Reflective learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reflective learning - Essay Example I also made them believe that raising funds is not really hard as many of my peers thought. I made them understand that there are a lot of ways to raise funds we just have to be creative and exert a little effort to raise it. I introduce the idea of a garage sale with a party. The items that will be on sale will be the things that our neighbours are ready to dispose. To make the story short, we were able to exceed our objective to raise fund for our project while having fun at the same time. The other experience I had about leading a group was during a school project where I was assigned as a project leader. I was hesitant at first because I was anxious that I might end up doing the whole project myself if my team members will not work and cooperate. It was not as hard as I thought if one will just know how to push â€Å"the right button† or motivate the group members to work. Before these projects were realized, the process and dynamics of getting it done was quite tough. It was an interplay of leadership, organizational skill, team work and resolving personal issue among the members in the group. But the main component is leadership on how to direct the energy of the team to commit and realize our objective (Kayser and Melcher 2007). It was not easy asking people of my age to do certain things that it made me think how to go about it and in the process learned several things about myself. I learned that in getting people commit to do certain things, I have to get along with them very well especially if it is a volunteer work just like our community project or a school work where one cannot direct others because everybody is in equal footing (we are all students). I learned that I do pretty well in this department that it is almost effortless on my part. But I have to admit that there are things about me that is un-leader like that I have to change such as my tendency to procrastinate. I observed that when I procrastinate, my team members also did the s ame. There are also certain things about my behaviour that I did not realize to be a leadership trait. Knowing that my team members in our community project are not being paid to do it, I invoked their higher sense of achieving and contributing good when I told them that what we are doing is for the community and that we will become an invariable part of it because we worked hard for a project dedicated to our community. This is actually a trait of transformational leadership (Judge and Piccolo 2004). My good interpersonal skill also enabled me to effectively address an issue with our group. The person I assigned to go door to door in one of our streets suddenly did not show up. I was worried. But instead of passing judgment at him to be lazy and non-committal, I inquired what happened. I learned that my team member had a medical emergency at home because a sister has to be rushed to the hospital. When the issue was already done, my team member was very motivated to go door to door to collect things for our garage sale and this would not have been possible had I judged him earlier. On areas that I need to improve my behaviour about leadership, I believe it would be my organizational and administrative skills. I have to admit that I am disorganized as a leader. I realized this during the garage sale itself because I had hard time putting up the event. The event could have been better with more attendees and more funds could have been raised if I had a better

Idioms in Bilingual Dictionaries Essay Example for Free

Idioms in Bilingual Dictionaries Essay A dictionary is a collection of words in one or more languages, and it reflects the vocabulary of a language. Its purpose is to provide information on the meaning of words, combinations with other words, sometimes also pronunciation and other aspects of a language. Dictionaries can be classified by many different aspects – for example, a dictionary can be monolingual, bilingual, bilingualised or even multilingual. If the dictionary is bilingual, it can be either unidirectional or bidirectional. Dictionaries can deal with general language, with special terms or specific area of a language and dictionaries vary for their purposes. Thus, dictionaries can also be classified according to their size. Usually the most popular dictionaries are monolingual and bilingual, and this essay aims at exploring the usage of multiword expressions, idioms in particular, in bilingual dictionaries. Burkhanov (1998) defines a bilingual dictionary as â€Å"a work of reference whose word list is organized in the following way: L1L2, which means that lemmata of one language usually referred to as an object of language, are explicated using another language – a target language† (Burkhanov, 1998: 29). Bilingual dictionaries have a longer history than monolingual, and their position is already well-established. Typically bilingual dictionaries are translation dictionaries, and at this point the treatment of idioms and other multiword expressions should be seriously considered. Bilingual dictionaries can be general or specialized, encyclopaedic or linguistic, alphabetical or thematic, diachronic or synchronic, in print or electronic format and they also vary according to various user groups and various sizes. Bilingual dictionaries can be divided according to their purpose – if your native language is the SL, then the dictionary is for encoding needs (also called an active dictionary), but if your native language is the TL, then the dictionary is for decoding needs (also called a passive