History Genocide Alert in Sudan Essay

Recently, newspapers and journals discussed the plight of the millions of people of Sudan as there has been the government sponsored genocide. This victimization of a few people has been discussed in the press as well as in the various websites. These various forums have condemned the atrocities committed against the innocent people. Hence, at different levels one can find the call for alert regarding the indiscriminate killing of large number of the people in Sudan. The Sudanese government has indirectly and sometimes directly sponsored the atrocities committed against the civilians. The government has encouraged the local militias to loot, murder and rape the innocent people in the southern region of Sudan. They have attacked the churches, buildings providing relief to the victims, and the market places. Ethnic and tribal warfare in the southern Sudan has been encouraged in order the keep the south divided. The government has destroyed the food supplies which have led to the death of large number of people due to starvation. People are persecuted based on their race, ethnicity, and religion. The main reason for this atrocity is that these people have opposed the imposition of extreme form of Islamic law. The government has been persecuting non Islamic and non Arabic people in an attempt to destroy those people who were politically opposed to the plans of the government. An important reason for this persecution is the attempt to control the oil fields which have been owned by the victims of the genocide atrocities. In fact, after the government signed agreements with the foreign oil companies, the atrocities against the civilians have increased. The government has used all the armaments and military vehicles to destroy the villages and areas inhabited by those people who opposed the government policies. Consequently, many civilians have been forced to leave their land as their villages, lands, churches, and schools have been destroyed due to the bombings. This government attempt to clear these lands has been termed as â€Å"scorched earth strategy†. (Survivors’ Rights International, 2001) However, the new settlements of displaced Sudanese have been earmarked for the future oil exploration which would imply that in the future the government may attack the people in this region. With the help of this genocide, the government has been able to multiply its oil revenues. However, a major part of this revenue has been spent on military machinery. Unfortunately, the government of Sudan believes that it can win the war with the help of oil money. This has led to killing of more than 2 million people. In addition to this, 4 million people have suffered internal displacement. Another 3 million people are facing starvation. In such a situation, international community including USA should pressurize the Sudanese government to stop its atrocities. (Survivors’ Rights International, 2001) The victims have argued that the government of Sudan has targeted the â€Å"blacks† as there is attempt to destroy the all the black population. This shows the racial and ethnic discrimination of the government actions. In the region of Darfur, even now thousands of people are dying due to the military attack and food shortage. This genocide has been noted by the US government agencies, international human rights bodies, and the United Nations. The displaced people are afraid of returning to their homeland because they are afraid of persecution. The Sudanese government has mainly attacked the Africans belonging to Fur, Zaghawa, and the Masaalit ethnic groups. The government sponsored militia is also termed as the Janjaweed who belong to the Arab tribes. Due to the ethnic wars, the civilians are suffering. This crisis has continued to bother the international human rights activists. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2005) Many international government and non-government organizations have established their associations to fight against the atrocities committed against the particular ethnic and racial component in Sudan. For instance, one can notice the establishment of Genocide Intervention Fund (GIF) which is a non government association of the civilians. GIF has supported the UN supported African Un ion Mission in Darfur. The main aim of this association is to support the peace keeping forces to protect the life of the innocent civilians in Darfur. In fact, African Union needs greater funding in order to manage the financial requirements to send the troops, supply food, and equipments to the peace keeping soldiers fighting for the lives of the people in Sudan. GIF has started the campaign to protect the lives of the Sudanese from the government attack. In fact, it aims to send 100000 letters to the government officials urging them to take action against the Sudanese government. This organization has requested the support of the government officials and civilians to raise $100000 to fight against the atrocities of the Sudanese government. The UNO has commissioned few committees to submit report regarding the nature of atrocities committed by the Sudanese government. In January 2005 International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur report was published. This report gave information regarding the recent developments in Darfur. This report can be used by the international agencies to take action against the government of Sudan. However, there is difference of opinion among the permanent members of the Security Council. The US government wants to create an ad hoc tribunal for Darfur. However this can delay action for many months. Further, Russia and China, which have strategic trade ties with Sudan, also halted the decisive action against the Sudanese government. However, the US senior officials have accepted that genocide is being committed in Sudan. In spite of this realization, international organizations are reluctant to take action against the government of Sudan. (Preventgenocide. org, 2005) In spite of the statistics available regarding the genocide in Sudan, media did not give much importance to these events. However, the film maker Jen Marlowe decided to present the human face of the disaster in Sudan. This film is given the title: â€Å"Darfur Diaries: Message from Home†. Marlowe visited Darfur and the refugee camps in the neighboring region of Chad. Marlowe obtained information by interviewing the victims of the government sponsored genocide. The filmmaker has discussed with the children regarding their sufferings. Marlowe considers that children are the most vulnerable groups in the society. Further, it is necessary to provide protection to the lives of large number of civilians who face the threat of losing their lives and properties due to the government policy. The attempt of Marlowe has succeeded in providing a human face of the genocide in Darfur. This has also showed the failure of the journalists to cover this topic as very few journalists have covered the story narrated by the refuges in Chad. (Ellis, 2005) Recently, attempts have been made to redress the grievances of the victims. However, most of these attempts have failed due to the increase in the intensity of the conflicts and the international organizations have failed provide aid to the victims. Ellis, 2005) I learnt from the above research that greatest importance should be given to protect the lives of millions of people in Darfur. To achieve this objective, the members of the international organizations such as UNO should take immediate action against the Sudanese government. Secondly, the associations should increase the funding to help the peacekeeping forces to provide aid to the victims of genocide in Darfur. The media also should give more coverage to the developments in Darfur.

