Teaching the Lnguage Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Teaching the Lnguage Skills - Essay Example It is a believed by many parents that inborn intelligence will control how well their kids learn to read no matter what type of instruction is given, however, the evidence suggests otherwise. It has been proved that, in general, IQ has very little bearing on early reading ability. Only recently, the researchers have found that children who have difficulty learning to read usually have acceptable level of IQs (Rayner et al. 2002). It is a fact that teaching children to read well in their early age obviously helps to develop a priceless lifetime habit; thus, it is not surprising that educators have placed enormous emphasis on finding the best way to teach these skills (Rayner et al. 2002). At one time, a great deal of debate in educational circles centred on whether whole-word or phonics instruction was the most effective way of teaching reading skills. But over the past decade or so, arguments have revolved around the relative merits of phonics and whole-word's successor, whole-language. The concept of whole-language approach has been adopted by many teachers because of its intuitive appeal. As making reading fun ensures to keep children motivated, and learning to read depends more on what the student does than on what the teacher does (Rayner et al. 2002). But the prospect of keeping kids interested would not have been enough by itself to convince teachers to use the whole-language method. What really made it a success was an educational philosophy that empowered teachers to compose their own curricula and encouraged them to treat children as active participants, an enticing combination that was promoted with flair by some educator celebrities. The presumed benefits of whole-language instruction and the stark contrast to the perceived dullness of phonics led to its growing acceptance across America during the 1990s (Rayner et al. 2002). It has been clearly demonstrated that understanding how letters relate to the component sounds of words is critically important in reading. The research on the topic shows that there is no doubt about it: teaching that makes the rules of phonics clear will ultimately be more successful than teaching that does not. Admittedly, some children can infer these principles on their own, but most need explicit instruction in phonics, or their reading skills will suffer. This conclusion rests, in part, on knowledge of how experienced readers make sense of words on a page an understanding that psychologists have developed over many decades. One of the first researchers to investigate the nature of reading was James M. Cattell, an American psychologist of the Victorian era (Rayner et al. 2002). To test whether proficient readers were taking in words letter by letter or all at once, he performed a pioneering experiment, exposing subjects very briefly to whole words or to individual letters and a sking them what they saw. He found that they were better able to report words than letters. Thus, it seemed apparent to him that people do not

Estimating the Ebola Epidemic by Kai Kupferschmidt Case Study - 81

Estimating the Ebola Epidemic by Kai Kupferschmidt - Case Study Example Because of this, society should be open to multiple points of view and cultures, that is, have the characteristics of pluralism and multiculturalism.   Medicine has no boundaries, but people build them and then break them every day. The Ebola disease is a very acute problem of the last half of a year. Scientists and doctors create computer models to predict the countries which may next fall the victims to Ebola. Its rapid spread is a result of: â€Å"the modelers are hampered by the paucity of data on the current outbreak and lack of knowledge about how Ebola spreads." (Kupferschmidt 2014). But it is not only the problem of scientists but only of the governments.   So here we can say that the theory of a flexible political system and pluralism within the country, brought to life, could have been much more useful than creating models. If all the countries were able to cooperate in spite of the political/cultural and other disagreements the vaccine could have been found many years ago. The World’s Contest between the countries slows down their ability to cooperate. And one thing more, Popper was also a proponent of critical rationalism, the main ideas of which are based on the fact that: â€Å"the knowledge must be as objective as possible and doesn't depend on the judgment of individuals or groups† (Popper 1966) So, we can make an inference that if the modern scientists were more critical when studying some problems they may get better results. In the case of Ebola disease, here we can say that critical and much broader view on this case could help.   So, in conclusion, I would like to point out, that the problem of Ebola disease may be eliminated much earlier if the humanity would have accepted the point of view of K. Popper; medicine could develop quicker and better; the countries interrelations on the field of science would be better.

