Sunday, December 29, 2019

Definition and Examples of Zeugma

A distant cousin of a transferred epithet, zeugma is a  rhetorical term for the use of a word to modify or govern two or more words although its use may be grammatically or logically correct with only one. Adjective: zeugmatic. Rhetorician Edward P.J. Corbett offers this distinction between zeugma and syllepsis: in zeugma, unlike syllepsis, the single word does not fit grammatically or idiomatically with one member of the pair. Thus, in Corbetts view, the first example below would be syllepsis, the second zeugma: You are free to execute your laws, and your citizens, as you see fit.(Star Trek: The Next Generation)Kill the boys and the luggage!​(Fluellen in William Shakespeares Henry V) However, as Bernard Dupriez points out in A Dictionary of Literary Devices (1991), There is little agreement among rhetoricians on the difference between syllepsis and zeugma, and Brian Vickers notes that even the Oxford English Dictionary confuses syllepsis and zeugma (Classical Rhetoric in English Poetry, 1989). In contemporary rhetoric, the two terms are commonly used interchangeably to refer to a figure of speech in which the same word is applied to two others in different senses. Etymology From the Greek, a yoking, a bond Examples and Observations Zeugma is when a word applies to two others in different ways; or to two words when it only semantically suits one. An example of the former quotes Alanis Morissette: You held your breath and the door for me. How chivalrous and zeugmatic. An example of the latter is with wailing mouths and hearts—but dont blame Morissette for this doggerel.(Gary Nunn, Move Over, George Orwell—This Is How to Sound Really Clever. The Guardian, October 11, 2013)He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.(Tim OBrien, The Things They Carried. McClelland Stewart, 1990)She arrived in a taxi and a flaming rage.(John Lyons, Semantics. Cambridge University  Press, 1977)We were partners, not soul mates, two separate people who happened to be sharing a menu and a life.(Amy Tan, The Hundred Secret Senses. Ivy Books, 1995)[H]e was alternately cudgelling his brains and his donkey when, passing the workhouse, his eyes encountered the bill on the gate.(Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist, 1839)I just blew my nose, a fuse, and three circuit breakers.(The Jim Henson Hour, 1989)I was in no sort of nick for this encounter, I admit, full of fear and afternoon scotch and the homeward tug.(Marin Amis, Money. Jonathan Cape, 1984)Whether the nymph shall break Dianas law,Or some frail China-jar receive a flaw,Or stain her honour, or her new brocade.(Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock, 1717)She lowered her standards by raising her glass,Her courage, her eyes and his hopes.(Flanders and Swann, Have Some Madeira, MDear)The theme of the Egg Hunt is learning is delightful and delicious—as, by the way, am I.(Allison Janney as C.J. Cregg in The West Wing) Zeugma as a Writing Fault Like syllepsis, the figure known as zeugma uses a single word to link two thoughts, but in syllepsis the relationship of the linking word to both ideas is correct, whereas in zeugma the relationship is correct for one idea but not for the other. A fabricated example of zeugma might be, He sat munching his sandwich and his beer. An actual example from fiction is, Something odd in the behavior of the pair held his attention and his curiosity. The term zeugma is often used to refer to syllepsis, but as here distinguished it obviously is a writing fault, which syllepsis is not. (Theodore Bernstein, The Careful Writer: A Modern Guide to English Usage. Simon Schuster, 1965)Zeugma is often accidental, as in She wore a rusty black dress, a feather boa, and an alligator handbag; since wore has no legitimate application to handbag, this zeugma is an error. (Edward D. Johnson, The Handbook of Good English. Washington Square, 1991)Confusing and Contradictory Distinctions Between Zeugma and Syll epsisAlthough commentators have historically tried to distinguish between zeugma and syllepsis, the distinctions have been confusing and contradictory: even today agreement on definitions in the rhetorical handbooks is virtually nil (The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, 1993).  Were better off using zeugma in its broadest sense and not confusing matters by introducing syllepsis, a little-known term the meaning of which even the experts cant agree on.  (Bryan A. Garner, The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style, 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2016) Pronunciation: ZOOG-muh

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Empire Popcorn s Annual Movie Review - 1602 Words

Empire Popcorn’s Monthly Movie Review Popcorn is without a doubt the most popular snack of choice when it comes to watching a movie so who better to review the movies you’ll be watching than the makers of your favourite popcorn? Whether you plan on chowing down on freshly popped popcorn from your own kitchen on a cool October evening or simply want the ease of gourmet flavoured popcorn delivered straight to your door for your family fun night in front of the goggle-box, the choice is yours. Here at Empire we won’t just deliver to you the highest quality popcorn kernels and the best tasting gourmet popcorn made in the UK, we’ll also deliver a great movie review too that’ll hopefully make your movie night choice a little easier. Today at Empire Popcorn Company we’ll be taking a look at Marvel Comic’s latest release, Ant Man. On top of telling you about the latest cinema offering, we’ll be giving you the best popcorn flavour to compliment our movie of choice. Grab that bowl of popcorn and prepare for some lighthearted action When it comes to Marvel Cinema, it can be an awfully daunting place especially with the likes of Iron Man, Spider Man and the Avengers to contend with. It can also be a humourous place full of whimsy and lightheartedness and these are two qualities that come into play with Ant Man which we’d consider a real modest yet utterly enjoyable addition to the expanding world of the Marvel family. While some grieved over the loss of the stylish and inventiveShow MoreRelatedProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 PagesCanada 118 Riverview Children s Hospital 124 The Evolution of Project Management at Quixtar 145 3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CULTURES 151 Como Tool and Die (A) 153 Como Tool and Die (B) 157 Apache Metals, Inc. 160 Haller Specialty Manufacturing 162 The NF3 Project: Managing Cultural Differences 163 An International Project Manager s Day (A) 172 An International Project Manager s Day (B) (see handout provided by instructor) An International Project Manager s Day (C) (see handout provided byRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 PagesStudents of The Chartered Institute of Marketing who are preparing for the Marketing Planning paper in the CIM’s Diploma examinations âž ¡ Marketing practitioners who will benefit from a comprehensive review of current thinking in the field of strategic marketing planning, implementation and control. Richard M S Wilson Colin Gilligan Overview of the book’s structure 1 Introduction Stage One Where are we now? Strategic and marketing analysis 2 Marketing auditing and the analysis of capability Read MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesUniversity of Minnesota and George Washington University. His MBA and Ph.D. are from the University of Minnesota, with a BBA from Drake University. Before coming into academia, he spent thirteen years in retailing with the predecessor of Kmart (S. S. Kresge), JCPenney, and Dayton-Hudson and its Target subsidiary. He held positions in store management, central buying, and merchandise management. His first textbook, Marketing: Management and Social Change, was published in 1972. It was ahead

