Why To Travel Alone

Yara exchanged the comforts of home 16 years ago for a life on the road. She has been traveling the world mixing a †¦ Shutterstock 1. You will meet amazing people. While traveling with friends or a significant other can be a lot of fun, traveling solo for a certain amount of time can prove to be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do because of the great people you’ll meet. When we travel with friends or a partner, we tend to stick to that little group of familiar faces and even though you’ll meet new people, the dynamics and interactions won’t be as deep and fulfilling.While you’re on your own on the road, you’re much more eager to meet travel buddies, team up with other travelers and generally reach out more in order to socialize. 2. The overwhelming sense of absolute freedom. When you travel on your own and you start meeting people and making awesome friends, you’ll probably team up with travel buddies and end up expan ding your travel plans. You’ll probably change your plans once you hear about that amazing waterfall, that incredible desert beach, the opportunity to bungee jump from a high bridge, or  taste a special delicacy you’ll only find off the beaten track.When you’re traveling, you’re open to change and you’ll welcome it with open arms. The great thing is that you don’t have to fit into a group’s agenda, give explanations or disappoint anyone, you can follow your rhythm, desires and move like the wind. 3. Traveling alone challenges your fears and insecurities This is a big one, especially if it’s your first solo experience. I remember the first time I traveled when I was 18 and moved to London on my own for 3 months to be an au pair and live with a local family.I was terrified of the unknown, but if I would have surrendered to that fear, I would have never get to know the strong, courageous and adventurous side of me. I was scared, but I did it anyways and by the 3rd day, I was really proud of myself. From then on I never let fear stop me. 16 years and many adventures later, I still have a little voice inside my head, asking: â€Å"What if something goes wrong? † â€Å"What if you get into trouble?† This is normal and perfectly human; fear exists for our own protection and boosts our awareness. But we shouldn’t let it control our lives.Safety can be a great comfort, but common sense is the key. Read and research a lot before you travel, check out hostel reviews, and research feedback from other travelers in forums and blogs. Respect the local culture and I guarantee you’ll be fine. 4. Fall in love. Everyone wants to find their better half and much is said about failed relationships while on the road. It doesn’t have to be like that! We find love when we meet someone who shares our interests, dreams, and goals. While traveling solo you’ll meet so many people from all w alks of life that falling in  love might just happen.Whether it will be a great summer love or end up at the altar, no one knows, but there are many people out there with amazing stories. If you already have a partner, this time away can boost your passion and once you’re back, you’ll appreciate each other’s company more. 5. You can take the time to nurture yourself. If you have a stressful life back home, either studying hard or working too much, traveling on your own can be the time to take some time off and nurture yourself.Whether you’re a backpacker traveling cheap or if  the sky is the limit as far as your budget goes, you can use this time to pamper yourself. Indulge in rich and delicious local meals which will boost your energy and health, take long walks on the beach by sunrise, or get a massage. Do some yoga and relax a lot. Enjoy all the wonderful things you deserve, and understand that happiness is a birth right, not a privilege. 6. Youâ⠂¬â„¢ll have a chance to recreate yourself and be who you want to be. While traveling solo, you can leave your grumpy, tired old self behind and start to be a new you.Explore parts of your personality you are not very  comfortable or familiar with. When on the road, you might be challenged by unexpected factors and be positively surprised how well you respond to them. Empower yourself by unleashing the wonderful, irresistible and intelligent person you are, but whom you’ve neglected in your everyday routine. 7. You can finally take time to leave everything else behind. Just disconnect from the world for a while. Turn off your mobile, â€Å"forget† to check you emails for a few days†¦ don’t think about the bills, the responsibilities, the duties and problems. Leave them behind.Some of the most intense creative times or the ones where we find the solutions for all our problems are actually the moments when we disconnect and stop worrying. Have you ever trie d to remember a name or a date and you just can’t spit it out, but after you quit trying it pops out? It’s the same for the rest of life. Sometimes our brains need to get rid of old thoughts in order to be able to create space for new ones, better ones. So just disconnect yourself from everything and you might be amazed by how fresh you’ll feel once you get back home.

Literature of Singapore

The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in any of the country's four main languages: English, Tamil, Chinese, and Malay. While Singaporean literary works may be considered as also belonging to the literature of their specific languages, the literature of Singapore is viewed as a distinct body of literature portraying various aspects of Singapore society and forms a significant part of the culture of Singapore.Literature in all four official languages has been translated and showcased in publications such as the literary journal Singa, that was published in the 1980s and 1990s with editors including Edwin Thumboo and Koh Buck Song, as well as in multilingual anthologies such as Rhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry (2000), in which the poems were all translated three times each into the three languages. A number of Singaporean writers such as Tan Swie Hian and Kuo Pao Kun have contributed work in more than one language. Howe ver, such cross-linguistic fertilisation is becoming increasingly rare and it is now increasingly thought that Singapore has four sub-literatures instead of one.Literature being an integral part of the culture of Singapore also portrays the specific aspects of the Singaporean society. The literature of Singapore mainly consists of literary works by well-known Singaporean writers in the four major languages of the nation-English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The distinct body of literature offers a glimpse of the multi-cultural society and is also the literature of their specific languages.The popular Singaporean writers like Tan Swie Hian and Kuo Pao Kun have made a significant contribution to the world of literature in Singapore. They have contributed their literary talent in more than one language. It is now considered that Singapore has four sub-literatures instead of one specific Singaporean literature.Some of the popular Singaporean writers are Aaron Lee, Muhammad Ariff Ahmad, Boe y Kim Cheng, Felix Cheong, Rohani Din, Goh Poh Seng, Ivy Goh Nair, Liang Wern Fook, Rex Shelley, Kirpal Singh, Robert Yeo, Huzir Sulaiman, Colin Tan, Cyril Wong, Arthur Yap, Yong Shu Hoong and James Villanueva..

Business Ethica(BA Business Management ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Ethica(BA Business Management ) - Essay Example It is important to respect others and to be tolerant of differences. Also essential to have good manners and avoid bad language at all costs. Also, essential to understand others feelings and not to hurt or hit others but work on dealing with issues in a more respectful and peaceful manner. c) Responsibilities: To be responsible, it is important to be perseverant, and to always give in the best for everything. Also, having self control and being self disciplined along with being accountable for choices and to think before acting, with a complete consideration of all consequences. d) Fairness: It is important to work based on rules and to share with others. Also important to be open minded and should be able to listen to others. It is also essential not to take advantage of others and to be very careful before blaming anyone. It is essential to also note that control systems need to be in place for effective ethics programs. Companies can use two types of control systems these include, a) Based on compliance, and b) based on values. The compliance based help in creating a more orderly behaviour and also ensures that the legal aspects are taken into account and complied with. The value based is more supported by the shared values and here the company can focus more on the company’s values rather than rules and regulations (Weston, 2010). Together with the control systems and the above mentioned points companies can build well developed ethics programs. There have been a number of arguments for and against the social responsibilities. Firstly, considering the arguments for social responsibility, include, creating better environment, considering the public expectations, and the long run profits, considering the ethical obligations, and public image. Social responsibility also allows a balance between responsibility and power and helps keep up with the shareholders interest and the possession of the resources. This also permits