What an education means to me Essay Example for Free

What an education means to me Essay â€Å"Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance† says Will Durant (1885-1981) Education liberated me from ignorance and placed me in a high pedestal to wine and dines with the intellectuals and not mere men. Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been, without being educated. Like they say education is expensive, then why don’t you try ignorance? A life without education is a passive one. In everything I believe â€Å"basics are the mother of all knowledge† hence, societal development is highly dependent on the literacy level of its citizen. Education to me can either be an informal education or formal education. Informal education is a type of education which is outside the school premises while those of formal are within the school settings. Informal education given to me by my parents helped me a lot and equipped me with basic skills in human relationship and communication skills on which I was able to build upon. This gave me a starter dose. As a child, the elementary school introduces me to the basic skills, information and attitude necessary to thrive in my society. I was also introduce to the principles of reading, writing and spelling and even to some basic arithmetic. I was also introduced to some forms of fine arts, elementary science and some forms of handicraft. Education taught me the creative use of my mind and how to make it work for me in all aspect of my life. It gave me the capacity and ability to evaluate information and to predict future outcomes. I can also effectively recognize and evaluate different points of view even when arguing with my colleagues or friend and not creating a kind of enmity. Education also trained me to seek out alternative solutions and evaluate them when there is need for such, this I called problem solving skills. Education gave me a better understanding of my culture and environment and also helped me to learn history of my country, and an insight into that of others. With all the knowledge and wisdom from such learning I was able to integrate that with some aspect of my life. Acquisition of information about the past and present: including traditional disciplines such as literature, history, science, mathematics was as a result of education and this influence the development of every community. Without education knowledge and history can not be passed from one generation to the other. Education also influences my religion and this has guided my beliefs and actions. The influence of education on self esteem can not be underestimated. Taking my life as a case study, I used to be someone with a low self esteem until I got to realize what self esteem is all about and its effect my actions, life in totality. The sense of well-being, i. e. my mental and physical health has greatly improved. I’m now able to acquire some values and attitude that is highly essential in the competitive and dynamic worlds of ours. The role of education in personal values is very important, because this gave me an opportunity of self-realization and self reflection which is germane to the awareness of my innate abilities and goals. Educations taught me â€Å"morals† which simply means acting in a right manner and knowing how to deal with people. Knowledge of moral practices and ethical standards acceptable by society and culture can only be achieved via education. Everything my religion taught me about morals was as a result of my ability to read, think and takes actions, which are all by-products of education. It’s often said that where there’s no law there’s no sin, hence people can only behave well when they are taught the benefits of acting right towards their fellow citizen. This simply gives capacity and ability to be a good citizen. Education is a prerequisite for an intellectual pursuit. From mine point of view is education simply makes people respect you and recognize you and your achievements. I believe there can be a professor without education and there can’t be a civilized society without education. Culture which is a way of life can only be acquired through education and exposure to the arts. Formation of healthy social and or formal relationships among and between students, teacher, others are some of the importance of education to my life. Culture is also maintain and kept from one age to the other as a result of education. My utmost view of education is that I will be able to earn a living, make the right choice, strengthening my character, becomes strong, develop my body soul and spirit and live a fulfill life. With my career I will be of use to my immediate environment. Above all education makes a better leader. I will conclude this piece by quoting the words of B. F skinner and Jack Stack which says â€Å"Education is what survives when what has been learnt has been forgotten†. – B. F. Skinner â€Å"When you appeal to the highest level of thinking, you get the highest level of performance†. -Jack Spack Reference Teachers mind resource. (2008). The meaning of education. Teacher’s mind resource. Retrieved July 9, 2008. From www. teachersmind . com

