Anguage Learner

Written materials on strategies of good language learners are scarcely available in the libraries or bookstores in Indonesia, especially, in the field of English language teaching and learning. The teachers and students of English need the literature to improve their teaching and learning. Meanwhile, observations and experiences in teaching of English indicate that the students use different strategies to understand and learn English. Some students understand the language best in concrete situations, others in abstract and some in both. Several students learn it step by step, others in no ordered system, and some both. Some students prefer a deductive approach, others an inductive one, some others both. Some are productive in small groups, others learn the language best in large groups and some others alone. However, the students can be grouped into unsuccessful (poor) language learners and successful (good) language learners. The good language learners must have their own strategies. What strategies do they use in learning English? This paper will try to answer the question. Theoreticians, such as, Rubin, Stern, Rubin and Thompson, Hosenfeld, and Hyland describe the good language learner strategies, giving some help in answering it. The answers are useful not only to the students of English but also to the teachers or lecturers of English as well. In addition, the purpose of this paper is to encourage the English teachers or lecturers to view their teaching not only from their teaching methods but also from their students learning strategies and to help the students realize their strategies of the good language learner in their studies. The results of the comparison may help them choose and apply the good language learner strategies that work for them. They can decide to replace their ineffective learning strategies with the effective ones. A paper presented in 41st TEFLIN SEMINAR (an international seminar) held at IKIP Padang on 9 th – 11 th September 1993, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Sandpiper by Ahdaf Soueif , Setting’s Role in Identity

*†What role does ‘place' play in forming one's identity? How does this affect the narrator in her life? † The narrator's life and her identity is shaped by this foreign land that she has moved to. Coming from a western world, as a woman, into an Arabic country, there are certain cultural perceptions that will ultimately alter her identity. The foreignness felt by the narrator is conveyed throughout the story. â€Å"My husband translated all this for me and said things to her which I have come to understand meant that tomorrow I would get used to their ways. This quote represents her inability to conform to the cultural and social acceptances. â€Å"If I tried to do the shopping the prices trebled. † indicates that even the local merchants tried to take advantage of her ‘foreignness' as she was incapable of altering herself to meet their demands or expectations. Perhaps the most apparent portrayal of the result of the setting on the narrator is the â₠¬Å"fading love† experienced between her and her husband. The flashbacks present within the story, â€Å"My second summer here was the sixth of our love – and the last of our happiness. allude to the vast differences between their relationship at various times. This foreshadowing as well as an imminent doom, relationship wise, allows the reader to sense the regret and deep emotional state experienced by the narrator. The narrator was from Europe and her marriage to an Egyptian man has cross-cultural implications. Even though â€Å"the inferior status of women† was explained to her, she still went through with this marriage. One could presume that the narrator's ethnocentrism was evident in assuming that her marriage would be more like a western one. â€Å"My foreignness, which had been so charming, began to irritate him. indicates that once he had returned home, the narrator's inability to change her to her setting, her ‘place' affected their relationship. This is backed by, â€Å"He was back home, and he needed someone he could be at home with, at home. † indicates that the narrator herself is aware of the implication her inability to conform is having on her relationship. Lucy, is the daughter she gave birth to yet she refers to Lucy as ‘his daughter' indicating that even though they are both her parents; the narrator identifies Lucy as belonging to him since she was born and raised in this foreign land. My treasure, my trap† allows the reader to notice that the narrator, this woman, wants to escape, to leave, but she is held back by the maternal love she has for her daughter. The place or setting is the biggest factor in this short story, it is a reason for the couple's fading love and growing estranged. The setting places the narrator in a foreign land, whose cultural values have a negative impact on her causing her to fade from blissful love to saddening regret and hurt. Her identity is altered to that of a fo reigner as perceived by those around her and this changes her mind set, perceiving herself differently, as a different person.

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Leadership - Assignment Example The actions of every person should mind the effect they have to other people. Utilitarianism emphasizes on equality for there to be a state of understanding. All people in an organization should ensure that their actions produce happiness to most people (Trevino & Weaver, 1994). However, it is sometimes difficult to please all people and at time, what is right tends not to please people. The theory, therefore, has to accompany by other theories for it to be sufficient. According to this theory, actions of people are only good if they respect the rights of other individuals (Hasnas, 2008). It requires that every employee mind the rights of other employees in the work environment. The organization itself should also ensure that its actions do not violate the rights of the public. The actions of one person should not hinder the other people from performing their duties comfortably. Applying this theory ensures that all people are comfortable in the work environment, and it fosters teamwork (Hasnas, 2008). However, it is possible for the rights of people to conflict and hence creating an unavoidable violation of the duty and rights ethics theory. It is difficult for an action to be according to rights of all people in a workplace with diversified people. A virtue is what is morally accepted as good or bad in a certain society or an organization. Every organization has a unique culture, which has specific virtues that facilitate the achievement of goals and good relationship of people. This theory requires that the actions of every individual should respect the ethics of the organization (Derry & Green, 2009). It also requires that an organization should respect the value-system of the society in which it operates. Virtue ethics determines the image of an organization, and it helps in maintaining an organizational culture. Acting according to this theory ensure that all employees are virtuous, and their actions are goo and

The Kyoto Protocol and climate change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Kyoto Protocol and climate change - Essay Example Global warming and Political climate Global warming is a phenomenon that occurs as a result of greenhouse gases (GHGs) averting thermal radiations from being reflected back to the space. (Wang and Wiser 2002). Coppock (1998, p.2) defines it as the increase in average global temperatures as a result of pumping CO2 into the atmosphere thus changing its temperature levels which in turn affect the water bodies such as oceans and seas leading to alteration of the Earth’s hydrologic cycle. The global warming not only creates fear to the planet’s residents because of rising global temperatures, (currently above 1Â ° C higher than 5 centuries ago) but also an increase in intensity of hydrologic cycles. This causes storms which are responsible to flooding that leads to destruction of farmlands, life and property (Painuly and Rowlands 2001). Generally global warming has more immediate consequences such as floods, rising global temperatures and far-reaching environmental, economi c and social impact that does not chose whether one nation is the main producer of emissions or not (Carr and Thomas 1998). The ecosystem, a natural sink( the uptake of greenhouse gas by forests, soil etc) is of paramount importance as the changes in climates may cause organisms of fresh water and wetlands to face new conditions due to higher temperatures and altered precipitation thus may have trouble producing enough organic sediments and root material that enable them to adjust. Contentious issues According to Schiermeir (2012 p.3), for the planet Earth to get rid of dangerous climate change, countries should limit global emissions to less than 2Â ° C above preindustrial levels, the EU’s threshold likely to prevent dangerous climate change. Further, he assert that to contain a... The Kyoto Protocol is seen by some researchers as a remarkable achievement in international affairs. The first it has put the world on the right path by bringing in the issues of climate change to the table so as the nations can chose to join the work force to regulate the emissions. The second it will leave a valuable legacy since it developed methodologies for reporting and verifying national greenhouse-gas emissions and land-use changes that will act as guide for future climate treaty as with any agreement containing specific quantified and legally binding commitments, issues of monitoring and compliance are central. Third, it has come with a way of trading carbon emissions through the EU’s Emission Trading Scheme among countries that face limits. Also through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) transactions, an establishment of market incentives is proposed for rich countries to get credits towards achieving their emissions’ targets by making cost-effective emissi ons cuts in poor. The CDM despite critics that it is plagued by bureaucracy, had an arm’s length investment worth almost U$100 billion supporting some 5000 CDM projects whose services range from provision of solar cookers to rural people, e.g. in China to supporting clean energy production projects such the 100-megawatt wind firm in Mexico.

The effect of dividend policy (announcement) on share prices Essay

The effect of dividend policy (announcement) on share prices - Essay Example However, to what extent announcement of dividend policy can influence share prices are required some empirical testing. This paper attempts to examine whether announcement of companies’ dividend policy can significantly influence share prices in UK stock market. For the purpose of this study observations on dividend policy announcements of a group of FTSE 100 firms have been taken into account for a period of 2000-2009 and an event study has been conducted to test the level of significance of the effect of dividend announcements on the selected firms’ share prices. On the basis of the findings, the study has come to a conclusion that in UK, the event of announcement on dividend policy has potential to significantly affect share prices. To obtain desired level of outcome, it is very necessary to apply appropriate method while conducting a research. The reliability and validity of the research outcomes also to a large extent depend on the method that the research has followed. After choosing a particular subject, the must vital thing is to build an appropriate research design which will be followed throughout the whole research process. Research method varies with the type, aims and objectives of the research. Before deciding on any particular research method, it is necessary to evaluate the pros and cons of this method on the basis of research outcomes of the past studies. Research techniques are basically of two types – quantitative and qualitative. However, in some studies researchers also combine these two processes to form a ‘mixed-method’ approach. Qualitative research technique is used when the researcher’s inquiry is based on the participant’s opinion about a particular situation. In that method, the researcher wants to gather subjective data, therefore his personal knowledge and research methodology influences the research to some

