Female Delinquency Essays - Criminology, Juvenile Delinquency

Female Delinquency One of the most important issues in crime today is Juvenile Delinquency. It is too often the cause that people see it as something ?new? and a problem that needs to be dealt with by today's society. Female delinquency is and has been rapidly increasing in the past few years. In Girls, Delinquency, and Juvenile Justice, Lind and Shelden give an overview of juvenile delinquency among females. To fully understand the question of who, where, when, how, and why females are delinquent, it is necessary to first understand the nature of female delinquency. To comprehend the entire study of female delinquency, it is also imperative to become acquainted with the theories why females commit such delinquencies and crimes. Also, to understand the way of life and the delinquent acts of females. Females are also involved in the subculture of gangs. And what happens when these females become part of the juvenile justice system? When females are arrested for their involvement of delinquent acts they enter the justice system, but what are the courts doing to endure that these young women receive the appropriate sentencing? If sent to a detention center exactly where are they going and what goes on there? Lind and Shelden interviewed a sample of incarcerated females about their experience as female delinquents. An overview of the study of female delinquency will be discussed using the works of Lind and Shelden as a secondary source data and it will conclude whether females that have been part of the justice system are now integrated into our society as law-abiding citizens. Society often overlooks at the reasons why young females commit crimes and delinquent acts. It is necessary that we take a look at the nature of female delinquency to better understand what has driven these young women to commit delinquent acts. The majority of girls that become delinquent are shaped by problems that they face in today's society. Such problems include, little power given to women, few jobs options, and fewer civil rights in comparison to men, and not to mention the root of the problem which in most cases is their home. The majority of these females come from low-income and broken homes where they are often raised by a single parent. The most common type of crimes committed by female delinquents is larceny-theft, better known as ?shoplifting.? According to Morris, females are more often detected by store personnel because it is excepted that women tend to shoplift more than men, and therefore are watched more closely. An explanation for shoplifting (Morris) is a ?subconscious motives (kleptomania), depression or poverty. Temptation is another reason why girls shoplift, they believe that popularity is tied with physical appearance and the participation in fashion and fads. This is especially true in teenage girls from poor families because these teens feel that they need to be part of the teenage subculture in order to fit in at school and among their peers. The status offenses that are most committed by young females are running away and curfew violations, but with these minor acts come major consequences which sometimes it includes prostitution. Statistics estimate that over one million youths under the age of eighteen run away from homes each year and an estimated million leave ?by mutual consent? or are ?throwaways? (Roberts, 1987:xi). Most of the youths that run away remain within ten miles from home and at least sixty-percent return home within three days. Some of the reasons why these females leave their home is in flight from sexual victimization that occurs in the home. Other run away girls leave their home because they are rebellious and are often drop-outs that tend to be angry and they are alienated from their parents. An estimated 600,000 prostitute girls are under the age of sixteen and they majority of these girls have been run aways. The abuse of these girls often continues from abusive pimps and customers . Theories of female delinquency date back to the first scholarly ?father? of criminology Caesar Lombroso. According to Lombroso, all criminal behavior could be explained as the behavior of ?biological throwbacks? and criminals were often seen as a less highly evolved normal, law-abiding citizen. In the works of Lombroso, one could find a book filled with figures of women's weights, measurement of their lower jaws, brains, eyes, noses, craniums, and hands. Lombroso concluded that ?females were congenitally less inclined toward crime than males because of their sedentary nature and their biological roles as caretakers of children.? But when

Humanities Nuclear War by Kahns On Thermonuclear War and Kubricks Dr. Strangelove

Humanities Nuclear War by Kahns On Thermonuclear War and Kubricks Dr. Strangelove Nuclear war is the issue that has been discussed for a long period of time by a number of writers and researchers. It is not always easy to give a clear definition whether nuclear war is a pure negative or a pure positive aspect in human life, this is why it is always interesting to offer new ideas and introduce some captivating perspectives.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Humanities: Nuclear War by Kahn’s On Thermonuclear War and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this paper, the two works by different people will be analyzed in this paper to comprehend how nuclear war may influence the society. Herman Khan was an American futurist who promoted a lot the nuclear strategy that was spread in the United States of America. His On Thermonuclear is one of the most powerful books where the author makes an attempt to describe and evaluate the nature of nuclear war and its importance . Another powerful work is created by Stanley Kubrick; it is the movie Dr. Strangelove where the idea of nuclear war is perfectly satirized from a variety of perspectives. These two authors even cooperated to introduce one powerful and effective idea, still, their standpoints seem to be rather different as the movie introduces the nuclear war as something absurd, and the book aims at describing the war as something inevitable and not as dangerous as many people usually think. On Thermonuclear is the story about nuclear war and its possible effects on the society and the existing balance of power. In this book, the author underlines the fact that nuclear war is something that people could be ready for; still, when the time to experience the effects of the war comes, it turns out to be that people are not actually ready for such danger. Of course, society may recuperate after the war is over, however, it is so difficult to predict the outcomes and be sure about the true nature of war. The most powerful issue in the book is probably author’s argument that this type of war may be unwinnable for people still possible. Though the book does not aim to promote the war, a number of critics accept such message as a kind of threat to society and social inability to control the events. The author wants to prove that people’s possibilities are great indeed, however, they are not always powerful to gain the desired control. In his turn, Dr. Strangelove introduces another point of view where he admits that nuclear war is of accidental character and is considered to be a type of failure of deterrence. In spite of the possibility to explain that nuclear war does not have any positive outcomes and characteristic, this character tries to justify the creation of nuclear weapon and the necessity for the countries to have it in the arsenal. In comparison to Khan, Dr. Strangelove understands that it is not always possible to control nuclear war, that the results will b e dramatic for people, and that society should take more care of the conditions under which weapons are created and stored.Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In general, the positions of both authors are clear enough: it is not right to promote the idea of nuclear war, still, the activities of government in different countries seem to be that terrible truth that bother many people. There are no people who want to develop nuclear war, and each country tries to take the position with the help of which its citizens will be in safe; however, if someone makes a decision to start such kind of war, the vast majority of countries will be ready to use their nuclear weapon even without knowing how to use it properly. It is a comic as well as tragic situation that proves one thing: human possibilities are amazing, still, more control is required to benefit from these possibi lities and knowledge.