Qustion 7.10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qustion 7.10 - Essay Example The rise of technology has enhanced communication across the world. In addition, the cost of internet has fallen down. The use of focus groups can be implemented by embracing video-conferencing, telephone calls and online interviews. Pepsi can use all the three avenues to reach more participants. Video-conferencing has emerged as a major channel for communication across international markets. As a result, people can communicate from different parts of the world. The approach would also enable the market research team at the global office to collect important data that would reveal significant information about the issue. Focus groups provide a great opportunity to generate honest feedback from the audience (Warner, 2014). The video recordings can be analyzed to examine the facial expressions of the participants. Although the cost of video-conferencing equipment is relatively high, it is easy to set up. Furthermore, it can enable the marketers to reach a wide reach of customers in dif ferent parts of the world. However, Pepsi will have to create an effective action plan for implementing this qualitative research methodology. Besides selecting qualified and experienced partners, it needs to select an appropriate sample size. Focus groups are usually limited in number. They usually involve six to twelve participants (Bryman & Bell, 2015). The organization can interview three different focus groups in each market. In addition, it should pay attention to the demographic and cultural factors. The participants must be diverse. Demographic and cultural factors influence consumer behavior (Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel, 2012). They should also have the ability to respond to the questions effectively. The organization may have to hire translators in order to communicate with participants who do not speak English. It is important to remember that transparency and accountability are

Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contract Law - Essay Example Since Standard Contracts display an inherent certainty, they leave no scope for ambiguity. The Supplier who has made the Standard Contract (Employers, Banks, Investors and other such people) can impose their own clauses. They impose their own clauses and are adamant about any proposed change by the client. What makes provisions in agreements â€Å"standard† is the failure of the client to negotiate them and the willingness of those artists to accept such an off-putting reply that something is â€Å"standard.† ( IVAN HOFFMAN, B.A., J.D.) There are of course many provisions that should be included in any thorough agreement even though many of those provisions and their internal components remain fully negotiable. But at the very least, money points, royalties, advances, reserves should be considered as fully fair game in all deals. Other agreed terms, whilst not mandatory, have been subject to agreement between the negotiating parties nationally and should not therefore n eed amending in any way at local level. There are only a small number of terms which will be particular to each practice and which will need to be tailored to reflect the agreement. In the present scenario there is precious little that the client can do. There are not too many legal instruments could be provided to the client against the supplier, who has prepared the Standard Contract. As a rule, the standard conditions are valid in most circumstances.

Financial analysis of Medtronic Inc Research Paper

Financial analysis of Medtronic Inc - Research Paper Example According to the research for every industry and every firm, marketplace responsibility is essential to maintain. The responsibility and accountability which medical sector holds is far more challenging than any other sector. A single incident of mistake from medicinal institution can rupture the reputation of the company. The case of Medtronic in regards to accountability and responsibility is much stronger as it has hardly encountered any severe case which would have violated the ethical standards. Medtronic Inc not only possesses leadership skills but also possess a strong marketplace in behaving with accountability and responsibility. This role of responsibility and accountability in marketplace reflects the integral role of suppliers and customers for the long term sustainability of Medtronic. Global quality strategy refers to maintaining the level of quality which is supplied at the global level. Some companies outperform others by providing the best possible quality to their p atients. This is the greatest strength which a medical firm can possess because it retains the existing number of customers. Being positive and trustworthy in the eyes of customer is very important in the field of medicine. The vision of Medtronic Inc is to sustain the quality of products, services, relationships and processes. In medical care, maintaining the quality of these concerns is integral. It is not only important for physicians but also for patients, hospital administrators and Medtronic’s performance and corporate reputation. ... The vision of Medtronic Inc is to sustain the quality of products, services, relationships and processes. In medical care, maintaining the quality of these concerns is integral. It is not only important for physicians but also for patients, hospital administrators and Medtronic’s performance and corporate reputation. The company has utilized systematic approach for maintaining quality which can be divided into risk management, centralized monitoring for quality processes and standards and resources for maintaining quality concerns globally. The company has expertise in maintain the quality of products which it offers including not medicines but therapies, equipments as well. This can be the major reason that in the subsequent mentioned SWOT analysis, the company has the lowest number of weaknesses which is a sign of a sustainable and peak performing firm. SWOT Analysis of Medtronic Inc SWOT analysis analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities which a firm fac es while operating its business. Strengths and weaknesses are normally referred to as related to the internal environment of business, whereas threats and opportunities are generally regarded as related to the external environment of the business. Strengths Strengths of a company determines its strong points which assists that company in carrying out it operations. Medtronic Inc possesses a strong market position. It is considered as the global market leader in medicinal industry. Another strength of this company is that the company offers wide range of products for almost every type of medicinal field. Medtronic Inc’s financial stability is its major strength. The company has great control over

Northern Rock PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Northern Rock PLC - Essay Example In this way the government, representing the taxpayers, may recoup its investment and the bank may be returned to the private sector. A bank that shows consistent profit is attractive to potential buyers. To do this its financial strategy must continue its plans of further restructuring its business model. It must reduce its capital costs base by better cost management. And while pursuing and adjusting to medium term growth, Northern Rock must focus on innovation and new markets, and continue to build on transparent and open communication with its stake-holders. Discussion Today, under Government ownership, Northern Rock Plc has kept together some 70 branches over which it must wield a steady hand toward corporate profit in the interest of its stakeholders, the taxpayers, and its depositors. Since its black day of 17 September 2007, when depositors were shown on worldwide TV queuing in long lines outside the bank to make their withdrawals, the bank has went through several stages of restructuring. The initial one was the takeover by the government. Throughout these restructuring processes, the bank has sought to rebuild a substantial market for its mortgage loans, a market that is different from the business plan that the bank had pursued before 2008. Previous to 2008 and after Northern Rock became public in 1997, the bank soon embarked on a risky business plan that was coupled to a flawed bank regulatory system. Since 1997 Northern Rock was regulated by the newly created Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA did not share any information it had with the Treasury or with the Bank of England who was responsible for monetary policy. Both the FSA and the Bank of England were slow to step in and stop Northern Rock’s demise. The FSA had, in June 2007, instead allowed Northern Rock to decrease its amount of required on-hand capital. This action exemplified the regulatory system that allowed the bank to overextend itself in the speculative mortgage deriva tive market. But even today the bank as a retail and savings bank must rebuild its image and processes in the same waters of financial risk. During the period of the default, Northern Rock’s business plan was based on securitizing mortgages in the short-term wholesale market to support its long-term longs. It was packaging multiple mortgage loans and selling them as bonds to investors. This business model had depended on stability in the mortgage securities market and the confidence of those who traded in the debt packages. When the housing prices begin to show full scale plummeting from speculated highs, lenders stopped extending rollover loans to Northern Rock and they eventually took their money from the bank. In August 2007 credit froze up in the bank liquidity market and Northern Rock could no longer sell bonds over the face of a broad liquidity freeze. It could not make any new loans. On August 13, 2007, the bank requested emergency funding from the Bank of England. It was only after the Chancellor of the Exchequer guaranteed all deposits at the bank in later September did the resulting bank run stop. The present Northern Rock Plc was created from The Northern Rock Transfer Order which on 1 January 2010 restructured the bank into two banks, Northern Rock Plc, the savings bank with new mortgages, and the Northern Rock Asset Management Plc (NRAM) (NRP, 2011). The latter took over the "toxic" mortgage assets and is concentrating in mortgage loans. North Rock Plc began its