dictionary). This active-passive parameter is â€Å"often equated with encoding vs decoding or productive vs receptive parameters† and â€Å"is used to classify bilingual dictionaries with respect to tasks for which they are employed by their users† (Podolej, 2009: 25). Dictionaries are organised in word entries or lexical items, and â€Å"a lexical item is any word, abbreviation, partial word, or phrase which can figure in a dictionary (often as the headword of an entry)† (Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M. , 2008: 163). As the authors point out, â€Å"it is important to be aware of the various kinds of lexical item, as there are important differences in the way each is handled in the dictionary† (ibid. ). Lexical items are grouped as the single items and multiword expressions (ibid. ). Among multiword expressions there are classified fixed and semi-fixed phrases, phrasal idioms, compounds, phrasal verbs and support verb constructions, and the authors have raised a question of â€Å"which multiword items should be treated as ‘multiword expressions [ in our dictionaries? † (ibid. : 166). Multiword expressions, including idioms, constitute a very important part of the vocabulary and need to be included in both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, but it is of particular importance to include them in bilingual learners’ dictionaries, since â€Å"language learners may not recognize them as significant units of meaning, cannot usually compose them, and will often have proble ms understanding them† (ibid. : 167). The authors have provided several types of multiword expressions, the first of them being fixed and semi-fixed phrases, for example, transparent collocations (to risk one’s life), fixed phrases (ham and eggs), similes (white as snow), catch phrases (horses of courses), proverbs (too many cooks), quotations (to be or not to be), greetings (good morning), and phatic phrases (have a nice day) (ibid. ). Other type are phrasal idioms that are â€Å"the most difficult [ ] to handle in lexicography† (ibid. : 168). The third type that the authors provide are compounds that â€Å"belong mainly to three word classes: nouns (the most frequent case, e. . , lame duck, civil servant), adjectives (e. g. , sky blue, stone deaf), and verbs (of which by far the most common are the phrasal verbs† (ibid. : 169). The fourth type is a phrasal verb – â€Å"a multiword expression consisting of a verb plus one or more particle(s)† that can â€Å"function either as an adver b (away, out) or as a preposition (with, to), or both (in, through)† (ibid. : 171). The fifth type is the support verb construction, of which the most frequent are make, take, have, give, and do (ibid. : 175). Other authors have made this classification in a more simple way – they argue that there are five types of multiword expressions distinguished, and they are idioms, collocations, phrasal verbs, compounds and support verb constructions (Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M. , 2008: 359). In order to distinguish between different multiword expressions, the difference between a collocation and an idiom must be stated. Cruse (1986) has argued that collocations are â€Å"sequences of lexical items which habitually co-occur, but which are nonetheless fully transparent in the sense that each lexical constituent is also a semantic constituent† (Crude, 1986: 41). Idioms, on the contrary, are expressions â€Å"whose meaning cannot be inferred from the meaning of its parts† (ibid. : 37) and they are usually translated in bilingual dictionaries not with lexical, but semantic equivalents. According to Online Etymology Dictionary, the word â€Å"idiom† is derived from late Latin idioma, meaning â€Å"a peculiarity in language† and Greek idioma, â€Å"peculiarity, peculiar phraseology† (Online 1), but â€Å"with a passage of time this word has acquired quite different denotations† (Cruse, 1986. : 176). Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English provides the following explanation for the word â€Å"idiom†: â€Å"a group of words that has a special meaning that is different from the ordinary meaning of each separate word† (Online 2). Oxford online dictionary provides quite similar explanation â€Å"a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words† (Online 3). One more interesting definition of an â€Å"idiom† is that it is â€Å"a meaning where the sum’s meaning is different from that of the parts† (Jones and West 1992, Johnson and Schlichting, 2004, quoted in Fuste-Hermann, 2008:4). Dictionaries have existed for hundreds of years and they have been developed to meet practical needs of people. The language evolution throughout centuries has been â€Å"towards more idiomatic usage and more lexicalized combinations† (Yong and Peng, 2007: 175). Idioms are â€Å"a unique part of the lexicon and have proved to be the most difficult part in vocabulary acquisition for both native learners ad foreign language learners† (ibid. ). Each language contains a large number of idioms, and consequently, â€Å"the treatment of idioms in dictionaries, particularly in bilingual dictionaries, has become an essential issue in dictionary compilation and research† (ibid. ). As the authors argue, idioms started to attract the focus of language researchers only quite recently, and a lot of work still has to be done in this field, â€Å"either from the position of compiling a dictionary of idioms or from the position of treating idioms as an essential part of the process of making a dictionary† (ibid. . Idioms â€Å"are not a separate part of the language which one can choose either to use or to omit† (Seidl