The Themes Of The Vietnam War In Going After Cacciato And...

Tim O’Brien is notorious for his unglorified depiction of the Vietnam War in his novels Going After Cacciato and The Things They Carried. O’Brien’s controversial method of realistically portraying the struggles of war resides in the form of two themes common throughout both novels, helping the Vietnam veteran caution against the dangers of war, while highlighting Americans’ aversion toward the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s first-hand experience as an officer stationed in the Batangan Peninsula, the location of the horrific My Lai massacres, affirmed his stance against the Vietnam War, and solidified his desire to portray the war in the truest way possible, as opposed to other writers who glorify the war effort and depict soldiers as courageous†¦show more content†¦O’Brien explores the purpose of imagination in the lives of soldiers, both as a coping mechanism and as a way to mentally escape the trials of war. In The Things They Carri ed, narrator Tim O’Brien’s platoon leader, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, exemplifies the use of imagination as a method for coping, pretending to be in a relationship with his high school sweetheart, Martha. Lieutenant Cross imagines Martha is in love with him, enabling him to distance himself from the horrors of the war and focus instead on fictional plans for a future. This false sense of happiness and security helps the Lieutenant fight the struggles of loneliness and isolation that torment soldiers stationed overseas and away from their loved ones. Through the story of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, O’Brien cautions against war, focusing on each man’s the inner point of view in order to highlight the largely unknown personal struggles faced by each soldier (Farrell). By bringing the unseen battles of American soldiers to light, O’Brien garners support for the anti-war movement, giving civilians a look into the minds of the soldiers fighting their wars. Similarly, in Going After Cacciato,Show MoreRelatedConfusion in War1394 Words   |  6 PagesThe war in Vietnam is without a doubt an outlier in comparison to every other U.S. war, specifically as the only war that the U.S. has ever lost. Losing the war may have been a direct result of a draft that placed young men in Vietnam, many of whom had absolutely no personal goals other than survival. This sets the scene for Going After Cacciato and its main character Paul Berlin. The book is told in the form of three stories. Sixteen chapters are a narrative of the real war, focusing on the deathsRead MoreTim O Brien : A Man Who Has Positively Affected The World1119 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough his literary works regarding the Vietnam War. His personal life and authorship through his military experience, have led to making him one of the most influential war authors to date. Tim O’Brien was born in Austin, Minnesota on October 1, 1946 (Glerean). He spent his childhood growing up in Worthington, Minnesota. Worthington is a small town in the southern part of Minnesota. Tim’s father was an insurance salesman and participated in World War II as a sailor (Glerean). Tim’s mother wasRead More Revelation through Experience in Heart of Darkness, Going After Cacciato, and The Things They Carri3247 Words   |  13 PagesRevelation through Experience in Heart of Darkness, Going After Cacciato, and The Things They Carried Foreign lands seemingly possessed by evil spirits as well as evil men, ammunition stockpiles, expendable extremities and splintered, non-expendable limbs carpeting the smoking husks of burnt-out villages, the intoxicating colors of burning napalm, and courage mixed with cowardice in the face of extreme peril. These are just a few examples of the spell-binding images presented inRead MoreHow to Tell a True War Story2535 Words   |  11 PagesThe story by Tim O’Brien shows how the soldiers are themselves and can also be serious. O’Brien also sees how Vietnam changes the soldiers and how they see the world now. There will be people that will ask if it’s true or not true they can asks what happened. There can be different ways to tell a story but they can ask what happen. O’Brien would know which story he really believes. O’Brien will give use by looking at Rat’s point of view, and Sanders point of view of Lemon death and how Rat co pesRead More Comparing Mary Anne in Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now2602 Words   |  11 PagesSweetheart of the Song Tra Bong and Kurtz in Apocalypse Now  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1979, Francis Coppola released a film that he said he hoped would give its audience a sense of the horror, the madness, the sensuousness, and the moral dilemma of the Vietnam war (as quoted in Hagen 230). His film, Apocalypse Now, based on Joseph Conrads 1902 novel Heart of Darkness, is the story of Captain Benjamin Willards (Martin Sheen) journey to the interior of the jungle of Southeastern Asia for the purpose of executing

Copyrights in the Music Industry Essay examples - 2359 Words

Is important for anyone who has created any intellectual property to protect it. In the music industry, in order for someone to protect their work, they must obtain a copyright. Music has been around before anyone could obtain a copyright and when the invention of the computer came along it made it easier for someone to steal another artists intellectual property with the help of the internet. This paper will cover what events have taken a big role in copyright protection for artist, the consequences if someone was to break the rules of a copyright which is called copyright infringement, and how will a copyright hold in the future. Were copyrights enacted without the thought of life changing technology, and how can some music companies†¦show more content†¦Literary work (including newspaper and magazine articles, computer and training manuals, catalogues, brochures, and print advertisements). 2. Musical works and accompanying words (including advertising jingles). 3. Dramatic works and accompanying music. 4. Pantomimes and choreographic works (including ballets and other forms of dance). 5. Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works (including cartoons, maps, posters, statues, and even stuffed animals). 6. Motion pictures and other audiovisual works (including multimedia works). 7. Sound recordings. 8. Architectural works. (Miller Jentz, 2011, p. 126) When The Copyright Act of 1976 was enacted works created after January 1, 1978, are automatically given statutory copyright protection for life of the author plus 70 years. (Miller R. J., 2011, pp. 125-126) For someone to go against the rules of a copyright this is called a copyright infringement. A copyright infringement occurs if a substantial part of a copyrighted product has been reproduced. (Miller R. J., 2011, p. 127) Damages can vary from case to case of copyright infringement. Based on the type of damage caused it will be classified as actual damages or statutory damages. Actual damages are based on the harm caused by the copyright holder by the infringement. (Miller R. J., 2011, p. 127) Statutory damages may not exceed $150,000. Criminal proceedings may result in fines and/or imprisonment. There is a notable way to waive the copyright byShow MoreRelatedCopyright Framework Of The Music Industry1388 Words   |  6 PagesCopyright framework in the music industry Intellectual property is the economic framework that underpins the British creative industry – music being one of them. Copyright is the currency of that framework. It can provide an incentive to the market to invest in brand new creative content, since every recording by an artist can be licensed for a specific value in the United Kingdom and globally, hence generating a substantial balance of export income for the UK. According to the Department for BusinessRead MoreCopyright Law And The Music Industry : Beyond Blurred Lines1268 Words   |  6 PagesCopyright Law and the Music Industry: Beyond Blurred Lines Introduction Copyright law in today’s music industry has become a tangle of litigation, complications, and bitterness. Overly-complex, multi-layered regulations and laws, double to quadruple fees, and arbitrary enforcement have led to a situation where songwriters and artists are hamstrung, the industry is in crisis, and listeners will be the ultimate losers. In the past, there has been a tendency to settle music copyright lawsuits beforeRead MoreDigital Music Streaming Services On The Copyright Rights And Interests Within The Music Industry1150 Words   |  5 Pagesdigital music streaming services used today and streams music to millions of consumers. In December 2015, a class action lawsuit was filed against Spotify that threatens damages upwards of 150 million dollars to the company. The man who filed the class action lawsuit, David Lowery, is a songwriter, the frontman and founder of the band Camper Van Beethoven, and a leading member of the band Cracker. He is also very involved wh en it comes to artists’ rights and interests within the music industry. LoweryRead MoreThe Digital Age And The Digital Age1405 Words   |  6 Pagesprivacy and copyright. Additionally, the entertainment industry has seen it’s own ups and downs in this ever evolving digital era. The question to focus on is whether or not the ease of digital copying and distribution online interferes with the revenue available to record labels, productions companies, actors and artists. The focus of this paper will be if, and how, the digital age has affected the entertainment industry. It will look at copyright laws that come into play within the music and filmRead MoreAdapting to the Digital Culture: Rethinking Rights and Compensation within the Music Industry802 Words   |  4 PagesMusic can possess a lasting power to influence the lives of listeners and inspire future works of art. Copyrights give artists and their production teams a monopoly over their intellectual creations insu ring their compensation is relative to their audience’s appreciation of the work for a set period. The U.S. Copyright Law in it’s inception saw the value of limiting this monopoly in order to encourage innovation of creative works. Over the years, a complex system of royalty compensation developedRead MoreMusic And Its Effect On The Music Industry1216 Words   |  5 PagesMusic plays a very vital role in every person’s life. Music can change the emotions and senses of a person. No one can actually describe to what extent music is importance but certainly it has a crucial role. Time has been changing with various artists and the creativity has been changing but the music lovers are still the same as they appreciate and receive the music to the same extent as usual. What are the ways to enjoy music and the different forms to access it? Music can be purchased, sharedRead MoreThe Law Of The Music Business : A Survey Of Significant Facets1210 Words   |  5 PagesS tudent’s Name†¨Professor’s Name†¨Course Title†¨Date Law in the Music Business:†¨A Survey of Significant Facets Music permeates our day to day lives. From our iPods and iPads, to elevators and trains, to the more obvious venues such as radio stations and bars, music has so seeped into the consciousness of contemporary society that it has become hard to imagine a life without it. As with any other crucial element in society, however, music in modern civilization has also been regulated by the long armRead MoreThe Sound Recording Amendment Act1401 Words   |  6 Pages1909 Copyright Statue. Through this act, it was acknowledged that audio recordings were worthy of legal copyright protection. This was the beginning of a new era for the music industry. The Sound Recording Amendment was enacted due to the bootlegging of vinyl records in hope of preventing the coping of music. Coincidentally, the issue of bootlegging music remains unsolved. â€Å"Much of the animosity toward our existing copyright framework stems from the unpopular tactics of the record industry, whichRead MoreFile Sharing Should Not Be Illegal1611 Words   |  7 Pagesthe music industry. Copyright industries have already shut down many peer-to-peer file sharing sites and are continuing to shut down more. Music businesses find that the digital distribution of music files between peers undermines the structure of the music industry. They continue to take legal action against all of the file sharing sites accused of infringement. The music businesses succeed in these courts because federal judges reject that these sites are protected by the digital copyright lawRead MoreEssay Music Copyright1620 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is a Copyright? Music Copyright is a very important aspect of the music industry. The Copyright law was established to preserve the creativity and rights of authors, composers, performers of expression. Copyright is the law that protects the property rights of the creator of an original work in a fixed tangible medium. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/copyright) A fixed tangible medium is something substantial like copying lyrics on paper or putting a song on tape or CD. Copyright

