Oracy in Teaching Maths and Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Oracy in Teaching Maths and Science - Essay Example The teachers use different strategies to provide opportunities to allow different types of discussions. Spoken language skills need to be developed in all subject areas, as different curriculum areas require different speaking and listening skills. There are different aspects that need to be observed relating to the different processes involved in talking, thinking and interthinking. For example, in assessing a child's ability to analyse a problem, his or her skills at speculating, questioning and hypothesising have to be observed. In assessing a child's ability to communicate, his or her skills at describing, explaining and clarifying have to be observed. This requires that the teacher observe a set of pupils of just two or three per session so that an appropriate observation of skills and a proper planning of talk experiences can be made. It is useful to involve pupils in the planning process so that they can participate in discussions as to what skills are needed in different area s such as math problem-solving, science experiments, etc., and the different kinds of talk, the outcomes and the resources available. Children should be made to work in different groups, playing diverse roles, so that stereotyping can be avoided and their different skills can be observed. Participation in diverse groups helps the children understand the functioning of group dynamics and the benefits of team work. Lalljee cites the example of 6-year-old children working in pairs for producing a free form class poem where the discussions of their ideas inspired them enough to produce an illustrated booklet which was read with enthusiasm by them (Lalljee 1998, p.6). Encouraging students to make suggestions on problems and ideas allow them speaking and listening space within the curriculum. Development of problem-solving skills According to the National Curriculum, teachers are expected to provide pupils opportunities to develop seven common requirements - Curriculum Cymreig, Communication Skills, Mathematical Skills, Information Technology Skills, Problem-solving Skills, Creative Skills, Personal and Social Education - through their study of the National Curriculum subjects (Common requirements n.d.). The Education Act of 2002 stipulates that a balanced and broadly-based curriculum should prepare pupils for the "opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life" (Skills framework 2007, p.2). Future Skills Wales 2003 Generic Skills Survey reports that of skills gaps reported by employers, lack of IT skills is the most common problem "followed by communication skillsshowing initiative, problem solving and ability to learn" (cited in Skills framework 2007, p.2). The skills framework developed for oracy moves on a continuum of different levels and stages for developing and presenting information an d ideas. The problem-solving skills in oracy are developed through several key stages. For developing oracy, the first key stage involves using talk to develop thinking by exploring, developing and clarifying ideas, predicting outcomes and discussing possibilities. The second stage involves talking for a range of purposes, including planning, predicting and investigating. The third stage involves t

Biochemistry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biochemistry - Assignment Example Glutamate transmits quick and precise signal in the primary significant sensory and motor tracts. It also makes numerous connections between various parts of the cerebral cortex that forms the network responsible for high mental functioning (Broda 66). Gamma- Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid synthesized from glutamate by an enzyme known as the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The dominant inhibitory transmitter exists in almost all parts of the nervous system. In addition,GABA acts as a presynaptic inhibitory transmitter in many circumstances.GABA plays a key role in the development of the nervous system, and it occurs in the early stages even before the establishment of the synapses. Once the synapses begin to occur, GABA plays a role as an excitatory transmitter as it depolarizes the postsynaptic neuron. Therefore, GABA is likely to be the first excitatory transmitter that shape neuronal networks before glutamate took over as the key excitatory transmitter (Dishman, O’Connor, &Tomporowski

The Battle of the Somme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Battle of the Somme - Essay Example Public support was in jeopardy of waning while contemplating a war with no end. The Allied plan was to launch three major offensive campaigns in 1916 and the Battle of the Somme was chosen as the site of the Western Front war effort. In February 1916 the Germans initiated the offensive on Verdun. This major assault drained French forces that were intended to participate in the Somme offensive. With the French concentrating their efforts at Verdun, operational planning fell to the British under Haig. Haig took great care in planning a detailed attack with the aid of General Rawlinson of the Fourth Army who was to lead the attack. Originally planned to commence on August 1, 1916, the date was moved up to July 1 in an effort to pull the German army from Verdun and take pressure off the French