Good Writing A Predictor Of Academic Success English Language Essay

Good Writing A Predictor Of Academic Success English Language Essay Good writing is important skill for young people, as it is a predictor of academic success, for successful career and a basic requirement for participation in civic life. (Murray 2004) Most contexts of life (school, the workplace, and the community) call for some level of writing skill, and each context makes overlapping, but not identical, demands. Proficient writers can adapt their writing flexibly to the context in which it takes place. That is why all students need to become proficient and flexible writers. Finding a good topic is one of the hardest parts of learning to write. And, unfortunately, every writer runs into it right at the beginning. thats why it is necessary to know strategies that will always give many good topics to choose from. In all subject areas, a student needs to develop skills for getting what they know about a topic down on paper, and generating ideas or finding additional facts. He also needs skills to check whether their writing is on-topic and fulfills its purpose. Further, they need to be able to explain the writing assignment and the process they are following to effectively complete the assignment. To write a good essay a student needs to know how to organize what they have learned about any topic or assignment into a well-structured whole. In longer writing assignments, he needs to know how to create a strong, focused introduction that catches the readers interest; how to link ideas in logically connected paragraphs that contain enough supporting detail; and how to conclude with a strong ending. It is difficult to start writing an essay , for example, without a central idea and notes to support it. Often, the more detailed an outline, the easier is the writing. People frequently find that they can finish faster by writing a first draft quickly and then editing and revising this draft. In my opinion students learn to write by writing, so they need regular opportunities at school and colleges to write in all subjects. A consistent approach to the writing process in all subject areas and explicit instruction on the writing process by the subject teacher help students become better writers. Models of good writing in the subject area, and feedback that is constructive and formative, are critical to students growth as writers. The pre-writing strategies Writing is the final step of several separate acts like note-taking, identifying a central idea, outlining, drafting and editing. The first step is pre-writing that is the formulation and organization of ideas preparatory to writing. (Murray 2004) Speaking about the pre-writing strategies, I can say that pre-writing engages in activities designed to help them generate or organize ideas for the essay . and very important that it improves the quality of their writing. Pre-writing activities include gathering possible information for a paper through reading or developing a visual representation of their ideas before sitting down to write. (Pattison 2006) There are many effective practices in the process of pre-writing. For me it was important to create a topic by using various methods, such as listing and brainstorming. My pre-writing activities included planning before writing, reading necessary literature, organizing pre-writing ideas, writing an outline to a topic and then plan the work in advance. I have chosen the free writing strategy. It means that I set a time limit and wrote without stopping, and when the time was up, I looked at what I had written and determined which idea seemed most significant. After that I pointed the important insights and ideas with which to work. The writing process For the writing class I chose the topic of Self assessment because this topic is interesting for me and the audience for many reasons: First of all because the self-assessment is important to define clearly the progress of personal development ; The audience is interested in psychology because it is always interesting to get acquainted with ones self-assessment to be able to avoid pitfalls of self-assessment made by others in the course of their own self-assessment; process of self-assessment is always a challengeable task, because people always attempt to conduct a self-assessment but they do not always succeed, as it is closely connected with the inadequate self-esteem or self-awareness. In the whole the writing process involves generating ideas, developing and organizing the ideas, and revising and editing them. Effective writers do all these stages for the best result, so that the writing achieves its purpose. (Murray 2004) When writing the essay I had the next goals: To write well-organized paragraphs for different subject areas, with supporting details; Â ·- to demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic; to spot main ideas and support details. Writing an essay is a very private process, as it shows your own writing style, your thoughts and vision of the topic. It was very important not only to follow the topic, but also to show the right order of thoughts and material so that it flowed from one area, to follow a logical order. Each part of the essay should follow on the previous parts, and the whole body of the essay should clearly come to the conclusion. I tried in my essay to Essay writing requires to use both creative and critical thinking. Creative thinking encouraged me to broaden my ideas, while critical thinking encouraged me to narrow the focus of my ideas on the main topic of the essay. All these strategies helped me to organize my essay in the best way, so it would be interesting and understandable for the audience.

