Assessment Strategies: Paramedic Education

Assessment Strategies: Paramedic Education Paramedics have, historically, been algorithmically led through all clinical procedures and decisions which do not directly centre on clinical decision making. It has been indicated that this system of paramedic training concentrated on life threatening conditions with protocol driven practice, based on limited underpinning knowledge (Williams, 2002). They have undergone front-loaded, fit-for purpose courses which has suited the operational need of the Ambulance Service. Over the last ten years United Kingdom (UK) ambulance services have become increasingly aware that there is a need to evaluate their educational provision. It became evident that paramedics needed to move on from surface to deep thinking strategies and develop a greater thinking repertoire. The paramedic profession is currently at a major crossroads in its development with the transition from a training paradigm to one of higher education (British Paramedic Association, 2006). This evolution in paramedic education he ralds a shift away from a training ethos of surface learning and expository teaching, best described by Ausebel (1968) as the presentation of the entire content of what is to be learned in its final form. This commentary will discuss the current assessment strategies used within paramedic education by higher education institutes (HEIs) including the assessments implemented in the clinical practicum. The various methods and delivery of assessment will be explored including, formative, summative and feedback. My own personal experiences and involvement with the assessment of paramedic students will also be discussed. This discussion will attempt to highlight the validity and reliability of certain assessment strategies such as objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), portfolios, work-based assessment. The concept of role models for paramedic students during their time on clinical placement will also be explored. In the UK, the Institute for Healthcare Development (IHCD) is the awarding body for paramedic qualifications and have been involved in prescribing the curriculum, content, and assessments for all paramedic training throughout the UK. IHCD produce multiple choice questionnaires, short answer and clinical assessment tools which have been seriously challenged by the British Paramedic Association (BPA) which is the professional body overseeing paramedic practice and education. The assessment strategies employed by IHCD have been criticised for their errors of format and content relevance (Cooper, 2005). They were also seen as a tick-box exercise for the employers legal liability. IHCD assessment processes were criticised for their validity, reliability, and feasibility, with the BPA highlighting a clear need to identify alternative methods of assessment such as objective structured clinical examinations with links to competency frameworks (British Paramedic Association, 2006). The use of a variety of different assessment methods has now become a characteristic of paramedic education within HEIs. Currently HEIs employ a plethora of assessment methods including simulation, standardised patients, written examinations, oral examinations (viva voce) and reflective portfolios. During their time in the clinical practicum paramedic students are also continually assessed with regard to their clinical competencies. Pugsley and McCrorie (2007) state the need to have valid, reliable, fair and defensible assessments due to increased litigation from students are adding new dimensions to educator roles. With the ongoing change within paramedic education there has been a need to move away from standard assessment methods such as written examinations. Historically, educators have used the same assessment methods for all of the competencies of a paramedic, even when they were ill-suited to the task. For example, it is critical for a paramedic to be able to communicate effectively with patients but an assessment of this aspect of competence is not tested well by written examinations or a viva voce in which the student-patient encounter is unobserved. To correct this problem, several methods of assessments which are new to paramedic education are being implemented with ongoing development. These new methods focus on clinical skills, communication skills, procedural skills and professionalism. An importan t role of the teacher relates to assessing students competence. This hold great relevance within pre-hospital environment as life, health and welfare of patients is potentially at risk if students are not accurately assessed which may lead to future paramedics with low levels of clinical competence. Stuart (2007) states that assessment can be formative and summative with Boud (2000), claiming that both forms of assessment influence learning. Formative assessment can guide future learning, promotes reflection and provide reassurance (Epstein, 2007) whereas summative assessment tends to take place at the end of module or program of study and is used to provide information about how much students have learned and to what extent learning outcomes have been met (Stuart, 2007). Many of the assessment strategies can be used as either a method of formative and summative assessment (see table 1). Any particular method of assessment will have its strengths and its intrinsic flaws. The use of several different assessment methods may partially compensate for the intrinsic flaws in any one method (Epstein, 2007). Validity and reliability are deemed as critical for determining the usefulness of a particular method of assessment (Van der Vleuten, 1996). Validity is the extent to which the assessment measures what it was designed to measure (Quinn Hughes, 2007). Reliability indicates the consistency with which an assessment method measures what it is designed to measure (Messick, 1989). OSCE The teaching and assessment of clinical skill proficiency is a major part of paramedic education. Paramedic degree programs throughout the UK are using and developing OSCEs as an approach for the assessment of clinical skill performance. OSCEs have been utilised in advanced life support, trauma, medical condition scenarios as well as individual clinical skills. Newble (2004) states that OSCEs are better suited to assessing clinical and practical skills, often with a high degree of fidelity. Stuart (2007) warns that OSCEs have limitations as a method of assessment due to the performance of students under laboratory conditions may not accurately reflect their real performance in the clinical practicum. Other limitations also exist such as students finding OSCEs highly stressful (Phillips, Schostak Tyler, 2000; Brand Schoonhein-Klein, 2009). An OSCE also tends to focus more on the assessment of basic skills rather than cognitive skills (Redfern, Norman, Calman, Watson Murrels, 2002). A major limitation is the compartmentalisation of the clinical patient assessment process and students may not learn to holistically assess patients (Stuart, 2007). There is conflicting evidence throughout the literature regarding the reliability and validity of OSCEs as a method of assessment. Goaverts, Schuwirth, Pin et al. (2001) have reported high reliability and validity for this assessment strategy, whereas Phillips, Schostak and Tyler (2000) claim that OSCEs are seriously flawed due to lack of inter-assessor and intra-assessor reliability. Hodges (2003) points out that OSCEs are a social drama with students modifying their own behaviour in an attempt to convey the impression that the assessor desires. There are measures that have been reported to increase the validity and reliability of the use of OSCEs and these are listed in Appendix X. I have had some experience of assisting with OSCE assessments and have found that almost no training has been provided for the assessors which in my opinion, made them unreliable. The assessors are given objective checklists but a personalised form of scoring was sometimes used due to the lack of assessor experience or understanding of the assessment strategy. One of the OSCEs required an assessment of a students ability to perform advanced life support (ALS) with the checklist containing a total of 111 points to be assessed (see appendix X). This created problem with the reliability of this particular OSCE as the assessors found it difficult to observe the student as well as check they were performing everything on the checklist. This OSCE lasted almost 30 minutes which not only caused fatigue to the student but also to the assessor. According to Reznick et al. (1992) the heavy workload on the