Friday, December 27, 2019

Analysis Of The Film Theeb - 1285 Words

The film Theeb, like other classical Hollywood narrative films, is governed by its appearance of being real and believable. The attempt to convey realism is through its narration. Narration is shaping our experience through film style (Bordwell 1986, p. 26). Classical narrative is made up of perfect balance and symmetry of style that aims to convey a message to the audience. It integrates all elements of the film to reassure and satisfy the spectators. The film follows a set of norms and standards that matches and gratifies the viewer’s expectations. Stylistic features are in the service of the narrative as they serve to convey information, helping the viewer follow the story and construct a coherent time and space. By the end of a classical Hollywood film, all questions that spectators have would be answered and they don’t have to leave the cinema feeling perplexed. Elements of style serve to shape the narrative as they function to read it for the audience. Furthermore , in the development of a narrative, every event is motivated. Thus, the use of cinematic style is generally motivated by the narrative. All of the above results in what Bordwell refers to as an excessively obvious cinema (Bordwell 1986, p. 26). Due to the dominance of the style, spectators come to expect certain stylistic choices for certain narrative situations. Hence, classical narratives focuses on the spectators understanding of the story in the film. Unlike films from the classical Hollywood cinema, it

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Welfare System A Need Of Reform - 1022 Words

Welfare System: In Need of Reform During the past two decades, predominantly since the mid-1990s, congress has intensely restructured the nation’s system of cash welfare assistance for low-income families. The welfare system was intended to be a safety net for those facing economic poverties in order to help workers get back on their feet. However, welfare programs seem to have spiked the unemployment percentage and increased expenditure on social welfare programs at expeditious rates. Although supporters believe that welfare helps unemployed workers and stimulates the economy, welfare programs cause people to become dependent on the government and is killing our economy. There have been many debates on whether extended unemployment†¦show more content†¦His findings concluded that the rise in unemployment, in relation to job openings, is due to diminished search effort created by the extended welfare benefits. In other words, there are basically two groups of people that make up the unemployed. The two groups are defined as those who lost their jobs and those who left their jobs or have never had one. The people who lost their jobs qualify for welfare, but the other half does not. So, when these two groups compete for jobs the unemployed workers without benefits are more persistent in looking for work and are more willing to accept job opportunities, which are less appealing, to make money; while those who have benefits tend to drag it out. There is no question that the economy is not where it needs to be. According to studies, the welfare state has become the largest part of federal spending. The expansive budget categories are national defense, human resources, physical resources, net interest, other functions, and undistributed offsetting receipts; welfare falls under the human resources category.( Welfare vs. Defense, By the Numbers) Kevin D. Williamson conducted a study by comparing the GDP of 1957 to the GDP of today and found that welfare is draining most of the nation’s funds. Williamson explained, â€Å"Even though we were spending three times as much on national defense in 1957—and even though we had lower taxes (17.2 percent of GDP then vs. 17.7 percent of GDP today) we ran a budget

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Daniel Pelka noes free essay sample

Daniels mother and stepfather set out to deliberately harm him and to mislead and deceive professionals about what they were doing. The type of maltreatment shown in this finding is physical abuse and neglect. Both adults would deliberately harm him which suggests that they may have physically abused him as shown through physical indicators such as bruising and injuries. This finding also suggests that Daniel may have been neglected due to dysfunctional family relationships. Daniel’s mother may not have had a proper mother/son relationship with Daniel and may have had poor parenting skills leading to this neglect. 2. Police were aware of domestic abuse and violence alongside excessive alcohol use by Daniel’s mother since 2006 yet ‘child protection risks to the children in this volatile household not fully perceived or identified’. This finding shows that Daniel was neglected. This may have been due to his mother’s impaired parenting skills as there is evidence of substance abuse as his mother was an alcoholic. We will write a custom essay sample on Daniel Pelka noes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This may have caused her to act out in a violent manner whilst being in a state of intoxication causing physical abuse towards Daniel. 3. When Daniel arrived at school with a broken arm it was ‘too readily accepted by professionals as accidentally caused’. This finding shows that Daniel was both neglected and physically abused. His injury shows signs of physical abuse by his mother and stepfather and this finding also shows neglect as the school did not investigate further into his injury. 4. The school began to see a pattern of injuries and marks on Daniel during the four months prior to his death, and these were not acted upon. This finding shows that Daniel was neglected by the school as they failed to investigate further into his injuries. This may have been due to their fear of being exploited into tabloids due to having a child who is domestically abused attend at their school. 5. At a paediatric appointment, Daniel’s weight loss was not recognised and child abuse was not considered as a likely diagnosis for Daniel’s problems. This again shows that Daniel was neglected. His weight loss showed signs of development delay which suggests were due to his Mother’s poor parenting skills. Daniel was obviously not fed very often as he appeared as severely unhealthy. 6. At times, Daniel appeared to have been â€Å"invisible† as a needy child. This shows that Daniel was neglected and his behaviour indicates that he was so distressed and had such a low self-esteem that it was unrecognisable. This was caused by Daniel’s dysfunctional relationships within his household and his mother and stepfather’s poor parenting skills. 7. His poor language skills and isolated situation meant that there was often a lack of child focus to interventions by professionals This shows that Daniel was emotionally abused and was neglected. His poor language skills show that he was neglected as his mother may have had poor parenting skills. This means that his mother had not paid enough attention to him as he showed delays in his development. A five year old should easily be able to converse with others but Daniel failed to show this. 8. Professionals needed to â€Å"think the unthinkable† and to believe and act upon what they saw in front of them, rather than accept parental versions of what was happening at home without robust challenge. 9. The level of abuse Daniel suffered that emerged in the murder trial of his parents was completely unknown to the professionals who were in contact with the family at the time. This shows that professionals did not do enough to prevent the death of Daniel. Due to their neglect, they could not recognise the dysfunctional relationships that Daniel had with his mother and stepfather which had eventually lead to his death.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Patriots quarterbacks before Tom Brady Essays -

Patriots quarterback's before Tom Brady The first pats qb was Butch songin. Played qb at boston college. 2nd best passer rating in the league threw for 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. The next season the raider traded and the pats got babe paerlli. Next year Babe had to battle for the job for Tom Usick he and Brady are the only pats players to have punted thrown for a td pass caught a pass and run for a touchdown. In 1965 eddie Wilson made a start throwing 1 td and 3 interceptions Don trull made three starts throwing 1 td and 7 picks 1968 babe was gone and the worst qb battle was born mike Taliaferpo threw 4 tds and 15 picks with a 26.9 qb rating that season while tom Sherman when 1 and 6 throwing 12 tds and 16 interceptions with a 45.6 rating in 1970 joe capp signed with the pats after winning the raiders a superbowl. He became the worst qb in franchise history 3 tds to 17 picks. Joe plunkett drafted first overall in 1971 started all 14 games taking the team to 6 and 8 which was their best record since 1966. Struggled the next year behind a weak o line. Traded to the 49ers then ended up winning 2 superbowls with the raiders. Threw 62 td and 87 picks as a pat.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Summary of Post-Structuralism free essay sample

For example: the word ‘red’ may have a completely different meaning in the words ‘red rose’, which means ‘love’ while in traffic lights, red means ‘stop’. The red of traffic lights, then carries the ‘traces’ of amber and green within it, and is not pure red (2008: 97). * The ‘present’ of a word we speak is therefore not the true present, which forever eludes language: ‘spacing’ and ‘temporization’ intervene. Derrida captures this in a self-coined term, differance that contains both the idea of difference and the process of deferral of meaning. Derrida destabilizes the relationship between signifier and signified. The signifier or the word we hear or read – is of course stable enough, but what it signifies – the signified – is according to Derrida subject to an inherent instability (Bertens, 2008: 98). Assumptions of Post-Structuralism Derridean Deconstruction * It begins with and emphatically affirms Saussure’s decree that language is a system based on differences. Derrida agrees with Saussure that one can know the meaning of signifiers through and because of their relationships and their differences among themselves. We will write a custom essay sample on Summary of Post-Structuralism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page * However, different from Saussure, Derrida also applies the reasoning to the signified. Like the signifier, the signified (or concept) can also be known only through its relationships and its differences among other signifieds. In this case, Derrida sets forth some assumptions: Transcendental Signified * Derrida asserts that the entire history of Western metaphysics is founded upon a classic, fundamental error: the searching for a transcendental signified, or an external point of reference on which one may build a concept or philosophy * Once found, this transcendental signified would provide ultimate meaning, being the origin of origins, and provide a â€Å"reassuring end to the reference from sign to sign. * The transcendental signified would have to be understood without being compared to other signifieds or signifiers. Logocentrism * According to Derrida, Western metaphysics has invented a variety of terms that function as centers: God, reason, origin, being, essence, truth, humanity, beginning, self, to name a few. Each can operate as a concept that is self-suffic ient and self-originating and can serve as a transcendental signified. * Derrida names this Western proclivity for desiring a center as logocentrism: or the belief that there is an ultimate reality or center of truth that can serve as the basis for all our thoughts and actions. To decenter any transcendental signified is to be caught up in the terminology that allows that centering concept to operate. For example, if the concept man functions as the center and one then â€Å"discover† woman, he places in motion a binary operation: man and woman. By decentering and questioning the man, he causes woman to become the new center. By questioning the old center, he establishes a new one. Binary Oppositions * Since the establishing of one center of unity means to decenter another, Derrida assumes that Western metaphysics is based on a system of binary oppositions. The philosophy holds that in each of these binary oppositions, one concept is superior and defines itself by its opposit e or inferior center. For example, one knows boy because he knows girl; one knows tidy because he knows messy. Phonocentrism * In the binary oppositions, one element will always be in a superior position, or privileged, whereas the other becomes inferior, or unprivileged. For example: man/woman, human/animal, soul/body, employer/servant, etc. even in speech/writing. This privileging of speech over writing is called phonocentrism. * Speech implies presence, while writing signifies absence. Since phonocentrism is based on the assumption that speech conveys the meaning or direct ideas of a speaker better that writing, phonocentrism assumes a logocentric way of thinking. Methodology of Post-Structuralism The Structuralist seeks: Parallels/Echoes Balances Reflections/Repetitions Symmetry Contrasts Patterns Effect: To show textual unity and coherence The Post-structuralist seeks: Contradictions/Paradoxes Shifts/Breaks in: Tone, viewpoint, tense, time, person, attitude, conflicts, absences/omissions, linguistic quirks, aporia Effect: To show textual disunity (Peter Barry, 1995)