Friday, December 13, 2019

Working Under Supervision Free Essays

Generally teamwork can be defined as a group of people working under supervision together to accomplish specified goals. In nursing the main goal is to improve the patient’s health and promote recovery. Supervision, according to Harries (1987), means â€Å"to be in charge of a group of workers or students and be responsible for making sure that they do their work properly† [Longman (1995, p. We will write a custom essay sample on Working Under Supervision or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1449)]. Working with a group of people has the potential for being a supportive and enriching experience. It increases the nurse’s knowledge, acquired by sharing experiences, skills, ideas and techniques obtained by watching, observing and learning from other members of the team when performing a task. Nurses are required to work as part of multi-disciplinary teams (MDT). The care and management of individuals, relies heavily on the participation in team based efforts and requires individuals who share a common goal, in order to create a well managed health care system. The concept of team work within health care was created to â€Å"provide quality holistic healthcare to every patient†. Each team member must have a clear role and contribute effectively in order to maintain a well balanced and supported environment. It gives the patient high standard of care: It creates an opportunity for every member of the team to provide information about the patient’s need which can be orally or written, this will allow the care team to have an insight and understanding of how to offer the best possible care for the patient. Teamwork makes the duties easier and faster: If every member of staff collaborates and works together, less time is required to carry out the job and it is easy. In this case, the workload is well distributed and this relieves stress, saves useful time that can be used to observe patient needs, deterioration and improvement. There is less chance of inaccuracy because each member is focussed and co-ordinated on his or her work thereby enhancing effectiveness, whereas if it was one person doing the job the person is running from one point to the other in order to meet up with patient’s need thereby creating room for mistakes and disorganisation [Potter and Perry (1995)]. In conclusion teamwork is very important in nursing and can also be enjoyable if all members are actively and sincerely partakers to ensure that the work is rational to every member and also meet targets. [Potter and Perry (1995)] Working under supervision builds the nurse’s character, confidence and self-esteem knowing that the supervisor cares about the work done. This will stimulate the nurse to be of good conduct. In the same way, patients feel safeguarded and confident knowing that there is a competent person in charge. According to Fowler (1995) Supervision involves a learning, supportive and monitoring process. The learning process exposes the nurse to liaise with other professional bodies such as the doctors, radiotherapists, porters, cleaners, healthcare assistants, and paramedics and so on, as well as the patients and family members. The monitoring process could be formal or informal to assure that the desired standard is achieved. The supportive process includes discussion of difficulties, challenges, dilemmas and solution of how to deal with them so that positive goals are achieved [Hinchliff S. 2008)]. These processes are essential and vital for the health and safety of the patient. The nurse can then learn how to deal with challenging situations which promotes the delivering of high standard of care to the client. In contrast, when there is no supervision there is no opportunity to update knowledge, develop and improve skills. The nurse might be implementing the wrong skill or technique in attending to a patient. This might have a dangerous effect on the patient and the overall team. How to cite Working Under Supervision, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Titan Watches free essay sample

The market surveys show that barely 20% of adult Indians own a watch and about 90% of them own a single watch. So as to sustain and strive in this scenario, a company has to market itself well. Among those marketing strategy applied by the companies, one is STP (segmentation, targeting, positioning) ANALYSIS. Here, STP analysis is done for a company which has got the highest market share in the watch market of India and it is TITAN. As the world’s sixth largest manufacturer brand of watches, the companys products attract the classes and masses both. The 960-crore Titan Industries Ltd (TIL) is a conglomerate between the Tamil Nadu industrial Development Corporation and the Tata Group of Companies and it was established in 1984. Titan Industries Ltd has split its mainline watch business into two:-Sonata and Titan. As their managing director says,†volume growth will come from Sonata and value growth from Titan†. We will write a custom essay sample on Titan Watches or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page CURRENT AFFAIRS: Growth Rate: Titan is maintaining a growth rate of 30-35%. Future Plans: ? Titan is planning to roll out its own Swiss made premium watches brand `Xylys by August 2007, in order to lure the watch market. Xylys would be competing with premium international brands including Tissot and Rado. ? Titan is aiming to be a $1 billion company by 2010(Rs 4,700) crore hence acquiring a three-fold growth. The STP Process SEGMENTATION Dividing the market by grouping the customer with similar tastes and preferences into one segment is called is called â€Å"segmentation†. Segmentation help marketers understand the needs of different customers better and serve them with better value propositions. A market comprises of different consumers possessing innumerable tastes and preferences. Depending n their marketing approach and the nature of the products marketers can adopt different level s of segmentation. The levels of market segmentation are: †¢ Segment Marketing †¢ Individual Marketing †¢ Niche Marketing †¢ Local Marketing Segmentation is also sometimes identifying, capturing and retaining potential new markets. TITAN PERSPECTIVE Titan has segmented its business into three main categories: ? ? ? Mass Mid-premium luxury

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Foreign Influences on the Roman art