and McMordie, 1978:1, quoted in Yong and Peng, 2007: 175). Idioms form â€Å"an essential part of the general vocabulary of language, thus accounting for a large proportion of the dictionary text in both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries† (Yong and Peng, 2007: 175). Both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries should â€Å"decide where in the ordering of the entry should go compounds, phrasal verbs [ ] and other MWEs, if they are to be included within the entry of one of their component words† (Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M, 2008: 253). Usually they are considered as secondary headwords or they can be located in a separate section, entitled ‘Compounds’ or â€Å"Phrases’, but there is another option of giving them a separate entry distinct from any related entry (ibid. ). In general there are five most common options of handling the multiword expressions, including idioms, in dictionaries – there is a possibility to make each multiword expression as a headword; to make selected types of multiword expressions in their own right; to put all multiword expressions within the same entry, at the very end in separate blocks for each type; to put all multiword expressions within the same entry, within the ‘appropriate sense’ in separate blocks and there is an option of putting all multiword expressions within the same entry, within the ‘appropriate’ sense, but without differentiating the multiword expression type (ibid. : 254). However, according to Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M. â€Å"the tendency nowadays is to avoid secondary headwords if possible, as embedding one entry (however reduced) within another simply makes it more difficult for the user to find anything† (Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M. , 2008: 493). Idioms should be covered to some extent in general bilingual dictionaries, but usually they are found in subordinate parts of entries. When compiling a bilingual dictionary, the question of classification of idioms must be decided according to a key word in idiom. For example, the idioms pigheaded person and to eat like a pig could be found together under one entry word pig. In practice most of bilingual and monolingual dictionaries use this approach that seems the easiest way to decode a language. However, the second possibility involves â€Å"identifying the underlying function expressed and recording idioms under this category; for example, the previous two examples would be classified under the function to insult someone† (Akbarov, 2010: 137). Idioms do not co mply with other aspects of language that can be more easily explained â€Å"in terms of rules and semantic characteristics† (ibid. : 140). As idioms and other multiword expressions are quite hard to treat in dictionaries, the compilers of bilingual dictionaries have to be very careful towards this question because we all know how annoying it is to open a dictionary and fail to find a word that we were looking for. There is no dictionary that could include all words, and therefore lexicographers have to make decisions on selection of words in it, including idioms. Dictionaries are often regarded as a basic tool in the process of foreign language learning. Bilingual dictionaries have been the traditional lexical resource for learning a new language. Change is not something that dictionaries undertake very easily as their purpose and place is indisputably significant. Of course, modern dictionaries come in different formats – they can be monolingual, bilingual, paper or electronic dictionaries, but when it comes to defining the meaning and giving definitions or equivalents in other languages, the dictionary is the same. There are many problems the lexicographer has to deal with when compiling a bilingual dictionary and the main problem is the basic lack of equivalence which exists between different languages. According to Nida (1958: 279), the semantic problems that occur in compiling a bilingual dictionary are different from and also more complicated that those problems that occur in the compilation of a monolingual dictionary. The reason for that is the fact that monolingual dictionaries are compiled mostly for users who participate in and understand the culture being described, whereas bilingual dictionaries describe a culture that differs from that of the users. Baker and Kaplan (1994: 7, quoted in Gauton, 2008: 108) argue that â€Å"equivalence is nebulous in nature, and cannot be represented by way of neat translation equivalents†. The perfect translation in a bilingual dictionary where the SL word is translatable perfectly is very rare, and in the case of multiword expressions and idioms compilers have to be ready to face problems. As Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M argue, â€Å"the equivalence relationship between a pair of words, SL and TL, varies from exact to very approximate, from perfect to just-adequate† and the factors that play a role in evaluating SL-TL equivalence are the semantic content (single words and multiword expressions), collocational context (mainly single words), vocabulary type (single words and multiword expressions), message (of phrases, including idioms and sayings) and function (Atkins, B. T. and Rundel, M, 2008: 468). Thus, there no right and wrong about how to present the various types of multiword expressions (ibid. : 491). As Yong and Peng (2007) argue, â€Å"idioms are the evolutional product of national culture and social life† (Yong and Peng, 2007: 176), thus â€Å"they are conventionally lexicalized linguistic units and ‘ready-made