Are We Happier Than Our Forefathers?

Long years ago stress was never a part of anyone’s dictionary. However, today it is the most common word used by everyone ranging from a 13-year-old child to a 95 year old adult. What is the reason behind the frequent usage of this word in the modern times? Earlier, primitive man survived on bare essentials of life & yet he was stress free but today even though technology has gifted a luxurious life to man we are stressed. Earlier man had to roam from place to place in search of food & shelter. Today the modern man can even work by sitting at home through technologies like laptops & cellular phones. Yet today man has been confronted by various diseases & has to tackle stress. Why is it that a primitive man working several times harder than the modern man had time for pleasure activities but a modern man has to make work his leisure and work to no end. Technology & modern equipments were to make man’s life stress free & relaxed but instead it had has adverse effects on man’s life. A few centuries man had not even heard of fatal diseases like â€Å" aids† however today every research & technology is being to find a treatment for this disease. Man has found medicines & treatments for the tiniest of the creatures on this earth but yet has failed to discover a cure, which would save the life of a fellow mate. Science and technology has made it possible to reach the moon but is it of any use because we don’t have time to go & even meet out old parents who have taught us what a moon is & how to reach there. These facts make me think, â€Å" Are we happier than our forefathers? † in my opinion we are not as happy as they were. Our forefathers lived a stress free, contented & happy life but today these words are only seen in the dictionary. If we desire to live like our forefathers then it could only be possible in the Himalayas because in this world we require money for minimal needs & necessities & to earn that also we have to work very hard. Working hard would mean work during the day accompanied by work through the night. Is this called being happy?

