Thursday, September 19, 2019

Masculinity in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Masculinity in Macbeth Shakespeare   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The great masterpiece Macbeth, which is written by William Shakespeare, deals with many different hidden themes. One of the best-hidden themes in Macbeth is manhood. Shakespeare's descriptions of his characters give real descripitions of living beings, not actors upon a stage. His manuscript is able to show the masculinity of men as well of women.   Masculinity is not just for men; some women are just like men in their quest for ambition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the play Macbeth, it seems that Lady Macbeth is a man trapped in a woman's body. She is filled with greed, envy, and hate, and she will use any person or any thing until she gets what she wants or accomplishes her evil goals. In the play she hides her true feelings and pretends to be a normal lady. However, her evil nature shines through her false face. This just proves that Lady Macbeth is like a rose. A rose is pretty and smells great but if one is not careful the thorns will prick the fingers.   Lady Macbeth appears to lose her sanity the night of Duncun's murder and cannot relate to her feelings or guilty conscience. She admits that "she could kill her only child just as easy (I vii 72-74)". This really means that Lady Macbeth is colder than ice and seems that she lost all preception of right and wrong.   Then she tell her husband " a little water clears of the deed" (II ii 66)". Lady Macbeth thought the killing would, be easy to accomplish, but in fact it was not as easy as she said or thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In the play, to die without any fear seems to be the highest accomplishment of one's life. It seems that not fearing death is more important than inventing a great invention that could change the world. When young Siward dies, his father is more worried about how he was killed. Siward wants to know where the wounds on his son were. When Ross tells Siward that his son had marks on the front of his body, his father is proud and brags about his death, "Why then, God's solider be he ( V viii l 46)". Siward father seems to have no grief over his son's death by what he was saying.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ambition seems to be in all men, and all men strive to fill their need for it.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

9/11:The Swedish Debate :: Politics Political Persuasive Essays

9/11: The Swedish Debate The attack on September 11 has affected countries all over the world. This was the case in Sweden where the events of 9/11 definitely had an impact. Naturally, the immediate reaction was shock at how someone could plan something so terrible and kill so many innocent people. However, a small group of authors and journalists made some statements saying that the United States "deserved" what happened. Obviously, these statements made a lot of people, including myself, very upset. These controversial statements led to a very intense debate in Sweden regarding Western countries, especially the United States, policies in the Middle East. The terrorist attack on September 11 opened the eyes of many people to what is going on in different parts of the world. People wanted to know how someone could hate a nation and a people that stands for freedom and democracy so much that they were willing to take their own lives in order to kill innocent people. To begin with, the discussion in Sweden was focused on these questions. However, the discussion took a different turn when some people, led by the Swedish author and politician Jan Guillo, begun to say that the United States had this coming because of the way they conduct their Middle East politics. Jan Guillo appeared in all major Swedish newspapers and TV stations saying that what happen was a terrible tragedy but the United States should have expected that something could happen. The United States should not have expected to go unpunished for the way they treat the Middle East and the Muslim states (Dagens Nyheter). Jan Guillo has a Socialist and anti-Capitalist bac kground and he believes that the Western countries, including Sweden, back the United States only because they want to please the greatest Capitalist country in the world. He argues that the Western countries would not have reacted in the same way if five thousand people in Baghdad were to be killed in a similar attack. People in the Western world would not have cared if five thousand Iraqis were killed, simply because they feel dependent on the United States and have less concern for poor countries where the religion is considered fundamentalist and extremist. Everyone wants to be on the United State’s good side, according to Guillo (Dagens Nyheter).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Comparing and Analyzing the Differences Between Co-Ed Schools and Single-Sex Schools Essay