This is a medical law problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

This is a medical law problem question - Essay Example She breached that duty of care by acting in a manner inconsistent with the reasonable standard of care which caused Paulo to suffer injury as a result of her breach of the duty of care. She knows that it is mandatory to obtain the valid consent of the patient before any medical or surgical treatment is performed on the patient. Hence, she must also be made liable for the damages, together with the doctor for the injury sustained by Paulo. The hospital also has a vicarious liability for the tort of battery and negligence committed by their doctor and nurse. As their employers, the hospital can be sued in the event their employees cannot compensate Paulo for the damage caused to him. Under the law, Paulo has the right to sue the hospital, and in return, the hospital has the obligation to compensate Paulo for the unsafe medical practice committed against him. Paulo should also file a case for negligence and damages against Doc Torr for his failure to warn him of the risks and side-effec ts of the surgical treatment before the actual operation. Clearly, there was a breach of duty on the part of the doctor for failure to inform his patient that there is a 0.5% possibility that he will lose his voice. Such material fact should be made known to the patient since the doctor knows that the patient is an opera singer by profession. Paulo has the right to request for his health record, â€Å"which consists of information relating to the physical or mental health or condition of an individual made by a health professional in connection to his care†( BMA Ethics). Before a medical practitioner examines and/or treats a patient, a valid consent must be given by the patient. If the said doctor proceeds with the examination without obtaining consent from the patient, whether express or implied, and done against that person’s will and without any statutory authority to do so, that surgeon may incur civil liability for violation of the tort of trespass against the per son and criminal liability in accordance with the provisions of Offences Against the Person Act of 1861. The truth is that most cases covered by this area are brought about due to negligence as the cause of action in the tort or damage committed by the doctor. However, in order for the action to prosper, the claimant must show proof that a valid consent from the patient to allow the medical treatment was absent. In this case, no valid consent was obtained by Dr. Torr from his patient Paulo. Thus, the doctor is liable for negligence. The term â€Å"consent† was best described in the case of Cardozo J, Schoelendorff v New York Hospital which provides: â€Å"Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body.1† While in the case of F V West Berkshire Health Authority, Lord Goff has stated that: â€Å"Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body†. 2 In the case at bar, Paulo is an adult who has the capacity to give consent to the medical treatment that will be done to his own body. The requirement of consent to treatment reflects the basic right to self-determination. The act of Doc Torr makes him liable for two things: 1.) Failure to obtain a valid consent from his client; and 2.)Non-disclosure of the vital information of inherent risk

United States Department of Lapor ( organazation theory) Essay - 1

United States Department of Lapor ( organazation theory) - Essay Example Primarily, helping the community is a virtue that cannot be overlooked but it involves a number of external stakeholders. For example, the construction of buildings such as hospitals and schools requires the approval of the government. It is in such an environment that the foundation operates in its daily activities. Belinda gates have three major trustees who are in charge of controlling, planning, organizing and coordinating activities. The media comprise the external environment, and it plays a vital role in informing the public of the foundation’s progress. In addition, it creates an avenue for criticism which is significant for the foundation. Financial registrations, legal issues are challenges that affect the foundation, thus hindering its progress(Fernando, 2011). The Belinda gates foundation operates under the open system where it interacts freely with its environment. This is achieved by delivering services that are community driven and directly influence people’s lives. This system facilitates sustained growth as the organization easily adapts to new environments. In addition, its survival is guaranteed through serving its environment from which it gains support(Wise,

Film Project Guidelines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Project Guidelines - Essay Example Zola went to the girl’s funeral, talked to the folks and posted the story on his blog. Tiger Temple is quite different than Zola. Tiger Temple’s story is equally interesting and shocking. He started blogging when he saw a woman get killed on the street, he called the cops and started taking photographs but to his surprise, when the police arrived, instead of attending to the scene and apprehending the criminal, they went straight for his camera and stopped him from taking pictures (Carter, 2012). He went home that day and posted the pictures he had taken and wrote about it. Tiger Temple gets involved with the people, talks to them like a friend. Instead of getting hardcore answers, he listens to them and publishes what they have to say. He usually roams around Beijing’s Tiananmen’s Square, interacting with the homeless people. The blogs by both the Chinese bloggers (Zola and Tiger Temple) get censored. China has a very controlled Internet environment. From there, it is very hard to access documents that are deemed controversial by the government. The authorities take off the blog posts and pictures they think are not appropriate for public dissemination from the blogs. The tech-savvy Zola knows how to tackle the ‘Great Firewall’ and uses techniques that keep him relatively secure but still lets him (Carter, 2012). He uses his pet cat as a ‘person’, a talking feline on his blog and reports stories. Temple Tiger is just courageous, his blog might not be as clever as Zola’s but he blogs with bravery and says that there are many people that need to be heard and he is doing the blogging for them. Recall the statistics presented in the reading, Xiao 2011, about the average Chinese internet user. As you watch the film, try to decide if you think the average Chinese person with internet access would be interested in these two

The Use of Animals for Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Use of Animals for Research - Assignment Example Scientific research benefits most individuals because there are new products developed through research. Individuals benefit from the quality and safe products in society. There are special animals used to test scientific products in society. The animals are bred in labs specifically to be used for scientific research. They are not taken from their natural habitat every time research needs to do. They are given specific diets that are important in scientific research. Human beings need animals to be part of their survival. Nature gave the human being a brain to be used to make life better. Humans are entitled to use the resources available to us to find ways of surviving (Melby, 16). The use of animals for research is vital for the existence of individuals in the universe. There is a food chain in the animal kingdom and animals hunt others for food. Individuals kill animals like cows and chicken for food, it indicates that there is a food chain that exists. In conclusion, animals in biotechnology are only used for research. Animal testing should not be eliminated because of human benefit from it. Animal testing does give individuals the right to abuse animals. Animals need to be respected and treated with dignity. Statistics show that more than half of the researches on biotechnology depend on animal testing. The investigations depended highly on animal testing for success. Lastly, the use of animals for experimental testing has resulted in more benefits to human than the minimal harm it causes. Animals are important of biomedical research, for their contribution to the development of drugs.

The African Americans Throughout the History of Mass Communication Essay Example for Free

The African Americans Throughout the History of Mass Communication Essay Mass communication today has truly gained enormous advancements since it was first developed back then. The field continually grows and develops as more and more technological innovations are taking place nowadays. Indeed, mass communication has truly gone a long way. If its history would be traced back then, we will find out how the field changed throughout the ages. Moreover, tracing back the roots of mass communication would show how us how its forms also changed. From wired communication, mass media suddenly became a wireless one. In addition to this, history of mass communication would also allow us to see the reflection of the mass or the people. With this, history of mass communication would tell us about the humanity in general, including one of the greatest yet most controversial races from all around the globe—the African-Americans. How does the history of mass media reflect the African-Americans throughout the years? The African Americans is one race that holds a rich culture and history. Most of what the race has gone through were also reflected through various forms of mass media, including those of the radio, print, television, advertising, public relations, and film industries. Radio Industry Perhaps as a result of discrimination, it was not for some decades before African Americans began participating in the radio field. There were occasional African American singers in the radio. However, a dedicated African American radio station was founded much later than others. In today’s context, it is just ironic that African Americans are now the artists that are played much on the radio and there is a significant number of African Americans working with radio productions. Television Industry Television just shows the thinking of the present generation. In the earlier years of television, it is just understandable that there is only little participation of the African American community—some may not even had he chance to watch television. But in today’s world, there are many famous and influential African Americans shown in television like Oprah and Barrack Obama. This shows that this generation treats African Americans without discrimination. Film Industry Since the earliest times of the film industry, African American actors had shown tremendous talent in acting. Additionally, the world had learned how to laugh with African American humor. Interestingly, African American actors and actresses are present in almost all movie genres. One outstanding African American actress is Halle Berry, who is the first and still only African American woman to be awarded by the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actress in 2002. With the changes with the way African Americans are portrayed nowadays, their history somehow also changes. Through the history of mass media, we are able to see how the African Americans rose from an oppressed race to one proud people.

