What Makes A Hero - 1722 Words

â€Å"I want to be Batman.† That is a typical response from a preschooler if they are asked what they want to be when they grow up. However, heroes are not always wearing capes. They can simply be an Indian man that changed his mindset into something more inspirational. There is one thing that Superman and a policeman have in common. They are both heroes. No matter how different the fields are, they are brave, helpful, and hardworking. A hero can be someone known for courageous achievements. They are normally men, but can be women too. Heroes come in many different ways. Some characteristics of a hero are someone who has enormous courage, strength, and knowledge. They usually have a big effect on people’s life and are pretty well known. A hero is also known for helping people and not doing it out of revenge. They must have a good heart because they are putting themselves at risk for others. The people need to have trust in him because he is putting their life on the lin e, so they cannot be evil. A true hero isn’t perfect. They have disagreements and bad days, but the motivation to get back up and help day after day is definitely a true hero. Being a hero is tiring, because being a hero is not a one-time thing, so one cannot just do something good for a day and call themself heroes. Being a hero means loving what you do. It means getting up in the morning, ready to help people in any way possible, everyday. Mohandas Gandhi is a hero because he was helpful, had leadership andShow MoreRelatedWhat Makes A Hero Or Hero?812 Words   |  4 Pagesthat man may be, in essence, a hero. Because of this stereotypical â€Å"hero†, we do not see the real heroes in life. What really IS a hero or heroine? A hero is what we make of them, although some are undeserving of this title. We make a hero. You, me, society; we all make heroes. We give them this title. Heroes are role models, and role models, in my eyes, should possess three very significant q ualities. Courage, humbleness, and morality; these form a hero. The classic hero. Ah, he’s brave and bold. HeRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1168 Words   |  5 PagesSuperman, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, what do these three have in common? They’re all heroes. But what truly is a hero? Is it one who wins independence for his country, or one that helps an old lady cross the street? And should we aspire to be like this person? Using Brecht’s Life of Galileo, Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, we’ll attempt to answer that question. A hero typically in today’s culture is considered as someone who is admired for his courage and otherRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero?1209 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is a Hero? What is a hero? What makes him or her different from everyone else? In Phillip Zimbardo’s article â€Å"What Makes a Hero?† he states that heroes surround us. One in five or 20 percent of people qualify as heroes. Seventy-two percent of people report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice. Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger and fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority (1). AlthoughRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?934 Words   |  4 Pages Most people have theories on what makes a hero a hero. Many authors over time have created books, comics and so forth on heroes and what they feel makes them the hero. There are also the ancient legends and myths from all over the world. So what is it that makes them a hero? Well Joseph Campbell has a pretty good outline of what he thinks should define a hero. A hero is a person who in some way breaks the molds of a normal human being. Their wisdom, courage, and durability ect. exceedsRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero1664 Words   |  7 Pages2011 What Makes A Hero What makes a hero? Saving a puppy from a burning building? Or what about being a single mother raising three kids and working two jobs? Both of these could be good candidates for heroes since they both possess the characteristic of strength—not just physical strength, but mental strength. This is one of the most important traits of a hero but it is not the only one. Courage, intelligence, and morality are also necessary in order to really get penciled in to the â€Å"hero† categoryRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero? Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesA true hero is oneself who is compassionate and able to lift the pain of the world without suffering. Some hero’s are not real people while some are fantasy creatures. The word hero is known as someone who is strong, brave and has courage. Heroes can be defined as people who take up challenges in situations for the sake of their fellow being. Heroism is no matter the obstacle that come your way, the needs of you or someone else has to be fulfilled. Heros endure hardship and they learn about valuableRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1541 Words   |  7 Pages What is a hero? Is it superman? Is it your mom or dad? Is it your teacher? There are many people that are considered heroes. Some are just every day people, and some are super-human. Characteristics of heroes vary from era to era. Now people who are just simply a good person are considered a hero. But, back in ancient times to become a hero took much more. It took honesty, wisdom, and in some cases, wealth and superhuman abilities. With time new stories and beliefs are uncovered. In ancientRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1115 Words   |  5 PagesWhat makes someone a hero? The usual response someone would give is courage, bravery, and honor. But one of the most important aspects than all of those things combined is humility. This is a characteristic of Achilles personality that has not been learned yet. Although will later on thanks to a journey that will befall him. Learning that there is more to life than pride. One of the most important things to Achilles is his pride and this is shown in the line â€Å"mother since you bore me for a shortRead MoreHero Essay : What Makes A Hero A Hero?832 Words   |  4 PagesWhat Makes a Hero a Hero? As I have recently sat down with my grandmother, Mary, I asked her questions about a hero and herself being a hero. My grandmother has such an impact on me in daily life along with being a personal hero to me. She is such an inspiration to me in so many ways that I could never think of taking for granted. I chose my grandmother as my hero because of obstacles I have faced, she was the one to show me the love and support I was in need of at the time. Mary shows theRead MoreWhat Makes A True Hero?1546 Words   |  7 Pages What inspires writers to create unique heroic figures in their fantasy stories and action movies? Is it from their own imagination or is from what they see in real life, and an addition of their own imagination? Well it is certainly what they see in real life and their imagination. However, it is reasonable to say those writers have used too much of their imagination, to communicate through a piece of writing or film, of who a true hero is and what a true hero does. The excessive usage of imagination

Down With The Death Penalty - 1522 Words

Nick Cooper Jason Johnson English III 8/3/15 Down with the Death Penalty Introduction Life is a precious thing. This is something that the majority of people can agree on. It’s for this reason that taking someone’s life is one of the most if not the most disgraceful of crimes. Murder is a crime deserving of the harshest punishment available at the hands of the criminal justice system. This brings us to one of the most debated upon issues of today. Is taking the life of one who has taken the life of others an acceptable punishment? When making your decision think about this question; Is the life of the murderer worth any less than the victim’s life? Is the death penalty in any form morally justifiable in today’s society? The underlying question would be is any kind of killing acceptable, regardless of what the motive behind it is. I personally don’t believe that it is an acceptable punishment no matter what the crime. I see it as becoming somewhat like the monsters that we strive to put behind bars. Thesis In regards to the death penalty, it is my belief that life without parole is better for several reasons. I’m against the death penalty not for the benefit of the criminals but because it doesn’t reduce crime rates, it lengthens the agony experienced by the families of the victims, costs considerably more than life in prison, and, most importantly, risks the deaths of many innocent people. The death penalty ends up being a more tedious process than sentencing someone to lifeShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of The Death Penalty1104 Words   |  5 PagesKill the killer! The death penalty should be allowed in all 50 states because the death penalty deters crime, helps with overcrowding, the bible says it is okay, and helps the victims’ families. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, has been around for centuries. â€Å"It dates as far back as the Ancient Laws of China, the death penalty has been established as a punishment for crimes,† says Michael H. Reggio. The death penalty was adopted by many countries because of its ability to deterRead MoreAmerica Needs a Tougher Death Penalty Essay1049 Words   |  5 PagesAmerica Needs a Tougher Death Penalty    Pain. Anger. Frustration. Hatred. These feeble words do not describe the anguish felt by the families of murder victims. Ted Bundy was responsible for the deaths of more than 50 young women across the United States.(Lamar 34) Bundy was finally sentenced to death by the state of Florida in 1978 for the kidnapping and brutal murder of a 12 year old girl and the deaths of 2 Florida State sorority sisters.(Lamar 34) As if the loss of a loved one is not enoughRead MoreThe Death Penalty Has Been Considered An Issue Since The1607 Words   |  7 PagesThe death penalty has been considered an issue since the Eighteenth century, when the first established death penalty laws were in effect. There are vast differences in the way people view the death penalty; some oppose it and some agree with it. In the recent decades the death penalty has become a more popular controversial topic. The people who oppose the death penalty have very different reasons than people who agree with it. Death penalty advocates believe that the death penalty deters crimeRead MoreDeath Penalty On Violent Criminals1520 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish 1301 B5 28 November 2015 Death Penalty on Violent Criminals The Death penalty, known as capital punishment is when a criminal is executed by a governing authority. We (the United States) continue to allow the death penalty. Many countries make the death penalty illegal. Many discussions over this being legal, moral ethical, and economic ramifications of the death penalty are continuous across the world. Most of the nations have at one time made the death penalty legal for serious crimes. â€Å"SinceRead MoreIs the Death Penalty Applied Fairly?1852 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Is Death Penalty Applied Fairly The death penalty has been a controversy in the United States justice system since its commencement (Bakken Morris, 2010). Although extremely controversial, it has stood the test of time as the definitive penalty. Numerous countries are at present bring an end their death penalty law. Contrary to that, the United States has thirty eight out of its fifty states with death penalty still operational. It seems the United States needs the death penalty more thanRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is The Punishment For A Wide Range Of Crimes1607 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history Capital Punishment or â€Å"the Death Penalty† was the punishment for a wide range of crimes. Capital Punishment was used by almost all societies to both punish crime and suppress political dissent. For example, execution was widely employed as a means of oppressing political dissent by fascist or communist governments. Also during the Eighteenth century, Britain executed a person for 222 different crime s including stealing an animal or cutting down a tree. (Jasper, 2008) Read MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty912 Words   |  4 PagesDeath is a scary thought. Capital punishment, or the death penalty, as we all know is the execution of mass murderers. It is a controversial issue, but is it necessary? Capital punishment all started when the colonists brought it to America from England (Source 5). At that time it was the normal act, and they mainly executed people by firing squad or hangings. In 1972 the supreme ruled that the death penalty violated guarantees of due process, equal protection and the prohibition of cruel punishment(source3)Read MoreDeath Penalty Is A Scary Thought906 Words   |  4 PagesDeath is a scary thought. Capital punishment, or death penalty, as we all know is the execution of mass murderers. It is a controversial issue, but is it necessary? Capital punishment all started when the colonists brought it to America from England (Source 5). At that time it was the normal thing, and they mainly executed people by firing squad or hangings. In 1972 the supreme ruled that death penalty violated guarantees of due process, equal protection and the prohibition of cruel punishment(source3)Read MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Legalized1229 Words   |  5 Pages The Death Penalty: Should it be Sentenced to Death? For many years, a controversial issue has been whether the death penalty should remain legal in the United States. Despite the fact that is is legal in only 31 states, some Americans argue that the death penalty needs to be completely abolished. Their view is that is is inhumane and constitutionally unjustified. On the other hand many believe it is a source of deterrence and is the only just punishment for some crimes. When it comes down to itRead MorePro Death Penalty Speech1482 Words   |  6 Pagesintroduce myself before we get started. My name is Slick Perry and if you didn’t already know, I am the state governor of Texas. You are all aware that we are reviewing our recidivism rate to various crimes and reviewing our stance regarding the death penalty as we approach 2009. Everyone here understands that capital punishment is a very controversial topic in the United States. In Texas, from December 1982 through August 2008, only 361 criminals of the millions of Texans in our good state were executed