Saturday, November 23, 2019

These 2 Recommendation Letters Got Me Into Harvard and the Ivy League

These 2 Recommendation Letters Got Me Into Harvard and the Ivy League SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When I applied to college, I was accepted into every school I applied to, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, the Ivy League, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and more.While I had a strong overall application, the two teacher letters of recommendation were CRITICAL in getting me admitted. Why? Both teacherssaid I was one of the top students they had ever taught. Both enthusiastically advocated for my personality, leadership skills, and energy. How can YOUearn recommendation letters that will get you into your top choicecolleges?I'll show you how in this article. For the first time, I'm sharing my FULL, UNEDITED letters of recommendation as examples for you. These are the exact letters submitted when I applied to college. Even better, you'll see exactly what my Harvard admissions officer underlined - what really stood out as important and noteworthy. First Things First Quick question - how confident are you in knowingwhat colleges are looking for in your recommendation letters? Do you have a strong understanding of what an effective letter consists of, and what a bad letter looks like? Manystudents have the totally wrong idea of what colleges are looking for in recommendation letters. This, naturally, leads to subpar letters for students. Before I show you my letters, I first want to explainWHYrecommendation letters from teachers are such an important part of your college application, and then WHAT makes effective letters so effective. If you're chomping at the bit and really want to jump directly to my letters, here's Recommendation Letter Example #1, and here's Recommendation Letter Example #2. BUT I highly recommend that you stick with me for the next two sections - you'll get a lot more out of this guide and get much stronger rec letters as a result. Why Teacher Recommendation Letters Are So Important for College The goal of your overall college application is to communicate who you are as a person, in an easily digestible package that can take 20 minutes to understand (or less). From this package, colleges will decide whether they want you to join their community or not. Yeah, it doesn't feel great to have your 18 years of existence compressed into a web form. But that's the best system colleges have come up with so far to deal with the tens of thousands ofcollege applications they receive every year. (UCLA with a record 112,000+ applications) What do colleges care most about? Ultimately, it boils down to two things: how likely you are to succeed in college and in your career how much you'll benefit the school community as a student and beyond These are the ultimate goals of colleges when selecting their next class of students. Your application must convince the college that you will succeed in both goals. Of course, these are complex ideas -success is not only hard to predict, but different people also have different ideas of what success means. But there are a few general principles that hold true for most colleges: previous academic success is a great predictor of future academic success, which in turn predicts career success. certain personality traits are preferred: integrity, leadership, curiosity, creativity, empathy, perseverance, motivation, ambition, collaboration, confidence, and others. You don't need to be perfect in all dimensions, but some of these should apply strongly to you. you also generally want to avoid the opposite of these traits. These are all bad adjectives: unethical,narrow-minded, unmotivated, self-centered, arrogant, rude. For the first admissions requirement of academic success, your coursework and test scores play the biggest role. If you took a rigorous courseload and got a high GPA, and you got a high SAT/ACT score, you have shown that you can handle high school academics. This means you're in a great position to succeed academically in college. Feel like your SAT/ACT scores aren't high enough to impress your top choice colleges?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your SAT/ACT score. Download it for free now: How do you show the second requirement - personality traits? Part of this is in your personal essays and extracurriculars, where you'll show what you're interested in and give voice to your personality. But of courseyou'll describe yourself as curious, creative, collaborative, kind, and so forth. Who would describe themselves as unethical and mean? This is why colleges need objective, third-party observers to comment on who you are. This is where your teacher recommendations come in, and why they're so important. The role of the rec letter is to show who you are as a person.Your teachers haveengaged with you throughout at least a year of class. They've seen you in class with other students, and possibly out of class too. There are hundreds of small interactions that piece together to form your teacher's impression of you. How do you interact with students? How do you interact with teachers? How creative was your work? How much did you participate in class discussions? How motivated were you to excel in school? Are you a jerk nobody wants to be around? Or are you someone the teacher entrusts with the future? A greatteacher recommendation tells the college all of the above. Let's Hear From Harvard's Dean of Admissions What if you don't fully believe me yet? I'm just one guy with his own admissions experiences. So I'm going to call on William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions at Harvard College: Recommendations from secondary school teachers and counselors are extremely important at Harvard and at many other colleges, particularly those with selective admissions processes. Faced with more academically qualified applicants than places in the freshman class, our admission officers review the two required teacher recommendations and the counselor report with great care, often commenting on them in writing on â€Å"reader sheets† in each application.We often project the recommendations themselves onto large screens so that all members of the Admissions Committee can see them during the subcommittee and full committee review processes in February and March.Recommendations can help us to see well beyond test scores and grades and other credentials and can illuminate such personal qualities as character and leadership as well as intellectual curiosity, creativity, and love of learning. Along with essays, interviews, and other materials in the application, recommendations can offer evidence of an applicant’s potential to make a significant difference to a college community and beyond. Source Notice how he says Harvard is "faced with more academically qualified applicants than places." What does this imply? "Among a pool of students with the same academic qualifications, we use personality traits to decide who to admit or reject."And letters of recommendation for students describe those personality traits. To beat a dead horse: your teacher recommendations add more color to your academic achievements, your test scores, and your GPA. The best recommendation letters for colleges rave about your personality and personal qualities. This is why my two letters below are so effective. You do NOT want your recommendation letters to just be repeats of your resume. This gives the admissions officer ZERO extra information about who you are a person. You do NOT want your recommendation letters to just say, "Johnny got an A and turned in his homework on time." This makes it very obvious that the teacher has no idea who you are as a person, which means it adds ZERO to your application. Great recommendations talk about more than your class performance. They discuss your personal qualities, how interacting with you feels like, and why you're likely to succeed in the future. First, I'm going to show my letters to you, with analysis of why they were so effective. You'll see the highlights made by my Harvard admissions officer, which will tell you what things she found important. Then I'll give you advice on how to build relationships with your teachers so you can get letters like this on your own. My Letter of Recommendation Samples Usually you don’t get to read letters of recommendation for students because you sign the FERPA waiver, waiving away your rights to read your application. But I was able to retrieve my full Common App and Harvard applicationfrom Harvard, complete with my original letters of recommendation. Most colleges require you to have two letters from teachers in different subjects.The two teachers I asked for letters were my favorite two teachers in all of high school. Personally, I vibed most strongly with teachers who actually cared about teaching. They gave engaged studentswith energy, treated us kindly and empathetically, and went above expectations to help students succeed. Not only did I have the most fun with these teachers, but they were also more likely to advocate for me enthusiastically in their letter. You might not vibe with teachers for the same reasons, but it's important you choose teachers you get along with and who you feel will write you very strong letters. My first letter comes from my AP Chemistry teacher from 10th grade. My second comes from my AP English Language teacher from 11th grade. As you read these letters, remember - these letters didn't come instantly. They take hundreds of small interactions over a year or more to build an impression of who you are. You can't trick a teacher into writing a great recommendation letter for you. If you honestly like learning and are an enthusiastic, responsible, engaging student, a great recommendation letter will follow naturally. The horse should lead the cart. Teacher Letter #1: AP Chemistry Teacher I took AP Chemistry in 10th grade and had Miss Cherryl Vorak (now Mynster). She was one of our younger teachers, having taught for just a few years before I had her. She was my favorite teacher throughout high school for these reasons: She clearly took pride in her work. She wasvery caring, spent a lot of time helping struggling students, and seemed to consider teaching her craft. She was universally well liked by her students, even if they weren’t doing so well. This is pretty rare. She was fair in her policies and grading, and she was kind. This was the kind of teacher where if you weren't doing well, you felt like it was your fault, not the teacher's. I participated in the US National Chemistry Olympiad (this was the major academic honor I earned) and she was my advocate and a great resource for this.She provided me a lot of training materials and helped me figure out college chemistry. By the time I applied to college in senior year,I had known her for two full years and engaged with her continuously, even when I wasn't taking a class with her in junior year. We’d build up a strong relationship over the course of hundreds of small interactions. All of this flowed down to the recommendation you see here.The horse leads the cart. First, we’ll look at the teacher evaluation page. The Common Application now has 16 qualities to rate, rather than the 10 here. But they’re largely the same. If the images are hard to read, keep scrolling down - I provide the recommendation in text form. How long have you known this student and in what context? I've known Allen as a student inside the classroom and outside the classroom in extracurricular academic activities since he was in the 10th grade.What are the first words that come to your mind to describe this student? Intelligent, motivated critical thinker; Charasmatic, well rounded, talented individual; Independent, mature, responsible student. List the courses you have taught this student, noting for each the student's year in school (10th, 11th, 12th) and the level of course difficulty (AP, accelerated, honors, IB, elective, etc.) As a 10th grader, Allen was one of the top students in my AP Chemistry class. Please write whatever you think is important about this student, including a description of academic and personal characteristics.We are particularly interested in the candidate’s intellectual promise, motivation, maturity, integrity, independence, originality, initiative, leadershippotential, capacity for growth, special talents, enthusiasm, concern for others, respect accorded by faculty, and reaction to setbacks. We welcomeinformation that will help us to differentiate this student from others. See enclosed letter. Ratings Compared to other college-bound students in his or her secondary school class, how do you rate this student in terms of: Below Average Average Good (above average) Very Good (well above average) Excellent (top 10%) Outstanding (top 5%) One of the top few encountered in my career Creative, original thought âÅ"“ Motivation âÅ"“ Self-confidence âÅ"“ Independence, initiative âÅ"“ Intellectual ability âÅ"“ Academic achievement âÅ"“ Written expression of ideas âÅ"“ Effective class discussion âÅ"“ Disciplined work habits âÅ"“ Potential for growth âÅ"“ This was the Common Application from 2004-05, over 10 years ago. In today’s Common Application, all of these ratings are retained, aside from â€Å"Potential for Growth.