Adapting Materials For A Specific Context Education Essay

Adapting Materials For A Specific Context Education Essay Although most people associate language-learning materials with course books, in fact materials encompass a much wider scope. A very general definition would be that materials are anything that teachers and learners use to facilitate learning of a language. As well as course books this could encompass cassettes, videos, dictionaries, grammar books, newspapers, photographs, and much more (Tomlinson 1998). Added to this is the realisation that materials are not simply the mundane apparatus of the language teacher, they are a personification of the aims, values and methods of the particular teaching or learning situation (Hutchinson 1987). Therefore the selection of materials is probably the single most important decision that the language teacher has to make (Hutchinson 1987). With such a broad definition teacher produced materials will obviously play a role. However there are very few teachers who do not use published course materials at some stage in their career and the use of published materials is now more pervasive than ever before with the course book being at the centre (Littlejohn 1998, McDonough Shaw 2003). Although it is convenient to lump both teacher produced materials and commercially sponsored published course materials together there are in fact noteworthy differences pertaining to the circumstances under which they come to be written, produced and distributed. Customarily teacher produced materials are aimed at a more specified local audience, and commercially sponsored materials are for as wide an audience as possible (Dubin Olshtain 1986). Often the sheer time consuming feat of writing your own materials coupled with the reality that many teachers have little or no control over what course book and main materials will be selected leads to most teachers having to live with published materials selected by others (McDonough Shaw 2003). It is rare to find a perfect fit between learner needs and course requirements on the one hand and what the course book contains on the other. Every learning and teaching situation is unique and inimitable (Cunningsworth 1995). For this reason the option open to the teacher is to adapt and develop the materials. However before we can adapt and develop the materials we have to be able to evaluate the materials. Before we can change something we have to be clear about what we are changing (McDonough Shaw 2003). Teachers evaluations of course books and materials usually involves making general impressionistic judgements on materials based upon common assumptions and expectations. Some very common expectations of materials now are that they should achieve impact and have a noticeable effect on learners, help learners feel at ease, help develop learners confidence, and should be perceived by learners as being pertinent and useful. It has become common for materials to be expected to necessitate learners to make discoveries for themselves, expose learners to language in authentic use, entice attention to linguistic features of the input, recycle instruction, and present frequent and abundant exposure to the instructed language features in communicative use (Tomlinson 1998). It is also now highly desired that materials bear in mind that learners differ in learning styles and that learners inclination for a particular learning style is variable depending on what is being learned, where, with who, and for what. It is also hoped materials take into account that learners differ in affective and emotional attitudes (Tomlinson 1998). However a lot of these expectations are things that can mean different things for different groups of learners and teachers. For example achieving impact is variable in different places. What achieves impact in Brazil might not achieve impact in Germany, and what achieves impact in a private language school in Brazil might not achieve impact in a Brazilian high school. Often these expectations and assumptions about what is desirable, and others, such as up to date methodology, being foolproof, and containing realistic language, are all debateable. Is up to date a desirable characteristic in itself (Littlejohn 1998, Tomlinson 1998)? Teachers are also likely to focus less on the programme as a whole in their evaluation and more on whether specific activities and techniques appear to work in the context of a particular lesson (Ellis 1998). This combination of relying on general impressionistic judgements and concern with specific activities and techniques creates a type of micro evaluation that leads to a very eclectic type of adaptation. Rather to ensure a good match between what the course book includes and the requirements of the learning and teaching situation, and to avoid an eclectic approach to evaluation and adaptation teachers need to develop more methodical and potentially informative approaches creating a more in-depth evaluation of materials. (Cunningsworth 1995, Ellis 1998, Littlejohn 1998, Tomlinson 1998,). How do teachers begin a more in depth evaluation of teaching materials? Firstly by understanding that materials are indeed an embodiment of the aims, values and methods of the particular teaching and learning environment teachers can reflect over and analyse their knowledge, understanding and experience of how languages are learnt and should be taught. They can relate this to how near a match there is with the aims and values of the materials. This will lead teachers to be able to clearly state what they actually expect from their materials rather than regurgitating the latest buzzwords in the teaching industry. Teachers are then able to proceed from here and have a basis to analyse what materials contain and aspire to achieve, what materials make learners do while they are learning, how materials assume or even demand the teacher to teach learners in the classroom, and the appropriateness of the materials to the learners needs and interests (Breen Candlin 1987). This will enable us to build our evaluation of materials, and subsequently our adaptation, on the principles built upon our knowledge, understanding and experience of learning and teaching language. This evaluation helps cultivate insights into various views of language and learning and should be done against an environment of knowledge of our learners demands and the potential of the teaching situation (McDonough Shaw 2003). The subsequent stage is gathering as much information as feasible about the spirit and make-up of a course book (Hutchinson 1987). The information gathering of materials begins with what the materials say about themselves by probing the organization of the materials as stated explicitly by the author and publisher on the cover, and in the introduction and contents. Then what is actually presented inside the materials needs a thorough evaluation, and often the contents can be used as a conduit between the external claims and the reality inside (McDonough Shaw 2003). However as well as the importance of information gathering and analysis of the materials, the same is needed of the teaching and learning situation that the materials are required for. This is vital as materials evaluation is essentially a matching process in which the needs and assumptions of particular teaching-learning contexts are matched to available solutions (Hutchinson 1987). The teaching-learning situation and the classroom have a culture of their own. Culture is most commonly used in a very broad way to describe national culture, and there is often a prevailing cultural stimulus that may well be attributable to the wider society, governing for example, the rhythm and movement of classroom groups, and gender segregation. However there are also influences from institutional or professional-academic cultures, which dominate aspects of classroom cultures such as protocols and the formality of certain classroom events which therefore mean we need to be far more precise when we are talking about classroom culture (Holliday 1994). Classes will not have permanent membership, groups meet to carry out restricted and limited activities, the length of history is relatively short, and the culture only exists when the class is in session. Expectations are brought to the class that are built on other, previous classroom experiences (Holliday 1994). This in addition to different personalities and ethics that evolve in different classroom groups makes each classroom contain a unique culture. Cultures of individual classrooms are diffused to new members enabling both teachers and students to be equipped with inferred understandings about what sort of behaviour is acceptable, which they must learn and impart if they are to be fully received into the group. They assert a social force that prevents teachers from replicating their lesson agendas with different classroom groups. These understandings in turn are strengthened by common acceptance by peers (Holliday 1994) Habitually in the field of English language teaching there is frequent discord between the conventional and established interaction of the classroom and the innovation created by new language (Holliday 1994). Many teachers try to stimulate appropriate English teaching with students who are foreign to them, and try to understand their attitudes and ways of doing things, which to the outsider are obscure and unclear. Conversely teachers who are native to countries they work in, and of the same nationality as students they teach are repeatedly endeavouring to decipher methodologies cultivated and developed in the west for ideal teaching-learning situations. Ideal meaning different from the methodologies in their countries and particular teaching-learning situations (Holliday 1994). In some countries and contexts large classes are not necessarily indicative of scarce resources. Large classes might be tolerable where prevailing educational ideologies do not see the role of the teacher as a monitor and overseer of learning, but as a fount and spring of knowledge, which is delivered without any dispensation to students, and which students must exert great effort to attain. This leads to interesting observations in countries where this type of mentality holds sway such as Hollidays (1994) observation in Egypt of a newly graduated junior local lecturer. The local lecturer had undergone numerous hours of training in communicative English language teaching methodology from expatriate personnel and was supposed to be using a course book whose objectives were communicative teaching of pronunciation. The local lecturer was playing what she perceived to be the lecturer role very well. This was built on the basis of the local lecturers conviction that their responsibility s tretched to the extent of presenting the subject matter to their students, not as far as overseeing and administrating learning. Szulc-kurpaska (1992 as cited in Holliday1994) reports an interesting case in Poland of how discontent on the part of students arose pertaining to the degree of informality practised by expatriate lecturers both in and out of the classroom. Students became perplexed and apprehensive over hazy definitions of teacher and student (Holliday 1994). Here we must realise the importance of understanding each unique classroom culture and not trying to enforce an ideal teaching-learning situation in different contexts. What is important is that learning takes place. Unfortunately even taking into consideration that all learners, all teachers and all teaching situations are different, published materials have to treat them as if they were the same, commonly for commercial reasons (Maley 1998). Whether we like it or not any course book will directly or indirectly communicate collections of social and cultural morals and standards that are intrinsic in their make-up. This may be referred to as the hidden curriculum that will bring up issues of sexism, ethnic origin, occupation, age, social class, and disability (Cunningsworth 1995). Whether this is intended or not, it is a reality. Therefore the need to ensure a course book situates its material in the social and cultural contexts that are comprehensible, significant, appropriate and decipherable to learners, in terms of location, social mores and traditions, personal interests of learners, and age group is highly important (Breen Candlin 1987, Cunningsworth 1995). Often this can only be done by e valuation leading to adaptation. Lack of matching the teaching-learning situation to the materials leads to teachers returning from training programmes incapable of instigating what they have learnt, because it does not correspond to the conditions, needs and philosophies of their classrooms, institutions, and communities (Holliday 1994). In fact the materials become a constraint upon teachers sense of what may be appropriate at a given pedagogical moment, and on the autonomy and independence of teachers actions. The reality in the classroom is a trade off between materials, teachers, and learners (Maley 1998). If learners are to judge materials as legitimately offering them the prospect to develop their language knowledge and capabilities, the materials must take account of what learners perceive their needs to be, no matter how various and vague these perceptions may be (Breen Candlin 1987). Therefore information gathering and analysis of materials and the teaching-learning situation although without doubt can be driven by the teacher must include the input and feedback of learners. Especially in situations where the classroom culture is totally alien to the teacher they must be careful not to trample over the already set protocols and behaviours. Although classroom culture is open to large degrees of change, especially in the case of English language education which has supplied an abundance of new methodologies, it is largely conservative. When there is a lack of knowledge of the particular classroom culture, often on the part of the teacher, and a lack of input from the students, change can come that is too abrasive and disturbing. This develops into a crisis that leads to the closing of ranks within the classroom culture (Holliday 1994). Both the information gathering and analysis of the materials and the teaching-learning situation must be based on knowledge, feedb ack, experience, and negotiated learning objectives. This will enable the reduction of wasted time and effort and result in clear pinpointing of the steps which compel attention in the continuous process of evaluation (Bolitho Jolly 1998). The evaluation process is never static, when materials are considered suitable for a particular course after a preliminary evaluation, their ultimate success or failure may only be ascertained after a certain amount of classroom use (McDonough Shaw 2003). Therefore materials whether they are for publication or a teachers next lesson need to be persistently and incessantly evaluated and revised. Ideally materials need to be monitored by authors, other experts not involved in the writing team, and by representative users of the material such as teachers and learners (Tomlinson 1998). A pooled evaluation effort such as this can develop awareness in a number of ways. It obliges teachers to analyse their own presuppositions as to the nature of language and learning. With the almost certain reality that there will be a variance between the various materials that are available for evaluation it forces teachers to establish their priorities, and helps teachers to see materials as an integra l part of the whole teaching and learning situation (Hutchinson 1987). It must be stated that evaluation takes on a wider and more extensive role than merely evaluating to be able to adapt and develop materials by teachers. There is an increased concern for management macro evaluation of programmes and projects, carried out for accountability and developmental purposes and rationales by accumulating information relating to various administrative and curricular aspects and features of the programme. Educational decision makers formulate policy and work out strategies for budgeting and purchasing and therefore teachers do not always have direct involvement. At best they may be invited to make suggestions and comments (Ellis 1998, McDonough Shaw 2003). Such an approach to evaluation is not in concurrence with the perspective that many teachers have about what evaluation involves (Ellis 1998). There is a strong relationship and connection between evaluation and adaptation. Adaptation is a process subsequent to, and dependent on evaluation (McDonough Shaw 2003). Moving from the evaluation of materials and the teaching-learning situation in to the practical aspect of actually adapting the materials teachers will need to consider both external and internal factors. External factors are dynamics such as the characteristics of particular teaching situations, and content, organization, and consistency of the materials being an example of internal factors. To adapt materials is to endeavour to bring together these elements. Just as materials evaluation is a matching process so too is adaptation of materials. A good teacher is persistently striving for congruence and correspondence among materials, methodology, students, and course objectives. The teacher must satisfy the demands of the textbook but in ways that will be satisfying to those who learn from it by matching. Therefore maximising the appropriateness of the teaching materials in the particular teaching-learning context at hand (McDonough Shaw 2003). With evaluation of materials often constructed and fostered upon very impressionistic general judgements, teachers first steps in materials adaptation will also frequently be based on very vague motives and rationales leading to haphazard eclectic adaptation. Teachers will sometimes give the textbook a rest. The songs and games on a wet Friday afternoon are familiar to all teachers. However these dont have to remain part of a chaotic adaptation method. Rather they can be built into teaching in a principled way (Maley 1998). This means returning to our understanding of the underlying principles that evaluation of materials is based upon and subsequently looking at what adapting of materials actually involves. What must be noted is that this doesnt automatically mean adaptation has to continually be a rather formal process, although it often is. Rather, it can also be transitory. A teacher instantly rephrases a textbook elucidation of a language feature and so adapts. A good teacher is constantly adapting whether formally or informally (McDonough Shaw 2003). Therefore adaptation can be quantitative, by altering the amount, or qualitative by altering the methodological nature. This can be done using an assortment of techniques or a single technique applied to different content sections such as leaving out, adding, replacing, and changing. Materials may require adapting because they are not ideal in areas such as methods, language content, subject matter, balance of skills, progression and grading, cultural content, or image (Cunningsworth 1995). All of this must be done within a framework of gauging what materials contain against the requirements of a particular teaching environment and being sensitive to students interests, learning styles and motivation (Cunningsworth 1995, McDonough Shaw 2003). We can add to materials by supplementing them. More is put into them by extending or expanding. Materials are extended when we add more of the same, such as further grammar exercises if the grammar point being studied is difficult. By expanding we actually add to the methodology by moving outside it and developing it in novel directions. Also additions can be made before a language point appears in the framework of the book (McDonough Shaw 2003). Leaving out material is the other side of the same coin from addition. Generally subtracting does not have a significant impact on the overall methodology (McDonough Shaw 2003). Often using other published general course books or our own material for supplementary options is unsuitable. However there are numerous books that focus on skills. These afford a simple option to find exercises at a lower or higher level than the regular course book being used. For example, some general courses do not cover pronunciation as comprehensively or systematically as is necessary. Supplementary pronunciation books can fill in the gap. Usually vocabulary is covered more fully in modern books however there is still scope for supplementary vocabulary learning materials. Most books cover grammar meticulously, but there are still occasions when additional grammar work is needed, or an alternative approach (Cunningsworth 1995). Often the reasons why more pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar is needed are the particular culture of that institution, managerial influences and teacher perceptions as well as the perceived needs of the students. The teacher has to take consideration of all of these to be successful. In my particular experience of teaching in Saudi Arabia the perceived importance and need for exhaustive grammar teaching, that was an influence of the culture of the institute, students, and the wider academic culture in Saudi Arabia, led me to adapt my teaching materials by supplementing the regular course book with grammar exercises from a well known grammar book (See Appendix 1, 2, 3). As a new teacher presented with the challenge of supplementing just because grammar was needed without any questioning I adapted in an extremely eclectic style without any worthwhile evaluation. A return to teaching will provide me with the opportunity to base my evaluation and adaptation on my understandings of teaching and learning and very importantly the context of the teaching-learning situation. Where we can usually make a noteworthy impression on the materials is by changing or modifying. Teachers can effect internal change in the style or focus of an exercise or other piece of material by rewriting when some of the linguistic content needs amendment. A prime example would be relating activities directly to learners backgrounds and interests (McDonough Shaw 2003). We could take a clearly mechanical, pre-communicative activity such as a drill and utilize the idea behind it by making the interaction more genuine and communicative by personalizing the content whilst keeping focus on structure and using authentic content. The important thing is to learn what students are interested in and build on that, showing that the English lesson is not just about English, but is about all aspects of life (Cunningsworth 1995). Restructuring involves classroom management, as in the case of when materials contain role-play for groups of a certain size and the class is too big. We can use si mplification by rephrasing instructions, explanation, or even the visual layout. Obviously there are repercussions and implications for simplification, such as the possibility that any linguistic change will have corresponding stylistic effects and therefore change the meaning or intention of the original text (McDonough Shaw 2003). As well as adapting by adding, taking away, or modifying we can transform the way the content of the materials is presented. Teachers can reorder by putting parts of a course book in a different order. For example we can adjust the sequence of presentation within a unit, or put units in a different sequence. We may do this in circumstances where the teaching programme is too short to work systematically through the book (McDonough Shaw 2003). Obviously there are patent areas of overlap among the various techniques that can be employed in adaptation. At one end adaptation is a practical activity carried out mainly by teachers to make their work more relevant to learners, however it is directly and indirectly related to a wider array of professional concerns such as administration and management of education. Adapting is one consequence of setting of objectives in a particular educational context and can only be executed effectively if it develops from understanding of possible design features of syllabuses and materials (McDonough Shaw 2003). We must be circumspect of becoming enslaved to course books. Rather course books are best seen as a resource in realizing aims and objectives that have already been fixed in terms of learner needs. They should not determine objectives themselves or become the aims. The concern must be with teaching language and not the textbook. The course book should be at the service of teachers and learners and not their master (Cunningsworth 1995). However we must strike a balance and not fall into dismissing all course books of being devoid of any value. The need to adapt does not necessarily entail that a course book is defective (Tomlinson 1998). We have to realise the entire arena of evaluation and adaptation is about matching between materials and the teaching-learning situation, basing this on our understanding and knowledge of teaching, learning and the context. Therefore the possible and inevitable areas of mismatch often can be dealt with by adaptation rather than abandoning the material s available (Tomlinson 1998). APPENDIX 1 Taken from: Headway, a typical EFL course book. The presentation of the grammar point here is not considered in depth enough and so the need to supplement. APPENDIX 2 Taken from: English Grammar In Use, a popular grammar skills book. Present the same grammar point to students as we studied in course book but with some more detail. APPENDIX 3 Taken from: English Grammar In Use. Present these additional exercises to the students usually by writing questions on the board. The students copy questions and complete with answers.

