What Is Dysgraphia

Often, homeschooling parents feel that theyre not equipped to homeschool a child with special needs or a learning disability. In my experience, thats just not true.  Home is often the best place for a student who learns differently. To highlight the benefits of homeschooling for special needs kids and to explain some of the lessor-known learning challenges, I went straight to the source - moms who are successfully homeschooling children who learn differently. Shelley, who is  an educator, author, marketer, and  editor,  blogs at  STEAM Powered Family.  Her oldest son is considered 2e, or twice exceptional. He is gifted but also grapples with dysgraphia and an anxiety disorder. His  struggles with dysgraphia began while he was still in public school, and heres what Shelley had to say. When did you first begin to suspect a problem? I struggled to read the messy scrawl of his printing - the letters irregular in size, random capitalization, a complete disregard for punctuation, and a few letters that were inverted and crawled up the sides of the paper. I looked into his bright, expectant eyes and turned the paper to my 8-year-old. â€Å"Can you read this to me?† The words he spoke were so eloquent, yet to look at the paper it appeared that a child half his age had written the message. Dysgraphia is a trickster that masks the abilities of the mind behind writing that is messy and often illegible.   My son has always been precocious and advanced in reading. He started reading around four years old and even wrote his first story a few months later in that adorable childish scribble. The story had a beginning, a middle and an end. It was called Killer Crocs, and I still have it tucked away in a drawer. When my son started school, I expected his printing would improve, but by grade 1 it became apparent to me that something was not right. The teachers brushed off my concerns, saying he was a typical boy. A year later, the school took notice and started voicing the same concerns I had earlier. It took a great deal of time, but we finally discovered my son had dysgraphia. When we looked at all the signs, we realized my husband has dysgraphia as well. What is dysgraphia? Dysgraphia is a learning disability that impacts the ability to write. Writing is a very complex task. It involves fine motor skills and sensory processing, along with the ability to create, organize, and express ideas. Oh, and don’t forget about  recalling proper spelling, grammar, and syntax rules. Writing is truly a multi-faceted skill that requires a number of systems to work in unity in order to achieve success. The signs of dysgraphia can be tricky to identify, as there are often other concerns, but generally you can look for clues such as: Significant difference in quality and expression of ideas when written versus spoken.  Students  can be incredibly eloquent and well versed in a subject, but if asked to write about the topic, they struggle to convey their knowledge.A tight and awkward pencil grip and body position while writingShaping letters in strange ways, starting them in awkward places, or varying their sizesIllegible and messy handwritingOrienting letters wrong, like writing letters backward or inverting themPoor spatial planning on paper (not leaving enough room for the words or starting in strange places)Avoidance of  drawing and writing tasksBecoming tired quickly while writing or complaining that it causes painUnfinished or omitted words in sentences when writingDifficulty organizing thoughts on paper, but not when  using other mediumsStruggles with grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, even though the student is well readThe appearance that the childs  mind is always going significantly faster than his hand.   My son shows every single one of these signs of dysgraphia. How is dysgraphia diagnosed? One of the greatest battles I think parents face with dysgraphia is the  difficulty in getting a diagnosis and putting a treatment plan in place. There is no simple test for dysgraphia. Instead, it is part of a battery of tests and evaluations that eventually lead to a diagnosis. This testing is very expensive, and we found the school simply did not have the resources or funding to provide comprehensive professional testing for our son. It took a very long time and years of advocating to get our son the help he needed.   Some possible testing options  include: Psychoeducational assessmentsAcademic assessments focusing on reading, arithmetic, writing, and languageFine motor assessments, specifically involving  skills used in writingWriting sample evaluationsTesting involving copying designs How can a parent help a child with dysgraphia? Once a diagnosis is in place, there are many ways to help a student. If funding is available, an occupational  therapist specializing in writing disorders can do a lot to help a child. The other approach is to use accommodations and concessions that allow the child to focus on his work, rather than struggle due to the writing issues. We have never had access to an OT, so we utilized accommodations while my son was in school and have continued to use them in our homeschool. Some of those  accommodations include: Typing – My son is learning to touch type and has use of a computer to type all of his written materials.Note-taker – In school, an aide worked with our son during exams, and he would dictate the answers, while the note-taker wrote them on the exam. In our homeschool we always provide our son with the opportunity to take â€Å"writing breaks,† and we act as his scribe.Dictation software – There are some fabulous speech-to-text  products on the market that work with word processors to type dictated text.Oral presentations – Instead of asking our son to write a report, we will ask him to do oral presentations. We can even videotape these to provide a record of his learning.Cursive – Although we have tried to go back and reteach printing to our son, it has proven to be an exercise in frustration. Instead, we chose to focus on something the school didn’t teach, cursive. Since it is new, we have the opportunity to work with him to develop new techniques and habits which will help him develop functional writing skills as an adult.Creative presentations – One of the things I love about homeschooling is that we can be creative in how my son demonstrates his knowledge. As part of a study on Ancient Egypt he created a LEGO pyramid and did a presentation. Other times he has produced videos talking about the subject. Together we think outside of the box to come up with ways he can show his knowledge without extensive handwriting. How does homeschooling benefit a student with dysgraphia? When my son was in school, we really struggled. The system is designed a very specific way that involves judging and grading children based on their ability to demonstrate their knowledge by writing it out based on  tests, written reports, or completed worksheets. For children with dysgraphia that can make school extremely challenging and frustrating. Over time my son developed a severe anxiety disorder due to the constant pressure and criticism placed on him in the school environment. Thankfully we had the option to homeschool, and it has been a wonderful experience. It challenges all of us to think differently, but at the end of the day my son is no longer limited by dysgraphia and has started to love learning again.

Plato and Socrates Anthology Essay - 1008 Words

Socrates Anthology and Plato Plato: I: Apology 1. What are the charges brought against Socrates by his Athenian accusers and what is his reply concerning the sort of wisdom he in fact possesses? The charges that were brought against Socrates were corrupting the young and Impiety. Socrates says â€Å"If you ask me what kind of wisdom, I reply, wisdom such as may perhaps be attained by man, for to that extent I am inclined to believe that I am wise; Whereas the persons of whom I was speaking have a superhuman wisdom, which I may fail to describe, because I have it not myself; and he who says that I have Speaks falsely and is taking away my character† (Pg 5). 2. What does Socrates say is his greatest service to the city? Socrates said that†¦show more content†¦He also says â€Å" the opinions of the wise are good and the opinions of the unwise are evil† (pg 21). 2. How does Socrates depict the individuals relationship to the State? Socrates believes that through the Law his parents were able to marry and conceive him. Then the laws provided his upbringing and education and also provided training in music and gymnastics. He believes that the relationship between laws and an individual could be similar to that of a father and son or a slave and master. 3. Why does Socrates say it would be unjust to escape the death penalty? Socrates gives a few reasons why it would be unjust to escape the death penalty. He says that his escaping from the prison would destroy the city, which is unjust. He made a contract with the city that he would stay in the city until the time of his death and breaking this contract would be unjust. His unjustness would also cause trouble for other people. â€Å"His friends could be driven into exile, deprived of their citizenship and lose their property† (pg 25), or if he decided to flee to another city that is well governed Athens will come to them as an enemy and the city will turn on him. III. Phaedo 1. Why is suicide not an option for Socrates? He says that man is not permitted to be his own benefactor and he must wait for the hand of another and wait until God summons him. 2. How does Socrates explain the idea that a trueShow MoreRelatedEssay on Socrates and the Sophists681 Words   |  3 Pagesword has evolved. During the fifth century, sophists were teachers, speakers, and philosophers who were paid to use rhetoric (Mardner 1). But many people opposed their style of teaching. Socrates was a philosopher who disagreed with the Sophists point-of-view. The main differences between the Sophist and Socrates were their views on absolute truth. The sophist believed that there was no absolute truth and that truth was what one believed it to be (Porter 1). Sophists were not teachers of truthRead More The Apology of Socrates: Guilty or Innocent? 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I agree with Epicurus because Socrates doesnt give aRead MoreEssay on A Summary of David Abram’s Animism and the Alphabet2172 Words   |  9 Pageshuman’s disconnection from the natural world is partially at fault with the alphabet, it also asserts that alphabet originates from the natural world. Abrams supports his ideas by mentioning several great thinkers throughout history including Plato, Socrates and others. Abram’s also compares modern ways to the customs of indigenous people. The main purpose of Abram’s paper is to convey the idea that people have disconnected from the natural world, and one of the main reasons for this is the alphabet

Name Professor Subject Date Behavioral Genetics and Human Personality Free Essays

People do possess certain behaviors that make us unique from one another. People do vary in their behavior or the way we think, feel and act. The complexity of human behavior and understanding its nature has been the main interests of those studying behavioral genetics. We will write a custom essay sample on Name Professor Subject Date Behavioral Genetics and Human Personality or any similar topic only for you Order Now We all know that if we inherit our physical attributes with our parents we also inherit their behavior which we call genotypes. We are also aware of the role of the society, culture or the environment in shaping one’s behavior. Which of the two then exerts the greatest influence in our life? In order to identify which really molds human behavior a family studies, adoption studies and twin studies where conducted. In these three settings the siblings are compared with their shared and non-shared experiences. The environment provides the child with care, education and other experiences. People differ in many ways in terms of intelligence, mental states, social ability, self-concept or self-esteem, attitudes, beliefs and preferences. Genetics versus environment can also be called nature versus nurture in shaping behavior. The debate between the two tries to challenge the fact that genotypes or the nature of a person’s behavior can be altered by the environment or the inherited traits will remain the same and control the person no matter how strong the influence of the environment. Suicidal tendencies and anti-social behavior for example are studied if it is inherited or purely environmental. In my own opinion the behavior could depend upon the individual’s personal adjustment or resistance to the environment that can create a difference in our behavior. Work Cited Haimowitz, Avi. Heredity versus Environment: Twin, Adoption and Family Studies. November 2005. Rochester Institute of Technology: Great Ideas in Personality 4 June 2009 http://www. personalityresearch. org/ How to cite Name Professor Subject Date Behavioral Genetics and Human Personality, Papers

