybe I’m just old…

Anyway, the game play is straightforward Yahtzee, so I won’t get bogged down in that. Scopely does a fine job bringing the game to life, adding creative touches to a simple and straightforward game. The ability to collect custom dice and “frames” for your portrait or avatar (which can be linked from your Facebook account). In addition to traditional 1 on 1 games vs your Facebook friends or matched strangers, there are daily tournaments and long term “ladder matches” available for play.

In the daily tournaments you play against a group of random players and try to place at or near the top to win prizes of “bonus dice” (which can be used in any game to give you an extra roll to try to improve your score) and “diamonds,” which can be used for replays when things go wrong in a game or to buy custom dice of different styles and color. The collectible custom dice serve no purpose whatsoever in terms of improving your score, but they are fun to look at and, well, collecting them is something to do.

One of the most frustrating, yet strangely compelling, parts of the game are periodic ladder tourneys versus computer opponents in different themes (Clue, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, you get the idea). You must play every day to keep climbing the ladder or risk losing position. If you lose a match, you lose position… Unless you spend some of your bonus dice to stay where you are. As you defeat opponents and climb the ladder you receive rewards such as experience points, bonus dice, and diamonds. These tournaments usually last for a few weeks, and at one opponent a day, it can take a while to reach the top (you can play more than once a day by spending – you guessed it – bonus dice).

My favorite play option is one-on-one play against friends or ones provided by the matchmaking system. These games can take anywhere from minutes to days to complete, depending on the turnaround time of both players. Players can even message each other from within the game, offering praise or friendly taunts.

The main drawback to this game, the one thing I find severely lacking, is a play-vs-CPU option. The ladder matches are against the CPU, but as I said, they are only one a day, and the opponents range from laughably easy to frustratingly impossible to beat. A stand-alone player-vs-CPU system is a glaring omission, one I find hard to believe Scopely simply “forgot.” But intentional or not, these are still extremely worthwhile games, and highly recommended.

The difficulties that occur for the many who carry within themselves severe mental or emotional disturbance are legion, occurring on many levels of experience. This is true for those who are severely depressed, withdrawn, alienated, or involved with an inner reality that is visible to themselves alone that separates them from the world around them. For those challenged in this way, the extreme separation from life causes much pain and suffering, as it does also for family and friends who must find ways of building a bridge to the one who has become separated – who often lives alone, despite the fact that there may be people around.

Up until now, we have looked at mental and emotional disorders as an extreme handicap for those who live through them, a financial burden for a society that maintains those who cannot care for themselves, and a source of concern for families who try to remain in loving relationship even while experiencing hardship. Indeed, we know a great deal today about the impact of mental illness on the self and on others. But what has not been knowable till now is the relationship of the group of conditions we are calling ‘mental illness’ to the realm of the soul. As paradoxical as it may seem to the human heart and mind, this relationship involves a choice that the soul has made to manifest in this way – a choice to create a deep-seated emotional or mental condition for which a great cost is paid in life. This choice, though invisible, is very real. Perceiving it can help us penetrate the mysterious world of the mentally ill. It can also help us look for the hidden value and purpose of conditions that at face value seem anything but positive in their nature or in their effect.

The choice for illness of any kind that shapes the course of a life or a significant portion of it is always the choice of the individual soul, made prior to incarnating into physical life. The soul looks at the various opportunities for learning that could be afforded by different circumstances, and chooses what will be most productive in terms of growth in a particular area. In relation to severe emotional or mental difficulties, especially those in which separation from reality is involved, the soul makes a choice to learn from the very experience of separation, alienation, and distortion that is the handicap itself – to learn in the context of being deeply wounded, deeply immersed in one’s own inner reality, and yet also, simultaneously, separated from oneself. For the separation from external reality, for most, is accompanied by an equally potent separation from one’s true self. As a result, a person can experience a lack of a central core or clear sense of ‘I’ that invisibly limits all of life-experience. This situation, including patterns of withdrawal and difficulties on both mental and emotional levels, displays differently for different individuals. Yet within the variation there is a common thread. It is this:

At the core of the choice to embody in a way that causes severe and painful separation from reality and from the self, is the motivation on a soul-level to find that very center of self, and to re-establish a connection with the rest of the world that has previously been injured or broken.