The Battle of the Somme Essay -- Papers

The Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme involved the main allied attack on the Western Front in the 1st World War. It is mainly famous due to the loss of 58,000 British troops on the first day of battle (1st July 1916). The attack ran from 1st July until 18th November and was located upon a 30-kilometre front, from North of the Somme River between Arras and Albert. The offensive was planned earlier in 1915 and was intended to be a joint Franco-Anglo attack. The French Commander in Chief, Joffre, said that the aim was to drain the German forces of reserves, however territorial gain also had some input. Sir Douglas Haig was the Commander in Chief of the BEF who would be conducting the major offensive in 1916. Originally, although the British forces made up the bulk of the offensive forces, the attack was to be predominantly French. However the German siege on Verdun at the beginning of 1916 resulted in the diversion of almost all-French manpower and efforts as Falkenhayn had promised to bleed France white. This changed the intent of the Somme attack and the French ordered the planned date (1st August 1916) to be bought forward to 1st July, the aim now to divert the Germans from Verdun to the defence of the Somme. Haig now had no choice but to take charge of the attack in Joffre's absence. He used both the ideas of himself and those of General Rawlinson. On Saturday 24th June the attack proceeded by an eight-day preliminary bombardment on the German lines. The expectation being that all forward German defences would be destroyed leaving the at... ...Battle of the Ancre where the field fortress of Beaumont Hamel was captured. The British were finally progressing, but even this was bought to a halt when extremely bad weather caused the Somme offensive to end. The result had been an estimated 420,000 British casualties, a further 200,000 for the French and around 500,000 for the Germans and all for only 12 kilometres of land in Britain and Frances favour. Over 1 million lives were lost in this battle alone and all the Somme offensive was designed for was to divert German attention from the French at Verdun. Some believe this battle acted as a learning curve in the employment of artillery, which contributed to the victory in 1918. In my opinion it shows the severity and pointlessness of war. Hardly anything was achieved apart from the loss of thousands of lives.