Hedonism Free Essays

HEDONISM There is no doubt that pleasure is good. Whether the pleasure is emotional or physical; whether we get this pleasure through taste, touch, sight, scent, or hearing ;it makes no difference. Pleasure is always enjoyable. We will write a custom essay sample on Hedonism or any similar topic only for you Order Now In fact the words pleasure and good are often times interchangeable. After seeing a movie I liked, I may tell someone that the film was pleasurable or that it was good. Both descriptions have a positive connotation. But while pleasure is undoubtedly good, it is not the highest good and certainly not the only good, as the Hedonist would say. First, we must look at examples throughout the world which will prove that pleasure is not the highest good. One example would be a sadistic child molester who gets pleasure out of raping young children. According to the Hedonist this sickening act would be good because the molester is getting pleasure out of it. Of course they would argue that this is not the pleasure they speak of because it will turn out to be bad for the molester in the long run. He will be sent to jail and be ostracized from society, causing him much more pain than pleasure. Therefore this would not be an example of Hedonistic pleasure. But the Hedonist is making a very dangerous assumption: the molester will always get caught and always be punished. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Many people get away with their crimes everyday without feeling the wrath of justice. So if a molester gets pleasure out of little children, is it good? If a Hedonist were to answer yes, then it does not seem like a sound philosophical viewpoint. For another example, we can turn to the Holocaust. Over six million Jews and countless others were killed at the hands of the Nazis. While many of the Nazis were disgusted by the killings (Oscar Schindler was one) an even greater amount got pleasure out of it. They thought that they were doing the world a good by ridding it of the inferior human elements. It was this idea that led to millions of brutal deaths. Yet very few Nazis were ever prosecuted. Many fled to other countries and continued their lives without ever taking responsibility for the heinous crimes they committed. In fact, many still felt inwardly proud of the duty they had done for the Aryan race. So according to the Hedonist the Nazis were doing nothing wrong as long as they were getting pleasure. Once again this is a hard concept to accept as true. A Hedonist will say to look closely at our society and lives and we will see that we live according to pleasure. Everyone wants to be happy and happiness is directly correlated with pleasure. But, in fact, our society is not run on the basis that pleasure is the highest good. If it were, our whole justice system would fail. In court, a murderers defense would be I got pleasure out of the killings. As a Hedonist, the judge would then have to set the criminal free. Our constitution is founded on the idea that every person has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but not pleasure. Our founding fathers knew that if our society was based solely on pleasure then people would be doing whatever they wanted to do whenever they wanted to do it. A Hedonistic society would be chaotic and anarchic; it simply would not work. How to cite Hedonism, Papers

E.E CUMMINGS Essay Example For Students

E.E CUMMINGS Essay EDWARD ESTLIN CUMMINGS (Estlin) is born October 14 in family residence 104 Irving Street, Cambridge, Mass. , the son of EDWARD and REBECCA CLARKE CUMMINGS. His energetic, versatile, and highly articulate father teaches sociology and political science at Harvard in the 1890s and in 1900 is ordained minister of the South Congregational Church, Unitarian, in Boston. The Irving Street household will include at various times Grandmother Cummings, MISS JANE CUMMINGS (Aunt Jane), EECs maternal uncle, GEORGE CLARKE, and younger sister ELIZABETH (Elos), who eventually marries Carlton Qualey. EEC attends Cambridge public schools, vacations in Maine and at the family summer home, Joy Farm, in Silver Lake, N. H. Ever since I can remember Ive written; ; painted or made drawings. 1911 Enters Harvard College, specializing in Greek and other languages He contributes poems to Harvard periodicals, is exposed to the work of EZRA POUND and other modernist writers and painters, and forms lasting friendships with JOHN DOS PASSOS (Dos), R. STEWART MITCHELL (The Great Awk), EDWARD NAGLE (stepson of the sculptor Gaston Lachaise), SCOFIELD THAYER (Sco), JAMES SIBLEY WATSON (Sib), S. FOSTER DAMON, GILBERT SELDES, M. R. WERNER (Morrie), JOSEPH FERDINAND GOULD (Joe), ROBERT HILLYER. 1915 Graduates magna cum laude; delivers commencement address on The New Art. 1916 Receives MA from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 1917 In New York. Lives at 21 East 15th Street with the painter ARTHUR WILSON (Tex). Works for P. F. Collier Son. In April joins Norton-Haries Ambulance Corps. Sails for France on La Touraine, meeting on board another Harjes-Norton recruit, WILLIAM SLATER BROWN, who will remain his lifelong friend. After several weeks in Paris EEC and Brown are assigned to ambulance duty on Noyon sector. Browns letters home arouse suspicions of French army censor. On September 21, he is arrested together with Cummings, who refuses to dissociate himself from his friend. Both are sent to the concentration camp at La Ferte Mace, where they submit to further interrogation. Following strenuous efforts on his fathers part, EEC is released December 19. Eight Harvard Poets published, with EEC among contributors. 1918 Arrives in New York from France January 1. Moves with W. Slater Brown to 11 Christopher Street. Drafted during summer; stationed at Camp Devens until his discharge following Armistice. Moves with Brown to 9 West 14th Street, New York. Meets Elaine Orr, whom he will later marry and who is the mother of his only child, Nancy (Mopsy), now Mrs. Kevin Andrews. The marriage will end in divorce. 1920 In New York. Works seriously at his painting. Friendship with GASTON LACHAISE. First number of the new Dial, owned by Scofield Thayer and J. Sibley Watson, with R. Stewart Mitchell as managing editor, comes out in January. Other friends connected with The Dial at various times and in various capacities: PAUL ROSENFELD, music critic; HENRY McBRIDE, art critic; GILBERT SELDES, MARIANNE MOORE, KENNETH BURKE, EDMUND WILSON. On his fathers urging, EEC begins, in September, to write The Enormous Room, an account of his and Browns experiences in the La Ferte Mace prison. 1921 Travels to Portugal and Spain with Dos Passos, then to Paris, which remains his European headquarters for the next two years. Friends made during these years include EZRA POUND, HART CRANE, JOHN PEALE BISHOP, LEWIS GALANTIERE, GORHAM B. MUNSON, MALCOLM COWLE, ARCHIBALD MacLEISH. 1922 In Rapallo and Rome during early summer; meets parents in Venice in late summer. The Enormous Room published in mutilalated version by Boni and Liveright, New York. 1923 Summer at Guethary, France. .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .postImageUrl , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:hover , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:visited , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:active { border:0!important; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:active , .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3f02610bfdd7254d31327764b8eb831b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Women rights Essay Back in New York in autumn, moves to 4 Patchin Place, which remains his New York address until his death. Tulips and Chimneys published. 1924 In Paris on first of several short trips he makes to Europe during the later twenties. 1925 Wins Dial Award- Begins to write and draw for Vanity Fair. and XLI Poems published. 1926 His father killed in an accident. is 5 published. 1927 Marries Anne Barton; this marriage also ends in divorce. Him published. 1928 Him produced in New York by Provincetown Players, April 18, James Light, director. 1930 No Title published. 1931 Trip to Russia. CIOPW, a book of pictures in Charcoal, Ink, Oil, Pastel, and Watercolors published. Viva