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language

A Study Of How TPRS Can Be Used To Learn Another Language Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language TPR Storytelling (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) is a method of teaching foreign languages through reading and telling of stories in a classroom setting. The method was invented by a Spanish teacher by the name Blaine Ray, in Bakersfield, California, in 1990. The method of teaching foreign languages is for students who show disinterest in the exciting process of learning a language from a textbook. TPRS is a method that is more or less the same as the procedure involved when learning the first language. Students learn their second language the in the same manner babies learn their first language. By listening to the second language from a story teller, students acquire vocabularies that are helpful in leaning the second language. (Mason, 2005) TPRS is the most effective way of acquiring a second language since its invention in the 1960s. According to the method, changing from commands to the third person singular allows teachers to tell stories and that makes the procedure a long-term memory technique. One of the effective physical elements that have been so powerful in the classical TPRS is asking students to participate in acting out the parts of the characters in the stories. TPRS combines several physical response methods and language acquisition strategies, thus allowing effective teaching of grammar, reading and writing along with vocabulary. (Enciso, 2011) TPR storytelling is not complete without emphasis on reading. The whole procedure begins with an introduction of vocabulary and the complex structures that is then followed by reading. The acquisition method of foreign languages heavily relies on some hypotheses that are recommended in the reading program. The input hypothesis, acquisition hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis and the monitor hypothesis form the basis of TPR storytelling. In the method, a free voluntary reading program is recommended. Learners are encouraged not to entirely depend on the storytellers. Students ought to access books and a quiet, comfortable place to read. Additionally, the second language acquisition method involves reading to students, just as small children are read to while learning their first language for the first time. The most significant element of the TPRS program is the awareness that the focus is on students and not on books or even the story. Maintaining a good relationship with students is regarded as the foundation of a TPRS program. The pace of giving instructions to students should be entirely based upon the assessment by the teacher of how strongly students have internalized the foreign language. Other important elements in the TPRS program are the quality and quantity of the unconditional love, positive feedback, and the appreciation provided by students to their teacher. (Mhathà ºn 2008) Abstract This literature review evaluates the effectiveness of Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) compared to other approaches for acquiring and retaining new vocabulary in a foreign language. The subjects in the review are adult learners with limited literacy and the teachers who use storytelling in teaching foreign languages in the classroom setting. Different scholarly articles are evaluated and reviewed to show the effect of TPRS and grammar translation approaches on the student vocabulary. The articles in this literature review are also a research on the assessment of students’ ability to acquire and retain foreign languages as compare to small children learning their first language. In the review, additional research is needed on how to work effectively with adult students who need to learn foreign languages under challenging circumstances. The students have complicated lives and are struggling to survive in addition to studying on how to improve their language ability. Background information In applying the powerful concept of TPRS in classroom, here is what we know: Studies with Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Russian demonstrate that TPR is brain compatible. It means that the method may imply short and long-term retention that is striking and statistically significant across studies. Retention with TPR is comparable to riding a bicycle. Upon elapsing of years since the years have elapsed, proficiency returns after a few warm up trials. There is no age barrier in using the TPRS method of acquiring and retaining a foreign language. The method seems to work effectively for both children and adults. The only issue is that when the language training starts after puberty, the probability is almost certain that one will have at least some accent in speaking the second language, no matter how long one lives in a foreign country. It is factual that TPR works for most languages including the sign language of the deaf and the language of mathematics. In the U.S.A math education is even more challenging than foreign languages. It is evident that math education is challenging since more time is spent on remedial mathematics than all other forms of math education combined. Traditional programs and foreign languages both share a common flaw; they play to half the brain and usually, it is the wrong half. Studies show that even the adults play the game of learning another language on a level playing field. There is a widely-held belief that children have a linguistic advantage over the adults but studies contradict the opinion. Studies with the Spanish, Russian, and Japanese have it that adults consistently outperform children in acquiring skills of speaking and writing a new language. The only exception is noted when it comes to pronunciation. In a TPR class, it is the students who do the performance while the teacher is the director of the play. It is the same way that children acquire another language so quickly while living in a foreign nation. They are silent but respond to the directions from caretakers and other children hence they learn quickly. Studies at the University of Texas and other institutions indicate that the dropout rate of second language students in a traditional program can be as high as 95 percent. The studies also have it that the stunning attrition can be reversed when TPRS is a central feature of the language program. TPRS builds confidence in students hence enabling the students to experience quick understanding of a foreign language. Most importantly, TPRS is aptitude free. When TPR is applied by a skilled and talented teacher, academic aptitude becomes a negligible factor. Most people get surprised when disadvantaged children who experience difficulty in class at the traditional school enjoy success in a TPR class. The students can then feel the exhilaration of being competitive with the all â€Å"A† students. TPRS is therefore an important method of helping students acquire a foreign language since it facilitates instant understanding of the target language, regardless of the academic aptitude. It also enhances stress-free, high speed long-term retention amongst the students. Thesis Many students experience difficulty in remembering vocabulary and grammatical rules well for future retrieval. Despite teachers’ efforts to make the students remember the vocabulary and grammar, the students have not often been very successful at that. Due to the challenge of students failing to remember vocabulary and grammar, some strategies have been used over time to help solve the problem. For instance, in English classes, teachers sometimes used world maps to increase the students’ vocabulary. These efforts have not been successful in working towards better understanding of vocabulary amongst the students. Over time, learning institutions have gravitated towards the role of stories in teaching and learning foreign languages. There are many benefits that stories come with when imparting instruction and learning. For example, stories facilitate the acquisition and retention of vocabulary. (Mason, 2005) The use of stories is important in enabling teachers to explain relevant vocabulary over a short period of time. This essay reviews the importance of communication skills among immigrants who are normally employed in low-skilled jobs that do not require high levels of communication. The most effective method of acquiring a foreign language is also discussed. The use of TPRS as a method of gaining and retaining vocabulary and grammar of a foreign language is elaborated in this paper. It is very crucial to teach a foreign language to adults who entirely depend on the language for their economic gains. Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) works well with students who apparently do not have a strong academic background. This paper shows how possible it is for students who lack good academic background to compete competently in a TPR class with students who have experienced a proper academic background. (Enciso, 2011) The study in this paper shows the effectiveness of TPRS in acquiring and retaining new vocabulary. Annotated Bibliography Using TPRS in Acquisition of Foreign Language Mason, B. (2005). Vocabulary acquisition through storytelling. TexTESOL III Newsletter, 3-5. In this article, Mason states that vocabulary acquisition is possible from listening to stories but at the same time, listening to stories in an insufficient and an inefficient source of vocabulary. Mason informs us further that listening to stories require direct instruction as well. In the article, a study carried out by Beniko Mason attempts to confirm that listening to stories leads to the acquisition of vocabulary and also determines the efficiency of the vocabulary acquisition. In the study, two experiments are carried out; the first experiment being story-telling versus list-learning. In the first experiment that had sixty participants, all the students took part in both treatments. The storytelling treatment involved a pretest on thirty words. The participant then listened to a story of thirty words. While the teacher told the story, the students pointed at the word they thought were used in the story. In the first treatment the participants retook the vocabulary test but presented in a different order. The second treatment involved the students being urged to work together Experiment two was storytelling plus skill-building versus story-telling alone. In the experiment, the subjects were first year female Japanese female students at a junior college in Osaka. The students were not much exposed aural input in English. For the first group, the 20 target words were written on the board, the participants took a translation test, and the students listened to the story and then took a post-test on the same list of words. The other group involved the use of oral questions that used the target words. The participants also took a translation test and read the written version of the story. The story only group took the translation test twice, but the story-plus group did the whole procedure three times. Weeks later, the groups were given an unexpected follow-up test. Mason notes down his results for the study and presents the mean scores for the two groups as similar. He uses a descriptive statistics on vocabulary test where the final gain for the two groups as a result of the vocabulary test is noted. Another table showing the efficiency of both the two groups is also drawn by Mason. There was no difference in the story method and the list-learning method used in the first study. In the second story, there was also no difference in the in the efficiency in vocabulary learning between the two activities carried out. Mason indicates that the findings are consistent with the results of previous studies, an indication that listening to stories results in vocabulary development. Mason also compares the results with the comprehension hypothesis which states that language development is the result of the comprehension of messages. The goal of the study was on vocabulary development. Mason notes that the whole idea of storytelling as an effective way acquiring a foreign language is encouragement. The author of this article thus proves that stories are far more pleasant and effective than the traditional instruction. He further explains that students can gain other aspects of language from stories, as well as knowledge. In addition, Mason argues that storytelling and list ening to foreign language results leads to the acquisition of vocabularies, and endeavors to demonstrate to determine the importance of the acquisition to the learners. Almost the same research has been done before and Mason’s work is just a confirmation of the previous findings. In a nutshell there is consistency in his research. In particular the finding look to be consistent with Comprehension Hypothesis that argues that of student learning a new language comes from comprehension messages. The article is a good reader for beginners in learning second language. Mà ¡ire Mhic Mhathà ºn.(2008). Supporting Childrens Participation in Second-Language Stories in an Irish-Language Preschool. Early Years: An International Research Journal, 28(3), 299-309 This paper is a consideration of how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during the storytelling sessions in an Irish-language immersion preschool in Dublin. Mhathà ºn note that early educators view children as active participants in their own learning. The author of this article also considers how children learning a second language were supported as active participants during storytelling sessions in Dublin. We are informed that stories were chosen as the focus of enquiry since they are regarded as productive language enriching activities. In the article, a case study method of enquiry was adopted for the research project, focusing on three and four year old children in Dublin. This paper therefore proves that active participation enhances the learning of a second language among the children. The writer of the article kept the detailed observation notes of the story sessions and that allowed recording of a further thirty minutes time of interaction between the practitioners and children. In the study, there were also incidental talk and less formal interaction during the lunch-break. The cognitive and the social aspects of the language learning process are recognized in the paper since the resulting transcripts were analyzed from an interaction perspective. The analyses of such aspects of learning a foreign language are of use when determining the significance of input, the language addressed to the learner, and the modifications made by competent speakers. In the article, the practitioners provided support for the children who were learning the second language through the method of storytelling, development of language, development of a narrative and the method of organization of storytelling sessions. The methods used to support children learning their second language provide opportunities for children’s second language learning as well as facilitating children’s participation and initiatives. The methods of collecting data and their significance are outlined in the article as the views of the staff and the parents regarding the various support methods were required. The writer of the article has shown his statistical knowledge by outlining the methods which includes; use of interviews and administering of questionnaires. The formal staff interviews were significant in obtaining first hand information regarding the performance of children at the learning places. Parents too were advantaged to speak out their ideas on the performance of their children. Direct formal interviews used by the writer also provided the parents with the opportunity to give out their views on how the acquisition of the second language could be enhanced for better results. The parent questionnaire administered to parents was a way of making sure that they monitor the progress of their children when they are at home. The writer has utilized this method of obtaining data to have an idea on the level of ownership of Irish books by parents at home. Research in the study shows that the number of information books was not pleasing implying how books are not effective in acquiring a foreign language. The two methods of collecting data are utilized by the writer of the article to prove how acquiring a foreign language through storytelling is effective. The two methods of collecting data represented the efficiency of the learning methods used in the study. The information in the study illustrates the dilemmas that the immersion practitioners face in the early childhood settings. We get informed of how the children’s interests and initiatives can be facilitated when they are at the beginning stages of second language acquisition, and when an adult is the main source of input. The study carried out also enables us to get deeper understanding of the process of second language acquisition as well as the early childhood pedagogy. This article also shows how the learning of a second language by the children was appreciated. There were observations and Audio†recordings made during the story sessions for a period of six months. The staffs were also questioned and parents filled the questionnaires. The study conducted indicated that the practitioners gave the children support. Difficult decisions had to be made concerning the breadth and type of learning experiences offered when concentrating on the primarily second†language learning.

