John Maxwell Essay Example

John Maxwell Paper Lexus Toombs Academy of Leadership and Excellence Book report The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership John C Maxwell 11/22/2011 John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 19 million books. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and The John Maxwell Company, organizations that have trained more than 5 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and the United Nations. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is one of many excellent leadership books by Maxwell. This book distills the art of leadership into 21 practical laws. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is easy to follow, very clear, and presents strong examples of the leadership principles explained. There are 21 laws described in this book. The following are a few that stood out to me. The Law of the Lid – Leadership Ability Determines a Person’s Level of Effectiveness ? Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. Your leadership ability always determines your effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization. Law of Influence– The true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. Finally, The Law of Empowerment – Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others. If you want to be successful, you have to be willing to empower others. Maxwell explains that the book is not meant to be read in one sitting, but over time. We will write a custom essay sample on John Maxwell specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on John Maxwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on John Maxwell specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For example, John would like readers to read one law and practice it for a month and then come back to the book re-read and evaluate ones progress. Maxwell has done a masterful job with this book and has achieved its goal to teach leadership in a practical way. The book is laden with illustrations and stories. Usually these stories and illustrations are from well-known leaders or well-known companies. In some cases the stories were personal accounts, and these were expressed in a humble manner which is rare in books written by the experts. These real life examples illuminate the various concepts that Maxwell communicates. One will become very familiar with the term fleshing it out. In reading The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership two laws stood out to me The Law of Empowerment and The Law of Priorities. Maxwell stated, â€Å"Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away. † I have experienced this in my work career and in a previous ministry I was a member of. â€Å"Weak leaders worry that if they help subordinates, they themselves will become dispensable. Rather they should realize that if the teams they lead always seem to succeed, people will figure out that they are leading them well. † It’s very important to allow those you hire or volunteers to become leaders themselves. There are many that leave jobs and ministry because they are not allowed to advance. It is most important to empower your subordinates if you are a leader. Finally, â€Å"Busyness does not equal productivity. Activity is not necessarily accomplishment. Prioritizing requires leaders to continually think ahead, to know what’s important, to see how everything relates to the overall vision. This is a great statement regarding the law of priorities. One can be busy looking at Facebook or playing video games. These things are defiantly not productive yet we do these things on the job daily. I am also guilty of â€Å"busyness†, but if I prioritized I can better myself by studying my job or building relationships instead of surfing the interne t. Not to say I always do those things but it’s very important to stay on task with your vision for your life. I honestly never looked at it this way and I am currently applying this to every area in my life especially in the vision for my family. I would recommend The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership to leader and subordinates. It’s a very easy read. The short chapters make for easy, interesting reading and do not suffer from long chapters that tend to make one constantly lose concentration. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership- the short chapters sped along the reading of the book, and easily keeps the attention of the reader (especially for those with short attention spans like myself). Lastly, the content seems to be excellent. I am no authority on leadership or leadership principles, but it was clear that these `irrefutable laws are excellent guidelines for leadership. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the pages of this book. Many of them are common sense, yet are principles that leaders need to know and may possibly be overlooked because of their simplicity. Personally, I learned a great deal about leadership from the content of this book. The stories and examples alone provide enough conviction and clear teaching about the principles that Maxwell writes about. I honestly believe that anyone, regardless of position in their employment, can learn and make themselves better people from applying the values and philosophies of this book. Dont expect a spiritual book, however. While the laws are solidly founded on Scriptural principles, they are expressed in a non-religious manner. Finally, some of the â€Å"Laws† discussed are ideas that I have already come across at one time or another. The power this book has for me is that it will serve as a handy reference going forward. At one time or another you will need help with one or more of the â€Å"Laws†, be it Influence, Connection, Respect, or Solid Ground. Maxwell suggests that all of the Irrefutable Laws are important for a leader, but admits that it is rare for everyone to do each perfectly. This is where the Law of Inner Circle comes in. The author opines that a leaders potential is determined by those closest to him/her. Thus, if you are weak in certain areas, you can strive to get better. But if you know that you have a weakness in a specific area, you should ensure that your inner circle comprises leaders that have the skills you lack. A real life example that Maxwell gives is Lance Armstrong. Although Armstrong was a wonderful bike rider, he always credited his team for helping him reach the great achievements he enjoyed in the Tour de France. The author quotes another great leader in Mother Teresa whose life embodied many of the Laws; especially Sacrifice and Legacy who stated, You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things. This is one of the examples that Maxwell uses to drive points home. Above all I will apply the Law of The Inner Circle. I will constantly remind myself to surround myself with a strong inner circle. I have experience working in the prison system and all of the prisoners did not have a strong inner circle to help them make the correct decisions to help them become productive citizens instead of criminals. I will also make sure to instill this law in my children as they will soon have to deal with peer pressure. It’s important that when the time comes for them to make a life changing choice that they have an inner circle to go to or bring to remembrance clear direction from that circle.