assessor can affect their performance. A lengthy OSCE can also cause student fatigue which may affect their performance (Rutala, Witzke, Leko, Fulginiti Taylor, 1990). As part of my ongoing development as a teacher I have started to design an OSCE for the assessment of some basic clinical skills. Some of these have already been designed for other healthcare professions but none are paramedic education specific. Simulation ALS Simulations are increasingly being used in paramedic education to ensure that students can demonstrate integration of prerequisite knowledge, skills, and affect in a realistic setting. For these aspects of competence, the use Sim-Man which is a physical simulator that models the human body with a very high fidelity is currently used extensively at my employing university. This form of simulator is very realistic and can provide an excellent assessment of skills. These simulators are used in conjunction with observed structured clinical examinations (OSCE). Standardised Patients A standardised patient is a person trained to portray a patient with a particular medical or traumatic condition. They are used to assess a students ability to collect medical history and physical examination data (Tamblyn Barrows, 1999). Following the encounter between the standardised patient and a student, both the standardised patient and an assessor make judgements about the students performance based on history taking, physical examination and communication skills. Checklists are developed for each patient scenario focusing on the students ability to collect the relevant data. Skills in summarising and interpreting the information collected are often measured following the encounter consisting of open-ended questions or short answers. I have found this to be the most realistic form of assessment outside of the clinical practicum and research has shown that reasonable levels of reliability and validity can be achieved (Norcini McKinley, 2007). However, McKinley and Boulet (200 4) warn that there is a drift in assessor stringency over time and that the standardised patients themselves become increasingly inconsistent portraying a patient. This assessment strategy is very expensive to use and has been implemented infrequently. As part of my role as an associate lecturer I have had the opportunity to take part in this form of assessment. The students were required to perform a cardiac assessment on a standardised patient. Prior to this summative assessment they were given a lecture on cardiac assessment, a demonstration of the assessment and many hours practice time with support from the lecturing team which included myself. A checklist (see appendix X), a viva-voce question sheet (see appendix X) and a short answer paper (see appendix X) were all designed. Following the patient encounter the standardised patient and I went through the checklist to ascertain the ability of the student. The viva-voce followed where open-ended questions (see appendix X) were a sked to allow the student to discuss their findings and plans for treatment which was followed by the short answer paper (see appendix X). Work-based Assessment Work based assessment of learners in the clinical cenvironment Assessment plays a major role in the process of medical education, in the lives of medical students, and in society by certifying competent physicians who can take care of the public. Society has the right to know that physicians who graduate from medical school and subsequent residency training programmes are competent and can practise their profession in a compassionate and skilful manner (Shumway Harden 2003). Miller (1990) proposed his now famous pyramid for assessment of learners clinical competence (Figure 2). Knowledge tested by written exams Application of knowledge tested by clinical problem solving etc. Demonstration of clinical skills, tested by OSCEs, clinical exams, competency testing (Competency) Daily patient care assessed by direct observation in the clinical setting (Performance) Adapted from Miller (1990) At the lowest level of the pyramid is knowledge (knows), followed by competence (knows how), performance (shows how), and action (does) The clinical environment is the only venue where the highest level of the pyramid can be regularly assessed. Assessment in the workplace is quite challenging as patient care takes top priority and teachers have to observe firsthand what the learners do in their interaction with patients and yet be vigilant that patient care is of the highest quality. Paramedic students need to retain vast amounts of information, integrate critical thinking skills as well as having an ability to solve a range of complex clinical problems often under intense pressure. In an effort to enable this I have started to acknowledge the need for alternative teaching, learning and assessment strategies. Educational literature supports the use of concept mapping as a means to promote learning and is seen as a metacognitive strategy (Novak, 1990; Pinto Zeitz, 1997; Irvine, 1995). I have explored the idea of concept mapping and have now started to use it within my teaching practice. I view the goal of concept mapping as a way to foster learning in a meaningful way, to enable feedback and to conduct learning evaluation and assessment. As a learning resource, concept maps can facilitate a students understanding of the integration and organisation of important clinical concepts (Pinto Zeitz, 1997). A group of the paramedic students I currently teach found that concept mapping encouraged them to think independently, promoted self-confidence and provided them with a greater awareness of connecting across different areas of knowledge. From my own perspective I view concept mapping as a creative activity which assists the students in becoming active learners. It is also seen to allow students to organise theoretical knowledge in an integrative way as well as fostering reflection into the learners understanding (Harpaz et al., 2004). During and following the use of concept mapping sessions numerous opportunities arose to identify student misunderstandings allowing provision of relevant feedback and clarification of content. According to Kinchin and Hay (2000) the use of concept mapping highlights the learners constructions of connections as well as a useful form of communication between the teacher and learner. As an assessment strategy concept maps can be used either formatively or summatively (West, Park, Pomeroy Sandoval, 2002) by identify ing the learners valid or invalid thoughts and links. However, Roberts (1999) warns that a suitable scoring method must be selected for each particular type of map due to their great variation in style. I have used concept mapping with individual students and small groups of students and it has been effective when dealing with the differential diagnosis of certain conditions. For example, the causes of chest pain are numerous but it is important for a paramedic student to be able to understand and differentiate between the different causative factors. A lesson was planned, delivered with handouts provided (see appendix X). Over the next two weeks the students were formatively assessed individually by using concept maps to illustrate their understanding of the causes of chest pain. A decision was made to use a relaxed approach in an effort to overcome any anxiety so the assessment became an informal discussion. As the students progressed through the task I was able to gain insight into what each student knows and how they arrange knowledge in their own minds. I was able to give feedback on their misunderstandings, misconceptions and errors. Paramedic educators rarely use concept mapp ing as a teaching or learning method but I see them as valuable tool in revealing students misunderstanding of concepts which could in turn lead to the identification of potential clinical errors. FEEDBACK Effective feedback may be defined as feedback in which information about previous performance is used to promote positive and desirable development. Giving feedback, whether corrective or reinforcing, is complicated but is an essential part of paramedic education. Feedback plays a central part in the support of cognitive, technical and professional development (Archer, 2010). Cognitive theorists view feedback as a comparison between actual performance and the intended performance level (Locke Latham, 1990). According to Kluger and DeNisi (1996) this will highlight the gap between a learners knowledge and the required knowledge and provide a learning catalyst. Behaviourists conceive feedback as a way of modification or reinforcement of behaviour (Thorndike, 