Cause and Effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Cause and Effect - Essay Example However, there is also an underlying anxiety about entering a new and unfamiliar world full of new challenges; and a hint of doubt about one’s ability to manage so many new challenges. Suddenly being pitched from the comfort of familiarity into a bewildering world inhabited by people from different cultures and communities – a world full of innumerable choices and temptations could be daunting. Another factor to be considered is that parents too are proud of the achievements of their youngster and getting ready to give him/her more freedom albeit with a touch of anxiety. Under these circumstances, living with parents during one’s college years can have many benefits both for the parents as well as the student. A student on the threshold of college life looks forward to an exciting new phase of independence and new and varied experiences. However, transition from high school to college could be tough; considering that one suddenly is looked upon as a responsible adult. However the freedom one has from strict parental control can be very welcome. Yet, freedom brings with it the weight of responsibility too when one has to take the consequences of one’s actions. Juggling finances and striking the right balance between academics and the hectic social and co-curricular activities, and yet making time to focus on studies in order to get good grades, cannot be easy. The sudden exposure to new people, who may be from varied cultures and backgrounds, new ways of learning when one cannot depend on notes given by teachers, and a different social and cultural life, can be overwhelming. Choosing new friends with common interests and adding others who can aid in your personal development are exciting and fun but can drain one physically and emotionally. Hence having the familiarity of family to comeback to everyday can be a huge relief. One can get gradually acclimatized to new responsibilities and a new social and academic culture while still

Women in Psychology Essay Example for Free

Women in Psychology Essay Inez Beverly Posser (1895-1934) was America’s first Black female psychologist. Not only is this significant in itself, it is also the adversity she overcame growing up to get there. And later, in the profound research in her dissertation that caused controversy as well as groundbreaking discoveries regarding education and integration vs. segregation as it relates to psychology. Inez was born into a family with 10 other siblings where she attended â€Å"schools for colored† in Texas. Since her family was poor, it was decided early on that they could only afford to send the oldest child (a son named Leon) to college, and once graduated that he would pave the way financially to help his siblings to attend college. However, it was apparent that Inez’s desire to attend college was greater than her brothers. Leon realized this and persuaded his parents to send her to college instead. Inez attended a historically black college at Prairie View AM University. With a two year certificate she began to teach elementary school and then worked as a teacher at a high school. (this teaching experience, I’m sure, will prove influential in her later research topic, where she addressed segregated vs. integrated public schools). She went on to finish her Bachelors Degree at Samuel Houston college in 1926. To attend graduate school she was forced to leave Texas due to segregation. Undeterred, she completed her Master’s degree at the University of Colorado and in 1933 she received her PhD in psychology at the University of Cincinnati. The first female African American to achieve this degree. What makes Inez a pioneer in psychology was the fact that she was the first female African American to earn her PhD in psychology in America. Coupled with her research and study of segregated vs. integrated schools, of which she did her dissertation. Her conclusions  from that research, caused much controversy with the citizens as well as amongst her peers. (para 6) It is in this research where she concluded that black school children fare far better in black schools than they do in integrated schools. Her findings were controversial in their time. It is interesting to note that her conclusions of this study came decades before the Brown vs. Board of Education Court decision in 1954. In fact, even before the Civil Rights movement took hold across the country. (online: Civil Rights Timeline, authors: Brunner Haney, 2007). She had some support from other prominent African American figures of that time. One of those prominent figures that reluctantly agreed with her research was W.E.B. Dubois, believing that until the prejudicial attitudes of the white teachers against black students changed, only then would integrated schools be a positive environment for black students. (Americas First Black Female Psychologist,† 2008, p.1 para 6) In her research, through a psychological perspective, she examined self-esteem and personality variables in the African American middle school students attending integrated schools, and the African American middle school students attending segregated schools in the Cincinnati area. In her conclusion she found that black children in schools with black classmates being taught by black teachers fared far better than the students alike in the integrated schools. Even more astounding, â€Å"she found that the children from the integrated schools experienced more social maladjustment, felt less secure in their social relations, and had less satisfactory relations with their families. They were also more likely to feel inferior at school, had less satisfactory relationships with their teachers and were more eager to leave school early.†( Americas First Black Female Psychologist,† 2008, p.1 para.5). Why did Inez’s research and conclusion cause such controversy? There are many  different views that can be drawn on the research and conclusions. First, since Inez was African American herself, this may have conflicted within her African American community. Why? Since African Americans have been struggling for equal rights and equality in education, this would seem to go against what her own race has been struggling to achieve. On the surface it would appear that way. However, her research was from a psychological perspective that had not yet been considered or researched. Ironically, her conclusions in her study in her dissertation could also be useful as the topic of desegregation that did not come along until decades after her study. The question that was answered even before its time, is how desegregation would effect the students themselves. Would this have a positive or negative effect on their education? If equality was to be reached in the public school system wouldn’t this have to also mean that the African American students would also fare better than in integrated schools? What’s the use in achieving desegregation if it is going to have such a negative impact on the African American students? If you will notice, the word â€Å"integrated† is used in place of â€Å"desegregation† in her study since desegregation had not yet even been addressed! As you can imagine, many different views, arguments, and psychological perspectives can be drawn from Inez’s research and conclusions on integrated schools vs. segregated schools. Hence, any time a psychological study can stir controversy, arguments, or ideas within the psychology community, that in itself proves it is a study of great significance! At a time when prejudice ran deep, where women were trying to gain equality, and segregation was still in force; most citizens would not even consider or given much thought on such a controversial topic as segregation vs. integration. Nor was there ever any studies, that I am aware of, as to how it affects the students themselves. Inez was way beyond her time in not  only her acceptance as a psychologist by her peers, but in her dissertation where she voiced her results of the study. She was a pioneer for Black women in the field of psychology. Sadly, Inez’s life was cut short in a tragic car crash near Shreveport, La. after returning from a visit with her family in Texas. She was 38 years old at the time of her death. (An approximation, since her actual birth date is unknown) Thankfully, she was able to help six of her siblings financially to attend college, and was instrumental in helping many black students in gaining college funds for college and graduate school. (para 8) Since her untimely death at such a young age, it begs one to wonder, how much more she could have contributed to the field of psychology? The inscription on her tombstone reads: â€Å"How Many Hopes Lie Buried Here†. I guess this is a question that is the sentiment of many. Afterthought In reading her conclusions of her research, coupled with a previous experience, I can see that this makes sense: Coming from an all white school myself growing up, it was only when I entered high school did I encounter one black student who attended our school. I later befriended him and he explained to me that he came from an â€Å"all Black† school, but due to a move from an â€Å"all Black† area, he was transferred here. He voiced his feelings of inferiority. Not only did he feel he did not â€Å"fit in†, he wanted to go back to the â€Å"all Black† school. What is significant to mention is that he was also well behind his classmates in his studies when he arrived at the high school. This is important because it makes it clear that the â€Å"all Black† school was inferior in the education he was receiving. Since he started out behind the rest of the students, it was a constant struggle to get his grades even up to a C. This seems to conclude that the Black schools coupled with poorer neighborhoods tend to lack in the better education that is offered in the all white, upper class neighborhoods. That in itself is an inequality that I observed through this student. Despite the fact that he knew this school afforded him a better education than he was receiving, he still did \not want to be here and wanted to go back to his old school where he â€Å"fit in†. As I read Inez’s conclusion, through my experience with my Black friend, I feel it further enforced her findings.