How to Write a Dissertation in Management

How to Write a Dissertation in Management The dissertation is the last step that you have to take on your way to the MA degree. It provides you with an opportunity to show the skills and knowledge that you have gained through all academic years. Your dissertation is your chance to demonstrate that you’re well-versed in identifying the area(s) suitable for academic research: deciding on research objectives; gathering, organizing, and analyzing the relevant literature and secondary data; drawing conclusions, and if necessary, providing relevant recommendations for further research. University courses in the field of management are among the most popular all over the globe, at both graduate and undergraduate levels of study. Writing a dissertation in management requires planning ahead, using the key terms appropriately, conducting thorough research, and writing text in plain English. Step 1. Choose Dissertation Topic The field of management includes a wide variety of issues and trends that you’re welcome to dedicate your dissertation to. Whether you choose to analyze new trends or simply research traditional and well-known issues, it is important to choose a hooking topic, and you know you’ll be able to research, analyze, and write about. If you can’t come up with an attention-grabbing topic for a dissertation in management, check the following suggestions: How Do Psychosocial Hazards Impact Workplace Risk Management? Marilyn Ferguson: Traits of the New Paradigm in Leadership and Organizational Change; The Risk Management Process: Business Tactics and Strategies; Human Error in the Field of Project Management; The Impact of Technology and Innovation Usage on Business Management? Language Issues in Multinational Management; Can Eco-Friendly Business Strategies Boost Profitability? Entrepreneurial Management in Family-Owned Businesses; How to Enhance Project Management Efficiency in Newly Established Businesses; Gender Discrimination in the Delegation Task by Managers; Management and Its Impact on Organizational Efficiency; Managing Knowledge and Information in the Public Sector; Employees Flexibility Towards New Job Positions with Knowledge Management Strategies; Max Weber and Bureaucratic Management Theory; The Impact of Work-Life Balance, Talent Management, and Retention Strategies in the Hospitality Industry; Change Management and Its Impact on Business; Investigation of the Underlying Principle for Team Working Effectiveness and Working Techniques; Home-Work Interaction: A Challenge to HR Management; An Investigative Approach to Power Balances in Management Structures and Leadership of Multinational Companies; Public Sector Performance: Motivation, Management, and Measurement; Multicultural Project Management: What Are the Reasons for Failure? The Common Ways of Managing Change in Start-Up Businesses. Step 2. Write a Management Dissertation Proposal The term ‘dissertation proposal’ stands for a proposal for the final dissertation project that is aimed at persuading the committee that you are about to commit complex, interesting, and valuable questions. In other words, this is when you think of a significant issue and set up a plan for organizing information and writing the project. There are some key points to pay attention to when writing a proposal for a dissertation on management: What area is your project based on (supply chain management, sales management, public relations management, marketing management, etc.)? What problem is your project going to tackle? Why is it a problem for an academic or research community you belong to? Why is it necessary to find the right solution? How are you going to look for the answers? If, for example, you’re writing a dissertation on the topic ‘Can Job Motivation and Satisfaction Influence the Efficiency and Performance of a Company,’ the objectives and aims of this project are the following: To recommend operational models and strategies that can influence the organizational performance of the chosen company; To determine the benefits to the chosen company following an increase in personnel job satisfaction; To assess all the levels of motivational factors of the chosen company personnel that will enhance their job satisfaction, leading to organizational performance; To determine the whole range of motivational implications to the organizational effectiveness of the chosen company. The objectives mentioned above will help in providing the right answers to the issues relevant to the research question and sub-questions you’ve evaluated and analyzed on the basis of the related theories. Step 3. Perform an In-Depth Research At this stage, you set the overall development of your dissertation. It has to be effective since wasting your time analyzing and reading irrelevant sources may turn to be disastrous for your paper. Here are some quick recommendations on how to go through the research stage: Choose the right sources to look for information. Use the Internet as a starting point for your search. Use blogs, educational portals, forums, and articles. For the students engaged in marketing management, use the sources like Journal of Marketing Management. If it’s financial management that you write your dissertation on, Free Management Library will become handy. Human resource management issues, in turn, are available on the portals like Human Resource Management Journal or Harvard Business Review. However, make sure to double-check everything you read online to ensure it comes from a trusted place. Use Google Scholar to locate trustworthy resources of your interest. At the same time, don’t avoid regular visits to the library since librarians may provide you with some interesting publications. Organize your resources. It is important to take notes. If not, you’ll end up confused, having not the slightest idea of where certain materials are located. You’re welcome to use Penzu, Evernote, or any other app to write down notes for your management dissertation together with the sources you’re going to reference. Step 4: Write Your Dissertation in Management Writing goes smoothly when you have a solid plan. For that reason, you have to make a