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Communication - Essay Example Time of communication is also a very important factor. Distortion of facts and information can be a huge deterrent to effective communication. Eye contact, gestures, movement, posture, and written communication all comprise effective non verbal communication. Good eye contact helps credibility of the message. People rely on visual clues to help them decide on whether to attend to a message or not. If they find that someone isnt looking at them when they are being spoken to, they feel uneasy. This can be achieved by slowly scanning the entire audience, focusing on particular areas of the audience and looking at individual members of the audience for about five seconds per person. Breaking eye-to-eye contact down to four or five second chunks often aids effective communication. Most of people when talking, use hands and face to help describe an event or object—powerful nonverbal aids. It should be ensured that any movement made is meaningful. Body posture also aids or mars communication. A strong, upright, positive body posture not only helps breathing easier (good for helping to calm nerves!) but also transmits a message of authority, confidence, trust and power. One can achieve great body posture but without internal mental and emotional posture the words will sound hollow to your audience. Nowadays email has become an effective way of communicating but one has to remember certain unwritten rules. Emails without subjects or irrelevant subjects seem to be about nothing and will naturally hamper communication without even beginning it. Incorrect grammar and spellings will also severely hamper communication since people will question the caliber of the communicator. E-mail makes everything easier and faster including making a powerful business impression and establishing positive professional

Rochester Manufacturing Corparation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rochester Manufacturing Corparation - Case Study Example The firm believes that 30% of the people use a good estimate of products suitable for the FMS. This provides a good incentive for moving ahead with the FMS now. The 30% is viewed to fit very nicely into a â€Å"family†. Moving ahead with the FMS, it is also viewed to reduce the variety. The traditional numerically controlled machine has a high variety. Therefore, moving ahead with the FMS now will be associated with a reduction because of higher utilization in the number of pieces of the machinery. In addition, the resources are scarce and hence proper utilization should be enhanced. By utilizing the resources, the profits will also be utilized. In return, the production will be increased if the variety is utilized (Khanna, 2007). The main objective of any firm is profit maximization and cost minimization. If the FMS will have a lower variety, the costs will be minimized and profits will be maximized. The lower variety is a very big motivation of moving ahead with an FMS now. The firm should be able to go from 15 to perhaps as low as 3. This shows a reduction of 12 in the variety. This variety reduction will create more room for an extra production. The firm will be able to expand its production by perhaps four times. It means that the efficiency of the firm will increase by moving ahead with the FMS now. Moving ahead with the FMS now is also associated with a reduction in the floor space from 20,000 square feet to about 6,000 square feet. This shows a reduction by 6,000 square feet. Any organization strives to have a suitable space to carry out its operations. A suitable space will reduce the congestions within the organization. Congestions are associated with various disadvantages. Also, moving ahead with the FMS now will also be associated with the through put of orders improving with the processing of the family parts in1 or 2 days rather than 7 to 10. This shows a good processing efficiency. If orders are processing very fast, it will

Case Study on the Feasibility of a new venture Essay

Case Study on the Feasibility of a new venture - Essay Example The initial success of the Cool Moose Creamery in Ontario should be studied for comparison purposes prior to the financial commitment of a franchise investment. Of considerable interest is the notion of whether the initial location of the first business contributed to its success? Moreover, what were the location factors that contributed to the success of the first business? A common refrain in real estate is location, location and location again. This maxim, of course, is not only limited to home prices. Consideration must be given to visibility and accessibility. Obviously, a highly visible location along an extremely busy thoroughfare where the eyes of all passer-bys will be drawn to your sign, thus, making business almost ideal. In a highly competitive business environment, start-ups may find these prime locations already long occupied by established players. There are still options for the establishment of a new business or franchise: buying out an unsuccessful business in an ot herwise useful location or appropriating a property as close as one can get to prime real estate, yet on the fringes. In this case a choice made here could prove to be influential with respect to every other subsequent factor. If a prime location for your franchise of Cool Moose Creamery can be determined, and is theoretically available then, as with most other material decisions, the cost/benefit analysis must come into play. It may be possible to purchase or lease a property in a highly visible location, but this cost must be weighed against future earnings. There must be a sense of the likely revenue within a particular time frame, as well as one should realize how high the benefits of visibility might be depending on a prime location. Even if the money does not come directly out of pocket, such as it is in the case with the $20,000 bank loan that must be sought, too much capital invested in the initial start up could lead to more debt, or more complex financing arrangements that could make the business more trouble than profit. These factors are never easy to predict, but the small business owner must do the best he can while examining – whenever possible examples of similar businesses, and the local operations in similar situations as guides for cost and profitability. Other factors that will influence the success of any franchise may be forces less visible and tangible than location or the initial equipment that must be purchased. Local zoning ordinances must also be taken into account, with respect to both above board and clandestine forces. Even if the zoning regulations and requirements are obeyed with precision, investigation is warranted concerning under-the-table problems or restrictions. Have other business owners complained about a particular individual in city government with control over regulatory decisions that might impede small businesses? Could there be zoning ordinances that have unusual sub-clauses or interpretations that are not obvious at cursory examination but which prove surprisingly problematic after an investment has begun? Question such as these can only be addressed through word-of-mouth, largely from anecdotal accounts, and of course – prior personal experience. This leads the small business owner into the complex question of a financial 'cushion'. One must consider whether it is possible, or feasible to determine minimum initial start up money, and then wait until it is possible to acquire extra funding held in reserve

Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School

Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School Historically, talk was discouraged in a classroom.  It was a place for the teacher to give instructions and the class simply to  listen. However, the use of talk for learning has been studied in recent years, indicating that it can in fact be constructive. In this study, I explored how talk could be used for two particular purposes. Firstly, as a tool to optimise childrens learning in a classroom environment; secondly, for a teacher to assess the childrens understanding by listening to the childrens talk in return. Alexander (2008: p.93) states, If children need talk in order to learn about the world, teachers need talk in order to learn about children.   My theory was that talk is not the obstruction to learning that it was considered in the past, but rather a powerful tool in the classroom. I believed that teachers could use talk constructively in order for children to gain a deeper understanding of the material presented to them. To investigate how to use talk in the classroom effectively, I looked at past research and conducted my own observations and investigations during a four week placement. This will help me to develop my own teaching techniques in the future. I conducted this study at a Grade 2 Leicester city school with nearly 400 children on roll, aged from 4 to 11. The pupils within the school were mostly from minority ethnic backgrounds, predominantly Asian and Asian British and speaking English as a second language (Ofsted, 2009).   I was based with 27 children in one of two Year 3 classes. Literature Review It is only during the last 40 years or so that the quantity and quality of talk in the classroom has been studied and evaluated. A key concern is that constructive talk in the classroom is still underused (Alexander, 2008: p.92). The Primary National Strategy which was introduced in 2003 barely touches upon talk at all (DfES, 2003a cited in Cambridge Primary Review, 2009: p.15) and as a result teachers are left with little advice on how to use talk effectively for learning. This isnt the case elsewhere in Europe. Alexander (2008: p.99) reported that in France dialogue has a much greater emphasis in the classroom. He noted that good skills in speech, reasoning and the ability to argue would identify an educated person in France, whereas in Britain good readers and writers are valued higher in society. Despite this emphasis on reading and writing skills in Britain, the Confederation of British Industry reported in 2006 that spelling and grammar skills are of a low standard (Alexander, 2008: p.99). The National Curriculum requires children to read from age five, but Sage (2000: p.135) thinks that children are sometimes being required to read before they have developed the necessary language and communication skills to read with comprehension. The National Strategies argue that talk is an acquired skill rather than one that can be taught (Alexander, 2008: p.100), but this does not mean that the teacher cannot support childrens talk development. Language can be modelled and encouraged in the classroom and this would particularly benefit children with English as a second language, where it may not be spoken or supported effectively at home. Alexander (2008), cited in Mercer and Hodgkinson (2008: p.105), gave five principles to outline the key features of dialogic teaching, all of which can encourage classroom talk and increase these language and communication skills. The first three principles were teaching must be collective, reciprocal and cumulative. To achieve this, the teachers and children must learn together as a group, share ideas and build on the ideas of their peers as well as their own. The fourth principle was the teachers plan must be purposeful with particular learning objectives, a matter that is now generally used in every lesson. Finally, Alexander (2008: p.185) emphasised the importance of a supportive learning environment; children should be able to express ideas without the worry of being embarrassed if they give what the teacher sees as an unsatisfactory response. Alexander (2003, 2004b), cited in Alexander (2008: pp. 115-116), found that following a period of dialogic teaching, children answered questions with more clarity and confidence, listened better, thought aloud more and were more helpful and respectful to their peers. Furthermore, following the increase in talk, the childrens skills in reading and writing showed improvement, especially the less able. This supports Sages theory that language is essential for literacy. However, Smith et al. (2004 cited in Alexander, 2008: p.108) found that, in the classes they studied, childrens answers only lasted an average of five seconds and in 70% of occasions were limited to a maximum of three words. This indicates that dialogic teaching is not being widely used. Question-answer methods are more commonly used, aiming to develop understanding, improve recall and encourage imagination (Sage, 2000: p.64). Questions encourage children to verbalise their thoughts (Van Ments, 1990: p.77), which can provide the vital link between language, reading and writing. Questioning techniques are popular because they enable the teacher not only to control the use and context of talk, but to also gauge the childrens level of understanding, knowledge and creativity. Questions allow for another perspective to be added and misconceptions to be corrected immediately, making them more accessible than written comments, which can easily be ignored. However, Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: p.6) noted the difficulty in teachers gaining a full understanding of a childs thinking by relying on short answers to questions. Thus, although questioning provides an immediate way of informally assessing the children and giving feedback, it can be a vague and narrow minded approach to assessing a childs ability, so it should be used alongside other methods. In England, open questions are generally thought of as preferable; children think through the answers themselves rather than merely repeating a teachers pre-determined answer. However, teachers still tend to ask a large proportion of closed questions (Barnes et al, 1986, Alexander, 1992; both cited in Myhill and Dunkin, 2005: p.416). Myhill et al. (2006: p.72) used a complex model, creating four categories of questions; process, procedural, factual and speculative. We may generally think of factual questions as closed and speculative as open. They found that the majority (60%) of questions asked by teachers were factual. Sometimes closed questions are preferable. Sullivan (1992) found that using open questions to teach mathematics had no advantage. This may be due to the extremely factual nature of mathematics, with a right or wrong answer which is not negotiable. Open questions are more effective when the child can use their personal experiences and ideas to extend their understanding. Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: pp.5-7) constructivist approach divides talk into exploratory and presentational. Exploratory talk defines the child verbalising ideas, taking others contributions into account and ordering these to develop their own understanding. Open questions can encourage children to use exploratory talk. Presentational talk takes the audience into account and happens frequently when children recall information, allowing the teacher to assess their knowledge (Barnes, 2008: p.6), thus the teacher can ask closed questions to encourage presentational talk. Barnes believed a child should have the opportunity to order their ideas through exploratory talk before being asked to present them through presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). In the classroom both talk types are vital, but teachers must use them appropriately by being aware of the benefits of both; many teachers dont give children enough time to grasp new ideas through exploratory talk before using presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). Children need time to talk, develop and share before they can gain a firm understanding (Barnes, 2008: p.2). Piaget understood the importance of exploratory talk. He believed that a childs intelligence is based on their interactions with their environment and their commitment to develop their own understanding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007: p.8-9). Piaget believed that every child has a schema an understanding of the world around them. Exploratory talk supports new knowledge and experiences to be either assimilated if they fit a childs existing schema, or accommodated if the schema must be changed corresponding to the new information (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969). Piaget labelled the teacher simply as the assessor and provider to give children these facilities to learn actively (Moore, 2000: p.13). Group work provides children with this opportunity, since it allows the children to self-discover and share their ideas with one another. Piaget believed that children worked most efficiently when grouped into similar stages of development. Children are less likely to be intimidated if placed with others of a similar ability, encouraging them to talk through their ideas together. Vygotskys theory contradicts this. He named the bridge between a childs current level of knowledge and their potential level the Zone of Proximal Development and described the support given to reach this potential level as scaffolding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007; pp.14-15). Due to the structured and guided nature of scaffolding, Vygotsky believed that dialogue worked best when children were guided by an adult or a child of a higher level of knowledge. Methods and Procedure My investigation was based on two science tasks on floating and sinking, a topic in which the children had very little prior knowledge. The same four children attended two twenty minute sessions and my aim was to develop their knowledge on why objects float or sink (see Appendices A and B for lesson plans). I planned the tasks after observing the teacher and children in a wide range of subjects (Appendices C and D) to gain an understanding of the teachers practices and record how talk was used in the classroom. I particularly observed the types of questions the teacher used, the use of exploratory and presentational talk, how the children were grouped together and the use of dialogic teaching, to see their influence on the childrens learning and the teachers assessment opportunities. Reflecting upon the effectiveness of these methods influenced my own lessons within the class (Appendix E). I used a lot of talk within these lessons, so the post-lesson evaluations (Appendix F) allowed me to observe which talk methods were the most effective, which in turn influenced my science task plans. My TE1 partner observed and took notes of the discussion and activities during these tasks (Appendix G). Worksheets also allowed me to record the childrens ideas (Appendices H and I). The first science task was to assess the childrens initial understanding of floating and sinking. I documented the general misconceptions that were stated during this session (Appendix J). The second science task, influenced by these misconceptions, provided the children with experiences aimed to develop their understanding. Analysis and Interpretation of Evidence I analysed the areas of dialogic teaching, exploratory talk, questioning and ability grouping with relation to talk for learning and assessment. Dialogic Teaching Alexanders dialogic teaching principles were all present in an observed lesson (Appendix C). The children were sat on the carpet for the starter, sharing and developing their ideas. The teacher had a specific learning objective and used questions to structure the lesson and assess the childrens understanding. This technique was successful in forcing the children to think for themselves and vocalise their ideas aloud, so that their ideas could be shared and developed together. Using talk in the classroom allowed the children to gain a deeper understanding, as misconceptions could be discussed and good contributions verbally rewarded, which encouraged the children to carefully think through their answers. Dialogic talk kept the children engaged, whereas in lessons that did not include much dialogic talk, I observed that the children tended to lose interest sooner, suggesting that talk can aid concentration. Aspects of dialogic teaching were present in all lessons but not necessarily all five principles, supporting previous research which indicates that dialogic teaching is not widely used (Smith et al, 2004). The lessons always had a purposeful plan and usually incorporated a collective approach, for example via class discussions. However, the other three aspects (reciprocal, cumulative and a supportive environment) were not always present; children didnt always have the opportunity to share and develop ideas together and the teacher often expected a certain answer, which resulted in many children not being confident enough to answer in case they were wrong. Shy children and those of a lower ability struggled more in these lessons, possibly due to a lack of structured idea sharing. Appendix K shows the work of a less able child during a literacy lesson before and after dialogue; the improvement of her writing after using talk based on dialogic teaching is astounding. This supports Alexanders (2008) findings; the writing of less able children improved following dialogic teaching. Thus, Alexanders principles of dialogic teaching are all important and dictate how talk can be used constructively to create a positive learning environment. I included dialogic teaching myself within my tasks. I used talk to assess the childrens knowledge, develop their understanding and encourage them to share their ideas without being intimidating; the children had time to express and develop their ideas, or expand on their peers ideas. They gave long answers, such as I was surprised that the wooden cube floated because I thought it would sink because of its shape. This contradicts Smith et al.s (2004) research, which found that 70% of answers didnt exceed three words. The children added to each others ideas politely and seemed genuinely interested in the opinions of others. For example, when one child stated that wood sank, another pointed out that in a film they had recently watched as a class, the boat was made from wood and floated. The first child then admitted that this was true; this new insight allowed them to assimilate this new concept into their schema. Without conversation different perspectives like this, which can be the link to understanding, might be lost. Exploratory Talk Within the observed science lesson the teacher set up an experiment. A lot of exploratory talk was encouraged (Appendix C) before the children made their own predictions. During the follow up lesson, the experiment was completed; the children used presentational talk to explain the results. This allocation of talk types worked well, supporting Barness (2008: p.7) theory that giving children time for exploratory talk is favourable, allowing them to gather their ideas before expressing their conclusions using presentational talk. I found exploratory talk to be very beneficial in my second science task to encourage self-discovery. I found that the childrens talk didnt always flow fluently, but as Barnes (2008: p.4) observed, exploratory talk is hesitant and incomplete because it enables the speaker to try out ideas, to hear how they sound, to see what others make of them, to arrange information and ideas into different patterns. Using exploratory talk allowed the children to express opinions and consider everyones experiences, thus gaining a deep understanding of the topic. Questioning My findings extend the research of Barnes et al (1986), Alexander (1992) and Myhill at al (2006), who found closed questions were dominant in the classroom overall. I found that in numeracy and some foundation subjects, closed questions were dominant; they simply follow the facts, e.g. What is half of 50? According to Sullivan, although open questions are generally preferable, they have no advantage in numeracy. However, within literacy and science most questions were open, e.g. Why