In the course of its history, the civilization of Ancient Rome incorporated and modified the elements of those cultures which it dominated. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about Roman art which includes painting, architecture, or sculpture. This paper is aimed at examining foreign influences on the Roman art. One can argue that Romans were able to adapt, modify, and sometimes improve the artistic techniques which they borrowed from others. This is the main argument that can be put forward.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Foreign Influences on the Roman art specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the examples can be considered is Temple of Portunus[1]. This architectural monument can be dated back to the first century before the Common Era. This building represents the Republican period in the history of Ancient Rome [2]. Overall, this architectural work incorporates the elements of Greek and Etruscan art. For example, one can mention that Temple of Portunus includes such elements as columns, pediment, cella and extensive use of marble. In turn, the main Etruscan influences can be exemplified with such elements as high stairs, podium, and front entrance. Overall, the architectural style developed in Ancient Greece strongly influenced people who created Temple of Portunus. To a great extent, this temple bears a close resemblance to Parthenon. This example indicates that Romans did not neglect the culture of countries or regions which they dominated. Additionally, it is important to speak about Roman sculpture which was also affected by other cultures. One should take into account that Romans produced copies of Greek sculptures such as Apollo Belvedere[3].To a great extent, Roman were impressed with the meticulous techniques used by Greet sculptures. Yet, one should remember that they modified the legacy of Ancient Greece. In particular, Romans insisted on the realisti c portrayal of subjects without idealizing the physical beauty of a person[4]. This style is often called verism, and it is a forerunner of modern realism. For example, one can mention such an artwork as the bust of Trojan Decius[5]. This sculpture was created in 249 C. E. The viewers can see that the artist did not try to idealize the physical appearance of the subject. This is one of the main aspects that can be identified because it distinguishes Roman sculpture among other styles and traditions. This sculpture was created during the period of the Late Empire and it shows that even at the height of Roman political and cultural domination, Greek art still greatly appealed to them.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Furthermore, it is important to speak about painting, especially frescos. One can argue that this technique was widely adopted by Etruscans[6]. A good example of this technique is the portrayed of a husband and wife. This artwork was found in Pompeii. It was created in the first century of the Common Era which is the period of the Early Empire. Again, one can say that the author of this fresco attempted to emphasize the realism of his artwork. This is one of the main things that should be considered. These examples are important because they demonstrate that Romans were willing to use the artistic techniques used in other cultures. This openness is one of the reasons why Romans could produce magnificent artworks. However, one should not suppose that they merely copied the artworks created by others. In many cases, they modified foreign influences and in this way, produced unique sculpture, painting, or architectural monuments. Appendixes Picture 1: Temple of Portunus (Gardner and Kleiner 182) Picture 2: The Bust of Trojan Decius Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Foreign Influences on the Roman art specifically for you fo r only $16.05 $11/page Learn More (Gardner and Kleiner 185) Picture 3: The Portrait of a Husband and Wife found in Pompei (Gardner and Kleiner 187) Works Cited Furtwangler, Adolf. Masterpieces of Greek Sculpture: A Series of Essays on the  History of Art, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Print. Gardner, Helen, and Fred Kleiner. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History, New York: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print. Gates, Charles. Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near  East and Egypt, Greece, and Rome, London: Routledge, 2003. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Footnotes Please, refer to the Appendixes, Picture 1 Gardner, Helen, and Fred Kleiner. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: A Global History (New York: Cengage Learning, 2012). 182. Furtwangler, Adolf. Masterpieces of Greek Sculpture: A Series of Essays on the History of Art (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010). 7. (Gardner and Kleiner 185). Appendixes, Picture 2 Gates, Charles. Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece, and Rome (London: Routledge, 2003). 312. This essay on The Foreign Influences on the Roman art was written and submitted by user M0j0 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.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Secret River Essay Essays

Secret River Essay Essays Secret River Essay Essay Secret River Essay Essay The importance of a person’s relationship with the ‘world’ in determining their sense of ‘identity’ . is explored through an individual’s conflicting familial relationship. which plays a important function in determining their sense of individuality. The thought of a conflicting familial relationship is shown in both Kate Grenville’s novel ‘The Secret River’ and in Robert Lowell’s verse form. ‘The Dolphin. ’ These texts. conveys in item the ill will between familial relationships. These texts besides express similar id3eas but in different ways: in ‘the secret river’ . a inmate struggles to implement his authorization. at the cost of the relationship with his married woman. whereas in ‘the dolphin’ a frenzied depressive poet feels inferior in his conflicting relationship with his former married woman. Elizabeth Hardwick. In ‘The Secret River. ’ the physical and verbal separation between William Thornhill and his married woman Sal creates a conflicting familial relationship. ‘The deficiency of communicating between Thornhill A ; Sal. generates farther division between each other as Sal ‘gave no mark that she had heard’ him spoke. The usage of symbolism â€Å"Thornhill worked beside her but she seemed to be doing certain there were ever a few workss between them. † indicates the differentiation between Thornhill A ; Sal. every bit good as foregrounding a deficiency of familiarity and communicating between each other. This deficiency of familiarity shows the importance of a person’s physical relationship with the universe around them in determining their sense of individuality. Unlike Thornhill’s deficiency of familiarity which causes a conflicting familial relationship. Lowell’s verse form shows the individual’s conflicting familial relationship as a consequence from the revocation of his relationship with Elizabeth Hardwick. This is apparent in the metaphorical word picture of â€Å"a prisoner as Racine. † This metaphorical comparing to Racine. who’s an 18th century dramatist. foreground the many similarities between Lowell and Racine. Racine. famously known for his ‘concept of love’ centralises. how his tragic characters are cognizant of the ‘conflict’ . complications yet they do nil to decide it. This is besides similar to ‘The Secret River’ where Thornhill is cognizant of his picks. but decides to disregard Sal’s proposal of traveling back ‘Home’ in England. therefore making farther tenseness and division between his household. in-particular with Sal. Furthermore Lowell feels confined and conflicted which is caused by his married woman. This therefore shows the importance of a person’s psychological relationship with the universe around them in determining their sense of individuality. Grenville efficaciously conveys an individual’s conflicting familial relationship. which portrays a important function in determining their sense of individuality in the minute where Thornhill is about to strike Sal. The usage of accretion. â€Å"He saw that she did non recognize him. Some violent adult male was drawing at her. shouting at her. the alien within the bosom of her hubby. † efficaciously highlights the alteration of his individuality. Thornhill’s combatant desire to assail Sal physically affects the relationship with Sal. which forms a deeper rift in their conflicting relationship. Thornhill besides inquiries himself. â€Å"What expletive had come down on his life. that he was full of fury at his ain Sal? † This effectual usage of rhetorical oppugning shows Thornhill confirming his subconsciousness of this destructive and combative individuality. As a consequence. the compelling usage of these literary devices highlights the importance of a pe rson’s physical and psychological relationship with the universe around them in determining their sense of individuality. Similar to Grenville. Lowell besides conveys the conflictive and destructive sense of ego with his familial relationship. which plays a important function in determining his sense of individuality. Lowell utilises the usage of repeat. â€Å"not avoiding hurt to others. non avoiding hurt to myself–† efficaciously shows the bellicoseness and volatility Lowell expresses to himself and to his former partner. This usage of repeat besides signifies the subordinating position he feels in this relationship. The quotation mark. ‘caught in its hangman’s-knot and sinking lines. ‘ is a ocular illustration of how Lowell feels. being trapped and inferior. which consequences in physical force to asseverate his conflicted individuality. Furthermore. this shows the importance of a person’s psychological relationship with the universe around them in determining his sense of individuality. Additionally. Grenville communicates the thought of an individual’s conflicting familial relationship through societal interaction. Grenville efficaciously uses the literary device of duologue. â€Å"Get rid of the inkinesss and she’ll stay. Will. † every bit good as â€Å"Nobody won’t neer know. I swear. he said. â€Å"Not our married womans even. Not anyone other than us. And we ain’t stating. † to joint the pending pinnacle determination made by Thornhill to disregard Sal’s pleads which accordingly increases the struggle between Thornhill and Sal. The metaphor â€Å"But it seemed there was no manner to talk into that soundless topographic point. Their lives had easy grown around it. the manner roots of a river-fig grew around a stone. † farther indicates the deficiency of familiarity and communicating between Thornhill and Sal as they’re unable to talk into that soundless topographic point. hence foregrounding the imp ortance of a person’s relationship with the universe around them in determining his sense of individuality. Synonymous to Grenville. Lowell besides highlights the thought of an individual’s conflicting familial relationship through societal interaction. Lowell uses nonliteral linguistic communication. â€Å"I have sat and listened to excessively many words of the collaborating Muse. and plotted possibly excessively freely with my life. † to efficaciously demo the conflicting familial relationship. The usage of nonliteral linguistic communication high spots that Lowell has taken advice from household and friends which has later lead Lowell’s life of misdirection and indecisiveness. This therefore highlights the importance of a person’s relationship with the universe around them in determining his sense of individuality. In decision. it is apparent for both Grenville and Lowell that the composers have employed a assortment of literary devices to foreground the importance of a person’s relationship with the universe around them in determining their sense of individuality. Bibliography hypertext transfer protocol: //xserve. allsaintscasula. Catholic. edu. au/groups/mrsdeli_yr11advancedenglish/weblog/8b4ee/Part_Six_The_Secret_River. html hypertext transfer protocol: //listverse. com/2007/08/28/top-10-american-poems-of-the-20th-century/ hypertext transfer protocol: //www. poemhunter. com/robert-lowell/biography/