Changes In Global Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay

Changes In Global Trade And Financial Flows Economics Essay Globalisation is the increasing level of economic integration between countries leading to the surfacing of a new market place. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction in trade protection. This is because of the increased interaction between countries has led to the possibility to purchase goods with similar quality to those developed locally, but for a cheaper price. Financial flows throughout the global economy have immensely increased due to more interaction. In the early 1970s industrial development took place in developing countries, so companies moved production oversees, allowing for lower production costs mainly due to cheap labour. In 1983 the financial system was de-regulated and the exchange rate was floated. This means that the value of the Australian dollar is determined by the supply and demand of the currency. This led to greater accessibility of Australian firms to world capital markets and reduced exporting costs. But this increased the instability of the exchange rate. In the late 1980s Australian manufacturers were persuaded to export to the international market through tariffs, subsidies, local content schemes and quotas. This was in order for them to survive in the large international market. There have been major changes in trade patterns that reflect changes in the global economy. An example is the growth of China being directly related to the demand of raw materials. The increased volume of trade between countries can also be attributed to advances in technologies and new trade agreements such as the Australia United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). Trade growth is also due to the increase in demand of the resources that Australia has high amounts of. The constantly growing Asian economies demand raw materials that Australian companies extract from the land support growth in certain industries. An example of this is the trade between Australia and China. China is in demand of resource commodities in order to expand their infrastructure and support the 8% growth rate. Explain why globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protection Trade protection is a form of regulation that is imposed by a government in order to protect certain industries from cheaper oversees alternatives. Globalisation has resulted in a reduction of trade protection. This is because of increased production possibilities in developing countries that have lower wage rates than developing countries, leading to lower costs and greater profits. The removal of trade barriers can occur because a certain country can: Produce a good not available in another country Produce a good for a cheaper price than goods produced locally Produce a good more efficiently, allowing another country to focus on goods that they can produce efficiently Produce a good that is of better quality because of development of technical skills. However, there are trade protection rules in place in order to protect certain industries and to reduce effects of off shoring on domestic markets. Reasons for protection include: Infant Industries: These are industries that are at the beginning of the product lifecycle and have yet to establish themselves in the market. Therefore they have not yet experienced economies of scale (have not produced enough so that the cost of producing is lower in bulk). Because of this it is very difficult for them to compete with large foreign competitors, who take advantage of economies of scale and offer their products at lower prices, domestically. Although this is a reason for protection, if it is not removed at the correct time the industry may become reliant on government protection and never mature. Therefore a balance must be found between protection and allowing domestic industries to mature. Dumping: This refers to the selling of goods in export markets for a cheaper price than the cost of production. This creates revenue for the exporters that are dumping, but destroys the market for the importing company as they cannot compete with the cheap prices. Dumping is prohibited because of its potential to destroy industries quickly. Dumping may occur because a company wishes to: Gain market share, to reduce excess stock or to deliberately destroy competitive, domestic producers. Dumping also affects employment levels, because consumers will purchase the cheaper good, as the law of demand states the lower the price, the more demand there will be. Domestic Employment: Cheap imports reduce the market share of producers because of consumers purchasing cheaper products. As a result of this unemployment may occur in a certain industry because they may not compete. There may be structural change in the domestic economy because of this inability to compete. An example of this is in the United States in the 1980s where consumers preferred cheaper Japanese alternatives, therefore employment in the car industry decreased rapidly and the structure of the domestic economy changed to specialisation in the computer industry. Explain how trading blocs have impacted on protection levels Trading blocs are intergovernmental, multilateral agreements between countries within an area that decrease regulation on each others exports. Trading blocs have impacted on levels of protection. Since trading blocs are intergovernmental agreements, there must be deregulation in order to achieve maximum trade efficiency. An increase in the amounts of trading blocs internationally has led to a decrease in protection levels between countries in the trading blocs. An example of a trading bloc that has eliminated all trade barriers between the members is the European Union. This was established in 1993 and, although there is