† Today's Common Appalso now includes Faculty Respect, Maturity, Leadership, Integrity, Reaction to Setbacks, Concern for Others, and TE Overall. You can tell that Common App teacher evaluations placea strongemphasis on personality. From Miss Vorak, you can seea very strong evaluation. First she says she's known me for over 2 years and has had interactions inside and outside the classroom. Then she's very enthusiastic with her "first words" answer, listing off a lot of strong personal traits.Finally, she gives me the highest ratings possible for all qualities. The Ratings section is really important. In one go, you're compared to all the students your teacher has ever taught. The better your ratings here, the more competitive you are relative to your classmates. What makes for good enough ratings for you? That depends on your personal college goals and your school's competitiveness. The more competitive the colleges are, the higher up your ratings need to be. If you're applying to your state school, where the admissions rate is 30%, and your high school is pretty competitve, simply being Very Good or Excellent can be a strong rating for you. On the other hand, if you're applying to the most selective colleges like Harvard, Stanford, or the other Ivy League schools,it is important to be ranked â€Å"One of the top few encountered in my career† for as many ratings as possible. If you’re part of a big school, this is CRITICAL to distinguish yourself from other students. The more experienced and trustworthy the teacher, the more meaningful this is.You really want to make sure you’re one of the best in your school class, if not one of the best the teacher has ever encountered. Next, let’s look at her letter. As you read this, think – what are the interactions that would prompt the teacher to write a recommendation like this? This was a relationship built up in a period of over 2 years, with every small interaction adding to an overall larger impression. Again, if the images are too small to read, I'll have the exact text below, so scroll down. And here's the letter in text form. I've bolded the sections that were underlined by my Harvard admissions officer: To Whom It May Concern: It is with very great pleasure that I write this recommendation for Allen Cheng to support his application for admission into Harvard. Allen has a deep passion for science and has been one of the few exceptionally gifted students that I have encountered in my career as an Advanced Placement Chemistry teacher. Among his many achievements and accomplishments, Allen’s performance on a battery of Chemistry Olympiad exams taken by approximately 11,000 students nationwide recently secured him the position as the second alternate for the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad team, ranking 6th in the country for a team which represented our nation in the International Chemistry Olympiad competition in Germany this past spring. As a senior, Allen hopes to surpass his performance once more in hopes of securing a solid position as one of the four members on the 2005 U.S. Chemistry Olympiad team this coming spring. I first encountered Allen when he was a sophomore in my AP Chemistry class. He was the youngest student in the class of upper classmen, but he was the top excelling student among the two sections of AP Chemistry classes that I taught during the 2002-2003 academic year. As a sophomore, he worked very well with others, mastered laboratory techniques, earned the top score on the AP Chemistry Exam, and was one of the top performers on the National Chemistry Olympiad Exam that year. As one of the top performers on the National Chemistry Olympiad Exam in 2003, Allen was one of twenty students in the nation who qualified to be a participant in the United States National Chemistry Olympiad National Team in the spring that year. He spent an extensive amount of time studying independently in order to ensure that he would cover all of the topics that our class did not yet study and often sought additional instruction during lunch and after school during which he asked questions and performed labs from previous Chemistry Olympiad competitions for practice. When results were published, Allen was ecstatic to have qualified as one of the twenty participants in the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad Study Camp and he enjoyed the experience training for the International Chemistry Olympiad during which he was exposed to Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, etc., branches of science typically encountered at the college level. As a member of my Advanced Placement Chemistry class, I have found Allen to be an intelligent, conscientious, motivated and responsible student who masters theory-and applies it well. He academically excelled among his peers, often explained concepts to confused classmates, actively participated during discussion, asked questions to ensure that he had a firm understanding of concepts, and sought additional sources for supplementary problem solving exercises. As a scientist, he was always meticulous when performing experiments, he led his lab group to successfully complete experiments, he wrote great detailed analytical lab reports, and he worked well with others. Allen is a self motivated, dedicated, hardworking student of high intelligence who can grasp difficult concepts, think critically and handle the rigor of a competitive college environment. He exhibits the qualities of a leader and promising scientist who truly loves science. Allen truly impresses me as a student who actively seeks new experiences which support his love for science. This past summer, Allen was a participant at the Research Science Institute at MIT where he conducted research in the field of neuroscience. In addition, Allen has been conducting research with the Jisan Research Institute under the guidance of a professor for two years and has recently coauthored a paper which was published and presented in the LASTED International Conference on Robotics and Applications in Hawaii this year. In addition to conducting research, Allen has also been volunteering at Methodist Hospital and in an immunology lab at the City of Hope National Medical Center where he has been able to strengthen his general laboratory skills. He is clearly an independent, active member of society who pursues personal interests. Beyond his academic excellence, Allen is a charismatic individual who is respected and liked by faculty and peers. Throughout his high school career, Allen often stopped by my room during lunch to take my AP Chemistry tests to review his general chemistry, but he also often stopped by during lunch or after school to chat about his latest developments, events in school, or other various topics. His maturity and charisma are qualities that are quite rare among high school students. He interacts well with his peers be it in the classroom setting or with the broader diverse student population where he is well known as a balanced individual with a warm personality and sense of humor. He balances his time well by excelling in a heavy course load filled with advanced placement classes and he also participates in various school and community activities, including our school’s academic teams which provide a structured yet fun forum for competition and learning. Allen is a well rounded individual who clearly enjoys a challenge. Overall, Allen exhibits the qualities of a leader as well as a great scientist who has had ample research experience and excels academically in challenging, college level courses. He is an intelligent, well-rounded, and grounded individual who challenges himself and actively seeks new opportunities and experiences. He has the determination, maturity, and intelligence to succeed in any endeavor and always maintains a positive attitude. His academic and personal achievements show that he is committed to his education and will work hard to achieve his goals. He exudes confidence and has a vivid, outgoing, and friendly personality that allows him to get along with others very well in any setting. I admire him for his intelligence, sincerity, honesty, and integrity and am impressed by his discipline as an independent learner. He is a highly motivated individual with a thirst for knowledge. Allen Cheng would truly be a superior addition to the student body at Harvard. Sincerely, Cherryl Vorak AP Chemistry, Chemistry Honors Teacher The letter here is very strong for a multitude of reasons. First, the length is notable – most letters are just a page long, but this is nearly two full pages, single spaced.This is pretty rare, since teachers often have to write dozens of letters a year. It's clear she's interacted with me a lot, cares a lot about supporting me, and is willing to put in the work to do so. The structure is effective: first Miss Vorak talks about my academic accomplishments, then about my personal qualities and interactions, then a summary to the future. This is a perfect blend of what effective letters contain.She highlights my most important extracurricular activities and awards (you can read more about it here in my Complete college application). At the detail level, her diction and phrasing are specific and supportive. She makes my standing clear with precisestatements: â€Å"youngest student†¦top excelling student among the two sections† and â€Å"one of twenty students in the nation.† She’s clear about describing the effort I put in, like studying college-level chemistry and studying independently. When describing my personality, she’s exuberant and fleshes out a range of dimensions: â€Å"conscientious, motivated and responsible,† â€Å"exhibits the qualities of a leader,† â€Å"actively seeks new experiences,† â€Å"charismatic,† â€Å"balanced individual with a warm personality and sense of humor.† You can see how she's really checking off all the qualities colleges care about and corroborating her ratings. Overall, Miss Vorak’s letter perfectly supports my application– my love for science, my overall academic performance, and my personality. The last part is especially important - she adds much more color beyond my A in AP Chemistry.This letter was important to complement the overall academic performance and achievements shown on the rest of my application. Let's go to my second Common App teacher recommendation. Curious about what my college application looked like, including personal essays, grades, test scores, and extracurriculars? You're in luck - I've published my ENTIRE college application here. This includes my complete Common Application, teacher recommendations, counselor recommendation, and Harvard supplement. This application got me into every school I applied to, including Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and more. Check out how Miss Vorak's letter complemented my entire college application and my Personal Narrative. Teacher Letter #2: AP English Language Teacher My second teacher Mrs. Swift was another favorite. A middle-aged, experiencedEnglish teacher, I would describe her as â€Å"fiery,† in a good way. She was passionate, always trying to get a rise out of students in class discussions. She was challenging as a teacher and grader, and I always wanted to impress her. Emotionally she was a reliable source of support for students. First, the teacher evaluation from the Common App: How long have you known this student and in what context? 