Teaching in Nursing Elsevier Health Sciences

Questions: Develop a table that includes the following: Identify at least one local, one state, and one federal agency or regulatory body that will factor into developing curriculum for your chosen topic and health care setting. ( For this point the topic of the curriculum is leadership developmen course for undergraduate students) Describe how each agency or regulatory body will factor into your curriculum development. Identify two industry standards that will factor into developing curriculum for your chosen topic and health care setting. Describe how each agency or regulatory body will factor into your curriculum development. Describe how you will use will demonstrate this alignment. Answer: Curriculum development in nursing education is a creative process and also a scholarly one. The intension is to have an evidence-based, context-relevant and unified curriculum (Keating, 2014). It is an ongoing process in all countries around the world that pay much attention to the nursing field. The context of development ranges from refinement of activities taken up during implementation of the new changes (Iwasiw et al., 2014). One very significant course in nursing education is leadership development that is taught in all undergraduate nursing students (Billings Halstead, 2013). Nursing leaders are those who have an empowerment to be a professional and competent part of the healthcare system. Nursing leadership is about nurses who think critically, advocate for patients in an effective manner and give exemplary care and practice evidence-based nursing(Feldman et al., 2011).Nursing organisations play an important role is the process of developing curriculum for nursing education. They have the responsibility of gathering knowledge on the present scenario related to the concerned nursing topic after doing a needs assessment and analysing the information and thereby incorporating the vital and needful points in the nursing curriculum(Marriner-Tomey, 2009). Through several educational activities, the work of the organisations is to increase the leadership capacity of nurses for advancing health care by making positive changes in the curriculum nurses are taught.In this writing, a table format has been used for discussing one local, one state and one federal agency that factor into developing the curriculum for leadership development course for undergraduate students and two industry standards that will factor into developing the concerned curriculum and heath care setting. Name of the nursing regulatory body How the body will factor into the students curriculum development Two industry standards that will factor into developing curriculum for nursing leadership Nursing Students Association of New York State (Local Regulatory Body) The Nursing Students Association of New York State would drive the necessary changes to be made in the curriculum of undergraduate nurses on nursing leadership as a part of having a dominant say in the direction that nursing education must take. The organisation would explicitly demand clear indications of the gap present between the desirable and actual scenario of nursing leadership and thereafter influence the curriculum by doing the necessary changes. The enveloping and lasting quality of perennialism in education will be the top priority. The organisation would try to maintain the standards of the nursing profession in the changes put forward for the curriculum. It would give look into the professional standards and requirements of nursing leadership, the value, skills and knowledge of nurses, contents of education, program outcomes, curriculum design. The factors that would gain importance would be principles of learning outcomes, principles of program outcome, organising princ iples for content, principles for education. The body would thereby look into all the aspects of curriculum development before taking any actions towards bringing changes in the curriculum. The local nursing colleges would be highly benefitted and have soem efficient nurses who can be great nursing leaders(Del Prato, 2013). Standards-based curriculum development ccan be considered as an instructional design process that uses a delivery procedure and systematic content identification. The key elements include validated skill standards that identify competent performance of nurses. The primary difference between nonstandards-based and standards-based curriculum development is the use of an industry-determined standard, as opposed to a curriculum that is derived by educators (Hodgson et al., 2013). The two industry standards of health care industry, in relation to nursing leadership, that will factor into developing curriculum for nursing leadership are as follows: 1. All registered nurse must oversee the care delivered by other nurses while retaining the responsibility for the care quality given to the patients admitted to the health care setting. 2. All registered nurse must abide by the vision and the related goals and thereby implement the progress of health care consumer within the context of the health care setting (McGuire Ray, 2014). These industry standards would highly influence the development of the curriculum as these standards make up the actual needs of implementation of nursing leadership. By following the standards and incorporating them in the curriculum would be highly beneficial as the nurses would be able to demonstrate a strong commitment for continuos and life-long education for self as well as others. Nurses would also be able to mentor colleagues for nursing practice advancement and quality care. Communication skills would be developed and conflict resolution skills would be more. Participating in professional decisions in the organisation and providing advices to the fellow nurses would be skills that would be developed. Participation in influencing health care policy would be an added advantage that would benefit both the health care system and the healthcare consumers. The health care industry standards would thereby pave the path for more efficient nurses after they receive effective educatio n on nursing leadership. New York State Board of Nursing (State Regulatory Body) The New York State Board of Nursing is commited to produce lifelong learners having the ability to excel in the nursing careers and get recognised as nursing leaders keeping health and welfare of the common people at the forefront of values for providing patient-care (Ryan et al., 2013). Thereby the association would influence the curriculum development in a strong positive maner and strive to nurture undergraduate nurses in order to make them capable nursing leaders. The organisation would set up world-class nursing curriculum that would provide the educational foundation for preparing the next generation of nurses who are efficient leaders. The organisation would lead the way into a new era of nurses by making significant changes in the nursing curriculum on nursing leadership. As a result of the contribution of the body, excellent patient outcomes would be achieved. The organisation has the power to implement changes in the curriculum in a short span of time and in an effective ma nner. The influence of the nursing body would be to have a healthier society in terms of patient outcomes. In short, the body would be an important factor in the nursing leadership curriculum development and bring crucial changes in the quality of nursing workforce. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (Federal Regulatory Body) American Association of Colleges of Nursing is the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education. AACN works to establish quality standards for nursing education; assists schools in implementing those standards; influences the nursing profession to improve health care; and promotes public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice (Wilson, 2012).The body would thereby take part in curriculum development by creating an innovative model for mentorship in order to practice clinical leadership. Nurses would learn to about models and theories of nursing leadership and have the opportunity to implement them in their internships. The meaningful participation of the federal body would be highly benefifical as the changes would be brought at a national level. Incorporation of the changes would be done on a broader view and the impact is expected to be more deep. All the institutions in America would be able to bring the changes into practice and there by walk towards brining better quality of nursing workforce in the country. They would change the process of carrying out clinical education. In general, it may be stated that the body would make a markable impact in due course of development of nursing curriculum on leadership. References Billings, D. M., Halstead, J. A. (2013).Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty. Elsevier Health Sciences. Del Prato, D. (2013). Students' voices: The lived experience of faculty incivility as a barrier to professional formation in associate degree nursing education.Nurse Education Today,33(3), 286-290. Feldman, H., Alexander, G., Greenberg, M. (2011).Nursing leadership. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Hodgson, M. J., Matz, M. W., Nelson, A. (2013). Patient handling in the Veterans Health Administration: facilitating change in the health care industry.Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,55(10), 1230-1237. Iwasiw, C. L., Goldenberg, D., Andrusyszyn, M. A. (2014).Curriculum development in nursing education. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Keating, S. B. (2014).Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing. Springer Publishing Company. Marriner-Tomey, A. (2009).Guide to nursing management and leadership. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier. McGuire, C., Ray, D. (2014). Developing leadership roles in nursing and midwifery.Nursing Standard,29(9), 43-49. Ryan, A. M., Bishop, T. F., Shih, S., Casalino, L. P. (2013). Small physician practices in New York needed sustained help to realize gains in quality from use of electronic health records.Health Affairs,32(1), 53-62. Wilson, L. D. (2012). The American Association of Colleges of Nursings Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium.Journal of Gerontological Nursing,36(7), 14-17.

#8220;Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad #8220;

#8220;Compare and Contrast Essay Sample on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad #8220; While â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is based loosely on Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, there are many key differences that contrast the two works. The differences in â€Å"Apocalypse Now†, however, highlight the main points of Heart of Darkness. Heart of Darkness is set in the European imperialism era, whereas â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is set during the Vietnam war in Cambodia. This difference makes the reader think of the moral justification of both settings, bringing out one of the controversial aspects of the book. The main characters in each work differ slightly, and because of this we see Marlow as more of a self-seeker whereas Willard is the dutiful green beret. These differences bring out characteristics of Heart of Darkness that we as a reader might not have noticed otherwise. The first difference, visible from the beginning, is the two different settings. Wether it’s the Vietnam War or imperialism, the characters have the sense that they can do whatever they want in the foreign lands. There are no rules of society in either places. â€Å"Apocalypse Now† deals more directly with a war, whereas Heart of Darkness can be seen as an attack on Africa. This difference makes the reader think more closely about what exactly imperialism is. It can be seen as a war that is hidden, lurking underneath the image of the white man’s burden. Perhaps Conrad uses Heart of Darkness to expose the dangers and illusions connected with imperialism. Both war and imperialism are morally questionable. â€Å"Apocalypse Now† serves as a commentary on the way society now accepts war the way Europe used to accept imperialism, as seen in Heart of Darkness. Another major difference is between the characters of Marlow and Willard. Willard is in his position because he was told that he was to kill Kurtz. His journey down the river is less of a personal experience than Marlow’s. Marlow, on the other hand, is self-motivated. His journey comes from his yearning for adventure and for change. He is unsure of his final goal until long into his trip, and even then he is unclear what his purpose is. As Marlow is re-telling his story, he is realizes and acknowledges that his sharing of the story is incomplete. Marlow says that â€Å"when you have to attend toincidents of the surface, the realityfades. The inner truth is hidden–luckily, luckily† (61). In watching â€Å"Apocalypse Now† and comparing the two journeys, the reader realizes just how much of a personal experience Marlow’s journey is. Without the comparison of Willard, who is under specific orders, we might not realize this important fact. Another difference between Willard and Marlow is how each one metaphorically â€Å"looks over the edge†. Willard stands on the steps of the Cambodian Village, looking out at all the people bowing to him. This scene shows Willard’s power in the community, but he chooses to throw down his machete and leave. Willard’s â€Å"edge† here is deciding wether or not to stay and rule the people. He could become the god to the village that Kurtz had been and supplant his position. The â€Å"edge† in Heart of Darkness, however, represents death. Marlow uses the edge metaphor many times to talk about Kurtz, â€Å"he had made that last stride, he has stepped over the edge† (132), and also to represent himself , â€Å"I had peeped over the edge myself.I had been permitted to draw back my hesitating foot† (132). The comparison between the two interpretations brings forth a better clarity of their meanings. Reading Heart of Darkness without watching â€Å"Apocalypse Now† is possible. After seeing the movie, however, Marlow’s character is better defined. In contrast to Willard, we see just how naive Marlow is at the beginning of his journey, and his unawareness of the cruelty of imperialism. We also see how the setting Heart of Darkness in Africa during imperialism is crucial to the story. There must be moral inconsistencies between Marlow’s observations of the treatment of the natives, and the rest of Europe’s opinion. Comparing the two works not only helps us better understand Heart of Darkness, but it draws our attention to points that we might have otherwise realized in reading the novel alone.