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Business Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Intelligence - Essay Example Additionally, the applications of business intelligence contain the tasks of query and reporting, decision support systems, statistical analysis, online analytical processing (OLAP), forecasting, and data mining (Webopedia, 2011) and (Rossetti, 2006). This paper provides the answers of questions like that why or why not business intelligence is critical for organizations? This paper will outline the issues and challenges that organizations can face in implementing BI. This paper will also discuss the difference between knowledge management and BI. Business Intelligence: A tool for organization’s survival Business intelligence tools have become one of the most important organizations’ resources. Additionally, these tools are utilized in data mining and operations. In this scenario, operational business intelligence is utilized to run the business activities more competently and achieve maximum return on investment. Thus, business intelligence methods and tools facilitate the organizations in making efficient use of assets, cutting costs, and making use of all the business prospects. On the other hand, in data mining, business intelligence is used to leverage enormous quantities of data for determining the best performance areas or out-of-the-box investigations. This kind of solutions could be easy or complex, however depending on the BI tool utilized. In addition, business intelligence tools help the organizations to gain a competitive edge because of their dashboard capabilities. Moreover, an organization must recognize that BI is not simply a charting or visual display of data. However, they can be helpful when an organization wants to incorporates data from numerous sources (D'Souza, 2011). Challenges in implementing business intelligence While adopting BI technology for their business an organization can face following challenges: (Computerworld Custom Publishing, 2003) and (MAIA Intelligence Blog, 2011) Failure to distinguish BI systems and pr ojects as cross-organizational company initiatives, as well as considering them different from distinctive standalone solutions. Unengaged company sponsors (or sponsors who take pleasure in small or no authority in the corporation). Engaged or reluctant business representatives. Lack of capable as well as existing staff, or sub-optimal staff use No software release idea (having no enhanced and improved iterative development technique). No use of WBS (work breakdown structure) and no methodology for application of the new BI technology. No company analysis or unavailability of standardization actions for the BI technology application. No approval of the influence of dirty data on business productivity. Not recognizing the need and utilization of meta-data. Extra dependence on disparate techniques and tools BI is difference from Knowledge Management Normally, knowledge management is referred as a methodical procedure of discovering, selecting, classifying distilling and presenting dat a and information in a form that is easy to understand for an employee and lies in a precise area of interest. Additionally, the specific knowledge management tasks facilitate organizations to pay their attention on storing, acquiring and utilizing knowledge for similar things such as problem solving, strategic planning, dynamic learning and decision making (Herschel, 2008). In addition, bus

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Nelson Mandela Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Nelson Mandela - Research Paper Example Mandela was born on the July 18, 1918. His name Rolihlahla literally means, â€Å"pulling the branch of the tree.† He was brought up in the village of Mvezo near River Mbashe in the district of Umata, the capital of Transkei. His home village was Thembu. The name of his father was the great, Gadla Henry Mphanyiswa. Mphanyiswa was a great chief of the high, Thembu village. His father lost his wealth due to some â€Å"ox† disputes, under unclear circumstances. His mother decided to travel to a village of Qunu, located northern of Mvezo. While at Qunu, Mandela used to spend his leisure time playing and wrestling with other young boys in the village. He could spend the nights together with these same boys. He used to look after the herds at the age of five. He discovered the techniques of collecting honey, birds, and edible fruits. He enjoyed drinking milk straight from the udder of the cow. The life in the field was full of fun. Mandela was a creative and a critical in thought. He could make devices and play with them. He had a passion for the study of nature. He liked climbing the back of the donkey and molding animals and birds using clay soil. The village of Qunu had several churches. He attended church service for the first time when he during baptism. The religion became like a ritual to him. His mother attachment to the church was just incredible. The only times he could miss the Sunday services was when he could go to fight with other boys. He realized that the fighting was like a transgression and vowed never to commit again. Mandela later traveled to Johannesburg where he first reached the offices of Crown Mines in the year 1886.The Witwatersrand in South Africa by then was the largest gold mine. He was very much disappointed in what he saw in the mining place as opposed to his expectations. He thought he could find the mining places to have well-furnished offices but instead the place was