Night World Soulmate Chapter 6 Free Essays

Hannah opened her eyes. â€Å"Oh, thank God,† Paul said. He seemed to be almost crying. We will write a custom essay sample on Night World : Soulmate Chapter 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Oh, thank God. Do you see me? Do you know who you are?† â€Å"I’m wet,† Hannah said slowly, feeling dazed. She touched her face. Her hair was dripping. Paul was holding a water glass. â€Å"Why am I wet?† â€Å"I had to wake you up.† Paul sagged to the floor beside the couch. â€Å"What’s your name? What year is it?† â€Å"My name is Hannah Snow,† Hannah said, still feeling dazed and bodiless. â€Å"And it’s-† Suddenly memory rushed out of the fog at her. She sat bolt upright, tears starting to stream from her eyes. â€Å"What was all that?† â€Å"I don’t know,† Paul whispered. He leaned his head against the couch, then looked up. â€Å"You just kept talking-you were telling that story as if you were there. It was really happening to you. And nothing I could do would break the trance. I tried everything-I thought you were never going to come out of it. And then you started sobbing and I couldn’t make you stop.† â€Å"I felt as if it were happening to me,† Hannah said. Her head ached; her whole body felt bruised with tension. And she was reeling with memories that were perfectly real and perfectly hers†¦ and impossible. â€Å"That was like no past life regression I’ve ever read about,† Paul said, his voice agitated. â€Å"The detail†¦ you knew everything. Have you ever studied-is there any way you could have known those kinds of things?† â€Å"No.† Hannah was just as agitated, â€Å"I’ve never studied humans in the Stone Age-and this was real. It wasn’t something I was making up as I was going along.† They were both talking at once. â€Å"That guy,† Paul was saying. â€Å"He’s the one you’re afraid of, isn’t he? But, look, you know, regression is one thing†¦ past lives is another thing†¦ but this is crazy.† â€Å"I don’t believe in vampires,† Hannah was saying at the same time. â€Å"Because that’s what that guy was supposed to be, wasn’t it? Of course it was. Caveman vampire. He was probably the first one. And I don’t believe in reincarnation.† â€Å"Just plain crazy. This is crazy.† â€Å"I agree.† They both took a breath, looking at each other. There was a long silence. Hannah put a hand to her forehead. â€Å"I’m †¦ really tired.† â€Å"Yeah. Yeah, I can understand that.† Paul looked around the room, nodded twice, then got up. â€Å"Well, we’d better get you home. We can talk about all this later, figure out what it really means. Some kind of subconscious fixation†¦ archetypical symbolism†¦ something.† He ran out of air and shook his head. â€Å"Now, you feel all right, don’t you? And you’re not going to worry about this? Because there’s nothing to worry about.† â€Å"I know. I know.† â€Å"At least we know we don’t have to worry about vampires attacking you.† He laughed. The laugh was strained. Hannah couldn’t manage even a smile. There was a brief silence, then Paul said, â€Å"You know, I think I’ll drive you home. That would be good. That would be a good idea.† â€Å"That would be fine,† Hannah whispered. He held out a hand to help her off the couch. â€Å"By the way, I’m really sorry I had to get you all wet.† â€Å"No. It was good you did. I was feeling so awful- and there were worse things about to happen.† Paul blinked. â€Å"I’m sorry?† Hannah looked at him helplessly, then away. â€Å"There were worse things about to happen. Terrible things. Really, really awful things.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"I don’t know. But there were.† Paul walked her to her doorstep. And Hannah was glad of it. Once inside the house, she went straight down the hall to her mother’s study. It was a cluttered comfortable room with books piled on the floor and the tools of a paleontologist scattered around. Her mother was at her desk, bending over a microscope. â€Å"Is that you, Hannah?† she asked without looking up. â€Å"I’ve got some marvelous sections of haversian canals in duckbill bones. Want to see?† â€Å"Oh†¦ not now. Maybe later,† Hannah said. She wanted very much to tell her mother about what had happened, but something was stopping her. Her mother was so sensible, so practical and intelligent†¦. She’ll think I’m crazy. And she’ll be right. And then she’ll be appalled, wondering how she could have given birth to an insane daughter. That was an exaggeration, and Hannah knew it, but somehow she still couldn’t bring herself to tell. Since her father had died five years ago, she and her mother had been almost like friends-but that didn’t mean she didn’t want her mother’s approval. She did. She desperately wanted her mother to be proud of her, and to realize that she could handle things on her own. It had been the same with the notes-she’d never told about finding them. For all her mom knew, Hannah’s only problem was bad dreams. â€Å"So how did it go tonight?† her mother asked now, eye still to the microscope. â€Å"That Dr. Winfield is so young-I hope he’s not too inexperienced.† Last chance. Take it or lose it. â€Å"Uh, it went fine,† Hannah said weakly. â€Å"That’s good. There’s chicken in the crockpot. I’ll be out in a little while; I just want to finish this.† â€Å"Okay. Great. Thanks.† Hannah turned and stumbled out, completely frustrated with herself. You know Mom won’t really be awful, she scolded herself as she fished a piece of chicken out of the crockpot. So tell her. Or call Chess and tell her. They’ll make things better. They’ll tell you how impossible all this stuff about vampires and past lives is. †¦ Yes, and that’s the problem. Hannah sat frozen, holding a fork with a bite of chicken on it motionless in front of her. I don’t believe in vampires or reincarnation. But I know what I saw. I know things about Hana . ., things that weren’t even in the story I told Paul. I know she wore a tunic and leggings of roe deer hide. I know she ate wild cattle and wild boar and salmon and hazel nuts. I know she made tools out of elk antler and deer bone and flint†¦. God, I could pick up a flint cobble and knock off a set of blades and scrapers right now. I know I could. I can feel how to in my hands. She put the fork down and looked at her hands. They were shaking slightly. And I know she had a beautiful singing voice, a voice like crystal†¦. Like the crystal voice in my mind. So what do I do when they tell me it’s impossible? Argue with them? Then I’ll really be crazy, like those people in institutions who think they’re Napoleon or Cleopatra. God, I hope I haven’t been Cleopatra. Half laughing and half crying, she put her face in her hands. And what about him? The blond stranger with the bottomless eyes. The guy Hana didn’t have a name for, but Hannah knew as Thierry. If the rest of it is real, what about him? He’s the one I’m afraid of, Hannah thought. But he didn’t seem so bad. Dangerous, but not evil. So why do I think of him as evil? And why do I want him anyway? Because she did want him. She remembered the feelings of Hana standing next to the stranger in the moonlight. Confusion†¦ fear†¦ and attraction. That magnetism between them. The extraordinary things that happened when he touched her hand. He came to the Three Rivers and turned her life upside down†¦. The Three Rivers. Oh, God-why didn’t I think of that before? The note. One of the notes said â€Å"Remember the Three Rivers.† Okay. So I’ve remembered it. So what now? She had no idea. Maybe she was supposed to understand everything now, and know what to do †¦ but she didn’t. She was more confused than ever. Of course, a tiny voice like a cool dark wind in her brain said, you didn’t remember all of it yet. Did you? Paul woke you up before you got to the end. Shut up, Hannah told the voice. But she couldn’t stop thinking. All night she was restless, moving from one room to another, avoiding her mother’s questions. And even after her mother went to bed, Hannah found herself wandering aimlessly through the house, straightening things, picking up books and putting them down again. I’ve got to sleep. That’s the only thing that will help me feel better, she thought. But she couldn’t make herself sit, much less lie down. Maybe I need some air. It was a strange thought. She’d never actually felt the need to go outside for the sole purpose of breathing fresh air-in Montana you did that all day long. But there was something pulling at her, drawing her to go outside. It was like a compulsion and she couldn’t resist. I’ll just go on the back porch. Of course there’s nothing to be scared of out there. And if I go outside, then I’ll prove there isn’t, and then I can go to sleep. Without stopping to consider the logic of this, she opened the back door. It was a beautiful night. The moon threw a silver glow over everything and the horizon seemed very far away. Hannah’s backyard blended into the wild bluestem and pine grass of the prairie. The wind carried the clean pungent smell of sage. We’ll have spring flowers soon, Hannah thought. Asters and bluebells and little golden buttercups. Everything will be green for a while. Spring’s a time for life, not death. And I was right to come out. I feel more relaxed now. I can go back inside and lie down†¦. It was at that moment that she realized she was being watched. It was the same feeling she’d been having for weeks, the feeling that there were eyes in the darkness and they were fixed on her. Chills of adrenaline ran through Hannah’s body. Don’t panic, she told herself. It’s just a feeling. There’s probably nothing out here. She took a slow step backward toward the door. She didn’t want to move too quickly. She had the irrational certainty that if she turned and ran, whatever was watching her would spring out and get her before she got the door open. At the same time she edged backward, her eyes and ears were straining so hard that she saw gray spots and she heard a thin ringing. She was trying, desperately, to catch some sign of movement, some sound. But everything was still and the only noises were the normal distant noises of the outdoors. Then she saw the shadow. Black against the lighter blackness of the night, it was moving among the bluestem grass. And it was big. Tall. Not a cat or other small animal. Big as a person. It was coming toward her. Hannah thought she might faint. Don’t be ridiculous, a sharp voice in her head told her. Get inside. You’re standing here in the light from the windows; you’re a perfect target. Get inside fast and lock the door. Hannah whirled, and knew even as she did it that she wouldn’t be fast enough. It was going to jump at her exposed back. It was going to †¦ â€Å"Wait,† came a voice out of the darkness. â€Å"Please. Wait.† A male voice. Unfamiliar. But it seemed to grab Hannah and hold her still. â€Å"I won’t hurt you. I promise.† Runrunrunrun! Hannah’s mind told her. Very slowly, one hand on the door knob, she turned around. She watched the dark figure coming out of the shadows to her. She didn’t try to get away again. She Had a dizzying feeling that fate had caught up with her. The ground sloped, so the light from the house windows showed her his boots first, then the legs of his jeans. Normal walking boots like any Montanan might wear. Ordinary jeans-long legs. He was tall. Then the light showed his shirt, which was an ordinary T-shirt, a little cold to be walking around at night in, but nothing startling. And then his shoulders, which were nice ones. Then, as he stepped to the base of the porch, she saw his face. He looked better than when she had seen him last. His white-blond hair wasn’t crazily messed up; it fell neatly over his forehead. He wasn’t splattered with mud and his eyes weren’t wild. They were dark and so endlessly sad that it was like a knife in the heart just to see him. But it was unmistakably the boy from her hypnosis session. â€Å"Oh, God,† Hannah said. â€Å"Oh, God.† Her knees were giving out. It’s real. It’s real. He’s real and that means†¦ it’s all true. â€Å"Oh, God.† She was trembling violently and she had to put pressure on her knees to keep standing. The world was changing around her, and it was the most disorienting thing she’d ever experienced. It was as if the fabric of her universe was actually moving-pulsing and shifting to accommodate the new truths. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. â€Å"Are you all right?† The stranger moved toward her and Hannah recoiled instinctively. â€Å"Don’t touch me!† she gasped, and at the same moment her legs gave out. She slid to the floor of the porch and stared at the boy whose face was now approximately level with hers. â€Å"I’m sorry,† he almost whispered. â€Å"I know what you’re going through. You’re just realizing now, aren’t you?† Hannah said, whispering to herself, â€Å"It’s all true.† â€Å"Yes.† The dark eyes were so sad. â€Å"It’s†¦ I’ve had past lives.† â€Å"Yes.† He squatted on the ground, looking down as if he couldn’t keep staring at her face anymore. He picked up a pebble, examined it. Hannah noticed that his fingers were long and sensitive-looking. â€Å"You’re an Old Soul,† he said quietly. â€Å"You’ve had lots of lives.† â€Å"I was Hana of the Three Rivers.† His fingers stopped rolling the pebble. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"And you’re Thierry. And you’re a †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn’t look up. â€Å"Go on. Say it.† Hannah couldn’t. Her voice wouldn’t form the word. The stranger-Thierry-said it for her. â€Å"Vampires are real.† A glance from those unfathomable eyes. â€Å"I’m sorry.† Hannah breathed and looked down at him. But the world had finished its reshaping. Her mind was beginning to work again. At least I know I’m not crazy, she thought. That’s some consolation. It’s the universe that’s insane, not me. And now I have to deal with it-somehow. She said quietly, â€Å"Are you going to kill me now?† â€Å"God-no!† He stood up fast, uncoiling. Shock was naked on his face. â€Å"You don’t understand. I would never hurt you. I †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He broke off. â€Å"It’s hard to know where to begin.† Hannah sat silently, while he looked around the porch for inspiration. She could feel her heart beating in her throat. She’d told Paul that this boy had killed her, kept killing her. But his look of shock had been so genuine-as if she’d hurt him terribly by even suggesting it. â€Å"I suppose I should start by explaining exactly what I am,† he said. â€Å"And what I’ve done. I made you come outside tonight. I influenced you. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to talk to you.† â€Å"Influenced me?† It’s a mental thing. I can also just communicate this way. It was his voice, but his lips weren’t moving. And it was the same voice she’d heard at the end of her hypnotic session, the voice that wasn’t Paul’s. The one that had spoken in her head, saying, Hannah, come back. You don’t have to relive this. â€Å"You were the one who woke me up,† Hannah whispered. â€Å"I wouldn’t have come back except for you.† â€Å"I couldn’t stand to see you hurting like that.† Can somebody with his eyes be evil? He was obviously a different sort of creature than she was, and every move he made showed the grace of a predator. It reminded her of how the wolves had moved-they had rippled. He did, too, his muscles moving so lightly under his skin. He was unnatural- but beautiful. Something struck her. â€Å"The wolves. I picked up a silver picture frame to bash them with. Silver.† She looked at him. â€Å"Werewolves are real.† At the last moment her voice made it a statement instead of a question. â€Å"So much is real that you don’t know about. Or that you haven’t remembered yet. You were starting to remember with that shrink. You said I was a Lord of the Night World.† The Night World. Just the mention of it sent prickles through Hannah. She could almost remember, but not quite. And she knew it was crazy to be kneeling here having this conversation. She was talking to a vampire. A guy who drank blood for a living. A guy whose every gesture showed he was a hunter. And not only a vampire, but the person her subconscious had been warning her about for weeks. Telling her to be afraid, be very afraid. So why wasn’t she running? For one thing, she didn’t think her legs would physically support her. And for another-well, somehow she couldn’t stop looking at him. â€Å"One of the werewolves was mine,† he was saying quietly. â€Å"She was here to find you-and protect you. But the other one†¦ Hannah, you have to understand. I’m not the only one looking for you.† To protect me. So I was right, Hannah thought. The gray female was on my side. She said, â€Å"Who else is looking?† â€Å"Another Night Person.† He looked away. â€Å"Another vampire.† â€Å"Am I a Night Person?† â€Å"No. You’re a human.† He said it the way he said everything, as if reminding her of terrible facts he wished he didn’t have to bring up. â€Å"Old Souls are just humans who keep coming back.† â€Å"How many times have I come back?† â€Å"I †¦ I’d have to think about it. Quite a few.† â€Å"And have you been with me in all of them?† â€Å"Any of them I could manage.† â€Å"What do the rest of the notes mean?† Hannah had been gathering speed, and now she was shooting questions at him in machine-gun fashion. She thought she was in control, and she hardly noticed the hysterical edge to her own voice. â€Å"Why am I telling myself I’ll be dead before I’m seventeen?† â€Å"Hannah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached out a hand to calm her. Hannah’s own hand moved by reflex, coming up to ward his off. And then their fingers touched, bare skin to bare skin, and the world disappeared. How to cite Night World : Soulmate Chapter 6, Essay examples