dissertation outline. You’ve got the proposal now, which serves as a preliminary outline for the management dissertation. Still, it’s necessary to construct a more detailed outline for a complex project. If your research led you to some unexpected direction, ensure to include all new points in the outline. Check the basic outline for the management dissertation: The Introduction The first part should provide a background of the issue, as well as a statement of the problem. Later on, you will specify and clarify the study purpose and the question of the research. Then, you’ll have to provide the definitions of each term that is relevant to your management dissertation. The authors are also welcome to give their expectations and assumptions about the final results. For instance, if you write on A Study of the Impact of Organizational Culture on Motivation of the Employed, your intro might include the following: ‘According to Graham Bennett, Human Resource Management is one of the crucial elements of operation in management. HRM has three key functions, acquiring human resources, maintaining them, as well as developing them. Human Resource Management directs and maintains human resources and represents the proper climate and culture for the employed in the companies. Out of all assets in a company, HR is the most crucial and dominant, which provid es organizations edge over others. Therefore, organizational management is buying commitment of the employed through successfully implementing motivation principles, rules, and policies.’ Literature Review In this section of the management dissertation, you’re required to review your research process and the key acknowledgments that you have come to. Remember that the literature review section should introduce and justify the questions and objectives of the research. It is not just a catalog of writers, authors, ideas, and frameworks but rather an introduction of a critical evaluation of the works of those authors. The literature review usually takes from 3 000 to 4 000 words. Methodology This section of the dissertation on management is focused on how you located each resource and all the results’ implementation methods. If it’s the qualitative dissertation that you write, you’ll expose the research participants, questions, processes of data analysis, data collection, and setting. In case it’s a quantitative dissertation, this chapter will focus on the research hypotheses and questions, collection of data, and data analysis. Findings This is the most significant part of the management dissertation for the reason that exactly at this stage, you’re required to demonstrate your intellectual capacity. Restate your research questions and talk about the results you’ve managed to find. Diagrams, graphs, etc. are useful when it comes to presenting the results of your research and illustrating the key points. Conclusions In the last chapter of the management dissertation, sum up the research, and give some brief results. It is important to explain what kind of difference your findings make in the academic world and how one can imply your findings in practice. If you’re writing a dissertation based on the business management issue, don’t confuse conclusions with the recommendations for the company that you investigate. If you’d like to provide a list of recommendations, provide a short separate chapter for that. At the end of the final chapter, make sure to create the so-called ‘Recommendations for future research’ segment, where you address the issues for the further research and clarify why exactly you do that. Bibliography It is important to use the citation style that is recommended by your college or university, as well as include the sources that you have used at the writing and research stage. Appendices Appendices are used by the authors in order to provide some supporting evidence for reference. By using the appendices, you have an opportunity to prove the authenticity of your work or illustrate points of principle specified in the text, questionnaires, etc. It is important to mention that appendices should include only subsidiary material. Don’t Skip Editing There’s a particular difference between proofreading and editing: proofreading is focused on the paper form, while editing is based on the essence. Make sure to focus on the essence at first. The point here is that you can’t proofread your project and then begin to erase all needless parts and add more text. It is highly recommended to see if there is a direct link between every argument throughout the text of your dissertation. Do you notice any gaps in the way materials are provided? Use the information that you collected at the research stage to fill in those gaps. Maybe at some point, you simply got carried away when providing research explanations. That’s not a problem. All you have to do is to cut those parts and clarify them as precisely as possible. After all, it’s all about quality and clarity, not the quantity. The management dissertation writing process is time-consuming and challenging. However, that’s not something that college or university students can’t cope with once they have step-by-step guidance at hand. You have to keep in mind how far you have come in your studies, so you simply can’t go back. For that reason, ensure to tackle the dissertation stage by stage, and soon, you will cope with the more important project in your academic career. Before you go and submit your dissertation in management to the committee, it is crucial to get some feedback. First, you might approach a colleague or a friend who has knowledge and skills in the field of management. It is important that you trust the chosen person since the dissertation is not an essay or book review. This is your intellectual property that is unique to the academic world. Get to know what they think about your piece and what suggestions for improvement they are ready to provide and why. Finally, have a talk with your mentor about the final touches for your project. S/he will highlight all the weak points that your dissertation has, as well as provide you with the instructions on how to finalize the writing stage before getting ready for the presentation.