Globalization And Its Impact On Malaysia Media Essay

Globalization And Its Impact On Malaysia Media Essay In 1985, the term of globalization was first used by Theodore Levitt. He characterizes the vest changes that had taken places in the international economy over last two to three decades. The rapid and pervasive economic and financial changes had taken place in production, consumption and investment globally. Globalization can generally refer as a process or widening economic integration. Thus globalization increase the economic openness and growing economic interdependence between countries around the world economy. Furthermore, the process are involves the increment of peoples movement, goods, capital across the national borders and services. All of this has been made possible by revolutions in communications, information and other technologies as well as important political changes. In other word, globalization typically refers to the process by which different economies and societies become more closely integrated, and concurrent with increasing worldwide globalization. Globalizations can generate wealth to the country and it definitely can bring the economy of the country to the highest points. Furthermore, globalization draws peoples closer together, and offers many of us choices. It also enables us to produce more efficiently, effectively and it allows us, at least some of us to improve the quality of life. However, if globalization can generate wealth, for sure it can take it back. For sure, not everyone is happy about globalization because it brings the negatives impact to country as well. Globalization allows rich and powerful outside business interests to intrude into the local culture and they are attend to overrides local traditions and for sure it has threatens a way of life. The cultural and religious of the society has effected and threatens because of globalization. In industrialized and developing countries, many people have felt threatened and they are threatened by the globalization. A globalized economy presents a myriad of challenges for the peoples such as in the form of protecting local cultures and environment as well as local jobs. Globalization also tends to impact the national security of the world. This close integration of the countries in the world in the global system has wide implications or ramifications toward national security. The effects of the globalization on national security is the world has created a new international law which were stripped the nation-state from its sovereignty and also made the neutrality moot, political and economic integration. Because of this, it tends to increase the tension in the international system as neither geography nor national policy offers much protection. With this, national security question has created because of the globalization. In addition, the globalization also can impact the human work for the whole world. The most important factor that effect the changing in work is technological, so the changes due to the world-wide and wholesale introduction of new information technologies (NIT) is particularly important impacts when promoting and speeding up globalization, in part of recurrently influencing work settings. However, world-wide changes in technology not only induce changes in work places but occupational structure and the professions in company have dramatic changes too. The process of globalization is one of the most critical developments that will affect the evolution of national economies. Since, globalization offers participating countries a new opportunities for accelerating growth and development, unfortunately, at the same time, it also poses challenges to and imposes constraints on policy makers in the management of national, global economic systems and also regional. So, globalization may impact the worlds poor and making the people of the world become very poor which are making the world unbalanced. At last, we know that the greatest challenge we have face today is to ensure that globalization becomes a positive forces which can helps the worlds people, instead of leaving billions of them behind in squalor. Inclusive globalization must be built on the great enabling force of the market, but market forces alone will not achieve it. It requires a broader effort to create a shared future for worlds people based upon our common humanity in all its diversity. Section 2 : Discuss Current Key Issues (Lee Tsun Chieh 1071113009) Differential aspects of globalization Economy After Malaysias independence, Malaysia has been one of the most globalized developing countries. Globalization is one of the major factors to Malaysias phenomenal economic development and growth. In addition, Anwar lbrahim had said that globalization has done us a good service and especially in the economic sector. [1] In 1992, Malaysia had offered to reduce the tariffs on 79% of imports ,however, non-tariffs has converted into tariffs, mainly for import licenses involving approval permits(APs). With this, Malaysia has benefited from increased manufactured exports and consumer welfare has been improved. On the other hand, Malaysias Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio has increased, the trade liberalization decreasing, and indicating the increase in economic liberalization year by year. In facts, the globalization has directly improving the economics of Malaysia. Similarly like what Stiglitz said (2009), who defined globalization as closer integration of countries and people of the wor ld and the growing importance of internationally active corporation moving capital, goods, and technology across borders.[2] Economic liberalization has in indirectly made the economy increasingly susceptible to external shocks, and undermined the expansion of domestic industrial capacity and capability. Malaysia has incurring trading losses from RM 809 million in 1961 to RM 53,691 million in 1997, this will led to a decrease in the export purchasing power, and also will reduced the quantity of imports into Malaysia. Method of Communication From the angle of technology, the technological innovation lead to a lot of convenient especially the communications technologies, such as fiber optics, electronic mail and also particularly satellite communications, all these discover made their life easier and they be able to communicate all around the world because of the revolutionary innovation. On the other hand, it enable cost saving for internal communication and reduce the travelling costs. By internet, the able to support the business online and reduce the capital expenses and also the maintenance costs. Technology Technology always is the important impact of the globalization, and technological innovation also part of promoting and speeding up globalization, it also used to recurrently influencing work settings. Nowadays the technological advances occur rapidly and all around the world, some of the industry has responded by forming joint ventures, overseas research and development organization and etc. All the new organization will speed up the world technological innovation and help them own county develop to globalization and this interaction will continue. To make sure the technological innovation keep going on and without influence the working setting, our country try the best to globalization it. Examples transfer of technology through licensing, creation of new business and also joint ventures. All these interactions had been done to increased the number of subsidiaries of the multinational corporations and have created new strategic alliances. In the twentieth century, which machines have increasing rapidly and replaced the skills of workers nowadays. In a production process in which science and technology are central, knowledge and not skill defines the process.[3] Now most of the university employees spend few hours in a day in front of the computer screens. They linked to their colleagues through internet services to find out their needs. National Security The impact of globalization on nationals security is complex. Furthermore, it could be affecting the political and economic conditions within the states. However, the impact of globalization is not necessarily negative. Some of the participants have argued that some ways the forces of globalization have brought about greater stability in the region. For example, Johor-Riau-Singapore triangle in Southeast Asia, these countries have reduced the conflicts between them and they have give some cooperate between each of them. Nevertheless, the impact on globalization on the national security environment is not fully positive. Globalization may actually serve to aggravate long-standing tensions. This is the challenges to the whole world and many of these are represent long-term threats which have traditionally fallen outside the realm of foreign policy. In fact, in the last 11 years, the US interference in Malaysia economy had threats of economic sanctions under the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) on the PETRONAS. This issue is to pressure Malaysia to tow along the line set by its foreign policy in the New World Order.[4] In addition, the foreign interference that increased in Malaysias internal affairs had demonstrated by the Anwar. However, USA-led was tried to inflame the Anwar-Mahathir conflict in order to erode the confidence of international community on Malaysias political stability in the Malaysias internal affairs. [1] With this, we know that the economic interdependence has a political price which is either delegating some nation authority to a common international institution like World Bank and IMF or increased the vulnerability. Cultural For the cultural aspect, globalization means the changes in term of the way of living among people in the community. Hallak (2000) [5] in this regard states that globalization has produced two discrepant phenomena; standardization and diversification. Standardization refers to similarity in eating habits, clothes, and cultural products whereas diversification is more about encouragement in accessing the multiple nature of world heritage. The process of cultural globalization would not be smooth without the help of advanced communication technologies. Scientific and advanced technology of communication plays a vital role in disseminating a certain culture throughout the world. Mohamed and Musa (1999) [6] noted that the communication media, especially television and the Internet, are the tools to spread out diverse cultures and lifestyles which mostly come from Western societies. The society is exposed to the Pepsi lifestyle, McDonalds, Hollywood and Bollywood movies. Globalization, in short it creates similarities and differences in the cultural. Mobility Mobility can be characterising into tourism and migration. For past, to travelling world-wide is hard to accept because of the travel fee is too expensive. But nowadays, the international tourism has become one of the target and fastest growing business sectors in many countries. The cheap air travel and enticing tourist infrastructures have made it possible and interesting also for that low income population to make vacation far away from here. Example AirAsia airline always comes out with a lot of offer and package for us with affordable price, with that kind of promotion, the low income family have the chance to do more vacation. Section 3 : Case Study and Discussion (Tan Jin Sheng 1071113007) From our questionnaire survey, there are 50 students have participated. There are 25 students are male and another 25 students are female. There are 45 students are Malaysian and 5 students are non Malaysian. All of the students that participated are at the range of age at 18-29. All of them are single and none of them are in married. There are 39 students doing their degree and 11 students doing their diploma. There are 30 students are from FET, 10 students are from FBL and another 10 students are from FIST. From the pie chart above, we found out that there 66% of students are understood about the meaning of globalization. Most of the students believe that the globalization will bring benefits to them and also our countries. Part of the students does not know well the meaning of globalization because they seldom access to the media, and also internet. For the students who know because they learn it from the syllabus of studies and the access to the media frequently, like reading newspaper or access to internet every day. On the other hand, they also able to list out the impact of globalization and important of it toward Malaysia. Example, globalization enables fast growth in economic and decentralization of production, rapid development of urban centres, and etc. Of course globalization also bring us a lot negative impact like increasing inequality and poverty, negative use of labour flexibility particularly for easy hire and fire, and etc. For further improvement, our government need to take action to minimize the negative impact due to globalization. From the pie chart above, we found out that most all students are think that the technology, economy and the method of communication will have impact in Malaysia. Mostly all of them think that the impact will come in the positive form for example we invented new technology, we have more convenience way to communication and more people will become rich. In facts, when our county has good economy, it definitely will make the people rich, when we are rich, we can have better live and quality life. In addition, they think that we will have a good way or convenience way to communication with each other when globalization in Malaysia has growth fast likes others country. Technology are the one of the main impact of globalization, it development in science and technology in order to fast growth in technology sector. Technological innovation is the part of promoting and speeding up globalization, it also going to replace the skills of workers nowadays. So, from this survey, we found out that most of the students can understand what is globalization is, however they wish that our country can be globalized and become more developed country in Asia as well as in the world. Furthermore, we also can see that most of the students can only see the appearance impact when Malaysia is globalized, in facts, there are more aspect that will impact in Malaysia when Malaysia are globalized. So, these kinds of information are importance to the people of Malaysia in order to be a developed country in the world. Section 4 : Conclusion and suggestion for Improvements (Kishok nair a/l vijaya seharan 1071118515) Suggestion for Improvements Globalization in general humanitarian sense must be understood as creating a situation where people nations all over the globe come closer and closer with lesser lesser conflict and greater greater prosperity. During globalization, there are a lot of impact occurs within our nation, there have positive and also negative impacts which will bring a lot of benefit and also disadvantages to our life and country. So, we as the nation of Malaysia play an important role to minimize the bad impact. Example, we need to have ethical behaviour to treat or serve everything around us, not just being ethical behaviour but we need to put effort to do it also. The government also the important role, government need come out a lot of action like promote by advertisement, do campaign and etc. All the action taken by the government will make the nation aware of their attitude and they will review themselves if they found it wrong. Besides that, government also can come out certain plan to archive Ma laysia ideal achievement, examples like Tenth Malaysia Plan on Globalization. The related ideas in the plan was leveraging on our diversity internationally, nurturing, attracting and retaining top talent, supporting effective and smart partnerships and etc. Currently Malaysia are using the critical discursive strategies like mimicry, hybridity, representation and orientalism, this has been able to selectively appropriate fragments of modernity via its embrace and successful prosecution of the free market laced with an Asian cultural flavour enabling it to portray itself as a successful Asian market economy.  In so doing, it has allowed Malaysia to transform itself from a relatively passive object into an active subject broaching issues of pan-Islamic practices and thought, global inequalities, human rights, the environment and social, cultural and political representations of developing countries and/or the third world.[7] Conclusion As the spread of globalization, globalization has increasingly become a specific economic strategy pursued for many of the countries in the world in order to re-exert their position and influence over those other countries. However, in Malaysia, we should know about the globalization maybe will gives us the positive impact and also the negative impact. Then what we want to do is to ensure that globalization can bring us more positive impact instead of negative impact. So, we should improve or to achieve the 10th Malaysia plan on globalization in order to be a fully globalized country. At last, globalization may become a key to success or a key to become a developed country; however, it may also become a key to failure the country when the country cannot manage it well.