How to Avoid High Turnover free essay sample

Employee turnover is a ratio comparison of the number of employees a company must replace in a given time period to the average number of total employees. † In the recent years Operation department of Caulfield Racecourse experienced problems associated with high turnover, which is a pervasive and serious issue resulting in high direct expenditure as well as intangible costs, low performance level and job dissatisfaction. Operation department is looking after large numbers of employees: event managers and supervisors, administration and operation assistants, staff coordinators, caterers, set up teams, cleaners. The problem is not the lack of job applicants: the company receives endless stream of applications. The problem is that the quality employees are hard to keep. The talented employees do not stay for long before they get employed somewhere else. As an Operation Manager Executive Assistant the author has been asked to examine and analyse factors that may impact on staff turnover. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Avoid High Turnover or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Applying a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques (form of structured questionnaire) to determine the reasons why workers leave their jobs at Operation department, this research tries to identify the root causes of job dissatisfaction leading to turnover and provides managerial implications that may assist managers in dealing with labor-related risks. 1. 1 Objectives This report is identified to achieve the following objectives: 1. To identify general factors that may cause high turnover within Operation department. 2. To examine and analyse levels of staff job satisfaction. 3. To suggest some measures in order to improve overall job satisfaction, performance and reduce high turnover. 1. 2 Methodology * Structured questionnaire (consist of multiple choices, ranking and descriptive questions). The survey method was selected to gather primary data by administering the structured questionnaire among the employee in Operation department of Caulfield racecourse. The questionnaire is chosen because of its simplicity and reliability. We can expect a straight answer, which is directly related to the questions asked. Interpretation of data under this can also be done correctly. An organisation perceived to be in economic difficulty will also raise the specter of impending layoffs. Workers believe that it is rational to seek other employment. 3. The organisational culture. Much has been written about organisational culture. It is sufficient to note here that the reward system, the strength of leadership, the ability of the organisations to elicit a sense of commitment on the part of workers, and its development of a sense of shared goals, among other factors, will influence such indices of job satisfaction as turnover intentions and turnover rate. . The characteristics of the job. Some jobs are intrinsically more attractive than others. A jobs attractiveness will be affected by many characteristics, including its repetitiveness, challenge, danger, perceived importance, and capacity to elicit a sense of accomplishment. A jobs status is also important, as are many other factors. 5. Unrealistic expectations. Another factor is the unrealistic expectations and ge neral lack of knowledge that many job applicants have about the job at the time that they receive an offer. When these unrealistic expectations are not realised, the worker becomes disillusioned and decides to quit. 6. Demographics. Empirical studies have demonstrated that turnover is associated in particular situations with demographic and biographical characteristics of workers. But to use lifestyle factors (e. g. smoking) or past employment history (e. g. many job changes) as an explicit basis for screening applicants, it is important for legality and fairness to job applicants to verify such biodata empirically. 7. The person. In addition to the factors listed above, there are also factors specific to the ndividual that can influence turnover rates. These include both personal and trait-based factors. Personal factors include things such as changes in family situation, a desire to learn a new skill or trade, or an unsolicited job offer. In addition to these personal factors, there are also trait-based or personality features that are associated with turnover. These traits are some of t he same characteristics that predict job performance and counterproductive behaviors such as loafing, absenteeism, theft, substance abuse on the job, and sabotage of employers equipment or production. These traits can be measured and used in employee screening to identify individuals showing lower probability of turnover. It is important to note that the factors we have listed above can be classified as being within or beyond the control of the employing organisation. In order to actively participate in reducing costs associated with turnover, organisations need to identify those factors over which they do have some control and initiate necessary changes to reduce turnover attributable to these controllable factors.

Framing effect is a cognitive ... free essay sample

Framing effect is a cognitive bias in which an individual respond to the same choice differently depending on how it is framed. Options can be framed either in a negative or positive way resulting in different choices for the same decision. There are three different ways of framing: attribute framing (a single attribute of an object is described in an equally positive or negative way), risky choice framing (choices are presented in terms of gain or loss) and goal framing (emphasizing on either the advantages or disadvantage of doing an activity). It has been observed that an individual usually opts for the risky option when presented with negatively framed choices and for the safe option when presented with positively framed choices. Framing effect as a significant role in how decision makers perceive given information and how they make judgements and decisions on it.The Expected Utility Theory states that an individual is most likely to rationally choose an option with the highest expected utility. We will write a custom essay sample on Framing effect is a cognitive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It evaluates choices precisely with their respective outcomes and probability. Expected Utility is defined as the expected utility value of one of several options found by calculating the sum of all the outcomes each multiplies by its probability. This theory states that a decision maker when choosing under uncertainty with risky options will compare their expected utility values and choose the option with the highest expected utility. There are four axioms that make a rational decision maker: Transitivity (All choices regarding a decision should be ranked according to preference), Continuity (among all different choices an individual prefers only one, showing consistency), Completeness (assuming an individual has a well-defined choice between all the options) and Independence (the preference of a choice between two is not changed even when a third choice is added). In the expected utility theory, an individual is assumed to choose the option with the highest utility that is the highest probability. It has been observed that this principle has been violated at many times, due to the certainty effect labelled by Kahneman and Tversky. According to the certainty effect an individual overweighs the possible outcomes which are sur e or certain and have no risk. The preference of a sure outcome is known as risk aversion and the preference of a risky option or gamble is known as risk seeking. The Prospect Theory – An Analysis of Decision Under Risk, introduced by Kahnman and Tversky critiques the expected utility theory. It states that people tend to be risk averse in a domain of gain or positive frame and risk seeking in a domain of losses or neagtvie frame. People make decisions and judgements depending on how they understand and perceive information. The Prospect theory also considers the two phases in decision making: framing or editing phase and the evaluation phase. The framing phase leads to the representation of the information, act and the outcomes of the particular choice problem. The reason to do the framing phase is to simplify the evaluation of the choices for the decision maker. A decision maker is less likely to second guess any of the options and tend to accept the framed options given to her. The evaluation process refers to the decision of choosing among options. The Prospect theory also deals with loss aversion. People find it hard to adjust to losses and therefore the impact of losses is much more than any gain. So, when given options both presented in both ways, having the same result, an individual will choose the option with perceived gains. The probability of gains is perceived greater than that of the probability of losses. Unlike the Expected Utility Theory, in the Prospect theory outcomes are defined as gain or loss rather than final assets; also probabilities are replaced by outcome weight.The risk sensitivity theory suggests that an individual in a situation of need would opt for the high risk option, as the lower risk option would not satisfy the need. In such a case, if a risky option fulfils the needs of a decision maker then they would choose it regardless of the positive or negative frame. Research has indicated that a person in a situation of high need when presented with a negatively framed options is motivated to opt for the higher risky choice. In such situations an individual is looking to fulfils its need rather than maximise his/her chances of a certain outcome.The Asian Disease Problem experiment conducted by Tversky and Kahneman in 1981 is one of the best known risky choice framing problem. The subjects were given a scenario where they had to pick between programs which provided a cure to the Asian disease expected to kill 600 people. The subjects were divided into two groups – one group was given a positive frame and the other a negative frame. All the programs had an equivalent outcome. It was found that the subjects presented with the positive frame chose the sure option and the subjects presented with the negative frame chose the gamble. Thus, proving the point that in a negative frame decision makers are more likely to be risk seeking and in a positive frame risk averse. My study shall focus on the concept of how framing effect influences decision making under risk; a positive frame leads to a risk averse decision and a negative frame leads to a risk seeking decision. The aim of my study is to understand the framing effects on decision making.EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHESIS: The framing (positive and negative) of a given decision with equivalent outcomes will result in framing effect.NULL HYPOTHESIS: The framing (positive and negative) of a given decision with equivalent outcomes will result in framing effect.

The Case for Euthanasia Should PhysicianAssisted Suicide be Legalized essays

The Case for Euthanasia Should PhysicianAssisted Suicide be Legalized essays The Case for Euthanasia: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legalized? Throughout the twentieth century, major scientific and medical advances have greatly enhanced the life expectancy of the average person. However, there are many instances where doctors can preserve life artificially. In these cases where the patient suffers from a terminal disease or remains in a "persistent vegetative state" or PVS from which they cannot voice their wishes for continuation or termination of life, the question becomes whether or not the patient has the freedom to choose whether or not to prolong their life even though it may consist of pain and suffering. In answer to this question, proponents of physician-assisted suicide, most notably, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, are of the opinion that not only should patients be able to abstain from treatment, but if they have a terminal and/or extremely painful condition, they should be able to seek out the assistance of a doctor in order to expedite their death with as little pain as possible. Contained herein are the arguments for and against the legalization of doctor-assisted suicide, as well as where the state courts stand in respect to this most delicate of issues. In the hopes of clarification, we must first distinguish between active and passive euthanasia. Passive euthanasia involves the patient's refusal of medical assistance. It involves the right to die which is protected by the United States Constitution clauses of due process liberty and the right to privacy (Fourteenth Amendment). The right to doctor-assisted suicide, or active euthanasia, consists of, "...a patient's right to authorize a physician to perform an act that intentionally results in the patient's death, without the physician's being held civilly or criminally liable for having caused the death" . The "passive" form of euthanasia was first deemed legal by the New Jersey State Supreme Court in 1976 In re Quinlan . ...