Monday, November 18, 2019

Effects of young peoples obsession with physical appearance Essay

Effects of young peoples obsession with physical appearance - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Physical appearance has become an obsession. Not only do individuals focus on their appearance but also the society puts a lot of emphasis on this factor. Beauty, fashion and weight are often seen as an obsession of all the youth. Most of the people in the West are obese which is emerging as a common problem and the rule there goes as you should either be super skinny or die. Derogatory as it seems, people are thought to represent some higher form of beauty nowadays.   Men should be strong and tall, women – blonde and skinny. The buzz life also has contributed a lot to this factor.   People want to look like their ideal celebrities and for that, they would do anything â€Å"Its fun to peek into that fantasy world of people richer and better looking than us, people with freedom to do what they want. We like to see what they do with their freedom†. Girls need smaller longer noses as they believe that large snub noses ar e out of fashion and make you look ugly.   Bald men want to have hair hence they get all the expensive treatments to have that place properly covered. Majority of the men believe that women should look natural. As they say, ‘Boys will ask for a picture with no clothes, men will ask for a picture with no makeup.’ But girls still would do the doll thing before going out.   Ã‚  Orange skin, hair extensions and fake lashes and they would think that now they look perfect.  

Friday, November 15, 2019

Strategies for Effective Learning in the TESL Classroom

Strategies for Effective Learning in the TESL Classroom CHAPTER ONE:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   INTRODUCTION In Malaysian classroom, a teacher had a solid control in the classroom, the interaction pattern where the teacher selects a student to answer her questions is observed by Samuel (1982) in his study in a Malaysian school. This pattern occurred particularly when the teacher employed the questioning strategy during the course of teaching. After answering the teachers question, the student gave the turn back to the teacher (Samuel, 1982, p. 129). Hence if the teacher chooses this pattern of interaction, participation of students will be highly controlled by him or her. When having teachers in monologic interaction, the class instructional practices will be on structured, discipline but it kills the desire to learn from the child instinct and at the same time does not arouse the critical and the creativity of a child. And this is totally different from the knowledge of the policy because in Malaysia Education Policy, it is stated that a teachers jobs is to nurture the childs critical and creative thinking. When a lesson that is supposed to practice on communicative language teaching ends with the teacher instructing and being authoritative in the class, it kills the desire to learn. In his findings, Ruzlan (2007) further found that all the questions posed by the teachers were the closed-ended in nature, where the children were anticipated to arrive at certain answers expected by the teachers only. At the same time, it was found that the majority of questions set by EFL and Science as content taught in English classes were low level and factual, and not designed to encourage critical thinking on the part of learners. Again, there was a mismatch between what is stipulated by the national curriculum and how teachers actually teach in terms of posing questions. While national policy stipulates helping learners become critical thinkers, teachers seems concern with others, short term goal. For instance teachers belief about their students academic needs and what they should do is tailoring their questions to align with examination purposes at a low level factual category (Habsah Hussin, 2006). It is proven that the practice of the policy is more on finishing the structured syllabus prepared by the school curriculum division rather than full filling the philosophy of education that is in building the students with the efforts towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. With this issues, enlighten the researcher to explore the basic of the education teacher training. What has been practiced in schools reflects on the training of the teacher in teacher training institution. Is it the system or the implementation of it that caused the mismatched in the instructional practices? What is supposed to be done? What has been practiced in the teaching institution? The approaches practiced on the trainees. Does the trainees ability to pose questions and interact with the students from the pedagogical aspects and methodological approach being prompt and develop? Do the trainers play their role as the facilitator and the mediator of the knowledge in ensuring the blooming of the beginner teachers? The trainers have to play their important role well in shaping the student teacher in becoming an excellent teacher. They should model the trainees in the instructional practices in college. Being the expertise, the trainers should be well prepared with various approaches in exploring the student teacher ability in learning the English language in order to become a capable and competent English teacher. 1.1 Purpose Of the Study The purpose of this study is to investigate the trainers in implementing their instructional practice in order to help the trainees to become effective second language teacher. As an ESL teacher and a second language learner, the researcher believes that interaction is the key to second language learning. Second language learners need comprehensible input, need to be in situations that provide maximum personal involvement in the communication and need opportunities to use the target language in social interactions. The learning of a language centres on the use of the language for communicative purposes. Alexander (2004) suggests that the basic repertoire of classroom talk is unlikely to offer the types of cognitive challenge required to extend students thinking. In contrast, he characterizes an approach he describes as dialogic teaching which is collective, reciprocal, supportive, cumulative and purposeful. However, these types of talk are less frequently encountered in classrooms (M roz et al., 2000). Dialogic pedagogies aim for classroom interactions that involve more than superficial participation. They are exemplified by the teachers uptake of student ideas, authentic questions and the opportunity for students to change or modify the course of instruction (Nystrand et al., 2003). Teachers relinquish some measure of control of the trajectory of the lesson as pupils are offered a degree of collaborative influence over the co-construction of knowledge. 1.2 Importance of the study This study is important in four ways. First, as an eye opening to the concept of dialogic approach in the training institution and it is focusing on the classroom interaction between the trainees and the trainer in the class from the socio-cultural theory approach. Second, it gives a holistic view on what is happening in the class and what could be done to help the trainees to become competent user of the English Language learner. Third, it will trigger the needs for the trainers to have a series of cascade training organized by the Teacher Education Division, Malaysia in order to share, improve their approaches in class and vary their instructional teaching before they start teaching the trainees. Fourth, it will establish the culture of sharing and collaboration among the lecturers in the training institute. It requires the teachers to work collaboratively, to open their classroom for observation, critical reviews and discussion with peers. Lastly, it is focusing on the professional development of the trainers in providing the best approaches in exploring the best approach and varies their pedagogical approach in a second language learning class. 1.3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Questions. 1. To what extent do lecturers interact with students to develop their participation in classroom discourse? 2. How are the lecturers developing the English Language competency and critical thinking skills of students through the interaction in class? 3. How do lecturers evaluate their instructional teaching practices? 4. What impact has the Communicative Language Teaching had on the teaching practices to promote a dialogic pedagogy? 5. How useful is a dialogic approach to staff professional development? 1.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Objectives of the study were as follows; 1. To measure the ways lecturers interact with the students to develop their participation in class.   2. To identify how lecturers develop English Language competency and critical thinking skills through the interaction in class. 3. To explore the lecturers instructional practices in second language learning class. 4. To explore the impact of the communicative language teaching policy on language learning in teacher training institutions. 5. To explore the usefulness of a dialogic approach to staff development in teacher training institutions. 1.5. Methodology Research design The focus of the study is to look at the quality of classroom interaction between the lecturer and the trainees. The literature has offered a wide array of descriptions and definitions of the case study, for example: a case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context in which multiple sources of evidence are used (Yin, 1984:23), the qualitative case study can be defined as an intensive, holistic description and analysis of a single entity, phenomenon, or social unit (Merriam, 1988:16). Different from other research studies which aim for generalizable findings, case studies aim for an understanding of the particular case, in its idiosyncrasy, in its complexity (Stake, 1988:256). The case study aligns with my research objectives. It is focused on the two TESL lecturers, the researcher and their respective classes. The study is the interactive instructional practices of the two teachers, the researcher and their students. In order to provide a detailed and in-depth analytical description of the interactive features of the two cases, the researcher have to be into the research site and collected data from multiple sources in a naturalistic setting, namely, in a setting where teacher-student interaction occurs as it actually is. The main purpose of the study was not to attempt to generalize the conclusions to a larger population but to gain a thorough and in-depth understanding of the topic at issue. At the same time a combination of sociolinguistic and ethnographic perspectives has been taken to approach the above research questions.   