Developing Competent Reader In Classroom

Developing Competent Reader In Classroom The definitions of read and reading from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English are: Read means to look at the written words and understand what they are mean. Reading means the activity of understanding the written words. There is a vast literature on the definition of reading. According to Spache and Spache (1969) there were a variety of definitions of reading due to the complexity and successive stages of reading development. Reading can also be described in a variety of headings such as reading for skill development, as a visual act, as a perceptual act as a reflection of cultural background and a thinking process. On the other hand, Williams (1984) defined reading as a process in which a reader looks at a text and understands what has been written. He further stated that reading does not mean a person needs to understand everything he reads because people read for different reasons and purposes. Reading by itself seems easy and simple but many studies have been carried out to show with scientific evidence that the act of reading is actually a very complicated process. According to Ponnusamy (1997), the first important description of reading and its process can be traced back as early as 1917 by Thorndike, a psychologist who coined reading as reasoning. The process of reading can best be described in an analogy written by Thorndike (1917) as cited in Ponnusamy (1997: 21) in which he described the reading process as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦understanding a paragraph is like solving mathematics. It consists of selecting the right element of situation and putting them together in the right relations, and also within the right amount of weight or influence or force for each. The mind is assailed as it was bothered by every word in the paragraph. It must select, repress, soften, emphasize, correlate organize all under the influence of the right mental shape or purpose or demand. Thus, it appears that reading an explanatory or argumentative paragraph involves the same sort of organization and analytic action of ideas as those that occur in thinking supposedly higher sorts. ii) Definition of Competent Reader: In response to this question is how the term competent can technically have slightly different meanings for different individuals and families. The basic definition is that not only reading on a regular basis, but picking up at least some of the underlying message of what youre reading. If youre reading more for pleasure than work or school, then the key for competency is that youre enjoying the story and feeling like youre truly diving into the universe of the story when reading it. But as I just said, this term is one of those that is a fluid scale of meanings, so this is all just one point of view. In the English progression maps, the competent reader is briefly characterized as being able to read between the lines, seeing meaning that isnt stated directly and to deploy a wide range of active strategies to find and read texts for different purposes. Pupils who are becoming competent readers have secured sufficient reading strategies, such as phonics, contextual cues, word attack skills and sense of grammar, to tackle new and unfamiliar texts, with confidence, on their own. While they may still read hesitantly on occasions, they possess sufficient self-help strategies to hear their errors and self correct when necessary. They not only scan ahead to tackle longer, complex sentences; they are beginning to look beyond the sentence to paragraphs, chapters and whole text layout. Pupils at this stage read for meaning and are willing participants in the imaginative world of the text, visualizing, empathizing, and making judgements about what they read. 1. The Importance of Developing Competent Reader in Classroom Reading is a habit to be developed by oneself and it cannot be taught by teachers. Reading is an interactive process between the readers and the text. Knowledge means a deep understanding of topics and the language that the reader has acquired. The more the student reads the more are the chances of becoming a good reader. Teachers should implement various strategies in schools to bring individuals with good reading skills, for which he proposed extensive reading of easy and interesting books that would create interest in students to read and simultaneously improve vocabulary. In countries such as Malaysia, the challenges for any student writers of English are indeed great. In addition to having to learn to write (and write to learn) to meet the conventions and requirements of writing in the target language, they are expected to demonstrate a high level of linguistic competence to convey the intended message in their writing. In other words, to become competent writers, not only do they need to have a clear idea of the macro or top-down features that make the text cohere with other texts of the same discourse genre, they also need to be able to draw upon the relevant linguistic resources at the micro or bottom-up level to make the particular piece of writing cohesive (Celce-Murcia Olshtain, 2000). Within the literacy community, there are two distinct but complementary perspectives on reading development. The first perspective, prevalent in several well publicized documents and federal legislation (e.g., Snow, Burns, Griffin, 1998), deals almost exclusively with the early period of reading development, what might be described as emergent literacy. This early period is unquestionably a critical time in reading development, and there are virtually libraries devoted to basic dimensions of reading acquisition, including phonological awareness, vocabulary, and fluency (Adams, 1990) Yet, there is another view of reading development that extends well beyond the initial period of basic skill and process acquisition. This perspective looks at reading as a long-term developmental process, at the end of which the proficient adult reader can read a variety of materials with ease and interest, can read for varying purposes, and can read with comprehension even when the material is neither easy to understand nor intrinsically interesting. This particular orientation does not discount the emergent literacy view, but subsumes it as a first step in lifespan development. It is this second perspective of reading development-one less addressed in public and political rhetoric, legislation, and educational policies-that we examine here. Specifically, it is the goal to investigate how reading develops across the lifespan by building on the vast literatures in developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, expertise, motivation, and domain-specific learning, as well as reading research. There are important educational benefits accrued by viewing reading within such a lifespan developmental framework. For one, it helps us to consider the changes and challenges students and adults face once they journey beyond the early elementary grades. Currently, there is an increased awareness that more must be done to understand the nature of adolescent literacy (Alvermann et al., 1996; Moje, 2000) and adult literacy (Kruidenier, 2002; Nist Holschuh, 2000). The more we understand about adolescents and adults continued development as readers, the better we can provide for them. The approaches and interventions suitable for young readers taking their first steps toward reading competence are not likely to work for older children, adolescents, or adults, even if they still struggle to make sense of print (Alvermann, 2001). Not only have these adolescents and adults changed cognitively, physically, and socially, but the in-classroom or at-work literacy demands they face have changed as well (Nist Simpson, 2000). A lifespan developmental perspective would not stop in the early years or attend only to those who have yet to acquire the most basic skills or processes. Rather, it would consider reading from womb to tomb; that is, for all populations and for all phases of reading growth. If teachers understood the nature of changes that should occur in readers as they progress toward competence, and if teachers had some idea of the problems that might arise during that journey, then they could better formulate interventions or craft educational materials that might circumvent problems or ameliorate their effects (Pressley, 2001). For example, students motivations for reading are critical forces in sustaining their continued growth and development in the domain of reading (Guthrie Wigfield, 2000). Thus, educational programs intent on supporting students long-term reading development should give ample consideration to such motivational variables, including students interests and goals. 2. The Competent Reading Framework This reading framework is designed to emphasize on the active and interactive nature of reading. The aim of the COMPETENT reading framework is to develop COMPETENT, independent readers. The content and utility of two models of reading comprehension tests, the basic skills assessment model and the multiple choice cloze (MCC) model, are discussed. The basic reading competency model assesses the ability to read or infer basic meanings from a range of written or symbolic communication, as is necessary for daily living in this society. This limited analysis of the basic competency model suggests some degree of positive practical impact of the test; applications of this model are illustrated. Criticisms of this model state that such a test is not theoretically based, nor objectively reproducible, nor does it yield scores that provide detailed diagnostic guidance in the instructional process. The multiple choice cloze (MCC) technique was developed as one expression of the literal comprehension construct, viewed as the basic skill underlying the readers ability to infer explicit meanings from written language. Items in the test are objectively developed and derived from a theoretical framework, thus providing guidelines for interpreting the resulting test scores. Current developments suggest that these test results can be used to identify the kinds of materials that readers can comprehend at the literal level for specific purposes. The test also appears to offer a diagnostic capability with fairly clear-cut instructional implications 3. The Benefits of Competent Reading Framework. There are several key