utterances’† (Crystal,1985: 152, quoted in Yong and Peng, 2007: 176). â€Å"Structurally, the elements in idioms are usually bound together† and they â€Å"often do not permit the usual variability they display in other contexts† (ibid. ). Thus, â€Å"from the semantic point of view, idioms must be interpreted in connection with the historical and cultural contexts from which they emerged† (Yong and Peng, 2007: 176). Idioms are unified and the meaning cannot be guessed without knowing its â€Å"sociocultural context† even though the meaning of separate words is clear (ibid. ). However, â€Å"some idioms are historically traceable with translations in several languages† (Fuste-Hermann, 2008:5). The sociocultural context is of extreme importance in dealing with idioms in bilingual dictionaries as there are the so-called â€Å"culture-bound† words that denote objects or concepts peculiar to some particular SL culture (Gauton, 2008: 110). It means that for these culture-bound items there are no translational equivalents in the TL and in order to overcome this lack, lexicographers use the explanatory equivalent in their illustrative sentences (ibid. : 110-111). Mtuze (1990, quoted in Gauton, 2008: 111) illustrates that â€Å"cultural issues could create problems for lexicographers because they might not comprehend certain concepts foreign to their own culture†. As Fuste-Herrmann argues, â€Å"there are three major factors affecting idiom comprehension: semantic transparency, familiarity and context† (Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). The first one, the semantic transparency, deals with â€Å"the relative correspondence of an idiom’s literal and figurative meanings† (Nippold and Taylor 1995, quoted in Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). There can be a transparent and an opaque idiom, â€Å"a transparent idiom’s meaning matches closely with the image conjured up by that idiom† and in contrast â€Å"an opaque idiom conjures up an image that is not helpful in interpretation† (Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). For example, the idiom a piece of cake could associate with some enjoyable task, whereas beat around the bush has nothing to do with its meaning (ibid. ). Therefore â€Å"the previous studies have concluded that transparent idioms are generally easier to decipher than opaque idioms† (Nippold and Taylor 1995, quoted in  Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). The transparency of idioms can be also discussed â€Å"in terms of their decomposition† (Glucksberg, 2001, quoted in Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). Idioms that are decompositional â€Å"are able to be modified† – for example, â€Å"he broke the ice, she breaks the ice, after the ice was broken etc† (Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 6). Therefore â€Å"the noncompositional idioms cannot survive the same alterations† (ibid. ). In general â€Å"decompositional idioms are likened to transparent idioms, and less decompositional idioms are equated with opaque idioms† (ibid. ). The other factor is familiarity – â€Å"the frequency with which an idiom occurs in a language† (ibid. : 7). It is â€Å"relative and depends on such factors as geographical location, linguistic background [ ], culture and age† (Nippold and Rudinski 1991, quoted in Fuste-Hermann, 2008: 7). The main idea is that the more frequently the idiom is used, it becomes more familiar (Fuste-Herrmann, 2008: 7). The third factor is context – â€Å"contextual cues are imperative for comprehension of unfamiliar idioms in either the written or oral modality, particularly if idioms are more opaque in nature† (Qualls et. al. , 2003, quoted in Fuste-Herrmann, 2008: 8). According to Fuste-Herrmann, â€Å"in the last several decades many researchers have speculated about how idioms are interpreted† (Fuste-Herrmann, 2008: 8). The first hypotheses that she advances is the â€Å"Early Hypotheses† that implied the idea of idioms when encountered for the first time in spoken or written language, â€Å"the listener or reader tries to interpret the idiom literally†, thus, â€Å"when the literal meaning fails to make sense, the listener/reader hen accesses a mental idiom list, described as a sort of a mental idiom dictionary, in order to determine the figurative meaning† (Searle, 1979, quoted in Fuste-Herrmann, 2008: 9). Swinney and Cutler (1979) have â€Å"challenged the existence of a mental idiom list† and also proposed that â€Å"the meaning of idioms were processed simultaneously as figurative and literal† and â€Å"the most appropriate interpretation wins† (Fuste-Herrmann, 2008: 9). Idioms are quite hard to acquire when learning a second language and it is considered that their arbitrary nature makes it difficult for learners to learn them, thus they are not easy to translate. Translating multiword expressions requires that they are not the exact word-to-word translation, but a translation of semantic equivalence should be offered. Traditionally idioms are perceived as rather fixed expressions that learners have difficulties with, but more and more modern dictionaries include idioms as well as other multiword expressions in their word lists that facilitate the language comprehension. As idioms can be found in either separate or sub-entries, sometimes it could be quite hard to find its location in a dictionary. For this purpose electronic dictionaries could be more useful than paper ones as it is more easy to locate the necessary idiom. Bilingual dictionaries are meant for learning a new language, and as idioms constitute a substantial part of any language, they should be treated properly and with care.