1931). In the health care education literature including paramedic education, feedback seems to lack any form of theoretical basis (Colthart, Bagnall, Evans, Allbutt, Haig et al., 2008). Paramedic education feedback is often problematic for both the provider and recipient. The diversity of the feedback settings creates multiple challenges for paramedic educators in the provision of effective feedback. Settings such as bedside teaching, practical skills training as well as the often chaotic environment have been utilised for the provision of feedback by myself. The protection of the professional standards, the rights and safety of patients as well as the self-esteem of the paramedic student must be safeguarded. Added to this is the acknowledgement of the psychosocial needs of the paramedic students as well as ensuring that the feedback is accurate and honest (Molloy, 2009: Higgs, Richardson Abrandt Dahlgren, 2004). These challenges are an ongoing issue within paramedic education but despite this feedback has been described as the cornerstone of effective clinical teaching (Cantillon Sargeant, 2008). An important factor necessary for progress is the provision of feedback. Parsloe and Wray (2000) suggested that feedback is the fuel of improved performance, that it can provide motivation. However, they do warn that motivation can be reversed if you get the feedback wrong. Feedback should be viewed as a positive tool as even negative aspects of feedback actively encourage learners to improve practice; Bennett (2003) affirms that it can also highlight strengths and weaknesses which in turn can lead to enhanced practice. There are many types of feedback used to support learners and these can have either a directive or facilitative function. Directive feedback can inform a learner of what requires some type of corrective measure whereas facilitative feedback can involve the provision of suggestions to facilitate learners in their own revision (Archer, 2010). Feedback specificity may also be variable. Specific feedback can sometimes be beneficial for an initial change in performance but it may have a negative effect on the learners ability to further explore their performance which can lead to an undermining of subsequent performance and learning in the long term (Goodman, Wood Hendrix, 2004). Less specific feedback can lead to uncertainty for the learner that may subsequently lead to a reduction in learning (Kluger DeNisi, 1996). Verification and elaborative feedback are structural variances of directive and facilitative types of feedback. Feedback can simply indicate that an answer is correct (veri fication) or it may facilitate the learner to arrive at the correct answer (elaboration). According to Bangert-Drowns, Kulik, Kulik and Morgan (1991) the guiding principles of feedback are that it should be specific, with verifying and elaborative feedback enhancing effectiveness. I have attempted to utilise a number of types of feedback for my learners since the start of my current studies on the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). I will now go on to discuss some of the methods of feedback utilised for the different learners I am currently supporting. I have utilised many of the types of feedback interchangeably and have slowly gained a conscious knowledge of their appropriateness. Throughout their placements paramedic students have regularly received constructive feedback which is usually delivered contemporaneously which is something that Price (2005) recommends. A large proportion of the feedback has been delivered informally and is often carried out in between emergency calls and has often been given as a running commentary during student/patient interaction. Non-verbal communication is seen as a strong method of conveying meaning and is often utilised in providing feedback (Stuart, 2007). Non-verbal communication serves several functions which can be summarised as giving and receiving information, expressing emotions, communicating interpersonal attitudes (e.g. warmth, dominance and liking) and establishing relationships (Williams, 1997). Non-verbal communication requires acute observation by the receiver for accurate interpretation of the message (Golub, 1994). Non-verbal communication includes specific behaviours that include proximity, touch, eye-contact and eye gaze, facial expression, body posture and head movements. I have used this form of communication as a method of feedback during bedside teaching sessions and when the student is involved within patient care episodes. A nod and a look of approval are seen as positive feedback which all ads to the feedback process. More formal feedback is given at the end of each shift. The timing and format of these feedback sessions are of great significance. For feedback to have maximal motivational impact on learning, it should take place while it is still relevant and points raised are therefore more meaningful and alive (Hays, 2006). During these feedback sessions the format is a blend of oral and written. A copy of the written element is given to the student to place in their portfolio. Fish and Twain (1997) believe written notes are essential in providing continuity in the monitoring of progress. Initially, the students were asked to provide a self-assessment of how they felt the shift had gone. This was an addition to the feedback cycle and encouraged learners to be more self-aware and more self-critical but gives an insight into how the student feels about their progress (Mohanna, Wall Chambers, 2004). Rather than a one-way process the feedback becomes collaborative. On further exploration of the literature I became aware that involving the learner in comparative self-assessment that places them at the centre of the feedback process will not always improve competence. Paramedic students are frequently required to self-assess their performance in an attempt to identify their own strengths and weaknesses in relation to other peoples views. Written feedback is important for learners as well as teachers. As an on-line tutor for a local HEI I provide support and feedback to paramedic science students via email. These students send me there work in progress and constructive feedback is given (see appendix X). Any negative comments made are supported to produce positive outcomes which is something that Webb (1955) advocates. According to Archer (2010), lengthy and complex feedback maybe ignored with its main messages lost. In effort to counteract this problem some of my written feedback has been deliberately left concise. In conjunction with verbal feedback students on clinical placement are provided with daily written feedback on patient encounters (see appendix X) which are supported by further written feedback monthly, quarterly and at the end of the clinical placement (see appendix X). I consider the use of feedback on student progress generated from other sources such as other paramedics and assesors as highly important as part of a systematic approach. Feedback from a variety of sources is described as multi-source feedback (Archer, 2007). Paramedic students on clinical placement are sometimes rostered to work with other Clinical Supervisors or paramedics. Early in a paramedic students placement a critical development issue was identified by one of my colleagues who had completed a set of shifts with the student. The unacceptably slow pace of the students clinical practice including patient assessment, patient management and long turnaround times at hospital following incidents had been fedback to me. As a students practice placement progresses, evidence of care activities should be gathered showing increasing speed and dexterity with increasing clinical experience (Stuart, 2007). Early support is vital in preventing the student with a learning issue from experie ncing the cycle of failure (Cleland, Arnold Chesser, 2005). Other key personnel who had observed the student in practice were consulted to ensure that the issue was as prevalent and problematic as had initially been assessed. Eliciting the opinions of other assessors also helps provide a more fair and unbiased assessment of a students abilities (Gomez, Lobodzinski Hartwell West, 1998). The issue was then raised with the student whilst they were performing a task too slowly. Stuart (2007) highlighted the critical importance of the critical role of providing feedback in learning and support. Furthermore, providing feedback of a development issue whilst it is relevant and alive is important for memory recall (Bailley, 1998: Gipps, 1994). The key to support struggling students however is to identify specific reasons for poor