aspects of the Competent Reading Framework made it so effective in helping students to improve their own selves. Such as: Comprehensive Schools come to establish two to three hours of daily literacy instruction across all content areas Schools utilize a framework for addressing four important learning components: comprehension, fluency, word knowledge, and writing Professional development includes instruction, lesson planning, and evaluation and assessment of students Capacity Building Teachers become better prepared to plan and implement instruction that addresses students strengths and needs Teachers learn to choose research-based strategies that lead to increased student achievement Professional development extends to the administration to assure support of teachers efforts to improve literacy instruction Flexible The Framework is not a scripted program or commercial product, so it can be shaped to local contexts to better meet the needs of students School personnel can match their own styles, curricula, and materials to Framework guidelines All activities and staff development are designed collaboratively with each school Effective Adoption of the Framework has helped many schools accomplish remarkable gains in school reading achievement (Preliminary Analysis of an Innovative Framework for School Reading, National Science Foundation, 2001) This project was adopted system-wide in 2001 by the Chicago Board of Education and is now implemented in 600 Chicago schools, with 26,000 teachers, serving 437,000 students annually The Framework principles are consistent with recent finding of the National Reading Panel, and has been so effective that it is now used by hundreds of schools across the nation Services for Helping Schools The Chicago Reading Framework Project offers schools a wide range of possibilities to choose from when deciding on services. Schools can customize their professional development services by selecting from the following options: Ongoing Support School-wide support to implement the Reading Framework, focusing instruction on comprehension, fluency, word knowledge, and writing Consultations to assist teachers in developing more opportunities for reading and writing within language arts/reading and across the content areas Support for teachers in differentiating their instruction to meet the needs of heterogeneous classrooms Follow-up coaching to teachers that includes classroom observations, support within the classroom, in-class modeling of instructional strategies that support Framework guidelines, oral and/or written feedback, and co-planning to meet the needs of students Analysis of available student data to identify focused, measurable objectives, as well as appropriate instructional strategies to meet those objectives Participation in grade level meetings to present additional, grade-appropriate strategies and information Workshops Professional development that addresses the following key reading elements: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension, and writing Workshops on a variety of topics such as assessment and evaluation, motivation, standards-based curricula, content area literacy, classroom management, among others Full day or half day workshops, developed in conjunction with reading specialists to address school needs, are available for the whole faculty Combine sound theory and practical classroom application to help teachers understand why and how to effectively utilize suggested ideas and strategies Include modeling, guided practice, and comprehensive materials to help teachers fully grasp what they learned during workshops and apply it in their own classrooms Leadership Consulting with administrators, reading specialists, and teachers to analyze school wide literacy efforts and determine long- and short-term goals Advising the principal and administrative team to assure consistent implementation of the Reading Framework across grade levels Assisting school leadership with monitoring and support of teachers efforts Encouraging teachers to support one another and take more of a leadership role themselves Collaborating with Reading Specialist and administrative team regarding techniques to address literacy improvement across the school Assessment and Evaluation Evaluation of all aspects of reading instruction and make recommendations for change when necessary Analysis of standardized test and other assessment data to guide plans for school improvement Periodic surveys and checklists for teachers and administrators to both assess the progress made toward goals and to determine future techniques to meet school and classroom objectives Training to assist teachers in interpreting multiple assessments to better address the instructional needs of students Regular classroom visits to collaborate with teachers to analyze their use of instructional time and strategies for reading instruction across the curriculum. 4. The Challenges and Potential Problems in Developing Competent Reader Reading is a very important skill as it is recognized as a necessary part of obtaining a better job and access to literature and knowledge. However, reading in a foreign language such as English might be a problem for some people. Snow, Burns and Griffin (2006) claim that there are three potential stumbling blocks in reading namely the difficulty in understanding and using the alphabetic principle, the failure to transfer the comprehension skills of spoken language to reading and the lack of motivation and appreciation for reading. They further add that children who face early reading problem lack prior knowledge and relevant skills such as the ability to produce words, the ability to distinguish sounds, the ability to master the mechanics of reading and the ability to identify letters. This difficulty leads to low motivation and can be problematic for language teachers as the motivation of needing to read is powerful (Nuttal, C, 1996 : 3). Nevertheless in order to help children to read it is important to get them to read extensively. Nuttal further adds that the latter is the easiest and most effective way of improving the reading skills. During reading, students may have difficulty decoding, and so have difficulty reading the words of their texts accurately. In addition, these students read too slowly, or lack fluency. As a result of their slow, la ­bored reading, they often do not comprehend much of what they read, and the attention they have to give to figuring out the words keeps them from understanding the text. All too often these students lack sufficient background knowledge about the topic of a text. They may have trouble connecting the ideas of a text. They often are not familiar with the vocabulary they encounter, and have trouble determining word meanings. Further, even when the students pos ­sess relevant background knowledge, they frequently are not able to acti ­vate it to help them understand what they read. Some readers also are unaware of text organization. They do not know enough about the organizational structure of narratives or the vari ­ous organizational structures of expository texts to help them read and un ­derstand. After reading, these students typically do not think about or reflect upon what they have read. They almost never seek out additional information about a topic. The cumulative effect of these difficulties is that they often lose confidence in their ability to read. Because reading is difficult for them and they cannot and do not read widely. As a result, they are exposed too much less text and so receive much less practice reading. Further, the practice they do receive is often frustrating, because many of the texts they are asked to read are too difficult for them. 5. The Ways to Instil More Interest in Reading among the Learners Theorists, psycholinguists and linguists have given many opinions pertaining to reading and the process of reading. Many agree that reading is a complex area (Ehri, 2001; Snow, Burns and Griffin, 2006). In the process of reading, the reader constructs meaning from written texts. In reading, readers go through certain processes. These processes are explained through the three reading models namely bottom-up, top-down and interactive models of reading. The bottom-up model emphasizes on print, wherein the readers decode the print in the form of letters and words into text, into phonological representations before constructing meaning (Nooreiny Maarof, 1998). The top-down model suggests that the readers guess the meaning in the text by making predictions about the print and construction of meaning with the guidance of prior knowledge (Ibid, 1998). The interactive model, on the other hand, combines both the reading models mentioned earlier. According to this model, our reading is said to occur at various levels through the interaction of physical texts on the page and our mental concepts. This model of reading reflects the underlying theory that supports it, namely the schema theory. Schema Theory is actually our background knowledge at work in the process of language comprehension (Hadley, 2000). ESL teachers can create a reading habit among learners by selecting books which are enjoyable to read. The criteria for selecting texts must be readability (ie . suiting the linguistic level of the reader) and suitability of content (ie . suiting the intellectual needs of the reader) . When books are appealing in colour and illustrations with little intimidation in language and content, there will be sufficient motivation to met any novice readers appetite to read. Besides this the teacher could also have a set of class library books which students can borrow. Some learners, once provided with reading materials will read quite happily with no further encouragement from the teacher, others will require further incentives . One way the ESL teacher can help is by setting tasks after reading a book. This provides a useful feedback to the teacher as to who is reading the most books and which books are most popular. Tasks include providing a guided book review format that the reader has to fill upon completion of a book and a class reading chart listing all the titles of books read on the horizontal axis of the grid with names of students on the vertical axis ofthe grid. By plotting, the chart will indicate the general progress ofreading in the class . It will be a good idea to ask the readers to relate a little ofwhat they read and perhaps hold class