Data was collected using a range of techniques: interviewing, classroom observation, audio- and video-taping, oral report and stimulated reflection. The sample for the researcher came from the teacher training institution that is situated in Ipoh, between the Bachelor of Education Twinning program UK-MOEM (Ministry Of Education, Malaysia) and the English Language lecturers. Many teachers, even experienced ones, are not always aware of the nature of their interactions with individual students. Consequently, one of the most important purposes of systematic classroom observation is to improve teachers classroom instruction. Feedback from individual classroom profiles derived from systematic observations has been found to help teachers understand their own strengths and weaknesses, and have consequently enabled them to significantly improve their instruction. Through feedback, teachers can become aware of how their classroom functions and thus bring about changes they desire. This process typically involves having trained observers systematically observe teachers and their students in their classrooms and later providing teachers with information about their instruction in clinical sessions. This approach is based on the assumption that teachers value accurate information that they can use to improve their instruction. CHAPTER TWO  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   LITERATURE REVIEW. This chapter will be reviewed the discussion on the theoretical ground on second language acquisition, the approach in the classroom, the student teacher interaction and the instructional pattern of communication being implemented in the classroom. 2.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Socio-cultural theory Introduction Vygotsky (1896-1934) is one of the Russian psychologists whose ideas have influenced the field of educational psychology and the field of education as whole. He argues for the uniqueness of the social milieu and regards sociocultural settings as the primary and determining factor in the development of higher forms of human mental activity such as voluntary attention, intentional memory, logical thought, planning, and problem solving. According to Vygotsky (1978 cited Lantolf 2000), the socio-cultural environment presents the child with a variety of tasks and demands, and engages the child in his world through the tools. In the early stages, Vygotsky claims that the child is completely dependent on other people, usually the parents, who initiate the childs actions by instructing him/her as to what to do, how to do it, as well as what not to do. Parents, as representatives of the culture and the conduit through which the culture passes into the child, actualise these instructions primarily through language. On the question of how do children then appropriate these cultural and social heritages, Vygotsky (1978 cited Wertsch 1985) states that the child acquires knowledge through contacts and interactions with people as the first step (inter-psychological plane), then later assimilates and internalises this knowledge adding his personal value to it (intra-psychological plane). This transition from social to personal property according to Vygotsky is not a mere copy, but a transformation of what had been learnt through interaction, into personal values. Vygotsky claims that this is what also happens in schools. Students do not merely copy teachers capabilities; rather they transform what teachers offer them during the processes of appropriation. Lantolf et al. (1994) indicate that the latter understanding of consciousness in the field of teaching is embodied in the concept of meta-cognition, which, according to him, incorporates functions such as planning, voluntary attention, logical memory, problem solving and evaluation. Williams and Burden (1997) claim that socio-cultural theory advocates that education should be concerned not just with theories of instruction, but with learning to learn, developing skills and strategies to continue to learn, with making learning experiences meaningful and relevant to the individual, with developing and growing as a whole person. They claim that the theory asserts that education can never be value-free; it must be underpinned by a set of beliefs about the kind of society that is being constructed and the kinds of explicit and implicit messages that will best convey those beliefs. These beliefs should be manifest also in the ways in which teachers interact with students. Socio-cultural theory has a holistic view about the act of learning. Williams Burden (1997) claim that the theory opposes the idea of the discrete teaching of skills and argues that meaning should constitute the central aspects of any unit of study. Any unit of study should be presented in all its complexity rather than skills and knowledge presented in isolation. The theory emphasizes the importance of what the learner brings to any learning situation as an active meaning-maker and problem-solver. It acknowledges the dynamic nature of the interplay between teachers, learners and tasks and provides a view of learning as arising from interactions with others. According to Ellis (2000), socio-cultural theory assumes that learning arises not through interaction but in interaction. Learners first succeed in performing a new task with the help of another person and then internalise this task so that they can perform it on their own. In this way, social interaction is advocated to mediate learning. According to Ellis, the theory goes further to say interactions that successfully mediate learning are those in which the learners scaffold the new tasks. However, one of the most important contributions of the theory is the distinction Vygotsky made between the childs actual and potential levels of development or what he calls Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Lantolf (2002), Wertsch (1985) and Shayer (2002) claim that Vygotskys introduction of the notion of the ZPD was due to his dissatisfaction with two practical issues in educational psychology: the first is the assessment of a childs intellectual abilities and the second is the evaluation of the instructional practices. With respect to the first issue, Vygotsky believes that the established techniques of testing only determine the actual level of development, but do not measure the potential ability of the child. In his view, psychology should address the issue of predicting a childs future growth, what he/she not yet is. Because of the value Vygotsky attached to the importance of predicting a childs future capabilities, he formulated the concept of ZPD which he defines as the distance between a childs actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving, and the higher level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in co llaboration with more capable peers Wertsch (1985, P. 60). According to him, ZPD helps in determining a childs mental functions that have not yet matured but are in the process of maturation, functions that are currently in an embryonic state, but will mature tomorrow. Moreover, he claims that the study of ZPD is also important, because it is the dynamic region of sensitivity in which the transition from inter-psychological to intra-psychological functioning takes place. Shayer (2002) claims that a crucial feature of learning according to Vygotsky is that it creates a ZPD, that is to say, learning awakens a variety of internal developmental processes that are able to operate only when the child is interacting with people in his environment and in cooperation with his peers. Once these processes are internalised, they become part of the childs independent developmental achievement. Vygotsky advocates that ZPD is not the role of instruction alone, but developmental (biological) factors do have a role to play. It is jointly determined by the childs level of development and the form of instruction involved. According to him, instruction and development do not directly coincide, but represent two processes that exist in a very complex interrelationship. He argues that the child can operate only within certain limits that are strictly fixed by the state of the childs development and intellectual possibilities. Mediation As in Feuerteins theory (Williams and Burden 1997), mediation is central to Vygotskys socio-cultural theory. Mediation according to Vygotsky refers to the part played by other significant people in the learners lives, people who enhance their learning by selecting and shaping the learning experiences presented to them. Vygotsky (1978 cited Wertsch 1985) claims that the secret of effective learning lies in the nature of the social interaction between two or more people with different levels of skills and knowledge. This involves helping the learner to move into and through the next layer of knowledge or understanding. Vygotsky also regard tools as mediators and one of the important tools is language. The use of language to help learners move into and through their ZPD is of great significance to socio-cultural theory. Kozulin et al. (1995) claim that Vygotsky considers the learning process as not a solitary exploration of the environment by the child on his own, but as a process of the childs appropriation of the methods of actions that exist in a given culture. In the process of appropriation, symbolic tools or artefacts play a crucial role. Kozulin (2002) categorises mediators into two categories: human and symbolic. According to him, human mediation usually tries to answer the question concerning what kind of involvement on the part of the adult is effective in enhancing the childs performance; while symbolic mediation deals with what changes in the childs performance can be brought about by the introduction of the child to symbolic tools-mediators. Scaffolding According to Donato (1994) scaffolding is a concept that derives from cognitive psychology and L1 research. It states that in a social interaction, a knowledgeable participant can create by means of speech and supportive conditions in which the student (novice) can participate in and extend current skills and knowledge to a high level of competence. In an educational context, however, scaffolding is an instructional structure whereby the teacher models the desired learning strategy or task then gradually shifts responsibility to the students. According to McKenzie, (1999) scaffolding provides the following advantages: a) It provides clear directions for students b) It clarifies purpose of the task c) It keeps students on task d) It offers assessment to clarify expectations e) It points students to worthy sources f) It reduces uncertainty, surprise and disappointment g) It delivers efficiency h) It creates momentum According to Rogoff (1990 in Donato, 1994), scaffolding implies the experts active stance towards continual revisions of the scaffolding in response to the emerging capabilities of the learner, and a learners error or limited capabilities can be a signal for the adult to upgrade the scaffolding. As the learner begins to take on more responsibility for the task, the adult dismantles the scaffold indicating that the child has benefited from the assisted performance and internalised the problem-solving processes provided by the previous scaffold episode. Wertsch (1979a cited Donato 1994) claims that scaffold performance is a dialogically constituted inter-psychological mechanism that promotes the learners internalisation of knowledge co-constructed in shared activity. Donato (1994) advocates that in an L2 classroom, collaborative work among language learners provides the same opportunity for scaffold help as in expert-novice relationships in the everyday setting. Van Lier (1988 cited Do nato 1994) states that L2 teaching methodology can benefit from a study of L1 scaffolding to understand how classroom activities already tacitly employ such tactics. The study of scaffolding in L2 research according to Donato has focused exclusively on how language teachers provide guided assistance to learners. 