Domestic Violence in New York City Research Paper

Domestic Violence in New York City - Research Paper Example Though the United States of America is a developed country where women’s freedom and equality is highly valued, the problem is rampant in this nation also. While the problem is highly significant as a social and legal issue, more important is its impact on the society as a challenging public health issue of far reaching consequences. The gravity of the problem can be understood from the fact that during 2005, â€Å"1,181 women† have been killed by an â€Å"intimate partner† and that females sustain â€Å"two million injuries from intimate partner violence each year† (The Facts on Domestic, Dating and Sexual Violence, 2009, p.1). Apart from the women who suffer due to the direct consequences of domestic violence, the children and other family members are also affected by domestic violence. However, most importantly, this menace is a serious public health problem which can have significant impacts on the community. The relevance of domestic violence as a maj or public health issue can be evidenced from the fact that females who become victims of this menace are â€Å"80 percent more likely† to suffer from a stroke and â€Å"70 percent more likely† to develop heart diseases (p.2). In addition, evidence also suggests that such women are more prone to diseases like asthma besides the possibility to â€Å"drink heavily† (p.2). In this context, it needs to be appreciated that healthcare costs can have a damaging effect not only on the family budget but also on community funding because when the government has to spend heavily on free medical services to those affected by domestic violence, the resources to be spent on developmental activities will be reduced. This becomes evident from the fact that New York State alone has spent â€Å"$227 million in 2005† on domestic violence, which could otherwise have been spent on developmental activities for the state (City Spending on Domestic Violence: A Review, 2007, p.1). In the specific context of the New York community, it transpires that as of 2005, nearly â€Å"13 percent of all murders† in this city are attributed to domestic violence and the total number of reported incidents comes to â€Å"226,000† (p.2). As stated before, the state spends a hefty sum on combating the problem and the expense primarily goes to â€Å"emergency social services† to females who fall victim to the menace, cost of law enforcement, preventive measures as well as other long term services (p.2). Healthcare is the most basic of the emergency social services provided to victims of domestic violence and community nurses have a key role to play in this effort. The service also needs to focus on preventing the recurrence of the incidence of domestic violence as well as â€Å"programs that assist victims† (p.2). Again, community health nurses have a significant role as a conduit between the healthcare systems and the victims or their families. Als o they can play a pivotal role in creating awareness about the problem within the community. Identifying potential families and providing counseling to them by the public healthcare nurses can go a long way in preventing recurrences. From the evidence emerging from various published materials, it transpires that domestic violence is a major public healthcare issue in the United States in general and New York State in particular. The problem not only costs heavy expenditure on an individual or family level but also places a hefty onus on the state as a result of which funding on developmental

Electrons in Atoms Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electrons in Atoms - Research Paper Example This paper sought to study electrons in atoms; their history, science and applications. Both case study and descriptive research designs were employed r. Secondary sources were the main data sources used in this study. The first discovery of an electron was made by Sir John Joseph Thompson when he was studying Mysterious rays, today’s cathode rays in 1898 (Richards). Thompson made a very bold suggestion the mysterious rays were made up particles that were smaller than atoms, which he named corpuscles. Thompson further suggested that corpuscles might be the component of all the matter in an atom (AIP). By then the atom was believed to be the smallest indivisible particle of matter; hence the Thompsons theory was controversial until he, together with other scientists and proved it experimentally. Thompson’s suggestion that cathode rays were made of corpuscles later turned to be electrons, tiny, with a negative charge and the fundamental parts of an atom turned to be correct. In the mid-nineteenth century, an experiment of a glass tube with wires implanted in opposite sides, air pumped out, and a high voltage applied was very popular. Lovely glow patterns were made inside the tube. The experiment was improved by a German physicist in 1859, and the fluorescent glow was produced where the cathode light reached the glass. This experiment was a proof that the cathode emitted some kind ray (AIP). Speculations were made by physicists, including Thompson concerning these mysterious rays. Some thought they were waves like light waves while others, including Thompson thought they were particles. More experiments were made. A magnet was observed to push the rays about. Heinrich Hertz, a German Physicist, noted that the mysterious rays were not deflected by an electric field in a cathode ray tube as was expected for charged particles. More confusion engulfed scientists, and more experiments were needed to resolve the uncertainties. Jean Perrin, a French