do you think the egg will disappear? (Appendix C). The children were encouraged to refer to their own experiences and ideas to construct their own predictions. Therefore, the dominant question type depended on the subject. I found open questions to be an advantage in my science task; children were encouraged to provide and develop their own original ideas, e.g. Why did you think the cork will float? Soon the children offered developed ideas without encouragement, e.g. I think the cork will float because it is made from wood. Open questions allowed me to model responses until children expanded their answers naturally. Ability Grouping The groupings I saw generally supported Piagets approach of ability grouping, which is common practice across the UK. Numeracy consisted of two ability groups and lower ability children were often grouped together in literacy. I found this approach preferable to encourage peer talk within a familiar topic, since they were not intimidated to discuss their ideas. Vygotskys approach of putting a learner with someone of a higher level of knowledge was rarely used on a peer level. It concentrates on developing the skills of the lower ability child and is of little aid to the higher ability child. However, this scaffolding was present in adult-child teaching, for example an autistic child had a teaching assistant someone of higher ability who supported his development. It was a very effective method, but this level of personalised teaching is too time-consuming and impractical to use on every child. My science task consisted of both the children developing their ideas together (similar ability teaching) and myself aiding them (higher ability teaching). I found that when I wasnt controlling the discussion the children were very enthusiastic share ideas, but often presented inaccurate ideas to one another as facts. Therefore, I needed to step in to avoid the children sharing their misconceptions. The children were more relaxed by having no input from someone of a higher ability, but I found that this method did not work in this case. This may have been because it was a new topic; therefore the children had little experience to call upon. Validity I have based this study on a series of observations within a wide range of subjects to gain a thorough insight into talk for learning within a particular class. However, I concentrated on one teacher, one class and my science task was based on only four children. Therefore, my conclusions assume that other classes would act similarly. On the other hand, my findings are often supported by other studies which have used a larger test sample. These studies increase the validity of my own findings. Conclusion of Findings Dialogic Teaching Dialogic teaching is very effective when encouraging new and creative ideas. It builds confidence, as the children are encouraged not to rely too heavily on their teacher, but to be in charge of their own learning. Children can share ideas, develop their own, improve their communication skills and the teacher can assess the childrens talk content. I found that dialogic talk improved childrens imagination and understanding. My research supported Alexanders (2003, 2004b) findings that dialogic teaching encourages children to answer questions confidently and clearly and listen respectfully to their peers. Using dialogic teaching also allowed me to assess the children quickly and subtly. Children who needed extra help could be identified before the main activity if dialogic talk is used during the lesson starter. Exploratory Talk I found that it is good practice to give children time for exploratory talk when starting a new topic, to discuss and develop ideas in an informal setting. Only when children have personally ordered these ideas should presentational talk be introduced. Exploratory talk allows new concepts to be assimilated or accommodated into the childs existing schema. Questioning I think open questions are vital to encourage children to think for themselves, allowing the children to achieve a deeper understanding. However, closed questions are appropriate in factual based subjects such as maths, since there is not much room for opinion. Questioning can gauge the general understanding of the class and encourage the children to share and develop their ideas. Individual knowledge can be assessed and immediate feedback given. However, as Barnes (1976/1992) notes, it is difficult to gain a deep understanding of individuals knowledge, so questioning should be used alongside other methods. Ability Grouping Placing children with someone of a higher ability was preferable when developing a new concept, to avoid misconceptions being shared and amplified. However, ability grouping was best to encourage talk when the children were applying and developing their understanding, since the children could discuss their work at the same level and without being intimidated. Conclusion of Investigation Focusing on specific areas of classroom talk allowed me to produce a focused analysis. My study was carefully planned, based on my areas of focus and observations of existing practice to analyse the use of talk for learning. I compared my findings to those of existing studies, drawing links between my literature review and my own research to increase validity. The small test sizes within this investigation may have negatively affected my results. For example, I found dialogic teaching effective, stating that the children were comfortable in expressing their ideas. However, the small group size might have created a less intimidating environment and in fact be the cause to the effect, rather than dialogic teaching itself. My observations were based on the same class, so discrepancies in location, age and teaching will not have been picked up. Therefore, to improve the accuracy and validity of my results, I would have to look at a wider range of schools and age groups. Overall, by developing my investigation in a structured and focused manner, I gained a well rounded insight into the best ways of using talk for learning, which I will apply in my own teaching. (Word Count: 3500) Referencing Alexander, R. 2008: Essays on Pedagogy. London, UK: Routledge. Alexander, R. 2008: Culture, Dialogue and Learning: Notes on an Emerging Pedagogy. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.91-114. Barnes, D. 2008: Exploratory Talk for Learning. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.1-15. Cambridge Primary Review. 2009: Towards a new Primary Curriculum. Accessed 27/10/10: www.primaryreview.org.uk/Downloads/Curriculum_report/CPR_Curric_rep_Pt1_Past_Present.pdf Mercer, N. and Littleton, K. 2007: Chapter 2 How Does Interaction Help Learning and Development? in Dialogue and the Development of Childrens Thinking: A Sociocultural Approach. London, UK: Routledge, pp.8-23. Myhill, D. and Dunkin, F. 2005: Questioning Learning. UK: University of Exeter, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp.415-428. Accessed 10/12/10: http://eric.exeter.ac.uk/exeter/bitstream/10036/15292/1/MyhillDunkinQuestioningLearning.pdf Myhill, D. et al. 2006: Chapter 4 Questioning and Learning in Talking, Listening, Learning: Effective Talk in the Primary Classroom. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp.68 -84. Ofsted (2009) Section 5 Inspection. Accessed 05/12/10: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk Sage, Rosemary. 2000: Class Talk: Successful Learning Through Effective Communication. Stafford, UK: Network Educational Press Ltd. Sullivan, P. 1992: Using Open Questions For Teaching: A Classroom Experiment. Victoria, Australia: Australian Catholic University. Accessed 17/11/10: www.merga.net.au/documents/RP_Sullivan_1992.pdf Van Ments, Morry. 1990: Active Talk: The Effective Use of Discussion in Learning. London, UK: Kogan Page Limited. Jones, P. 1988: Lipservice: The Story of Talk in School. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press. Sharp, E. 2005: Learning Through Talk in the Early Years Practical Activities for the Classroom. London, UK: Paul Chapman Publishing, A SAGE Publications Company. Moore, A. 2000: Teaching and learning: pedagogy, curriculum and culture. London, UK: RoutledgeFalmer.