Reaction Paper: Was Marx Wrong? -- essays research papers

Karl Marx was an influential character of history, a man of tremendous intelligence as well as a great inspiration to many philosphers and people past and present. Karl Marx was a man of action for the less fortunate class, in that sense his theories are not wrong, to a certain extent they are positve inquisitions. It is those whom have practiced Marx theories that have misinterpreted his works giving Karl Marx a negative demeanor. Specifically Lenin and Stalin are two leaders who have brought shame to the works of Karl Marx and make this philospher seem like a barbarian. " Marx is a humanitarian because he took the side of the working class."-Overstreet Marx is considered a humanitarian because he was in favor of the non exploitation of the lowest class. His main concern was for the individual in society, Karl Marx's studies yield that he wanted the individuals of civilation to live fulfilled lives. In Karl Marx's economic policies he states that " The workers labor power is a commodity." This holds truth, a workers labor is very valuable, like goods that are sold by a merchant. His labor is not to be taken advantage of because he is an individual fending for a living to survive. Marx states in his teachings that because workers are such a commodity to society that a laborer should not be undermined or exploited, such as the slaves...

The Relatioship Between Mental Illness and Child Abuse Essay -- Violen

Child abuse affects millions of children every year. Child abuse is defined as â€Å"the hurting or causing harm to a child† (Stewart, 2003, p. 6). Most people do not understand why a parent would want to hurt their children. â€Å"The general belief is that parents who maltreat their children are pathological and certainly not like us† (Polonko, 2005). It is not just parents that abuse the children it is also teachers, babysitters, and daycare workers (Stewart, 2003). Lingern (2008) reported the following: Child abuse was not recognized as a serious problem in the United States until the 1960s. The number of cases reported has increased each year since 1976, when statistics were first kept. In 2004 almost 1.9 million child abuse and neglect cases were reported in the US. Of those reported, nearly 80% of perpetrators were parents. The most common types of child abuse are physical abuse, mental maltreatment and neglect, and sexual abuse (Olive, 2007). â€Å"Physical abuse includes scalding, beatings with an object, severe physical punishment, and a rare form of the abuse called Munchausen by proxy† (National Research Council, 1993, p. 59). Mental abuse is when there is a â€Å"continuing pattern of parental behavior that is psychologically destructive to the child† (Olive, 2007, p. 67). Neglect happens when a child is â€Å"ignored or left alone so much that their well-being is endangered, yet the parent is able, but fails to provide for their basic needs.† (Olive, 2007, p. 67). Lastly, the most unreported type of child abuse is sexual child abuse. Sexual child abuse is â€Å"sexual activity between an adult and a child that is initiated by the adult, and from which the adult receives some sort of sexual gratification† (Olive, 2007, p. 78). ... ...(2007). Child abuse and stress disorders. New York: Infobase. National Research Council. (1993). Understanding child abuse and neglect. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press Polonko, K. (2005). Child abuse and neglect: The need for courage. Retrieved Febraury 20, 2011 from Old Dominion University, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice’s website: http://odu.edu/ao/instady/quest/ChildAbuse.html Rinaldi, J. (2009, October 5). Mom’s depression tied to child abuse in some families. Reuters News Agency. Retrieved February 20, 2011 from http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/10/05/us-depression-abuse- idUSTRE59455Z20091005 Stewart, G. B. (2003). Understanding issues: Child abuse. Farmington Hills, MI: KidHaven Press. Thurston, C. (2006). Child abuse: recognition of causes and types of abuse. Practice Nurse, 31, 51-57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Identifying a Constituent of “Panacetin” Essay

The Consulting Chemists Institute has been asked to analyze the drug preparation of Aspirin to find out what percentages of aspirin, sucrose, and drug preparation. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the unknown component of panacetin. Panacetin contains aspirin, sucrose, and an unknown component. Dichloromate reacts with Panacetin to produce the sucrose as an insoluble solid. Aspirin is removed from the solution by reacting with sodium bicarbonate. The aqueous layer reacts with hydrochloric acid, the unknown component can then be isolated by evaporating the solvent from the dichloromethane solution. Observations and Data: Aspirin reacted with Sodium Bicarbonate to form salt, sodium acetylsalicylate. The reaction caused fizzing and gas. When hydrochloric acid was added to sodium acetylsalicylate the solution bubbled, sizzled, and gave off heat. All precipitates were white. Substance Mass Panacetin 3.00g Aspirin 0.849g Sucrose 0.212g (weighed wet) Unknown 1.995 (burned) Results and Discussion: The results I got were close to the expected results. During the Isolation of the Unknown component, water splashed on our sucrose sample before we could weigh it and we burned the unknown, skewing the masses. However, there could have been incomplete mixing with dichloromethane, incomplete extraction of precipitation of aspirin, incomplete drying of the recovered components, or  losses from transferring substances from one container to another. Calculations: % Recovery = sum of the masses of all components/mass of panacetin started with  0.212g+0.849g+1.995g/3.01g = 101% %Composition = (Amount of Component/Sum of the masses of all components)*100 %Composition of Sucrose = (0.212g/3.056g)*100  =6.9% %Composition of Aspirin = (0.849g/3.056g)*100  = 27.8% % Composition of Unknown = (1.995g/3.056g)*100  = 65.3% Experimental: 3.01g of Panacetin was dissolved in 50mL of dichloromethane. The mixture was put through gravity filtration. Sucrose was set aside. The filtrate was then put through a separatory funnel and put into two 30mL portions of 5% sodium bicarbonate. 11mL of 6M hydrochloric acid was slowly added to the mixture. The mixture was cooled for ten minutes and aspirin was collected via vacuum filtration. A filter flask attached to a trap and aspirator was used to evaporate the solvent from the dichloromethane solution. All precipitates were white and crystalized.

Nehemiah’s Upset and Relationship with Money

Anemia Is upset because In the midst of alluding the wall of Jerusalem and dealing with those outside of the people of God, he dealt with the morality of the people of God. Men could not feed their families. They mortgaged their property to get money to feed their families. They took loans to pay the taxes on the property. Some had to sell their children In to slavery. They were not able to get their children back because they could not pay the taxes on the property. All were descendants of Jacob, so they were forbidden by law to charge taxes to other Jews.The Jews were not following the law of how to treat fellow Jews. Instead of helping each other they were taking advantage of the people. They sought gain at the loss of others. Anemia became angry that the people were taking advantage of each other that he intercedes before God for each of them. He would pray to God passionately because he loved them so. Anemia was trying to teach the people that if they didn't handle their money w ith the right heart it will affect the will of God in their lives. We should all be givers to the will of God.Corinthians 16:1-4 states â€Å"now regarding your question about the money being collected for God's people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 2 On the first day of each week; you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don't wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 3 When I come, I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. 4 And if it seems appropriate for me to go along, they can travel with me. † .Corinthians 9:9 says As the Scriptures say, â€Å"They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. † Which Is private, regular, thoughtful, generous and freely given per the above scriptures. Our money problems per Anemia chapter 5 are based on how we glorify God, p utting our own needs first. The greed that we all have to profit off the problems of our brothers Is detestable. Amnesia's Upset and Relationship with Money By muzzle Why is Anemia so upset? Explain should Amnesia's example change the way we Vernon and begins to rebuild.The wall was built in 52 days with money and that did not want Jerusalem rebuilt. Anemia is upset because in the midst of building the wall of Jerusalem and dealing with those outside of the people of God, he dealt with the morality of the people of God. Men could not feed their families. Pay the taxes on the property. Some had to sell their children in to slavery. They were will be remembered forever. † Which is private, regular, thoughtful, generous and have to profit off the problems of our brothers is detestable.