Digital Technology in Modern Society

Introduction Technology has definitely become an important aspect of our daily lives. Whether directly or indirectly, people interact with technology on their daily basis and get affected differently. The manner in which individuals get affected further varies from one person to the other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Technology in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This essay focuses on the impact of digital technology on our culture with special emphasis on how youths have been affected by various aspects of digital technology. To achieve this objective, views from three authors have been considered through comparative analysis. These authors are: Charles McGrath, Lakshmi Chaundhry and Will Wright. Digital technology analysis In his article, The Pleasures of the text, McGrath analyzes how digital technology has affected the manner in which young people communicate especially using mobile phones. With affordability of mobile phones having risen, messaging has gained preference among young people. He notes that the language of text messaging encompasses a wide range of elements like shorthand contractions, emoticons, acronyms and letter-number homophones (McGrath 1). He argues that this preference is based on the limited number of characters that a text message can accommodate and the less versatility nature of cell phone screens. He says â€Å"But because the typical cell phone screen can accommodate no more than 160 characters, and because the cell phone touchpad is far less versatile than the computer keyboard, text-messaging puts an even greater premium on concision† (McGrath 1). Because of the emerging texting trends, books have been written for acronyms like CWOT (complete waste of time) (McGrath 1). He further notes that text-messaging has mimicked hip hop so much that most commonly used characteristics are used by hip hoppers say, â€Å"a† for à ¢â‚¬Å"er†. As a result, this form of texting that is common among young people is â€Å"lateral† and encourages mindlessness among users. It is a rude way of expressions especially in Britain where relationships are terminated using such messages. He further affirms that excessive use of this messaging style is common in developing countries where messages are more affordable than voice calls. This has also been promoted by culture like in China where voice messages symbolize rudeness among users (McGrath 1). On the other hand, Chaundhry argues that technology has created a new era of celebrities as people have endless opportunities to celebrate their heroes online. In his article, Mirror, Mirror on the Web, he notes that becoming a celebrity is no longer an honor in the digital world and that ordinary citizens have significantly grabbed these opportunities.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15 % OFF Learn More With the existence of mammoth technological ideas, the world is likely to change in several ways. He refers to this as progressive fantasy which is interlaced with collaboration, change and community (Chaundhry 1). Furthermore, Web 2.0 allows people to be worshipped, admired and idolized as majority of people derive pleasure in being considered as heroes and heroines. This notion has promoted self-promotion in the digital society as individuals aim at establishing personal fame on the web through countless links and accounts with different social websites. Unlike previous generations when celebs commanded honor and respect for their achievements, digital technology has eliminated the honor of being a celeb. Due to the public hunger for fame, the media always introduces programs that allow individuals to woo the public as their celebs. Additionally, Chaundhry argues that digital technology has reduced fame to public attention and separated it from the tradit ional achievements and wealth. As a result, fame has become a commodity that is only acquired through media publicity. This has its core roots in the young generation that some consider being famous as the definition of American dream. According to Chaundhry, â€Å"Since a key component of narcissism is the need to be admired and to be the center of attention, Generation Me’s attraction to fame is inevitable.†You teach kids they’re special† (1). It therefore suffices to mention that digital technology has promoted the desire for self-promotion and the need to seek public approval. As such, the cultural approach of becoming famous has been replaced with virtual personas among the youths. This obsession augmented by digital technology negates the need for achievement and success that traditionally characterized celebs. With regard to digital technology and its impact on our culture, Will Wright discusses how computer imaging and videogames have tremendously affected young people in the current generation. Unlike other forms of games, Wright notes that computer games are played through trial and error method as players rarely go through the manual in order to master rules and directions. However, he reiterates that videogames make young people to believe that the world is a place for creation and not consumption as perceived in olden days of structured learning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Technology in Modern Society specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This can therefore be regarded as the impact of videogames on our culture even as we embrace digital technology. In his article, Dream Machines, Wright views videogames from a two-dimensional point of view as he describes the impact of this technology in the society. The negative side of videogames emphasizes the fact that these games are violent and affect the personality of young people who play them (Wrig ht 1). Children who continuously play videogames usually end up becoming bullies at school or demonstrate some level of violence in their daily interactions. Additionally, videogames are addictive and time wasters. Many young people have replaced healthy and constructive leisure activities like excising with endless videogames which end up eating their time and rendering them into sedentary lifestyles. As stated by Wright, â€Å"Games have the potential to subsume almost all other forms of entertainment media. They can tell us stories, offer us music, give us challenges, allow us to communicate and interact with others, encourage us to make things, connect us to new communities, and let us play† (1). In other words, they can offer almost everything that a young person would look for in terms of music, tell stories and allow connection and communication among players. With the evolution of technology, videogames are likely to allow development of models to mimic what we like a nd do (Wright 1). Conclusion From the above analysis, it is more evident that digital technology has a wide range of effects to our culture and to the young generation. Chaundhry and McGrath agree with Wright that digital technology has negatively affected our culture. According to the three, this technology affects youths positively and negatively. McGrath discusses how message texting has changed by use of shorthand contractions, emoticons and acronyms. Similarly, Chaundhry concurs that social networks like YouTube have promoted self-promotion in the society and eliminated the role of achievements and success in defining ones fame. The same stance is taken by Wright who affirms that videogames have negatively affected youths by promoting violence, addiction and wastage of time. Works Cited Chaundhry, Lakshmi. â€Å"Mirror, Mirror on the Web.† The Nation. 2007. Web.Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More McGrath, Charles. â€Å"The Pleasures of the Text†. The New York Times. 2006. Web. Wright, Will. â€Å"Dream Machines.† Wired. 2006. Web. This essay on Digital Technology in Modern Society was written and submitted by user Lisa Velazquez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Amritsar and Kerala Essays

Amritsar and Kerala Essays Amritsar and Kerala Essay Amritsar and Kerala Essay Amritsar Amritsar is a city in north-western part in India. It is the spiritual centre for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the Golden Temple in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion.Punjabi culturePunjabi culture: encompasses cuisine, science, technology, military warfare, architecture, traditions, values and history.Punjabi music: Music and Dances of Punjab Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that is increasingly being listened to in the west and is becoming a mainstream favourite. The overall style can range from the high energy Bhangra mens dance to the more reserved Jhumar, the Gidha womens dance. Punjabi dresses: The traditional dress for Punjabi men is the Punjabi Kurta and Tehmat which is being replaced by the kurta and pajama, especially the popular Muktsari style in India. The traditional dress for women is the Punjabi Salwar Suit which replaced the traditional Punjabi Ghagra. The Patiala salwar is also very popular.Kerala Kerala, regionally referred to as Keralam, is a state in the south-west region of India on the Malabar coast. There are mostly Malayalam-speaking regions. The state capital is Thiruvananthapuram, other major cities include Kochi, Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Kollam.Kerala Music and Dances A Kathakali artist A mohiniattam performance Festivals of Kerala The annual snake boat race is performed during Onam Celebrations on the Pamba RiverOnam is a harvest festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. It is also the state festival of Kerala.Dresses of Kerala The mundu is a garment worn around the waist in Kerala, the Tulunadu region, and also in Maldives. This garment is closely related to the Dhoti, Sarong, and Lungi. In South Kanara, a district

Use the sources below to extend the paper to a 4-pages research(MLA Essay

Use the sources below to extend the paper to a 4-pages research(MLA Style) - Essay Example At Southern most labors the slaves were freed, the following new issues were different with the antebellum U.S. As the winner, the changes between the Northern which promoted the industrial capitalism and the freed slavery south was embedded after the Civil War was ended. The most popular questions were: would the Black people go or stay? Where should the 4 million go or stay? Under the wave of abolishing the slavery, the capitalism creates a special group: The Sharecropper. What influence did sharecropping have, and was it good or bad for the black people? Who started sharecropping? Was the situation the same as the president Lincoln had suggested? What influenced the U.S. and what was different between sharecropping and slavery? My opinion on this is that sharecropping did not change the black people’s situation and it did not lead the African Americans to an economic independence and autonomy fundamentally â€Å"All facts suggest that black sharecropper’s income was less than white sharecropper’s income. This is not astonishing given the history of slavery, which was bestowed to the blacks† (Federico 261). So, what is sharecropping? Sharecropping is a way of agriculture in which a landowner allows their tenant to utilize their land in return for a split of the crops produced on the land. The tenant signs a contract for such arrangements. Somehow this seemed like freedom for the blacks, but it was not. â€Å"Sharecroppers compensated their lease to the landlord as portions of their crop yield; this gave room for exploitation by the landlords† (Roumasset and James 640). Sharecropping, along with tenant farming, was a dominant form in the cotton and especially in the South from the period between 1870s to the 1950s, among both whites and blacks, but it is largely disappearing since 1966 when Civil Rights and the Workers Union abolished Peonage (Forced Labor). The word,

Organizing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizing - Essay Example Organizational structure makes possible the application of the process of management and creates a framework of order and command through which the activities of the organization can be planned, organized, directed and controlled. The division will function best when members act not as individuals but as members of highly effective work groups. The new organizational structure of the division will be based on overlapping group membership with a linking- pin process by which the superior of one group is a subordinate member of the next group. The superior is, therefore, the linking-pin between a group of subordinates and the next authority level group. This process will arise from the interaction of people working within the division and the development of groups with their own relationships and norms of behavior, irrespective of those defined within the formal structure. This leads to a major distinction between formal and informal groups (Robbins, 2004). Mutual adjustment will help to realign individuals according to their professional and personal goals. It will involve the ability of specialists to adapt to each other in discovering the activities which need to be undertaken. Under mutual adjustment, control of the work will rest with the members of the division themselves and is achieved through the process of informal communication. The new order will be based on teamwork, but some formalization rapidly became necessary (Senior, 2001). Tasks and functions will be assigned according to professional skills and personal qualities of employees, their work expectations and level of expertise (defined on the basis of interviews and questionnaires). Teamwork will be the core of new structure based on compatibility of the members, permanence of group members and the nature of tasks. Also, production controllers will be replaced by production managers, so supervisors will be replaced by team leaders whose role is to help people achieve t heir goals and work as members of their own team. Teams will set up to identify the skills and attributes needed by team leaders and members in their new work environment. Steps to Manage the Transition The division will follow traditional process of change: I - unfreezing, II - intervening, and III - refreezing (Nickols, 2003). Unfreezing A special commission (5 employees) will be created which aim is to identify areas of improvements and find possible solutions. It is supposed that staff will take an active part in this process expressing hopes and expectations, identifying problems and areas of improvements. This strategy is aimed to overcome poor communication and create a positive climate in the division. A loan can be taken in order to update the line and increase production facility. If organizational funs are limited, employees can be asked to invest personal funds into this project (for instance a month pay which will be returned with an interest). Intervening The need to focus on quality in order to improve competitive edge, it will be necessary to invest in employee development, particularly via a new training centre with a training coordinator. Initial changes will be to do with breaking down functional barriers by setting up teams. The concept of internal customers and suppliers will be developed, and clear and interrelated targets will be set for all managers in the supply chain. Training will