2 years, AP student. What are the first words that come to your mind to describe this student? (blank) List the courses you have taught this student, noting for each the student's year in school (10th, 11th, 12th) and the level of course difficulty (AP, accelerated, honors, IB, elective, etc.) 11th Grade AP English Please write whatever you think is important about this student, including a description of academic and personal characteristics.We are particularly interested in the candidate’s intellectual promise, motivation, maturity, integrity, independence, originality, initiative, leadershippotential, capacity for growth, special talents, enthusiasm, concern for others, respect accorded by faculty, and reaction to setbacks. We welcomeinformation that will help us to differentiate this student from others. (blank) Ratings Compared to other college-bound students in his or her secondary school class, how do you rate this student in terms of: Below Average Average Good (above average) Very Good (well above average) Excellent (top 10%) Outstanding (top 5%) One of the top few encountered in my career Creative, original thought âÅ"“ Motivation âÅ"“ Self-confidence âÅ"“ Independence, initiative âÅ"“ Intellectual ability âÅ"“ Academic achievement âÅ"“ Written expression of ideas âÅ"“ Effective class discussion âÅ"“ Disciplined work habits âÅ"“ Potential for growth âÅ"“ You can see right away that her remarks are terser. She didn’t even fill out the section about â€Å"first words that come to mind to describe this student.† You might chalk this up to my not being as standout of a student in her mind, or her just getting tired of recommendation letter requests every year. In ratings, I earned three of the â€Å"one of the top in my career† for "Motivation," "Independence, initiative," and "Intellectual ability." The rest are marked as Outstanding (top 5%). These are overall great ratings, but not as universally "top ever" compared to my AP Chemistry teacher. There are a few explanations for this. As a teacher’s career lengthens, it gets increasingly hard to earn this mark. Since Mrs. Swift was a lot older than Miss Vorak, she had run through a ton of students already, which makes it harder to be one of the top few ever encountered. I probably also didn’t stand out as much as I did to my Chemistry teacher – most of my achievement was in science (which she wasn’t closely connected to), and I had talented classmates. Regardless, I did appreciate the 3 marks she gave me. Now, the letter. Once again, as you read this letter, think: what are the hundreds of interactions, in the classroom and outside, that would have led to a letter like this? To Whom It May Concern: It is with great pleasure that I recommend Allen Cheng for admission to your school. In my three years of working with him, he has demonstrated the qualities necessary for high success in the demanding academic atmosphere of a high caliber university as well as the social skills needed to be successful in college. Academically, he is an extremely strong student, earning an A both semesters in AP Junior English (a feat few accomplish), and A’s throughout his high school career. He consistently exhibits dedication and vigor in all that he approaches. He is a member of the National Honor Society, the California Scholarship Federation, and an integral part of the Jisan Research Institute. He is a vital member of all that he is a part of. Outside of the classroom, Allen’s passion is for research. He has a brilliant and lightning quick mind; he is a fantastic scientist, one with great charisma and leadership skills. Though he is a year younger than the rest of his class, he is heads and shoulders above them. He has been more than ready for all that a major university has to offer for quite some time. Perhaps one of Allen’s most outstanding characteristics is his independence of thought and his willingness to express those thoughts. In other situations where students-would never speak their minds, he showed no hesitation to voice questions, thoughts, and ideas. He was always an active participant in class discussions, his animated character and controversial positions often being the spark that set off the entire class to an impassioned and heated period of arguing, often with him at the focal point of one side or another. His other qualities are of equal magnitude – his leadership skills came to forefront in group projects where he took charge, assuming the majority of the work and responsibility, ensuring that everything was completed in a timely manner and to his extremely high standards. He also has the ability to take the quiet and shy student and actively engage him or her, transforming that student into an active member of the class. I went out of my way to partner him with other students who needed this kind of attention and encouragement. Another quality that sets him apart from other student leaders is his strength of conviction. He will argue on any topic that has touched a nerve. He breathes with raw, unbridled passion. It is a rare gift in a person of any age; in someone just 16, it is breathtaking. He is honest, never stooping to cheat; he is entertaining, relying on wit, knowledge, and intelligence to persuade. Friends rely on him; he is attentive to their true needs. Teachers enjoy him in their classes. I recommend Allen completely, with no hesitation. He will make his mark and be known. Judith Swift Overall, this letter is very strong. It’s only one page long, but she spends a lot more time on my personal qualities. She writes with her characteristic flair: â€Å"In other situations where students would never speak their minds, he showed no hesitation to voice questions, thoughts, and ideas.† â€Å"controversial positions often being the spark that set off the entire class† â€Å"ability to take the quiet and shy student and actively engage†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ went out of my way to partner him with other students who needed† â€Å"strength of conviction†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ raw, unbridled passion†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ He will argue on any topic that has touched a nerve.† These comments support my personality strongly. I lean more towards an irreverent, straightforwardpersonality, not being afraid to speakmy mind.While this came across in my personal essays and application, an experienced teacher vouching for this adds so much more weight than just my writing it about myself. Again, this impression was built up over a year of her teaching me. It wasn't just one time I stopped by after class. It was continuous participation in class discussions, strong performance throughout the year, and likely observations of me when I didn't know she was even looking. With my two letters in mind, let's end with advice for how you can get the best college rec letters possible. How You Can Get the Best Recommendation Letters from Your Teachers By now, I've repeated my most important advice for you a few times. The important thing is that the advice sticks in, and that you actually practice it. The best recommendation letters for students gush about your personal qualities and why that makes you the promising beacon of the future. You can't trick a teacher into writing a strong letter for you. This is the wrong attitude to have, and most teachers will be able to sniff out insincerity. Don't think that you can just stop by after class three times and get the teacher to be your buddy. Instead, your teacher's impression of you is built up over hundreds of interactions - in class discussions, in group projects, in your homework, during presentations, when arguing about test scores, and even when you think she's not listening. If you honestly like learning and are an enthusiastic, responsible, engaging student, a great recommendation letter will follow naturally. The horse should lead the cart. With all this in mind, here are strategies for how you can build great relationships with your teachers and get super strong letters along the way: Starting sophomore year, identify 2-3 teachers each year you get along with. Have at least one in math/sciences, and another in the other subjects. You won't get letters from all of them, but you do want backups in case your top choice writers don't work out. Prepare well for class discussions, and don't be afraid of sounding dumb. Speak your mind and your teacher will remember it. As a teaching assistantin college and grad school, I can tell you firsthand how annoying it is to ask the class a question and have no one respond. Prep beforehand and show that you're one of the few students who actually cares about learning. In your interactions with teachers, focus on improving yourself and learning, not on getting a better grade.This applies to talking about grading, group projects, and learning what's on a test. Students who grovel for extra points on a test are really annoying. In contrast, students who try to figure out where their weaknesses are and how to improve for the future are really fun to work with. Try to make the teacher's life easier.If you can help the teacher save time, she'll love you for it. This might mean helping out classmates who are struggling, sharing notes with the class, or noticing problems she's having and trying to fix them. This will take sustained effort and energy, but it's the most reliable way to get very strong recommendation letters. Even more, you'll likely have a lot more fun in school, and you'll build a strong relationship with an adult mentor who can teach you a lot. For a lot more detailed advice like this on how to interact with teachers earnestly, check out my How to Get a 4.0 GPA and Better Grades guide. Keep Reading to Build Your College Application Do you like my advice in this guide? Great - I've written a lot more to help you build the strongest college app possible. Want more recommendation letter samples? Check out 4 more excellent recommendation letters from teachers. How to Get a Perfect SAT Score/How to Get a Perfect ACT Score Do you feel like your SAT/ACT score is lower than what your top colleges are looking for? As someone who got a perfect score on the SAT and ACT, I learned important strategies to notice your weaknesses and drill to improve them. Read these guides to boost your SAT/ACT scores. Also, check out my series on getting perfect scores in each of the sections on the SAT/ACT: SAT 800 Series: Reading | Math | Writing ACT 36 Series: English | Math | Reading | Science How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League Aiming for a top school like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, or Ivy League-level schools? Your impression of what they're looking for might be COMPLETELYwrong. In this guide, you'll learn: why collegesexist, and what that means for what students they're looking for why being well-rounded is the path to rejection what an application Spike is, and why it'll get you into every college you apply to how to develop a Spike of your own If you're aiming for top tier colleges, this is a must read for you. How to Get a 4.0 GPA and Better Grades Do you feel like you're struggling to balance a rigorous courseload with good grades? You're not alone - this is a challenge for many high school students nationwide. In this guide, I'll tell you everything I know about how to get good grades. This includes mindset and psychology; study habits you need to have; and individual subject strategies. Even if you're not aiming for a 4.0 GPA, this is well worth the read - you'll learn something that can save you hundreds of hours of study time. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