Of Mice An Men Essay -- essays research papers

The story Of Mice and Men took place during the 1930’s. That time period was very different from today. Race and gender were very important characteristics that determined whether a person had the opportunity to make money. The 1930’s were also a time where people started questioning life and the American culture. Many people like John Steinbeck thought that life was very unfair and questioned whether if life was even worth living. In Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck demonstrates that mans dream is destined to be destroyed by a cruel reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George was a very smart and able man who had taken responsibility of a mentally-challenged man named Lennie. George could have found a good steady job for which he could have stayed at and made good money, but when he went to work with Lennie, Lennie made a mistake that got both of them in trouble. George was a very good person for taking care of Lennie. Lennie was very dumb, but he always remembered the dream he and George shared. The main dream that George possessed was to be happy, and he realized that even though taking care of Lennie was hard work at times, he was happiest with Lennie. George would repeat their dream to Lennie. The nicest thing George ever did for Lennie was giving him hope, and that’s what mentioning the dream farm did. Lennie always wanted to â€Å"live of the fatta land† (81), and â€Å"have rabbits, and puppies, go on George.† George saved a man’s life, and in return he got nothing. George’s d...

Delivering Lifelong Learning

Delivering Lifelong Learning Enhancing learning through using technology Thinking back to when I delivered in work focused training sessions I found that technology was a huge aid to the learning for the students. I would set them web quests and get them research topics around the subject of day, One in particular that I remember was asking them to look at the human right act I asked them to work in pairs and put together some information about what the act was and why it was so important and how it linked into working in Health and social care.I gave them a set amount of time to do this then asked that they nominated a person to feedback to the group about what they had learnt. Looking back now I see that by encouraging learners to use this technology this was supporting the differentiation off the group it supported all the learners to gain knowledge and understanding even the ones who were not as confident in speaking up as others.I guess the other main way I support learners to u se technology is to encourage them to use the online etrack site to check there progress once I get a learner engaged with this I find that they look forward to checking their progress after each visit it’s a good tool for motivation. And another way would be by getting the learners to access and use the BKSB to support there learning with the maths and English it’s an excellent online tool that will guide them to up skill in the specific areas needed.It can however, as mentioned before highlight too many areas for development and perhaps scare the learner completely so this aid has negatives and positives. Technology can also support learners when writing written assignments they can use Microsoft word and send work over on email for electronic submission or send it to etrack a secure site to make additional progress in between assessments with their assessor. Learners can also use internet for research to support their learning. I also use offline exams that once upl oaded can give instant results, this is good as the learner knows.I have put together a case study of some of the various technology that can be used to support learners and have looked at what the positives and negatives of them are. |Technology available |Positives |Negatives | |Blogs, chat rooms and online discussion |Will help learners to communicate with each other. |Not all learners have | |forums |Accessible and inclusive. Can aid learning from peers. |internet. Connection | | |Is flexible the learner can log on in there own time. problems IT issues, would | | | |not support learners with | | | |low literacy levels. | |Cameras and mobile phones. |Aids communication. Often an instant response. Take |Not always cost effective | | |pictures of evidence |to all learners may create | | | |barriers for some.Bad | | | |signals. Unable to read a | | | |learners body language and | | | |vice versa | |Computer facilities to enable word |Can save work /use spell checker/ word coun t can go back|Not all learners have | |processing assignments and saving |and amend if needed. access to a home | |documents. | |computer/Can not be used | | | |during power cuts? Viruses | | | |could cause work to be | | | |lost. |Digital media for visual/audio recording|Good to play back work/ film to aid recall |Again learners may not have| |and playback | |access to this equipment. | |Electronic portfolios/etrack |Accessible/ sustainable i. e. no need for paper. |Again can create barriers | | |Can access supporting materials. |as not all will have access| | | |at home.Internet | | | |connection problems. | |Email |Electronic submission of work/communication/feedback |See above and also not | | |Can help evidence work set and completed |always an immediate | | | |response.IT issues may | | | |prevent you from receiving. | |Internet access |Accessible and inclusive/ Can access resources |Can lead to plagiarism | |Mobile phones |Aids communication/ Take pictures of evidenc e/ Internet |Not cost effective to all | | |access/Apps |learners/ may create | | | |barriers for some.Poor | | | |signal. Not always an | | | |immediate response. | |Online/offline and on demand tests |sustainable i. e. no need for paper instant results e. g. May highlight lots of work | | |diagnostics exams |required/ may not be a pass| | | |could de motivate | |Online discussion forums |Can be flexible to the learner/ can aid learning from |Again learners may not have| | |peers |access to this equipment. | | |Poor internet connection. | |Presentation software |Visual aid for learners/ can be emailed and used as a |Does not support all | | |reference |learning styles | |Scanners |Can upload