The World Into Which Christianity Came Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The World Into Which Christianity Came - Essay Example 20, 2007) and about 6 million are considered practicing or doing the mandates of the religion, including attendance to regular mass, doing the sacraments, and participating in missionary works. Although they trace to the same founder, Christians are classified into different congregations each having their own sets of ideals, fundamental beliefs, and practices, which are either solely based on the Scriptures or with tradition. The largest Christian group is the Roman Catholics. Other groups include: The Amish, Baptist churches, Church of England, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Church of Scotland, Eastern Orthodox Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodist Church, Pentecostalism, Catholic Church, Seventh-day Adventists among others that existed throughout the world. The popularity of the Christian movement and its rapid acceptance in the early centuries of its development is a manifestation of the need of the peoples during those times. The society in which this interest group had started must have something that served as a driving force to accept the teachings of Christianity. Understanding the need of these generations would provide a good picture and vivid perceptive why such ideals evolved into a widely received trend and values. The Society Upon Which Christianity Christianity emerged in the 1st century and was congregated by Jews and their non-Jewish converts who accepted the beliefs of Jewish Christians. Initially though, the teachings inherent in the Christian societies are meant for the Jewish people, but the message became universal, which means Jewish and non-Jewish alike benefit from the teachings and are accepted into the society. There were several precursors to the growth and strengthening of the Christian movement. Among which is the growing need for independence of the Jewish people, and the collapse of Judaism in the Roman society. A society of the oppressed Why do we consider the Jews hunger for independent life Basically Christianity traced its roots from Judaism with its founder, Jesus Christ belonging to a sect of the Judaism religion. Before Christianity appeared as a religion, all Jews could either be classified as Pharisees, Sadducees, or Essenes (C. George Boeree's "A Brief History of Judaism"). The entry point of Christianity was based on the conditions of the Jewish people under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Jews, claiming to be God's people had been in bondage for a long time and was very desperate for freedom. About a hundred years before Jesus was born, the Romans granted them control over their kingdom but internal divisions weakened the Jewish kingdom that prompted the Romans to take control over once again in 63 BCE (BBC Team's "History of Judaism"). Oppression were felt by the lowly Jewish not only from the Romans but also from other Jewish who ruled them under Roman controls. The priests or Sadducees were allied to the rulers and lost favor with the people, who turned increasingly to the Pharisees or Scribes, from whose group Rabbis or teachers arose. Jesus was considered one among those messianic teachers who emerged from the oppressed Jewish society. Under the circumstances of the Jewish race, the people

How Do Abiotic Factors Influence the Rate of Photosynthesis?

How Do Abiotic Factors Influence the Rate of Photosynthesis? Table of Contents (Jump to) I. Background Research Design II. Research Question III. Hypothesis IV. Variables V. Apparatus VI. Safety Aspects/Animal Welfare Issues VII. Method Data Collection and Processing Conclusion and Evaluation Evaluation Conclusion Bibliography I. Background Research Photosynthesis is the process in which green plants, algae and cyanobacteria use the energy of sunlight to form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll. Organisms need complex carbon compounds to build the structure of their cells and to process essential and vital procedures. Some organisms are able to form all the carbon compounds they need using only light energy and simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide and water (Alott Mindorff). Photosynthesis can be described by a chemical equation. The overall balanced equation is: Plant cells use carbon dioxide and water for photosynthesis. To finish this process, plants also need light energy captured from the sun, which they gain using a separate process. The usable end product the plant produces through photosynthesis is glucose, which the plant uses as food. The oxygen produced as an outcome of this process is a byproduct and is consequently released back into the environment. Animals and plants both construct fats and proteins from carbohydrates; therefore glucose is an essential energy foundation for all living organisms. The oxygen released as a photosynthetic byproduct provides most of the atmospheric oxygen essential to respiration in plants and animals, and animals in turn produce carbon dioxide vital to plants (Lagassà ©). The rate of photosynthesis in a plant can be determined by three external factors: temperature, light intensity, and available carbon dioxide concentration. In any given situation any one of these may become a limiting factor if they are below the optimal level (Alott and Mindorff). According to the concept of limiting factors, under any combination of light intensity, temperature and carbon dioxide concentration, only one of the factors is essentially limiting the rate of photosynthesis. This is the factor that is farthest from its optimum. As the limiting factor is moved closer to its optimum, while keeping the other factors constant, a point will be reached where this factor is not the one that is furthest from the optimum anymore and another starts acting as the limiting factor. An increase in the carbon dioxide concentration increases the rate at which carbon is incorporated into carbohydrate in the light-independent reaction, and so the rate of photosynthesis generally increases until limited by another factor. Increasing carbon dioxide concentration causes a rapid, significant increase in the rate of photosynthesis, which eventually plateaus when the optimal level is reached. E. canadensis is a submerse macrophyte, an aquatic plant immersed in water. It has bright green, translucent and oblong leaves which are borne in whorls of three round the stem (Rose and Reilly) (see fig. 1). It is easily available in aquarium shops or pet shops that have aquarium sections. Fig. 1: Elodia canadensis (Fischer). Design II. Research Question How do different concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) solution affect the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea canadensis? III. Hypothesis As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases, the rate of photosynthesis will increase until a certain point where it reaches the optimal level and plateaus. IV. Variables Table 1: Dependent Variable Dependent Variable Photosynthesis rate Table 2: Independent Variable Table 3: Controlled Variables V. Apparatus 25 samples of E. canadensis 500 ml of pre prepared dilute sodium carbonate solutions with the following CO2 concentrations: 1% 2.5% 3% 5% 10% 50 test tubes (used as containers to make a respirometer, not for measurements) 25 x 100 ml 25 x 150 ml 5 x 300 ml beaker (used as containers, not for measurements) 30 cm ruler ) Compact fluorescent lamp as light source 100 ml graduated cylinder ( ± 0.5 ml) Stopwatch ( ± 0.01s) Scalpels Thermometer ( ± 0.01C) VI. Safety Aspects/Animal Welfare IssuesScalpels are sharp and should be used with caution. The glassware involved in the experimentation may lead to injuries if used without caution and broken. Use of liquids may also lead to some risks if spilled because the floor may become slippery. The lab did not lead to any animal welfare issues.VII. Method Label the five beakers with the following: 1% CO2 2.5% CO2 3% CO2 5% CO2 10% CO2 Set up the light source. Place the beakers in a spot that is 20 cm away from the light source. Place one E. canadensis sample into a 100 ml test tube and fill the test tube with 100 ml of the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solution. The tube should be filled as full as possible. Carefully invert a larger tube and place it over the smaller tube containing the sample plant and the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solution.   Push the smaller tube all the way into the larger tube using your finger or a pencil and then invert both tubes so that the opening of the larger tube is up. Be sure that the small tube is pushed to the top of the larger tube before inverting it (see fig. 2).   Mark the water level on the test tube with a marker. Place this set up in the beaker which was previously labeled as 1% CO2. As soon as the set up is ready place it under the light source and start the stopwatch. With time, the distance between the water level and the top of the test tube will increase because of photosynthetic activity, which will produce O2 gas. Photosynthetic activity by E. canadensis samples will cause the water to displace and increase the space at the top of the test tube. The volume of fluid displaced will equal the volume of the gas produced. Run the trial for and monitor it for 20 minutes. After every 2 minutes, check the test tube and measure how much of the dilute sodium carbonate solution has displaced with a ruler. Each time after taking measurements, use a marker to mark the new liquid level for the future measurements you will make. Repeat steps 5 to 14 for 4 more times. At the end of this, there should be 5 trials done in total for the 1% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate concentration. Repeat steps 5 to 15 for the remaining 2.5%, 3%, 5% and 10% CO2 dilute sodium carbonate solutions. The process described in the previous steps should give 10 raw data points for each trial with a total of 250 data points. Record this data in a â€Å"Raw Data† table. All the lab work is completed for this experimentation. The lab and the apparatus can be cleaned if necessary.   Data Collection and ProcessingFigure 3: Raw Data for Liquid Displacement over Time in Different CO2 ConcentrationsFigure 4: Processed Data with Means, Standard Deviations and Average RatesFigure 5: Processed Data: Average Photosynthesis Rate in Different CO2 ConcentrationsConclusion and EvaluationEvaluationThe collection of data was an easy process. My results match my predictions. But the uncertainties in the data, which I sh.ould have considered before processing the experiment, are preventing me from making clear and strong statements. One uncertainty preventing me from making clear statements derived from this lab is the fact that I ran the trials for 20 minutes only. It was unfortunately not possible to see any changes in such a short time with low concentrations such as 1% CO2 . If I had run the experiments for longer, I could have seen the photosynthesis rate reaching it’s limit and becoming constant, but because I ran it for a short time, I am not able to understand if , for example 0,3 mm/minutes is the maximum photosynthesis rate the plant Elodea can reach in 10% CO2 concentration. I needed to do it for a longer time to say it has reached a limit or not.Second thing I should have considered is the fact that although they belong to the same species, the plants used in the experiment were still not the same in terms of leaf sizes. If I could use the exact same plant in each tube (take Elodea from one tube and place it in other), results might have changed because plants might be doing photosynthesis at different rates. This is also something I should have searched before starting the experiment, while doing my background research so that I could be sure about it.If I was doing the same experiment again, I would avoid these uncertainties and that would help me make clear statements about my results saying that they match every prediction I made and are strong justifications. Right now, they still match some of my predictions. For example, the photo synthesis rate in 10% CO2 was 0.3 mm/minute while it was 0.2 mm/minute in 5% CO2. This shows that the rate of photosynthesis is greater when higher concentrations of CO2 are present. But like I have stated above, this can be caused by other factors such as the difference in plants or anything I have not considered. Therefore, I should have run more trials.ConclusionMy aim was to see the effects of CO2 concentration on photosynthesis and although I was not able to see them, I was able to make predictions about the effects. I have listed everything that has caused uncertainties in the experiment, and these uncertainties are unfortunately preventing me from making clear statements. If I could do this again, I would avoid all of these uncertainties. The results meet my predictions but one should not say that these results are clear and direct justifications of the background research. Some other factors were involved in the experiment, therefore I would not consider this experiment as s uccessful, and I would do it again.BibliographyAlott, Andrew and David Mindorff. IB Biology Course Book 2014 edition: Oxford IB Diploma Programme. Oxford University Press, 2014.Lagassà ©, Paul, ed. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 6th Edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013.McGinley, Mark. Differences between aquatic and terrestrial environments . 5 February 2009. 1 March 2015 http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151726/>.Rose, Francis and Clare Reilly. The Wild Flower Key: How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland. London: Frederick Warne, 2006.