Thomas Cook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Thomas Cook - Essay Example Thomas Cook Some of the important models such as McKinsey model along with the Pest analysis, SWOT and other models have been used to analyse the organisation. The main aim was to analysis the external and internal environment affecting the organisation. The leadership style along with the leadership style has been talked about and it can been seen that Thomas Cook has one of the cost effective organisational structure and follows a flexible business model so that it can be altered as and when needed. Finally the paper ends with recommendation and conclusion which states that the company should work according to the demand of the customers in order to stay competitive and maintain its number one position. The main aim of the report is to conduct an effective internal and external environmental analysis of Thomas Cook based on separate models. The analysis would help one understand the key competencies of the firm and also the areas where development is needed. Recommendations are also to be provided in due course to enhance the position. Thomas Cook, one of the largest companies in the field of leisure and travel is observed to operate along a large geographical segment pertaining to 22 countries round the world. The company has emerged out to be a key market leader in the leisure and travel category. Thomas Cook, during the financial year of 2011-12 earned total sales revenue emanating to  £9.8 billion from a total customer base of 23.6 million people around the globe (Thomas Group Plc, 2012). Company Structure Thomas Cook operates based on a decentralised structure where the board of directors are responsible for delegation of tasks and duties to subsequent committees and other sub-boards. The structure operates along a top-down or vertical integration fashion in the company (Thomas Cook, 2010, p.53). Main Activities Thomas Cook Plc works along several segments to render value-added services to the customers. The first or the core product segment contains of packaged tourism services where both flights and hotel services are grouped under one bundle and rendered to the customer. The second segment consists of independent packages that help in rendering consumers a larger flexibility in choosing the travel destinations, duration of tour and other value additions. The third product segment focuses on rendering financial support to the travellers in terms of foreign exchange or money transfers and also in tour assurance services. Fourthly the group also operates via retail houses that help in distributing tour packages and offers to the consumers. Finally the group also

Phase 1 Discussion Board 2 Posting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Phase 1 Discussion Board 2 Posting - Assignment Example However, it should be noted that it basically depends upon the situation and in some cases, it is quite important for experts to take up the role of project management. Project management is usually a wide area involving a wide array of things. In the process of developing a new technology or implementing a highly technical process in an organization, it is imperative that the whole process is conducted by a person who has technical knowledge in the workings of such technology. The present world is very dynamic and new technology comes by the day. In this case, it normally takes much time before people get acquainted with such technology. It is therefore important for the project manager to be an expert in the field so as to offer the necessary instruction or guidance on how the whole field should be handled. In a highly technical working environment like NASA, it is almost impossible to have a project manager who is not an expert in the project. This is because there is a high degree of technical excellence required and there is no room for any mistakes. As such, a project manager in such a case is required to have knowledge on the technology in use (Wysocki, 2010). It has always been seen that in situations where project manager do not have expert knowledge on the subject matter, challenges often arise. For instance, a layman in medical equipment might not really realize that such equipment require a lot of maintenance which might be very expensive. In that case, some of the advice directed to the project manager might be ignored since the manager does not clearly understand the weight of the whole issue. Having a project manager who has knowledge on the subject matter is very important as it greatly saves time and cost of executing roles. This is because the manager already understands much of the operations and does not really need to study the process much. On the contrary, a lay project

Study skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Study skills - Essay Example We often taking reading for granted, without paying heed to its benefits. Amongst the fundamental benefit of reading to a student is that it helps develop the concentration skills of the reader, which in turn, leads to higher levels of attention and concentration while learning. Reading helps an individual to focus; to put aside all other thoughts and focus one’s attention on what is being conveyed by the author through the text. To add to it, reading develops the much needed comprehension skills of a student which help him/her for life (Krashen, 2004). Comprehension skills are quintessential to solving case studies, problems and other reading material. Most students score a low mark in their exams simply because they don’t read the question/rubric properly (Krashen, 2004). Most have the habit of skimming through the instructions, without paying heed to key words that should not be missed. As a result, their answer to the question is often unrelated or lacks the points required by the examiner (Krashen, 2004). This is what constitutes the problem of poor comprehension skills. By developing the habit of reading, one is able to increase one’s attention span and develop one’s ability to understand what is being conveyed by the author both literally and figuratively. Hence, reading enables students to read between the lines or develop the skills of mind application by correctly perceiving the author’s hidden message in the reading material (Rasinski, 2003). This is a crucial skill in today’s world as the world today thrives on successful interpretation of knowledge which in turn helps enhance knowledge outcomes in an information driven world. Besides, reading is a fundamental need in today’s knowledge driven world; a person who cannot read effectively cannot speak effectively as reading is quintessential to effective speech (Gallagher, 2004). Thus, reading broadens