UC Application - Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

UC Application - - Personal Statement Example Because many businesses are operating in tough economic times, making proper use of financial resources of importance value. Managing financial resources thus interests me given the benefit of using capital in an effective way. In addition, I have an interest of running a successful business that will purchase and sell goods in the international market. This enormous task requires robust financial understanding that I can only earn by enrolling in a financial program. These reasons reinforce my interest in finance major that is offered in your esteemed university. My interest for a financial major is strengthened by experience in a number of positions. In the past, I have worked as a sales person for a trading company where I managed products being sold by the firm. In this position, I learnt various skills required by marketers. During the 2010 summer, I worked as an intern in a Chinese firm. As an intern, my immediate supervisor tasked me with the role of carrying out various finan cial calculations using Microsoft Excel. Further, I learnt how to carry out market research and to use data in making strategic decisions in business. Most important, I learnt how to enter data and analyze them based on certain parameters. Equally important, I had the opportunity of working for an insurance agency. In this firm, I plan and advise clients based on their business proposals. Moreover, my role is to persuade businesspersons to subscribe to our insurance policies to protect their business from various risks. From the above work experiences, I gained many significant experiences that will improve my performance as a financial planner. First, I learnt how to market goods to different businesses with a goal of winning. With a goal of starting an international business, I am now aware of how to win other businesses that may be some of my customers. In the same fashion, I learnt the value of making a sound decision based on data gained from research. Indeed, this critical gai n will improve my ability to operate in the international arena where business intelligence is paramount. Further, I also gained new concepts both in business and in finance that will increase my success in business. With an intention of working an iBank first, before starting my own business, I deem this experiences a great opportunity for me to appreciate the role of business. Given my application for consideration in your university, I intend to use this opportunity as a solid foundation to acquire other advanced financial concepts that will prepare me to excel in business as an astute financial planner. Questions two Being a leader is one of the attributes that defines me. Over years, I have had the opportunity to take on different leaders that have given me the opportunity to serve others, as well as develop myself. During my tenure in De Anza College, I was the president of the Japanese Cultural Club, which had a goal of disseminating Japanese culture, heritage, and value amon g members of the club. My acceptance as the president of the association was because of my cross-cultural ability and understanding of other cultures, as well. With this background, I am looked forward for an opportunity to use the skills I have learnt in contributing to the diversity of the university. Apart from being the president of the Japanese Cultural Club, I also served as chairperson of the Biology club. This is a position that I served because of

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY- Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY- - Essay Example The study will also discover the relation of these theoretical frameworks with the movie Lord of the Flies directed by Harry Hook in 1990, and the film Independence Day (1996) directed by Roland Emmerich. Consequently, the study will provide a critical appreciation of the above-mentioned theoretical frameworks by demonstrating their association with the international politics one the one hand, and with the films afore-mentioned on the other. First articulated by the American political-scientist Kenneth Waltz in his remarkable work Theory of International Politics in 1979, neo-realism perspective submits to state that the nation-states of the world appear to be the most dominant actors at international, which serve as sovereign in nature and hence introduce and apply the strategies in the best interests of their subjects (Baldwin, 1093, p. 26). Their ego-centrism does not allow them to work against their political, economic, cultural, geographical and strategic interests; as a result, the administrations of these sovereign states may take even unjust steps in favour of their own country, and against the rival states at large. It creates an anarchical state of affairs at global scale, because of the absence of any regularity authority that could play decisive role in order to maintain peace and dictate the states work within their geographical boundaries instead of meddling into the affairs of others through unjust and unnecessary interferences into the affairs of others (Keohane, 1994, p. 11). This anarchical state of affairs not only appears to be extremely challenging for the global peace and tranquillity, but also could pave the way towards conflicts and clashes between the states for the future years to come. As a result, the situation could create the circumstances similar to the ones that had ignited the European nations for standing against each other and for waging the horrible Great Wars eventually. Neo-realism approach is aptly regarded the expansion o f the idea of realism devised by the renowned sixteenth century Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli in his illustrious the Prince (1532), where he had declared sovereignty and defence of the geographical and ideological boundaries of his state as the first and foremost obligation before a head of state (Machiavelli, 2009, p. 19). However, neo-realism approach also contradicts and suns the realism perspective due to the very reality that it lays stress upon the need for the maintenance of peace and stability at international scale with the creation and upsurge of a neutral and impartial regularity authority that could bring all sovereign states to terms during their entering into cruel and ruthless adventures against the sovereignty of other countries of the world. In other words, neo-realism looks for the appointment of international authority, in the absence of which the nation-states appear to be blowing their own trumpet and justifying even their unjust causes that look reall y challenging for the security of the comparatively weaker nations of the world; the movie under the title â€Å"Lord of the Flies† (1990) also draws out the same scenario. The movie

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Global political economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global political economy - Essay Example The Blueshirts tended to brutalise society into obedience. In this sense, Chiang tried to enforce his authority by force - something that Hitler and Mussolini tried to do. Chiang's attempt to win the support of the people in his territory was minimal Meanwhile, on Taiwan, throughout the 1950s and 1960s, intermittent skirmishes occurred throughout the mainland's coastal and peripheral regions, though American reluctance to be drawn into a larger conflict left Chiang Kai-shek too weak to "retake the mainland" as he constantly vowed. ROC fighter aircraft bombed mainland targets and commandos, sometimes numbering up to 80, landed repeatedly on the mainland to kill PLA soldiers, kidnap CCP cadres, destroy infrastructure, and seize documents. The ROC lost about 150 men in one raid in 1964.Mao's prestige rose steadily after the failure of the Comintern-directed urban insurrections. In late 1931 he was able to proclaim the establishment of the Chinese Soviet Republic under his chairmanship i n Ruijin, Jiangxi Province. The Soviet-oriented CCP Political Bureau came to Ruijin at Mao's invitation with the intent of dismantling his apparatus. But, although he had yet to gain membership in the Political Bureau, Mao dominated the proceedings. Few Chinese had any illusions about Japanese designs on China. ... The Japanese began to push from south of the Great Wall into northern China and into the coastal provinces. Chinese fury against Japan was predictable, but anger was also directed against the Guomindang government, which at the time was more preoccupied with anti-Communist extermination campaigns than with resisting the Japanese invaders. The importance of "internal unity before external danger" was forcefully brought home in December 1936, when Nationalist troops (who had been ousted from Manchuria by the Japanese) mutinied at Xi'an. The mutineers forcibly detained Chiang Kai-shek for several days until he agreed to cease hostilities against the Communist forces in northwest China and to assign Communist units combat duties in designated anti-Japanese front areas. At Yan'an and elsewhere in the "liberated areas," Mao was able to adapt Marxism-Leninism to Chinese conditions. He taught party cadres to lead the masses by living and working with them, eating their food, and thinking their thoughts. The Red Army fostered an image of conducting guerrilla warfare in defense of the people. Communist troops adapted to changing wartime conditions and became a seasoned fighting force. Mao also began preparing for the establishment of a new China. In 1940 he outlined the program of the Chinese Communists for an eventual seizure of power. His teachings became the central tenets of the CCP doctrine that came to be formalized as Mao Zedong Thought. With skillful organizational and propaganda work, the Communists increased party membership from 100,000 in 1937 to 1.2 million by 1945. In 1945 China emerged from the war nominally a great military power but actually a