Summary Of Wuthering Heights By Emily Bronte :: essays research papers

'The herd of possessed swine could have no worse spirits in them then those animals of yours, sir!' (7) How could readers of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights not laugh at this quote? I found the book exciting as well as awful to read. It was so difficult and hard to read, but in the end was worth it. The characters were the ones that made it so enjoyable to read but made it also too complicated. However, all of them were fun to ?get to know?. My favorite is Catherine. She is bratty, spoiled and hopelessly selfish. I love to hate her. Then again, I also have pity on her. The combination of her up bringing, with her personality has caused her to be like this. Take for example the reason she marries Edgar. She says ?And he will be rich and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighborhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband.? (78). It is as if she cannot see anything but what is best for herself. Nelly talks to her, and tries to get her to see her selfishness. Even there my point is proven. Nelly hates Catherine, even though she has the negative feelings toward her mistress, she still can see what Catherine is doing wrong, and instead of letting Catherine go on, she tells her. Catherine is so wrapped up in herself. It is pretty annoying to read about her because she is so conceded. One of the things she says is ?But I begin to fancy you don't like me. How strange! I thought, though everybody hated and desp ised each other, they could not avoid loving me.? (120) I cannot even understand how someone could think that about himself or herself! Catherine is so stuck up! Nelly is a weird character in this book. She seems to be the mother, especially to Catherine. One of the things I like most about her is the fact she is not stupid, she understands people, but does not abuse it. Then again, she is too smart to be a maid. It really seems like she is educated. My favorite quote she says is ?I went about my household duties, convinced that the Grange had but one sensible soul in its walls, and that lodged in my body.? (119) I suppose the reason I think she is so motherly is because she is a lot like my mother, a little cheeky, knows how to control people younger than she is, smart, and can clean well.