History Of Social Services In England Social Work Essay

History Of Social Services In England Social Work Essay In 1992 the Department of Health (DH) and the then, Social Services Inspectorate, in England, published the findings of a survey of two social services Departments in relation to abuse. This publication found there to be a lack of assessments in large numbers of elder abuse cases and little evidence of inter-agency cooperation. The report recommended guidelines to assist social services in their work with older people (DH/SSI 1992). During the 1990s concerns had been raised throughout the UK regarding the abuse of vulnerable adults. The social services inspectorate published Confronting elder abuse (SSI 1992) and following this, practice guidelines No longer afraid (SSI 1993). No longer afraid provided practice guidelines for responding to, what was acknowledged at that time, as elder abuse. It was aimed at professionals in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and emphasised clear expectations that policies should be multi-agency and also include ownership and operational responsibilities (Bennett et al 1997). This guidance was issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 and gives local authority Social Service departments a co-ordinating role in the development and implementation of local vulnerable adult policies and procedures. In 2000, the department of Health published the guidance No Secrets. The purpose of No Secrets was aimed primarily at local authority social services departments, but also gave the local authority the lead in co-ordinating other agencies i.e. police, NHS, housing providers (DOH 2000). The guidance does not have the full force of statute, but should be complied with unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons which justify a variation (No Secrets, 2000) The aim of No Secrets was to provide a coherent framework for all responsible organisations to devise a clear policy for the protection of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and to provide appropriate responses to concerns, anxieties and complaints of abuse /neglect (DOH 2000). Scotland Historical In December 2001, the Scottish Executive published Vulnerable Adults: Consultation Paper (2001 consultation) (Scottish Executive, 2001). This sought views on the extension of the vulnerable adults provisions to groups other than persons with mental disorder and the possible introduction of provisions to exclude persons living with a vulnerable adult, where the adults health is at risk. A joint inquiry was conducted by the Social Work Services Inspectorate and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland. Both of these agencies were linked with the central government of Scotland who had responsibility for the oversight of social work services and care and treatment for persons with mental health problems. In the report by the Scottish Executive (2004), a case of a woman who was admitted to a general hospital with multiple injuries from physical and sexual assault and who had a learning disability became the focus for change for Scotland in terms of adults who have been abused. The police investigation identified a catalogue of abuse and assaults ranging back weeks and possibly longer. In June 2003 the Minister for Education and Young People, Peter Peacock MSP, asked the Social Work Services Inspectorate (SWSI) to carry out an inspection of the social work services provided to people with learning disabilities by Scottish Borders Council. At the same time, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWC) also undertook an inquiry into the involvement of health services, though worked closely with SWSI during its inquiry. The two bodies produced separate reports, but also published a joint statement (MWC and SWSI, 2004), which summarised their findings and stated their recommendations. The findings included: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a failure to investigate appropriately very serious allegations of abuse à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a lack of information-sharing and co-ordination within and between key agencies (social work, health, education, housing, police) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a lack of risk assessment and failure to consider allegations of sexual abuse a lack of understanding of the legislative framework for intervention and its capacity to provide protection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a failure to consider statutory intervention at appropriate stages The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 (ASPA) is a result of the events that were known as the Scottish Borders Enquiry. Following the various police investigations, it was identified that there were historical links between the client and the offenders who were later prosecuted in terms of statements held by social services department detailing the offenders behaviour towards the woman and that this information was held on file. The Scottish Executive (2004) described the case as extremely disturbing but even more shocking to many that so many concerns about this woman had been made known and not acted on. As a consequence, 42 recommendations from the inquiry were made and there was a specific recommendation which was taken to the Scottish Executive and involved the provision of comprehensive adult protection legislation as a matter of urgency as there had been concerns raised from political groups and high profile enquiries to provide statute for the protection of adults at risk of abuse in Scotland (Mackay 2008). The Scottish framework links with three pieces of legislation. In 2000, the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act [AWISA 2000] was passed and focused on protecting those without capacity with financial and welfare interventions for those unable to make a decisions. Second, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (2003) [MHSA (2003)] modernised the way in which care and treatment could be delivered both in hospital and the community and improved patients rights. Finally, the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act (2007) [ASPSA (2007)] widened the range of community care service user groups who could be subject to assessment, and mainly short-term intervention, if they were deemed to be adults at risk of harm. Mackay (2008) argues that the Scottish arrangements both mirror and differ from those of England and Wales. She maps out the intervention powers for adults at risk of harm into a type of hierarchical structure known as a pyramid of intervention which aims to reflect the framework of the various pieces of Scottish legislation and goes onto say that the principle underlying all of the legislation is minimum intervention to achieve the desired outcome. Critique of definitions. In England, the No Secrets (2000) guidance defines a vulnerable adult as a person aged 18 or over and who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation (DOH 2000 Section 2.3) The groups of adults targeted by No Secrets were those who is or may be eligible for community care services. And within that group, those who were unable to protect themselves from significant harm were referred to as vulnerable adults. Whilst the phrase vulnerable adults names the high prevalence of abuse experienced by the group, there is a recognition that this definition is contentious. ADSS (2005). The definition of a vulnerable adult referred to in the 1997 consultation paper Who Decides issued by the Lord Chancellors Department is a person: who is, or may be in need of Community Care Services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness: and who Is, or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation (Law Commission Report 231, 1995) There are however broader definitions of vulnerability which are used in different guidance and in the more recent Crime and Disorder Act (1998) it refers to vulnerable sections of the community and embraces ethnic minority communities and people rendered vulnerable by social exclusion and poverty rather than service led definitions. There is concern, however, that the current England framework is more restricted than it should be, and that the problem is one of definition. The House of Commons Health Committee, says that No secrets should not be confined to people requiring community care services, and that it should also apply to old people living in their own homes without professional support and anyone who can take care of themselves (House of Commons Health Committee, 2007). Even within the ADASS National Framework (2005) it has been argued that vulnerability seems to locate the cause of abuse with the victim, rather than placing responsibility with the acts or omissions of others (ADASS, 2005) The Law Commission speaks favourably of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which, it says, understands vulnerability purely through the situation an adult is placed [in] (Law Commission, 2008). It is now becoming questionable whether the term vulnerable be replaced with the term at risk. If we were to look at the current legislation in England surrounding the investigations of abuse to adults, there are none, however there are underpinning pieces of legislation which whilst not in its entirety focus specifically on the adult abuse remit, but can be drawn upon to protect those most vulnerable. There are many duties underpinning investigations of adult abuse, but no specific legislation. The NHS and Community Care Act 1990, section 47 assessments can be implemented in order to consider an adults need for services and can therefore consider any risk factors present at the time of the assessment. From this, assessment and commissioned services can support people who have been abused or can prevent abuse from occurring. The National Assistance Act (1948) deals with the welfare of people with disabilities and states that the: local authority shall make arrangements for promoting the welfare of person whosuffers from a mental disorderwho are substantially and permanently handicapped by illness, injury or congenital deformity or other disabilities and gives power to provide services arising out of an investigation out of the NHS Community care Act 1990. (Mantell 2009). The Fair Access to Care Services 2003 (FACS) recognises that community care services will be a vital aspect of adult protection work (Spencer- Lane, 2010). Interestingly the eligibility criteria that superseded Fair Access to Care from April 2010 (Prioritising Need in the context of Putting People First: A whole systems approach to eligibility for Social Care), continues to place adults who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, in Critical and substantial needs criteria banding, as FACS did. Another definition of a vulnerable adult is cited within The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006), (SVG Act 2006), and defines a vulnerable adult as: A person is a vulnerable adult if he has attained the age of 18 and: (a)he is in residential accommodation, (b)he is in sheltered housing, (c)he receives domiciliary care, (d)he receives any form of health care, (e)he is detained in lawful custody, (f)he is by virtue of an order of a court under supervision by a person exercising functions for the purposes of Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 (c. 43), (g)he receives a welfare service of a prescribed description, (h)he receives any service or participates in any activity provided specifically for persons who fall within subsection (9), (i)payments are made to him (or to another on his behalf) in pursuance of arrangements under section 57 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 15), or (j)he requires assistance in the conduct of his own affairs. This particular act appears to take an alternative approach to the term vulnerability. It refers to places where a person is placed and is situational. (Law Commission, 2008). Following the consultation of No Secrets, one of the key findings of the consultation was the role that the National Health Service played in relation to Safeguarding Vulnerable adults and their systems. The Department of Health produced a document titled Clinical Governance and Adult Safeguarding- An Integrated Process (DOH 2010). The aim of the guidance is to encourage organisations to develop processes and systems which focused on complaints, healthcare incidents and how these aspects fall within the remit of Safeguarding processes and to empower reporting of such as it identified that clinical governance systems did not formally recognise the need to work in collaboration with Local Authorities when concerns arise during healthcare delivery. The definition of who is vulnerable in this NHS guidance, refers to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) and states that any adult receiving any form of healthcare is vulnerable and that there is no formal definition of vulnerability within health care but those receiving healthcare may be at greater risk from harm than others (DOH 2010). In the Care Standards Act 2000 it describes a Vulnerable adult as: (a) an adult to whom accommodation and nursing or personal care are provided in a care home; (b) an adult to whom personal care is provided in their own home under arrangements made by a domiciliary care agency; or (c) an adult to whom prescribed services are provided by an independent hospital, independent clinic, independent medical agency or National Health Service body. Similar to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, the Care Standards Act 2000 classifies the term vulnerable adult as situational and circumstantial rather than specific and relevant to a persons individual circumstance. Spencer-Lane (2010) says that these definitions of vulnerability in England have been the subject of increasing criticism. He states that the location of the cause of the abuse rests with the victim rather than the acts of others; that vulnerability is an inherent characteristic of the person and that no recognition is given that it might be contextual, by setting or place that makes the person vulnerable. Interestingly Spencer -Lane (2010) prefers the concept of adults at risk. He goes on to suggest a new definition that adults at risk are based on two approaches as the Law Commission feel that the term vulnerable adults should be replaced by adults at risk to reflect these two concerns: To reflect the persons social care needs rather than the receipt of services or a particular diagnosis What the person is at risk from whether or not the term significant harm should be used but would include ill treatment or the impairment of health or development or unlawful conduct which would include financial abuse Spencer-Lane (2010) also argues that with the two approaches above, concerns remain regarding the term significant harm as he feels the threshold for this type of risk is too high and whether the term in its entirety at risk of harm be used whilst encompassing the following examples: ill treatment; impairment of health or development; unlawful conduct. Unlike in Scotland, there are no specific statutory provisions for adult protection; the legal framework is provided through a combination of the common law, local authority guidance and general statute law (Spencer-Lane 2010). Whereby in England the term vulnerable adult is used, in Scotland the term in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 uses the term adults at risk. This term was derived by the Scottish Executive following their 2005 consultation were respondents criticised the word vulnerable as they believed it focussed on a person disability rather than their abilities, hence the Scottish executive adopted the term at risk (Payne, 2006). Martin (2007) questions the definition of vulnerability and highlights how the vulnerability focus in England leaves the deficit with the adult, as opposed to their environment. She uses the parallel argument to that idea of disabling environments, rather than the disabled person, within the social model of disability. She goes on to comment that processes within society can create vulnerability. People, referred to as vulnerable adults, may well be in need of community care services to enjoy independence, but what makes people vulnerable is that way in which they are treated by society and those who support them. It could be argues that vulnerability and defining a person as vulnerable could be construed as being oppressive. This act states that an adult at risk is unable to safeguard their own well-being, property, rights or other interests; at risk of harm and more vulnerable because they have a disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity. It also details that the act applies to those over 16 years of age, where in England the term vulnerable adult is defined for those over the age of 18 and for the requirement under the statute is that all of the three elements are met for a person to be deemed at risk. ADASS too supports the use of risk as the basis of adult protection, although its definition differs from the one used in Scotland. It states that an adult at risk is one who is or may be eligible for community care services and whose independence and wellbeing are at risk due to abuse or neglect (ADASS, 2005) The ASPSA (2007) act The Scottish Code of Practice states that no category of harm is excluded simply because it is not explicitly listed. In general terms, behaviours that constitute harm to others can be physical (including neglect), emotional, financial, sexual or a combination of these. Also, what constitutes serious harm will be different for different persons. (Scottish Government, 2008a p13). In defining what constitutes significant harm, No Secrets (2000) uses the definition of significant harm in who decides? No Secrets defines significant harm as:- harm should be taken to include not only ill treatment (including sexual abuse and forms of ill treatment which are not physical), but also the impairment of, or an unavoidable deterioration in, physical or mental health; and the impairment of physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural developments (No Secrets, 2000. The ASPA (2007) act also goes onto detail that any intervention in an individuals affairs should provide benefit to the individual, and should be the least restrictive option of those that are available thus providing a safety net on the principles of the act (ASPA, 2007). The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 says: harm includes all harmful conduct and, in particular, includes: conduct which causes physical harm; conduct which causes psychological harm (e.g. by causing fear, alarm or distress) unlawful conduct which appropriates or adversely affects property, rights or interests (e.g. theft, fraud, embezzlement or extortion) conduct which causes self-harm N.B conduct includes neglect and other failures to act, which includes actions which are not planned or deliberate, but have harmful consequences Interestingly the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (section 44) introduced a new criminal offence of ill treatment and wilful neglect of a person who lacks capacity to make a relevant decision. It does not matter whether the behaviour toward the person was likely to cause or actually caused harm or damage to the victims health. Although the Mental Capacity Act mainly relates to adults 16 and over, Section 44 can apply to all age groups including children (Code of Practice Mental Capacity Act 2005). The Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) published a National Framework of Standards to attempt to reduce variation across the country (ADSS 2005). In this document the ADSS 2005 updated this definition above to :- every adult who is or may be eligible for community care services, facing a risk to their independence (ADSS 2005 para 1.14). England and Scotland differences with policy/legislation Definition of vulnerability Three part definition to definition of at risk of harm Harm might be caused by another person or the person may be causing the harm themselves no category of harm is excluded simply because it is not explicitly listed. In general terms, behaviours that constitute harm to others can be physical (including neglect), emotional, financial, sexual, or a combination of these. Also, what constitutes serious harm will be different for different persons. Code of Practice, Scottish Government (2008) Defining vulnerable: adult safeguarding in England and Wales Greater level of contestation in defining VA in adults than children. Doucuments in wales and England are very similar. In safe hands document is greater but both are issued under the provision of section 7. Whilst they are guidance, there is a statutory footing behind them. No Secrets (DH2000) defines vulnerable in a particular way: Is a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation. No Secrets paragraph 2.3 Lord Chancellors Department, Who Decides (1995) The ASP Act introduces new adult protection duties and powers, including: Councils duty to inquire and investigate Duty to co-operate Duty to consider support services such as independent advocacy Other duties and powers visits, interviews, examinations Protection Orders: assessment, removal, banning and temporary banning Warrants for Entry, Powers of Arrest and Offences Duty to establish Adult Protection Committees across Scotland Harm includes all harmful conduct and, in particular, includes: a) conduct which causes physical harm; b) conduct which causes psychological harm (for example: by causing fear, alarm or distress); c) unlawful conduct which appropriates or adversely affects property, rights or interests (for example: theft, fraud; embezzlement or extortion); and d) conduct which causes self-harm. An adult is at risk of harm if: another persons conduct is causing (or is likely to cause) the adult to be harmed, or the adult is engaging (or is likely to engage) in conduct which causes (or is likely to cause) self-harm N.B conduct includes neglect and other failures to act (Section 53)

Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution :: Natural Selection, Evolution Essays

In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin poetically entailed, "There is grandeur in this view of life . . .." Personifying Nature as the ultimate breeder, Darwin infers and hypothesizes what is arguably the most fundamental and profound scientific manifesto that governs what we now know about modern science and the science of discovering our past. His two theories of Natural Selection and Sexual Selection effectively bridge the gap that his predecessors could not. These concepts are imperative as their implications paved the way for Darwin's explanation of Evolution. The term "Survival of the Fittest" has been made synonymous with Darwinian ideology, yet to fully understand this idea we need to know what it truly means to be "fit." As discussed in class, being fit does not necessarily imply fitness on a physical or mental level. Rather, the principle entails how well-suited one is for its environment or a readiness for a species to adapt, whether to a new habitat or possibly changes in food, shelter, climate, etc. Through small, almost unnoticable change, over large periods of time, organisms develop physiological and/or anatomical features that invariably help the organism live or live easier. It is important to note that this does not infer that the process of adaptation takes place for the mere purpose of only "bettering" a species or self-improvement, rather modifications are a supplemental benefit. Darwin stated that, "if they be in any degree profitable to the individuals of a species, in their indefinitely complex relations to the organic beings and to their physical conditions of life, will tend to the preservation of such individuals . . .." In some cases this modification can be a detriment to a species. Take for example a species of like-moths in England preceding and during the Industrial Revolution. Before the manufacture of goods in large quantities, two types of moths, white and gray would rest on the bark of trees where birds would prey upon the m. The barks of trees were mainly white, which helped the white moths immensely in that they were camouflaged from their predators. Conversely, the gray moths were clearly noticeable and were thus preyed upon heavily. With the advent of machinery, dust and smoke turned the barks of trees from white to gray, which shifted the predatorial tendencies from gray moths to white. Thus we are able to infer that while the adaptation of color was beneficial to a group of species for a certain extent of time, it does not guarantee that Mother Nature will not shift her favor at some other point in time.