minimum regulation, there remains a common tariff between the members. The reasons that countries would want to join a trading bloc are: Improved growth, increased efficiency through importing cheaper goods and services, increased competition, economies of scale (larger markets due to free trade, investment in production due to increased trade and increased technolog y. Explain the consequences of deregulation on financial markets Deregulation of financial markets is where the banks have regulations removed from them. Between the years of 1983 and 1985 the financial system was deregulated by: The cessation of interest rate constraints on banks. This allowed banks to, more efficiently, fight for business (in the form of deposits and loans). Floating the Australian dollar: This is where the value of the currency is determined by the supply and demand of that certain currency. This changes the cost to import from or export to Australia, because the value of the dollar fluctuates. There is an inverse relation between the value of the dollar and the cost to import/export from/to Australia. Granting 40 foreign exchange licenses: This allowed foreign banks to enter the Australian financial system, and was done in order to boost competitiveness in the financial sector. In order to make the Australian banks more competitive, the procedure to set up domestic institutions was made more simple. The consequences of de-regulation are to do with the effects of speculation on appreciation and depreciation of the currency. When there is speculation that the value of the Australian dollar will rise, more people will purchase when it is still low. This increased demand will then cause the dollar to rise because of the floating exchange rate (as shown above). This in turn will have a negative effect on exports from Australia because the currency is worth more in comparison to others. An example is if the USA are importing goods from Australia with the Australian dollar buying 40 US cents. There will be more exports from Australia at this exchange rate in comparison to when 1 Australian dollar will by 1 US Dollar. Outline the role of the WTO, IMF and the World Bank in the global Economy The World Trade Organisation is a global establishment that supervises and implements rules controlling global trade. It is at the middle of decreasing trade protection and barriers. The trade policies that are determined by the WTO and multilateral agreements have expanded world trade; therefore it is seen as a symbol of globalisation. The accomplishment of the WTO in decreasing obstructions to trade and encouraging globalisation can be attributed to a reduction in mainly tariffs and quotas. This is done by: Enforcing international agreements and trade rules: Controlling trade disputes Observing trade policies Supervise trade negotiations While many countries have based their development on export and support globalisation entirely, there are many opponents to globalisation that have hindered the WTOs protection reduction scheme through protesting. This is known as the anti-globalisation process and is undertaken by numerous individuals/organisations because they are opposed to transnational corporations having un-regulated power and specifically because of profit maximisation leading to reducing costs which may lead to a more dangerous work place. The success of the WTO is measured by world trade figures. The amount of merchandise trade exports in 1990 was 14 times bigger than in 1950. The International Monetary fund is an establishment that has been set up with the intention to help countries finance trade and assist with balance of payments. Its prime intention is to guarantee steadiness of the worldwide financial structure, the system of exchange rates and worldwide payments that allows countries and its people to purchase goods and services from each other. In short it promotes globalisation. This is completed by loaning funds to nations in crisis to aid them in paying debts, imports and stabilising currencies. Examples of nations needing financial aid are Russia in 1998, many countries in Asia in 1998 and Argentina in 2003. The countries that obtain help from the IMF usually have conditions imposed on them. The types of conditions that the IMF imposes include: An increase in taxes Decreasing financial assistance on food and fuel Requiring members to disclose monetary and fiscal policies Since these reduce the living conditions of the impoverished, the IMF is frequently perceived as supporting global capital at the expense of the poor. It is, in addition, criticised for pushing nations at the beginning of the economic life cycle to open their economies, float their currencies, and reduce manufacturing and trade barriers. Since there are lags, it takes a while for the income levels to rise and demonstrate the benefits of these actions undertaken by the IMF. The World Bank is built as an organisation for financially supporting long standing expansion scheme for developing nations. The loans that are made towards these developing nations have a very low interest rate and are commonly referred to as soft loans. It not only lends money cheaply to developing nations, but also enforces procedures in order to endorse trade, boost exports and deregulation. An example of this is where some farmers in certain impoverished nations are persuaded to harvest produce for global demand, rather than for neighbouring areas. This may be done in order to boost profits from exports for the entire country. Although this may have a negative impact on local areas because rather than having those supplies used for the locals, they are used, instead for use in exports. Analyse how the global credit crisis has changed global trade and financial flows The global credit crisis has affected global trade and financial flows