Behaviourism As A Language Learning Theory English Language Essay

Behaviourism As A Language Learning Theory English Language Essay Introduction Human beings learn every now and then. According to Cambridge Advanced Dictionary (2003), learning can be defined as an activity of obtaining knowledge. We human usually learn or gain knowledge either in a conscious way or subconscious way. Learning is not necessary must be conducted in a formal way such as tutorial, class or lecture; however, we also learn when we having a conversation with others or be it listening to the radio. Learning is a relatively permanent change in a behavioral tendency and is the result of reinforced practice (1963, cited in Kimble and Garmezy, 1987, p.6). There are actually a few theories been used to describe how knowledge or language is acquired namely Behaviourism, Innatism and Interactionism. For the first part of this assignment will explain these theories various approaches and principles. Then, this paper will focus on the pedagogical implications of each theory in teaching English as a Second Language. Part two will focus on examining the underlying learning theories which could have influenced the teaching-learning activities from a textbook. By the end of this paper, students will be able to differentiate learning theories and adopt the most suitable ones into his/her teaching career. Behaviourism is the earliest language learning theory which is propounded by J.B. Watson (1878-1957) in 1913. This theory is supported and believed by some behaviourists who are Skinner, Pavlov and Thorndike; also, profoundly developed the theory of behaviourism on learning. Behaviourism focuses on observable behaviours which are changed as the symptoms of learning. According to Brown (1987: 17), the behaviouristic approach focuses on the immediately perceptible aspects of linguistic behaviour the publicly observable responses. Learning only occurs when there are changes in behaviour and observable as an evidence of changing. Feeling and mental process are not accepted in Skinners human behaviours theory; however, he still accepted the existence of mind. Behaviourists consider learning a language as a set of mechanical habits which are formed through a process of imitation and repetition. Humans learn a language through repeating the same form and text until it becomes a habit. Children imitate the sounds and patterns which they hear around (Lightbown Spada: 1999). So, it was proposed that learners would repeat words they heard and tried to use it in their conversation until it became a regular basis in life. Behaviourists therefore think that learning a language especially second language (L2) should be learnt through extensive drill and practice. Besides that, behaviourists also justified that learning a new language is learning a new set of habit. According to Ellis (1990), learning could be effected by manipulating the environment to provide the required experience. This lead to the theory formation of habit is related to the environment where learning process actually takes place. These habits formation and the environment are recognized as Stimulus-Response (S-R) by Pavlov and Skinner. In 1950s, school of psychology successfully prevailed S-R in the form of behaviourism to ensure the connection between both elements. Behaviourists might consider effective language behaviour to be the production of correct responses to stimuli (Brown: 1987). According to the theory, behaviour happens in casual, associative chains; all learning is thus characterized as associative learning, or habit formation, brought about by the repeated association of a stilmulus with a response Hadley (1993, cited in Hilgard 1962, p.45). So, its best kn own proponent, B.F. Skinner used rats conclude that conditioning has a 3-state procedure: stilmulus, response and reinforcement. From here, Skinner presumed that human learning and animal learning are parallel; thus, L2 learning is also similar as other kind of learning can be explained by the same laws as well as principles. Every process of learning has to be followed by reinforcement. All learning is the establishment of habits as the results of reinforcement and reward (Demirezen: 1988). In behaviourism, there are two different types of reinforcement. The first one is positive reinforcement, where the response or behaviour is strengthened and positively augmented by praise or reward. For instance, when a student answer a question correct and the teacher award him/her a star, then the student will try to answer another question because he/she is more confident and motivated. In contrast, the second reinforcement is negative reinforcement. If a student been scolded by his/her teacher after got the answer wrong, he/she would tend not to give answer by the next Q A session because it would make him/her feel embarrassed. In short, positive reinforcement helps learners develop correct habits. Furthermore, Behaviourist learning theory also claimed that old habits interfere with the acquisition of new ones. Learning of the L2 would be facilitated since all the learners had to do was to transfer L1 habits (Ellis: 1990). That means errors in first language learning (L1) are the result of interference in L2. It has to be avoided and prevent L1 interference happened as well as corrected on the spot if they do occur. One of the examples of extensively drilling in