The Reality Of Bertrandes Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

It seems as though in today’s society, suspicion lies in every corner. No one trusts anyone anymore, everyone lies, everyone steals, everyone pretends to be someone they are not. However true or false these statements might be, there is a need in today’s society to be able to explain everything, coming up with every possible lie or predicament within every story. Natalie Davis is from today’s society, and once again, she has found the need to investigate Bertrande Guerre’s role within The Return of Martin Guerre. The only pieces of evidence that are reliable come from Jean de Coras, the main judge in the trial. However, Davis seems to have ignored his findings, and founded her own. For most of her points, there is no written evidence to back her up. She simply read and interpreted the story, as many historians must do to come up with plausible reasons for things; however, she interpreted the evidence incorrectly. This impostor known as Arnaud du Tilh, who played a husband, father, friend, nephew and brother for three years, deceived an entire town. However, Davis has chosen Bertrande Guerre as a co-conspirator, with little grounds to base her conclusion upon. Therefore, I still have found that Bertrande Guerre truly believed that Arnaud du Tilh was her husband, making her an unknowing player in the entire charade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Natalie Davis made the point that Bertrande must have known that the new Martin was an impostor due to their sexual relationship and the differences therein (110). However, this point is hard to believe due to the fact that Bertrande and Martin were married for nine years without having intercourse, and when they finally did, it was in order to conceive their future son, Sanxi (Finlay, 558). Only a few months after Sanxi was born, Martin disappeared for over eight years, which is a long time for a woman to remember the specific details of a sexual relationship that couldn’t have lasted for more than a few months (Finlay, 558). Even if Bertrande had noticed a difference in the sexual relationship, she would have doubted her recollections, not having any kind of proof or true memories of those sexual experiences (Finlay, 558). This â€Å"new Martin† could have also become more sexually experienced while soldiering, explaining his newfound confidence (Finlay, 558).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two men seemed to have com... ...wn, Natalie Davis made up a tale of what happened, ignoring the actual story that had been recorded by one of the lead characters who was there at the time, Jean de Coras. While her points had good merit, there was little evidence besides her opinion and suspicion that backed her up. Bertrande de Rols was deceived by this man, just as everyone else was. Whether she enjoyed her time spent with Arnaud is not important, it is whether or not she was fooled. While there were many who were suspicious, and many who were uncertain of Bertrande’s innocence, there was not a majority that truly believed she was a co-conspirator. She was not proven guilty by Jean de Coras nor was no proven guilty by the townspeople. The townspeople had fallen for Arnaud’s acting, and it is certain that Bertrande had fallen for it as well. And as each of these people would say, Arnaud was a wonderful actor, who was educated in Martin’s life and the people within it. Stories such as these are reminders as to why history is not always objective, and that historians have the right to interpret it in any way that they choose. However, a good historian will always have his critic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Oligopoly (Economics) Essay