Leadership Styles and Theories for Business Management

Leadership Styles and Theories for Business Management According to Kotter, management and leadership are two distinctive leadership is about focusing on producing change by developing a vision for the future along with strategies for bringing about the changes needed to achieve that vision, using motivation to energize people, not by pushing them in right direction as control mechanisms do, but by satisfying basic human needs for achievement, scene of belonging, recognition, self-esteem, a feeling of control over ones life and the ability to live up to ones ideals. 1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims and objective of this assignment to recognize different types of leadership styles. And how do business use these if different levels of the management to grow, succeed and finally to achieve businesss strategic goals and objectives. TASK 1 EVALUATE A RANGE OF LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND MODELS THAT REFLECT CURRENT THINKING. 2 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP Assumptions People will follow a person who inspires them. A person with vision and passion can achieve great things. The way to get things done is by injecting enthusiasm and energy. Style Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. Developing the vision Transformational Leadership starts with the development of a vision, a view of the future that will excite and convert potential followers. This vision may be developed by the leader, by the senior team or may emerge from a broad series of discussions. The important factor is the leader buys into it, hook, line and sinker. Selling the vision. 4 Idea of transforming leadership was more interesting in that in his concept both followers and leaders are changed, and also the change is expressed as being for the better in moral way. Followers are changed into leaders, and leaders become moral agents in enabling others to grow as persons. Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper Row PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP Assumptions Involvement in decision-making improves the understanding of the issues involved by those who must carry out the decisions. People are more committed to actions where they have involved in the relevant decision-making. People are less competitive and more collaborative when they are working on joint goals. When people make decisions together, the social commitment to one another is greater and thus increases their commitment to the decision. Several people deciding together make better decisions than one person alone. Style A Participative Leader, rather than taking autocratic decisions, seeks to involve other people in the process, possibly including subordinates, peers, superiors and other stakeholders. Often, however, as it is within the managers whim to give or deny control to his or her subordinates, most participative activity is within the immediate team. The question of how much influence others are given thus may vary on the managers preferences and beliefs, and a whole spectrum of participation is possible Discussion Participative Leadership can be a sham when managers ask for opinions and then ignore them. This is likely to lead to distrust and feelings of disloyalty. Democratic Leadership Known as participative style, leader who enables and encourages staffs to participate in decision making. Also keeps staffs informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and responsibilities. By doing so, leader produce high quality and quantity work for a long period. Staff likes this leadership style as they received the trust and respond from leader this increase the spirit and morale of the work force. Democratic leader develop and design plans to evaluate staffs performance. Allowing staff to grow on the job and be promoted. Recognize and appreciate the achievements. There are two type of democratic leadership, Persuasive democratic management here the leader makes the decision first and then persuades employees that he or she has made the right decision. Consultative democratic management this involves the group contributing to the decision-making process, with the leader making the final decision. There are some situation that, to avoid using this style, Not enough time to get everybodys input. It is easier and cost- effective for leader to make the decision, rather going to staff. Leader feels threatened by this leadership style. Staffs safety in critical concern. EXPLAIN THE EXPECTED IMPACT OF A RANGE OF LEADERSHIP STYLES ON SPECIFIC SUB- DIVISIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, INDUSTRIES, AND SECTORS. 5For ,an organization to grow need a proper direction guided by a good leadership, Enterprise Rent-A-Car uses different methods of leadership styles to manage its 75,000 employees and fleet of cars over one million around the world. Enterprise has becomes foremost car-hire company and the largest car purchaser in the world. Organizations key objectives: Customer satisfaction Fleet growth Employee development Profitability Autocratic leadership at Co-operate level One of the leadership style Enterprise use is Autocratic style of leadership, where decision is made by the leader alone and staff has to work within the scope of that decision. This happens at the top level of the organization, where CEO wants to implement a practice which will roll all over the organization to achieve organizational objectives, There are some examples, which co-operate level leadership, we can find in Enterprise 5 CEO wanted all branches use ESQi (Enterprise Service Quality Index), the customer satisfaction measure, because it met the business objective. In order to gain commitment to using the process. When the Senior Vice President of European Operations at Enterprise decided on the companys diversity programme, employees were clear that this decision was compulsory and not an option. The Vice President of Corporate Communications for Enterprise established an environmental committee. Its aim was to influence the behavior of the whole organization by reducing waste and improving its carbon footprint. As the industry leader, Enterprise attempts to set high standards when it comes to the impact of rental cars on the environment. All above strategic actions shows the Autocratic Leadership in the organization. Democratic leadership at Divisional level Enterprise use democratic decision making at divisional level. Where the branch manager have autonomy. This means that in many area of operation local managers have power to govern themselves and make changes without refereeing to the senior management. Below incidents shows the application of democratic leadership. A car has been in an accident and a customer needs a hire car urgently. Local managers take a consultative approach to understand the issues and find the right solution for customers who might be upset or worried. A customer wants a vehicle for a weekend break. Branch staff will be more authoritative in recommending a specific vehicle to suit their needs. This helps to satisfy this customer and ensure repeat business. In this process employees feels that, they are more valued, empowered and recognized. This increases the staffs self-esteem and gives maximum service to customer. Laissez-faire leadership This derives from a French word leave alone. This is a loose leadership style. It allows skillful, well trained employees to carry out activities freely within broad limits. Enterprise staffs are decentralized and make many decisions on their own. Some advantages of this leadership are, Leaders dont have to always be watching them Great relationship Motivated More relaxed environment Less direction is required However, this style got a disadvantage; some staff might not be able to make right decision by alone. Therefore individuals within Enterprise teams work to corporate guidelines for dealing with customers. Staff also receives regular training and feedback.ÂÂ   This type of style is also associated with leaders that dont lead at all, failing in supervising team members, resulting in lack of control and higher costs, bad services or failure to meet deadlines.