learning is Audio Lingual Method which is an American method. It is function as a structural approach designed to develop oral communication fluency in L2. Audio Lingual Method is focuses on accuracy (pronunciation and intonation), mistakes should be avoided and corrected immediately if it happened. Ellis (1990: 23) wrote: for learning to be effective habits had to become automatic. In short, language learnings pattern has to be over-learnt and the content based on common days dialogues as well as expression. If follow by the positive reinforcement which will help students to develop correct habits. By then, learning the structures of the language is more emphasized if compare to the vocabulary. Innatism In 1959, Noam Chomsky published Review of Verbal Behaviour to critically criticize Skinners theory of Behaviourism. Innatists claimed that linguistic knowledge is an abstract nature no solely on the set of mechanical habits (imitation and repetition). According to Ellis (1990), new grammatical forms were not acquired through imitation and not stamped in through practice. Language is too complex and occurs too rapidly for it to be learned through imitation. In other words, competence could not be achieved simply to performance due to insufficient of input to enable the child to discover the hidden rules (Ellis: 1990). For Chomsky, children are not necessary to be taught because they will learn in terms of walking at about same age; meanwhile, the environments contribute the most in learning. Chomsky and other linguists argued that children are credited with a special ability to discover the underlying rules of a language system within themselves. This innate and special ability is cal led Language Acquisition Device (LAD) or a little black box and Universal Grammar (UG) which exist in the brain. The LAD contains a set of abstract principles common to all languages which enables the child to produce infinite variety of sentences and construct grammatical sentences. UG was claimed to help children to extract the rules of their language and to avoid grammatical errors (Fromkin, Rodman, Hyams 2007). Therefore, a child has to listen and learn grammar to trigger the LAD or UG which then enables the child to discover the rules of the language. In short, human beings acquire and adapt language in any environment along with input of language or linguistic knowledge. Monitor Model In 1982, Stephen Krashen, who have had a great influence on language learning and acquisition by stimulated the Monitor Model. The Monitor Model consists of five hypotheses which are The Input Hypothesis, The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis, The Monitor Hypothesis, The Natural Order Hypothesis and The Affective Filter Hypothesis. The first hypothesis is Input Hypothesis. This hypothesis claimed that language acquisition takes place through comprehension input (CI). Comprehensible input is available when students or learners are able to understand messages and their attention is focused on meaning. Besides that, comprehensible input will only occur if the inputs forms and structures pitch one level above the level of student (CI = i + 1). Whatever it pitches one level above learners current level competence, both comprehension and acquisition will occur. Learners will not benefit anything in learning if the input has no element of challenge; however, they will not acquire the knowledge if the input is too difficult. Acquisition leads to the result of comprehensible input and not production or quantity. Comprehensible Input does not have to be fine-tuned and reading is crucial to language acquisition*. The second hypothesis is Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis. This hypothesis explained that adults have two distinct and independent ways to develop knowledge of a second language learning and acquisition. In Krashens view, a learner learns second language whereas a child picks up or acquires his/her mother tongue (first language). Learning is a conscious process with attention to form and error correction. In contrast, acquisition is a subconscious process when a learner is engaged in meaningful communication and focus is on meaning. Both acquired and learned knowledge are separately; therefore, learned knowledge cannot be converted into acquired knowledge. If learner acquires knowledge by naturally, the knowledge will be able to use spontaneously. The third hypothesis is Monitor Hypothesis. Krashen developed this hypothesis and urged that acquired knowledge is responsible for fluency and intuitive judgements about correctness. On the other hand, learnt knowledge can be put to conscious use through the Monitor. A learner will use the monitor through learnt knowledge to correct and check what they say is grammatically. This monitor operates only under three circumstances when there is sufficient time to self-correct, the focus is on form and knowledge of the rules being applied (Hadley: 1993). The fourth hypothesis is Natural Order Hypothesis where grammatical structures are acquired in a natural and predictable order. It shows the evidence whenever the focus is on communication. The last hypothesis is Affective Filter Hypothesis. Affect refers to things as motives, needs, attitures, and emotional states (Lightbown Spada 1999).This hypothesis is connected to the motivation factor. Cook (1993, cited in Krashen 1985, p.3) claims that in order for a learner to success in acquiring knowledge, CI is a necessary but not sufficient due to a mental block that prevents