within the economy greatly. The following trade statistics show the trade numbers between the years 2005-08. Year Imports Exports 2004 9.5 10.5 2005 6 6.5 2006 6.5 8.5 2007 2 6 2008 -12 1.5 The trend of the data can be analysed in the following graph. Results taken from World Trade Organisation website: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2010_e/its10_toc_e.htm From the results above it can be seen that between the years 2004 and 2008 there was a drastic decrease in the export and import numbers internationally from 10.5% to -12%. This was due to the effects of the Global Credit Crisis. This will be shown below The global credit crisis began having major impacts in 2007, and still has major impacts on most economies in 2010. The global credit crisis began in the 1980s, where gigantic companies produced mechanical goods. At the end of the decade these firms identified that much more money could be made by investing into the financial industry. An example of a company that took part in this exercise was GE, who by the 90s, was making 10 times more money in investment, than in the production of goods. Due to the amount of cheap loans available, they borrowed much and became in debt. This money was then used to invest in financial bubbles. At first hefty profits were made, and many companies followed suit and by 2005 there was 14 so much money invested in speculation, that in value it equalled 14 times the value of the American economy. Debt began being offered to low income earners to in order to make more money and they could not pay it off. This had an incredible impact on the rest of the wo rld, showing the theory that when America sneezes, everybody catches a cold. Australia was one of the less affected countries due to its link with China. The global credit crisis had a large effect on global trade and financial flows. They include: Less demand for goods and services: Since there was far less demand, the price of elastic goods and service will go down, translating into less production, leading to greater unemployment. From this unemployment, there will be less household income therefore less goods and services will be bought. It was like a never ending circle. Less availability of credit: After the banks had gone bankrupt, there was no body to lend money to consumers, meaning spending was minimal. Rapidly decreasing Gross Domestic Product -Australia has developed a foreign debt of almost $A500 billion from borrowing money in order to fix the extended account deficit. There have been major changes in trade patterns that reflect the changes in the global economy. The rapid growth of China and the export of their manufactured goods, have led to a massive increase of raw materials demanded of certain countries like Australia. Results show that in 2003 the exports from Australia to China were triple what they were in 1990. This ever growing link between Asia and Australia has such a large importance that one of the objectives of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) is to have Australia join so that free trade can occur between them. In conclusion it can be said that the structure and target of Australian trade is greatly affected by the trends of the global economy.

Hip Hop Music: East Coast, West Coast, Dirty South, and Midwest Rap Ess

The beauty of hip hop is that it is malleable. It is not defined by strict boundaries but by multiple characteristics. Young artist J. Cole (2013) explains this best by stating in an interview, â€Å"I think there’s no rules [in rap]. You can say what you want. That’s your poetic license: to test people’s boundaries.† (p.1) The results of such malleability and the need to experiment within the unwritten boundaries of hip hop are the birth of different styles and sectors/scenes in America. These sectors are represented by the geographic location of the artists and the distinctive sounds and styles that the artists utilize. For years the genre of hip hop was found primarily in the United States in these particular scenes. In the past few years, however, Toronto has been making waves and slowly making a name for itself in the rap game due to the native artists gaining popularity and critical acclaim across the globe. As a result, it had come to question wheth er the Canadian city can be defined as its scene due to styles the artists from the city are using or whether or not the artists are simply mocking styles from other distinct hip hop scenes in America. When the genre of hip hop music was starting to emerge to mainstream America it was not classified into distinctive groups based on the type of rapping. Instead, artists were labeled based on the geographic location they were hailing from. Until the mid-1980’s, the majority of the rappers were hailing from the Big Apple. However with the introduction of new artists such as Ice-T and N.W.A., California would offer competition for the East Coast dominated genre. In the coming years, talented artists would emerge from all corners of the country. As a result, four distinctive scenes can b... ...so much?'. The Guardian. Web. 15 May 2015. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/29/drake-why-hate-me-so-much Markit. (2013, October 1). 5 up and coming hip hop artists in Toronto. blogTO RSS. Web. 1 May 2015. http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/10/5_up_and_coming_hip_hop_artists_in_toronto/ One, D. (2001, December 1). The Geography Of Hip Hop. VICE. Web. 12 May 2015. http://www.vice.com/read/the-geography-v8n10 Walters, B. (2012, August 22). Frank Ocean, Miguel, and Holy Other Usher in PBR&B 2.0. SPIN. Web. 9 May 2015. http://www.spin.com/articles/frank-ocean-miguel-and-holy-other-usher-in-pbrb-20/ Wheeler, B. (2013, April 26). The Toronto rappers who really started from the bottomAdd to .... The Globe and Mail. Web. 6 May 2015. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/the-toronto-rappers-who-really-started-from-the-bottom/article11581851/