The Role of Motherese in Acquiring A Language Essays

The Role of Motherese in Acquiring A Language Essays The Role of Motherese in Acquiring A Language Paper The Role of Motherese in Acquiring A Language Paper The speaking style used by caretakers around the world when addressing infants is often called motherese or parentese (Ferguson, 1964). Motherese is the style of talking used by mothers when addressing their eighteen to twenty-four moth old toddlers and has been shown to be preferred over adult-directed speech by infants when given a choice (Fernald, 1985). Moreover, the exaggerated stress and increased pitch typical of infant-directed speech assists infants in discriminating phonetic units (Karzon, 1985). From birth, a child encounters an immediately facilitative environment allowing him/her to participate as a conversational partner and as the childs communicational behavior develops, the mother naturally attempts to persuade more verbal participation from the child by altering her own behavior. Initially the mother provides object names to the childs vocalisations but soon begins to request labels and by the middle of the childs second year the mother is requesting and labeling at an equal rate, establishing dialog. The mother helps to form the childs speech by distinctly distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable responses, ensuring the childs verbalisations are not direct imitations but responses to fit specific slots in the dialog. In order to aid learning the mother provides consistency, such as the amount of time devoted to dialog, the rate of confirmation and the probability of reciprocating (Bruner, 1978). Additionally, the mother modifies her speech and when taken together, are called motherese (Newport, Gleitman Gleitman, 1977) or parentese. Mothers use paralinguistic variations as well as linguistic alterations as the manner of presentation may be more important than the content of dialog. According to Sachs (1985), the mother produces modifications using a broad range of pitches and loudness and overall, her pitch is higher than in adult to adult conversations. A range of different languages present this pitch contour however some variation is seen (Bernstein, Ratner Pye, 1984). Infants will respond to intonation patterns before they comprehend language and prefer high, variable pitch (Fernald Kuhl, 1987). The mother also modifies her rhythm and timing. The duration of vowels is longer than in adult to adult conversation and there are longer pauses between utterances, this rhythm is also seen in signing mothers of deaf children (Fernald, 1994). Compared to adult to adult speech, motherese exhibits, greater pitch range, especially at the higher end; lexical simplification characterised by the diminutive (doggie) and syllable reduplication (consonant-verb syllable repetition); shorter less complex utterances; less dysfluency; more paraphrasing and repetition; limited, concrete vocabulary and a restricted set of semantic relations; more contextual support and more directives and questions. Conversational style with infants is short and with toddlers it is even shorter as less adult utterances are spoken. During the second half of the childs first year the mother decreases the length of her utterances and this is positively correlated with improved receptive language skills by the child at eighteen months (Murray et. al. , 1990). A mother aids the process of learning a language in which the child uses what he/she knows to decode more mature language, also known as bootstrapping, by maintaining a semantic-syntactic correspondence (Rondal Cession, 1990). For example, by way of motherese, the child finds it easier it decipher the syntax of the mothers utterances. Directed speech from the mother to the child adapts and the childs language matures as motherese is well tuned to the childs language level (Owens, 1986). The rate of change in language level is initially slow however it speeds up with age. The complexity and the length of the mothers utterances most primarily change between twenty and twenty-seven months alongside the period of rapid language change for the child. However, at any given time the syntax is mostly consistent (Wells et. al. , 1983). Infant-directed speech also is altered at the phonetic level and these alterations are argued to help infants learn. In a recent study, women were recorded while speaking to their two-month-old infants and to another adult in the United States, Russia, and Sweden (Kuhl, 1997). Mothers used the vowels /i/, /a/, and /u/, in both settings, and their speech was analysed. The results demonstrated that the phonetic units of infant-directed speech are acoustically exaggerated. The results show a stretching of the acoustic space encompassing speech. Exaggerating speech not only makes it more distinguishable for infants, it highlights critical parameters used in the native language. This may aid the childs discovery of the dimensions of sound used in their native language. Mothers addressing infants also increase the variety of exemplars they use, behaving in a way that makes them resemble many different talkers is a feature shown to assist category learning in second-language learners (Lively, 1993). In recent studies, language-delayed children show substantial improvements in measures of speech and language after listening to speech altered by computer to exaggerate phonetic differences (Merzenich, 1996) Mothers addressing infants make other adjustments that appear to aid learning. When introducing new words, parents repeat the word often in stereotyped frames (Wheres the __ , See the __ , Thats a __ (Peters, 1983), which highlights the items in sentence-final position. They also present new words in a great variety of contexts, which would highlight the transitional probabilities of the new words against a variety of contexts (Goodsitt, 1993). This data suggests that the modifications made by adults unconsciously when they speak to infants plays a role in helping infants map native-language input. Motherese involves many re-casts by the adult. Re-casts occur when an adult repeats a childs speech, while adding complexity and expanding vocabulary. Re-casts expose the child to new forms and structures, while providing more fuel for language acquisition than would immediate imitation (Goodluck, 1986). An example of a re-cast is a child saying up whilst the mother follows with yes, mummy will pick you up. In these re-casts there is also a tendency to avoid using personal pronouns such as I and you since both can be very confusing to the child. It is difficult for the child to recognise that you can be applied to more than one person hence, the parent most often than not refers to both herself and the child using the respective nouns mummy and child for example. In both English and French the amount of parental labeling or naming varies with the age and development of the child but a relationship still exists between the amount of adult labeling and the childs consequent growth in vocabulary (Graham Sippola, 1995). Choi Gopnik (1995) produced evidence to suggest that initial parental emphasis on nouns from Mandarin, Korean, Italian, and English is not universal although gesturing and use of noun labels in English decrease with development regardless. Nouns become replaced with verbs to describe actions being performed by objects (Schmidt, 1996). The steady rhythmic flow of the dialog depends on the structural resemblance of the mother and child utterances as well as on the association of the mothers speech relative to the environment. Through the use of turn-passing strategies the mother encourages and allows the child to participate however refrains from using turn-grabbing or turn-keeping behaviours. Consequently, the child is not a solo linguist with the endeavor to learn the language code; the large majority of the analysis, synthesis and abstraction is performed by the mother (Moerk, 1985). Undeniably, the language input and motherese to which is child is subject to is influenced by the childs characteristics (Yoder Kaiser, 1989). The types of toys children chose to play with or are presented with, can manipulate the amount and types of language produced by the mother (OBrien Nagle, 1987), dolls for example promote role play and hence promote larger amounts and variety of language from parents. Furthermore, simplifications to language by adults logically must reflect cues from the child, although parents arent aware of their alterations as they are not consciously trying to teach a language. Not only is much of the speech addressed to the child adapted for the childs linguistic level according to the amount of child feedback and participation but speech not adapted is simply not processed by the child (Snow, 1986). In effect, children play an active and important role in choosing the utterances to which they will respond. Lack of response from the child informs the parent that communication has broken down, which may instigate the linguistic changes in the parent to take place. It is logical to conclude the key to adult linguistic changes is the child (Furrow Nelson, 1984). The pragmatic aspects to the mothers speech are likely to be related to either the referential or the expressive style of the child as referential children tend to name frequently whereas expressive children participate in more conversation. Mothers to referential children use more descriptive words with fewer directives, additionally, these mothers make more utterances in a given situation then mothers with expressive speech (Benedict Klein, 1983). Furthermore, Ochs Schieffelin (1994) report children do not require a syntactically and phonologically simplified input in order to acquire language, as the use of motherese is not universal across all cultures, however it is still very widespread regardless. There also seems to exist a great variation in the styles of social interaction and the form of motherese across different cultures (Lieven, 1994). However, it is possible that these other cultures compensate for their lack of motherese through simplifying language development in other ways, such as via emphasizing everyday communal life (Snow, 1995). The rate of a childs linguistic development is only not correlated with the complexity of the childs input. The most important factor to motherese isnt the form of what it directly said to the child but the content, in particular, children who learn the fastest are those who receive most encouragement and acknowledgment for their utterances (Ellis Wells, 1980). Gross (1978) demonstrated the value of extended replied by adults that in result amplify the comments of the children. This conclusion was drawn because, children who showed the most rapid linguistic development were those whose mothers asked their children more questions and gave more extensive replies to their childrens questions (Howe, 1980). In conclusion, much remains to be learned about language acquisition however it can be deduced that motherese is beneficial to a childs acquisition of language regardless of whether it is completely necessary for language development or not. The aim of motherese may not be to teach language however it facilitates development through providing an opportunity for children to practice, improve, and enhance their language abilities. The caregivers efforts combined with the childs own influences produce a suitable relationship for the input, feedback, acquisition and practice of language. Motherese may also serve to aid a child in the acquisition and comprehension of language particular rules which are otherwise largely unpredictable principles of universal grammar. However, factors such as socio-economic background, where toys promoting language utilasation cannot be bought will hinder the effects of motherese regardless of whether motherese is in effect or not; birth order, position in the family, and siblings also have an effect on early language development, this is because single children have a greater opportunity to communicate effectively with adults as compared to children with many siblings as may therefore develop language at a faster pace. Ethnicity, parents mother tongue and parents work hours are more examples of factors that directly affect the success motherese can have on childrens language development. Consequently, for a child to fully benefit from the effects of motherese he/she must boast optimal conditions, if this is not possible, as is the case with many individuals, motherese may not act as beneficially as possible, however it will still serve to assist in language acquisition.