To put it differently, what we witness as the fundamental condition of deficiency in those who suffer from mental disturbance, is actually promoting healing as the soul seeks to find what is missing and to unite what has come apart. In the course of time, the drive to locate what has become lost or distorted, both on the outside and on the inside, becomes the path of healing.

Today, most of us do not think of symptoms or severely limiting conditions as a path of healing because there is so much suffering and limitation involved. And yet with respect to the mentally ill, the disrupted sense of self and the search for a core self is, in fact, such a path. It creates a great need to find one’s way back to a more solid footing in relation to the external world and also in relationship to the self. With this in mind, we can begin to think of mental and emotional disorders as both a problem, and an answer to a problem. The problem is visible; that it is an answer, most often is not.

At this point we might ask what difference it would make to hold such a spiritual perspective. How would it help us? The answer is twofold. On the level of healing, greater awareness of the choice made for severe mental and emotional conditions can lead more directly to other paths of learning for which this choice has been the main focal point.

Secondly, on the level of everyday reality, experiences of rejection and humiliation are still common for many whom society perceives as different.. The aspect of differentness which manifests in so many ways, often creates a reactiveness on the part of others that does not allow for personal dignity. It does not acknowledge the soul within. Were the emotional or mental disturbance itself perceived to be a positive choice of the soul that has its own purposes in mind, much more in the way of dignity and strength could be seen as we seek to relate to the soul within; greater hope would be possible; and the separation from the rest of life could be lessened.

As we enter a new era of oneness with each other, based on the greater recognition of the Divine nature of each living being, a spiritual perspective such as this is a natural outcome. Such a perspective would help remove the stigma of separation that so persistently follows those who manifest mental or emotional disturbance. In its light, we would come to see each one who has chosen this path as the individual soul that they are. We would see more of their strength, we would see their beauty, and we would feel their kinship to us within the planetary family of which we are each a part.

When acquiring knowledge it is best to define terms either before or as they are being used. Let us begin by defining:

Bipolar (Affective) Disorder (manic-depression): a “mental disorder” exhibiting oscillating periods of elation and “clinical depression.” It is essentially a psychiatric diagnosis of elevated and depressive cognition, moods, behaviors and energy levels. The clinical term for the elated moods is “mania”. A gentler form is “hypomania.” Afterwards, bipolar individuals usually manifest either depressive symptoms or a “mixed state” in which features of both highs and lows are simultaneously present. These up-and-down events quickly slide through “average” mood zones enjoyed by the general population. For some folks,”rapid-cycling” between up-and-down mood levels occurs. Fierce manic episodes can exhibit delusions, psychosis and hallucinations. The bipolar mood range, in increasing levels of manic severity, are termed cyclothymia, hypomania (bipolar-II) and mania (bipolar-I). Descending levels of clinical depression are cyclothymia, depression (bipolar-II) and clinical depression (bipolar-I). Clinical depression alone is termed “unipolar.” [abridged-paraphrased Wikipedia “Bipolar Disorder” entry]

The bipolar continuum (spectrum) is best illustrated verbally as follows:

MANIA (BIPOLAR-I)

HYPOMANIA (BIPOLAR-II)

CYCLOTHYMIA (HIGH)

AVERAGE MOOD HIGH

AVERAGE MOOD

AVERAGE MOOD LOW

CYCLOTHYMIA (LOW)

DYSTHYMIA (BIPOLAR II)

CLINICAL DEPRESSION (BIPOLAR I)

Patient moods are continuously variable as they ascend and descend this bi-directional spectrum, prompting Johns Hopkins leading Professor of Psychiatry, Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison and Bipolar I patient, to call bipolar disorder “this quicksilver illness.”