The issue of single-sex schools versus co-ed schools is very much debated and controversial. There are strong supporters for both sides, giving good and valid arguments. It is an issue with a long history, receiving great attention from the media, researchers, teachers and most of all, parents. Although there are many studies that try to answer this question, the problem will probably continue to exist and be debated, the opinions being mixed. After all, choosing a type of education is a matter of personal choice. Nonetheless, there are several clear advantages and disadvantages of both, and there is evidence that there are differences when it comes to teaching styles, progress and achievements. Single-sex schools Single-sex schools have a long history, probably being most popular during the 19th and 20th centuries. In these schools, boys and girls are separated, the classes consisting of only one gender. There are schools that have separate buildings for boys and others for girls, or they only admit one gender into their academic program. This is a practice which is thought to help improve the results of the students. According to Mary Elizabeth, writer for EducationBug. org, one of the arguments is the differences between the brains of girls and boys. Others are different stress responses and hearing sensitivity â€Å"and that these differences can best be responded to by differentiating their instruction and learning environment† (CoEd or Single Sex Education). These reasons seem to be plausible and they are enough for many people to choose this kind of education for themselves or their children. There are some advantages of single-sex schools. As mentioned above, the supporters of single-sex education have many arguments and perhaps the greatest one of them is the educational benefit. It is believed that this kind of education improves student achievements and progress. Girls and boys learn and think in different ways, therefore they should be separated and the studies should be based on each gender’s interests and strengths. Different teaching techniques should be used too. Since girls are more mature than boys at a younger age, they can be more serious and focused in school, whereas boys have a lower concentration limit, and they act out ore often than girls. Leonard Sax, who has a PhD, is an M. D. in Montgomery County and founded the National Association for the Advancement of Single Sex Public Education, claims â€Å"Teach boys properly, and they will learn†. All these can improve a student’s performance. Furthermore, there is a lack of distraction in single-ed. Boys are sexually distracted by girls, being at an age when they are aroused often, and girls are distracted by the boys’ behavior (Single-Sex Education). Thompson and Ungerleider, researchers for the Canadian Center for Knowledge Mobilisation [sic] state in their report â€Å"Girls are able to focus more on academics without having to worry about pleasing the guys†. They have also quoted a 15 year old male student who said â€Å"When there is a hot girl in class you tend to look at her not to concentrate†. This proves that distraction plays an important role in education, and the single-sex schools are a means of controlling it (Single Sex Schooling). Moreover, another argument is the gender gap. This refers to the difference between girls and boys. Usually, girls are academically performing better than boys. But the focus is not on how well the girls are doing but that they are doing much better than boys, the latter being often underachievers. By separating the genders in classes could be beneficial to them, focusing more on subjects they excel at, and applying different teaching methods (Single Sex Schooling). For the many supporters of single-sex schools, the improvement of achievements and progress, the different teaching styles, gender interests and strengths, as well as the gender gap are the main arguments. Single-sex ed is a popular choice among parents, even though not all students want it or feel comfortable with it and most of them, if given a choice this would not be their first. However, despite the many advantages, there are also down-sides of single-sex schools and education. Kristin Stanberry, a writer and editor specializing in parenting, education, and consumer health/wellness issues, argues that there are many who believe that gender separation is not wise as there aren’t many instructors who are able to adapt their teaching methods and understandings to only one gender. This could lead to a worse development and achievements, the exact opposite of what single-ed’s aim is. Even more, maybe the greatest counter-argument is that this way of education promotes discrimination and sexism. This is what many people believe, among them being the American Civil Liberties Union which even filed a suit against a school in Kentucky for organizing single-sex classes in their institution (Single-Sex Education: the pros and cons). By attending a single-sex school, people may develop shyness and have problems interacting with the other sex in the future, for there was no precedent during their education. Co-ed schools: Unlike single-sex schools, co-ed schools are educational institutions where boys and girls are not separated, being no restrictions and no classes where only one sex can attend. It is not a practice as old as its opponent, in the past the higher forms of education being reserved only for male students. However, in the recent past they have gained in popularity, now having many supporters. Co-ed schools have many clear advantages in comparison to single-sex ones. One of these advantages, as it is pointed out on the University Language Services’ website, by having a class with both men and women it offers more diversity, giving a better chance to interact with each other (Co-ed vs. Single Sex Schools). It helps the students to develop their ability to talk to the other sex, developing their social skills much more than single-sex schools. Edelman Public Relations, a firm specialized on doing researches and reports, did a study on Canadian students which shows that students attending a co-ed institution have a higher level of self-confidence. Furthermore, due to interaction between sexes, co-ed attendants tend to develop a deeper respect towards the other gender. 