Application for the Georgetown University Personal Statement

Application for the Georgetown University - Personal Statement Example The Georgetown University’s (GU) Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service has been deemed as the most appropriate academic endeavor that fits one’s personal and professional goals. I have always been intrigued and genuinely interested in politics since I was young. When I first knew about GU in the 8th grade from various peers whose family members and close of kin have pursued higher education there, I knew it is where I want to graduate from. It has always been my dream school. I am a gregarious individual, competitive and very confident in a positive way. I am a fast learner and manifested consistent eagerness to learn more and to excel in whatever endeavors I delve into. I struggled with my education at first by inadvertently making marginal choices but I appropriately learned from my mistakes. These minor setbacks made me the person I am today and I believe I am a better person who has clearly identified my goals. I am fighting the odds by pursuing Foreign Service, es pecially in my region; but it is my strong contention that through the ideals and values promoted by GU through the School of Foreign Service, I would be an instrumental contributor to our shared commitment for justice, equality and the universal availment of the common good. I am also particularly interested in empowering women and in promoting the value of diversity within conformity and adherence to ethical, moral and legal standards. I honestly believe that by being accepted to the program, I would be on my way to fulfilling a crucial task of doing what has originally been destined for me – all for the glory of God.

Events Leading to the Creation of DHS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Events Leading to the Creation of DHS - Essay Example In a quest to prevent similar events as those of 9/11, specifically through assessing the events and circumstances that facilitated the orchestration of such a massively deadly event, the government was willing to assess any options and allocate any resources necessary that would prevent a similar occurrence. As such, the government had three main options to choose from that included sharing of power between various agencies, leaving the overall control to the White House, or establishing a congressional control. Critical decision was impending bearing in mind that the country was facing a challenge that was bigger than any natural disaster the country had seen before. This was bigger because in the history of the U.S, the only agency that had been mandated primarily to deal with terror treats was FEMA but it was still small as its capabilities were only domestic. Such previous ideas suggested that handling future possibilities that are connected with protecting the lives of Americans would require a broader entity. This suggested amalgamation of various agencies with the key idea in mind being central coordination of activities and sharing of information rather than centralizing the idea on mere control.

Analysis of a single element paper either the Open Boat or the bride Essay

Analysis of a single element paper either the Open Boat or the bride comes to yellow sky - Essay Example Indeed, the society of Yellow Sky is not patriarchal in a rigid sense; rather women or brides do not fit perfectly in the wilderness of that society where there is no guarantee of life and natural death. Therefore, men do not want to leave their wives as widows with several children. In this rough and tough society, Potter marries a woman in order to avoid conflicts and rivalries with Wilson and ultimately he becomes successful. But at the end, changes occur in his life as well as in the society of ‘Yellow Sky’. This paper will argue that though the bride is a minor character, she is the symbol of changes in the crude male culture of ‘Yellow Sky’. Indeed, Crane has successfully used different literary elements such as characterization, and ‘conflicts and contrasts’ in order to highlight the bride as a symbol of change. In the story, the anonymous bride is in contrast to the crude, male culture of the city, Yellow Sky. This crude male culture of the city is vividly evident in the story. Potter’s marriage is in a clear conflict with the people’s expectation of Yellow Sky. Here, people marries â€Å"as it please[s] them, in accordance with a general custom† (Crane 1). In this macho culture, taking a bride is a wonder. If the bridegroom is a famous marshal, the amazement of the city-dwellers can â€Å"only be exceeded by the burning of the new hotel† (Crane 1). Indeed, taking a bride is considered as a severe injury to one’s manliness. After marrying, Jack Potter is heavily perplexed with the prospect of the amazement of people. Prior to reaching the city, he is afraid of telling his friends, by telegraph, about his marriage. He is more afraid of meeting his townspeople as a married than to face his competitor, Scratchy Wilson. He plans to reach his house from the st ation quickly by any means in order to avoid meeting the people, as the narrator says: â€Å"He