discussions on the more popular books read. The texts that are given to students are simple and interesting and help them in adapting in literary texts. In the classroom we might have a class of mix ability students and not always all the students find the texts simple per say. Teachers have to do their extra homework to make the texts either simpler for the weaker students or more difficult for the good students. Just to make the texts interesting and stimulating arent enough. Teachers need to be a good role model in promoting healthy reading habits. When students see for themselves that the teachers read and are knowledgeable automatically students would want to be like them. In short, being a good role model is very vital in teachers profession. The texts also must suitable for each level but we cant say that the language or vocabulary is not too difficult. Private reading can be a rewarding and self-sustaining activity for them, worthy of the time and energy they invest in it. They see what reading has to offer them. Pupils who are securely established as competent readers read with understanding at a literal level and can also read beyond the text and between the lines. They infer and deduce both hidden and implied meanings and, even though their inferences may not always be securely rooted in the text, they generally make sense. Pupils at this level deploy a range of imaginative responses to text, such as empathy, prediction and speculation. They may compare the world of the text to their own experiences and are able to make simple comments about a writers viewpoint as well as the effect of the text on the reader. In both fiction and non-fiction texts, pupils are able to pick out relevant points, supporting them by some generally relevant textual reference or quotation as well as identifying and making simple comments about the writers use of language and organizational features. 6. The Strategies to Nurture the Reading Habit among Malaysian Learners In view of this, something has to be done to reduce and if possible, to totally eradicate illiteracy among students. Therefore, to start with, teachers must be seen as role models for the students to emulate. Teachers must read a lot in order to keep abreast with the fast-changing information age. Teachers should involve themselves in reading because according to Eskey (1986. p.21, cited in Renandya Jacobs, 2002): Readingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦must be developed, and can only be developed, by means of extensive and continued practice. People learn to read, and read better by reading. This view on extensive reading as a reading habit is also shared by Krashen (1993, p. 23, cited in Renandya Jacobs, 2002) that through reading we develop a good writing style, an adequate vocabulary, advanced grammar and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ becomes good spellers. Finnochiaro (1989) also suggests that teachers need to read to help facilitate their teaching-learning activity in the classroom as information obtained through their reading will help them keep in touch with current issues and to apply them in their classroom discussion. An effective teacher is a teacher who always keeps abreast with changes be it in teaching or learning aspects. In view of the above mentioned problems, the researcher would like to investigate the reading habits of teachers in the four schools. The poor reading habits among Malaysians can be seen in surveys conducted by the Ministry of Education on National Literacy in 1982 and 1996 (Kaur and Thiyagarajah, 1999). In the earlier survey, an average Malaysian citizen read a mere page or two a year whilst the later revealed an average of two books a year. In view of this, the research looked into the reading habits of teachers in four government-aided secondary schools (Mission Schools) in Kuching district. The study focused on the types of reading materials that they read, whether their teaching loads inhibit their reading habits, factors that influence their reading habits, time spent on reading and reasons for reading. Every one of us knows how to read, but how often we read and what kind of material we read? We cannot deny that reading is a very good habit, We can acquire the general knowledge by reading. That is why we are inculcated the reading habit by our parent and teachers since we are young. But, Malaysians have poor reading habit. Well, if you dont believe that, just check out the survey done by the National Library in 2005 to determine the profile of Malaysian readers. More than half of the 65,000 respondents answered that they read less than seven pages a day and those 10 years and above only read about two books a year. Now, it is the time to make the Malaysians realize the important of reading and make it as their habit. There are many reading materials around us, for example, newspapers, magazines and all kind of books. Maybe people feel that reading the words on the paper is a boring job in this technology century, therefore, a new kind of book is being created, that is, electronic book. The words are not lie on the papers anymore, but on the screen of computer and you can bring along it wherever you go. It is very convenience to the people nowadays, you just save the book you want to read in the computer, no matter how many of book you want to read, there is no the thick and heavy of the papers. Other than that, the government has already put effort into the programs that encourage the people to read more. Many programs have been organized, such as reading festival, reading campaign and so on. Although the efforts did not gain many supports from the public, we cannot deny the efforts were actually make an effect. Many of the people who were take part in those programs know the important of reading and make reading as their new habit now. Besides, the reading habit should be inculcated among kids. To do that, the role of parents and early education is very important. The parents must tell the children about the benefits of reading and make reading more interesting to draw their attention toward reading. Parents may read them a story before sleep and ask the child read the story in turn on the next day. In view of this problem, Malaysian Ministry of Education (MoE) attempts to implement more effective and efficient reading programs which are executed systematically and continuously via a long term program known as NILAM Program NP (Nadi Ilmu Amalan Membaca) or loosely translated as reading is the pulse of knowledge . Government schools or schools under MoE in Malaysia instructed to execute NP commencing from January 1999 in accordance to Circular Num.13/1998 dated 22 May 1998. NILAM: Concept Guide Book and Implementation in School published by Technology of Education Division, Ministry of Education of Malaysia (1998). The Education Ministry is widening the scope of the Nilam or Award to encourage more students from primary schools as well as secondary schools nationwide to read. The Nilam Award is a reading programme initiated by the Education Ministry in 1999 to inculcate the reading habit. Students are recognized at primary and secondary school levels according to the number of books they have read. To be awarded the Nilam Award at primary school level, students must read 360 books or more, while at secondary school level, they have to read 288 books and above. To qualify, students are required to record their reading activities in reading records. In turn, teachers must certify these records. Recognition is subsequently given to students based on the number of books they have read and reading activities, such as storytelling, that they have carried out. Other extensive reading programmes have also been implemented over the years such as Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading (USSR), Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) and the Book Flood Approach (Elley and Mangubahi, 1983 as cited in Renandya and Jacobs, 2002). The purpose of the programme is that readers read large quantities of books and other materials in an environment that nurtures a lifelong reading habit. While much effort has been put into reading campaigns and programmes, indication is that more and more Malaysians are not interested in picking up the habit. Malaysian students at the tertiary level have indeed shown our students poor regards for reading (Mohd Sallehudin 1994, as cited in Normah 2004). The recent, Read-a-thon Read2009 was to inculcate a love for reading and charity among the young. For the second year running, students throughout the country recently participated in Malaysias biggest reading marathon. This event was organized by Scholastic, the worlds largest publisher and distributor of childrens books. This years read-a-thon, titled Read2009: One Nation Reading Together, was supported by the Education Ministry and held in conjunction with its 1Malaysia Reading Camp. Read2009 was a simple name with a big message. Students read recreationally for 2009 seconds (33 minutes 29 seconds). Reading recreationally means that students choose a book of their choice, instead of regular school text. Students can read independently or together with their classmates and teachers. The objective of Read2009 is to inculcate students with a love of reading. The programme emphasizes recreation reading because students must be able to associate good feelings and pleasant memories with their reading experience; otherwise, it becomes a chore. Reading provides a valuable reinforcement of language and structures presented in the classroom. It also provides learners the opportunity to practice inferring meanings from the context where structures and vocabulary are unfamiliar. In addition, it enables the learner to reproduce mentally and vocally expressions and words present in any written form. Thus, consciously or unconsciously the learner begins to communicate effectively, using the knowledge acquired through reading. Extensive reading also provides the learner an opportunity to increase his reading speed, a skill rarely touched upon in the ESL classroom. As the student is reading for pleasure, chances are he will be eager to see what happens next and will therefore try to read faster. Moreover, as the learner is reading on topics that interests him, it increases his motivation and gives him a more positive attitude towards the target language. To acquire the habit of reading is to const