Thomas Jefferson: Pragmatics over Doctrine :: Cheathouse Essays

Thomas Jefferson: Pragmatics over Doctrine During the period 1800-1817, the Jeffersonians to a great extent compromised their political principles and essentially â€Å"out Federalized the Federalists†. While traditional Jeffersonian Republicanism advocated a strict interpretation of the Constitution and an emphasis on an agrarian economic system, the actual policies of Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were markedly different from their theoretical principles. This obvious compromise of Jeffersonian principles is evident in the Federal government’s assumption of broad-based political powers and institution of capitalistic Hamiltonian economic reforms, both of which stemmed from Jefferson and Madison’s adoption of broad constructionist policies. Despite his many compromises however, Thomas Jefferson’s intent to dissolve the national debt was to a great extent unvarying. Jefferson and his Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin honestly feared a large federal deficit as a threat to Republicanism. To avoid this threat, the President sought to diminish the role of the federal government, and decreased the national budget. These budget cuts substantially diminished the size and resources of the American army and navy. When criticized, Jefferson defended these military cuts as being consistent with Republican policies in that a smaller U.S. Army would be seen as less of a threat to other nations and reduce the risk of provocation, resulting in the ultimate promotion of peace. Unfortunately, the President’s consistency with Republican principles in matters of political power was not nearly as strong as his resolve to reduce the national debt. Under Jefferson and Madison, the federal government assumed political powers that the Constitution did not allot for. While prior to his presidency, Jefferson, then a strict constructionist had argued that the government should not assume any power unless specifically provided for in the Constitution, the Louisiana Purchase where America purchased a vast tract of land for $15 million, compromised these lofty ideals. In terms of the military, Thomas Jefferson had come to power vowing to reduce military size and power. Contrary to those principles, the Barbary War, where for nearly three years the American military exercised a naval blockade of the North African coast wasted millions of dollars of the people’s money and unconstitutionally violated states rights and strict constructionist principles, in the ir place asserting an alien un-Republican nationalism. While the evidence found in Jefferson’s political and military dealings helps us understand how Madison and him â€Å"out Federalized the Federalists†, an examination of Jefferson’s economic policies truly proves that in the words on one historian he was the â€Å"American Sphinx†.

The Mask of Hamlet Essay -- Essays on Shakespeare Hamlet

The Mask of Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   When people put on a mask or costume it is usually because they are trying to hide themselves or portray a certain feeling to onlookers. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet puts on a "antic disposition" as a strategy to get closer to Claudius. Hamlet tells his friends this by saying (I,iv,170-173) "how strange or odd some'er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on), That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, with arms encumb'red thus, or this head-shake, or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase," Hamlet's strategy is successful at the beginning in that he is able to fool Ophilia, Gertrude, Polonius and Claudius but as the play proceeds Polonius and Claudius began to see that there is logic behind his madness and actions. Toward the end Hamlets strategy becomes a tragic error when he begins to act solely on emotion instead of logic. In doing so he makes the mistake of killing Polonius instead of Claudius. Claudius then realize s that it would have been him dead instead of Polonius if he had been there. This scares Claudius in to trying to get rid of Hamlet any way he can. This explains the old saying "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."      Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet's reason for putting on his antic disposition is that he wants to fool Claudius into believing that he is fanatical and is no threat to him physically or to his anarchy. The reason for doing this is that Claudius secretly killed Old Hamlet, who was king to gain the thrown for himself. Hamlet after conversing with the ghost of his dead father learns that Claudius killed his father and swears revenge on Claudius. By Hamlet putting o... ...we mourn for" Claudius was not fooled for very long but at first he was sorry for, and was trying to help his past nephew now son get rid of his madness.      Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion Hamlet's plan did exactly what it was supposed to allow him to do. Hamlet shows really well the natural reaction to stressful situations by which he acts through emotion not logic. Hamlet would have been a exeptional king because of his logical thinking, but a short lived king because of his inability to act upon it.    Works Cited and Consulted: Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Interpretations Of Hamlet. New York, NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Charney, Maurice. All of Shakespeare. New York, NY. Columbia University Press. 1993. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. The Riverside Shakespeare. ED. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Haughton Mifflin Company, 1974.