Developmental Reading Essay

What makes reading different from the other macro skills of communication? How does it relate to the other skills needed for communication? â€Å"Reading† is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from them. When we read, we use our eyes to receive written symbols (letters, punctuation marks and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that communicate something to us. Reading can be silent (in our head) or aloud (so that other people can hear). Reading is a receptive skill – through it, we receive information. But the complex process of reading also requires the skill of speaking, so that we can pronounce the words that we read. In this sense, reading is also a productive skill in that we are both receiving information and transmitting it (even if only to ourselves). Reading is the third of the four language skills, which are: Listening Speaking Reading Writing In our own language, reading is usually the third language skill that we learn. Do we need to read in order to speak English? The short answer is no. Some native speakers cannot read or write but they speak English fluently. Read more:  How to write a reflective essay. On the other hand, reading is something that you can do on your own and that greatly broadens your vocabulary, thus helping you in speaking (and in listening and writing). Reading is therefore a highly valuable skill and activity, and it is recommended that English learners try to read as much as possible in English. A. The Psychology of Reading The last 20 years have witnessed a revolution in reading research. Cognitive psychologists, using high-speed computers to aid in the collection and analysis of data, have developed tools that have begun to answer questions that were previously thought unanswerable. These tools allow for a â€Å"chronometric,† or moment-to-moment, analysis of the reading process. Foremost among them is the use of the record of eye movements to help reveal the underlying perceptual and cognitive processes of reading. Reading is a highly complex skill that is a prerequisite to success in our society. In a society such as ours, where so much information is communicated in written form, it is important to investigate this essential behaviour. In the past 15 years, a great deal has been learned about the reading process from research by cognitive psychologists. Reading as a complex skill is pretty much taken for granted by those who can do it. While those who can do it fluently take it for granted, its complexity is more apparent to those who are having trouble reading. Reading is sometimes difficult for children to learn and illiterate adults find learning to read agonizingly frustrating. The roots of cognitive psychology, the branch of psychology which examines internal mental processes such as problem solving, memory and language can be traced to the experiment of Wundt’s laboratory in Leipzig in 1879. As a part of the larger field of cognitive science, this branch of psychology is related to other disciplines including neuroscience, philosophy and linguistics. The core focus of cognitive psychology is on how people acquire, process and store information. There are numerous practical applications for cognitive research, such as improving memory, increasing decision-making accuracy and structuring educational curricula to enhance learning. Until the 1950s, behaviourism was the dominant school of thought in psychology. Between 1950 and 1970, the tide began to shift against behavioral psychology to focus on topics such as attention, memory and problem-solving. Often referred to as the cognitive revolution, this period generated considerable research on topics including processing models, cognitive research methods and the first use of the term â€Å"cognitive psychology. † The term â€Å"cognitive psychology† was first used in 1967 by American psychologist Ulric Neisser in his book Cognitive Psychology. According to Neisser, cognition involves â€Å"all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations†¦ Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do; that every psychological phenomenon is a cognitive phenomenon. † Today, we find many psychologists interested in reading. Why has the change taken place? The primary reason appears to have been the failure of behaviourism to account for language processing in many reasonable ways. The promise of behaviourism was always that if psychologists could understand the laws of learning and behaviour is simple tasks, those laws could be generalized to more complex tasks like language processing. Some cognitive psychologists who study the product of reading would also want to argue with the bias towards understanding the process of reading. To their way of thinking, what people remember from what they read maybe more important than how they go about the chore of reading. However, the response to such a point is that understanding the process by which some mental structure is created almost logically entails understanding that structure. In contrast, understanding what gets stored in memory may not reveal much about the processes that created the structure. Thus, understanding what is in memory as a result of reading discourse may not be unique to reading; essentially the same structures may be created when people listen to discourse. It is not saying that understanding the product of reading and how remarkable skill must be understood- quite apart from issues like general comprehension skills and intelligence. B. The Meaning of Developmental Reading C. The Teaching of Reading Traditionally, the purpose of learning to read in a language has been to have access to the literature written in that language. In language instruction, reading materials have traditionally been chosen from literary texts that represent â€Å"higher† forms of culture. This approach assumes that students learn to read a language by studying its vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, not by actually reading it. In this approach, lower level learners read only sentences and paragraphs generated by textbook writers and instructors. The reading of authentic materials is limited to the works of great authors and reserved for upper level students who have developed the language skills needed to read them. The communicative approach to language teaching has given instructors a different understanding of the role of reading in the language classroom and the types of texts that can be used in instruction. When the goal of instruction is communicative competence, everyday materials such as train schedules, newspaper articles, and travel and tourism Web sites become appropriate classroom materials, because reading them is one way communicative competence is developed. Instruction in reading and reading practice thus become essential parts of language teaching at every level. What is reading? Reading about understands written texts. It is a complex activity that involves both perception and thought. Reading consists of two related processes: word recognition and comprehension. Word recognition refers to the process of perceiving how written symbols correspond to one’s spoken language. Comprehension is the process of making sense of words, sentences and connected text. Readers typically make use of background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, experience with text and other strategies to help them understand written text. Much of what we know about reading is based on studies conducted in English and other alphabetic languages. The principles we list in this booklet are derived from them, but most also apply to non-alphabetic languages. They will have to be modified to account for the specific language. Learning to read is an important educational goal. For both children and adults, the ability to read opens up new worlds and opportunities. It enables us to gain new knowledge, enjoy literature, and do everyday things that are part and parcel of modern life, such as, reading the newspapers, job listings, instruction manuals, maps and so on. Most people learn to read in their native language without difficulty. Many, but not all, learn to read as children. Some children and adults need additional help. Yet others learn to read a second, third or additional language, with or without having learned to read in their first language. Reading instruction needs to take into account different types of learners and their needs. Research has shown that there is a great deal of transfer from learning to read in one language to learning to read in a second language. The principles outlined below are based on studies of children and adults, native speakers as well as those learning to read in a second or foreign language. They deal with different aspects of reading that are important in the planning and design of instruction and materials. The practical applications are based on general learning principles, as well as on research. Briefly stated, these learning principles start with the learner in mind. The type of learner will affect the type of methods and materials to be used. The context of learning is also important. For instance, children and adults who are learning to read in a language different from their native language will also need to learn about the culture of the second or foreign language. Because texts are written with a specific audience in mind, cultural knowledge is present in texts and it is assumed that the reader is familiar with such knowledge. Both research and classroom practices support the use of a balanced approach in instruction. Because reading depends on efficient word recognition and comprehension, instruction should develop reading skills and strategies, as well as build on learners’ knowledge through the use of authentic texts. 1. Theories of Reading Just like teaching methodology, reading theories have had their shifts and transitions. Starting from the traditional view which focused on the printed form of a text and moving to the cognitive view that enhanced the role of background knowledge in addition to what appeared on the printed page; they ultimately culminated in the metacognitive view which is now in vogue. It is based on the control and manipulation that a reader can have on the act of comprehending a text. a. The Traditional View According to Dole et al. (1991), in the traditional view of reading, novice readers acquire a set of hierarchically ordered sub-skills that sequentially build toward comprehension ability. Having mastered these skills, readers are viewed as experts who comprehend what they read. †¢ Readers are passive recipients of information in the text. Meaning resides in the text and the reader has to reproduce meaning. †¢ According to Nunan (1991), reading in this view is basically a matter of decoding a series of written symbols into their aural equivalents in the quest for making sense of the text. He referred to this process as the ‘bottom-up’ view of reading. †¢ McCarthy (1999) has called this view ‘outside-in’processing, referring to the idea that meaning exists in the printed page and is interpreted by the reader then taken in. †¢ This model of reading has almost always been underattack as being insufficient and defective for the main reason that it relies on the formal features of the language, mainly words and structure. Although it is possible to accept this rejection for the fact that there is over-reliance on structure in this view, it must be confessed that knowledge of linguistic features is also necessary for comprehension to take place. To counteract over-reliance on form in the traditional view of reading, the cognitive view was introduced. b. The Cognitive View. The ‘top-down’ model is in direct opposition to the ‘bottom-up’ model. According to Nunan (1991) and Dubin and Bycina (1991), the psycholinguistic model of reading and the top-down model are in exact concordance. †¢ Goodman (1967; cited in Paran, 1996) presented reading as a psycholinguistic guessing game, a process in which readers sample the text, make hypotheses, confirm or reject them, make new hypotheses, and so forth. Here, the reader rather than the text is at the heart of the reading process. †¢ The schema theory of reading also fits within the cognitively based view of reading. Rumelhart (1977) has described schemata as â€Å"building blocks of cognition† which are used in the process of interpreting sensory data, in retrieving information from memory, in organising goals and subgoals, in allocating resources, and in guiding the flow of the processing system. †¢ Rumelhart (1977) has also stated that if our schemata are incomplete and do not provide an understanding of the incoming data from the text we will have problems processing and understanding the text. Cognitively based views of reading comprehension emphasize the interactive nature of reading and the constructive nature of comprehension. Dole et al. (1991) have stated that, besides knowledge brought to bear on the reading process, a set of flexible, adaptable strategies are used to make sense of a text and to monitor ongoing understanding. c. The Metacognitive View According to Block (1992), there is now no more debate on â€Å"whether reading is a bottom-up, language-based process or a top-down, knowledge-based process. † It is also no more problematic to accept the influence of background knowledge on both L1 and L2 readers. Research has gone even further to define the control readers execute on their ability to understand a text. This control, Block (1992) has referred to as metacognition. Metacognition involves thinking about what one is doing while reading. Klein et al. (1991) stated that strategic readers attempt the following while reading: Identifying the purpose of the reading before reading Identifying the form or type of the text before reading Thinking about the general character and features of the form or type of the text. For instance, they try to locate a topic sentence and follow supporting details toward a conclusion Projecting the author’s purpose for writing the text (while reading it), Choosing, scanning, or reading in detail Making continuous predictions about what will occur next, based on information obtained earlier, prior knowledge, and conclusions obtained within the previous stages. Moreover, they attempt to form a summary of what was read. Carrying out the previous steps requires the reader to be able to classify sequence, establish whole-part relationships, compare and contrast, determine cause-effect, summarise, hypothesise and predict, infer, and conclude. Tips and Guidelines for implementing a theory of reading which will help to develop the learner’s abilities Text characteristics. Pre-reading tips During-reading tips After-reading tips These tips can be viewed in three consecutive stages: before reading, during reading, and after reading. For instance, before starting to read a text it is natural to think of the purpose of reading the text. As an example of the during-reading techniques, re-reading for better comprehension can be mentioned. And filling out forms and charts can be referred to as an after-reading activity. These tasks and ideas can be used to enhance reading comprehension. Text characteristics. Good readers expect to understand what they are reading. Therefore, texts should contain words and grammatical structures familiar to the learners (Van Duzer, 1999). In texts where vocabulary is not familiar, teachers can introduce key vocabulary in pre-reading activities that focus on language awareness, such as finding synonyms, antonyms, derivatives, or associated words (Hood et al. , 1996; cited in Van Duzer, 1999). The topics of texts chosen should be in accordance with the age range, interests, sex, and background culture of the students for whom they are intended. Pre-reading activities that introduce the text should encourage learners to use their background knowledge (Eskey, 1997; cited in Van Duzer, 1999). Class members can brainstorm ideas about the meaning of a title or an illustration and discuss what they know. Pre-reading tips Before the actual act of reading a text begins, some points should be regarded in order to make the process of reading more comprehensible. It is necessary to provide the necessary background information to the reader to facilitate comprehension. In addition, as stated by Lebauer (1998), pre-reading activities can lighten students’ cognitive burden while reading because prior discussions will have been incorporated. Teacher-directed pre-reading (Estes, 1999) Some key vocabulary and ideas in the text are explained. In this approach the teacher directly explains the information the students will need, including key concepts, important vocabulary, and appropriate conceptual framework. Interactive approach (Estes, 1999). In this method, the teacher leads a discussion in which he/she draws out the information students already have and interjects additional information deemed necessary to an understanding of the text to be read. Moreover, the teacher can make explicit links between prior knowledge and important information in the text. Purpose of reading It is also necessary for students to become aware of the purpose and goal for reading a certain piece of written material. At the beginning stages this can be done by the teacher, but as the reader becomes more mature this purpose, i. e.awareness-raising strategy, can be left to the readers. For instance, the students may be guided to ask themselves, â€Å"Why am I reading this text? What do I want to know or do after reading? † One of the most obvious, but unnoticed, points related to reading purpose is the consideration of the different types of reading skills. Skimming: Reading rapidly for the main points Scanning: Reading rapidly to find a specific piece of information Extensive reading: Reading a longer text, often for pleasure with emphasis on overall meaning Intensive reading: Reading a short text for detailed information. The most frequently encountered reason as to why the four skills are all subsumed into one – intensive reading – is that students studying a foreign language feel the urge to look up every word they don’t understand and to pinpoint on every structural point they see unfamiliar. To make students aware of the different types of reading, ask them about the types of reading they do in their first language. The type of text – The reader must become familiar with the fact that texts may take on different forms and hold certain pieces of information in different places. Thus, it is necessary to understand the layout of the material being read in order to focus more deeply on the parts that are more densely compacted with information. Even paying attention to the year of publication of a text, if applicable, may aid the reader in presuppositions about the text as can glancing at the name of the author. Steinhofer (1996) stated that the tips mentioned in pre-reading will not take a very long time to carry out. The purpose is to overcome the common urge to start reading a text closely right away from the beginning. During-reading tips What follows are tips that encourage active reading. They consist of summarizing, reacting, questioning, arguing, evaluating, and placing a text within one’s own experience. These processes may be the most complex to develop in a classroom setting, the reason being that in English reading classes most attention is often paid to dictionaries, the text, and the teacher. Interrupting this routine and encouraging students to dialogue with what they are reading without coming between them and the text presents a challenge to the EFL teacher. Duke and Pearson (2001) have stated that good readers are active readers. According to Ur (1996), Vaezi (2001), and Fitzgerald (1995), they use the following strategies. Making predictions: The readers should be taught to be on the watch to predict what is going to happen next in the text to be able to integrate and combine what has come with what is to come. Making selections: Readers who are more proficient read selectively, continually making decisions about their reading. Integrating prior knowledge: The schemata that have been activated in the pre-reading section should be called upon to facilitate comprehension. Skipping insignificant parts: A good reader will concentrate on significant pieces of information while skipping insignificant pieces. Re-reading: Readers should be encouraged to become sensitive to the effect of reading on their comprehension. Making use of context or guessing: Readers should not be encouraged to define and understand every single unknown word in a text. Instead they should learn to make use of context to guess the meaning of unknown words. Breaking words into their component parts: To keep the process of comprehension ongoing, efficient readers break words into their affixes or bases. These parts can help readers guess the meaning of a word. Reading in chunks: To ensure reading speed, readers should get used to reading groups of words together. This act will also enhance comprehension by focusing on groups of meaning-conveying symbols simultaneously. Pausing: Good readers will pause at certain places while reading a text to absorb and internalize the material being read and sort out information. Paraphrasing: While reading texts it may be necessary to paraphrase and interpret texts subvocally in order to verify what was comprehended. Monitoring: Good readers monitor their understanding to evaluate whether the text, or the reading of it, is meeting their goals. After-reading tips It is necessary to state that post-reading activities almost always depend on the purpose of reading and the type of information extracted from the text. Barnett (1988) has stated that post-reading exercises first check students’ comprehension and then lead students to a deeper analysis of the text. In the real world the purpose of reading is not to memorize an author’s point of view or to summarize text content, but rather to see into another mind, or to mesh new information into what one already knows. Group discussion will help students focus on information they did not comprehend, or did comprehend correctly. Accordingly, attention will be focused on processes that lead to comprehension or miscomprehension. Generally speaking, post-reading can take the form of various activities as presented below: Discussing the text: Written/Oral Summarizing: Written/Oral Making questions: Written/Oral. Answering questions: Written/Oral Filling in forms and charts Writing reading logs Completing a text Listening to or reading other related materials Role-playing 2. The Reading Purpose Reading is an activity with a purpose. A person may read in order to gain information or verify existing knowledge, or in order to critique a writer’s ideas or writing style. A person may also read for enjoyment, or to enhance knowledge of the language being read. The purpose(s) for reading guide the reader’s selection of texts. The purpose for reading also determines the appropriate approach to reading comprehension. A person who needs to know whether she can afford to eat at a particular restaurant needs to comprehend the pricing information provided on the menu, but does not need to recognize the name of every appetizer listed. A person reading poetry for enjoyment needs to recognize the words the poet uses and the ways they are put together, but does not need to identify main idea and supporting details. However, a person using a scientific article to support an opinion needs to know the vocabulary that is used, understand the facts and cause-effect sequences that are presented, and recognize ideas that are presented as hypotheses and givens. Reading research shows that good readers Read extensively Integrate information in the text with existing knowledge Have a flexible reading style, depending on what they are reading Are motivated Rely on different skills interacting: perceptual processing, phonemic processing, recall Read for a purpose; reading serves a function Reading as a Process Reading is an interactive process that goes on between the reader and the text, resulting in comprehension. The text presents letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs that encode meaning. The reader uses knowledge, skills, and strategies to determine what that meaning is. Reader knowledge, skills, and strategies include Linguistic competence: the ability to recognize the elements of the writing system; knowledge of vocabulary; knowledge of how words are structured into sentences Discourse competence: knowledge of discourse markers and how they connect parts of the text to one another Sociolinguistic competence: knowledge about different types of texts and their usual structure and content Strategic competence: the ability to use top-down strategies, as well as knowledge of the language (a bottom-up strategy). The purpose(s) for reading and the type of text determine the specific knowledge, skills, and strategies that readers need to apply to achieve comprehension. Reading comprehension is thus much more than decoding. Reading comprehension results when the reader knows which skills and strategies are appropriate for the type of text, and understands how to apply them to accomplish the reading purpose. Developmentally Appropriate Materials for Preschool and Kindergarten Children (Ages 3-6). Materials for preschoolers and kindergarteners should support their developing social skills and interest in adult roles, growing imaginations, increasing motor skills, and rapidly expanding vocabularies. Refer to the table below for examples of developmentally appropriate materials for preschool and kindergarten children. Type of Material Appropriate Materials Examples Skill/concept Books/records Picture books, simple and repetitive stories and rhymes, animal stories, pop-up books, simple information books, wide variety of musical recordings. Games Socially interactive games with adults, such as What If; matching and lotto games based on colors and pictures, such as picture bingo or dominoes; games of chance with a few pieces that require no reading, such as Chutes and Ladders; flannel board with pictures, letters, and storybook characters Gross motor Active play Push and pull toys; ride-on toys; balls of all kinds; indoor slide and climber; rocking boat Outdoor Climbers, rope ladders, balls of all sizes; old tires, sand and water materials Manipulative Fine motor. Dressing frames; toys to put together and take apart; cookie cutters, stamp and printing materials, finger paint, modeling dough, small objects to sort and classify; bead stringing with long, thin string; pegs and small pegs; colored cubes, table blocks, magnetic board/letters/numbers and shapes; perception boards and mosaics Puzzles and form boards Fit-in or framed puzzles (for 3-year-olds: from 4-20 pieces, for 4-year-olds: from 15-30 pieces, for 5-year-olds: from 15-50 pieces); large, simple jigsaws; number/letter/clock puzzles Investigative. Toys, globe flashlight, magnets, lock boxes, weather forecasting equipment, scales, balances, stethoscopes Construction Building sets Small and large unit blocks; large hollow blocks; from age 4, interlocking plastic blocks with pieces of all sizes Carpentry Workbench, hammer, preschool nails, saw, sandpaper, pounding benches, safety goggles Self-expressive Dolls and soft toys Realistic dolls and accessories; play settings and play people (e. g. , farm, hospital) Dramatic play Dress-up clothes, realistic tools, toy camera, telephone, household furniture. Sensory Tactile boxes; auditory and musical materials such as smelling and sound boxes; cooking experiences Art/music All rhythm instruments, music boxes; large crayons, paint, paste, glue, chalkboard and chalk, sewing kits, collage materials, markers, modeling dough, blunt scissors Natural and everyday Sand and water Sandbox tools, bubbles, water toys Old clocks, radios, cameras, telephones; telephone books; mirrors; doctor kits; typewriter; magazines; fabric scraps; computer; cash register and receipts; measuring cups and muffin tins 3. Basic Reading Skills  a. Skimming – is used to quickly gather the most important information, or ‘gist’. Run your eyes over the text, noting important information. Use skimming to quickly get up to speed on a current business situation. It’s not essential to understand each word when skimming. Examples of Skimming: The Newspaper (quickly to get the general news of the day) Magazines (quickly to discover which articles you would like to read in more detail) Business and Travel Brochures (quickly to get informed) b. Scanning- is used to find a particular piece of information. Run your eyes over the text looking for the specific piece of information you need. Use scanning on schedules, meeting plans, etc. in order to find the specific details you require. If you see words or phrases that you don’t understand, don’t worry when scanning. Examples of Scanning The â€Å"What’s on TV† section of your newspaper. A train / airplane schedule A conference guide c. Extensive reading- is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and includes reading longer texts for pleasure, as well as business books. Use extensive reading skills to improve your general knowledge of business procedures. Do not worry if you understand each word. Examples of Extensive Reading The latest marketing strategy book A novel you read before going to bed Magazine articles that interest you d. Intensive reading – is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It includes very close accurate reading for detail. Use intensive reading skills to grasp the details of a specific situation. In this case, it is important that you understand each word, number or fact. Examples of Intensive Reading A bookkeeping report An insurance claim A contract Essential Components of Reading Reading is an astoundingly complex cognitive process. While we often think of reading as one singular act, our brains are actually engaging in a number of tasks simultaneously each time we sit down with a book. There are five aspects to the process of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency. These five aspects work together to create the reading experience. As children learn to read they must develop skills in all five of these areas in order to become successful readers. 1. Phonics Phonics is the connection between sounds and letter symbols. It is also the combination of these sound-symbol connections to create words. Without phonics, words are simply a bunch of squiggles and lines on a page. If you think about it, letters are arbitrary. There is nothing innately bed-like about the written word â€Å"bed†. It is simply the collection of letters and corresponding sounds that we agree constitute the word â€Å"bed†. Learning to make that connection between the individual sounds that each letter represents and then putting those together is essential to understanding what that funny squiggle means. There are a number of ways that phonics can be taught because there is a variety of ways to apply this aspect when reading. Each approach allows the reader to use phonics to read and learn new words in a different way. Synthetic phonics builds words from the ground up. In this approach readers are taught to first connect letters to their corresponding phonemes (sound units) and then to blend those together to create a word. Analytic phonics, on the other hand, approaches words from the top down. A word is identified as a whole unit and then its letter-sound connections are parsed out. Analogy phonics uses familiar parts of words to discover new words. Finally, phonics through spelling focuses on connecting sounds with letters in writing. All of these approaches can be taught and used independently or in combination to help young readers learn to identify new words. 2. Phonemic Awareness Phonemic awareness is closely related to phonics because both involve the connection between sounds and words.