performance (Cleland, Arnold Chesser, 2005). Furthermore, major feedback which corrects a particular performance deficit should end with a plan of action (Branch Paranjape, 2002). During a feedback session with the student, input regarding specific areas where time could be saved was requested by the student but a specific action plan had not been prepared. Providing poor quality feedback may make the student feel they are being personally judged and can lead to defensiveness or reactivity (Katz, 2006). In order to rectify this, the student was closely observed in practice for a set of four shifts in order to identify specific areas of slow practice (see appendix X). A three month plan was negotiated with the student to rectify the problem and a ten point action plan developed which identified ten areas where the student could save time on each call attended (see appendix X). Data was collected over a three month period of the students on scene times and hospital turnaround times. The student was not informed of this in order to avoid the Hawthorne effect when working with other members of staff where a subjects normal behaviour and/or study outcomes are altered as a result of the subjects awareness of being under observation (Mangione-Smith. Elliott, McDonald McGlynn, 2002). Branch and Paranjape (2002) state that evaluation should follow efforts at remedying the learners problem. The results of the data after the three month period were therefore presented in chart format to the student (see appendix X) which provided tangible proof that the student had demonstrated real evidence of progress. Just as paramedic students are interested in their progress, so too should the paramedic educators be interested in the quality of their teaching. The measurement of teaching quality can be a very complex, multi-perspective task that may include many different approaches (Hays, 2006). One form of teaching quality assessment is student feedback. Collecting student feedback also sends messages to students that their views are welcome (Hays, 2006). With this is in mind teaching assessment tools were designed to elicit the students opinions on the teaching provided (see appendix X). Other feedback has been provided from peer observations (see appendix X). Prehospital education is changing rapidly, and as demonstrated the way paramedic education is delivered at clinical practicum level is also evolving. In order to establish quality and stability in this rapidly changing delivery of education, eliciting feedback from students is critical (Jones, Higgs, de Angelis Prideaux, 2001). A feedback questionnaire was designed to elicit the students opinions on the quality of the learning timetable and reference handbook after three months of the placement period. The students indicated a very high satisfaction rating for the timetable and particularly the reference handbook (see appendix X). Feedback was also gained via a questionnaire regarding general teaching effectiveness in areas such as quality of feedback, supervisor/student relationship, goal management and mentoring activities (see appendix X). Whilst overall the feedback obtained regarding general teaching and mentoring effectiveness was very positive, one of the students indicated some dissatisfaction with the prioritisation of goals. This was discussed further with this student who expressed concerns that it was unclear in reference to the learning timetable which goals were of a higher priority than others as the learning objectives were set out in chronological order. Patients have also been able to add to the feedback process as they can provide testimony to the students performance. This type of feedback is unique to healthcare professionals and is deemed influential in changing performance (Fidler, Lockyer, Toews, Violato, 1999). However, Archer (2010) warns that feedback elicited from patients may lack validity with Crossley et al. (2008) suggesting that there is limited correlation with other sources of feedback. This form of feedback is often utilised when a student has been driving the ambulance and the patient is asked about the comfort of the journey to hospital, which is naturally carried out in earshot of the student. Giving feedback In the clinical environment it is vital to provide feedback to trainees as without feedback their strengths cannot be reinforced nor can their errors be corrected (Ende 1983). It is a crucial step in the acquisition of clinical skills, but clinical teachers either omit to give feedback altogether or the quality of their feedback does not enlighten the trainees of their strengths and weaknesses. Omission of feedback can result in adverse consequences, some of which can be long term especially relating to patient care. For effective feedback, teachers need to observe their trainees during their patient interactions and not base their words on hearsay. Feedback can be formal or informal, brief and immediate or long and scheduled, formative during the course of the rotation or summative at the end of a rotation (Branch Paranjape 2002). Reflection on feedback Role Modelling Ambulance services in the UK are slowly becoming reliant on undergraduate paramedic education programs to meet their employment needs (JRCALC, 2000). The HEIs and ambulance services have now forged strong links and work closely with one another in the education of student paramedics with the ambulance services providing the clinical practice placements. The clinical practicum is an important component of a student paramedics development. This practicum seeks to integrate theory and practice as well as enable the development and assessment of professional competencies. During this time in practice the student will have many opportunities to develop skills and to refine these skills based on performance feedback by clinical su

Chapter 1 The Riddle House

The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it â€Å"the Riddle House,† even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there. It stood on a hill overlooking the village, some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from its roof, and ivy spreading unchecked over its face. Once a fine-looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the Riddle House was now damp, derelict, and unoccupied. The Little Hangletons all agreed that the old house was â€Å"creepy.† Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce. The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore. Every version of the tale, however, started in the same place: Fifty years before, at daybreak on a fine summer's morning when the Riddle House had still been well kept and impressive, a maid had entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead. The maid had run screaming down the hill into the village and roused as many people as she could. â€Å"Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! Still in their dinner things!† The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement. Nobody wasted their breath pretending to feel very sad about the Riddles, for they had been most unpopular. Elderly Mr. and Mrs. Riddle had been rich, snobbish, and rude, and their grown-up son, Tom, had been, if anything, worse. All the villagers cared about was the identity of their murderer – for plainly, three apparently healthy people did not all drop dead of natural causes on the same night. The Hanged Man, the village pub, did a roaring trade that night; the whole village seemed to have turned out to discuss the murders. They were rewarded for leaving their firesides when the Riddles' cook arrived dramatically in their midst and announced to the suddenly silent pub that a man called Frank Bryce had just been arrested. â€Å"Frank!† cried several people. â€Å"Never!† Frank Bryce was the Riddles' gardener. He lived alone in a run-down cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. Frank had come back from the war with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises, and had been working for the Riddles ever since. There was a rush to buy the cook drinks and hear more details. â€Å"Always thought he was odd,† she told the eagerly listening villagers, after her fourth sherry. â€Å"Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't.† â€Å"Ah, now,† said a woman at the bar, â€Å"he had a hard war, Frank. He likes the quiet life. That's no reason to -â€Å" â€Å"Who else had a key to the back door, then?† barked the cook. â€Å"There's been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door last night! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The villagers exchanged dark looks. â€Å"I always thought that he had a nasty look about him, right enough,† grunted a man at the bar. â€Å"War turned him funny, if you ask me,† said the landlord. â€Å"Told you I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of Frank, didn't I, Dot?† said an excited woman in the corner. â€Å"Horrible temper,† said Dot, nodding fervently. â€Å"I remember, when he was a kid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  By the following morning, hardly anyone in Little Hangleton doubted that Frank Bryce had killed the Riddles. But over in the neighboring town of Great Hangleton, in the dark and dingy police station, Frank was stubbornly repeating, again and again, that he was innocent, and that the only person he had seen near the house on the day of the Riddles' deaths had been a teenage boy, a stranger, dark-haired and pale. Nobody else in the village had seen any such boy, and the police were quite sure Frank had invented him. Then, just when things were looking very serious for Frank, the report on the Riddles' bodies came back and changed everything. The police had never read an odder report. A team of doctors had examined the bodies and had concluded that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangles, suffocated, or (as far as they could tell) harmed at all. In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all appeared to be in perfect health – apart from the fact that they were all dead. The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face – but as the frustrated police said, whoever heard of three people being frightened to death? As there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go. The Riddles were buried in the Little Hangleton churchyard, and their graves remained objects of curiosity for a while. To everyone's surprise, and amid a cloud of suspicion, Frank Bryce returned to his cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. â€Å"As far as I'm concerned, he killed them, and I don't care what the police say,† said Dot in the Hanged Man. â€Å"And if he had any decency, he'd leave here, knowing as how we knows he did it.† But Frank did not leave. He stayed to tend the garden for the next family who lived in the Riddle House, and then the next – for neither family stayed long. Perhaps it was partly because of Frank that the new owners said there was a nasty feeling about the place, which, in the absence of inhabitants, started to fall into disrepair. The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither lived there nor put it to any use; they said in the village that he kept it for â€Å"tax reasons,† though nobody was very clear what these might be. The wealthy owner continued to pay Frank to do the gardening, however. Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer than ever, but could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him, try as he might to suppress them. Weeds were not the only things Frank had to contend with either. Boys from the village made a habit of throwing stones through the windows of the Riddle House. They rode their bicycles over the lawns Frank worked so hard to keep smooth. Once or twice, they broke into the old house for a dare. They knew that old Frank's devotion to the house and the grounds amounted almost to an obsession, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick and yelling croakily at them. Frank, for his part, believed the boys tormented him because they, like their parents and grandparents, though him a murderer. So when Frank awoke one night in August and saw something very odd up at the old house, he merely assumed that the boys had gone one step further in their attempts to punish him. It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse than ever in his old age. He got up and limped downstairs into the kitchen with the idea of refilling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee. Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire. Frank had no telephone, in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths. He put down the kettle at once, hurried back upstairs as fast as his bad leg would allow, and was soon back in his kitchen, fully dressed and removing a rusty old key from its hook by the door. He picked up his walking stick, which was propped against the wall, and set off into the night. The front door of the Riddle House bore no sign of being forced, nor did any of the windows. Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, took out the old key, put it into the lock, and opened the door noiselessly. He let himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way towards it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead. He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust that lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick. On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were: At the every end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond. The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him. Then he stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful. â€Å"There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord, if you are still hungry.† â€Å"Later,† said a second voice. This too belonged to a man – but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. â€Å"Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail.† Frank turned his right ear toward the door, the better to hear. There came the clink of a bottle being put down upon some hard surface, and then the dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor. Frank caught a glimpse of a small man, his back to the door, pushing the chair into place. He was wearing a long black cloak, and there was a bald patch at the back of his head. Then he went out of sight again. â€Å"Where is Nagini?† said the cold voice. â€Å"I – I don't know, My Lord,† said the first voice nervously. â€Å"She set out to explore the house, I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail,† said the second voice. â€Å"I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly.† Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard. There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again. â€Å"My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?† â€Å"A week,† said the cold voice. â€Å"Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over.† Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt, to a buildup of earwax, he had heard the word â€Å"Quidditch,† which was not a word at all. â€Å"The – the Quidditch World Cup, My Lord?† said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.) â€Å"Forgive me, but – I do not understand – why should we wait until the World Cup is over?† â€Å"Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait.† Frank stopped trying to clear out his ear. He had distinctly heard the words â€Å"Ministry of Magic,† â€Å"wizards,† and â€Å"Muggles.† Plainly, each of these expressions meant something secret, and Frank could think of only two sorts of people who would speak in code: spies and criminals. Frank tightened his hold on his walking stick once more, and listened more closely still. â€Å"Your Lordship is still determined, then?† Wormtail said quietly. â€Å"Certainly I am determined, Wormtail.† There was a note of menace in the cold voice now. A slight pause followed – and the Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve. â€Å"It could be done without Harry Potter, My Lord.† Another pause, more protracted, and then – â€Å"Without Harry Potter?† breathed the second voice softly. â€Å"I see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!† said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily. â€Å"The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely that if we were to use another witch or wizard – any wizard – the thing could be done so much more quickly! If you allowed me to leave you for a short while – you know that I can disguise myself most effectively – I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person -â€Å" â€Å"I could use another wizard,† said the cold voice softly, â€Å"that is true†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"My Lord, it makes sense,† said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now. â€Å"Laying hands on Harry Potter would be so difficult, he is so well protected -â€Å" â€Å"And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder†¦perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?† â€Å"My Lord! I – I have no wish to leave you, none at all -â€Å" â€Å"Do not lie to me!† hissed the second voice. â€Å"I can always tell, Wormtail! You are regretting that you ever returned to me. I revolt you. I see you flinch when you look at me, feel you shudder when you touch me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No! My devotion to Your Lordship -â€Å" â€Å"Your devotion is nothing more than cowardice. You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go. How am I to survive without you, when I need feeding every few hours? Who is to milk Nagini?