The alternative globalisation

The alternative globalisation Introduction Globalisation is an ongoing process by which countries and their economic, political and social spheres integrate on a daily basis. Being part of national states, people become citizens of the world. In the course of daily activities, individuals increasingly come into contact with people from different backgrounds, with unlike beliefs and values and they learn to live and work in a globalised world. Countries become interconnected and interdependent. Thus, now there is no doubt that globalization has become the dominant factor in the development of world civilization. United Nations General Assembly, which brought a record number of participants to an important meeting 189 countries, signed over 300 agreements, and at the end of the session the UN Millennium Declaration was concluded. Main provisions of the declaration were as simple and accessible facts as freedom, equality, solidarity, security, tolerance, respect for nature and mutual responsibility. As a result, the Millennium Summit formalized globalization as a new global ideology, defining the world order of the 21st century. However, examining the structure of current globalisation, we face some issues that this phenomenon introduces. The popularity of the modern concept of globalization is primarily due to the economic and social achievements of developed countries dictating its terms to the world market. As a result, the gap between poor and rich countries broadens; development based on competition, profit-making, cost-reduction and increasing market shares expands. And therefore, the need for an alternative globalisation arises around the globe. This essay is divided into four main parts. First part focuses on three major schools of thoughts, which give characteristic descriptions of globalization from different perspectives. Second part of this essay concentrates on the chronology of globalisation the way that international trade was liberalising and production received a global character. Third, introduces readers to main problems of the current globalization and discusses why the alternative to the current globalisation is required. Finally, the last section offers the analysis of things that could be done differently in todays globalisation, examines whether an alternative globalisation is possible or not, and concludes with an optimistic summary table consisting of a number of significant changes that are necessary for peaceful transition, in a long-term period from the current globalisation to an alternative one that this essay offers. Three Perspectives on Globalisation There is no single definition of Globalization and at the same time there is a big debate about its characteristics, classification, its impacts and causes. It is possible to differentiate the following three schools of thought: the hyperglobalists, the transformationalists and the sceptics. The goal of each of the following schools is to characterise distinctive features of globalization from different points of view. Hyperglobalisers, such as K. Ohmae and R. Reich believe that global economy has an important impact on humanity and politics; they argue that the market is borderless and economy is single, global and integrated. Todays world economy is genuinely borderless. Information, capital and innovation flow all over the world at top speed, enabled by technology and fuelled by consumers desire for access to the best and the least expensive products (Ohmae, 1995). We are living through the transformation that will rearrange the politics and economics of the coming century. There will be no national products or technologies, no corporations, no national industries. There will no longer be national economies (Robert Reich, 1992, p. 3). The sceptics, such as P, Hirst and G. Thompson suggest that globalisation is largely a myth. They believe that the extent of existing globalisation is exaggerated and that the increase of global trade has happened only in major developed economies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America. The international economy is one in which processes that are determined at the level of national economies still dominate and international phenomena are outcomes that emerge from the distinct and differential performance of the national economies. The international economy is an aggregate of nationally located functions (Hirst, Thompson, 1999, p. 10). The third group is defined by Held and McGrew as transformationalists, which includes such authors as Rosenau (1997) or Giddens (1990). They assume that globalisation plays an essential role in fast economic, political and social changes that are restructuring world order and modern societies nowadays. Globalisation denotes the intensification of worldwide social relations and interactions such that distant events acquire very localised impacts and vice versa (Held, McGrew, 2007, p. 2). Globalisation concerns the transformation of local, and even personal, contexts of social experience. Our day-to-day activities are increasingly influenced by events happening on the other side of the world. Conversely, local lifestyle habits have become globally consequential. Chronology of Globalisation There is also no single agreement about the time globalisation has emerged, opinions about the chronology of its appearance and development vary depending on how one looks at the meaning of globalisation. Some might say that globalisation is a recent development, others could state that it has began far back in history, while thirds would argue that globalisation has not yet started at all. I see the beginning of globalisation in the rise of international production and international trade, formation of which refers to the 1970s-1980s. It has started with oil and energy crisis in 1973-1974, when state enterprises started to show the signs of inefficiency. States were not able to react to the impulses of the world market and to reduction of production costs. This, on one hand, led to reduced profitability or even to losses in some industries in developed countries. And on the other hand, it led to significant discrepancies between the national conditions of reproduction in the course of industrialization the rates of wages, education level and workforce skills, interest rates, price of raw materials and energy. Due to those facts, numerous attacks on government business and the requirements of its liquidation were taking place; the privatisation of state property according to the neo-liberal theories has started. The liberalisation was one of the tools for successful globalisation, which appeared in two forms. Firstly, reduction of tariffs, elimination of non-tariff barriers, simplification of import and export procedures occurred based on numerous international agreements. In other words, there was a reduction of restrictions on access and operations in the global market. Secondly, there was a change in domestic legislation relating to foreign economic relations, such as the elimination of quotes for import and export, removal of restrictions on foreign capital in the domestic market. As a result, labour-intensive, material-and environmentally-polluting industries started to be relocated to developing countries. In addition, scientific and technological advancements have created opportunities for the spatial separation process (such as capital-intensive and energy intensive processes) and placement of the individual phases in accordance with the prices of factors of production. At the same t ime, improved transportation and communication allowed the interaction of these scattered productions at relatively modest cost. As a consequence of all above mentioned factors, production received a really global character today. We can say that todays world became interdependent and interconnected; because one countrys well being very much depends on the cooperation with other countries. As an example we can take the production of cars, it is scattered on the companies in different countries around the globe. And entrepreneurs in each country are responsible for a specific phase of production design, production of engines and electrical equipment, the manufacture and marketing. In the 1950-1960s, each company worked in the market limited by national borders. However, today restrictions on movement of goods and services across national borders have decreased and international manufacturers of the world market can move quite easily. (ORoukre, Williamson, 1999). We can now see that the cause of globalisation was a capitalist ideology, based mostly on profit-making and cost-reduction, which has a lot of positiv e as well as some negative effects on the worlds development. In the next section, I would like to focus on some of those negative effects problems of the current globalisation. Problems of the Current Globalisation This section focuses on main three issues political, economic and social that I believe require changes in current globalised world. One of the main economic problems of globalisation is related to the following question: Who is benefiting from globalization? In fact, rapid growth is typical only for a small group of rich countries; while the least economically developed countries have much lower growth rates and their gains from globalization are minimal. If we take an example of trade discussion of Uruguay Round, which was finished in 1994, we can see that the advanced industrial countries of the world, such as the US and the EU, received the biggest share of the gain and the poorest countries have actually worsened off. Developed countries still preserve tariffs against the poor countries at the rate of four times higher than the tariffs they have against other rich countries. Their whole tariff structure is directed against trade with poor economies, which effects lowering the price of the export goods of them and hurt their economies. (Stiglitz, pp. 172-173). If national and international political processes are influenced by money, there should be no illusions in understanding that power in decision-making processes relating to the global economy remains mostly with those countries, firms and organizations that are economically the strongest. (Helleiner, Gerald, 2001) The second problem arising is a political one and relates to the potential regional or global instability because of interdependence of national economies on global level; so called butterfly effect appears. National security and nation-states depend on the activities of other countries and decisions of governments in neighbouring states more and more in todays globalised world. (Michael Zurn, 2005, pp. 235-244). Local economic fluctuations or crises in one country can have regional or even global implications. This possibility is not merely theoretical, but is very real, and the current financial crisis confirms that. Peter Evans argues that inability of the state to impose even a modicum of collective discipline on private economic elites at the national level (most crucially in the United States) undercuts productive dynamism. (Peter Evans, 2008, p. 280) And the last issue that I would like to bring up is related to social aspect. The main goal of a global market and current capitalist globalization is rapid accumulation of wealth, which hardly meets any human and social needs. Lets take a simple example of one corrupt government that accepts investment money from a multinational company. People who live in that particular country have no choice but to work for that company, at the same time company does not pay workers enough money to afford sufficient food, healthcare and education. The company has promised to the government that it will develop their countrys economy. However, people are starving and diseases are spreading in the crowded conditions in which they live. Some people realize the damage and start to fight to get their country back on track, but those people are usually being arrested and being sent to jail. The multinational companies as well as government of that country make huge profits while people suffer and die. The irrational pursuit of profit often harms the environment and conflict with other social values. The imbalance causes a broad wave of protest, which is not welcomed by governments and companies and as a result brings social problems, inequality and fear to confront the current political regime. (Sklair, 2008). Alternatives to the Current Globalisation Based on the problems described in the previous part of my essay, I would like to propose some necessary changes to the way globalisation develops nowadays. With the reference to the economic issue, I would say that in order to have more balance as to benefits of the globalisation and the world trade, globalization must be more regulated and countries should collaborate better. Developed and developing countries have to act co-operatively, so that the gap between poor and rich does not widen more and more each year, but it has to start narrowing. However, there are no institutions, particularly democratic institutions to do that effectively. In order to make globalization more manageable and seek to base it on principles of solidarity, it is important to reform and strengthen the role of such international organizations as the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Expanding ties of international organisations with non-government al organizations might be one of the examples for the reform (Lindert, Williamson, 2001, pp. 30-35). The role of media plays an important role and therefore media must be fairer and more opened. Media nowadays is driven by consumerist forces, and not by all citizens. People around the world are not being helped to recognize that most important issues overcrowded cities, quick spread of new infections, global warming, growth of worldwide disparity, destruction of the environment are all part of the same global process called globalisation. People should be aware that these issues do not just happen, but they all are related (Cavanagh, Mander, 2004, pp. 52-54). The next range of issues is related to the fragility of the international economic and political systems that follow from interdependence and interconnection of countries around the globe. We can see that local economic, financial and sometimes even political instability in one country can have regional or in some cases even global effect. Therefore, I suggest that states must be more local oriented and solve national problems first, but at the same time they should be able to react promptly to global issues, because states continue to be essential actors in determining the global regime. The same applies to business world, in order to be successful in the global competition, companies need to think globally and act locally. Practice shows that businesses which are able to design globally for narrow local requirements and which follow broaden your vision, yet narrow your focus will generate growth and success. (Pinto, 2004). The idea of globalization that bigger is better is wrong. I t involves lack of concern with local issues and overrides locality. In connection with this agenda the concept of glocalization has been introduced. It became an aspect of business jargon during the 1980s, which originates form Japan, where the general issue of the relationship between the particular and the universal has historically received almost obsessive attention (Miyoshi and Harootunian, 1989). Glocalisation is a double process firstly, institutional and regulatory activities move from the national scope upwards to regional or global scopes and downwards to the scope of individual or local. Secondly, economic activities and inter-firm networks are transforming at the same time to become more localised and transnational (Swyngedouw, 2004). With regards to the social point, I would like to argue that the current globalisation is very capitalist one which prioritizes the growth of private income over the creation of employment and other social aspects of our lives that are important both for individuals and for the community as a whole. (Sklair, 2008). Global economy needs global ethics, reflecting respect for human rights and recognition of personal and social responsibility. Horst KÃ ¶hler, the managing director of the IMF states that people living together in local communities have always recognized and responded to common moral principles, such as sharing with those who have less, and protection of the vulnerable. As the world has become more integrated and interdependent, the scope for applying such fundamental values has widened (KÃ ¶hler, 2002). I believe that the WTO and the IMF should address the problem of reducing poverty deeper, by creating employment, improving healthcare and education systems and therefor e improving quality of living standards in all countries around the world. In the following table, I have tried to summarize some of significant changes that are required for peaceful transition, in a long-term period, from the current globalisation that we have to a globalization that is more regulated, more oriented on local aspects and focused more on social sector. Conclusion In a last decade of the twentieth century, the term globalization became one of the most frequently used in the analysis of contemporary international relations, and continues to be actively used to characterize global political, economic and social processes. However, the current globalisation is mostly influenced by the interests and guidelines of economically developed countries and their ideological preferences. These factors leave their imprints on the development of globalisation, accelerating or slowing it down, and give specific nature to certain aspects of this phenomenon. Main requirements of an alternative globalization are the equality for all nations, people and countries, as well as regulation of specific areas of the worlds development with the help of strong democratic international institutions. This essay shows that an alternative globalization is essential for sustainable development of the world, and if the right steps and efforts are taken worldwide, an alternative to the current globalisation will be possible to implement. An alternative globalization as described in this essay would bring together countries and people in single global equitable and prosperous area, despite all the crises, failures and deviations, which is in everyones interests. References: Alison Brysk, 2002. Globalization and Human Rights. University of California Press Anthony Giddens, 1994. Beyond Left and Right: The Future of Radical Politics. Polity Press David Held and Anthony McGrew, 2007. Globalization/Anti-globalization: beyond the great divide. Polity Press Erik Swyngedouw, 2004. Globalisation or Glocalisation? Networks, Territories and Rescaling. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 17(1), pp. 25-44 Helleiner, Gerald K, 2001. Markets, Politics, and Globalization: Can the Global Economy Be Civilized? Global Governance, 7 (July), pp. 243-263 Horst KÃ ¶hler, 2002. Working for a Better Globalization Available at: http://www.imf.org/external/np/speeches/2002/012802.HTM [Accessed 23 March 2010] J. Cavanagh, J. Mander, 2004. Alternatives to Economic Globalizaion: a better world is possible. Berrett-Koehler Publishers J.E. Stiglitz, 2008. Making Globalisation Work. The economic and social review, Columbia University, USA, 39 (3) Jim Pinto, 2004. Think Globally, Act Locally. Automation World K. H. ORoukre and J. G. Williamson, 1999. Globalization and History: The evolution of a Nineteenth-Century Atlantic Economy. Achorn Graphic Services Kenichi Ohmae, 1995. The End of the Nation State. Free Press Paperback Edition. Leslie Sklair, 2008. The Emancipatory Potential of Generic Globalization. The Berkeley Electronic Press Available at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a918201775db=all [Accessed 23 March 2010] Masao Miyoshi and Harry D. Harootunian, 1989. Postmodernism in Japan. Duke University Press Michael Zurn, 2005. From Interdependence to Globalisation, Handbook of International Relations. Sage publications P. H. Lindert, J.G. Williamson, 2001. Does Globalization Make the World More Unequal? Harvard University and University of California Available at: http://128.97.165.17/media/files/GlobalUnequal_10_252.pdf [Accessed 23 March 2010] Paul Hirst and Grahame Thompson, 1999. Globalization in Question. Polity Press Peter Evans, 2008. Is an Alternative Globalization Possible? Politics Society, 36, pp. 271 298 Available at: http://pas.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/36/2/271 [Accessed 23 March 2010] Robert F. Bruner, 2004. Think Globally, Act Locally. Batten Institute at The Darden School Foundation Robert Reich, 1992. The Work of Nations: preparing ourselves for 21st-century capitalism. Vintage Books Roland Roberson, 1995. Global Modernities. Glocalizaion: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. Sage publications, p. 25-41.