Dollars versus the euro will dollar be the dominant currency in ten years time essay

Dollars versus the euro will dollar be the dominant currency in ten years time essay Dollars versus the euro: will dollar be the dominant currency in ten years time? essay Dollars versus the euro: will dollar be the dominant currency in ten years time? essayThere are several advantages of the U.S. having its own currency as compared to the European countries using the Euro: a) the American economy can better respond to crisis situations and financial shocks because the country has a unified monetary policy, unlike the Eurozone; b) there is a greater flexibility of workforce, investments and greater cultural commonality between the states compared to the European countries; c) the instruments of monetary and fiscal policy in the United States are used quicker and in a more efficient way than the assistance provided by the Eurozone to failing economies, and d) the United States is more financially, politically and economically integral than the Eurozone.Given the current strength of the U.S. dollar, the U.S. government is likely to continue lending large amounts of money at low interest rates for at least a year; after that time, interest rates will grad ually increase and the volumes of borrowing will start declining. The current position of the Fed to keep the interest rates low allows to expect at least 6 months of active borrowing. However, the notable improvement of economic growth expected in 2015 and soaring budget deficits in the United States urge the Fed to start increasing interest rates eventually (Wiseman Crutsinger, 2014), so it is likely that in 2016 interest rates will slowly go up.Current dominant position of the dollar at the international market compared to the euros position is conditioned by several factors. First of all, the currency is one of the instruments of monetary policy, which, along with fiscal policy, is used for responding to business cycle changes in Keynesian model (Jaffe, 2011). The United States currently uses expansionary monetary policy in order to stimulate the economy, to attract investors and to encourage spending (Jaffe, 2011). At the same time, the Eurozone is not so consolidated in fisca l sense as the United States (Groux, Rady Maniam, 2011). While all countries in the Eurozone have the same currency, their monetary and fiscal policies are different, and the framework for making monetary decisions is still emerging in the Eurozone (Rose Dickens, 2012). Therefore, while the United States can quickly respond to crises using a sound combination of monetary and fiscal measures, the ability of European countries to use monetary measures is limited since they cannot control the currency as the United States does (Rose Dickens, 2012).Secondly, the leading position of the dollar in the role of the worlds currency is explained by greater attractiveness and openness of the U.S. economy compared to the Eurozone. The GDP of the United States grows significantly faster than GDP of the Eurozone 3.9% and 0.2% of GDP growth accordingly in the first quarter of 2014 (Trading Economics, 2014). The economy of the United States is decently recovering from the consequences of the 20 08 financial crisis, while the recovery in the Eurozone is quite slow. These processes are explained by notable economic, political and financial diversity witnessed in the Eurozone. Different countries have varying economic priorities, different (and often conflicting) political interests, diverse approaches to governmental regulation of the economy.Furthermore, economic health of the Eurozone members is also quite varied; for example, the economies of Germany, France and Finland demonstrate strength for a long-term period, while the economies of Greece, Portugal, Slovenia are weak and require additional support (Groux, Rady Maniam, 2011). Contrastingly, the United States is more unified, both in terms of political regulation and in terms of financial soundness. American states share a common culture, common economic system, similar monetary and fiscal measures, and there are no such gaps between the financial viability of the U.S. states as there are between the countries of the Eurozone.Thirdly, the research of Groux, Rady and Maniam (2011) shows that dollar as currency is advantageous because of high workforce mobility and reduced possibility of asymmetric financial shocks in the United States. For example, if some events damage the financial viability of one state, the workforce from this state will move to financially stronger states and the balance of labor supply and demand will be preserved. Furthermore, the interests of Eurozone countries are different and in case of an asymmetric shock the government of the affected country will likely act to support own country instead of benefiting the Eurozone as a whole. In the United States, such situation would be resolved at the federal level to achieve optimal outcomes for the whole country (Groux, Rady Maniam, 2011).Finally, the mechanisms of addressing financial shocks and crises in the United States are more efficient and more balanced compared to the Eurozone frameworks. The decisions related to provid ing financial assistance or easing monetary policy are done at the ECB level and require a lot of time and effort for implementation. These procedures in the United States are easier because of low political and economic dispersion in the country. For example, there are federal programs of unemployment assistance, Medicaid and assistance to local businesses in difficult economic situations (Rose Dickens, 2012). In the Eurozone, the countries can also receive external assistance but the major load is on the internal budgets. In addition, economic issues and incorrect policies in the neighboring countries might aggravate economic shocks and slow down the rate of financial recovery (Rose Dickens, 2012).Regarding the interest rates, the tendencies indicate that the Fed will eventually start increasing interest rates, but currently it is reluctant to do that quickly. On one hand, the economy of the United States is experiencing debt drain due to increased borrowing and spending (Jaffe, 2011). The reliance on expansionary policy was reasonable as it allowed the United States to stimulate the processes of economic recovery and financial revival; at the same time, long-term interest rates in the country are kept at the record low level of 0.25% for 6 years already, and it is essential to raise interest rates in the future in order to avoid debt drain and to reduce budget deficits (Jaffe, 2011). This increase of interest rates is also important since the rates currently are at the record low level and if there emerges a need to use monetary easing, this instrument   be used for reviving the economy during recession and/or shocks. Therefore, when the economic growth becomes stronger, it would be necessary to increase interest rates.The Fed’s decision in September 2014 was to keep interest rates at the low level for some more time; however, the Fed also announced a $10 billion cut of mortgage and Treasury bond purchases, anticipating that the economy will grow stronger in 2015 (Wiseman Crutsinger, 2014). Such signals as the highest rate of job openings in the United States, anticipated GDP growth of 3.3% in 2015 (Wiseman Crutsinger, 2014), strong dollar and leading position of the United States in the international market indicate that the Fed might start the policy of increasing interest rates and cutting spending in the near future (1-2 years).Furthermore, the Fed announced that its short-term borrowing rate will increase to 1.38% in 2015 from 1.13% in 2014 (Wiseman Crutsinger, 2014). Hence, it is reasonable to assume that current borrowing rates will remain low for 6 months-1 year, and after that time the Fed will gradually reduce spending and raise interest rates to address the issue of potential debt drain and to decrease budget deficit in the United States.