Critique a Oral Presentation

Research the average salary range for the position, keeping in mind: * The company and Its culture (use annual reports, Web sites, reference materials available at libraries such as â€Å"Business Directory†) * The geographic location Your own market value (years of experience, education) * Assess your personal criteria * What are your â€Å"must haves†? * What are your â€Å"would like to haves†? * What are your â€Å"can live without†? Poise: This is the ability to remain calm and confident in uncomfortable situations.You will demonstrate poise if you: * Do not reveal your salary requirements too early * Convey confidence (remember, you would not have gotten the Interview If they didn't think you could do the Job! ) ; Show enthusiasm Stay positive * Take your time when an offer is made (ask for time to think about it) Professionalism: The way you negotiate is an example of the behavior the employer will expect to see on the Job. Things to keep in mind: * understand the dynamics of the situation (for instance, you may negotiate differently if you have been in Job search a long time vs..If you have several offers to consider) * Remain positive – you and the employer share a common goal getting you to feel good about joining the company * Be confident – companies expect negotiation * Ask questions – hearing how they arrived at their offer may give you clues about alternatives * Detach from the outcome – it will help you relax AND you won't alienate your future boss * Focus on the value of the total package * Look for different ways to achieve your objectives Know when to quit What to do if the company requests your salary requirements or salary history: * If job announcements request that you provide salary requirements in your cover letter, research what similar positions pay in that geographic location. Respond by giving a broad range, perhaps 10% above what you think it should be. (For a $39,000 position , you could say: â€Å"Your ad requested salary requirements. Given my education Ana experience, Dates on my research I expect to De considering something In ten $40,000 to $50,000 range.Research the company before you negotiate. 4. Be enthusiastic and professional during negotiations. . Never stop selling yourself. (Keep telling the company how you will benefit them throughout the negotiation process. ) 6. Ask for a few perks you can do without. (This gives you bargaining room. ) 7. Be willing to walk away. (You II be more confident, and you may receive higher compensation. ) 8. Don't say yes to an offer right away. (Be enthusiastic and appreciative when receiving the offer, but ask for at least 24 hours to respond. This gives you time to get over your initial elation at being selected and to determine if the Job is the best one for you. )

School Is A Place To Learn -Education Essay

School Is A Place To Learn -Education Essay Free Online Research Papers School Is A Place To Learn -Education Essay School is a place for us to learn knowledge and skills. Therefore, the environment will effect our learning a lot. AT last term, there is a new construction on our new hall. If that new school hall is constructed, it will effect our school environment a lot because of the ground shaking during the construction and limited school ground when construction si in place. Ground shaking of construction effect our school environment a lot because the noise makes us can’t concentrate on the work. The noise also makes the teacher very hard to teach because they have to shout over the noise in order for student to listen clearly. For example, you are writing when the whole building is shaking. Not only has this will making your writing go suddenly out of shape. The stationary will also fall on the ground. I think the school should do the digging of the old hall concrete after school time. In that case, fewer students will be affected. The second reason why the construction of the new hall affect school environment is because of the limited space during construction because student is not allow to get into construction zone. This lowers the useful ground of our school and also makes our whole school suddenly run out of space. The limited space in school will bring a lot of trouble to teachers because they wouldn’t be able to use the front parking any more. Student of music also have to go through a â€Å"hole† in the fence in order to reach. This also take long to walk and very dangerous for student to walk into construction zone. I think the construction should be more faxable by making more â€Å"holes† and also should make a place for teachers to park. In this case, this will safe a lot of time during class so the student will a have a chance to learn more In conclusion, I think the construction of the new school hall affect the school environment because there is huge ground shaking when they are taking out the concrete and limited space while constructing bring trouble to student. However it is always good to have a new hall that can put all the student form f.3 to f.7 in. It is also good to have a new hall because the old hall is old and sometimes the microphone in there doesn’t work well Research Papers on School Is A Place To Learn -Education EssayStandardized TestingHip-Hop is ArtThe Spring and AutumnPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyQuebec and CanadaThe Hockey GameHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayGenetic EngineeringEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenCapital Punishment

Dress For Sucess

Dress For Sucess Clothing is important on how others perceive us. It affects our views on our confidence and ourselves. In any business setting the most important garment for both men and women is the suit. Wearing a suit immediately conveys authority, credibility, and likeability qualities that are critical in business interactions. Different positions, companies, and different parts of the world have different dress codes. Keep in mind the importance of wearing conservative close to the office that's clean and well tailored. Throughout this speech, I will inform everyone on the correct way to dress for business.Men should wear suits that are solid colors like black, gray, or blue. Men can also wear pinstriped suits. The preferred material of the suit it wool, or polyester that looks like wool. The darker the suit, the more authority it carries.Mens shirts are also important. Shirts should be white, pale blue, or have modest strips.A man wearing a chalk-striped suitTo avoid a certain gangster look m en should avoid wearing darker shirts than their suits. This means no black shirts with black or gray suits.Men also have to wear a tie. For ties, discreet stripes, polka dots, and club ties are all right; they should never vary from the basic colors. And ties should be appropriate lengths, not to short or to long. The best length is just below the bottom of the belt buckle. The most important piece of clothing for a mens suit is a tie. But absolutely the best tie you can afford preferably silk. Another thing to keep in mind is appropriate shoes. Leather shoes are preferred. Make sure that you keep your shoes clean and scuff free. Women have to dress very conservatively for the office. This consists of a suit that has a skirt and a jacket. Pants are still too casual...

Review of Accounting Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Review of Accounting Ethics - Assignment Example Other reasons behind such accounting ethical breaches are the avoidance of taxes, prevention from a legal or regulatory consequence, approving the loans from the financial institutions, etc. (Weil, 2012) The importance of accounting ethical breaches is highlighted more especially in the events when the public money is involved in the financing of the organizations. Such organizations which are keen enough to attract the external financing through representation of general-public are willing to portray their desired financial results to the upcoming investors of the organization. By such ready-made results, these organizations tend to mislead the investors so that their shares can be fully subscribed and the company can raise their required amount of money in the first stance. Besides the accounting standards, there are some code of ethics have been issued by the regulators to assist the companies in making their financial statements more ethical. ... Groupon Inc. went to general-public for raising external financing through issuance of shares to the common investors. The share price of the company surged from $20 to $31 on the first trading day of the shares of the company. The underwriters of the company like Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs and others millions of dollars in creating a hype for this stock in the form of underwriting fee. With conservative estimations, it is believed that those investors who bought the shares of Groupon Inc. have lost some $9 billion in total since November 4, 2011, the first trading day of the Groupon Inc.’s stock. The share price of the company fell to around $13 from a high of $31 since its inception. However, the original backer of the company’s shares, Mason, Eric and others kept their holdings with them and did not sell any portion thereof. On account of such holdings that they kept with them of the stocks of Groupon Inc., they received an incentiv e named as â€Å"payday† which was a fat reward for such endeavor (Weil, 2012). Financial analysts and critics believe that it was mainly the fault of the management of the Groupon Inc. using such aggressive accounting to cause such debacle. The accounting treatment of the company was so aggressive that the Securities and Exchange Commission of US had to intervene in the financial matters of Groupon Inc. twice before the launch of its IPO. The accountants of the Groupon Inc. recognized the full revenues of the coupons that they sell to their merchants. The company booked all the revenues in this regard which heightened its earnings sharply just before the launch of the IPO. At that time, the analysts were

Rewarding Volunteers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Rewarding Volunteers - Essay Example The paper tells that in order to attract and motivate volunteers, organizations need to come up with effective volunteer management programs that will ensure those individuals are always motivated and at the same time they gain some skills while offering their services to the organization. A comprehensive training program needs to be established to ensure the quality of services that they offer is acceptable and at the same time add value to the volunteers to make them more knowledgeable in their line of specialization thus ensuring they become more attractive to employers in the job market. Understaffing at the online university can be traced to some reasons but the primary factor is the lack of strategic planning. It is prudent that prior to the implementation of the program it ought to have conducted a feasibility study to ascertain that it will meet all the requirements that will see the program running smoothly. Ideally, personnel is the most valuable resource in any organizatio n thus firms have to give it the priority during planning since without the workers who will be implementing the organizational objectives nothing meaningful will be accomplished. Thus, it is evident that poor strategic planning was the key issue that culminated to understaffing at the online university since it is prudent that if the organization did not have sufficient funds to implement the entire program it had to wait until the moment it had acquired all the necessary resources before deploying the program.

Four major forms of ethnic violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Four major forms of ethnic violence - Essay Example Life for them is a tool for power; some followers viewed it as meat for slaughter. Still others thought of violence as instrument, oddly, for political and competitive leveraging. Sociologist and anthropological experts classify the kinds of violence. These are symbolic violence, lynching, pogrom and massacre. Arnold (2012) defined symbolic violence as a form violence employed to properties of other cultures but no actual harm is done to persons. This is illustrated by attacks done to important properties, places, or place of worship to employ meaning that such violence is authored and directed towards a leader or a congregation of groups representing these edifices (Armold, 2012). The attack is a symbolic communication to intimidate the targeted victims, whether they are institutions, or groups. For instance, in a rage on a film allegedly made by a westerner Coptic Christian pertaining to the life of Muhammad in a film â€Å"Innocence of Muslim,† people who represented the religion of Islam gathered and flocked to embassies of United States of America bearing placards that assaulted the sensibilities of diplomats and its workers. Violence was done whe n its ambassador in Libya was gun down due to the showing of this film and by posting it in youtube, an online medium for vloggers. Lynching on the other hand is a murderous attack done by persons coming from a different ethnic demonization (Arnold, 2012). The attack can be done by hanging or any forms of inflicting physical harm. It may include beating but such kind enough to intimidate the family of the person within a community (Arnold, 2012). This kind of violence is done to send a signal or message to the community that anyone who will emulate the victim’s will be punished the same way. For instance, in the Philippines, some women secretly discussed about a Maranao woman being raped.

Globalization and Its Effects on Mexico Essay Example for Free

Globalization and Its Effects on Mexico Essay Mexico has the size and assets which could contribute to wealth and prosperity within their borders. The nation has the second longest border with the United States, significant oil resources, and the 11th largest population in the world. Mexico underwent all the necessary free market changes to help support globalization despite initial resistance, but they are yet to complete the interior microeconomic makeover they drastically need. Mexico has many things working for them but continue to underperform when it comes to global power and economy, China out performs Mexico for low-cost manufactured goods and India is often the target for outsourcing jobs and services over Mexico (Biggs, Shiess). After sustained pressure from the United States and the International Monetary Fund, Mexico decided to change their global economic stance to one that supports the free market. They changed their economy to one based upon exports, they eliminated most tariffs while lowering others, attracted foreign direct investment and private state assets, and finally reduced government spending. These steps were taken at an effort for Mexico to join in on the economic benefits of globalization, but Mexico only finished half of the necessary adjustments necessary for economic prosperity. (Biggs, Shiess) Many residents of Mexico may blame their problems on issues such as the drug cartels, the lack of quality jobs, or lack of foreign investment. Although these ideas may contribute to the problems that control Mexico, they are not the true reason. After Mexico completed their globalization efforts by using the ideas of macroeconomics, they had only completed half the necessary adjustments to truly co mpete as an economic superpower in the world today.(BBC News) Mexico has failed in great part due to their stubbornness and interior corruption to evolve their nation from that of an above average Latin American Economic power, to that of one on par with most European nations, China, India, and the United States. The second half of the puzzle that Mexico is missing relies heavily on the ideas of microeconomics. Mexico never created the level playing field for companies within their country and is greatly powered by monopolies which ruins an economy due to lack of competition and innovation. For Mexico to begin to succeed in the free market needs to put resources into banks, education(specifically on technology), mechanisms which will support collaboration between competing companies, and most importantly new laws to disallow the monopolies which control Mexico’s economy. (Biggs, Shiess) Until these steps are taken Mexico remains a country which can be overwhelmingly difficult to do business in, which turns away the majority of investors, and people looking to expand companies into different countries. It is not a good sign when according to the International Finance Corporation Mexico ranks 75 out of 183 countries in the world for â€Å"ease of starting a business†. (IFC) Around the year 2000 when the globalization movement was fully set in motion, Mexico was going through an extreme change in their political stance as well. This was a major problem for Mexico, even though the economic changes which were drastically needed were happening outside Mexico’s borders it is a very difficult task of changing their political institutions at the same time of changing economic institutions. Mexico continues to stand where they are rather than take a step back to allow for future gains, for example Mexico continues to rely on their state owned oil giant Pemex instead of bringing in new companies and investors for an attempt at innovation and competition in their oil industry. (Biggs, Shiess) Until Mexico decides to take a small hit and clean house in regards to their current internal economic stance companies will continue to avoid Mexico at all costs. Startup companies need stability in a political and economic system, and until Mexico is willing to offe r that and put in place fair trade laws, better tax laws, and economic regulations they will continue down the same road. Mexico is greatly reliant on their petroleum exports; this has been called the Resource Curse by many experts. The problem lies in that when they started to nationalize their oil resources, they needed foreign investment to refine petroleum into oil as they lacked the local funds to do so themselves. This results in some economic benefits due to other countries purchasing crude oil for themselves, but the process remains to be quite draining on what could be the road to economic prosperity. Mexico needs to mine the crude oil, export it to outside nations where they can refine it and then re-import it as gasoline. (Biggs, Shiess) The biggest problem that their fossil fuel dependence will bring upon Mexico is that the country is relying on the industry, and because demand and prices are high Mexico has no reason to start new industries. Oil is a fossil fuel and resources are diminishing, and when they are gone Mexico will not be in even rougher shape than they are currently. Mexico is at the crossroads when it comes to their economy and what direction those in power want to take the country in. As of right now the globalization efforts have helped the Mexican economy but due to lack of funds and a change in political scenery at the same time Mexico was unable to fully capitalize on the free market. They may have helped their trading relationships with outside countries, but not enough was done within their own borders to disallow corruption and monopolies. Mexico is stuck in place until they take the necessary short term economic downfall to get the full rewards from globalization. With the constant changing of political motives, problems with drug cartels, and corruption the chances of new businesses starting up is slim. Without new businesses to inspire competition the economy will continue to rely upon oil to sustain the country’s economy, but eventually the oil resources they have will run out and lead to ultimate turmoil within Mexico. Works Cited Biggs, Cate, Ami Shiess, Kelly Korenak, Linda Chang, and Laura Neumeister. World Savvy Monitor. World Savvy Monitor. Ed. Anita Trachte. The World Savvy Board, Aug. 2009. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. . Mexico Country Profile. BBC News. BBC, 09 Apr. 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. . Doing Business in Mexico World Bank Group. Doing Business in Mexico World Bank Group. International Finance Corporation, 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. .