Smart Grid Benefits Essay -- reliability, cost savings, energy indepen

A smart grid is an electricity network according to digital technology that is utilized to supply electricity to consumers by using two-way digital communication. This system allows for observing, analysis, control and communication within the supply chain to help develop efficiency, decrease the energy consumption and cost, and maximize the translucence and reliability of the energy supply chain. The purpose of smart grid is to motivate consumer contribution in grid operations, also allows the electricity markets to arise and create business and also it can be healing itself and functioned more efficiently. Brief benefits and applications are to save energy, reduce prices and strengthen trustworthiness and reliability. And The Smart Grid will provide consumers information, control, and choices that allow them to involve in new electricity markets. The purpose of the report is to understand the concept of smart grids, and identify the applications, benefits and issues of smart grid This diagram shows that with renewable energy, consumers can create their own energy and right to use a 'greener' energy mix. Flexible distribution allows a more responsive and steady electrical network. Active energy efficiency and energy management create energy visible and permit individuals to perform on their consumption. Electric vehicles are revolutionizing the observation of mobility and, at the same time, access to energy, its use, and storage. Real-time grid management allows expectation of consumption and acclimation of the offer. Issues of existing grid The efficiency issues At managing peak load and energy savings, actually the new smart grid could have wonderful results on world economy. If the grid were just 5% more capabl... ...t must be supported by a smart and safe communications network, power utilities will have the infrastructure, applications and services required to deliver non-stop high quality power securely and efficiently. Smart system is consists of smart grid and smart meter operating mutually. This system is efficient as it is demand responsive, which automatically generates and offers appropriate amount of electricity to consumers. The consumers are able to control their own electrical bills at the end of each month by using the real time access which enables the users to determine the time and duration of appliances operations. And through that all, the smart grid is absolutely and definitely more useful for our life and future. Works Cited http://smartgridtech.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/sg-nature.jpg http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-38030-3_4

Michelangelo Buonarroti, the artist :: History

Michelangelo Buonarroti, the artist. "Arguably one of the most inspired creators in the history of art and, with Leonardo da Vinci, the most potent force in the Italian High Renaissance. As a sculptor, architect, painter, and poet, he exerted a tremendous influence on his contemporaries and on subsequent Western art in general." I choose this man because he is one of the more talents and known artists in the cultural family. Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564) Michelangelo, the second of five brothers was born on March 6, 1475, at Caprese, in Tuscany, to Ludovico di Leonardo di Buonarotto Simoni and Francesca Neri. The same day, his father noted down: "Today March 6, 1475, a child of the male sex has been born to me and I have named him Michelangelo. He was born on Monday between 4 and 5 in the morning, at Caprese, where I am the Podestà  ." When Michelangelo was a child, he met a boy, Francesco Granacci six years older than him, who was learning the art of painting in Ghirlandaio's studio, and Michelangelo found his own artist vocation. Michelangelo's father placed his 13-year-old son in the workshop of the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. After about two years, Michelangelo went on to study at the sculpture school in the Medici gardens and shortly thereafter was invited into the household of Lorenzo de' Medici, the Magnificent. Michelangelo's studies were: Painting, sculpture and Anatomy of the human body, (for this reason, the quality of his artwork, the perfection of the body in the sculpture and painting). Michelangelo was a very illustrated and intelligent boy, and his father always give him unconditional support. For these reasons, Michelangelo succeed. Michelangelo produced his first large-scale sculpture, the over-life-size Bacchus (1496-98, Bargello, Florence). Pietà   at the same time, Michelangelo also did the marble Pietà   (1498-1500), still in its original place in Saint Peter's Basilica. One of the most famous works of art, the Pieta was probably finished before Michelangelo was 25 years old. These two artworks of Michelangelo were the first ones and both are great works. While Michelangelo was occupied with the David (1501-1504) he receive a commission, paint a mural, the Battle of Cascina, destined for the Sala dei Cinquecento of the Palazzo Vecchio. With this work, he demonstrates his ability as a painter. In 1505 the Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to produce his tomb which was planned to be the most magnificent of Christian times.