Masters of Disguise :: essays research papers

Finding good day care can certainly pose a problem these days, unless, of course, you're an African widow bird. When it comes time for a female widow bird to lay her eggs, she simply locates the nest of a nearby Estrildid finch and surreptitiously drops the eggs inside. That's the last the widow bird ever sees of her offspring. But not to worry, because the Estrildid finch will take devoted care of the abandoned birds as if they were her own. And who's to tell the difference? Though adult widow birds and Estrildid finches don't look at all alike, their eggs do. Not only that, baby widow birds are dead ringers for Estrildid finch chicks, both having the same colouration and markings. They even act and sound the same, thus ensuring that the widow bird nestlings can grow up among their alien nestmates with no risk of being rejected by their foster parents. MASTERS OF DISGUISE Things aren't always as they seem, and nowhere is this more true than in nature, where dozens of animals (and plants) spend their time masquerading as others. So clever are their disguises that you've probably never known you were being fooled by spiders impersonating ants, squirrels that look like shrews, worms copying sea anemones, and roaches imitating ladybugs. There are even animals that look like themselves, which can also be a form of impersonation. The phenomenon of mimicry, as it's called by biologists, was first noted in the mid-1800s by an English naturalist, Henry W. Bates. Watching butterflies in the forests of Brazil, Bates discovered that many members of the Peridae butterfly family did not look anything like their closest relatives. Instead they bore a striking resemblance to members of the Heliconiidae butterfly family. Upon closer inspection, Bates found that there was a major advantage in mimicking the Heliconiids. Fragile, slow-moving and brightly coloured, the Heliconiids are ideal targets for insectivorous birds. Yet, birds never touch them because they taste so bad. Imagine that you're a delicious morsel of butterfly. Wouldn't it be smart to mimic the appearance of an unpalatable Heliconiid so that no bird would bother you either? That's what Bates concluded was happening in the Brazilian jungle among the Pieridae. Today, the imitation of an inedible species by an edible one is called Batesian mimicry. Since Bates' time, scientists have unmasked hundreds of cases of mimicry in nature. It hasn't always been an easy job, either, as when an animal mimics not one, but several other species. In one species of butterfly common in India and Sri Lanka, the female appears in no less than three versions. One type resembles the male while the others resemble two entirely different species of inedible butterflies. Butterflies don't "choose" to mimic other butterflies in the same Masters of Disguise :: essays research papers Finding good day care can certainly pose a problem these days, unless, of course, you're an African widow bird. When it comes time for a female widow bird to lay her eggs, she simply locates the nest of a nearby Estrildid finch and surreptitiously drops the eggs inside. That's the last the widow bird ever sees of her offspring. But not to worry, because the Estrildid finch will take devoted care of the abandoned birds as if they were her own. And who's to tell the difference? Though adult widow birds and Estrildid finches don't look at all alike, their eggs do. Not only that, baby widow birds are dead ringers for Estrildid finch chicks, both having the same colouration and markings. They even act and sound the same, thus ensuring that the widow bird nestlings can grow up among their alien nestmates with no risk of being rejected by their foster parents. MASTERS OF DISGUISE Things aren't always as they seem, and nowhere is this more true than in nature, where dozens of animals (and plants) spend their time masquerading as others. So clever are their disguises that you've probably never known you were being fooled by spiders impersonating ants, squirrels that look like shrews, worms copying sea anemones, and roaches imitating ladybugs. There are even animals that look like themselves, which can also be a form of impersonation. The phenomenon of mimicry, as it's called by biologists, was first noted in the mid-1800s by an English naturalist, Henry W. Bates. Watching butterflies in the forests of Brazil, Bates discovered that many members of the Peridae butterfly family did not look anything like their closest relatives. Instead they bore a striking resemblance to members of the Heliconiidae butterfly family. Upon closer inspection, Bates found that there was a major advantage in mimicking the Heliconiids. Fragile, slow-moving and brightly coloured, the Heliconiids are ideal targets for insectivorous birds. Yet, birds never touch them because they taste so bad. Imagine that you're a delicious morsel of butterfly. Wouldn't it be smart to mimic the appearance of an unpalatable Heliconiid so that no bird would bother you either? That's what Bates concluded was happening in the Brazilian jungle among the Pieridae. Today, the imitation of an inedible species by an edible one is called Batesian mimicry. Since Bates' time, scientists have unmasked hundreds of cases of mimicry in nature. It hasn't always been an easy job, either, as when an animal mimics not one, but several other species. In one species of butterfly common in India and Sri Lanka, the female appears in no less than three versions. One type resembles the male while the others resemble two entirely different species of inedible butterflies. Butterflies don't "choose" to mimic other butterflies in the same

Boston Artwork Essay

The public artworks that I chose are Asaroton 1976 (Unswept Floor) and Boston’s Famed Rainbow Tank. The similarities of these artworks are that they are both available in public view and that they are unique types of artwork. There is not much like the Rainbow Tank or the Asaroton ’76 types, as they were original ideas of the artists. Considering the effect that they have on people, both artworks seem to blend in the everyday life of those who see it in a regular basis. The Asaroton is being walked around and stepped around, while the Rainbow Tank contains liquefied natural gas. It’s as if the artwork has naturally been there, a part of everyone’s ordinary lives despite the fact they are extraordinary creations (Millis, 1997). The Asaroton ’76 is an artwork like no other, as it is composed of bronze replicas of everyday waste and debris of the market, which is then embedded in concrete. At first glance, the artwork just seems to be a deformity or an abnormality in the road (Harries/Heder Public Art, 2006). But if you look at it closely, you will see the intricate details and designs embossed on the concrete walkway. In relation to this, it is situated in a segment of the street which forms a major crosswalk. Many people pass it or walk over it everyday, but they don’t seem to mind. To them, the artwork is already a part of their everyday lives. Boston’s Famed Rainbow Tank is actually a gigantic tank of liquefied natural gas which was painted with five huge swaths of color, artistically placed as though they’re just strokes of a paintbrush (NPR, 2001). The colors are yellow, orange, blue, vermillion, and purple. With the way the tank is painted, it’s as if it was just a large canvas for an abstract artwork. The stripes actually doesn’t resemble anything, but according to those who gaze at this gigantic work of art, they see faces of prominent personalities, whether they’re our friends or foes (images of Ho Chi Minh, Fred Flintstone, Saddam Hussein). The Asaroton ’76 is situated in the busy, open air produce market on Blackstone Street. The place it is embedded is a part of a major crosswalk, so you can just imagine how many people walk over it or pass it during the course of the day. Heavy motor traffic is also present during the day, so we can say that this artwork is not something that we keep in museums or galleries, as it is best appreciated in public. Boston’s Rainbow Tank is situated somewhere along Boston’s waterfront, the industrial part of the area. The rainbow tank is such a massive structure that many people can see it without having to get close to it. There were restaurants just around the area, and the rainbow tank has been a common view for the urban dwellers. The tank holds a good spot in everyone’s heart, as it was made originally as a sign of peace, and now it remains a masterpiece unique from any other artworks. The effectiveness of Asaroton ’76 in conveying an artistic message is incomparable, as it artfully depicts some of the common things that we see everyday. It immortalizes the debris of everyday life, which seem to reflect back to us, how we oftentimes don’t recognize these stuff as artistic or as anything valuable. With the Asaroton, we are able to see how these things, no matter what they are, can be a very good subject for a wonderful work of art. It’s main difference with the Rainbow Tank is obviously the size, and also the feeling it conveys, as it serves as a reminder of the things we usually neglect or ignore, as for the Rainbow Tank, it is a sign of peace, that’s why it conveys a feeling of happiness to the viewers. The Rainbow Tank is effective in its purpose of spreading peace, as it conveys a feeling of peacefulness and childish joy, despite the size of the structure. People who look at it tend to smile, even without a reason. Its mere presence in the area brings and assurance of peace for the people, though in reality, it could easily be a target of terrorism, with all the natural gas it contains. References: Harries/Heder Public Art. (2006). Asaroton 1976 (Unswept Floor). Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. harriesheder. com/asaroton. htm Millis, C. (1997). An opinionated, irreverent look at Boston’s public art. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. bostonphoenix. com/archive/art/97/08/21/PUBLIC_ART. html NPR. (2001). Boston’s Famed Rainbow Tank Inspires Admiration, Scorn. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. npr. org/news/specials/response/home_front/features/2001/nov/rainbowtank/011105. rainbowtank. html

How valid is the view that Germany was treated leniently in essays

How valid is the view that Germany was treated leniently in essays The treaty of Versailles was signed on the 28th of June 1919 by the Weimar government. The French, British, and American governments designed the peace settlement in order to place blame on Germany for starting the war. The consequences being that the German government would have to pay reparations, as well as loss of one third of land and most of the colonies. This caused total out rage within the German public, as they had always been led to believe that it had been a defensive war, through propaganda. There is much historical debate over how leniently the Germans were treated in the settlement. John Maynard Keynes supports the view that Germany hadnt been treated fairly, although facts such as the treaty of Brest-Litovsk point to a more lenient approach. In this essay a full examination of how Germany was treated in the settlement, and if it is a valid view that the settlement was lenient will be given, with close reference to factual evidence and historic debate. The German public were outraged after the signing of the treaty, as popular belief was that it had been a defensive war and in no way was Germany to blame. The treaty was looked upon as harsh and unfair, with a grave humiliation placed over Germany. Today German honour is dragged to the grave, one papers view on the settlement. The agreement was that Germany would loss 1/3 of her land and would have to pay reparations totalling to 6600 million. Thus crippling her as the removal of Alsace and Lorraine an important industrial area would make it harder for Germany to pay the reparations back. Also restrictions were placed on her army and industries were taken over, such as the Rhineland. Germany however wasnt consulted over the terms and the leading powers dictated them to her, causing more frustration amongst the German population. The German foreign minister Brockdorff-Rantza commented that the bases of the treaty, which w...