documents evidence immediately |Again learners may not have| | | |access to this equipment. |Web cameras and video conferencing |If you cannot be in the same place as your learner and |See above | | |need to observe them | | |VLE |Can access supporting materials |See above | |Specialist equipment such as readers |Can aid learners with visual impairment or limited |See above | |tape recorders, Talking |verbal communication | | |calculators/Computer terminals with | | | |speech output | | | |DVR |Can be played back uploaded for evidence |Some people don’t feel | | | |comfortable being recorded. |Expectations of the minimum core in relation to delivering lifelong learning Firstly I would like to explain the importance of good communication it is imperative to ensure that information is given and received. It is the key to motivation, managing behaviour and promoting good working relationships. It includes verbal non verbal and written and can include various technology email/webinar and forums. I must ensure that I have excellent communication techniques to be able to maintain learner’s attention and to show professionalism when giving feedback. I need to be aware of my tone and facial expressions knowing when to change my tone to say show sympathy an d understanding r to take control of a disruptive group.I need to ensure that if I use jargon that the learner is supported in understanding what that is? ETRACK what is etrack a demonstration needs to be given so that the learner understands. Speaking/ Listening/Reading/Writing are the four skills I must demonstrate when supporting learners in Literacy, language and ICT I have looked at Tuckman’s theory of group work in relation to how people in groups communicate. He came up with a development model that shows the stages of development of how groups will communicate. Forming In the first stages of team building, the forming of the team takes place. The individual's behavior is driven by a desire to be accepted by the others, and avoid controversy or conflict.Serious issues and feelings are avoided, and people focus on being busy with routines, such as team organization, who does what, when to meet, etc. individuals are also gathering information and impressions – abo ut each other, and about the scope of the task and how to approach it. This is a comfortable stage to be in, but the avoidance of conflict and threat means that not much actually gets done. Storming Every group will next enter the storming stage in which different ideas compete for consideration. The team addresses issues such as what problems they are really supposed to solve, how they will function independently and together and what leadership model they will accept.Team members open up to each other and confront each other's ideas and perspectives. In some cases storming can be resolved quickly. In others, the team never leaves this stage. The maturity of some team members usually determines whether the team will ever move out of this stage. Some team members will focus on minutiae to evade real issues. Norming The team manages to have one goal and come to a mutual plan for the team at this stage. Some may have to give up their own ideas and agree with others in order to make th e team function. In this stage, all team members take the responsibility and have the ambition to work for the success of the team's goals. Performing It is possible for some teams to reach the performing stage.These high-performing teams are able to function as a unit as they find ways to get the job done smoothly and effectively without inappropriate conflict or the need for external supervision. By this time, they are motivated and knowledgeable. The team members are now competent, autonomous and able to handle the decision-making process without supervision. Dissent is expected and allowed as long as it is channeled through means acceptable to the team. 1. ^ The Five Stages of Project Team Development, Gina Abudi – Retrieved May 18th 2010 Its not very often I deliver to groups but this research has helped me to look at the importance of it and also the importance of communication not only from myself but between learners.I often teach learners individually however they te nds to be a group within one setting and they will often work together to learn and gain knowledge for the award. So it’s important that I have an understanding the theory and psychological dynamics of group work. Evaluation of own practice in delivering inclusive learning and teaching I feel that I do adapt my teaching to try to suit each individual need. I have some learners for example who need much more support with their functional skills than others and in these cases I have arranged extra visits with and given one to one support. I do feel that since delivering Functional skills my practice has improved.At the start I found it difficult to know where to start with supporting learners and with experience I have gained confidence and knowledge of the support materials available. I have also recently obtained some really helpful handouts to support learners with understanding the requirements of literacy. They are like flash cards and are very easy to understand. Looking back I can think of learners that this resource will have been very helpful. And I wish now that I had sourced them sooner. I am also not entirely confident in speaking in group situations and I know that the only way to prepare for this is to be fully prepared and to ensure that I have researched a subject fully.I have passed my functional skill level 2 in literacy and Math but would like to go on to complete the level 3 as I feel this will enhance my knowledge and confidence and thus can only benefit my learners. I intend to complete a diagnostic on the BKSB to identify what areas I need to improve on. I also need to work on some of my ICT skills in particular spreadsheets as I work in health and social care its not to often I have deliver ICT so I feel I have not focused on this area as much as I should have. I In particular I know I need to work on spreadsheets and I have been working through some workbooks on the BKSB to help with this. I would hate to ever be in a situation wh ere a learner wanted support in this area and I was unable to give it.