Demand for communication in english in vietnam

Demand for communication in english in vietnam Introduction 1. Reasons for the research The demand for communication in English has become very urgent in Vietnam since the governments open door policy in late 1980. More and more people, especially working people and students have to learn English to use it at work, in their studies or future jobs. In fact, many adult learners of English who start learning English even from grade one speak English like â€Å"bulls in a China shop†. Therefore, the Communicative Approach, using group work activities, has been predominant and widely applied to improve Vietnamese learners communicative skills of English in Vietnam. Using this learning-centered approach in pedagogy is actually a concern for many English teachers in Vietnam in general and especially for the English teachers at the English Department of my university. Group work has brought innovation in speaking more in terms of theory than in terms of Vietnamese teachers real classroom practices. I am twenty two years old and have been teaching English at my university for two years. I am teaching one section of speaking skill per week in a very diverse class of students with different levels of speaking proficiency. Many of my students are sometimes eager to talk in their groups while others just look bored and keep quiet in these groups. Moreover, my students sometimes use Vietnamese a lot in their speaking English class and one member of the group dominates others. According to Harmer (2007), uncooperative and unmotivated students present a serious problem and can easily disrupt the instructional process while productive activities involving speaking in groups are more demanding and time consuming. Although cooperative learning was originally developed for general education, several researchers have documented its application to second language learning (High, 1993; Holt, 1993; Kessler, 1992; McCafferty, Jacobs DasilvaIddings, 2006). In terms of speaking English, I wante d to investigate the implementation of group activities to understand their effects on the English oral fluency of my first year English major students at a Vietnamese University. I would like to explore how my students speak English with their partners and think of activities. I would like to find whether or not interpreting group work activities in different ways of group work develops the first year English major students oral fluency in my English speaking class. Hopefully, the research findings will be helpful for me to give great perceptions and understandings about implementing group work activities to develop English oral fluency with first year English major students at my university. Therefore, the result will be reflected on my decisions about the organization of effective group work activities in my English speaking classes to develop the quality of teaching. 2. Research questions: How can group work activities be used with first year English major students at a Vietnamese University to develop their English oral fluency? Why do modifying group work activities impact on the English oral fluency of first year English major students at a Vietnamse University? Organization of the research The research is divided into seven main parts under these headings: Introduction, literature review, context, methods and methodology, analysis and findings, reflections, and conclusion. Part one, Introduction includes rationale, the research questions and the overview of the research. Part two, Literature review gives and discusses related theoretical background to the research. Part three, Context describes the context in which the research has taken place. Part four, Methods and methodology includes reasons for the methods chosen, the ethical procedure of my research and the difficulties I faced. Part five, Analysis and findings, tells my story of the research. Part six, Reflections, includes strong and weak points of my research and my experience about doing research. Part seven, Conclusion, finally reviews the outcomes and summarizes the whole research project and provides implication for further research. Literature review 1. Definition of group work Johnson, Johnson and Smith (1991, p 15) defines that: Group work, in language class, is a co-operative activity, during which students share aims and responsibilities to complete a task assigned by the teacher in groups or in pairs. It can be said that in group work, all the members have chances for greater independence in making their own learning decisions without the teacher controlling any more. They learn to negotiate more equally with their friends and in most cases they feel free to express themselves and use the language. In group work, the focus is not on accuracy but on fluency. In speaking class, group work is often conducted in small groups and lasts for about ten minutes to a class period depending on specific tasks. The following part discusses the pros and cons of using group work activities in language classes. 2. Benefits and difficulties of using group work activities in language class Many different kinds of speaking activities such as dialogue, discussion, interview, etc can be performed in groups. In certain types of those activities, group work no doubt offers many advantages. There have been a number of studies reporting the potential benefits of pair and group work activities in language teaching and learning. According to experts in second language acquisition, negotiation of meaning facilitates both learning and acquisition and is defined as: The modification and restructuring of interaction that occurs when learners and their interlocutors anticipate, perceive, or experience difficulties in massage comprehensibility. (Pica, 1994, p. 494) Following is the summary of the most common benefits of using group work in language class. Group work promotes learners responsibility and autonomy. Group work increases students participation, talking time and oral fluency. According to Harmer (1997), group work provides more opportunities for students initiation, practice in negotiation of meaning, extended conversational exchanges, face-to-face give and take and adoption of roles. Vygotsky (1978) also believes that learning is not directed one way between teacher and students but in different ways between students and students and between teacher and students. Ur (1996, p232) also shares the same idea: In group work, learners perform a learning task through small group interaction. It is a form of learner activation that is of particular value in the practice of oral fluency; learners in a class that is divided into five groups get 5 times as many opportunities to talk as in full class organization. Working in groups enables students to produce better decisions to solve a specific task. Group work promotes individuals motivation. Group work enables students to use the language and also motivates them to be more involved and concentrate on the tasks assigned. Richards and Lockhart (1994) believes that through working in groups, students feel relaxed and comfortable to share ideas and play active roles in the learning process without the correcting feedback of teachers. Therefore, they have the benefit of sharing ideas with other group members, learning from other friends mistakes or success and helping others to learn. Because the comprehension of the subject under discussion is often increased in group work, students certainly became more motivated. According to Doff (1988), working in pairs or in groups encourages students to be more involved and to concentrate on the tasks. In the non-threatening performance environment of the collaborative classroom, motivation is often improved as students feel less inhibited and more able to explore possibilities for self expression. The next part will discuss several difficulties which are often believed to affect the successful implementation of the group work activities in language class. Organizational difficulties According to Sheils (1993), in some teaching contexts, the use of group work activities is inappropriate due to the unsuitable physical setting. For instance, my classroom is too big with unmovable desks or there are a large number of students in a class. This also leads to another difficulty relating to the class management. I am afraid of organizing group work because of noise and indiscipline which affect other classes. It is hard for me to provide proper management. If I go and pay attention to one group, the rest of class may forget the task and play about. Students will convert into the mother tongue when they are required to work in groups or they will use class time to chat with each other or become lazier. As such, their speaking skill cannot be improved and their time is wasted. Learner-related difficulties The lack of linguistic knowledge to contribute to group work is the typical difficulty faced by many students. Speaking is one of the most complex linguistic skills because it involves thinking of what is to be said and responding spontaneously to what has been thought. In order to be able to do this, patterns, structures, and words must be chosen to fit the right situation or situation or attitude intended. Byrne (1986) has pointed out that thoughts are controlled to a great extent by vocabulary. We can not talk about something if we have no words for it. The inability to verbalize thought or feeling may distort ones perceptions of objective reality, increase tendency to overact and hinder the likelihood of easy collaboration. Once students do not know enough of the language to express themselves with ease, they often become reluctant to participate in group work. There are also other situations in which the students personality (e.g., shy, passive, reserved, etc) or personality conflict(e.g., incompatible personalities) influence students participation in group work activities. Vygotsky (1986) supposed that relationship of peers has also an influence on interaction in groups. Peers can be proficient learners, learners who are different from teachers (Swain Lapskin, 1998), more or less proficient learners (Ohta, 1995), more or less informed junior students (McDonald, Kidman, Clarke, 1991), and peers as native and non-native speakers in the classroom (Barnard, 2002). Sheils (1993) said that though many students are happy to speak in chorus or under the teachers guidance when doing some kinds of drill, they are inhibited when being asked to express themselves freely in the presence of the whole class. Furthermore, the fear of being corrected in front of the other students may also cause the uneasy collaboration and lead to unproductive groups. In those cases, students may never have been encouraged sufficiently to â€Å"have a go† without worrying about mistakes or they may be accustomed to the traditional teacher- centered class. Learning style preference certainly affects the students performance in group work. In her study, Nguyen (2004) illustrates the influences of students learning style preference on the students performance in group work activities. She mentions that the learning style preference in Eastern countries like China or Vietnam is greatly influenced by the Confucian culture. The students were often familiar with being transmitted knowledge from the teachers rather than from their peers. Therefore, it might be difficult for the teachers to implement group work activities in language classes due to the students negative responses to communicative language teaching and learning. Beside the factors discussed above, there are other situations in which some students, though they do not have problems with the lack of appropriate linguistic competence or personality, have no ideas to contribute or to react to the topic given by the teachers. This may happen when the topic needs too much specialized knowledge to discuss or even when there is nothing interesting to say about it or even when the tasks do not need multiple contributions from all students but can be completed by only one or two individuals. However, there have been a number of researchers who have reported positive effects of group work activities on the development of speaking ability in the language classroom. They are, therefore, worth considering putting into the classroom more regularly. Also, more investigations should be conducted to find out the most appropriate techniques or procedures to implement successful group work activities in speaking class, both teachers and students need to play effective roles. The following part discusses the roles the teachers and the students need to perform in order to implement group work successfully. Concerning the allocation of members into groups, Hurd (2000) says there is no â€Å"one right way† to allocate students into groups. Rather, there are members of practices teachers can use. He also states that most selection methods fall into four categories. These are random appointment, self-selection, selective appointment, task appointment. 3. Group work and speaking fluency Brown (2003) raises a question â€Å"Can we really develop our students fluency?† According to him, in teaching fluency, teachers must be willing to let go of some control in our classroom, let my students have some of the control and let them to do some of the work and set up situations in which fluency can develop, and encourage my students to actually communicate. In fact, I do not need to teach fluency all of the time, but some of the time students need a little guided communication time during which their knowledge of many aspects of the language can develop into fluency. Brown (2003, p.15) also states Teachers set up activities and then get out of the way that many students can be talking at the same time [†¦] However, setting up such activities is exactly what the students need to develop. There is many other research by Ur (1996) and Maurice (1983) noting that the use of group work activities can create many opportunities for students to practice speaking fluency. Context Twenty four of my first year English major students in my class who took part in my study were from eighteen to twenty- two with four males and twenty females. I have taught them spoken English for one term with Communicative Method which does not pay much attention to a fixed curriculum but focus instead on authentic materials. My students had one speaking lesson every week and each lesson lasts for 90 minutes. Therefore, I had time to understand about their English competence very well along with their characteristics, and backgrounds. Before entering the University, one third of them finished 7 years of English at high school. The rest studied English for 3 years only. When entering the University, they already have some basic knowledge of English grammar, but most of them are still weak at speaking, reading, listening, especially, those who come from rural or remote areas where the conditions of learning English are very poor. About 30 % of the students who lived in areas with go od conditions of learning English in secondary schools and high schools are at better level. Nevertheless, in high school, most of them could not use English communicatively, because they had been taught with the Grammar- Translation method with much focus on grammar rules, memorization of vocabulary, translation of texts and doing exercises to enter a university. Another reason was that they had few opportunities to communicate with foreigners or native speakers. I wrote