forces. The Western Front of World War I is often characterized as a long running stalemate and a war of attrition with no clear turning point. It was highlighted by battles and engagements that often had no clear victor and offered little advancement for either side. The Battle of the Somme, designed to drain the German forces, was a success from that standpoint but was only realized at a very high cost. By the end of World War I, the allies had won the economic war.... Many battles on the Western Front added to the German defeat, but the Somme offered other and more intangible gains, such as redefined tactics and the tank. By 1916 more modern weapons, naval power, and air power had altered the face of warfare. These contributions to the war were countered with newer battlefield tactics on both sides. The British perfected trench warfare with a central command at Yrpes. The inability of the Germans to gain ground against the British necessitated a reassessment of battlefield tactics by the Germans. Meanwhile the German's had lost precious men and resources. The battle at Verdun in 1916 was yet another drain on German resources. The German plan was to "bleed white" the French army. Repeated attacks were launched against the heavily fortified Verdun with no follow up attacks. After five months of intense slaughter, the French loss was 460,000 and the Germans had lost 300,000. Though the French lost more men, the Germans lost many of their best troops and were not in a position to stand the loss. The reduction in German forces put them at a disadvantage at the Battle of the Somme. As the stalemate drug on through 1917 and 1918, the German homefront had been cut off by blockades and the population was hungry and tired of the war. German troops were underfed and ill equipped. The final allied assaults at Rheims and Argonne, the turning points toward victory in 1918, were against an overpowered and weary German army worn down by the war of attrition that began in Somme. The Germans had been economically defeated by the tactics and tanks developed at Somme. With the continuous wearing away at the enemy, its difficult to recognize a defining moment when the balance tipped, but the resolve and innovation

Theory Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Theory - Term Paper Example This paper will examine EBP and identify theories that affect nursing interventions and implications in primary care nursing and also highlight some of its drawbacks. The use of EBP in healthcare setting differs from conducting research. This is because in clinical settings, EBP aims at implementing the latest evidence provided by research to guide patient care towards the best achievable outcomes. A prominent characteristic of EBP is that it encourages the cultivation of the spirit of inquiry, which basically questions existing of conventional practices. Through enquiry, practitioners of primary care nursing can challenge the conventional practices and create room for changes and improvements (Yoder-Wise, 2012). For instance, clinical questions designed in the PICOT format (they deal with patient population, the issue, comparison population, outcome and time involved) are crucial in establishing the most relevant search procedures that yield quality information in the least time possible. Then, before it is implemented or integrated, the information (or evidence) is critically appraised to ensure it is valid, reliable and applicable. The signifi cance of critically appraising evidence can best be understood from the perspective of increasing professional and public need for accountability in quality improvement and safety in primary care nursing (Yoder-Wise, 2012). This is even more pronounced by the fact that preventable harm is usually caused by key deficits in conventional practices that often go unquestioned. Decision making in EBP entails integrating knowledge and experience gained through an individual’s expertise, research evidence and client preferences in the perspective of available resources (Berwick, 2009). Therefore, decision making in EBP is a prescriptive approach towards how choices are made and is founded on ideas of improving theories so that they can be useful and relevant in

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 2

Marketing - Essay Example The framework of the product life cycle assists in managing a product through the processes involved from birth to its demise. It is possible to look at the product life cycle in the management of a product, as providing the guidelines that a good parent would like to have in the bringing up of a baby and sending it out face the challenges of a competitive world and providing input to meet these challenges. However in recent times the validity of the relevance of the product life cycle to the modern marketers is facing a challenge. Groucutt, 2005, p. 198, suggests that the product life cycle may be taken as a concept that â€Å"is used to predict the strategic needs associated with products as they age within the market place. It allows for the development of strategies appropriate to the life cycle stage and anticipate the need for changes in strategy as progression from one stage to another occurs† (1). Even though the origins of the product life cycle concept are rooted in economic theory as shown by Schumpeter in 1934, the credit of the origin of the product life cycle is normally