Edgar Degas Paintings Comparison and Analysis

Edgar Degas has become known as one of the world’s most influential Impressionist, or Realist (the title he preferred), artists. Impressionism was one of the most important art movements in the nineteenth century and had great influences on Modern Art development. The first Impressionist exhibitions were held in 1874, but at the time, it still was not recognized as a real art. Impressionist artists, including Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, ignored details, revealed their brushstrokes, and placed unblended colors next to each other throughout their artwork. They were artists who were dissatisfied with Academic Art and opposed the Romantics idea that the main reason for art was to create emotional excitement for its viewers. Edgar Degas was one of these ‘rebels’ and one of the most prominent members of the group. Degas became known for his description of his subjects, which included depictions of ballet dancers and woman bathing which portrayed the ‘Impressionist’ label of experimental and vivid use of color. 1 As seen throughout many of his paintings, Degas consistently is seen to observe â€Å"laundresses, milliners and ballet dancers at work. 2 He employs in his artwork unusual perspectives and complex formal structures. His works, â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green† and â€Å"Woman Combing Her Hair† are two in particular pieces that are well-known and clearly depict the ‘Impressionist’ details of Degas. Both are very familiar in style, and in symbolism as well. â€Å"Dancers in Pin k and Green† and â€Å"Woman Combing her Hair† are two of hundreds of Degas pieces. They have significant similarities in style, mostly in part because they both reflect Impressionist artistic details. The charm of these two pictures are abstract- consisting in rhythm of light and shade, color and movement. Degas uses oil on canvas for â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green. † The vibrant colors, especially pink and green, are prominent in the painting and portray to the viewer a natural view of the ballerinas. The ballerinas appear natural and spontaneous rather than having a build up of composition with well-studied proportions and balance. Edgar Degas’ goal was to create a simple yet appealing image to the eye. Although Edgar Degas ignored details, revealed brushstrokes and placed unblended colors side by side, he still created a very realistic image of the ballerinas. If a viewer were to take a few steps back from the painting, the image itself seems to fall into place and seems real and intricate. His unusual perspectives and complex structures present in his artworks are also seen in his â€Å"Woman Combing her Hair. † Edgar Degas created â€Å"Woman Combing Her Hair† with pastels on a light green wove paper. The pastels helped establish a simple in theme, but complex in structure, composition. He depended upon vivid colors and purposeful gestures in his paintings rather than precise lines. 3 These characteristics added to the depiction of the subject of the painting. As seen in the previous Dancer art piece, the natural image of a woman is portrayed, but in this case it is a woman combing her hair. There is no build up of composition with studied proportions or balance as well- it is an image merely of a naked woman combing her hair. â€Å"The animal being that takes care of himself, a cat that licks itself. Up to this moment, the nude has been presented in poses that had a public in mind; my women, on the other hand, are simple honest people who bother with nothing but the very caring of their bodies. †(Edgar Degas)4 This quote reflects upon his view as an Impressionist artist. He did not want to portray his women as fixed poses that are established to create an image of a typical woman’s stance in the public mind, but to just provide the audience with a natural woman performing the mere routines of caring for her body. Within the two paintings, Degas expressed and categorized these women according to their profession: whether they be dancers or regular women of the household. They represented specific types of individuals. 5 Although completely different in themes, both paintings relay a similar message that not only characterizes Degas’ paintings, but characterizes Degas himself. It is evident through the collection of his works that Edgar Degas has developed obsessions, especially with woman in different forms. In these two cases, the women are either dancers or are regular woman performing daily routines such as combing hair. He is a keen observer to women and has cultivated complete objectivity in his paintings for he catches complete natural spontaneous poses of his subjects. These poses were very controversial at the time because it ‘exposed’ women in an uncommon way- a nude portrayal of them just in the means of their home. It could be nterpreted that Degas took regular woman routines, and added sexual depictions to them on purpose so that from then on, a woman combing her hair could be then be imagined as a woman combing her hair naked. As seen in â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green,† Degas reveals a simple image of multiple dancers getting ready to perform, and one in-particular dancer is just staring at her feet while others are prep ping for the performance. This simple depiction has more complex meaning in that the dancers are typically portrayed dancing. However, in this case, Degas shows one of them just staring at her feet- not dancing yet. Dance depicts structure, form and predetermined actions- a contradiction to his ideal of natural spontaneous poses. In â€Å"Woman Combing Her Hair,† the image is obviously simple- a woman performing a daily routine. This indicates clearly that Edgar Degas seems to pay much attention to women’s actions in detail. The ballet dancers and naked woman are like a film sequence of women in his collection. They are neither delirious or romantic figures, but instead are objects of obsessed study of their working movements and intimate daily activities. Both â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green† and â€Å"Woman Combing Her Hair† were painted to portray a very natural feel, as if the viewers have come upon the scene without the knowledge of the people engaged in it. Quality of unexpectedness and elasticity is evident, and this suits the expression of movement and life in the paintings. Every appears to not to be premeditated, but an instantaneous impression, unlike a camera because the action isn’t suspended- it retains elastic rhythm of moving life. Within these two pieces of art, Edgar Degas is seen to put emphasis on certain aspects. In the case of the ballet dancers, emphasis is placed on the dancers’ costumes through their vivid color and size in comparison to the dancers’ body. They seem to ‘stand-out’ from the body in the painting. Degas’ ballet dancers have no beauty in the face or grace of figure in an ordinary sense. Rather, the beauty of the painting is depicted through the vibrant unblended colors of the pink and green costumes. The colors of the costumes, although they are very visible, are simultaneously related to the background colors- the natural colors of the scenery in the painting. In â€Å"Woman Combing Her Hair,† emphasis is prominently placed upon the the length and color of the woman’s hair. The painting is dominated by light colors such as light vibrant green, and the white rug and the soft skin tones; however, the hair seems to be the prominent feature of the image that catches the eye the most. It’s length and dark luscious color grab the viewers’ attention and draws them to the focus: the woman combing her hair. Like the ballet dancers in â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green† Degas does not make an attempt to conceal the physical activity of this woman. Without seeing the woman’s face, it is difficult to identify her beauty for he has purposefully concealed it so that emphasis could be placed on the action and artistic expression rather than the details. This also applies to the â€Å"Dancers, in Pink and Green† painting. This unusual angularity was common in many of Degas’ pieces- it was a distinct characteristic of his innovative composition. He received many of his ideas from Japanese Print Art- this type of art heavily influenced his paintings; and his paintings and art style has in-turn influenced the artists following him. Edgar Degas has made history in the art world. His paintings have influenced and affected many, and have also been an inspiration for the next generation of artists. He made a huge impact on the effect that Impression had on the public and was known for it. His art had harmonious representation- aesthetic moments fixed on the canvas. : E. de Goncourt Jamal said on February 13, 1874 in commentary to Degas’ first exhibition: â€Å"Up until now, he is the person who best represents in a modern form what may be called the soul. †6

Doll’s House Essay

According to Merriam-Webster, humanism is a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual’s dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason. Humanism is not just about males or just about females; its about humans living as one. In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, humanism is shown through every single word and every single detail. A Doll’s House centers on humanism because it demonstrates the search for identity, living up to societal standards, and believing that men and women are equal. Throughout the entire play, each character searches for their true identity. First by her father then by Torvald, Nora is treated like a doll her entire life. She does not know how to live any other way. All the men in her life treat her as a porcelain figurine as if she did not know any better. On page 181, Nora quotes, â€Å"When I lived with Papa, he used to tell me what he thought about everything, so I never had any opinions but his. And if I did have any of my own, I kept them quiet, because he wouldn’t have liked them. He called me his little doll, and he played with me just the way I played with my dolls. Then I came here to the live in your house–† In this quote, Nora describes to Torvald how she never had no say in her life; she always was someone’s shadow. Once she decides to leave Torvald, she has found her true identity. She decides to become an independent women and try to figure life out on her own. Nora isn’t the only character that is on a search for their true identity though. Krogstad is decried as morally corrupt by many of the characters. And yet this fellow Krogstad has been sitting at home all these years poisoning his children with his lies and pretenses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Krogstad, a single father, forged a document and got caught in his act. At the end of the play, the readers find out that Mrs. Linde and Krogstad had a relationship a while back in the life. Mrs. Linde proposed the option of them getting married, for financial reasons. Krogstad loves the idea and seems like he has never been this happy before. It turns out that Krogstad just never wanted to be lonely and just wanted a partner. Seeking to find identity is what all human beings go through to find out who we, as a person, really are. Humanism also involves living up to societal expectations. Even in that time period, the characters experience different situations that anyone in this time period could go through as well. Torvald, being the man of the marriage and the father, has to take care of his whole family. Torvald did face many struggles, but one thing he did not do is show weakness. Because of society’s standards, showing weakness as a man was wrong. As read on page 185 Torvald says, â€Å"†¦Nora! Nora! †¦ Empty! She’s gone! †¦ The miracle of miracles–? † This quote shows that Torvald is a little broken-hearted about Nora’s decision to leave but we does not do anything about it. He just watches Nora slam the door behind him. Torvald could not change to be the man Nora wanted. Society’s expectations also put a lot of pressure on the citizens to gain money. Just because of money, Nora and Krogstad both break the law by forging a document. Plus Nora went behind her husband’s back just to gain a few extra bucks along the way. Also because of financial reasons, Mrs. Linde left Krogstad to be with a wealthier man to support her family. It seems like money revolves around everyone in this play. Money was the common goal that all citizens, male or female, required in their life to make it function properly. Living up to society’s expectations can lead to someone having troubles in their life, even in the 1800’s. One very important factor in humanism is equality. In the late 1800’s, there were absolutely no equal rights between men and women. Ibsen shows through his writings that regardless the gender, all should be equal. Ibsen gave Nora the role almost as if she was a man. On page 148, Nora tells Mrs. Linde, â€Å"Whenever Torvald gave me money to buy myself new clothes, I never used more that half of it; and I always bought what was cheapest and plainest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this quote Nora explains that she saves up some money, without Torvald knowing. Nora took roles that helped out her family financially. This is odd because in that time period, that was the men’s job. Nora almost disobeyed her role as a women to have a men’s role in life. Ibsen gave Nora this role to show that females were capable of making money and supporting their family. While the women knew this, the men of that time period thought the opposite. Also Ibsen stressed that women are females too. He showed through the text that females were capable of getting a job and making the money, just like the males. Even Mrs. Linde got a job of her own that replaced a male. Ibsen strongly believes that both men and women should be equally viewed, no matter what time period. In Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House, he portrays humanism on the next level. A Doll’s House and humanism are connected by the search for identity, the society’s standards, and the fact that both men and women deserve to be equal. Everyone has a different view on what Ibsen thoughts were when he was writing this play. Behind every word he wrote, there was a moral that Ibsen tried to get the reader to understand. Even when human rights were frowned upon, Ibsen knew that change needed to be done and equality needed to happen.