80% of students in co-ed declared that they find it very easy to create friendships and establish relationships with members of the same sex, and 72% find it easy for members of the opposite sex, while single-sex students reported that they make friends easily in only 58% of the times. Also, they have a strong feeling of security. A research reveals that â€Å"students attending co-ed schools are much more likely to discuss ideas from their homework with opposite-sex friends (83%) than students in other school environments. This interaction results in exposure to a greater diversity of views and opinions as they share ideas of both sexes† (The Benefits of the Co-educational Environment). On their website, the Cathedral School of Llandaff, Cardiff, argues that a co-ed school is also beneficial in fighting sexism and discrimination as opinions of the both sexes are expressed and debated, resulting into a better understanding of each gender and the notion of equality (Advantages of Co-Education). Alongside with all these favorable features of co-ed schools, there is the choice of people. Students tend to choose this kind of education over single-sex institutions for the above reasons, as well as the higher possibility of finding a temporarily or life-time partner, which is becoming quite important for present generations. However, although co-ed has many advantages and benefits, it also has many disadvantages. Firstly, University Language Services claims on its website that students may feel intimidated by the members of the other sex and will not participate in class discussions and activities as much as they would if it was a single-sex class (Co-ed vs. Single Sex Schools). Becky Francis affirms in her book â€Å"Boys, girls, and Achievement – Addressing the classroom issues† that another disadvantage is the unfairness that sometimes occurs. Boys usually draw more attention to themselves, dominating the classroom and acting out while girls are quieter and more withdrawn. Also, studies have shown that teachers tend to favor boys by asking them more questions and making them participate more than girls (30-31). Furthermore, Ruth Vanita, writer for the Manushi periodical, implies in the article â€Å"Some Disadvantages of Coeducation† that starting from an early age, boys tend to harass and tease girls. The effect is that this makes girls feel insecure, ashamed and might develop a negative attitude towards men as they grow up. In addition, when pairing up for sharing a desk or picking group members for different activities, those who are left out or chosen last could grow an even deeper sense of insecurity. They might also feel unattractive for the other gender, develop emotional and psychological issues, which may later lead to something worse, such as depression. 29, 31-32) Thompson and Ungerleider implied in their report that there is a â€Å"dumbing down† phenomenon as boys sometimes refuse to participate in class, give the correct answers or do homework as â€Å"it’s just not cool to be smart† and they feel they will leave a bad impression on girls if they do so. Another disadvantage is the competiveness. Girls tend to be more interested and academically active, generally being better students than boys (Single Sex Schooling). This may result into negative reactions from the boys, marginalizing girls. It could also lead to an aggressive response, or other bad outcomes such as cheating in order to keep up with the girls. Finally, it can lead to an even more deepening of the gap between boys and girls. To use a non-academic term, boys tend to be â€Å"slackers†, being lazier than girls and try to persuade them into sharing homework and helping them or giving them the answers to tests. All in all, the issue of co-ed and single-sex educational institutions is very much debated and controversial lately receiving much attention from the media, researchers and parents. They both have many supporters providing arguments trying to prove that one is better than the other. There are many positive and negative effects, advantages and disadvantages of both, and there isn’t yet a clear conclusion whether one is better than the other. While there are studies and different opinions on this issue, the way to go is a matter of personal choice. In the end all that matters is how parents and students feel and what their interest and feelings are about it when choosing one form of education or the other. And in what concerns me, I might be biased, as I’ve attended co-ed educational institutions my entire life, but I prefer this type of education, and I could never picture myself or my children being enrolled in a single-sex school. I say this because in my experience, co-ed schools have been beneficial for me and worked out to my advantage, and I strongly believe that the benefits of such an institution and the argument put forth by its supporters are strong and logical, so if it was my choice, I would choose co-ed.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Minority Groups