Comparative description and detailed critical evaluation of three linked sessions The WritePass Journal

Comparative description and detailed critical evaluation of three linked sessions Introduction Comparative description and detailed critical evaluation of three linked sessions . I undertook extensive preparation for these three linked lessons in order to update my subject knowledge for GCSE catering. First, I have also attended Food Safety and Fire Safety courses in order to deepen my knowledge of the topic. Second, I have familiarised myself with the Catering exam board’s (WJEC) specification and made sure that my lessons were planned in accordance with JEC format. Also online resources from classroom management specialist, Sue Cowley gave me additional ideas on how to prepare my lessons. Furthermore, I researched the roles of food safety professionals such as Environmental Health Officers, Public Health Scientists and Pest Control Officers, and sourced case study exercises and activities from regulators of these professions. I have also observed two colleagues with different teaching styles. I decided to follow one of my colleagues who engaged his learners by demonstrating practical skills, as such style seemed to be more appealing to learners. Fina lly, I have gather a list of my students and learn their names before the lessons started in order to avoid any indications of gender discrimination. Evaluation of Lessons Lesson One The first lesson was based in a food technology room and consisted of an introduction to food safety and hygiene. The students seemed to be disappointed by the theoretical character of this lesson. Not only did I assure them that first lesson will be followed by practical work in a lab for next two weeks but I also I also explained to them that this topic would represent 40% of the final mark in the coming exam, as it is crucial to students’ motivation and self-esteem to involve them in their assessment process (Assessment Reform Group 2002). The aim of this introductory lesson was to check the level of student’s knowledge of the topic, in particular on three major food poisoning bacteria (e-coli, salmonella and campylobacter). I tried to incorporate the interactive learning components by asking them question and engaging in a discussion on the topic and by using a crossword at the end of the class. Generally the lesson can be regarded as a success. While the large proportion of the session was heavily teacher led I have tried to change my voice when talking about a new idea or emphasizing important issues. I also gave the learners 3 minute breaks when I saw that they were getting bored or unfocused. I think that these two methods helped me to maintain the full attention of the class. The discussion was also a good idea as the students participated actively and were willing to ask questions. I think that the awareness of the crossword at the end of the class helped them to remain focused. Perhaps the only weakness of this lesson was ‘spoon feeding’ the missing information which I decided to apply, as the students had problems with identifying the symptoms of each type of bacteria or what type of food they could be found on. This was necessary so that the students would be well prepared for the practical session the following week. However, if I had anticipated this difficulty I would have planned a different way of delivering the information because while ‘spoon feeding’ is a quick and direct way of transferring information, it discourages inventiveness, creativity, and independent thinking (Claxton 2002). Lesson Two The second lesson was held in the science lab and was observed by my PGCE Tutor. I went to considerable lengths when planning this session and provided resources such as PowerPoint and swabbing equipment because I wanted to concentrate on helping students to become creative and independent learners. The swabbing activity was designed not only to increase students’ knowledge about bacteria, but also to involve a ‘real life’ activity, helping them to connect their learning goals to potential careers. The accompanying lesson plan sets out four clear and measurable objectives. The opening activity was called â€Å"Name the Bacteria†, and was designed to recap on the learning from the previous lesson. The activity had mixed results. While students got actively involved, they were raising their voices as everybody tried to give a correct answer. I also had to raise my voice to be heard over students’ talking and intervened frequently in their activities. Hence, this exercise became chaotic and I had to stop it in order to make sure that the lesson’s objectives were met. This exercise helped me to understand that I shall clearly explain to the students the rules of such activities in the first place in order to avoid chaos. More successful was the mini-plenary I incorporated at the end of the activity to assess progression. This activity not only allowed me to measure whether learning objectives had been met, it also rounded off the class and made sure that all the students were engaged with the topic and understood the purpose of the class. At the end of the class I have asked students for feedback. Mostly they agreed that they were not happy with my sudden decision of stopping the first activity. They also thought that I did not speak loud enough during the first activity and then unexpectedly raised my voice to stop the exercise. This feedback helped me to realise that I have failed to control student’s behaviour because of the inadequate level of my voice. I was unable to manage the class during the exercise and I decided on sudden intervention, regarded as a negative step by my students. Lesson Three Responding to feedback from lesson two, I was keen to ensure that in my next lesson I acted as a facilitator. This would allow me to more clearly evaluate the degree to which my learners are meeting the set objectives. The lesson took the form of analysing the swabs taken in lesson two, which had been incubated over the intervening week. This lesson seemed to be highly effective. I limited my verbalising and the students worked individually on their worksheets. I was able to quantify the progression of the students. I only raised my voice insignificantly when I felt that the students started to diffuse and talk. This time I was able to control the class and to avoid unnecessary chaos. At the end of the lesson the students were given a quiz that allowed peer assessment. This is another method of involving learners in their own assessment, which is so important for motivation (Assessment Reform Group 2002). Conclusion I found that teaching these lessons outside my comfort zone taught me a lot about my own areas for development and also enabled me to put educational theory into practice. For example, it enabled me to understand Black and Wiliam’s (1998) theory about the importance of assessment being used to enhance teaching and raise standards. At first I was failed to have a full control over the class and the loud intervention seemed to be the best method of having back class’ attention. Over the course of the lessons I have learnt that I am able to control the class by using a correct level of the voice. Incorporating these lessons about volume level and assessment (both mini-plenaries and student feedback) into my ILP should ensure that I continue to improve in these areas. I have also learnt that the students prefer practical classes rather than teacher’s lecture. I have a habit of too have controlling lessons. However, I have learnt that even teacher-led lesson might attract student’s attention by engaging them in discussion or organizing activities that check gained information at the end of the class. Word Count: 1,500 References LeFever, M. (1996). Creative Teaching Methods. Colorado Spring: Cook Ministry Resource. Westwood, P. (2008). What teachers need to know about teaching methods? Melbourne: ACER. Danielson, Ch. (2009). Teaching Methods. New York: Merrill/Pearson. Capel, S. (2005). Learning to teach in the secondary school. A companion to school experience. Oxford: Tylor Francis. Ram, S. (2003). Modern Teaching Methods. Maharashrta: Sarups Sons. Clark, R. and Starr, I. (1996). Secondary and Middle School Teaching Methods. New York: Merrill. Assessment Reform Group, (2002) Ten Principles: Research-based principles to guide classroom practice [online] Available from: Assessment Reform Group aaia.org.uk/content/uploads/2010/06/Assessment-for-Learning-10-principles.pdf (Accessed 28/05/2012). Richardson, H. (2010). â€Å"Why are pupils taking GCSEs early?†Ã‚   [online] Available from: BBC News bbc.co.uk/news/education-11071156 (Accessed 28/05/2012). Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment [online] Available from: Assessment Reform Group http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/assessment/files/2009/02/blackbox_article.pdf (Accessed 28/05/2012). Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1999) Assessment for learning: Beyond the black box. [online] Available from: Assessment Reform Group http://assessmentreformgroup.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/beyond_blackbox.pdf   (Accessed 28/05/2012). Claxton, G. (2002). Building Learning Power. Bristol: TLO Limited. DATA, (2011). Chilled Food Industry takes to the Classroom to Inspire Future Food Technologists [online] Available from: data.org.uk/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=1182:chilled-food-industry-takes-to-the-classroom-to-inspire-future-food-technologistscatid=3:dat-association-newsItemid=384   (Accessed 28/05/2012).