Structural steel design Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Structural steel design - Literature review Example When restoration was completed, the new skeleton had to be hoisted on to supports. These were composed of steel compression struts that are hollow, with a capacity of 50 tons. They were coupled to node points found at the end of each of the cradle frames where they stuck out through the hull. The external support’s lower ends were linked to plates cast into the dry dock’s steps. Since the steps had started crumbling, they had to be dug out and reinforced with grouted steel piles before connecting supports and lifting the ship. A series of arms offered lateral wind load restraint. The arms were bolted to strengthened concrete tension piles at the top of the dry dock (Douglas 2012, pg. 69). The connection nodes are also required as secondary support to the glass canopy. The members’ structural steel grades are of  S355 J2 to BS EN 10025.   Lifting the ship was done at intermediate phases using 24 200Te SWL cylinder jacks, each under every node point. The whole process took 2 days and was aided by the installation of a series of 96 strain sensors to check loads in the metal frame of the ship and the supporting tie rods and props that held up the ship (Beedle, Ali & Armstrong 2007, pg. 32). Consultants AV Technology (AVT) installed the sensors. Deteriorated timber was replaced with equivalent wood; the objective was to replace like with like where possible. The tween was restored using new Douglas fir and hemp was used to caulk it traditionally. Hemp was used because it was easier to install and maintain since it was forced into position to create a tight deck. Composite construction used on the main deck, with a new teak upper layer and plywood lower layers (Crevello & Noyce 2008, pg. 52). The upper teak planks as well as the first lower rock elm planks were restored and reinstalled on the ship. The original plan was rock elm below the water line and teak above the water line. This is because elm

Tacit Knowledge, Systems for Combating Identity Theft Article

Tacit Knowledge, Systems for Combating Identity Theft - Article Example Also devise a method for a medical or financial organization to determine its security measures are sufficient. Develop an organizational plan for information systems to address potential identity theft issues. Tacit Knowledge: Making It Explicit Reference Information: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/economicHistory/Research/facts/tacit.pdf Purpose of Study: Provide an understanding of tacit knowledge and the risks related to it. Sampling Comments: According to TACIT KNOWLEDGE(n.d), tacit knowledge is â€Å"information that the actor knows he has (how to catch a ball, tie a knot, and mark a line) but which he cannot, nonetheless, describe in terms other than its own (skilful) performance†(TACIT KNOWLEDGE, n.d.). Measures: The article reviews aspects related to tacit knowledge. The aspect of transfer of knowledge from one person to the other is the core factor in tacit knowledge. Polanyi (2002) argues that transformation of such information creates problems. Personal knowledge is commonl y used despite the fact that it is shared among many. Findings/Results/Main Points: Personal information works best when instruments used in technology are not available. Availability of machines used in communication and softwares that encourage social behavior contributes to tacit. During this process, many employees are tricked to leak secret information that lead to identity theft. Conclusion: The importance of tacit knowledge remains debatable in relation to the risks involved. Its effectiveness is noted from the ability that it lacks explicit information. Organizations need to sensitize their employees on use on internet to avoid leakage of secret information that leads to identity theft. Systems for Combating Identity Theft- A Theoretical Framework Reference Information: Ji’, S. Smith-Chao, S. & Min, Qing-Fei. (2008, August). Systems Plan for Combating Identity Theft- A Theoretical Framework. J. Serv. Sci. & Management Journal, 1: 143-152. SciRes. Purpose of Study: To examine the starting point used for organizational systems design in roles played by identity owner, the issuer, checker and protector. Sampling Comments: â€Å"From system analysis and design perspective, understanding identity theft problem and designing managerial and technological systems to combat identity theft requires a holistic and comprehensive framework† (Ji, Smith-Chao & Min, 2008). Measures: Identity thieves use several techniques to retrieve data from their victims. Some of unsophisticated means used are stolen wallets, cell phones and laptops. Social engineering is used in convincing internet users to reveal their secret information. Processes needed to stop identity theft rely on information technology and its systems. Findings/Results/Main Points: Identity theft takes place through stage managed steps. Step one; the identity thief gets personal information of the victim. In step two; the identity thief tries to misuse stolen information of the victim. The fin al step involves the victim suffers emotionally or financially after the identity thief has vandalized the victim’s property. Conclusion: The world has turned to a global village through technology. Use of internet has increased from individual use to organizations. Internet is used for communication and business. Personal information

Excercise and Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Excercise and Obesity - Essay Example That is, too high caloric intake and too low caloric consumption. A lot of researches about obesity have focused on factors that lead to this imbalance. This paper will basically examine the relationship between obesity and exercise (duration of exercise). Some statistical results suggest that exercise has a negative and statistically significant effect on the probability of being obese. However, taking into consideration the potential endogeneity of exercise duration in the BMI regressions, some studies suggests that there is no negative relationship between obesity and exercise (Plowman & Smith, 2008). Studies that have been carried out to determine the relationship between obesity and exercise; and quite a number of the studies have resulted in general results that obesity is negatively related to the duration of exercise. The studies have generalized a sample to a population. Assumptions are vital concept of empirical studies. Just like any other empirical study, this study applies some statistical assumptions in order to achieve the much needed results. These assumptions include: The following statistical tools can be useful in determining the relationship between obesity and exercise. Correlation techniques can be used to determine the relationship between obesity and exercise. The independent variable of the study is exercise while the dependent variable is obesity. The study can mainly duel on correlation and regression for data analysis. The analysis may involve getting the correlation and regression coefficients for both the variables that affect obesity and that influence duration of income. Correlation coefficient is important in showing whether and how strongly age and income status are related. The study is linear in nature hence Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient can be used to determine the strength and direction of the linear relationship between exercise and obesity. The value of Pearson’s correlation coefficient is influenced

Principles of Information Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Principles of Information Security - Essay Example Health facilities strive to develop efficient and reliable information systems capable of providing real-time access to vital information that may always mean the death or life of a patient. The health facility provides an effective environment for assessing the importance of information systems thus formulating policies that would enhance service delivery in the facility. The members of the group carried out research on the health facility and interviewed some of its employees and managers who offered reliable information on the nature and importance of the information system. The research included studying and testing the various features of the facility’s information including the functionality of its website, its employees and managers . The report has various sections that provide in-depth analysis of the information system in the facility, the proposition of the policies and their anticipated effects. Overview of the company is a key section of the report that provides a dequate information about the existing information system of the hospital, its information needs and the need for functional information policies to guide the utilization of the system. Subsequent sections of the report address related topical issues including the existing information policy in the facility and the subsequent issue specific policies proposed after the study. Overview of the chosen company New York Presbyterian Hospital just as the name suggests is a health facility and a university hospital.

The difficulties of raising many children in these days Research Paper

The difficulties of raising many children in these days - Research Paper Example The case of Nadya Suleman will be used as an example for better explanation of the context. The relationship of doctor and patient should be dealt with special care as a minor mistake may cause a great loss. However, there are certain cases, as of Nadya Suleman, where patients do not think of the long-term effects of their decisions. Before taking a final decision, it is important to think of its forthcoming consequences. Doctors may not compel the patient on anything. Yes, but there always exists a way to advice and explain them things which may be harmful for the patients themselves or for the people associated with them. As far as the transfer of embryos is concerned, doctors are not liable to take decisions about keeping them or not. It is in the hands of the patient to take such personal decisions. On the other hand, the patients should be well-informed about the harmful consequences of keeping and giving birth to them as the patient’s decision, in this case, does not only have an effect on her life but also involves the life of the coming children. In Vitro guidelines state that women under the age of 35 should not transfer more than 2 embryos at a time. This guideline of course carries some importance and should be considered. However, there is no such law imposed in the United States about restricting the number of embryos transferred to a woman’s body. The embryo research conducted by American Academy of Pediatrics state that the number of embryos to be transferred to a woman’s body has been a controversial issue. Despite of the harmful effects of transferring more than 2 embryos at a time, it will be morally problematic to conduct any activity which would result in the destruction of embryos. This is one of the major reasons that America has not imposed any such law so far. Some countries, however, have imposed restrictions on the number of embryos for the betterment of the mother, children, family and consequently the whole society