Friday, November 15, 2019

Prescriptive And Descriptive Grammar

Prescriptive And Descriptive Grammar A pedagogical grammar refers to the modified approach that is now adopted in linguistics to facilitate the process of teaching an extra language. In broader spectrum it can be defines as the grammar that exists to help foreign language learners. Pedagogical grammar can be categorized into two distinct but interconnected theory areas. First of which is concerned with descriptive models can be integrated with pedagogical reference along with teaching materials that makes the process of learning easy and simple for the learner. Secondly premises about second-language achievement form the other category of pedagogical grammar. It provides the fundamentals about class attitudes and tactics. It in general guides students about grammatical concepts which appear to be insightful for a native speaker while extremely complicated for a non-native speaker. An indigenous English speaker needs less attention an instruction in correcting some obvious sentence structure mistakes. For instance he would be easily able to invert the words You do know me to form an appropriate sentence as Do you know me? However for somebody who is learning English as his second language would demand a detailed explanation about making this inversion. This fact becomes more lucid when the persons native language formulates question following a different way. Guiding about this particular area of grammar might appear monotonous and pointless for first-language speakers but it is an essential aspect of pedagogical grammar. ( Ortega, 2008) Pedagogical grammar introduces rules about correcting the language usage in communications. For instance it guides about the language that a doctor uses to check his patients and write his prescriptions. Similarly pedagogical grammar also deals with descriptive grammars teaching the speakers to have a strong grip over the language to make sure they use it frequently even without considering the proper rules before speaking. Summing up pedagogical grammar forms a border between the grounds of prescriptive and descriptive language. Using both approaches is vital to serve the purpose of pedagogical grammar that is to help non-native speakers use the language fluently. In order to make a learner perfectly skilled in his desirable language, it is important to make obey the rules of prescriptive grammar to improve his utterances. On the contrary by means of descriptive language the foreign language learners comprehend the way native speakers make use of the language. However it is necessary the learners make complete sense in his communication when using slangs or some other non-standard learning ways. Lexicogrammar is a term that is often considered unusual in the systemic functional linguistics. Basically it defines the level of linguistic structure wherein expressions or vocabulary, and grammar, or sentence structure come under the same heading. The words and grammatical structure are not considered independent variables at this level. In fact the modern concept is that both of them are mutually dependent that is one has a profound influence on the other. The similar relation between lexis and grammar has been discussed in many linguistic theories and approaches. This entry in particular will focus more on the systemic functional linguistics (SFL) as well as corpus linguistics (CL), because both these hypothetical-procedural frameworks have strong relation with applied linguistics. In both the cases lexicogrammar plays a vital role. For Instance; the Lexicogrammatical learning techniques should be implemented in classrooms on daily basis. This would enable the second language learners achieve the optimum result similar to those individuals who are learning their first language. In case the students are not told about the phrases used commonly in native English, they will definitely get confused when have a conversation with somebody. It is a fact that second language learners would not be able to think of the routine conversational phrases that the native speakers frequently use. Therefore they should be taught about this to make sure they also attain a native like fluency in their language skills. It has also been deliberated that the prescriptive grammar emphasizes more about grammatical errors and cohesiveness. It guides student about the appropriate grammar rules, probable error areas in terms oral and written communication. It includes all the flexible and necessary guidelines about the language. This parti cular type of grammar describes how people converse using correct sentence structure without considering the strict rules now and then. ( Lins, 2007) Provide your position toward the following statement by using theories and research results: L1-L2 differences cause learning difficulties. For example, is it true or do you agree or disagree and why? Evaluating the relationship between mother tongue (L1) and second language (L2) has been one of the most important subjects under discussion in the arena of second language acquisition (SLA) research. I do not comply with the statement that L1-L2 differences results in learning complications because there are also many other factors that affect the learning process directly. A major part of the discussion emphasizes on the transfer phenomena which is typically referred to the incorporation characteristics of L1 into the informative systems of L2 that the learner is trying to construct. During the time frame 1950s-1960, transfer is seen to be one of the main causes of learning difficulties. Following in 1970s L2 acquisition process was denied in all the places. After all this crucial points of transfer debate has been determined which states in spite of the possession of irritating and elusive character, transfer is considered to be the major factor crafting the learners inter-languag e performance. Moreover it is also becoming evident that transfer phenomena are not just limited to learners integration of L1 elements into their L2 production. It is also believed that transfer is caused by similarities and differences between languages. It is not restricted to the impact of L1 and L2 but also encompasses the influence of L2 and L3. (Cook, Long McDonough, 1979). In spite of extensive research done in this arena, there are still a lot of issues left unresolved such as nature of transfer, situations in which it occurs and related psychological processes. For instance effect of L1 on L2 performance is most prominent in the field of phonology wherein foreign accent is possibly the best demonstration of learners mother tongue in L2 speech. However the most research done on these phonological skills of L2 previously revolved around segmented issues. Therefore all the possible pro-sody was disregarded. The relation between the languages is known to very crucial as it determines the nature of second language acquisition. The acquisition of L1 and L2 did not differ then the research would only be about sub-field of language acquisition. It is actually a maxim that defines the features of L2 acquisition as the availability of another language with the presence of the first language in the same mind. Besides the characteristic of L2 community is define d as the supplementary usage of additional languages in association with the first language. Explain the notions of attention and noticing and their roles in L2 learning. Modern researchers state that noticing, which is defined as the level of attention and concentration, is a vital necessity for learning the grammatical forms of L2. This can be distinguished by its features such as a cognitive function called detection, consciousness and awareness. Both these elements are considered to be so essential that no innovative mental representation can be made in their absence. Moreover, according to many researchers and language instructors it is part of human skills and nature that he learns first languages more easily and effortlessly as in this case attention is not required along with awareness. On the contrary people learning second languages do not show such simplicity towards the learning process. They are not able to learn with the aid of detection only. Such difficulties and complications are more evident in learning grammar and cohesiveness of L2. The practical implementations seen in classrooms are generally noticeable. Here teachers and student s endeavor to use obscure cognitive processes that supervise both the processes of learning, attention and grammar learning.( Schmitt, 2010) Schmitt was the first person to conduct an effective research on the psychology associations with Second Language Acquisition (SLA). He claimed that the things that are noticeable are vital for L2 learning. He also hypothesized that noticing is an essential condition for this. Although many researchers considered noticing a vital component for L2 learning still the thoughts and opinions of other scholars differ in sense whether it is obligatory or not. Another factor considered to be important for L2 learning is attention, intentional or spontaneous. This human skill basically refers to his capability of concentrating on one task while paying no attention to the others. Subcategories of attention encompass alertness (eagerness to deal with a challenge), orientation (pathway of attention), detection (cognitive registration of a situation) and inhibition (negligence towards stimuli). The SLA theory states that one cannot learn anything from input unless it has formed the object of atte ntion. It is true that it is necessary for L2 learning to focus on cognitive activities in regards with specific stimuli over time. The issue that is debatable in this arena is whether or not this discernment shall be conscious. Noticing refers to assigning importance to one aspect as compared to others. It is a form of awareness which determines private experience of learner linguistically. It has also been deliberated by many researchers that noticing is important for changing input to intake in case of learning L2. Schmitt (2010) also described the minimum prerequisite of noticing as the attention paid to deal with grammatical components in input. This is done with the accomplishment of reporting threshold level of subjective responsiveness and knowledge about the experience.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Current Event Research Paper Essay

The research paper I found to discuss was a study done on motivation in the work place in a hotel in Konya, Turkey. Since I am currently in the hotel industry I find it very interesting that these individuals were able to conduct a mathematical analysis of what drives employees to stay committed in the work place. The three factors they tested to see which had the highest effect on employees were intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and work motivation. In this study they had employees fill out a survey based on a 5-point scale that consisted of a list of questions pertaining to their work environment and the outcome of certain situations. This study was based on a single 5 star hotel that contained about 500 employees, only about 120 participated in the study. Researchers broke the results down into a mathematical problem that started equal for each of the three factors but then increased/decreased based on test results. They also had a percentage breakdown of age range and gender so you knew the different variables they were working with. The problem they were trying to solve was to see how to keep employees from leaving a company since employee turnover is much more costly than keeping long term employees. I know from my experience that employees need motivation when at work especially in an industry as difficult as hospitality. This test was important to conduct because as managers and supervisors we need to know what keeps our employees going and striving. The result of this study proved to be very informative and helpful when better understanding employee’s basic needs. Researchers were able to find out what the most important factor is and what the least important factor is for employees when we are trying to keep them committed to a company. The first result of this study showed that intrinsic was the most important  motivational factor. This means that employees value being treated as a human more than anything else. Instead of treating employees like they are just a working piece of a machine, they want to know that they are viewed as a social human beings who are important to the organization as a whole. I know from personal experience in this industry that this result is spot on, you can give employees raises but if they don’t feel appreciated within your company or even just your department then they will shut down. This is a very important result to see so that management can see that basic respect of employees by their leaders makes all the difference. The second most important factor for commitment showed to be extrinsic motivation. I was surprised to find that this actually wasn’t the highest result since people generally work towards moving up at their job. This result showed that it is important to reward employees with promotions, salary increases, etc. which I feel is basic common knowledge that you should have as a manager. In my hotel I reward my employees with incentives for receiving good guest reviews which I feel is important to show them that not only are they doing a great job but I want them to be rewarded for going above and beyond for our guests. The outcome of this study shows that in fact employees do need to receive monetary compensation for a job well done alongside praise and respect for doing their job well. The last result was work motivation which showed to have absolutely no effect in this case study. In this specific study it presents that work motivation has no effect on employee’s commitment to a company thus making it irrelevant to this study. Work motivation is the basic internal and external factors management uses to keep their employees going at work. This did surprise me that it has no effect on employee’s commitment to their company since I would feel like if you are being motivated to do your work you would want to stay with that company. I found this entire study to be very interesting since I do work in this specific field so it is good to know as a manager what will make my employees want to stay with the company. I think all in all they went about this study the right way by breaking it down into three factors and calculating it down to percentages and using a 5-point system to rank from most important to least important. I would say that maybe if this test was conducted again that they break it down by department so it was more specified as well as ha ving more participants in the survey so the results  would be more validated.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