Greek Mythology Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Greek Mythology Assignment - Research Paper Example He evidently does not see their humanity and spiritual value, presenting their stories as embroidery on male tales. It is the thesis of this paper that female characters in the Iliad are like trophies, and what they do or say does not affect what happens in any important way. Trophies are awarded for accomplishments and they attest to the competence of the person to whom they were awarded. Trophies are motivators of competition between opponents or groups of opponents. Trophies are useful as launching pads for bragging. Trophies indicate that the trophy holder is a winner, but they give no assessment of how much skill was demonstrated or what the criteria was. Trophies can give a biased picture of the trophy-holder as more than what he/she actually is. Trophies can also become an annoying distraction as they require dusting and polishing, arranging and protecting, all the requirements of object management. Some people buy themselves trophies, so they will look and feel more important and powerful than they really are. Trophies can arouse jealousy in others who have no recognized accomplishments. Trophies come in various levels of quality. Although they usually look elegant, and most often come with a pedestal, some are of a more fragile nature while othe rs last well. Trophies are usually placed in a designated area, such as an enclosed cabinet, a wall of shelves with other trophies, or on a bookcase, and they are kept there in one place, being viewed from a single perspective. These characteristics of trophies, their place and use, apply to the Iliad’s women too. Helen was a top quality trophy. She was intelligent, expressive, self-motivated in spite of tremendous restraints. She was a hated foreigner, inadvertently responsible for the Trojan War and a lot of suffering. She is a captive, possessed object. Being a possessed object was par for the course in the time of the Iliad.