Scar by Amy Tan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Scar by Amy Tan - Essay Example The author emphasizes this when she states â€Å"In those days a ghost was anything we were forbidden to talk about† (Tan 291).This is clearly illustrated in the case of An-mei’s mother, who is disowned by her family for running off to be a concubine and refusing dowry from An-mei’s father. An-mei grows up hearing her grandmother constantly talking ill of her mother and she perceives her to be a â€Å"thoughtless woman who laughed and shook her head, who dipped her chopsticks many times to eat another piece of sweet fruit, happy to be free of Popo, her unhappy husband on the wall, and her two disobedient children (Tan 292 ).† Tan’s short narrative â€Å"Scar† builds on the themes of unconditional love and respect, by using symbolism and figurative language, among other literary elements. As a child, An-mei’s mother comes to visit and a commotion arises. A giant pot of boiling broth spills and burns the little girl’s chin and neck. The boiling soup is symbolic of the family’s raging anger towards An-mei’s mother for becoming a concubine and dishonoring them. The burn results in a physical scar, hence the title of the short story. However, the term scar is also symbolic since it signifies the emotional harm suffered by the little girl, as well as, the bad memories of her mother instilled in her by the grandmother. The prevalent theme in the short story is that of unconditional love. For instance, in the course of the story An-mei’s grandmother becomes seriously sick and her young girl’s mother comes back. In spite of everything that she had been told by her grandmother and the constant absence of her mother, she grows to love her. This is evident when she says â€Å"I came to love this mother as well, not because she came to m e and begged me to forgive her† (Tan 294). An-mei recognizes the fact that her mother is not to blame entirely for her absence. She also realizes that her mother never stopped loving her even after being expelled from the community. Tan illustrates this illustration when An-mei says when â€Å"Here is how I came to love my mother, how I saw her in my own true nature, what was beneath my skin, inside my bones† (Tan 294). The narrative also elaborates on the theme of respect. This is attributable to the fact that people should respect their elders regardless of the situations they are in. This is shown by An-mei‘s depiction of respect towards her mother when she sacrifices herself to Popo even after disownment. An-mei‘s mom also shows respect to Popo by looking after her even through the last living moments of her life. Respect was an issue that affected many people in China and despite the fact that An-mei did not really know her mother; she respected her and valued her actions towards her grandmother. The author’s narrative skills once more unfold yet another theme of traditions and identity. This is clearly depicted in honoring of Popo by following the ancient and acceptable way. This is done in an effort to save Popo from dying and An-mei's mother shows the respect of traditions and identity by making a sacrifice. Despite the fact that there is no good form of communication between Popo and An-mei's mother, she does not abandon her. In contrary, she cuts off part of her flesh in attempt to enrich Popo’s soup so as to heal her (Tan 295). This theme is further elaborated when An-mei realize the real meaning of the sacrifice that is conducted by the mother. In order to fully determine one's identity and heritage, one should symbolically peel off their

Human resource management (Making a layoff Decision) Assignment

Human resource management (Making a layoff Decision) - Assignment Example His seniority is also less than the other employees’. My second recommendation would be John Melendez, who also has less seniority. Though he has been with the company for four years and his evaluations have been outstanding, his career could be further enhanced with the help of further education, which goes a long way in today’s competitive business world. Though his contributions to the company through the introduction of administration intranet for employees has undoubtedly been invaluable, it is a positive attribute that helps to ensure that he is easily able to obtain an appropriate position in another company that will take advantage of his abilities. Advanced layoff planning minimizes the chances of litigation, reduces the negative impacts on employees, decreases company disruptions, and ensures that employees do not lose trust, respect, and goodwill that they felt towards the company before the layoff (Pfadenhauer, 2009, p. 94). One of the most important steps in a company layoff is deciding selection criteria for the persons to be laid off. The most simple and clear cut method is usually seniority, which is the least likely one to result in discrimination claims. This is the method most demonstrated in this case as these employees have the least seniority. All communications concerning the layoffs must be handled by human resources experts, legal experts, or marketing and communication’s experts. It is the company’s responsibility to assist the two laid off employees in order that they avoid feeling demoralized and pushed aside by a company they have likely been loyal to and good employees of for a length of time. Top management must provide clear explanations of the layoffs to the employees, and those laid off need an explanation of the procedure and benefits they will receive. Often there is a severance package involved in large

Literature Review - Organisational Change Essay Example for Free

Literature Review Organisational Change Essay Team report you are to list 6 issues facing CanGo that you gleaned from the week 1 and 2 videos. They should be prioritized in order of importance. They should be numbered. The team must then come up with an actionable recommendation for each of the issues found. These should also be numbered. 1. CanGo does not have a a concise vision or mission statement that defines who they are as a company. Solution: CanGo needs to find out what market they want to be in and also figure out what market they want to be in, and where they see themselves going as a company and what values they have. . CanGo did not approach the strategic planning correctly for the online gaming. They discussed going into a new market with no prior knowledge of how the market operates. They also do not have the proper staff to begin the new business venture. Solution: I think that CanGo should do more research for the online gaming market. I also think that if they decide to go in this new direction that they should outsource some of the work and train some of the people they have on hand to help save costs. Liz needs to sit down and complete all of he steps in the strategic management process, including: SWOT analysis, mission statement, long term goals, implementation, strategic choice, evaluation, revision, and vision statement. Conducting a firm financial analysis of the overall project can prevent and reduce higher costs. Setting short-term and long-term goals will give the team a better outlook on the launch of the online gaming system. 3. Nick’s issue with organization is indicative of a bigger issue; the company does not have a structured approach to scheduling, planning, or reporting progress. Solution: CanGo lacks organization. There should be a better system for filing information, and a clear understanding of what each individual’s responsibilities within the company are. This way they would have a better understanding of which staff members are capable to complete which jobs, and those which be able able to with more training. This way tasks will not be inappropriately assigned. Set up a training session or a number of sessions as needed to bring everyone up to speed as far as what is expected for status reporting, prioritizing, scheduling tasks, and de-conflicting schedules. . Nick and the team members are not organized and they are distracting to each other when they are supposed to be working. Solution: The members should be more considerate in talking about some other topics. They can talk about side topics after work, and not during meetings. The main focus is to help out Nick on how to be successful on their new venture. Nick needs to be organized and read y to do the job. 5. Nick did not have a proper plan in place for the launch of the gaming system. He also did not step up and ask for help when he needed it. Solution: Nick should have figured at a proper plan for the launch of the online gaming system. A strategic goal plan should have been approved and put in place before Nick and the team were able to start on the project . Nick should have prioritized and been specific about the goals in the planning of the project through the use of the Gantt Chart. This would have allowed him to give a breakdown of all the issues that needed to be addresses such as hardware, software, recommendations, price comparisons, and testing. Nick not only failed to ask for help, but he did not ask any clarifying questions when the project was assigned to him. The instructions he was proved when given the project were vague and incomplete. He should have advised someone if he was incapable of doing the job in the first place, but he also should have sought more information and assistance if he was capable of doing the job. 6. During the planning meeting the manager quickly points out issues and made statements such as, â€Å"we need†, â€Å"we should†. He never gave any specific assignments, no dates or expectations. Solution: Design a structure for meetings such as this. Have the manager come into the meeting with a determined list which everyone can add to and discuss. He should also assign people to specific tasks based on their skills along with an expected completion date to make certain nothing is dropped. Establishing the projected deadline and developing an outline of the tasks to be accomplished over the course of time will help him reach his goals.

Ethnic adoption Essay Example for Free

Ethnic adoption Essay Transracial adoption also known as TRA, is defined as the adoption of children of a different race or culture from their adoptive parents, has been a controversial issue in the United States. Social workers are usually the one that match the child with the â€Å"parents† when it comes to adoption. The number of adoptive parents does not relate with the number of adoptive minority children. Therefore, more parents of a different race are able to adopt them. Many social workers see transracial adoption as an ideal solution to the lack of adoptive homes for children of color. However, that is not the case with all social workers. There are some social workers that do not agree with TRA regardless of laws that have been set. They can prevent the placement of children of color with families of a different race by deciding they are not fit for different reasons. They are overlooking the reality of the situation. The reality is that there are children in America that need homes, and homes that need children. These social workers would rather have these children raised by the system than belong to a loving family all due to their argument that children should remain with their race to sustain their cultural background. Children need more than their cultural background. They need love, stability, and a good home. In America, a social worker’s mission is protecting children. When a child is neglected and needs to be removed from the home or situation their job is to find them an appropriate home. In most cases social workers view the situation as a whole and see that the child is taken care of regardless of the race of either the child or the adoptive home. In the process of finding a suitable home it’s important for the state, the child, and the adoptive home for the adoption to be successful. In any situation when making a match that will be successful it’s ideal to have as many common factors as possible. Race would be a factor in adoption to considerate when finding common ground. However, when the common factor is not available the option of looking outside of the common factor can prove to be successful. However, there are some people out there that disagree with this. The family members of the child or even some social workers will overlook the disposal of a home outside the race of the child in hopes to find a home of common race. Their argument is to place the child in an environment and culture in which they come from. In the meantime these children will remain within the system costing the system and  taxpayers money. The money used from the child being in the system is wasted as there is an available home for them to be placed in. The system the child is placed in is the foster care system. Although foster homes and foster families are adequately trained and certified by the state in which they live in to take children in their homes they are not the best place for a child. A child needs stability and a loving home, a permanent home.