attributed to Dean in 1950. It was however Levitt, T., who popularized the product life cycle concept from the early to the mid-1960’s, from where it came to be an established framework to assist in the analysis of the product portfolio of an organization. (1). The theory behind the product life cycle was presented in a simple manner by Kotler in 1967 as a classical model in marketing management for the explanation of the life of a product in the market. The classical model of the product life cycle is an S – shaped curve, as seen in Figure -1 consisting of four stages namely the introduction phase, the growth phase, the maturity phase and the decline phase, showing the four stages of a product in a market. A saturation element was later added on to the maturity phase making the third phase consist of maturity and saturation. The classical model of the product life

Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Gay Marriage Essay The issue of gay marriage remains controversial. Some people think that this trend has adverse effects on the society while others believe that it is seen as a natural trend and right for people to choose this type of marriage. My essay will discuss causes and effects of this problem. First, gay marriage is the result of psychological, legal, economic and biological effects. Medically speaking, if someone is born to be gay, the tendency is that he will not change his nature and want to live with people of the same sex. There are cases of men who marry the opposite sex and end up being unhappy till the day they decide to lead their own lives and stay with the same sex. Another reason is derived from economic drive. Despite not being inborn gay, several people, for sake of profit, opt for the solution to marry the similar sex. Besides, only after undergoing painful break-ups with so many people of the different sex do people lose their belief in love, and hence, choose to be by the side of the same sex. These people are believed to sympathize and care about them more. In addition, in such an open society where equality is recognized, it is inevitable that people can marry the one they love, despite the differences in age, race, family background and marriage notion. There are both positive and negative effects in this problem. As a result of recognizing the right of gay people in form of marriage, the society bestows upon these people the feeling of equity which makes them motivated to work as hard as other people. It is the acknowledgement of gay marriage that talented gay people continue contributing their best to social development, without bias. However, the fear is that no sooner has gay marriage become official than the society lacks the next generation since hardly could gay couples give birth. Another disadvantage is that children who are raised in gay families can rarely receive comprehensive education. Such purely male environment or female one is not enough for kids to develop normally, which might result in their mental disorders and sexual disorientation.

Ageism in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Ageism in the Workplace Essay Ageism can happen to anyone, young or old. Many times when discussing Ageism or age discrimination, most people consider older generations as those affected, but the reality is that younger generations can be affected by Ageism as well. Ageism is growing in America today, and there are many significant issues that are being associated with this form of discrimination. The purpose of this paper is to define Ageism and who is being affected by it. Those affected are experiencing a wide array of issues that can ultimately have serious and sometimes fatal consequences. Ageism is not something that cannot be cured, and there are definitely ways to overcome it. Ways to combat this problem, include education and mentoring. This paper will outline many different opportunities within these two areas and ultimately conclude with recommendations for organizational management to combat the growing issue of Ageism. Ageism Definition What is Ageism? In simple terms, ageism is defined as a form of discrimination targeting older adults, generally 55 years of age and older. Dr. Linda Woolf uses a definition by A. J.  Traxler to define Ageism as any attitude, action, or institutional structure which subordinates a person or group because of age or any assignment of roles in society purely on the basis of age. Ageism is different from other forms of discrimination in that an individual’s age is static unlike their race or gender (Woolf, 1998). What Dr. Woolf means by this is that a person’s age is constantly changing, and no one is exempt from experiencing ageism in some form. All of us at some point will be affected by Ageism, whether we stereotype others or we are stereotyped based simply on how old we are at that point in time. Ageism is slowly becoming a major issue within the workforce of America. Persons Affected Baby Boomers. There are some discrepancies in which period of time the Baby-Boomer generations actually begin and end, but for my research, the period is established as 1946 to 1964 (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). Baby-Boomers were born in a five to six year period immediately following World War II. The current age range for Baby-Boomers would be around 63 to 68 years of age. This generation is obviously within the prime age