Marketing Communication Tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Marketing Communication Tools - Essay Example Marketers and researchers in the field of marketing communication has observed that marketing communication has stayed in the core functional area of businesses and proved to be as vital asset for the organization as its financial resources are (Khosla, 2010). Schultz et al. (2004) identified the importance of marketing communication and the need to diversify use of marketing communication tools and stated that: â€Å"An approach concerns the integration of a wide range of activities and functions that influence and impact upon dynamic information flows between an organization and its stakeholders.   Because in reality consumers integrate all messages received from an organization. Thus, even if the organization has transmitted uncoordinated messages to the same consumer, that consumer will aggregate and integrate those messages according to some pattern. Unfortunately, in some cases, the criteria chosen by the consumer to make such integration can harm the organization and associ ated brand value. Hence the company must be able to manage the process according to its own interests and strategic purposes† (Schultz et al., 2004). Considering the importance of marketing communication tools and the diversified use of these tools, highlighted by Schultz, it can be asserted that the modern business environment might bring a number of challenges to the business. Due to the increased competition in the market place and the requirement of extensive marketing research to promote brands and services, organizations are compelled to adopt an alternative approach which focuses on using multiple sources of marketing and promotion and ensures healthy... The report stresses that marketers and researchers evaluate the benefits a business might achieve by selecting a communication medium. For this purpose, extensive market research is required which helps the market researchers to determine consumers’ preferences and their accessibility to different communication mediums. Once the medium is decided, the researcher then move on to weigh the benefits that an organization perceive it would achieve by selecting the said medium. This reportmakes a conclusion that the criteria to select an efficient marketing communication tool is to carry out a need analysis. The outcome of the need analysis would communicate to the marketers of a business about the expectations and perceptions of the consumers in the market place. Moreover, the organization can also select marketing communication tools on the basis of its targeting strategy. Suppose, if an organization is targeting youth for its energy drink offerings, it would select social network medium to interact with the target market and influence their behavior. While basing their decisions on the target markets and its dynamics for selecting marketing communication tools, organizations must asses its ability to be creative in the marketing campaign and be distinctive in creating compelling marketing pitch. The author of the paper talks that As the business environment and marketing challenges are new with every passing day, it becomes essential for organizations to integrate marketing communication in the core organization functions. Businesses would ensure that that each and every activity of the organization is carried out in a manner, that it markets the organizational values, norms, culture, products and services to the target audience.