“Average Mood” is just another day at the office and at home with no cause for either sadness or celebration.

“Average Mood High” might be a time when you marry, birth a baby, earn a raise or win the lottery.

“Average Mood Low” could range from the loss of a favorite pet to the passing of a family member.

“Cyclothymia High” might be a time of extra energy and focus and general exuberance without drug use.

“Cyclothymia Low” can be a habit of extra sleepfulness or sleeplessness and a gloomy outlook.

“Hypomania” is a period of excess energy, high productivity, many achievements and goal-orientation.

“Dysthymia” is sluggishness, loss of normal interests, negativity and general malaise.

“Mania” is a time of grandiosity, rapid and pressured speech and frightening, erratic behaviors.

“Clinical or Major Bipolar Depression” is a total loss of interests and hope, often featuring suicidality

Here are a few American statistics:

• Women suffer major depression twice as much as men
• 90% of all suicides result from clinical depression
• Men and women suffer manic-depression equally
• 1 of 3 bipolar individuals will either attempt or complete the act of suicide

You have likely seen more than enough lists of manic and depressive visible behaviors, but it is important to adhere to those listed in the “Psychiatrist’s Bible,” DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The DSM-5 will be published in May 2013. It is from these basic definitions that we can build a discussion and understand what is to follow. Here are the essential “Diagnostic Criteria for Manic Episode:”

• Abnormally, persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood
• Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity [w/uninhibited, skewed volition]
• Decreased need for sleep, e.g., feeling rested after only 3 hours of sleep
• More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking
• Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing
• Distractibility, i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli
• Increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work, at school or sexually) or psychomotor agitation
• Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences, e.g., the person engages in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments
• Mood disturbance sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in occupational functioning or in usual social activities or relationships with others, or to necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others
• [Giving away money or cherished or valuable possessions]

I have included this last, bracketed symptom, as that has been my own personal experience during my bipolar I episodes and also that of many of my co-patients and manic-depressive friends. Although this frightening list is not intended for use by “armchair psychiatrists,” it is useful for spotting and obtaining professional help for a mood-challenged friend or family member. Mania reminds me of the metamorphosis that produces the “Incredible Hulk.” My bipolar-I episodes always involve an obsession-either “seeking true love” or “starting my own high-tech energy company.” Oh, the wonders of manic grandiosity!

Well, DSM-IV has been kind enough to help us understand what bipolar mania is. Here it does likewise for clinical depression in the form of “Diagnostic Criteria for Major Depressive Episode”:

• Depressed mood (can be irritable mood in children and adolescents) most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated either by subjective account or observation by others
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated either by subjective account or observations by others of apathy most of the time
• Significant weight loss or weight gain when not dieting (e.g., more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day (in children, consider failure to make expected weight gains)
• Insomnia or hypersomnia almost every day
• Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down
• Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)
• Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide
• [Vegetative, catatonic; retarded or loss of motor skills; unable to commit the act of suicide]

Once again, this last, bracketed listing is based on my personal experience and that of many of my co-patients and manic-depressive friends. When taken together, all of these up-and-down states are can be peppered with psychosis, hallucinations and delusions, making a psychiatrist’s diagnosis that much more difficult to make. Bipolar diagnoses are primarily made by psychiatrists (64%), psychologists (18%), and general practitioners (13%). In suspected cases of mental issues it only makes sense to cut to the chase and make an appointment with a psychiatrist. This specially trained professional is best able to treat a mood disorder patient. There are also “mixed episodes” during which an individual will suffer both manic and depressive characteristics simultaneously-pure hell. Once correctly diagnosed, the patient and doctor will need three years, on average, to sculpt a useful combination of psychotropic (psychiatric) drugs to achieve acceptable patient mood stability, the goal of which is to reduce the frequency, duration and intensity of episodes. These potent drugs have wicked side-effects and must be a carefully selected combination chosen from the five major classes of psych medicines:

• Mood Stabilizers
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Anxiolytics
• Anticonvulsants

When the bipolar patient is manic, he or she is feeling good and is unlikely to visit a doctor unless coerced by another individual. That is why psychiatrists often diagnose manic-depressive patients with unipolar (depressive) disorder because the only time he gets to see the patient is when he or she is feeling bad. It is fascinating that nearly 70% of bipolar-disorder sufferers are misdiagnosed an average of 3.5 times before that correct diagnosis is dialed-in. The manic individual is on a “high” and feels wonderful-there is “no need” for a doctor.