In quest for survival, men move from one country to another. This has become a rampant thing in our world today. Generally, there are a lot of reasons why people migrate for one their home country to another country. For instance, people who live in less developed or developing countries move to other countries in search of a better financial prospects. This kind of migration is voluntary as it is based primarily on the decision of the immigrant. Apart from this, people are forced to seek refuge or asylum in other countries due to the political unrest in their own home countries. This might be as a result of war or some other forms of political unrest. Also, people migrate to other countries because they want to be reunited with family members that they have seen in a long time.   Other reasons why people may want to migrate to other countries include among others; business, job relocation and overpopulation. Migration has its advantages and disadvantages. Although migration may help people achieve their goals and make their dreams come true, it is laden with its adverse effects. To begin with, the immigrant has little or no power in deciding how he/she will be seen by the people of the host nation because they constituted the minority in that country. Apart from this, we should understand that the immigrant’s culture will most likely be different from that of the host nation. This might lead to the loss of identity of the immigrant. Overtime, some terms have been connected with majority-minority interaction, some of which are assimilation, cultural pluralism and segregation. I will attempt a brief definition of these terms. Assimilation is a concept that is used in reference to the situation where a person is absorbed into another community as a result of constant interaction with the people of such community. Assimilation as a concept involves the assimilator, who usually belongs to the minority group blending into another culture, which is the majority group. The effect of assimilation is soon felt as the culture of the minority group faces the risk of going into extinction. The concept is claimed to have evolved from the notion of â€Å"melting pot† which implies that immigrants and other cultural group will naturally blend and be self-oriented into the American culture and way of life. Thus, the success of assimilation is the loss of the minority’s culture and the individual’s identity. Also, assimilation has led to individuals having a confused identity as they do not know which culture to embrace and are stuck in-between the two cultural identities. Furthermore, another term that has evolved in majority-minority interaction is cultural pluralism. As opposed to assimilation, this concept believes that minority groups could fit into the majority community while still retaining their individual culture. As a concept, it acknowledges the possibility of a pluralistic society and holds the idea that it is possible for people with different cultural backgrounds to coexist in the same society without one culture defacing the other. This term can be said to be built on the concept of ‘unity in diversity’. Historically, two American pragmatists namely Horace Meyer Kallen and Randolph Silliman Bourne have argued for the adoption of this concept. They argued that this became necessary during the World War 1 where some culturally different individuals were denied some fundamental human rights and liberty in America. This thought is accounted for in the book written by Horace Meyer Kallen titled â€Å"Democracy versus the Melting Pot†. In addition to these, majority-minority interaction has been criticized for promoting segregation in the society. The term â€Å"segregation† can be defined as a social situation where a particular group or race, usually minorities are discriminated in a society. For instance, for a long time, blacks were segregated in America. They were some laws that were made that showed that blacks were separated. Another typical example of a country where there was segregation, even on their homeland, is South Africa during the apartheid period. Generally, to say that America is a perfect nation devoid of separation is to believe in a myth. This has and is still a problem faced by different races in America. Although it is claimed that America is â€Å"God’s own country†, reality beholds us in the face as there are still cases of segregation in our nation. Terms like â€Å"DWB†, which means â€Å"driving while black†, depicts the fact that black people are still being discriminated against in America. Apart from blacks, another notable minority group that has been affected by issues that surround majority-minority interaction is the Polish people living in America. I will attempt to relate the three concepts discussed above to how it relates to the polish living in America. Going down the memory lane, the Polish had been living in America but their number increased between 1800’s to the beginning of World War II.   