range to be affected by Ageism. The consulting firm, Age Lessons, lists 3 R’s as areas of concern for Baby-Boomers: redundancy, relevance, and resentment from younger co-workers (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). Boomers definitely have reason to be concerned about redundancy. In this day and age with so many layoffs occurring, many companies are looking at older employees, especially those within retirement age, as individuals to cut. The Boomer generation, having been around a while, most times is more expensive to retain than younger employees. Many older employees struggle to remain productive and relevant within the organization. They fear being left behind unless their employer offers them training opportunities (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). The final R, and maybe the harshest, is resentment from younger employees looking to grow and advance within an organization, but feel they are being held back by the Boomer generation. I have seen this type of resentment first hand, and it can and does often lead to an unstable work environment. Generation X. Who makes up Generation X? Well there are many different ranges of time given to define this group of individuals, but a good estimate is 1965 to 1980 (Jochim, 1997). The age range of this group is now around 33-48 years of age. That doesn’t seem very old, and one would wonder how Ageism could be affecting this group. They would seem to be in their prime working years. The reality is that as of 2003, more and more young workers feel they are being discriminated against because of their age (Armour, 2003). Revealing statistics support this belief among young workers. In an article for USA Today, Jennifer Armour reveals that in 2003 the unemployment rate for workers 25 to 34 was at 6. 9 percent, well above the 3. 9 percent for employees 55 and older. A more recent poll by Gallup, as of April 2012, puts the underemployment rate for adults 30 to 49 at 14 percent, still ahead of the 13. 6 percent for adults 50 to 64. Compare both of these with a 12. 7 percent rate for adults 65 and older, and you can see that ageism can affect all ages. This is a startling increase since 2003 and speaks to our current economy and the mindset of employers when determining who to retain and who to let go. With so many young adults underemployed or unemployed, they are unable to attain the experience and skills necessary to help them grow and attain better jobs in the future (Jacobe, 2012). These issues combined could lead to significant repercussions for the future of American business. Issues of Ageism Health There are many issues that lead to Ageism in the workplace. One issue is the health of the employee. Generally, organizations worry about the health of their older employees and how it may relate to work attendance. One stereotype is that older workers seem to be more fragile and are not able to physically perform as well as their younger counterparts (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). Issues of Ageism surrounding employee health are not only limited to physical requirements, but include mental aptitude as well. In fact, a 2001 survey conducted at Duke University found that nearly 80 percent of respondents age 60 and older experienced ageism such as people assuming they had memory impairments because of their age (Dittmann, 2003). Costs Many costs are associated with Ageism, but they are not all economic in nature. Costs to the elderly, costs to the younger generation, as well as social costs are a few that contribute to the problem. The discrimination of Ageism can affect individuals in many ways such as being denied employment or being passed over for promotion, just to mention a couple. One significant, yet subtle, blow can occur to the individual’s self-esteem (Palmore, 2005). The feeling of no longer being needed or wanted within an organization can have significant consequences to an elderly individual. It can lead to depression and a rapid deterioration of mental and physical skills. At the other end of the spectrum, is the much younger generation of workers. The costs of ageism can affect them as well. The costs to them are related to the topic of economic costs. According to Mr. Palmore, special programs that benefit only older persons, such as Medicare and Medicaid, are funded by the tax dollars of the younger employees within the workforce; the amount was greater than $300 billion annually in 1999. The final cost is the social cost to not only the elders, but the younger generation as well. The younger generation loses a significant wealth of knowledge to pull from while the elderly lose an opportunity for social interaction. Technology As time goes by, technology continues to progress at a rapid pace, and it is often difficult for individuals, as well as organizations, to keep up with the ever changing products. Many managers feel that older workers do not like change and lack the desire to learn new technology or simply have no valuable technical skills to offer (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). In my own personal experience in the technology industry, I have supervised older employees who had the minimal skills to succeed but did not want to put forth the effort to learn new skills in order to advance. Likewise, I have had supervisors who are â€Å"old school† and had no interests in keeping up