1) Oligopoly is when a particular market is controlled by a small group of firms. For example supermarkets, there are three (there usually exist three companies) companies which dominate the market, Wong and Metro, Santa Isabel and Plaza Vea, and Tottus. The main assumptions that economists make when talking about a situation of Oligopoly are various; three or four large companies dominate the industry, but small companies do exist (smaller companies in the recent example would be for example â€Å"Arakaki†, a sole trader company); firms are interdependent, al will watch what the competitors do and act accordingly (when Wong created the â€Å"Bonus† card, it did not even passed a week when Santa Isabel created the â€Å"Mà ¡s Mà ¡s† card); the existence of the kinked demand curve (which we will see what it is on question b); there are barriers to entry, this means it is difficult for other firms to enter the industry; non price competition, as companies cannot compete by prices, therefore they have to compete with the service they offer (for example the â€Å"Bonus† and the â€Å"Mà ¡s Mà ¡s† cards); the oligopoly must be collusive (collusion), this means when the companies, which dominate, work together to maintain very high prices at the expense of the consumer (for example Umbro and Adidas, sell football shirts at very high prices, as a Manchester United shirt costs approximately $50), companies which work together to maintain high prices should be fined, as it is illegal. Advertising is also essential to maintain a high profit and market share, and also something very important, which is to develop brand loyalty (for example, once I began to buy â€Å"Sony† electro domestics, I begin to have a brand loyalty, as I never had a single problem with them). 2) The causes of price stability (when prices are stable, without any change) existing in a situation of Oligopoly are two. The first reason is due to the shapes of the Demand curve (AR). Putting an example of gasoline stations, if there are three companies in this market (Shell, Texaco and Mobil), and if one company, for example shell, decides to increase its prices, no other company will follow, and its sales will decrease by a lot (there will be no incentive for companies to increase prices as consumers have other companies to buy gasoline from, therefore it is elastic as there has been a small change in price but a big change in demand). A company will also not lower its prices because all other companies in the industry will do the same (as people will go to where prices are lower), and there will be very few benefits, also profits will decrease, as sales increase by only a small amount (there has been a big change in price but a small change in demand, therefore inelastic). Firms will leave the price unchanged, and the firms will have to use other objects to compete with each other, this includes product differentiation through advertising and innovation. The price elasticity of demand looks at the responsiveness of QD to a change in price. It is better for companies to therefore use the same price and find other ways of increasing their sales, for example to use non price competition in order to increase sales. â€Å"The solution concludes that there is a determinant and stable price-quantity equilibrium that varies according to the number of sellers. In effect each firm makes assumptions about its rival’s output. Adjustment or reaction follows reaction until each firm successfully guesses the correct output of its rivals†. The second reason of price stability in Oligopoly is, if a company maximises its profits where MC=MR, therefore the point where this two curves cross will give us the price and the quantity the company should provide. The marginal revenue curve is not continuous, as it has a very big gap in it, this is called the â€Å"Region of Indeterminacy†, and the MC curve can pass through any part of this region, this gap in the MR curve, allows MC to vary without affecting either final price or quantity. For prices to change, costs would need to rise above MC†.

The Evolution Vs. Creationism Conflict Essays - Creationism

The Evolution Vs. Creationism Conflict Essays - Creationism The Evolution Vs. Creationism Conflict (This is an inquiry that I wrote for a high school composition class - use it for reference, but I wouldn't recommend or appreciate it being submitted into a proffesor.) The merits of the arguments between the theory of evolution and the belief in creationism is a topic that has bestirred an interest in me for several years. I think that most people have an opinion on the topic or are trying to form one. An example of this is the Christian fish that emphasizes a creationist view found on the back of many cars. In contradiction, there is a growing response to this emblem by people who publicize their evolutionist views by posting a fish with Darwin written on the inside and feet on the bottom. This strikes me as an interesting controversy that everyone can and should know more about. I have acquired basic opinions on the topic that have come from both viewpoints which leaves me with the struggle of establishing my own belief. Sources that have influenced me before I began investigating the topic include Christian religion, school, my parents, media, and my peers. When I began investigating the subject, I found extensive information full of particular evidence. However, the viewpoints are generally conservative and are strictly either for evolution or for creationism. This inquiry will hopefully illustrate an overview of the ongoing debate. Most people view the theory of evolution as being a feasible explanation of how life became what is today. Evolution is a theory that the various organisms are descended from others that lived in earlier times and that the differences are due to inherited changes that occurred over many generations. It must be realized that evolution is a theory and cannot be considered a fact. Even though its roots are from Greek anatomists, the theory of evolution came to light in 1859 when Charles Darwin published his book The Origin of Species, which dealt with natural selection. Since then, scientists have been continually searching for proof for the theory through research and experimentation. Some of the topics that are associated with proving the theory are fossil records, carbon-14 dating, and DNA testing. These are also noted as part of phylogenetic systematics, which is the term used for classifying and understanding the relationships and history among species of the past and present. Natu ral selection, or survival of the fittest, is the mechanics of evolution. Natural selection deals with the dying of weaker offspring of an organism, and the survival of the stronger offspring. When a strong organism survives, its dominent genes are passed on to its offspring. Over time, these genes will lead to mutations, which allow a species to adapt as they slowly move to different environments or other natural change. This is a broad interpretation of how evolutionists explain, for instance, sea creatures becoming land creatures. Evolutionists believe that life began on earth when chemicals combined to produce the first cell. Throughout the course of millions of years, single cell organisms arose to life as it known today. Fundamentally, evolution is based on scientific reasoning and experimentation. As with most sciences, inaccuracies do occur through new discoveries and the theory of evolution must be rethought. Creationism deals with the theory that the world was created in a brief amount of time by a higher being. Creationism has been the way humans explain the making of the earth and the inhabitants on it for thousands of years. This has been depicted through ancient hieroglyphs, stories, and popular mythology. Although almost every culture, ethnicity, and religion that has ever believed in a higher being has its own creation story, I will be focusing on the popular fundamentalist Christian version. These creationists believe that the entire cosmos, the Earth and all its creatures, were created by God in six days between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago as described in the old testament's book of Genesis. They believe that geological records were laid down as a result of a worldwide flood. Most creationists disagree with a majority of the scientific theories used to prove evolution. They believe that life was presented all at once in nearly the same complex forms that are seen today. That