Because bipolar or depressive disorders involve relative amounts of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine) in the brain’s limbic system (that portion of the brain responsible for emotion, behavior, motivation and long-term memory), a paucity of them results in depression and a surplus of them results in mania. Neurotransmitters are what transmit electrical signals between nerve endings, and, in this case, those of the neurons found in the brain. Unfortunately, there are no physical tests, no “dipsticks,” blood tests, imaging, invasive or non-invasive medical techniques for determining the relative levels of these biochemicals. Bipolar disorder is every bit a physical disease as are diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Here are the ways psychiatrists must achieve their diagnoses for their mood patients:

• Questioning the patient
• Questioning family, significant others
• Establishing a patient history
• Behavioral observation
• Reading body language
• Evaluating speech characteristics
• Combining the results of these presentations with knowledge and experience

Although bipolar disease can strike anyone at anytime, it usually can be traced to either a genetic component or a crippling physical, mental, or emotional stressor like child abuse or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) that produces tremendous amounts of anxiety and stress. On the genetic side, children having a sibling or parent with manic-depression have up to six times the likelihood of inheriting the disorder. Other predispositions and correlations for having bipolar disorder are having a Germanic heritage, a high IQ, or being an artist or scientist. Musicians, composers, poets, painters, philosophers, photographers, comedians, TV personalities, sculptors, etc., have an elevated risk of being bipolar when compared with the general population. My casual study of 277 famous persons revealed 84% were in those fields and suffer(ed) mood disorders. I can identify at least five triggers that launch bipolar episodes:

1. Stressors (including major life events); physical, mental and emotional
2. Substance abuse
3. Sleep deprivation and severe circadian rhythm disruption
4. Seasonal change
5. Medicinal side-effects

When it comes to religion, much of Christendom judges those having mental disorders as being sinful, shameful, lacking faith, weak, self-centered, selfish, storytellers, guilty or demon-possessed. Or “That is just an excuse, you are trying to get attention.” These judgments result in private upbraiding, public ridicule, shunning or excommunication. The affected person’s beliefs fail when his mind fails. Other significant world religions either quarantine or eradicate mentally persons (defectives) by using any means possible, including homicide. It is interesting to note the statistical incidence of people’s mood disorders is unaffected by any particular religious belief or affiliation.

Depression is the number three reason for doctor visits in America today and the class of psychiatric drugs prescribed is second only to analgesics (painkillers). It has historically taken an average of four doctors and ten years to correctly diagnose a case of bipolar disorder. Even today only 49% of those with manic-depression receive treatment. Most of the remainder, unaware of their disease, will unwittingly self-medicate with “feel-good” drugs, food, alcohol and wanton (hyper) sex. Denial can be a mental patient’s best friend. Bipolar disorder is very much like a “mood roller-coaster,” with rapid ascents into mania, yet slower descents into suicidal depression stemming from a loss of confidence, identity and neurotransmitter imbalances. Our thoughts race at disturbing speeds while manic. When depressed we feel envious of anyone who is not in our place. We must train others to understand us and help us no matter how impossible that seems. And we must live “in the moment” every day. Our only real duty is to avoid mood swings that steal our reason and cause the loss of hope that constitutes our desire for death.