2.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Classroom interaction in socio-cultural theory A socio-cultural theory was pioneered by Vgotsky (1978) and the core of the theory is the proposition that cognitive development originates in social interaction. Vgotsky (1981) formulated the trajectory of cognitive development as from the inter-psychological plane to the intra-psychological plane by saying: Any function in the childs cultural development appears twice, or in two planes: first, it appears on the social plane, and then on the psychological plane; first it appears between people as an inter-psychological category, and then within the child as an intra-psychological category. This is equally true with regard to voluntary attention, logical memory and the formation of concepts and the development of volition (p.163). In other words, learning first takes place between a child and an expert (e.g. the childs parent) when they engage in joint under-taking. The expert assists the young child to appropriate his greater knowledge or skills in relation to the task at hand and gradually hands over the task to the young child. The child internalizes what he gained and transformed it into his own resources that can be used for individual thinking and problem solving. It is mainly mediated by means of talk. 2.3.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Classroom interactions Constructivism Related to Questioning and Conversation Constructivism plays a key role in effective classroom conversations and differs from classrooms filled with traditional conversations. Schulte (1996) argued that Constructivist teachers must observe the students actions and listen to their views without making judgments or trying to correct answers (p. 27). This differs from the traditional classroom where students are passive learners and wait for the teacher to give correct answers (Schulte, 1996). In contrast, constructivist classroom teachers must listen to students and help make connections between what they are thinking and what others are thinking during the same experience (Duckworth, 2006). Teachers must also make connections for learners between the learners understandings and the teachers understandings (Duckworth, 2006). Instead of giving lectures and expecting students to regurgitate what has been lectured, teachers must show students how to listen to others and question ideas when they are unknown (Duckworth, 2006). Teachers must make their actions known to students by using explicit language, modelling the thinking process, and allowing students to think aloud about new ideas (Bodrova Leong, 1996). Lambert, etal. (2002) supported the idea of sharing thoughts and ideas by stating, In a constructivist conversation, each individual comes to understand the purpose of talk, since the relationship is one of reciprocity (p. 65). Constructivist teaching allows students to actively participate in their learning versus the traditional idea of passively receiving information. It allows teachers and students to synthesize their knowledge in order to create new meanings. Classroom discourse based on a constructivists view of learning involves student participation. This was explained by Hartman (1996) when stated, As seen through Vygotskys views, classroom discourse is socially meaningful activity because it creates a situation in which all students can and are encouraged to participate not only by the teacher, but by the other students as well (p. 99). Students are encouraged to share their ideas with others to help clarify their thoughts and make adjustments to their understandings (Schulte, 1996). Student participation means that teachers hand over control of classroom conversations and allow students to express their thinking aloud. This results in the student having the final word at times and helps the student create his or her own understanding instead of receiving the teachers understanding of ideas (Duckworth, 2006). When students are allowed to explain their thinking they must learn to be explicit and clear so others will understand them; t hat results in deeper understanding (Bodrova Leong, 1996). Student participation during classroom discourse allows students to practice problem-solving and decision-making skills that will help improve their leadership ability as adults. In Dantonio and Beisenherz (2001) book Learning to Question, Questioning to Learn, constructivist classroom discussions are referred to as instructional conversations. In an instructional conversation, a teacher is skilful in facilitating talk that promotes student thinking. Students require guided practice in order to respond in a manner that leads to a deeper understanding of subject matter. With guidance, students learn to enhance the quality of their thinking through the teachers effective use of questions. In line with Vygotskys zone of proximal development, instructional conversations provide students with opportunities to do today with help what can be done independently tomorrow. Teachers and students work together to create new meanings and understandings through effective questioning and higher level learner responses. Classroom discourse holds various meanings but definitions found in the literature hold a common ground: classroom discourse is talk between two or more persons that may or may not lead to a new understanding (Cazden, 2001; Mroz, Smith Hardman, 2000). Two definitions of classroom discourse were given by Cazden (1998). She described discourse as conversations where participants are having the same talk. Discourse was also described as an understanding that occurs when participants take different positions in different talks at the same time. In their research findings, Edwards and Mercer (1987) described classroom discourse as the talk that occurs between two or more people that usually consists of a teacher and one or more students. Additional researchers defined classroom discourse in their studies. Skidmore, Perez-Parent, and Arnfield (2003) proclaimed that classroom discourse contrasts to every day conversation because students must wait for their turn while patiently raising their hand. In everyday conversation people speak to one another at will to express their ideas and understandings. Similarly, Townsend and Pace (2005) noted that classroom discourse that is directed by one person, usually the teacher, results in students repeating predetermined ideas or mere facts. It contrasts to classrooms where students are given opportunities to explore higher level questions and engage in meaning making activities (Townsend Pace, 2005). Skidmore (1999) referred to traditional classroom discourse as, pedagogical dialogue, in which someone who knows the truth instructs someone who is in error, and which is characterised by a tendency towards the use of authoritative discourse on the part of the teacher (p. 17). All of these examples of classroom discourse vary from everyday conversations because students are subjected to waiting for a turn to give factual information. Researchers of classroom discourse refer to teacher dictated conversations as a traditional pattern of talk. 2.4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research Studies on Classroom Interaction Many studies on classroom interactions focused on teacher questions, learner responses, or the effect of questions on student achievement. Studies by Redfield and Rousseau (1981), Chin (2006), Wells and Arauz (2006), Boyd and Rubin (2006), Myhill and Dunkin (2005), and Schleppenbach, Perry, and Miller (2007) were reviewed, compared, and contrasted. Redfield and Rousseau (1981) analyzed 20 studies on the effect of teacher questioning on student achievement. Redfield and Rousseau (1981) wanted to create a meta-analysis of data from the studies to determine the impact of program monitoring, experimental validity, and level of teacher questioning. All of the studies were experimental or quasi-experimental in nature. Quantitative tools were used to measure the effect size in each study. Redfield and Rousseau (1981) completed their research by stating, Hence, it may be concluded that small-scale studies of teacher questioning behaviour have allowed for greater experimental control than large-scale studies (p. 242).It was found that teachers that predominately used higher cognitive questions had a positive effect on student achievement, and teachers that were trained in effective questions and used higher cognitive questions greatly affected their students achievement. Chin (2006) conducted a study focused on teacher questions and feedback to learner responses during science lessons. She wanted to analyze the type of talk that occurs during science lessons, find out how teachers use questioning to engage students, and identify the various types of feedback teachers give to learners during an initiation response-feedback exchange of talk. Chin (2006) gathered data from two science classrooms in Singapore during 14 lessons. To explain the data analysis, Chin (2006) explained, A questioning-based discourse analytical framework was developed for the description and analysis of classroom discourse in science, with a focus on questioning based practices (p. 1334). It was found that when the teacher provided feedback in the form of subsequent questions that built upon a students response, acknowledgement of a students response, or a restatement of a students response, students responded at a level beyond recall. Chin (2006) concluded that Students can be stretched mentally throu