Aquatic Flora of Pulicat Lake Essay

Pulicat lake derived its name from a vernacular name ‘Palaverkadu’ means plants with many number of roots. Those plants are mangroves with aerial roots called Pneumatophores. The word mangrove is considered to be a combination of the Portuguese word â€Å"Mangue† and English Word â€Å"Grove†. These are salt tolerant plants and are rich in this area and might be the reason for that name. The lake harbours rich and valued floristic wealth because of its varied ecological habitat viz., salt marshes, canals, mangroves, islands, low lying areas etc. A careful study of literature revealed that the lake has hardly received attention by the botanical explorers and hence it has remained botanically under-explored so far. But its fauna was extensively studied by many zoologists Nanda Kumar et.al . A.R.KSastry and T.A. Rao (1973) in their extensive study on the flora and vegetation of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, have recorded about 15 species from the island of the lake. Pulicat lake derived its name from a vernacular name ‘Palaverkadu’ means plants with many number of roots. The lagoon’s boundary limits range between 13.33 ° to 13.66 ° N and 80.23 ° to 80.25 °E, with a dried part of the lagoon extending up to 14.0 °N.; with about 84% of the lagoon in Andhra Pradesh and 16% in Tamil Nadu. The large spindle-shaped barrier island named Sriharikota separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal. Area Three major Rivers which feed the lagoon are Arani river, Kalangi river and Swarmukhi river. The Buckingham Canal, a navigation Channel is part of the lagoon on its western side. It is connected to the sea through three tidal inlets, one each at Tupilipalem, Rayadoruvu and Pulilcat villages respectively, from north to south. Study was undertaken in the Pulicat lake and data of aquatic flora collected by frequent visits during 2009-2010. Close up Photographs of as many as possible and associations depicting the richness of the macrophytes of the lake were taken. Herbaria of various aquatic plants also collected for future reference. Herbaria-specimens are preserved at N.B.K.R. Medicinal Plant Research Centre, Vidyanagar, Nellore District. Results and Discussions Brackish water is more saltier than fresh water and less saltier than sea water. Hence it is biologically more productive than either freshwater or sea water. It shows very rich aquatic population diversity including free floating, submerged, suspended, marginal, amphibious plants along with halophytes and mangroves. Region of pulicat lake includes salt marshes, canals and mangroves. Salt marshes often inundated by backwaters are mostly occupied by halophytes. They include Aleuropous lagopoides, Etriplex repens, Cressa cretica, Crotalaria retusa, Cyparus haspan, Fimbristylils ferrugenea, Salilchornia brachiata , Sesuvium portulacastrum Etc. Similar halophytic species scattered along the banks of Buckingham canal and Vapenjeri canal flowing with brackish water. Halophila ovalis popularly called sea grass belong to the family Hydrochariticeae appear prominently all along the margins Buckingham canal. Small mangrove pockets are located at two places namely near Vepenjeri canal close to Chandrasikuppam, and near Chengalpalem. Four species of mangroves belonging to four families are prominent over here. They include Aegiceras corniculatus of Myrsiraceae, Avicennia marina of Aviceiniaceae, Excoecaria agallocha of Euphorbiaceae and Lumintzera racemosa of Combretaceae. They develop pneumatophores in response to oxygen deficient conditions Significance of macrophytes to the lake: Macrophytes provide cover for fish and substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen and act as food for some fish and wild life. Established mangrove roots provide an oyster habitat and slow water flow, there by enhancing sediment deposition. The fine anoxic sediments under mangroves act as sinks for a variety of heavy (trace) metal with colloidal particles in the sediments scavenged from the water. They protect coastal areas from erosion, storms and tsunamis. Their massive root systems are efficient at dissipating wave energy. Conclusion A decline in the macrophytic population may indicate water quality problem. They may be the result of excessive turbidgidy, pollutants including herbicides or salinization. It may lead to a major socio economic problem. One village in Tamilnadu was protected from tsunami destruction. That village is Naluvedapathy planted 80.244 saplings to get into the Guinness Book of World Records. This created a kilometer wide belt of trees of various varieties. When the tsunami struck, much of the land around the village was flooded but the village escaped form minimal damage. Many conservative methods have to be practiced to protect the macrophytic flora of the lake.