Language diversity Essay

I understand â€Å"language diversity’ to refer to the use of a vast range of different languages (an expression of communication). In the case of the prescribed article, this is applied in the context of South Africa as a country. It is our cultural diversity and by extension, our â€Å"rainbow nation† image that is one of the first things foreigners associate with us as a country†¦ well, that and Madiba and Bafana-Bafana. It is an image we sell to the world, of the once divided country who overcame the crippling stigma of apartheid to rise as one people, one nation. This is one reason why it is so painful to see the statistics listed in the article, that a staggering third of the people who participated in the study felt threatened by other cultures. The study attributed this partially to the large number of people in this country who fall into the lower income bracket, who may not necessarily come into contact with other cultures. While I accept that this may be the case in some instances, I find it very difficult to see this as the main, contributing factor. Apart from our rainbow nation image, South Africa has a reputation for being the land of possibilities. Where other countries may turn a blind eye to the suffering in other parts of the world, leaders like Desmond Tutu and Madiba have never been afraid of speaking up about the injustices done to people. We have become a country of refuge, for people who simply cannot survive in their own country of origin. The incidents that have been reported in the news recently show us that there is definitely a feeling of being threatened by other cultures. Foreign owned businesses under attack and people fleeing for their lives. One cannot attribute this to not having contact with other cultures. I think it is a combination of factors, one of the most pressing being the overwhelming levels of poverty we see in these communities. Desperation breeds intolerance and ultimately, violence. Another is the legacy that has been left behind by apartheid. Fear and discrimination of differences. In the light of the present political climate, it is people like the Greaves family who may just be the example we look to; of how we need to move forward as a nation. People who do not let culture and race be the determining factor in who they choose to love and call their own; who embrace the unifying element of humanity over other dividing differences, as difficult a process as it may be. Taking the step to adopt across cultural and colour divides would present many challenges and questions like these could be raised: 1. How do families who adopt children from a different language background cope? I imagine that it must be a very difficult process for both the child concerned and the family, to assimilate oneself into a different culture. Different language and cultural backgrounds determine not only the spoken word, but our behaviour. Older children especially, who have been raised in one culture and then removed and placed in another, could have major problems adjusting and miss-communication between the members of the new family unit could occur. Language and culture are intertwined, and something as simple as lowering one’s gaze in the presence of an elder out of respect could be misinterpreted as insolence, or fear, etc. This is just one example of why it is so important for prospective parents to research and learn about the culture surrounding the children they would like to adopt. An article I read online (find at: http://family.findlaw.com/adoption) suggested some creative ways for adoptive parents who want to create a family life more inclusive of their child’s culture/language. Some of these suggestions included: Becoming members and participating in multi-cultural support groups Participating in religious services. Researching and including food and festivals into family life. Learning the child’s birth language. Placing the child in a school environment that encourages and celebrates cultural diversity, with students across the culture spectrum. How do people deal with the issue of multiple languages in the same family? Multilingual families are formed for many different reasons. There is the monolingual family who deliberately introduce a new language into their home and lives as they feel it enriches them as people; the family who emigrates and therefore has to learn the new language of their new home, or the family unit where both parents come from different language backgrounds. Then there  is the case of the multilingual family who learn a new language as a result of it being their adoptive child’s home language and the child learning theirs. Christina Bosemark, founder of the Multilingual Children’s Association, suggests the following ways where multilinguism in a family can not only be managed, but fostered: 1. Both parents should be in full agreement of which languages will be spoken in the family home. It could be detrimental to the family dynamics if an insecure parent feels excluded by virtue of his/her spouse speaking to their child in a language that he/she doesn’t understand. 2. While it is an exciting prospect to learn a new language, one needs to remain realistic about the time it will take. Research indicates that children need to be exposed to a new language on average of 30% of their day, in order to be fully conversational in it and to learn the finer nuances of it. 3. Create a plan and follow it. If the parents are learning their adoptive child’s language of origin, they need to figure out the best way for them to do so and move forward with it. Conversational language classes, formal lessons, etc. If it is the child who is learning a new language, look at the age of the child and their interests as a starting point on which methods may be best for them. Younger children learn best in context to their real-world life, their environment. Immersing themselves in the new language, speaking and being spoken to in it; is often the best way for them to learn it speedily. Teenagers learn differently to younger children. It is important that they be able to choose the learning methods best for them. Most do not learn in a linear fashion anymore due to the digital world they have been brought up with, this should be a point considered when deciding on the best methods moving forward. 