† â€Å"But you seem so much stronger, My Lord -â€Å" â€Å"Liar,† breathed the second voice. â€Å"I am no stronger, and a few days alone would be enough to rob me of the little health I have regained under your clumsy care. Silence!† Wormtail, who had been sputtering incoherently, fell silent at once. For a few seconds, Frank could hear nothing but the fire crackling. The second man spoke once more, in a whisper that was almost a hiss. â€Å"I have my reasons for using the boy, as I have already explained to you, and I will use no other. I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding the boy, I believe my plan will be effective. All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail – courage you will find, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldermort's wrath -â€Å" â€Å"My Lord, I must speak!† said Wormtail, panic in his voice now. â€Å"All through our journey I have gone over the plan in my head – My Lord, Bertha Jorkin's disappearance will not go unnoticed for long, and if we proceed, if I murder -â€Å" â€Å"If?† whispered the second voice. â€Å"If? If you follow the plan, Wormtail, the Ministry need never know that anyone else has died. You will do it quietly and without fuss; I only wish that I could do it myself, but in my present condition†¦Come, Wormtail, one more death and our path to Harry Potter is clear. I am not asking you to do it alone. By that time, my faithful servant will have rejoined us -â€Å" â€Å"I am a faithful servant,† said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice. â€Å"Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfill neither requirement.† â€Å"I found you,† said Wormtail, and there was definitely a sulky edge to his voice now. â€Å"I was the one who found you. I brought you Bertha Jorkins.† â€Å"That is true,† said the second man, sounding amused. â€Å"A stroke of brilliance I would not have thought possible from you, Wormtail – though, if truth be told, you were not aware how useful she would be when you caught her, were you?† â€Å"I – I thought she might be useful, My Lord -â€Å" â€Å"Liar,† said the second voice again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever. â€Å"However, I do not deny that her information was invaluable. Without it, I could never have formed our plan, and for that, you will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"R-really, My Lord? What -?† Wormtail sounded terrified again. â€Å"Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end†¦but I promise you, you will have the honor of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins.† â€Å"You†¦you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Wormtail's voice suddenly sounded hoarse, as though his mouth had gone very dry. â€Å"You†¦are going†¦to kill me too?† â€Å"Wormtail, Wormtail,† said the cold voice silkily, â€Å"why would I kill you? I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless. In any case, awkward questions would have been asked if she had gone back to the Ministry with the news that she had met you on her holidays. Wizards who are supposed to be dead would do well not to run into Ministry of Magic witches at wayside inns†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh – an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech. â€Å"We could have modified her memory? But Memory Charms can be broken by a powerful wizard, as I proved when I questioned her. It would be an insult to her memory not to use the information I extracted from her, Wormtail.† Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse – with amusement. He was dangerous – a madman. And he was planning more murders – this boy, Harry Potter, whoever he was – was in danger – Frank knew what he must do. Now, if ever, was the time to go to the police. He would creep out of the house and head straight for the telephone box in the village†¦but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was, frozen to the spot, listening with all his might. â€Å"One more murder†¦my faithful servant at Hogwarts†¦Harry Potter is as good as mine, Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. But quiet†¦I think I hear Nagini†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And the second man's voice changed. He started making noises such as Frank had never heard before; he was hissing and spitting without drawing breath. Frank thought he must be having some sort of fit or seizure. And then Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. He turned to look, and found himself paralyzed with fright. Something was slithering toward him along the dark corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he realized with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least twelve feet long. Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared as its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer – What was he to do? The only means of escape was into the room where the two men sat plotting murder, yet if he stayed where he was the snake would surely kill him – But before he had made his decision, the snake was level with him, and then, incredibly, miraculously, it was passing; it was following the spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice beyond the door, and in seconds, the tip of its diamond-patterned tail had vanished through the gap. There was sweat on Frank's forehead now, and the hand on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by a strange idea, an impossible idea†¦This man could talk to snakes. Frank didn't understand what was going on. He wanted more than anything to be back in his bed with his hot-water bottle. The problem was that his legs didn't seem to want to move. As he stood there shaking and trying to master himself, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again. â€Å"Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail,† it said. â€Å"In-indeed, My Lord?† said Wormtail. â€Å"Indeed, yes,† said the voice, â€Å"According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say.† Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps and then the door of the room was flung wide open. A short, balding man with graying hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm in his face. â€Å"Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?† The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the speaker. the snake, on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like some horrible travesty of a pet dog. Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip on his walking stick and limped over the threshold. The fire was the only source of light in the room; it cast long, spidery shadows upon the walls. Frank stared at the back of the armchair; the man inside it seemed to be even smaller than his servant, for Frank couldn't even see the back of his head. â€Å"You heard everything, Muggle?† said the cold voice. â€Å"What's that you're calling me?† said Frank defiantly, for now that he was inside the room, now that the time had come for some sort of action, he felt braver; it had always been so in the war. â€Å"I am calling you a Muggle,† said the voice coolly. â€Å"It means that you are not a wizard.† â€Å"I don't know what you mean by wizard,† said Frank, his voice growing steadier. â€Å"All I know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this too,† he added, on a sudden inspiration, â€Å"my wife knows I'm up here, and if I don't come back -â€Å" â€Å"You have no wife,† said the cold voice, very quietly. â€Å"Nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he knows†¦he always knows†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Is that right?† said Frank roughly. â€Å"Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, My Lord. Turn 'round and face me like a man, why don't you?† â€Å"But I am not a man, Muggle,† said the cold voice, barely audible now over the crackling of the flames. â€Å"I am much, much more than a man. However†¦why not? I will face you†¦Wormtail, come turn my chair around.† The servant gave a whimper. â€Å"You heard me, Wormtail.† Slowly, with his face screwed up, as though he would rather have done anything than approach his master and the hearth rug where the snake lay, the small man walked forward and began to turn the chair. The snake lifted its ugly triangular head and hissed slightly as the legs of the chair snagged on its rug. And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor. Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start.