Victorian Age essays

Victorian Age essays The Victorian Age brought about great changes in all areas of everyday living. There were great political, economical, religious, and social changes which influenced the attitudes and values of the emerging society along with many writers of that time. Countries were rapidly changing from an agricultural to an industrial society. Life during this time was moving at a much faster pace. Although many thought, including Bathd, "of the Victorian Age as a smug complacency, of hypocritical and unhealthy prudery", (Bathd 22) it was much more than that. The Victorian Era marked freedom in a way of which poets felt they had an immediate mission. Alfred Tennyson was among one of the greatest poets of this time. His work completely sums up and expresses the great Victorian Era in which he lived. The Victorian Age lasted from 1837 - 1901. During this time Queen Victoria ruled and her reign was so outstanding it became known as the "Victorian Era". Around this time Victorian England saw great expansion of wealth, power and culture that influenced not only England but most parts of the world. "This was also a time of several unsettling social developments such as the growth of English democracy, the education of the masses, the progress of industrial enterprise and the consequent rise of a materialistic philosophy" (Wright 4). Yet, it can be said without much fear of contradiction that this age represents the glory of the middle classes. The people of this period experienced a rise in their moral sense and social conscience, which animated the middle class. They had a very high moral tone to maintain and managed to do just that. This was due to the fact that Queen Victoria grew up as part of this class. Her ethics, respectability and personal tastes generally reflected tho se belonging to the "great" middle class. Cooke believed "that what made them so Victorian is their sense of social responsibility, a basic attitude that obviously different...

This Earth of Mankind Essay Example

This Earth of Mankind Essay Example This Earth of Mankind Paper This Earth of Mankind Paper This report is based on an interview of Pramodeya Ananta Toer which explains the background thought processes of his four book series the â€Å"Buru Quartet† however the references taken shall be based solely on the first book of the quartet â€Å"This Earth of Mankind†. Pramodeya says that the idea for Minke the male protagonist of the quartet was based mostly on â€Å"Willem Wertheim† a Dutch scholar, this seems mostly ironic as one of the main antagonists in the novel happens to be the Dutch government and it is against Dutch colonialism that Minke stands up but as Toer says â€Å"He brought out the characters who had been erased from our history. Not only this but also â€Å"I had students pore over newspaper stories from the period and wove episodes into the plot† thus it cannot be said that the lead character was based solely on one inspiration, however we do see that Minke happens to be more ambitious than his fellow countrymen and also has a more enlightened attitude which does have a European or in this case Dutch in nature and hence could explain Toer saying he was based on Willem. We also notice the similarity of the book with the events at the time when Toer was writing the book such as the power of the ruling government to take over private businesses in order to run them ‘fairly† and act as caretakers as seen in the Dutch taking over the Nyai’s business, and we also see the apparent class system and high level of social segregation which was still present in Toer’s time, it also seems that Pramodeya did have a direct source to base Minke on in the form of the Philippine novelist ‘Jose Rizal’ who was executed by the Spanish in 1896 after three years of imprisonment and torture for championing freedom from colonial rule however he does not mention this. We also see that Minke’s main enemy other than the Dutch was Robert Surhoff a man so confused by his own birth that he develops a superiority complex in order to make himself appear better than his fellow countrymen as can be seen by his calling Minke Indo all the time considering the title ‘Bupati’ beneath him even though it was a position of power more than he could ever have this however was one of the numerous people suffering from similar Psychological problems due to the changing time. The idea as Toer says came from an Eurasian gang organized by the Dutch to terrorize the people of Jakarta and this is also pretty much what Robert Surhoff is also doing, another thing that is also most remarkable is the irony of the situation that the very people they try to imitate and please, by harming their own brethren in order to get their acceptance do not treat them with much respect and also consider them below their level. Which can be seen in the novel that the Dut ch born first son of Mr. Mellema is given preference to the property over Mellema’s half Dutch children this concept is a forerunner to the idea of 2nd class or 3rd class citizenship which is still another form of Racism left over from colonial rule. Pramodeya’s inspiration from other works such as John Steinbeck’s â€Å"Of Mice and Men† and the works of Gorky and Tolstoy are quite evident. Pramodeya integrated the running theme of â€Å"Try to understand each other† from ‘Of Mice and Men’ into his quartet as it seems the only way out of the problem that the colonials and the colonialists are facing is if the two groups try and understand each other and Pramodeya in a way is showing what happens when individuals and communities on a whole do not understand the other persons view point and try to assert that they are right or superior over the other. Other concepts also evidently integrated in the novel taken from Steinbeck’s novel are dreams, loneliness, how mans prosperity achieves cruelty, powerlessness, and uncertainty of the future - or fate. All seen in the life of Minke and how he progresses through out the first novel as not only his rise to fame gain him the enemity of his Rubert Surhoff and Mellema but also that of his brother to an extent and also that he dreams of changing not only his life but also the life of his fellow people however in the face of the unexpected events and ‘fate’ he was helpless/powerless. Also from Gorky’s work we see Pramodeya geting the idea of showing the social fabric of Indonesia in the novel and to show the distinctive charecterists of Indonesian people and to give a psychological aspect to the novel.