Magellan essays

Magellan essays In Sabrosa Portugal, Spring of 1480 a great man was born. His name was Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan was the son of a nobleman. His mothers name was Alda Magalhaes. He also had a sister Isabel Magalhaes and a brother Diogo Magalhaes. As a boy he served as a page to the Portuguese Queen. He joined the army as a young man and spent 7 years as a soldier in India and the East Indies. Magellan was also married to Betriz Barbosa and had a son Rodrigo Barbosa, before he attempted the following. Some time in 1519, when Magellan was about 39 years old he decided to try to sail around the world. He first asked the king of Portugal who had doubts but told him he was free to offer his services elsewhere. So Magellan asked the King and Queen of Spain who was King Charles 1st and the Queen. Impressed by his proposal they agreed to sponsor his trip. They gave Magellan five ships. The Trinidad, San Antonio, Conception, Victoria, and the Santiago along with 270 men. They left Spain on September 20, 1519 and set out across the Atlantic and then turned south along the coast of South America. As they continued south the weather grew more stormier and bitter. And tempers of crew members got worse. Magellan had to execute one captain. They had to spend the winter on the coast near the tip of South America repairing boats. They set sail again in the spring. Magellan found what he was looking for, a strait. Which is now named after him, The Magellan Strait. Before sailing through it the crew stocked up on dried fish and smoked game. Then headed through the strait and into what he named the Pacific Ocean. After four and a half months, sailors almost dead, they finally reached inlands in which they called the Philippines. Magellan converted a chief to Catholic faith. Magellan became involved in a local war. Trying to show how strong Spain was , Magellan was killed by Mactan Ruler, Lapu Lapu, on April 27, 1...

FTA Between Korea and U.S Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

FTA Between Korea and U.S - Research Paper Example   The key proposal of this convention is to double America’s exports in five years under the president’s National Export Initiative. This initiative hopes to double these figures by lowering Korean prices and tariff-rate shares on merchandise only (USTR n.d.). According to the United States International Trade Commission, this decrease alone would contribute between $10 and $12 billion dollars yearly to the American GDP. At the same time, this reduction would contribute $11 billion yearly in goods exports to South Korea. KORUS estimates that more than 95% of the two-sided trade in consumer and manufacturing goods would turn into tariff-free business within half a decade since its approval (Manyin 1). In addition, the agreement would get rid of outstanding duties within a decade. KORUS further proposes the instant removal or phasing out of duties and shares on a wide variety of merchandise. This proposal means that nearly 66%, in terms of value, of South Korea’s farm imports from the United States would turn into tariff-free goods. Other industries that benefit from this drastic reduction in tariffs on American exports are manufacturing, automobile, financial products, and ecological initiatives (TRADE.gov n.d.). The agreement also proposes the opening of South Korea’s $560 billion services market to very competitive American firms. This proposition is geared towards offering employment opportunities for American employees in industries such as distribution, communications, education, and healthcare.

Financial Analysis of Kellogg's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Financial Analysis of Kellogg's - Essay Example It adds to the impression of the customers as to how well they're doing and at the same time gives challenge to its competitors. This section roughly discusses the financial performance in a six-year time (2000-2005). At a particular year, 2001, Kellogg Company released its own financial analysis of that year giving explanations and answers to the growth in the proceeding years. An apparent growth has been observed right from 2000 to 2005 in Kellogg's financial performance. Comparisons are often useful within a company to become aware of changes in financial relationships and significant trends. In the Intracompany Basis, a comparison of current year's cash amount with the prior year's cash amount shows either an increase or decrease. And within the span of 6 years (2000-2005), it is very useful to compare such cash amount from the first year (i.e. 2000) compared to the last year of comparison (i.e. 2005). Cash amount gained or lost may vary from 2000-2005. The proportion of total assets in the form of cash can be shown through a comparison of Kellogg's year-end cash amount with the amount total assets at year-end. Furthermore, in order to provide insight into Kellogg's competitive position, it is also practical to compare it with other companies. Correspondingly, Kellogg's total sales for the year can be compared with the total sales of its competitors such as Quaker Oats and General Mills which both obviously competes in the market. Taken as a whole, comparisons with industry averages will provide information about Kellogg's relative position within the industry. Then, Kellogg's financial data can be compared with the averages for its industry compiled by financial ratings organizations such as Dun & Bradstreet, Moody's, and Standard & Poor's. Kellogg's 2000 Financial Analysis In 2000, Kellogg Company achieved growth in net earnings and earnings per share, excluding charges, despite softness in the Company's U.S. convenience foods business, higher energy prices and interest rates, weak foreign currencies, and inventory write-offs in Southeast Asia. Through manufacturing efficiencies, reduced advertising and overhead expenses, and recognition of benefits related to U.S. tax credits, the Company was able to withstand despite such factors. 2000 1999 1998 Net earnings $597.7 $339.3 $502.6 Net earnings per share $1.45 $0.83 $1.23 Due to the previously stated factors or charges, there are exclusions from the results of operations in the following sections for purposes of comparison between years. The year 2000 and 1999 have been compared excluding charges, net earnings and earnings per share in the below table: 2000 1999 Charge Net earnings $651.9 $606.2 +7.5% Net earnings per share $1.61 $1.50 +7.3% The full-year increase in earnings per share of $0.11 consisted of $0.02 from business growth and $0.11 from favorable tax-rate movements, partially offset by $0.02 from unfavorable foreign currency movements. Kellogg's Company then continued to lead the global ready-to-eat cereal category in 2000 with an estimated 38% annualized share of worldwide dollar sales. Category share for the Company's operating segments was approximately 31% in the United States, 43% in Europe, 60% in Latin America, 45% in Canada, 57% in Australia, and 50% in Asia. The growth achieved by Kellogg's Company by the end of 2000