Social Changes During the Trudeau Era

In 1999, the top Canadian newsmaker of the century was voted out and the glory fell to the charismatic former Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who was elected into office after WWII. Throughout that time period, Trudeau worked towards promoting countless emerging social issues in Canada in various ways, and greatly influenced the transformations of the nation into the one that is known now. Among those social changes were the arising force of feminism, the altering relationship with Quebec, and the growing cultural diversity within Canada. Soon after WWII, â€Å"The Second Wave† of feminism swept the decade and the rights of women were largely demanded by feminists. Pierre Trudeau realized that the unbalanced status between the sexes was in the need of change and encouraged feminism by supporting it with new laws and measures. In 1967, Pierre Trudeau gained himself much attention by introducing an omnibus bill as the Justice Minister. In the bill, he showed his views and suggestions to many concerned issues including abortion. The law stated that an abortion would be legal if approved by a committee of three doctors. However supported by feminists, the reform was doubted by the public. Trudeau stood firm and defended the bill with a famous saying, â€Å"there is no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation† (CBC 1967). The bill was later passed and it granted more rights to women who then became supporters of Trudeau, out of reason over passion. After their basic rights were guaranteed, Trudeau turned to focus on the lack of equality for female workers. In 1970, women were paid 59 cents to each dollar a man earned for doing the same amount of work. In order to alter this situation, the Canadian Human Rights Act was passed under the Trudeau government. The Act prohibited sex discrimination, guaranteed equal pay for work of equal value and improved the status of female workers. In result, 47 percent of the married women were under employment in 1979, whereas eighteen years ago, only one in five of them were. From this information, it is clear that women were encouraged by the granted social rights which led to many changes in their lives. In the meanwhile, Trudeau supported feminism not only in the society, but also within the federal government. The first female governor general in the history of Canada, Jeanne Sauve, was appointed due to the recommendations of Trudeau to the Queen. In a speech, he stated that â€Å"it is right and proper that her Majesty should finally have a woman representative here† and that this would be a â€Å"welcome revolution† for the society (CBC 1984). This appointment entitled women the rights to be at high rank in the federal legislature. The carefully selected governor general had also been the first cabinet minister from Quebec, the first female Speaker of the House and the ideal candidate for the position. His actions revealed that the Prime Minister of Canada believed that women were as capable as men and should be promoted if ability is recognized. Therefore, Trudeau showed support to feminism and helped drive one of the most important social changes in those decades. As Trudeaumania swept up the nation, the Prime Minister was not only popular among men and women, old and young, but also supported in both western and eastern parts of Canada. As a federalist, he contributed greatly towards making changes and improving French-English relationship. He believed that it was important to make efforts in keeping Canada together after the testaments it had been faced with and the growing separatism in Quebec. Trudeau decided that the solution was to grant more rights to the Francophone. Therefore he promoted the status of French to a national basis, granting Francophone the language rights by passing the Official Languages Act. The law of 1969 transformed Canada into an official Bilingual nation. When the mixed criticizes appeared, he again defended the law by stating â€Å"of course a bilingual state is more expensive than a unilingual one, but it is a richer state† (Julian 14). This quote reflected his determination in promoting federalism and trust in the future of bilingualism in Canada. He was not alone. Among the Francophone, bilingual government services were extremely popular and were supported at a rate of 79 percent (Parkin 6). Later on, Trudeau and his government created the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in which the sections 16 to 22, specifically outlined the official language rights for Francophone again. This time the reform focused on the co-operation between federal and provincial governments to ensure the official bilingualism services in Canada. The goal included allowing both Francophone and Anglophone to preserve their basic language rights and cultural identity, regardless of their geographic location or language backgrounds. The bilingual law is still supported by 76 percent of Canadians today according to a poll in 2002, 35 years after its initiation (6). However back then, many separatists criticized on the reforms of Trudeau and some went into action. During the October Crisis, Prime Minister Trudeau refused to give in to the terrorists and he implemented the War Measures Act, ensuring the safety of Canadians from the extreme nationalists. â€Å"Just watch me† (CBC 1970), said Trudeau in an interview after the kidnapping of a provincial cabinet minister by the FLQ. He tried to protect the society from the threat that endangers French-English relationship, and he was supported by the Parliament and the Quebec Premiere. In all, Pierre Trudeau contributed with great efforts towards portraying French-English relationship and holding Canada together as a nation. Apart from his federalism, Pierre Trudeau also encouraged cultural diversity within Canada. He promoted multiculturalism and immigration policies. â€Å"I believe a constitution can permit the co-existence of several cultures and ethnic groups with a single state† (Craats 23), stated Trudeau. He foresaw the importance of multiculturalism and drove social changes in Canada with the passing of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. The Act encouraged and protected citizens from different cultural backgrounds in preserving their traditions. Under the Act, heritage language classes and various programs welcomed all residents and helped them feel comfortable in Canada. Also, the reform of Immigration Act was passed, allowing more immigrants to be admitted to Canada. The barriers were reduced and immigrants were separated into three classes: family class, humanitarian class and independent class. The basis of selection was broadened and it successfully attracted more immigrants. In 1970s, eighteen percent growth in total population appeared mostly because of immigration in the previous decade. After that, the Trudeau government passed the Citizen Act, which granted equal rights for all citizens. The law stated that native-born and naturalized Canadian citizens would both be entitled to citizenship rights and obligations equally. Citizens from foreign backgrounds were given the voting right, mobility right, language right and etc. This Act showed respect and recognition to all cultures based on multiculturalism. With efforts, Trudeau and his government created laws that drove many social changes by encouraging multiculturalism in society. As one of the most popular politicians in the history of this nation, Trudeau led Canadians through the difficult years after world war two, and left a permanent mark on its society. Throughout that time period, Canada was driven into changes mostly influenced by Trudeau in terms of feminism, federalism and multiculturalism. Those changes left great impacts and had altered the daily lives of Canadians ever since.