The Wall :: Creative Writing Essays

The Wall At precisely 10:30 A.M. I got a call from a Mr. Machiano saying that while renovating a palace his men found the bones of what seamed to be a human body. When I got to the scene one of his men showed me to the corps. It had dirty, out-of-date clothes draped upon its remains with a piece a rope beside it. I asked Mr. Machiano how the body was discovered. "My men were knocking down a wall and one of them found a skeleton with a motlry on, and that's when I called you." I asked whom he bought the palace from. "A man I would say in his early eighties, named Montresor." I then left to learn about this person.. I found out that he was living with a cousin right near his old home. I decided to stop by and ask him a few questions hoping he would remember or know something. After about an hour of getting "I do not know. What are you talking about? Please leave." I realized this was a waste of time and decided to go. The next morning I called Mr. Machiano and asked him to meet me at the palace. As I approached the area where the body was found I began to feel a little queasy. I searched the ground around the body hoping to find some clues. I noticed the sparkle of metal pertruding from the ground. I picked it up and saw it was a gold and diamond ID bracelet with the name Montresor inscribed on it. I decided to do a little more research on this man. I went to the station and asked the secretary to show me the file on any person missing for more than 20 years. The list only had about five people on it with a brief description. There was a man by the name of Fortunato on it who has been missing for about 50 years. He was last seen wearing a motley. I then put two and two together and after some investigation, I found out that the remains were indeed Fortunato. Later that afternoon I decided to visit Mrs. Fortunato. She took the news pretty well, she had suspected he was dead. "The last time I saw him was fifty years ago during carnival season." I went back to Montresor's house and told him that next to Fortunato's body was a gold bracelet with his name on it. He still insisted he had had nothing

Out of Your Car, Off Your Horse :: Wendell Berry Out of Your Car, Off Your Horse Ess