Fortunately, these numbers are gradually trending better due to higher levels of awareness and today’s many campaigns against stigma and discrimination targeting the mentally ill. Stigma of the disorder is fueled by the popular media characterization of bipolar individuals as being crazed homicidal maniacs having murderous/suicidal intent. Stigma means “disapproval and disgrace.” It alienates its victims, creates undeserved prejudice against them, and produces a societal shame that delivers a powerful blow to those already suffering a horrific mental disease. Stigma is every bit as inappropriate for the mental patient as it would be for the heart or cancer patient!The sufferer considers herself a public “killjoy,” and hides it as best she can. She and others like her often cannot summon the self-esteem and confidence to share their emotional battles. Every societal aberrance appears to have its own equal and opposite form using the word “phobia.” Should those guilty of fear of the mentally ill be branded “psycho-phobes?” It has been my experience that, like “mean” drunks and “happy” drunks, there are both “mean” and “happy” individuals who suffer episodes of bipolar disorder. The “mean” and violent ones are only those who abuse drugs and alcohol. After all, violent persons aren’t born, they’re made.

Bipolar individuals, on average, will suffer 8 to 10 episodes over their lifetimes. It is living hell on earth without a cure. It can only be managed. The impact on society includes these facts:

• Manic-depression is nearly the 2nd-highest reason for federal disability awards
• Unemployment for mood disorder sufferers is 50% higher than the U.S. average
• Bipolar patient lifespans are 9.2 years shorter than the nominal U.S. age of 78 years

Because drug therapy often requires 2-3 weeks to begin exhibiting a therapeutic effect, hospitalization may be indicated for the patient’s safety during a mood disorder episode. Sadly, “new and improved” healthy patient outlooks, beliefs and budding improved behavioral habits, when compared with previous behaviors, can actually spook family and friends and cause a separation of ways. Co-dependencies vanish. Outpatient counseling is often required to either prevent this ordeal or deal with its aftermath. A new setting may be a big boon to the psychiatric patient. Whether manic or depressed, the individual’s feelings must be moderated-restored to a stable range. Julie A. Fast has described a “centered” bipolar’s life as being possible, wonderful, having fun and enjoying one’s talents. I have also found these aspects of stability to be true and have reached my treasured state of serenity..

For me, clinical depression, a crafty adversary, produces the worst suffering. Its simplest definition is “anger turned inward.” A depressed patient must find a non-injurious, non-damaging way to vent those demons of anger to slam the brakes on a dangerously deepening depression.

Imagine awaking after being buried 6 feet under, the utter hopelessness of your shouts going unheard, unable to roll over in your coffin, claustrophobic. Clinical depression’s hopelessness is worse! Suicide easily becomes a viable, attractive option. In the words of Marybeth Smith, “… I just want to end the pain.” The wild mood swings of bipolar disorder in a sufferer have nothing to do with volition, choices or will. With depression, one may unknowingly begin to sink into the abyss of hopelessness.

“You can always think your way into a depression but cannot always think your way out [of one].” – Dr. Lewis Britton

At that point the only option is either drug therapy or ECT. Because psychiatric treatment usually involves only 15-minute “meds checks,” a patient must request a referral for a psychologist who can provide the “talk therapy” needed for the patient to work out thinking, behaviors, lifestyle and myriad other issues. Patients must be ascertain whether or not their psychiatrists and psychologists will communicate with one another to create a holistic continuum of care. The patient must learn habits of living including eating, exercise and sleeping habits. Mood disorder behaviors are non-volitional and re-learning healthy physical, mental and emotional habits is a must for preventing further mental mayhem. Friends and family can neither sympathize nor empathize, never having “been there.”

Serenity is my ultimate mental health goal. I have nearly achieved it by eliminating nearly most stressors in my life and it feels great. No problem distracts or bothers me anymore, most likely due to having already survived the worst that can happen to me at both extremes of bipolar mania and depression. In addition to Psychiatric and Psychological help are voluntary support groups, both physical and online. Internet forums and communities, if their members stay on-track, can be quite helpful for depressed and manic-depressive folks as episodes, doctors, medications and the like are hashed over and common ground is established for self-revelation, sharing and caring.