children’s picture books

Picture books are intended to demo kids how to deduce pleasance from reading. They fuse humourous secret plans with capturing illustrations in order to keep the attending of the kid. The add-on of images can increase the length of service of a book ‘s involvement ; they are designed to be read over and over once more and therefore the kid needs to be provided with something more than a simplistic plot line. Picture books besides encourage verbal interaction and reading aloud with a parent in order to develop a kid ‘s assurance before the inevitable ‘reading aloud ‘ lessons at school. Verbal sleight is an of import accomplishment to develop and regards literacy. The function of illustrations in this medium is chiefly to supply excess stimulation although, like music and wordss, they each become every bit of import as the other. Some writers are synonymous with illustration manners such as Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake who form a cohesive force in stimulating lit erature for older kids. It is in this very stimulation that the function of image books in the development of literacy can genuinely be seen. Art and literature are effectual signifiers of look, which can be combined to great consequence to better apprehension, and as E.M. Forster pondered â€Å"How can I know what I think until I see what I say? † The resistance to visualize books, a apparently unoffending artistic enterprise to the untrained oculus, is surprisingly fierce. Protheroe ( 1992, p.7 ) considers image books the â€Å"banner at the caput of the present relentless patterned advance towards educational failure† which originated to stamp down the vocabulary of the working categories. She voices concern that by supplying kids with images they are being discouraged to visualize things for themselves ; their imaginativeness is stunted. Yet, a John Vernon Lord explains in his talk, the bulk of his images are born from his imaginativeness instead than from life so how could something so innately inventive dissuade similar idea? In add-on, even with the most apparently basic of image books, such as Rosie's Walk, there is ever something else to add. For illustration, Rosie ‘s Walk, has apparently small secret plan ( it is a affair of pages long and merely accounts a biddy walking through a farmyard ) nevertheless, the images provide a whole new kingdom of possibility for the imaginativeness. Although Rosie does non interact with any other animate beings, she passes several, many of whom witness the trials of the fox. As a kid surveies the images they can contrive reactions and full lives for the sub-characters. The toads are sent winging as the fox muffs and dips into the pool – did the toads think this was ill-mannered? Did the fox apologise? The caprine animal who grazes by the hayhock is seen in the background of a ulterior scene, watching the fox acquire struck by the falling flour – was the caprine animal amused? Concerned for Rosie? Vernon Lord and Burroway demonstrate a acute oculus for item and supply the kid with an chance to believe outside the information with which they are ab initio presented. This is particularly true of a brief narrative like Rosie ‘s Walk as the kid will about surely grow accustomed to the secret plan after several readings and expression for other stimulation in the narrative. In direct contrast to Protheroe ‘s concerns, it seems that images, used skilfully, could in fact promote a higher degree of shrewdness from a kid who would hold long become tired of the few words in Rosie ‘s Walk if it lacked images. However, to assume that a image book may be wholly simplistic or patronize the potency of a kid possibly underestimates the writer. For illustration, in Rosie ‘s Walk, the kid is placed in a senior place of cognition in comparing to the supporter. Hutchins credits the reader as the omniscient being while Rosie remains blissfully incognizant of her chaser. The comedy of this narrative besides provides many degrees. On the surface, there is the authoritative slapstick comedy as the fox collides with a profligate. Slapstick creates the instantaneous temper and entreaties to child-like love of anticing in both kid and grownup. But it is non merely physical comedy. The shutting line â€Å"and got back place safely† creates humour out of anticlimax every bit good as alleviation. The narrative is tenseness built upon tenseness with the consecutive quandaries reminiscent of the subsequent Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner sketchs created by Warner Brothers in which a famished prairie wolf pursues a fast paced bird with progressively luxuriant stunts in each episode but to no help. However, this construction seems more suited to the image book as even the action of turning the page drives the narrative and dictates a slower gait. The pages serve as a splitter, making little succinct scenes which help construct the beds before the flood tide . The interesting construction is rooted in this integrity of several unsafe scenes married with the shutting line which, like Rosie, seems incognizant that there was of all time any danger. Similarly, John Vernon Lord explains the importance of the coaction between text and image arrangement in his talk sing The Giant Jam Sandwich: †¦ when text and image are depicting the same episode in the narrative I prefer to implement their physical relationship by puting them on the same page wherever possible. The interruptions in the text and the pictural presentation on each page need to follow the natural phases of the plot line. The tempo of the illustrations with the narrative is of the extreme importance†¦ This demonstrates how the narrative, text and image intertwine, congratulating one another in both manner and gait, to make a whole. This will be explored in greater deepness later. The most basic rule of image books is to advance literacy by doing books more appealing to kids. By doing the books non merely visually luring, but by supplying images to help less able readers, literature is made all the more accessible. Cullingford ( 1998, p.12-13 ) recognises that those kids who struggle with reading ab initio can experience like failures at a really immature age which can consequence their relationship with reading for life. They can get down to see literature as sole. By supplying kids with familiar image narratives instead than confusing cuneuss of text, they can slowly construct the foundation for a love of reading which, as their assurance improves, will actuate them to near more â€Å"unreliable† , disputing tomes in ulterior life. Bettina Hurlimann expresses her position that images are the cosmopolitan linguistic communication and therefore embrace all kids irrespective of academic ability or linguistic communication: by optimising handiness kids wi ll hold a healthier relationship with books. Protheroe ( 1992 p.111 ) accepts the premiss of the image book to publicize reading a enjoyable but besides accuses this peculiar avenue of denying the potency of books and linguistic communication by proposing that words merely have one significance. This, nevertheless, seems a small dramatic. Picture books aimed at 0-5 twelvemonth olds larning to read make frequently merely have one significance, any more than that is normally directed at the grownup. For illustration, in The Giant Jam Sandwich the town of Rubing Down is described as â€Å"not a really bristly town† . As they have merely rid themselves of 1000s of WASP, the kid will take that subdivision to intend that the town did non appreciate being overrun by WASP ; they were non pro-wasps. It is improbable that a kid under five would be familiar with the â€Å"petulantly spiteful† definition of bristly but the grownup might deduce some pleasance from the word drama. Hunt ( 1991, p.175 ) accepts and admires the si mpleness of the linguistic communication but feels that â€Å"much of the complexness is expressed by the ocular elements† . He suggests that literary techniques such as metaphor can be much more efficaciously demonstrated through the usage of images although, like Protheroe, he does admit the subsequent hazard that it â€Å"fix [ Es ] words into a restrictive, everyday interpretation† go forthing the kid no room to leave their ain significance onto words ; there is no room for tactic. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, in which a caterpillar munches his manner through a regular assortment of tasty dainties, chows two pears. The drama on the word â€Å"pair† and â€Å"pear† was about surely non intended for the three twelvemonth old but instead the individual assisting them to read. In add-on, this peculiar volume can be seen to integrate non merely verbal sleight but mathematical and elements of natural scientific discipline. The caterpillar chows an increasing figure of nutrients, which employs basic numeracy, and later transforms into a chrysalis, so into a butterfly as is the natural order. It seems that without images, this might be a difficult construct to explicate to a really immature kid. The vocabulary required with no ocular assistance might be rather burdensome and estranging ( non least due to the word chrysalis! ) and therefore the images make it a more accessible impression. As Hunt ( 1991, p.176 ) competently notes, it allows u s to â€Å"cross the boundary between the verbal and the pre-verbal† . It allows kids to progress in other capable countries at a younger age. However, Protheroe ( 1992, p.74 ) would reason that kids need to larn to get by with â€Å"uncertainty and accept ambiguity† as it allows them to rehearse illation. Hunt ( 1991, p.181 ) seems to experience that there is a happy medium, nevertheless, in which significance is limited but non prescribed. He feels that this is applicable to both images and words as each signifier can be used in a manner which is stilted or one that opens the floodgates of reading and creativeness. As Hunt ( 1991, p. 185 ) attests the â€Å"absence of words would hold provided a ‘gap' which takes intelligence and imaginativeness to fill† every bit would the absence of images ; working together, both serve their intent. Jane Doonan expresses the importance that pictures talk for themselves and non merely reenforce the words and this impression is the thought of the image book versus that of the illustrated narrative. Moebius ( 1986, p.132 ) articulates that â€Å"in the image book, we read the images and text together as the reciprocally complementary narrative of consciousness† with the â€Å"story ‘behind ‘ the image frequently supplied by the illustrator. He expresses certainty that image books are like any signifier of literature: â€Å" [ the construction ] is non inadvertent or causeless phenomena† . Every word and every coppice shot have a intent. Edmund Evans pioneered the entire design of the image book, doing it a individual cohesive mechanism instead than merely some text with some images. This dichotomy can be seen in The Giant Jam Sandwich in which most of the scenes depict the full town. The moral of the narrative is less to make with the nuisance of WASP and more about community spirit and working together. For this ground, John Vernon Lord has ensured that the bulk of the colorful scenes incorporate most of the town, each making their occupation: from the little miss with pigtails heaving one little jar of jam along ; to the adult male crouching, seeking to acquire a exposure of the bread transit for descendants. It is these bantam inside informations that engage the kid clip after clip – every bit good as the grownup. John Vernon Lord criticises his ain work in his talk, nevertheless, claiming â€Å"with hindsight I feel that the color strategy adopted for these images is excessively similar throughout the book† and it is with changeless fluctuation and bustling images that a kid becomes entranced. However, the images do non hold to be busy to be exciting. Rosie ‘s Walk employs apparently simplistic illustrations and, although attending is paid to the background action, the focal point is far