Four Dimensions of Human Resource Management Practice Essays

Four Dimensions of Human Resource Management Practice Essays Four Dimensions of Human Resource Management Practice Essay Four Dimensions of Human Resource Management Practice Essay Human resource environment is a great factor which can directly affects employees morale and productivity if not properly managed. After internal and external environmental factors are well taken care of, employee can concentrate on their task at hand. A positive and friendly environment makes work more enjoyable for the employee and it help to develop sense of belonging to the organization. Areas of the management of human resource environment includes Strategic human resource management which combined human resource practices with organizations business policies to helps the organization to achieve its goal. It involves a pattern of planned human resource deployment and activity which can improved the organizations productivity. Next, we need to ensure that the organizations human resources management practices are complied with federal, states and countrys law. As the organization is set-up for business. Policies are being developed to support its operations. We need to determined if these policies are legal with the legislative and regulatory agencies of the country. This is critical to the organization as legal issues can affects organizations operation and become a burden to organizations success and survival. Lastly, we look at design and review of jobs that can motivates and satisfies the employee and therefore, increasing productivity and maximizes customer service with better quality of work. With motivated and satisfied employee, there will not be much changes of the companys human resource as people are happy with their work and unlikely to leave the organization. : This result in a reduction in resources need to train new employee annually. Acquiring and preparing human resources As customer needs for new product and services, organizations need to forecast the number of employees need and type of workers that meets the demand. Organization have to measure its present human resources configuration and relates it to future demand. Base on its knowledge of the workers personality, organizations need to decide on termination of service for unproductive employee, promotion and also plan for employees retirement. Getting the right people to replace them can be quite challenging task. This area includes recruitment, employee selection, human resource planning and training for workers to perform their task. They have to keep a lookout for potential individual who are able to deliver what customer wants. It is important to minimize errors in selection and placement of employee as it affects the organization ability to compete with rivals and also the applicants life. Employee will not do well in wrong area of job scope allocated and will in future become a burden to the company and effects ones social life. Training helps employee to develop skills which is need to perform for task base on organization requirement. As the employee can do his job well, he will become positive and motivated to make more contribution for the company and therefore, improve productivity. Assessment and development of human resources Managers and employee have the necessary skills to perform current job and to develop new skills to be able to cope with future assignment as more advance method of operation and technology have been introduced to the organization. In this area of human resources management, we need to measure the employees performance in term of weakness and strength and plan necessary development for them. Preparing the employee for future work roles and resolve any issue that is affecting them in work. We also need to ensure that employee have the competencies necessary for the task for organizations present and future operation. Educating employee with organizations long term goals and values in the industry. Develop interest for employee to work for the organization, creating a relationship between the organization and the employee. Justification for productive employee by promotion and bonus will retain them from competitors. Discipline and layoff unproductive employee as they are obstructive to organization progress and fellow employee. The objective is to achieve an ideal employment relationship and working environment that will benefit both the company and employee. Compensating human resources Pay and benefits are used to reward employees contribution to the company and also to attracts new workers. Other than interests in work, the next incentives that workers look forward to is pay and benefit. Positive influence on new work design, new technology and quality demands on production can be damaged if employee are compensated unfairly. This area of human resources management includes creating of a good pay system, reward employee contributions and provide them with benefits for working in the company. Using salary and benefits to recognize and reward employee base on performance, seniority and skills will helps to retain experience and productive personnel. Frequent change of employee will result in a slow down in companys operation as they are lack of experience and cohesiveness.

Glider 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Glider 1 - Assignment Example This paper declares that a glider usually has got 3 forces acting on it while in flight in comparison with 4 forces that normally act on an aircraft that is powered. Both kinds of aircrafts are all subjected to drag, weight, and lift forces. For the powered craft, there is the engine thrust that opposes the drag; however, there is no thrust for glider. A glider must generate lift so as to oppose its own weight for it to fly. For lift to be generated, a glider ought to move via the air. A glider’s motion via the air produces drag. In the case of an aircraft that is powered, the drag is opposed by the engine’s thrust; however, the glider lacks an engine to produce thrust. With nothing to oppose the drag, a glider will rapidly slow down till it can no longer produce adequate lift to resist its weight, and falls down to the ground finally. This report makes a conclusion that it does not matter the length of the moment arm is to be employed. This is because both short as well as long moment arms are endowed with their advantages as well as disadvantages respectively. For instance, a disturbing force normally has a superior impact on an arm that is short as compared to one that is long. A long moment is slow to respond to stabilizing forces and thus loses its earlier advantage to a short one. However, on throwing, a glider with short moment arm recovers more rapidly due to stabilizing properties, whereas a longer moment ship usually attains more height before it finally recovers fully, going into a straight glide.

Organizational Behavior Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Behavior - Case Study Example Secondly Turner found that the activities of the concern lacked due organizing elements which made the organization suffer from financial and strategic crisis. Thirdly the President felt reluctant to enhance the communication activities amongst the people working in the management groups thereby restricting teamwork and sharing of resources. Fourthly owing to lack of proper communication the President failed to learn the right potential of his managerial team which thereby rendered in reducing motivation and productivity. Fifthly, Cardullo reflected a sense of adamant and destructive attitude in his dealings with subordinate team members. In addition to being rough with people, Cardullo declined to understand the potential of the advices and suggestions rend from the subordinates thus reflecting a total disregard to such. Sixthly, Cardullo owing to his shortsightedness declined to understand the advantages that the firm would receive in incorporating the new strategies produced by Tu rner but continued focusing only on the outcomes-dropping margins and financial health. Thus the President of Modern Lighting Incorporation reflected a continuing sense of being reluctant to the problems and issues faced in by the people both at the managerial and subordinate level. The President hooked on to his own ideas only and disregarded any form of communication in regards to formulating strategic decisions in regards to gaining on in margins and markets. Ineffective organization and decision making activities coupled with lack of communication and teamwork worked to enhance the failure of the corporation in regards to falling margins. Behaviors and Activities of Individuals Illustrating an Impact on the Issues An effective leader requires effective communication with the people employed in the different levels of the concern pertaining to managerial and subordinating ranks to gain potential feedbacks and suggestions. Such level of interaction would help the manager gain pote ntial information to formulate strategic decisions (Singla, 2010, p.453-454). In regards to the case Pat Cardullo is found to avoid having any form of potential communication with managerial members like Jamie Turner and other subordinate members like Tim Kelly and Ernie Dennis. Lack of proper communication thereby tends to create a rift between the people employed in different levels thereby jeopardizing productivity and motivation. Further Pat Cardullo focused on independent working rather than working based on rationalistic argumentation between people working in parallel positions or between managers and subordinates. Working based on rationalistic arguments tends to increase productivity rather than working in an independent fashion (Kreitner and Kinicki, 2008, p.359). Again Pat Cardullo is found to work on setting a managerial objective of gaining on in margins without rendering possible insights to his team about the process in accomplishing such. He is also observed to be in flexible to the ideas rendered in by subordinates and managerial team to gain on margins and dependable on short run objectives (Koontz and Weihrich, 2006, p.93). Finally Pat Cardullo is observed to promote groupism in the company through using Julie Chin in gaining information about activities of Janie Turner. The extent of groupism tends to create distortion in organizational relationships

Corporate Taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate Taxes - Essay Example 29) or the Code, otherwise the business is taxed under the Subchapter C of the Code. Moreover, during liquidation process, the liability of a sole owner of an S or C corporation is determined by the amount of money the owner has invested in the business, hence personal assets are not subject to the rights of creditors to seize or place a lien. Furthermore, when an entity undergoes bankruptcy proceedings and files for Chapter 11, the assets of the corporation is transferred to the bankruptcy estate, however "a transfer (other than by sale or exchange) of an asset from the debtor to the estate shall not be treated as a disposition for purposes of any provision assigning tax consequences to a disposition and the estate shall be treated as the debtor would be treated with respect to such asset" (IRC section 1398(f)). Given the above tax laws, rulings and regulations, if Susan treats her additional $80,000 as an additional stock investment, which will then increase the value of her total stock to $180,000, the for tax purposes, she will not be able to report the loss of the additional stock investment or the total value of her stock as a loss in her individual tax return. Section 1398(f) of the Code specifies that the bankruptcy estate will accrue the losses - both from operations and other items - of the business of the year that the bankruptcy process commenced. Hence, given the treatment of the $80,000 additional investment as a stock investment, on the year that Bluegill files for bankruptcy this amount and the rest of Susan's equity investment in the corporation will become the losses of the estate rather than her losses. However, the tax implications would be different if the $80,000 additional tax investment is treated by Susan as a loan to Bluegill Corporation. In this circumstance, Susan, to the extent of the $80,000 loan, is considered as a debtor. Hence, the tax treatment is different. However, the remaining stock value of Susan of $100,000 will still be treated the same way as identified above. For the $80,000 loan, during the bankruptcy proceedings, Susan can then assume a creditor's right to seize or attach lien on the corporation's assets. Any loss resulting from the bankruptcy of Bluegill with respect to the $80,000 loan can be reported in Susan's individual income tax return. There is a way for Susan, however, to claim the losses from her total stock investment in her individual tax return in case Bluegill files for bankruptcy. To be able to do this, Susan needs to file the bankruptcy right after the end of Bluegill's fiscal year. Corporation's fiscal year ends every December 31. Hence, Susan needs to file for bankruptcy right after this time. Whether the additional $80,000 investment can be considered a bona fide loan or a capital contribution or both, several factors need to be considered. First, whether the business was undercapitalized during the additional contribution. If capitalization was sufficient, then the additional investment can be considered as a bona fide loan. Another factor is the intention of Susan in giving the additional investment to Bluegill. In Adelson v. United States (Fed.Cir. 1984) 737 F.2d 1569, the court made a distinction on the difference of a loan and capital. The court stated that "a loan is