The Immigration System Of The United States - 1201 Words

America is a country that is constantly growing in size and population. Each day many immigrants travel into the United States from many different countries, whether it be for work or social reasons. However, the immigration system leaves many who are not among the lucky finding their way legally across the border left with no choice but to either stay put, or illegally come into United States territory. With the increase of immigration around the world, and the upcoming political debates, this issue has become more controversial as time goes on. Along with all of the attention with the issue comes many different positions and viewpoints toward the subject. There is that of major emphasis on border security, claiming that the reason for a mass of illegal immigration is due to holes in the border, as the lead runner for the Republican Party, Donald Trump argue that the answer to the problem is to â€Å"ship them out, put up a great big wall, and allow those that are deserving back in .† Another position is to focus on the immigration policy itself, arguing that the reason people illegally come into America is due to the broken system. Finally, the last position will be a position overlooked many times, and that is from the point of view of an immigrant who has gone through the process and dealt with it first hand. Here, at UTA, the students have the opportunity to attend one of the most diverse schools in the nation, where many students have come from foreign countries and haveShow MoreRelatedThe United States Immigration System1493 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States’ immigration system has several flaws that no one seems to know how to address. There have been several attempts to correct these flaws like accommodating immigrants with the Dream Act and trying to eliminate illegal entries into the U.S by spending billions of dollars on border patrol. However, there are flaws in those attempts also. For example, according to Daniel Gonzalez, Def erred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients are having a hard time finding jobs and, in someRead MoreThe United States Immigration System845 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States immigration system is faulty. The United States does not possess an immigration program that stipulates immigrants who do not already have family in the country or a job to become United States citizens unless they stay for many years with a green card. Consequently, immigrants are entering our country illegally and poverty forces some to commit crimes in order to provide for themselves and their families. There should be a program that will aid immigrants and existing United StatesRead MoreThe United States Immigration System1918 Words   |  8 PagesThe United States immigration system is widely believed to be extremely outdated and unable to adapt to the evolution of the United States economy and the needs of the nation. It is agreed that the system is in desperate need of change, however it appears to be next to impossible to reach an agreement amongst the American people and the government itself as to what the necessary change consists of. Today, there are limited opportunities for immigrants to legally obtain American citizenship due, inRead MoreUnited States s Speech On Immigration System1091 Words   |  5 Pagesworld, despite for more reasons and subjects. For more than 200 years, our tradition of welcoming immigrants from around the world has given us a tremendous advantage over other nations.(Lindsey, 2014) Obama stated to begin his speech about immigration system. International immigrants are the significant labor source and they partially contribute to generating GDP for the US. There are many reasons for a person to migrate to another country such as higher living standard, employment opportunitiesRead MoreThe Immigration System Of The United States Of America And The Need For Immigration Reform2234 Words   |  9 PagesNeed For Immigration Reform in the U.S. Ramesh Bhatta Wilmington University â€Æ' Abstract The current immigration system is broken and have not been updated fully for about 20 years. The broken immigration is a big problem to the U.S. It is keeping families apart, lowering the wages of workers, resulted in black economy, and added to the threat to national security among many others. The purpose of this research paper is to identify some of the problems created by the current immigration system in theRead MoreEssay on The Outdated United States Immigration System2241 Words   |  9 PagesImmigration is a top political issue in the United States. There are various differences of opinion that society has toward this issue. However, one factor in regards to immigration in which the majority of society can agree is the Nation’s system is currently outdated. Such an agreement is based upon the foundation that we actually â€Å"[h]ave more than 10 million undocumented workers in the country† (Gutierrez, 2013). General public concern is foremost driven by the foc us on an extreme increase inRead MoreImmigration And The United States965 Words   |  4 Pages Immigration is a highly controversial and big problem in the United States today. â€Å"While some characterize our immigration crisis as solely an issue of the 11 to 12 million unauthorized immigrants living in this country, our problems extend beyond the number of undocumented people to a broader range of issues. The lack of a comprehensive federal solution has created a slew of lopsided, enforcement-only initiatives that have cost the country billions of dollars while failing to end unauthorizedRead MoreImmigration And The United States Essay1368 Words   |  6 PagesIn the 21st century, immigration is one of the most controversial and hotly debated topics. Thus, we have an extremely complex immigration process accompanied with extremely complex immigration laws. Consequently, reform to the United States immigration policy is absolutely necessary to continue to help build America i nto the most diverse nation on the planet. To reform immigration, three topics must be addressed: what to do with illegal immigrants already in the United States, how to stop futureRead MoreLooking for a Fresh New Start Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesIllegal immigration has been an ongoing issue in the political arena for the past decade with immigration laws still being discussed. To immigrate means to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence. The United States is a nation founded by people who emigrated on the principle of freedom. What would our forefathers think if there could see the issues facing their nation today? There are many issues surrounding immigration policy such as national security, border patrolRead MoreImmigration in USA Essay1363 Words   |  6 Pages The United States of America is the best place for immigration. The history proved that the United States was the dream land, the place of chances. That started when Europeans escaped form their countries because there were no jobs and no safe places to live. America became the best choice for people who were looking for political asylum, jobs, or freedom, but after a few generations something changed the Americans look to immigrants as strangers and they forgot where they are from because America