acquirers from utilizing the CI input they receive for language acquisition This mental block is called affective filter. The affective filter is low when the learners motivation and self-confidence is high as well as low anxiety; therefore, more input is available for acquisition. On the other hand, the affective filter is high when learners motivation and self-confidence are low. In short, the success of acquisition is controlled by the affective filter. Interactionism Krashen claimed that every human has a natural innate mechanism to learn a language along with comprehensible input (CI). However, Krashens CI came under challenge by few Applied Linguists namely Evelyn Hatch, Teresa Pica and Michael Long. Michael Long agrees with Krashen that CI is important for language acquisition but how input is made comprehensible (Lightbown Spada: 1999). Language develops as a result when interaction occurs between children and other speakers. Every learner has to converse and communicate with others in order to adapt what they have learnt which shows their competence and understanding. Therefore, a learner will develop his/her language ability when they take part in spontaneous interactions rather than straight drills (Nunen 1991). Correspondingly, Language acquisition is an outcome of interaction between the learners mental abilities and the linguistic environment (Rozzana: n.d.). Native speaker provides language input to language learner; meanwhile, language learner produces the language as the product of output through communication. In fact, interactional modifications usually take place when native speaker modify their speech in order to make their speech comprehensible. It is supported by Long (p.342) that modification is the vital and widely used method of making input comprehensible. Learners will be promoted and engaged into this modification and negotiation of meaning when there is a communication breakdown. There are few examples of interactional modifications which are comprehension checks, clarification requests, confirmation checks, self repetition/paraphrase and use of extralinguistic features. In addition, learners usually engage in learning when information is to be exchanged with each other. During the process of exchanging information or feedback after the conversation, output will be a route to language learning along with interactional modification. Besides that, two-way communication promotes more interactional modification than one-way communication. According to Rozzana (n.d.), for the learner to communicate, he must learn the language and in order to learn it he must communicate. This point often overlooked on how Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia can master simple Bahasa Malaysia although without attending formal tutorial. They acquire the language through social interaction in daily conversation; also, interact with the environment. Henceforth, Longs ideas are identical with Vygotskys theory of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) where learners acquire knowledge through interaction with the physical world (Lightbown Spada: 1999). Comprehension Output Both Michael Long and Stephen Krashen agree that CI as a source of acquisition. On the contrary, some interactionists argue that CI is not sufficient for language acquisition depends on some factors which cannot account for the whole of acquisition (cf. Long, 1989:10). Learners need to be instilled language development especially grammatical development. Besides that, learners must be pushed or forced to produce comprehensible target language in order for language development to occur. With this in mind, one of the activities which is called read and respond in Myline whereby students are assigned an article to read and given their opinion critically. So, students are not only received input from teachers whereas trigger their LAD while producing language, either spoken or written. Fours ways (reading, listening, writing and speaking) in which output might play a role in the process of second language learning have been proposed (Swain, 1985). Listening and reading could be the compr ehensible inputs different from speaking and writing which are comprehensible outputs. Learners are given the opportunities to test his/her hypothesis about the language through comprehensible output. This is especially so when learner notices a gap in his/her interlanguage system if there is a communication breakdown. Once the learner realize the gap in interlanguage system, he/she is likely to search their own linguistic knowledge for information which might help to close the gap; also, pay attention to relevant input (Swain, 1993). Hence, learner will focus on form and mismatches between input and output which may also provide some of the information a learner needs about what is not permissible in a language (Long, 1996). Last but not least, CI encourages semantic processing but CO encourages syntactic processing. Audio Lingual Method is a wise method to be used to learn a language; however, it is not enough to suit the advancement of language learning nowadays. Since this theory deduced that learning is a mechanical process but it does not account for the creativity evident in ones ability to produce novel utterances and childrens imitation of structures show evidence of almost no innovation (Brown 1987, Demirezen 1988). Students will find it hardly to converse in the target language when they step into the true sense of the world; also, unable to write or create new sentences.