with the technological advances. This led to younger employees actually having a greater knowledge base than their manager. Education Education of older employees is also a concern for managers in today’s constantly changing environment. The changes of the work environment have brought new knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for all workers (Lee, Czaja Sharit, 2009). The question that managers have to answer is, do older employees have the necessary cognitive abilities to learn and perform these new requirements. As I mentioned earlier, some older adults do not have the desire to learn new skills at such a late stage of their career, and this is an issue many managers are faced with. Attitude can play a large part in a manager’s decision to select older adults for the necessary training to keep those individuals gainfully employed. A negative attitude by older employees can lead to negative stereotypes and concerns about the trainability of such individuals (Lee, Czaja Sharit, 2009). Older adults, who display a desire and enthusiasm about learning new skills and abilities, have a greater opportunity to overcome the negative stereotypes and contribute significantly to any organization. Risks While efforts are being made to eliminate all forms of discrimination, it continues to occur today to many groups including older adults. Wendy Taormina-Weiss states, â€Å"Despite efforts to provide a level of protection that might be based upon compassion, ageism continues to lead to disempowerment of seniors in this nation. † The question becomes, what are the risks we are creating for seniors by discriminating against them because of their age? Poor health, reduction or loss of financial security, and social isolation are three major risks created by ageist beliefs (Taormina-Weiss, 2012). Many seniors have lived a long and productive life, and the need to make a contribution is important to them. By looking at them with these negative stereotypes and discriminating against them simply because of their age, the risk factors above can have severe consequences. Taormina-Weiss goes on to say that these risk factors can contribute to a lower quality of life, lower self-esteem, and ultimately a shorter life span. Combating Ageism Education Outsourced. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits age discrimination in the workplace for employees or potential employees 40 years of age or older. (Farrell, 2011). Assistance, such as Professional Employer Organizations (PEO), is available to employers to assist with understanding and compliance of the law. According to PEO Spectrum, one benefit of a PEO is that they co-employ with a client accepting half the risk of managing an organizations employees. Just as important, is the fact that PEOs provide training to supervisors and managers to not only improve employee communication and relations, but also to keep leaders up to date on applicable laws pertaining to age discrimination (Farrell, 2011). Other areas that PEOs offer training in is proper interviewing techniques, managing through a layoff, discrimination, and harassment (Farrell, 2011). Organizations should have liability protection insurance for a worst-case scenario such as a wrongful termination. The issue here is that liability insurance can be expensive. According to Farrell, most PEOs offer their clients coverage, but the cost can be as much as $5000 a year for a company with only 10 to 20 employees. However, with the proper training and education, such as that provided by PEOs, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of facing such a lawsuit. In-house. In a study conducted by several faculty members and students at Nova Southeastern University on the subject of Ageism, the authors recommended the TEAM approach in order to build diverse high-performing teams. The TEAM approach stands for team composition, education and training, awareness, accountability, and accommodation, and mentoring (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). Team composition is the first and most important step. When building the team, you should ensure to include employees across all age groups. Education and training are also vital to your employees. Diversity training has become very important along with opportunities for older adults to receive training to keep technical skills current. Research shows that the 2008 U. S. Presidential election was notable for many things, mainly the difference in how each candidate reached their constituents; one used email and text messaging, while the other did not (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). Organizations need to be aware of discrimination laws and ensure that all employees are aware of the requirements to be in compliance with said laws. The Human Resource department of an organization must be responsible for developing strategies to ensure that all employees, especially the Baby-Boomer generation, are given the same opportunities for performance and promotion (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). The final peace of the TEAM concept is mentoring. Mentoring can be a two-way street in any organization. Not only do the older adults have an opportunity to mentor and train the next generation of employees, but the younger employees have an opportunity to mentor and train older adults to keep them current on new technologies and