Out of Your Car, Off Your Horse Wendell Berry in his essay Out of Your Car, Off Your Horse, lends favor to thinking globally is a bad idea. He endorses the idea of thinking locally. This encompasses beginning small at a local level and expanding out. The key element to his idea is a sustainable city; in this city individuals would buy from local farmers thus increasing the economy of farming. As farming expands there would be a need for more workers to do farming. In his explanation he sees this as spilling over to the city people and encouraging them to become more aware and become more agriculturally responsible. Berry states, â€Å"If you want to keep your local acts from destroying the globe you must think locally.† In Berry’s perspective you can’t have global thinking, or protect globally, if you are not acting on a local level. At first glimpse I am ready to dispute with Berry about not thinking globally. In all of my management course both at the collegiate level and on the job they all continually say to look at the big picture. All aspects of the problem should be considered and what the impact is on the overall system. I do disagree that global thinking will destroy our communities. I also find some of his sustainability ideas to be far reaching. When Berry refers to basically the city folk being forced to become agriculturally responsible, it is just hard to see someone working on Wall Street coming home in the evening to plow his fields. Even though I find those type of ideas far fetched I do agree that for â€Å"conservation† to become global it should start at the local level. If each individual would contribute within their own community the community would reap economic and environmental rewards. The best idea I can think of is recycling. At this point in time there is no feasible way to completely eradicate the need for landfills; the area used could be reduced. If every household and business would recycle the reduction of what goes to the landfill would be greatly reduced. I worked for about six months at a recycling cooperative. The job of the cooperative was to educate the public on recycling, market the recyclables, and look for ways to bring recycling firms into the communities. This was a very successful project. Several abandoned business buildings were utilized to collect the recyclables.

The Story of Jesus Through Matthews Gospel Essay -- God Religion Jesu

The Story of Jesus Through Matthew's Gospel   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Who is this man Jesus? Where was he from? What did he do for others and us? A great source of reference to answer this question would be someone who had direct contact with him in everyday life. Someone who saw the daily wonders he created would be the best source for information. Matthew, the apostle, is believed to have written the gospel of Matthew. He was able to experience firsthand all of the amazing miracles that Jesus performed. God inspired his words, and his gospel relates to the other three gospels in overall context. They were written in different formats and styles, but the overall message and story remains constant throughout all four gospels. This creates a strong reliability that gives confidence in Matthew’s knowledge of Jesus. If the author of the gospel of Matthew was someone other than Matthew, the writings still tell an excellent story of the life of Jesus regardless of who wrote it. Therefore, the story of Jesus can be told through Mat thew and his gospel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy of Jesus that traces his existence back to Abraham. This direct line of heritage back to Abraham shows the fulfillment of God’s promise through Jesus. In Genesis 15:5, God promises Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars. These descendants, who make up the people of Israel, were promised a child to be named Emmanuel (â€Å"God with us†) in Isaiah 7:14. Matthew’s gospel tells how Jesus, the child of God who will be with us forever, fulfills the promise that was given by God many years before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus to conclude the first chapter. Jesus surely is the Son of God because Mary conceived him even though she had no knowledge of man. In Matthew 1:20, God spoke to Joseph in a dream through an angel telling him of his intentions for Jesus and his family. Because Matthew tells of this story, he clarifies Jesus’ uniqueness from the beginning. Jesus is the Son of God who fulfills all of God’s promises, and he will change the world forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Matthew further depicts Jesus as the Savior of the world when he tells of the wise men coming to visit him as a baby in Bethlehem. The wise men were surely blessed because they took notice of the once in a lifetime miracle that took place in Bethlehem. Matthew 2:6 says, â€Å"for from you shall come a ruler who is to S... ...ically stay with the people for long, so he knew that he must direct them as to what to do in order to keep the message of God alive in the world forever. To conclude the gospel, Matthew records Jesus as saying, â€Å"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.† Jesus gave them the confidence and ability to continue the work of God by blessing them in this way. They carried on his message of the greatness of God for as long as they lived, and also passed it on to the next generation to share with the future. These stories of the works of Jesus written by Matthew tell of a marvelous man, who was God present among everyone on earth. He spoke and acted with wisdom, and his ministry proved that God’s love surpasses everything. Whoever was unfamiliar with Jesus would have an excellent understanding of his life and purpose after reading the gospel of Matthew. The message of the kingdom of God will live on forever through the life of Jesus. Bibliography Bible - New James Version