Education :: essays research papers fc

Education of Gifted Children Started in the 1970’s, America’s Gifted & Talented programs are used to enhance the curriculum of students included in either category in order to challenge and strengthen their unique abilities. These students are usually provided a separate class with specialized lessons in all areas and a teacher with a special degree in gifted education. I feel that it is important that the teacher was a gifted student who would know what the students must face as "above average" members of their school. The job market for gifted education offers a wide range of opportunity and gifted teachers are needed all over the country. One of the earliest programs for gifted and talented students was set up in 1974, at The Old Donation Center, in Virginia Beach. Students scoring within the top 3% of students on an assessment test are referred here to be further challenged. These students are considered gifted and have special teachers and classes to promote development of their talents and minds. Programs like this began to pop up around the nation in the 70’s; however, gifted students were looked down upon by teachers, parents, and peers. Many people considered them to be "freaks" because they were different. They didn’t understand the implications of the terms "gifted" and "talented". Most people simply expected gifted students to act more mature or to be geniuses, even though gifted students are the same as other children in their needs as human beings. Some gifted students were forced to grow up too fast and some simply ignored the fact that they were smarter than others, thus, they were lost in the shuffle. The irony of it all is that gifted-ness seems to run in families and the children of these repressed gifted students are, themselves, gifted. But what exactly is a "gifted" student? Students (elementary & secondary) are given a repertoire of tests. These tests check IQ, psychomotor ability, specific academic aptitude/talent, creative and productive thinking, leadership ability, and skills in the visual and performing arts. The main requirement, the IQ, is tested by a standardized IQ test (remember, however, that IQ tests are not always perfectly accurate). Ratings are given to each bracket of IQ scores: 85-99 Lower normal 100-114 Upper normal 115-129 Bright 130-144 Gifted 145-159 Highly gifted 160+ Above profoundly gifted If a student receives a rating of "gifted" or higher (130+), he/she is considered to be a gifted student and is introduced into the

D. Forecast for Next 12-18 months Essay

The world economic outlook is bright. World GDP growth is forecast to average slightly more than 4 percent per annum during 2006-2007. Asia will continue to act as the primary engine of global growth, though activity will also be supported by continued U. S. economic expansion of almost 3 percent annually. China will continue to register robust growth of slightly more than 9 percent per annum, and output will continue to increase rapidly also in India. Japan also appears to be entering a longer phase of stable growth. The positive global environment will be reinforced by the Euro Area, where economic growth is forecast to accelerate in response to a recovery in domestic demand (The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy). The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has recently released a set of forecasts regarding the state of world economy in 2007. Below are listed some of the key points: Global growth will quicken to 5. 1 per cent this year falling back only a bit in 2007 to a still rapid 4. 7 per cent. Inflationary pressures are rising, mainly owing to higher oil prices, but the impact of rising oil prices on inflation and output is now more muted than in the past. Global imbalances remain marked and the dollar may have to fall by a further 30 per cent in order to halve the US current-account deficit. The US economy will grow by over 3 per cent a year in both 2006 and 2007, but inflationary pressures are mounting. The Japanese economic recovery has become self-sustaining and GDP will rise by 3. 1 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 6 per cent in 2007. The Euro Area will expand by around 2 per cent a year in both 2006 and 2007, and consumer price inflation will average about 2. 5 per cent in both years. The NIESR report goes on to elaborate upon the aforementioned points: Advanced countries in the OECD bloc are participating in the upswing but the main reason for the current period of exceptionally strong global growth is the long boom in China. In 2005, China represented 15. 4 per cent of global GDP on a purchasing-power parity basis, up from 3. 4 per cent in 1980. Global inflation is rising in response to higher oil prices, but much less so than in the past. New estimates suggest that a $10 permanent rise in oil prices will add 0. 2 to 0. 4 percentage points to inflation in the United States in the four years to 2009, with a somewhat smaller impact in the Euro Area, and a still smaller effect in the UK. The global upswing continues to be accompanied by major imbalances, notably the scale of the US current account deficit, which widened by 4. 5 percentage points of GDP between 1997 and 2005. Since this deterioration has mainly financed increased consumer spending rather than productive investment, financial markets may conclude that the deficit is not sustainable. It is estimated that the dollar’s value against a basket of currencies needs to fall by a further 30 per cent in order to reduce the current account deficit by 3 percentage points of GDP. The US economy will grow by 3. 6 per cent in 2006 and by 3. 1 per cent in 2007. The economy continues to be driven mainly by consumption, which will increase by 3. 3 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 9 per cent in 2007. Housing investment is slackening but business investment, stimulated by high corporate profits, will buoy growth this year and next. Inflation is picking up and the private consumption deflator will rise by 3. 0 per cent in 2006 and by 3. 3 per cent in 2007. There now appears little doubt that the Japanese recovery from the bleak period of deflation and stagnation has become self-sustaining. The economy grew by 3. 5 per cent in the year to the first quarter of 2006 . Business investment is expanding strongly and consumer spending is expected to grow by 1. 9 per cent a year in 2006 and 2007. Average earnings, which had been falling earlier in the decade, will grow by 0. 8 per cent in 2006 and by 2. 8 per cent in 2007. The outlook for the Euro Area is for higher inflation despite a fairly modest recovery. Consumer prices will rise by 2. 6 per cent in 2006 compared with 2. 2 per cent in 2005. Tighter monetary conditions together with measures in Germany to cut the budget deficit will hold back growth in consumption and GDP in the Euro Area. Consumer spending will also be restrained by sluggish growth in average earnings as the corporate sector manages to retain its increased profitability (Barrell et al, 8-31).