techniques. Mentoring Management. There are many opportunities for mentoring members of an organization’s management team. Many professional services are offered as well as opportunities from within an organization to use firsthand experience and knowledge. As discussed in the previous section, mentoring can and should occur in both directions. Knowledge should be gained from those adult co-workers who have been with an organization or industry for multiple years and have unique ideas and insights. Conversely, the younger generation of leader may bring a fresh set of ideas and beliefs that could make the organization more efficient. Two key areas of opportunity for mentoring managers is the use of Senior Mentors and Peer to Peer mentoring. Senior Mentors. Our own U. S. military is a good example of using Senior Mentors to assist individuals in upper leadership positions. These mentors help conduct exercises and offer advice to their still-active colleagues (Vanden Brook, Dilanian Locker, 2009). The majority of these retired leaders has experienced what our new leaders are about to experience and can offer valuable advice on how to handle certain situations and what steps to take in certain scenarios. While I could not find statistical data to show that the program has been effective in the military arena, I have no doubt that having the insight of someone who has held the same position previously is nothing short of valuable. Many of the same principles applied in military circles can be applied in the business sector as well. Retired military leaders know all too well the issues of discrimination, no matter what form, and can help guide the next generation of leader in avoiding these pitfalls. In the military, we sometimes find Ageism pointed in the direction of the younger generation because of a lack of experience. This scenario is where Senior Mentors can advise leaders to listen to their younger leaders and avoid the appearance of prejudice against them simply because of their age. Peers. According to Judith Germain, peer to peer mentoring occurs when the mentor is not in a position of authority over the mentee. Peer to peer mentoring can be very valuable in a group setting because mentors are able to pass on knowledge based on life experience and professional experience gained in the business arena (Germain, 2011). Too often we think of a peer as someone similar in age, but in the business world it relates directly to job title. Putting peers together from different age groups to exchange information and ideas goes a long way in helping them understand each other and eliminating any stereotypes about each other. Germain goes on to say that in this group setting with such a diverse group of leaders, the learning curve for the business owner is greatly reduced. In the long run, peer to peer mentoring offers a relaxed environment among managers of all experience levels to pass on valuable life experience and information. Employees. Mentors use their leadership to advise and nurture their employees either voluntarily or involuntarily (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). As discussed earlier, managers and leaders need mentoring before they can mentor their employees. The information held by the leaders of an organization must be transferred to the next generation in order to assure continuity of key organizational functions (Gibson, Jones, Cella, Clark, Epstein Haselberger, 2010). When related to Ageism, managers must mentor their younger employees/supervisors concerning discrimination laws so that any issues with age discrimination may be avoided. Communication should be imperative in the mentoring process. With the proper mentoring program in place, valuable knowledge can be transferred, new and valuable friendships can be formed, and unnecessary litigation can be avoided. Conclusion Ageism is a rapidly growing form of discrimination. As we have learned, many Baby-Boomers today are experiencing or already experiencing this form of discrimination. Ageism is not limited to the Baby-Boomer generation, however, as many younger generations are experiencing this prejudice as well. Many factors have been discussed here including health related issues, social issues, and financial issues that arise out of this act of prejudice. These factors have a negative impact on employees of all ages and can have a significant negative impact on an organization if steps are not taken to correct any form of age discrimination. The good news for any organization is that there are ways to combat this growing problem. Organizational management should conduct an audit of policies and procedures to determine if they have allowed for any opportunities for this form of discrimination to occur. If so, they must take the necessary steps to correct the issue. Management should take advantage of every opportunity to educate their staff from top to bottom on applicable state and federal laws as well as internal policies and procedures related to any form of discrimination. Finally, it is recommended that management create and support a company mentoring plan. This plan should use outside resources, such as Senior Mentors, as well as current employees of the organization. With the proper policies, procedures, education, and mentoring programs in place, an organization can avoid any potential pitfalls of Ageism or other forms of discrimination.