Health Care Roles in Communication Essay Example for Free

Health Care Roles in Communication Essay Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said, â€Å"We have to ask ourselves whether medicine is to remain a humanitarian and respected profession or a new but depersonalized science in the service of prolonging life rather than diminishing human suffering.† In the health care field there are many roles that balance each other. Whether it is the doctor, patient, or medical assistant all play a vital role in the care of others. The purpose of this paper is to compare the differences in communication between the different roles in the hospital. This paper will also be providing an appropriate solution for the scenario provided. The scenario provided is about a young Asian girl named Lena. She was taken to the emergency room by her friend Susie after she fainted in class. Raised in a culture, which has made Lena independent, She verbally attacks her friend yelling about how she is not weak. When she tries to leave, Susie retrieves the medical assistant. The medical assistant restrains Lena and is then sent away by the doctor. The doctor tries to reason with Lena and explain why she is there, but gets no response from her. Finally, the doctor leaves to care for other patients. For this scenario I will be examining the role of the doctor first. From the perspective of the doctor, Lena is very stubborn. This doctor has to see dozens of patients a day and does not have time to argue with one patient who does not want to be there. A doctors time is precious, especially in the emergency room. Although the doctor sees many cases which are easy, such as a runny nose or a broken finger, there are many emergencies that require immediate attention. If there was a call for a doctor to assist in a patient from a major auto accident , this doctor may choose to put a fainting girl on the sideline to assist with the trauma. On the other hand, the doctor should still attempt to treat the patient to the best of his or her abilities in the short time allowed. There are other ways to gain  information regarding Lenas situation, which will be discussed later. The medical assistant was the first medical professional to confront Lena after she woke up. From the tone of voice portrayed in the scenario, the medical assistant wanted to help the patient. The assistant rushed to the patients side, knowing she was very sick and needed medical attention. Unfortunately, Lena could not be reasoned with between the time the medical assistant arrived and the time the doctor walked in. The medical assistant was not given enough time to calm the patient or explain the situation. Susie seems concerned for her best friends health and safety. Even though Susie knows her friend has an independent attitude, there has to be a reason she brought Lena to the emergency room. Unless Lena had been sick for a while or had fainted before, there would be no cause for Susie to rush her to the hospital. Susie also shows her concern for Lena by rushing to get the attention of the medical assistant when Lena tries to leave. Susie must believe that Lenas health is important enough to bring her to a place where she can get the medical help she needs to get better. Finally, there is Lena, the patient. Lena was brought up to be independent and strong. Many residents raised in Southeast Asia that find it hard to conform to western medicine. Even though Lena has lived in the United States for 10 years, which means she has spent the majority of life around the medicinal practices of her parents and her culture. As an example, if Lena is from Vietnam her knowledge of medicine would be vastly different (Schultz, 1980). In most areas of Vietnam, residents and medical practitioners steer away from prescription medicine and favor herbs instead. Eastern medicine relies heavily on the spiritual element in the human body as much as western medicine relies on the chemical makeup (Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism, 2010). If Lena was used to Vietnamese eastern medicine her reaction to being in the hospital is not surprising. Her idea of medicine may come in the form of a root instead of a bottle. Within the scenario are many complications with the communication between individuals. First, there is the confrontation between Lena and Susie. Lena  instantly blames Susie for taking her to the hospital. While Susie is her best friend and is the one sitting in the room with her, it may not have been Susies choice to send Lena to the emergency room. Because Lena fainted in class, it would be the responsibility of her instructor to make sure she was taken care of. The instructors reaction may have been to call the paramedics to make sure the student received proper medical attention. There would have been nothing Susie could have said to prevent the paramedics and medical professionals from making the decision to take Lena to see a doctor. Once at the hospital, Susie could have worked to calm her friend down before rushing to find the medical assistant to restrain her. She could have also provided some insight, to the doctor, regarding Lenas recent medical problems leading to the fainting. This may have softened the doctors approach to Lenas silence. While the medical professional was doing her job by keeping the patient in the hospital, extra empathy should have been given. The initial approach was rough and direct. Each patient should be given the same consideration regardless of the circumstances. Instead of verbally attacking Lena, the medical assistant should have approached Lena in a different manner. Being too direct will put the patient in a defensive position rather than a position to listen. When the medical assistant states she doesnt have time to deal with Lena, it lowers the value of the patients worth as someone who needs care. It is like saying the person with a bloody nose should take priority over someone who has fainted and may have a serious underlying condition. Admonishing a patient and telling them they are sick is worthless. Lena knows she is sick. She just wants to prove she can cure herself without the interference of doctors. Had the medical assistant shown more empathy and expressed her understanding of Lenas situation it may have diffused the angry encounter. Many communication conflicts with the doctor in regard to everyone else in the room. First is the treatment of the medical assistant by the doctor. From the scenario we can see that the doctor was close behind the assistant as she came through the door. The medical assistant did not have enough time to do her job before the doctor told her to leave the room. Had the doctor  allowed the medical assistant to stay in the room it may have had a positive effect on the patient. If the doctor is a male, Lena may have felt uncomfortable around him and the presence of a female assistant may ease the worry. The doctor could have gained immeasurable information about Lenas condition from Susie. Had the doctor questioned the best friend it could have revealed how long this had been going on and what other symptoms Lena had been exhibiting. Instead the doctor completely ignores Susie and turns attention to Lena. When the doctor tells Lena what is going on he does not pay attention to how, she is reacting, only that she is not answering the questions. The doctor makes the assumption that Lena is quite on purpose and leaves to go treat other patients. In the scenario are a few key points that the doctor missed and misinterpreted. Just like with the medical assistant, more care should have been given to calming Lena down instead of becoming defensive. By being understanding, the doctor would have caught the signs of something more serious going on with Lenas health. The blank look on her face may not have given much away, depending on her age. Many people who look blank or vacant when someone is telling him or her about a topic they know little about. However, her eyes may have helped the doctor realize something serious was happening. A blank look may mean nothing, but a glassy eyed stare could mean something. Lena had started to sweat profusely. Most hospitals keep the complex cooler than normal to help stave off nausea and fever in most patients. The sweating, blank stare, and non-responsiveness could have signaled the doctor there was something worse than just fainting in Lenas condition. With just the few symptoms exhibited in the scenario, Lena could be suffering anything from heat exhaustion to a deadly pulmonary embolism (WebMD, LLC, 2010). Last, there is the patient, Lena. Her lack of communication is born from family traditions that go back hundreds of years. Even so, Lena has lived in the United States for 10 years. It would be impossible for her to live in this country and go to school here without seeing a western medicine doctor. She could be used to smaller clinics; however, her reaction to the emergency room is unwarranted. The scenario made it seem as if Lena did not want to  talk to the doctor because she resented being in the hospital. Her outburst upon waking, and her non-responsiveness to the doctor, may have been a part of her illness. She might not have been aware of where she was by the time the doctor was through explaining her condition. An appropriate solution for the situation should be patience and empathy. The medical assistant and the doctor should have been more understanding toward the patient. There should have been compassion toward a young girl who was upset and confused. More attention to detail was needed by the doctor. Susie should have spoken up when Lena could not. Her information could help her friend from getting worse. Lena, having lived in the United States for 10 years, should have been willing to hear what the doctor had found before making the decision to leave. I have been in the customer service field for 13 years. From Banking, to telecommunication, to healthcare, the only factor that changes is the service provided. There will always be someone else who needs the attention of the representative. The key to communicating to a customer is empathy. Allowing a person to realize you understand their situation and showing a willingness to help, makes the difference. When you have a patient who is screaming and upset, you cannot take it personally. They are hurt, confused, and afraid. A caregiver cannot treat patients the same if they take everything personally. Lena was not yelling because she hated the assistant or the doctor. She was yelling because she did not think she was as sick as the doctor did. Both the doctor and the assistant treated Lena as if she were wasting their time, instead of looking at the situation rationally. In conclusion, communication all comes down to how a person handles customer service. Each role in this scenario is a tough one to have. First, the patient, who is full of fear and has been raised to think differently. Next, the best friend, who is afraid of losing her friend to illness but is too scared to speak up. Third, the assistant, who has many other patients to see. Last, the doctor, who is skilled in what he does, but fails to see the obvious signs of something worse. All of these roles are true, from day to day. They are in every hospital, clinic, and emergency room. There should be  more classes within medical schooling that teach caregivers how to show empathy and understanding to their patients. There should also be continuing education for all caregivers to refresh what they have been taught. References WebMD, LLC. (2010). WebMD Symptom Checker. Retrieved from http://symptoms.webmd.com/symptomchecker Vietnam National Administration Of Tourism. (2010). Vietnam Traditional Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.vietvisiontravel.com/vietnam/travel-guide/Traditional_medicine/ Schultz, S. L. (1980, August). Southeast Asian Health Beliefs and Practices. Education Resources Information Center