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice - Informatics Essay

Applying Standardized Terminologies in Practice - Informatics - Essay Example The defining characteristic in stroke treatment and management is neck-artery blockage which could be either symptomatic or asymptomatic. Individuals without any stroke symptoms are also likely to suffer from the disease. However, those who have shown stroke symptoms face a higher risk. Factors related to stroke management include micro-clots in the carotid arteries’ bloodstream, asymptomatic carotid disease, amarousis fugax (a TIA affecting the eye), cognitive impairment, brain stroke and ischemic stroke (Lovrencic-Huzjan, Rundek, & Katsnelson, 2012). Other related factors are symptomatic carotid stenosis and plaque instability. When a plaque is ulcerated or has irregular morphology, the risk of a clinical event increases. NOC outcomes suggested in the management of stroke using medical intervention include improved muscular and brain functioning. The main indicator showing improved status of a stroke patient with medical intervention is elimination of clots in the carotid blood stream. The elimination of neck artery blockage reduces the likelihood of suffering from stroke. Inherently, the use of standardized language in nursing profession is becoming prevalent in education and practice Suggested NIC interventions for stroke patients include use of surgery such as carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the prevention of secondary stroke. A more recent and less invasive surgical alternative is carotid stenting. The nurse could also advise patients to stop smoking and limit intake of cholesterol for stroke prevention and management. Emboli monitoring is also recommended in order to minimize the risk of later developing stroke. Between the 1980s to early 2000s, aspirin was the only anti-platelet therapy for treatment of stroke. Since the start of the new millennium, medical interventions have increased to include statins, new

Research paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Research - Term Paper Example Stephen Crane’s â€Å"Open Boat† inspires me in such a way that it reflects my idea of fate and the indifference of God. The story has four men stranded in the middle of the ocean in a small boat. They all have remained hopeful despite the adversities they have encountered only to realize in the middle of the story that neither God nor nature ever cared for them. These men catch sight of a shore some 20 miles away from where they are as there was a lighthouse from a visible distance. However, they realize that the people in those places do not even see them. They have traveled so far and worked so hard to survive only to realize that their chances of drowning are now greater and worse. Then, with rage, they then turn against fate. This is reflected when one says, â€Å"If I am going to be drowned, then why not before I had even savored life like this? Fate is therefore unfair and preposterous!† (Crane, â€Å"Open Boat† 1994). They say this because these me n have worked so hard to almost the point of exhaustion just to be able to see a shore where nobody seems to see them and whose distance they seem unable to reach. They feel so cheated for they believe that after long hours of trying to survive, they deserve their reward of being rescued. Surely, if there were just an order in the universe, then they would be rewarded for all their efforts. They are all therefore made to believe that whoever struggles and makes an effort would sooner or later be rewarded. However, life is unfair, as I have always believed it. The four men’s unmet expectations make them hate fate because they realize that nature is indifferent to them. Nature is somehow giving them a message that the sun will keep on rising and setting even if they have to die. These men want some sympathy from nature for they believe they deserve it at that point in their lives, but they finally realize that

What are the historical causes of racial inequality in the United Essay

What are the historical causes of racial inequality in the United States - Essay Example that the white race was superior of the black, which grew at the end of the 1800s, played a big role in validating suppression and the demolishing of the traditional cultures, societies and civilizations of the native peoples of different races and ethnic groups particularly the African slaves who were sold by the Europeans to the Americans during the 19th century and who later became African-Americans. In addition, this set of beliefs and ideas also became a catalyst for regarding or considering enslavement and submission as a humanitarian responsibility or duty. â€Å"In its modern form, racism evolved in tandem with European exploration and conquest of much of the rest of the world, and especially after Christopher Columbus reached the Americas. As new peoples were encountered, fought, and ultimately subdued, theories about â€Å"race† began to develop, and these helped many to justify the differences in position and treatment of people whom they categorized as belonging to different races.† (Wolf 97) Enslavement was the chief cause of the ever-increasing political conflict and opposition around the 1850s in the United States as people started to oppose and contravene racism. This open opposition and the American democracy that made speech and opinion more open was the stepping-stone for the road from slavery to the civil rights movement and later on, towards the ethnic and racial equality around the nation. In retort to an anti-slavery Republican as the winner of the Presidential election, nearly a dozen Southern slave states in America affirmed their separation and breakaway from the United States. Together, they formed the Confederate States of America, also known as the Confederacy. The remaining twenty-five states supported the federal administration called the Union. Began in 1861, the Civil War lasted a total of four years. The reasons and grounds were complicated, and ever since this battle began, its causes have been heated with a lot of controversial