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Teaching Morals and Character at State University :: Teaching Education Essays

Teaching Morals and Character at State University Introduction Several weeks ago, there was a slight uproar on State U.’s campus when a threatening homophobic message was found scrawled on a student’s personal belongings. The controversy revolved around the intentions of this message and, once it was discovered who had written the message, how that individual should be punished. Most of the dialogue on campus, both amongst the administration and the student body, focused on the individual’s motives, the individual’s actions, and the individual’s punishment. Yet, I argue that such actions can not simply be attributed to the character of the individual, but also reflect the character of the institution. A somewhat humorous, yet appalling parallel can be drawn between this situation and one presented by constructionist Rheta DeVries during her discussion of teaching morality in a classroom of three-year-olds where a teacher found urine on the floor of the bathroom for several consecutive days. DeVries wrote, "[The teacher] did not know who was responsible, but suspected that more than one child was involved. She figured that they were not being malicious but thought it was funny" (2). In this same manner, the State U. individual who wrote a threatening, homophobic message probably did not do so out of sheer hate, or with harmful intentions. Nevertheless, the message offended the State U. community in the same way that the urine on the bathroom floor interrupted the three-year-olds’ classroom. In both situations, we must ask ourselves: what encouraged such actions? Why did the three-year-olds think it was okay to urinate on the floor? Why does a State U. student think it is per missible to write such a negative message? Neither the children nor the college student would have committed such acts had they believed that it would not have been accepted — if not by everyone, at least by the majority. This State U. student faced a semester of suspension for his actions, but was permitted to return to school the following year. However, short-lived suspension is not the only necessary action. By temporarily ridding the institution of this individual, State U. alleviated the symptoms of immorality but avoided directly treating the problem at hand: State U.’s moral atmosphere. Such a negative action, even if committed merely by one student, is a summons to the institution to re-examine its ethical environment in order to prevent inconsiderate actions before they occur, not treat them after the fact.