Basically, they migrated for a lot of reasons which varied from fear of recruitment to religious persecution and financial reasons. Notably, the Poles did not initially assimilate into the American culture. Because most of them are Roman Catholics, they lived together and built big churches where they could worship. This is due to the fact that they believed that they held they believe that their identity was hinged on these churches. The church served as an avenue for them to meet and discuss their individual and societal problems. As expected, they assimilated gradually into the American culture. They made their impact on America and a notable Polish that had a significant impact in the field of entertainment is Artur Rubinstein, one of American’s finest pianists. Through this time, they held on to their culture and stuck together, regardless of what Americans felt or said. Although latter generations that were born in America shelved their original culture and totally did things like the Americas. In addition to this, early poles that migrated into America operated a system of cultural pluralism. Although they participated in the activities of Americans, they held on to their own beliefs too. They were original and they believed so much in their heritage, which they considered the center of their identity. They knew who they were and were not ready to compromise that for anything. Therefore, the society that poles lived can be said to be culturally plural. During a campaign speech by the former US President, Ronald Reagan, he said â€Å"Did you know that the Polish Army bought 10,000 septic tanks? Once they learn how to use 'em they are going to invade Russia.† Poles were stereotyped in America and were seen as dirty, unkempt and rough. In fact, there was a film where they were greatly stereotyped titled â€Å"A Streetcar Named Desire.† This does not include the various forms of discrimination they faced as a result of TV commercials, magazine cartoons, comedy show and lots more. In conclusion, majority-minority interaction is bound to create a problem because it is difficult to totally embrace a stranger from a different cultural background. It is also hard for immigrants to hold on to their original culture for ever because of socialization. Also, when we argue for cultural pluralism, we are allowing divisions in the society. Reference: Simon, J. L. (1989). The Economic Consequences of Immigration. London: Basil Blackwell, Ltd.               

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Human Services Essay

Human Services help provide essential resources for those in need. Dedication by advocates and human services workers help assist a wide range of social needs. Areas of focus are mental/physical control, self-sufficiency, and rehabilitation. The professionals that make up the human services industry are unique, their passionate about helping others. When working with clients it’s important to gain trust and relationship building is a must. Familiarity will help produce everlasting bonds and increase overall client progression. I am passionate about raising the awareness and help prevent the revolving door of men going in and out of prison. The picture is very predictable as it is distressing about the revolving door of men going to prison. Once these men leave prison they come home with few new positive or marketable skills and more bad habits than they had before they went to prison. They have little supervision, which will show encouragement to these men that someone will hold them accountable to make sure they are during what they are suppose to be doing. These men have a hard time finding gainful employment that they can take care of themselves. As a result, they fall back into the same behaviors that sent them to prison in the first place. Rather we believe this or not, the prison system is not to rehabilitate people, it is there to punish people for braking laws. All of this leads to high rates of recidivism and a virtual revolving door, with people going back into prison almost as fast as they leave it. Be able to be a good advocate you have to be able informed those who don’t really know what it is you stand for. As an advocate about the resolving doors of prison I have to be able to present facts about why this happening to these men and what it is I can do to help slow down this ongoing crisis. For example, it is a known fact that every year that over 50% of every person that is release from prison will either catch a new case or return back to prison in Missouri. The reason this is happening at a rapid rate here in Missouri is because there is not a lot of programs on the state level to help those who are being release to help with job opportunities, educational programs besides retaining a GED if you don’t have one, but after that a person has to make a decision on their own if they wish to further their education. So as an advocate of stopping the resolving doors, I will give the facts to those individuals that their chances of just making it on GED are slim to none. An advocate has to be proactive in what they believe in to get the results that will help those who they believe in.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Children’s literature Essay

Reading is one of the most important lifelong activities. Young children are connected with reading and books long before they actually know how to read. It starts when a child has the first book in his hand or when parents read to him from a book. It is a wonderful way for young children to spend time together with their parents. The interaction that is going on between a child and parent when they are reading together has some important components. One of them is predictability—as these activities usually occur on a regular schedule and follow a regular pattern of steps. Playfulness is evident as these activities are done for fun. Language is used to construct meaning and share ideas. The child gets opportunities to lead the activity, the parent is modeling language and reading behavior and together they develop their own jargon for many ideas. In this way parents intuitively use the â€Å"lab method† to teach their children about language, print, and books (Daniels, 1994, p. 37). A child