more on the fox and the biddy. These two characters are at the head of most of the scenes with the on occasion cameo from characters, such as the caprine animal, who hover in the background. This, like in The Giant Jam Sandwich, mimics the content of the piece which is really self-contained about Rosie ‘s motions. She does non prosecute with the other characters and neither does the text. The manner is besides much more fantastical with the big overdone ears of the fox and the bold usage of coloring material contrasts. The vivacious yellows and pinks clash in the most aesthetically delighting manner which provides ocular stimulation for the kid. They are unusual color combinations, new and challenging. Similarly, the bulblike trees are decorated with apples in regimented lines instead than the natural sporadic sprinkling ; the all right line between faithful readings of familiar images with phantasy has been attractively encapsulated. Furthermore The Sick Cow, by H.E. Todd and Val Biro, follow all the hushed browns of a arcadian Eden. Of the three books, this is the most ‘realistic ‘ in manner as The Giant Jam Sandwich shies from excessively much facial item with the concentration being on big, busy scenes. Biro specializes in item from the pace of the tractor tyres to the mane of the Equus caballus although allows the background leaf to film over into rural repose. Queerly, nevertheless, despite being the most visually ‘naturalistic ‘ , its content is possibly the most irregular covering, as it does, the complaints of a barking cow who is cured by sitting in some nettles. However, in The Sick Cow, although the images attractively capture the provincial scenery, they do basically exemplify the text. There is no sense, as Moebius ( 1986, p.137 ) demands, of the â€Å"unseen over the seen† as with Rosie ‘s Walk. The same could, possibly, be said of The Giant Jam Sandwich ; the di fference being that, in the latter, there is merely lots to see. Fisher ( 2005, p. 192 ) rallies the benefits of exposing kids to images as â€Å"art can assist assimilation by developing perceptual sensitiveness and favoritism through the survey of signifier, coloring material, form and texture† . This suggests that the blurring in The Sick Cow or the plangency of The Giant Jam Sandwich could supply stimulation which specifically develops the academic capacity of the kid. Pat Hutchins, writer of Rosie ‘s Walk, is besides responsible for The House That Sailed Away and I ‘m the King of the Castle: and Other Plaies for Children which are far wordier illustrations of kids ‘s literature, set out as dramas. Blythe ( 2005, p.82 ) notes that promoting kids to joint is important for development every bit vocal experience supports larning by integrating linguistic communication into the ego. Similar encouragement can be seen in the direct address in The Giant Jam Sandwich every bit good as the animate being noises in The Sick Cow. Learning is believed to be received through the senses and therefore books which encourage verbal interaction are good as are image books which engage the ocular sense. In add-on to art and vocal experience, music is considered to be a powerful tool in mental well being and larning showing that stimulation is non restricted to literature entirely. It can be found in a figure of artistic chases. Tame ( 1984 ) lineations Dr. Tartchanoff ‘s scientific surveies into the consequence of music observing that â€Å"music exercises a powerful influence on muscular activity†¦ sounds are dynamogenic† and the pacing of stone music, for illustration, can be damaging to the digestive system. This physical manifestation is seconded by Blythe ( 2005, p. 82 ) who covers the neurological alterations when people sing or speak as a group: †¦ the cardinal nervous system activity becomes synchronal†¦ emphasis endocrines lessening, musculus tenseness decreases, more O enters the system. They feel high ; have a certain lucidity of head and sometimes physical vision†¦ Taking into history the ‘reading aloud together ‘ facet of image books which, harmonizing to this research, stimulates the encephalon for physical wellbeing every bit good as the work on animal acquisition, the image book is potentially an indispensable acquisition tool. Taking this thought farther, the lyrical nature of many image books should besides be noted. For illustration, The Giant Jam Sandwich employs rigorous pair rhyme strategy: †¦ Bap gave the instructions for the devising of the dough. â€Å"Mix the flour from above and yeast from below. Salt from the seaboard, H2O from the spout. Now thump it! Bump it! Bang it about! †¦ Even if this technique is non straight mentioned to the kid, it is transfusing cognition of beat into their subconscious. This could act upon a love of music which, harmonizing to Dr. Tartchanoff, could be good – depending on the genre. If it developed into a passion for group singing so Blythe surely notes the increased potency for acquisition, modeling the head to a relaxed province of peace and preparedness. If nil else, the poetry makes the narrative flow and engages the senses – which kid would non bask fall ining in with those jussive moods? In the chase of animal stimulation, The Very Hungry Caterpillar can be seen to assail the ocular sense and that of touch. The thick pages display the holes through which the caterpillar has eaten. The kid can jab fingers through the spread and experience as if the narrative is unknoting before their eyes. This is a really tame illustration compared to the modern books which employ sound effects and downy spots. Where does it stop? Books on which the kid can hold a nibble? Possibly the sight of reading itself is being lost in favor of instant satisfaction as is the nature of our society. One must oppugn if this affairs every bit long as kids are being engaged in literature in some manner. And whose face did non light up at the sight of a pop-up book? Making larning merriment and interactive is no new phenomena and should non needfully be seen as endangering. Peter Hollindale ( 1997, p.75 ) has faith that â€Å"children take from a narrative what they want and need† so possibly our changeless use of animal stimulation is ineffectual. Some kids may merely be predisposed to reading and others non regardless of whether books have images. It may merely be a instance of fostering bing endowment by orienting larning to the demands of the single kid. Protheroe ( 1992, p.48-49 ) has farther concerns that image books can be damaging to the development of a kid ‘s memory. She argues that it has â€Å"long been established that in human linguistic communication lexical use involves a nexus between a symbol and a construct, non a symbol and referent† ( p.73 ) . She cites that Bower and Winzenz conducted trials which linked memory to active find and word picture. Although there is a school of idea which rejects the thought that image books stunt imaginativeness, Bower and Winzenz ‘s findings can non be dismissed. Picture books work on the rule of memory association. One of the purposes, every bit good as general stimulation, is to supply the kid with a word and an image which they can associate in their encephalon so that the word and its significance will be easier to retain. Bower and Winzenz suggest that by striping the kid the personal image creative activity, the nexus with their memory will be broken. Word and image association is a common manner to beef up memory keeping as is repeat or the usage of active imaginativeness: using a personal image to what the word signifies to you. There are many recommended alteration techniques because memory plants otherwise from individual to individual and therefore Protheroe may be right in some instances but it seems prudent to presume that image association will besides assist some kids when larning to read. After such drawn-out treatment about the importance of stimulating and progressing the cognition of a kid comes Alfred Adler ( 1998, p.181 ) and his sentiment to encompass the simpleness of kids ‘s books. He recognises that to seek and speed up the acquisition of a kid at a immature age can be counter-productive: â€Å"All mentally indigestible mush ought to be kept out of kids ‘s reading until they have reached a certain age of adulthood. Unsuitable literature may either be misunderstood, or it may restrict developing societal interest† . While Protheroe flies the flag for reading, Adler highlights the possible booby traps of such a stance: the hazard of misconstruing taking to fear or disaffection. And possibly Adler high spots an interesting point about the aging procedure. Betty Friedan ( 1993, p. 50 & A ; p.74 ) explains that societal research has indicated that those who show the most doggedness in keeping on to the values they developed in childhood were mos t susceptible to mental instability later in life. This links with Freud ‘s theories of the importance of childhood and the in which people develop much of their personality really quickly in childhood and subsequent alterations in maturity are frequently no more than superficial. By rushing up this procedure even more by showing kids with progressively complex literature before they have reached that â€Å"certain age of maturity† that Adler alludes to, kids might develop excessively rapidly before they are ready to understand the branchings therefore seting them in a vulnerable psychological place in their grownup old ages. Conversely, if Freud ‘s theories about the importance of childhood development are to be subscribed to, it would besides be unsafe to stunt a child's cognition and understanding at such a important clip in their psychological growing. As Moebius ( 1986 ) notes, the image book should be preserved as â€Å"the last frontier of innocence† and, as such, should non be corrupted by being held under inordinate examination. In the chase of literacy the importance of stimulation must be stressed. An active encephalon will advance literacy or, at least, a thirst for instruction whether that is artistic, mathematical or scientific. Literacy is achieved through developing kids with a healthy relationship with books, whether they grow up to read Crime and Punishment or with a preference for Mills and Boone ; to implement a literary hierarchy would be a presentation of snobbism and artistic ignorance. Literacy is independent from the literary canon. Denying kids colorful images besides seems to propose that ocular art is non every bit valuable as literature which is likewise imbalanced. Children should larn that art is about equality and, although they can encompass their preferable medium, they should non dismiss other signifiers of look or see them inadequate. Uniting literature with images demonstrates the manner in which art signifiers can efficaciously interact. Art signifiers are non sole. Furthermore, if employing images to capture a kid besides inexplicably entwines their head with the text so, what is the injury? Many grownups reserve a particular topographic point in their Black Marias for their childhood front-runners: from Noddy to The Very Jolly Postman ; from The Mr. Men books to The Velvetine Rabbit: their love of reading may be pinpointed to these really personal businesss. It seems unjust to deny immature readers of today these warm, fuzzed memories of bright amusing images and exciting colorss for fright of patronizing them. Children should be allowed to be kids before the age of five instead than invariably forcing them to develop more quickly – if they are ready to progress so that could be nurtured on an single footing. The fact is, with kids, with people even, the manner in which a head works varies from individual to individual so it seems ineffectual to order an overall right or incorrect on image books. The matrimony of text and images will trip the imaginativeness of some kids while others will deduce stimulation from building clay pies in the garden. Modern kids shoul d non be robbed of the colors of artlessness ; even if the modern colors of artlessness come in the signifier of The Tweenies.