4. Networking is not only a domain of the workplace. Building a support network with other individuals who are also raising their children in the same languages as you are, are an invaluable asset. Apart from providing emotional support and sharing knowledge, your children will benefit from learning the language from others their own age through play-dates. Research constantly shows us that children learn best through play, so books, movies, toys, etc., in the new language are fantastic  educational tools. 5. Lastly, patience is the greatest virtue when embarking on such a difficult journey. I presume there would be many hurdles on the path to a happy, truly multilingual family. For every setback, it is important to remind oneself about the bigger picture. If a plan is not working, never be afraid to re-examine and work out alternatives. All families are not the same and what works for one may not for another. Is adoption across cultural, ethnic and language divides a good thing? This question is obviously very loaded, not to mention, an extremely subjective one. I think that it boils down to the particular couple doing the adopting. People like the Greaves family obviously do not think that the colour of a person’s skin defines them as an individual; nor is it something to consider when it comes to the choice of whom to love. However, not all people feel the same way. Research shows that for many South African couples, the choice of adopting a child from another culture is based on availability. Statistically, there are more children from black backgrounds and for some reason, coloured boys, not girls; than there are white, Indian, Chinese, etc. People looking to adopt within their race can be put on a waiting list for years before they can find the baby of their choosing, if at all. From my own family, I know of a few people who have chosen to go the adoptive route, after having tried unsuccessfully to have children of their own. One couple flew to Pakistan and went through the costly and long wait to adopt a baby who would fit into their Indian-Muslim family, a child who wouldn’t raise eyebrows in their community. Another distant cousin flew to Chechnya to adopt. She adopted two boys, at 4 year intervals. In her case, the process was even longer and even more expensive. Her first son was adopted as an infant but the second son was adopted at the age of 5. He had memories of his first family and the war-torn country he had grown up in. Also, he had lived in an orphanage for  the last two years of his life and had become, like many children do, â€Å"institutionalised† in his demeanour and behaviour. Back in South Africa, they struggled to help him with processing his insecurities and difficulties. At meal times he would eat until he became physically ill because as much as they reassured him that they would always have food available, his memories of near starvation haunted him. His adoptive mother tried everything to get him to bond with her and see her as a parent but beyond acknowledging them as a provider to his physical needs, he refused to engage with her and her husband. After many, many years of therapy and work, they are now in a much stronger place as a family. I have heard the reasoning, of how it places a lot of pressure on parents and their adoptive children when there are race differences within a family. Of the communities that can be cruel and the challenges it presents. I remember when an Indian, Muslim friend of mine and her husband adopted a little black boy. An old aunt of hers wept openly, and implored her to consider the consequences of her actions. When her son grew up, her aunt reasoned, who in their community would give their daughter’s hand to him in marriage? I hear the reasoning but personally speaking, I applaud the couples and individuals who do it anyway. If we are truly going to build a better world where we see people as people and not as merely a representative of a particular faction, it starts with families like these. Success and happiness are surely sweeter when one knows that one had to work at gaining it. And there are many advantages to having a family that is multicultural too. In response to any bias they may face from outsiders, probabilities are that a family that is multicultural will be a very close one with the children feeling very supported by their parents. Children from these homes are taught acceptance and tolerance of differences. Research shows that children who grow up in a multi-lingual home develop the ability to be flexible in their thinking abilities, probably as a result of receiving and processing information in more than one language. People who come from  multi-cultural homes are often rich in heritage and multi-faceted in character. The question to adopt across divisions is ultimately a very personal one. A person should look very carefully at who they are as individuals before taking the leap. As difficult as it may be though, I’m sure any family who have done so will tell you that the wonderful family they created was definitely worth the challenges they faced. Bibliography of articles researched: 1. http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/bilingualkids1.htm 2. http://www.omniglot.com/language/articles/bilingualkids1.htm 3. http://princessa.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-raise-multilingual-children 4. http://www.adoption.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=62:story5&catid=12:adoptive-parents-&Itemid=83 5. http://babiesinmind.co.za/adoptions 6. http://adamcap.com/schoolwork/the-pros-and-cons-of-intermarriage/ http://ddeubel.edublogs.org/2010/08/02/the-teenaged-language-learner/ http://termcoord.eu/2014/02/age-factor-second-language-acquisition/ 7. http://family.findlaw.com/adoption)

Locating Topics of Interest