understands that a book is connected with something pleasant for him and his important adults, something that makes them feel good. He understands the meaning of the word for an object long before he can say this word. Later he starts to understand that there are pictures and words in books and that they have some meaning. This is first step in developing reading abilities and love towards books. The joy of reading and love of books is crucial for each child’s development it is measured not only in school success but also in meaningful social interactions. This has been a decade of technological advances. From iPods to electronic readers children are bombarded with electrical images and stimulations. But the surprising truth is that even with all the advances in electronics and gadgetry, reading to children and having them read is still one of the most important skills to give a child. Reading to a child can promote a child’s cerebral and emotional development. While any positive interaction between parent and child is helpful, reading is always a sure fire way to gain a positive foothold into a child’s life. Books open doors to new ideas, cultures and concepts. By reading to young children a parent helps instill a love of books in children and helps them want to read more. The internet is a great learning resource for children as well as adults but a good reading ability should come first and foremost. Without a strong reading capability a child is unable to use the internet to its full potential. The Parent’s Role in Fostering a Love of Reading A parent is a partner in the life of his or her child. Parents can instill a love of books and delight in wordplay, develop pre-reading skills and help children become accomplished independent readers. Listed below are several ways to incorporate a joy of reading in a child. †¢ Read to the child every day. Start as early as possible. Books on tape can also be utilized. †¢ Sing nursery rhymes and children’s songs. †¢ As early as possible help the children obtain a library card. †¢ Treat books as though they are special. †¢ Give books at Christmas, birthdays and as rewards. †¢ Let the child make picture books by cutting out pictures from magazines or pictures they colored and glue them into homemade books. †¢ Make sure the child sees the parent reading. It doesn’t have to be a book; reading newspapers, magazines, or even the back of a cereal box can provide an example. When reading aloud, read with expression and excitement. †¢ Give the child opportunities to write even if it is unreadable. †¢ Let the child tell a story that the parent writes down. When it is completed let the child illustrate the story. †¢ Let the child pick the story for story time. †¢ Let the child help parents cook following a recipe card or cookbook. Books Help Children Develop Vital Language Skills Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems and consumer protection to more academic research into science or the arts depends on the ability to read. The more children read, the better they become at reading. It’s as simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more they’ll stick with them and develop the reading skills that they’ll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable activity – as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting factual information. The more young children are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading. Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances the development of their spoken language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally. Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when they don’t understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words on the page, even if they can’t yet read the words on their own. Reading Can Open Up New Worlds and Enrich Children’s Lives As mentioned above, reading opens doors – doors to factual information about any subject on earth, practical or theoretical. Given the wealth of available resources such as Internet, libraries, schools and bookstores, if children can read well and if they see reading as a source of information, then for the rest of their lives they will have access to all of the accumulated knowledge of mankind, access to all of the great minds and ideas of the past and present. It truly is magic ! Through books, children can also learn about people and places from other parts of the world, improving their understanding of and concern for all of humanity. This, in turn, contributes towards our sense that we truly live in a â€Å"global village† and may help us bring about a more peaceful future for everyone. This can happen through nonfiction but, perhaps even more importantly, reading novels that are set in other places and time periods can give children a deeper understanding of others through identification with individual characters and their plights. Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences in their real lives. They can meet characters who they’ll enjoy returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas as problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children, a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns and successfully solve the riddles. Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While a steady diet of violent cartoons may have a detrimental effect on children’s development, carefully chosen stories and books can have a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others. For example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others, to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural environment. Reading Can Enhance Children’s Social Skills  Although reading is thought of as the quintessential solitary activity, in certain circumstances reading can be a socializing activity. For example, a parent or grandparent reading a story aloud, whether from a traditional printed book or from an ebook, can be a great opportunity for adult and child to share some quiet, relaxed quality time together away from the rush and stresses of the business of daily living. They share a few minutes of precious time, plus they share the ideas that are contained in the story. In addition, older children can be encouraged to read aloud to younger ones as a means of enhancing their relationship. At school or at a library story hour, books can bring children together and can be part of a positive shared experience. For some preschoolers this may be their primary opportunity to socialize and to learn how to behave around other children or how to sit quietly for a group activity. Make the most of this experience by encouraging children to talk about what they’ve read or heard. Reading Can Improve Hand-Eye Coordination  It may sound funny, but ebooks can be a way for children to improve their fine motor skills and their hand-eye coordination, as they click around a childfriendly website or click the backward and forward buttons of online story pages. They may also be picking up valuable computer skills that they’ll need in school and later in life. Reading Can Provide Children with Plenty of Good, Clean Fun I’ve saved the most important point for last. Reading can provide children with endless hours of fun and entertainment. All of the pragmatic reasons above aren’t at all necessary to justify reading’s place in children’s lives. Stories can free up imaginations and open up exciting new worlds of fantasy or reality. They allow children to dream and may give them a good start on the road to viewing reading as a lifelong source of pleasure; so read to your young children every day. Inspire your older children to read. Give them access to plenty of reading material that they’ll enjoy and discuss it with them. Sample everything – traditional printed books and ebooks on Internet, classic children’s novels and fairy tales, as well as more modern stories. If a child wants to hear the same story over and over again, don’t worry about it. Children take comfort from the familiarity and predictability of a beloved story that they know by heart. There’s no harm in that. Reread old favorites and, at the same time, introduce your children to new stories. Your child’s mind and heart have room for both. So Reading Really Does Matter After All There are so many ways in which reading continues to be both a vital skill for children to master, and an important source of knowledge and pleasure that can last a lifetime. Nurture it in your children. Make the most of all the resources that are available and waiting for you: printed books, online books, magazines and so forth. Encourage follow-up activities involving creative writing skills and the arts, as well, so that your children can reflect upon or expand on what they’ve absorbed and, at the same time, develop their own creativity. As you help your kids appreciate the magic of reading, you’ll find that there’s a whole wonderful world full of children’s literature out there that you  can enjoy too.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Making Communication Count Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Making Communication Count - Essay Example This can lead to negative impact in the workplace or at home. Incidences of ineffective communication have been witnessed in the case of senior policemen, politicians, newspaper editors among others. Therefore, it is vital for a person to understand his communication skills in order to determine whether he is communicating in an effective manner to other parties (Papa, 2014). This paper will evaluate a scenario that targets the use of verbal and non-verbal communication skills in an effective manner, and how to foster effective communication in an organization. In an organizational setting, ineffective communication manifests itself either in a verbal or nonverbal mode of interaction. For instance, ineffective verbal communication is vague, uses jargon, and is hard to follow. Conversely, ineffective nonverbal communication takes place when verbal messages fail to rhyme with nonverbal actions. With regard to verbal communication, there are those people who tend to overwhelm their audience with words. When a listener is overwhelmed, he does not have the time to gather his thoughts on what is being said. The listener also finds it difficult to elaborate the situation in order to gather more understanding. In case communication flows for a long time, then it becomes irrelevant to those people who get switched off (Manning & Curtis, 2003). A number of managers have been noted to communicate to their listeners what they feel is appropriate to them with the hope that they can do something about it. However, this path makes the listeners to switch off for failing to address their needs in an effective manner. Also, some senior executives in an organization assume that their listeners have understood what they are talking about. This is the case where people do not understand the language being used because it is their second language. This leads to confusion,