inform consent letters (see appendix 1) and delivered them to all the students of the class to ask them for their permission to participate in my research. I did the research with two female informants. Firstly I chose A because she has studied English for 7 years in the city high school with high level of communicative skills. Secondly I chose B because she has studied English for 3 years in a local school with low level of communicative English skills but she is good at writing and reading English. I saw many times A and B went and chatted with each other inside and outside the class and heard other students say that A and B were close friends. Methods and methodology At the beginning of my project, I explained my intentions to the students and asked them for their permission to conduct the research. I told two informants that I would record their spoken language as part of my research on how to develop their English oral fluency. Luckily, they agreed because A and B had good attitudes to me, to University, especially to learning English to find good jobs. I also gave each student a consent form letter which might be useful in setting out clearly for learners what their participation would involve and how the results of the process would be used. The head of my department was aware of how and why I was conducting my research. Learners interviewed their friends and wrote up friends characteristics, attitudes towards group work and useful strategies of speaking English. The results might help them develop motivation in speaking English. After collecting data I gave back my final draft of report to my students to check whether or not my interpretation of what they said corresponded with their own understanding. I formally thanked everyone who had helped me and sent copies of my findings to anyone who has been of substantial help to me. I combined observational and field note techniques to organize data about behaviors, contexts, group organization and records of interactions between informants. Therefore, using notes to collect research data became more effective than other data collection techniques took over. Besides, I used a small hand-held recorder as a time saving option during group work activities and students interviews. This allowed me to note important data while they were still fresh in my mind. I could also talk into the recorder, listen to the recordings again and start thinking. I organized A to interview B in Vietnamese on their feelings and opinions about group work and learning experience during their break time of 20 minutes. I provided a set of preplanned questions (see appendix 7) in no fixed order and asked the group to audio-record their responses. I did this to in order to increase my own and my learners understanding of students feelings about group work. I used semi structured interviews between learner and learner because they ensured greater consistency, reliability and balance in the research relationship. Two students engaged in their free flowing conversational process in a friendly way to share with each other about their learning experience in speaking English and their perception of group work. I chose this approach to understand deeply about the factors affecting group work to develop English oral fluency. I felt a lack of experience in writing up the final research findings. It worried me whether I was adopting the right approach, and that my data collecting methods became a bit slapdash and less thorough than they should have been. I felt pressured for time during the process and in writing the report because I also taught and did the research at the same time. Chapter five: Analysis and Findings I conducted the research with my students when they had started studying in the second term for two weeks. The first time, I observed speaking in the English class at the first period in the morning. The class had not had any examination of speaking in the second term of the first year. In the first term, A got mark 8 and B got 5 for speaking examination. We had two speaking periods in the same day per week. The second time, I observed the speaking fluency of A and B after one week of the first observation, at the first period in the morning. A sat next to B in the same front table of the classroom. Before conducting the research for a week, I informed them that I would do the research in the class. And I delivered twenty four consent letters to all my students, asked them to tick the box if they agreed to participate, collected all letters after 5 minutes and read at home. During observing, I used highlighter, sticky notes and collected data on set target in the observation sheet. I used themes and codes (see appendix 2) to organize and collect data in field notes when I was observing. I put the recorders in each group of the class. Because desks and chairs were fixed and unmovable I asked my students to work in groups of three with their neighbors at the same desk and imagine a story about the picture (see appendix 3) on the blackboard. A and B were in the same group with C who could speak English very well. At first, they were eager to talk in the group because they thought they had many things to speak about and the picture was very interesting. I just sat at my desk with books, looked and made notes in the observation sheets. When I observed I realized that A and Bs oral English fluency was not interfered by with the noise of other groups. I just required my students to create their own stories about the picture in their groups in 15 minutes and present their stories in front of the class. I saw almost all students looked very excited and smiled when I showed the picture and said: â€Å"The most interesting story would get good marks†. I fixed the picture on the blackboard and explained about characters in the picture. A and B kept quiet for a while in their group and later A asked: â€Å"B, what is your story? And why will we have to do this task?† B was too shy and said nothing while A started speaking English. She had a huge amount of ideas about the picture to share with other members while B just listened to A and nodded her head. Often, B said â€Å"right†, â€Å"ok† and looked at me. After speaking English for 3 minutes, A asked B to take note what she had said. Sometimes, A stopped speaking and asked others to express their ideas. B also spoke some short utterances to support the st ory. A commented on B and Cs opinions. B almost always agreed with A and she just kept silent and looked very nervous to speak English. A and C dominated B while B had no more chance to practice. For example, B almost always asked questions and read sentences which were written and said very short utterances like: â€Å"you should change this word into that word†. Sometimes B suggested new ideas for the story but she was too shy to persuade others to agree therefore B looked unhappy in her group. After they finished the story, A began to chat in Vietnamese with another girl friend at the table behind about a film on TV that night while B turned around and exchanged her stories with other groups in Vietnamese. B wanted to talk but she had no chances in her group so she found another whom she could speak with. When the time was up, I asked each group to tell their story. When other groups were presenting, A did not pay much attention to that. A asked B to present the story in f ront of the class when I called them. B was too shy to speak and did not speak fluently and always looked at her note taking paper. C and A said â€Å"no† and they stood up and continued to present their own ideas. B sat down and felt more comfortable when she did not have to speak. The task was finished on time and almost all A and Bs utterances were in English. After the first class of observation, I asked students to be free for 20 minutes in the next period to interview in pairs. I paired A and B and recorded their conversation to understand about their feelings, difficulties and struggles of working in groups. I concluded that B felt intimidated when working with someone of much better ability although the more fluent students sometimes tried to help their partners. Moreover, B could not talk because she made a lot of mistakes and did not know how to say things in English. Although B wanted to talk she thought her friends would laugh at her when she spoke. My lesson was not interesting enough to encourage all students to engage in speaking although the picture was very good. Because I did not give enough requirements and explanation of the task A and B did not understand what they should do in group work. I did not pay much attention to the group organization, task requirement and students understanding. A and B got good marks but they did not like my lesson. A and B did not feel satisfied with the lesson. A said that the lesson was not interesting enough and should be made clear for all students. Nevertheless, B liked to be in groups with A, and other more fluent students because she had chances to learn from them to broaden her knowledge and vocabulary. After the first observation, I changed my mind about my teaching. I though about reasons why my students did not engage in their groups and decided that I should require them to produce a story with five or six simple tense and future tense sentences. And I should deliver this picture for all groups as a handout while the blackboard was used to present students results. I should go around and listen to my students and encourage them to speak English. In the next period, I rearranged the desks of the class in a U shaped arrangement of groups to allow an easy transition to plenary mode. Students grouped by themselves with friends who had the same interesting topics after they were provided some background knowledge of each topic. After collecting information of observing, I compared the results of two sessions to find out differences between A and B in oral English fluency in their groups. I would not give each group the same mark because this was unfair and created competitive groups rather than co-operative groups and totally defeats the purpose of grouping at the first time. I wrote the topic â€Å"favorite places† and asked my students for related vocabulary. I made students involved in the task. A and B said aloud their vocabulary about this topic. Lan also mentioned some of her favorite places in Vietnam while Hoa asked me and her friends a lot of clarifying questions like â€Å"how do we say this word mean in English ?† or â€Å"Can you explain again?† After that I let my student read one short passage about a famous place in Vietnam (see appendix 4) without name and asked my students to guess. A and B were very eager to talk because they had been this place. Later, I asked them to choose one picture of famous places (see appendix 5) to create a conversation to introduce this place in groups and used as many comparative adjectives as possible. I delivered chosen pictures for each group and said: â€Å"It is no problem if you make errors because you can learn something through getting it wrong.† I asked all students to stand up and find other two partners to talk with. A and C decided to choose the same picture to discuss and called another Cs friend. B joined in a group of two other friends who also lived in the rural area and had the same level of speaking English as her. Then they discussed to choosing a favorite place to talk about for 15 minutes. A had a lot of ideas to s hare with her partners. A talked loudly and continuously then C and his friend took a turn. A and B felt comfortable to talk with peers whom they wanted to talk with. B felt more confident to share ideas with others who had the same ability level. When other friends commented on B opinions she also looked happy and tried her best to negotiate. She listened to others and took notes on their ideas. When B met with difficulties she asked me for help. And I explained and encouraged her work like: â€Å"that is good†, â€Å"say it again†, â€Å"thank you†, â€Å"well done†, etc. She encouraged others to talk and commented on their ideas. She said: â€Å"good†, â€Å"not suitable†, â€Å"you just think more about this†. She helped others to have chances to talk. When they had time left As group continued to think more about how they might make their stories more interesting. When other groups were presenting, A and B listened carefully to t hem. A and B were almost eager to present their groups conversation. Based on all the data, I found that students changed their feeling and behavior when they worked with different partners. It meant that group organization played an important role in developing students English oral fluency. A and B spoke more fluently when they were in groups of the same ability level. In the second lesson, a safe environment had been achieved where everybody liked to work with each other. In the mixed group, A almost did nothing while B was reluctant to speak English. In the second session, when they were in groups with the partners on the same level they felt more relaxed to talk. I found that B spoke three times more English when working with students of the same ability than when she had more fluent partners. I concluded that the students were motivated to speak English but perhaps felts intimidated when working with someone of much better ability. While listening to the taped conversation of the second observation I observed that members of Bs group generally took turns to speak, that no individual was dominant, and that they helped each other with vocabulary. The conversations were quite fluent and accurate. B leaned on the table to speak with other partners. It was unavoidable for my students to use Vietnamese but it was not much. However, the taped conversation of the first time indicated that, although A was very cooperative and tried to help her partner, she tended to dominate the conversation and overcorrect her partner without giving B much chance to talk. From interviews, I found that my less able students liked to use English with more fluent partners when they had to be self-reliant, when I was not present, when they were not corrected all the time, and when they were not being tested or monitored. Besides, based on the observation and interviews, it could be concluded that the students English oral fluency was also be influenced by the teachers preparation. In the first lesson, I did not provide enough explanations, knowledge and encouragement to help them understand and engage in speaking English. In the second lesson, my students felt very excited in speaking English when they had enough vocabulary and interest in the task. Reflections During this investigation, I learned a lot about my students attitudes towards and abilities in using English. Gathering information from the students about how they use English was important to me. I discovered a way to deal with a class of mixed abilities and found a way to motivate my less able students. This project confirms my beliefs about the value of using group work and has reduced my anxiety about grouping less able students together. I can create different groups for different activities. Depending on the task, I will want to have students of different skill levels working together or students with the same level working together. For example, a harder task might lead me to mix skill levels, however a task where outcome is not an important goal, the instructions are not difficult, and the process easy to follow, could lead to homogeneous grouping. During doing this research, I ha