Locating Topics of Interests Sam Johnson Northeastern university Are Female College Athletes pressured Into dysfunctional eating disorder to malting thin physical features? Female student athletes have a dual roll in trying to maintain academic and athletic excellence while in college. These athletes are expected to perform at the highest athletic level possible, and then asked to sustain their physical appearance. â€Å"For some female college athletes, such concerns and pressures may contribute to eating disorders or disordered eating behaviors† (Greengage et al. 009, IPPP).I believe female student athletes shouldn't feel pressured into complying with society needs, by totally ignoring their own. Greengage, C. , Petrel, T. A. , Carter, J. , & Reel, J. J. (2009). Female collegiate athletes: prevalence of eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. Journal of American college Health, 57(5), 489-495. Athletes, and how weight issues may play a contributing part to this dis order. The authors will also observe the female student athletes surroundings, which may play a major role in how these students identify themselves as being over weight which loud lead to unhealthy dieting.Furthermore, the authors will monitor the mental capacity of these female students' athletes while trying desperately to lose pounds for their team or individual sport. The authors have decided to use the â€Å"Questionnaire for Eating Disorder Diagnosis† (Greengage, Petri, Carter, and Reel, 2009, IPPP) feeling it gives more precise results than other questionnaires. The survey will use approximately two hundred female student athletes who participate in collegiate team or individual sports, from the southern region of America.Several questions pertaining to weight management, and certain types of eating miscues female student athletes may or may not practice daily, due to self dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. The questionnaires revealed over fifty percent o f the female student athletes were disappointed with their current fitness status. In addition almost ninety percent thought they need to lose a significant amount of mass in order for them to feel good about themselves.Approximately twenty percent of the female student athletes disclose they overindulge in eating more than four to six months, and over twenty- eve percent revealed that workout at least two hours daily to maintain a fit physique. Almost one fourth of the female student athletes admit to having a serious eating disorder and would like to receive help to resolve their negative weight control issues, but due to the negative pressures around them to stay fit, most of the female athletes fall prey to some type of eating disorder.Do college student athletes have the ability to truly succeed in an academic environment? College student athletes must Juggle practice and classroom assignments daily, and do the best they can to study for test without any rest. Student athletes have always carried a label of being â€Å"single-minded, narcissistic individuals who concentrate only on their athletic career† (Chem.., Mason, Middleton, and Salary, 2013). Student athletes must be given the opportunity to prove with the proper study time, they can achieve the same success as any other student.Chem.., S. , Mason, N. , Middleton, S. , & Salary, W. (2013). An examination of behavioral data and testing scores as indicators of student-athletes' academic success. KEEPERS journal, 51(1), 34-42. The author examines the attitudes and statistics of student athletes and their academic performance and motives while in college. Chem.. Et al. Study the reports on how often do student athlete's research class materials, go to class, and participate in class lectures.The author explores the stability between student athletes performing at the high athletic levels and achieving academic success. Middleton, and Salary, 2013, pep), which covered the basic inquires desired b y the authors. Roughly one hundred ninety student athlete applicants were surveyed, which approximately sixty-eight percent of them were male and thirty-two percent were female. The survey also covered a student athlete's grade level, nationality, team sport participation and what academic year was it for them.The authors revealed as long as student athletes didn't exceed more than twenty hours a week in athletic activities, each athlete had the ability to balance both athletic and academics. Furthermore, student athletes fell short academically when overworked in their team sport, and not given enough time to study. These findings defend the idea that student athletes only go to college to participate in team or individual sports. It shows when given the proper time to study student athletes can accomplish the same success as regular education students.University coaches must encourage student athletes to achieve academic success first without consequence for deciding to become a s cholar first. Do College Student Athletes have gambling problem which can lead to gambling addiction? Gambling is a habit most individuals can't handle, especially when discussing regular university students or student athletes. â€Å"Gambling among student athletes represents a multifaceted problem† (Elongated et al. 08, IPPP), it is not a racial or certain gender addiction, this is a problem that could have young adults with thousands of dollars in debt. Elongated, S. , Jacobs, D. , Deterrents, J. , Guppy, R. , & Passes, T. (2008). Gambling behavior among college student-athletes. Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, 20(3), 349-362. The authors investigate the possible serious gambling problems among male and female college student athletes. Elongated et al. Explores the competitive nature of student athletes, and how gambling could lead to more dishonest practices by student athletes.In addition the authors examines the reasoning behind student athletes gambling, could th is be a result from student athletes not having enough resources in college which directs them to take a chance on gambling. Elongated et al. Determined to receive accurate results decided to use the â€Å"2003 NCAA National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and Associated Health-Risk Behaviors† (Elongated, Jacobs, Deterrents, Guppy, and Passes, 2008). The survey received over twenty thousand participants, with roughly sixty percent male student athletes and forty percent female student athletes.The study asked over 100 questions about gambling habits, the amount wagered, who were you betting on and what type of gambling games do you like to participate in. The authors revealed that over fifty percent of the participants admitted to gambling the year before, over eight percent admitted to gambling every week, and over three percent admitted they had real gambling issue. There were various of the male and female student athletes disclosed, it really didn't matter what game t hey played, Just as long as it was a gambling game for revenue.