I am often asked whether there is 1) a greater number of mentally ill persons today, 2) if the bar is being lowered by the Psychiatric community to drum up more patients, or 3) whether there have always been so many of us in the past who were misunderstood, misdiagnosed or ignored. I am inclined to say that it is an amalgam of all three at the risk of sounding simplistic or “politically correct.” I say this because I believe all three propositions can easily be tied to the increasingly rapid advance of technology’s increasing impact on mankind over the decades. But I’m certainly open for any suggestions to the contrary.

In conclusion, “manic-depression” remains a “hot-button” topic today among health professionals, the media, patients and a confused public. Well-meaning websites and blogs litter the internet with both accurate and erroneous content and advice, and these venues must be fact-checked and negotiated with care. Although not up to academic standards, a Wikipedia search of “bipolar disorder” is probably the most handy and accurate source for the average inquisitor. Having read it myself, this mental patient recommends it for all concerned.

Mastery of English as a second or foreign language (ESL or EFL) comes down to how well a student speaks. He may write well, for example, get high marks on tests, or even have an accent nearly identical to a native speaker; but if he can’t express ideas, opinions, or instructions clearly in a conversation, few would call him proficient. Language is for communication after all, and that primarily means speaking.

As teachers, we continually assess the strengths and weaknesses of our classes. We then take this information and develop effective lessons, always working towards greater communicative ability which maintains a balance between fluency (getting the words out) and accuracy (using grammar and vocabulary correctly). What follows are four steps which serve as a model in planning lessons that give students ample practice time with the language. These steps also work towards free use of the language. Before the four steps, conversational ability should be defined, though.

Conversation involves the following: using the language, listening to the language, processing the information, and then responding to it. The purpose of the conversation affects the process, as does the place and the people involved. Compare English spoken to open a business meeting with English used to order at a restaurant. This language then differs from what may be needed during the business meeting, or to complain about the quality of the food.

From these examples, we can infer that a good speaker uses grammar and vocabulary effectively and accurately. We should also consider the context of the grammar and vocabulary, and how it can add nuance. For example, when, why, and to whom would a speaker describe business meetings in the following manner?:

Example A: “Even though our weekly meeting with those R&D people can be boring, I know how important it is. Let’s face it: it’s a necessary evil.”

Example B: “Ugh! Our weekly meeting with those R&D people drives me up the wall!”

Someone who speaks well would similarly understand when to use different grammar points. Native speakers “just know” the language, even if we can’t always give the whys and what fors of grammar or vocabulary. Lessons which involve speaking activities should always strive to build and reinforce these skills. In time, decisions in language usage like the above become more regular, or even subconscious.

Preparation: Allow the students to prepare for the tasks ahead with an effective warm-up. This gives everyone in the class ample opportunity to get their English wheels turning. Adequate time translates into fewer mistakes while you’re presenting and drilling the target language, so comprehension and use of the new language increases.

Present: Next present the topic for discussion, target grammar, or any vocabulary selected for the lesson. The warm up can serve as a springboard into the topic. For example, write on the board any synonyms of today’s key words used by the students, and then introduce the target vocab. Or if you focus on grammar, write several sentences from the warm up that will highlight the target structure. In both cases, information from the warm up gets recycled, thus providing a more efficient use of class time. The grammar or vocabulary becomes more memorable, too, because of the link to the initial conversations.

Practice: After the presentation, ESL / EFL students need to practice the new material. It’s unfair to expect them to make use of the new language without adequate practice. Drills work to achieve automatically, even at higher ability levels. Tightly controlled drills with new grammar points or vocabulary lay the foundation and provide examples. Activities should then move into freer and freer use of the language, which will allow each student to integrate the lesson material with pre-existing language.

Free Use: You should always work towards real use of the language. Whereas the first part of the lesson focuses on accurate production of the language, it’s done to then allow better practice of fluency (getting the words out). Activities at the end of the lesson allow students to select vocabulary and grammar structures, and to tie the day’s material with previously studied language. These activities also let upper-level learners apply strategies, use gestures and body language, and adjust their language for the intended audience or listener.