Conservative, Liberal and Marxist History

History has been understood differently by different people. While some have understood it as the study of the past events, others have defined it as a record of human actions which have occurred in the past. 1 However the variety of definitions, it should be pointed out that history does not constitute everything that happened in the past. Only those past activities which have had a bearing on the present are what may qualify to be worth history. 2 Just as there are many definitions of history, so are there many branches of history.This essay is meant to define and illustrate the importance of three of the braches of history. These include Conservative, Liberal and Marxist History. The essay is organized in two parts. The first part will provide in-depth understanding of the three terms, whereas the second part will show how important each of them is in the study of history. Conservative History is one historical interpretation of history which traces its foundation in the word â₠¬ËœConservatism’. Conservatism literary means preservation of what has always been tradition.It is an ideology which favours status quo and is very reluctant to accept change. Conservatives prefer having things continues as they have been in the past. Any drastic change to tradition is viewed with suspicion. According to this ideology, political and other human institutions have endured through ages because of tradition. For this reason, change should only be accepted very gradually. 3 Having looked at conservatism, it may now be imperative to define Conservative History as that branch of history whose writings are based on maintaining history as has always been written, without altering it.In this vein, this history favours tradition, as no perceptions or any other radical views are not emphasized. Conservative Historians may also write history not to preserve the past, but to remind society of the good olden tradition. The goal in this case, is to see societies revert back to the values of earlier times. Because of its emphasis on the value of tradition, Conservative History has always perpetuated inequalities, absolutist regimes and domination of the poor by the upper class. 4 Liberal History as the word ‘liberal’ suggests, comes from the Latin word ‘liber’ meaning ‘free’.The word therefore, has more to do with freedom or liberty. Liberalism advocates for equality of opportunity for all and allows maximum freedom to individuals while limiting the powers of government. The earliest form of Liberal History was a reaction to the conservative history, which was being considered as static. Liberal History advocated for the freedom of thought for historians as a way of ensuring the progress of humanity. Core to this branch of history is the belief that if historians are to write history which promotes progress, then historians should not be controlled in trying to seek historical truth.The past, present and future are seen as being interconnected and influencing one another. Therefore, it is not necessary to emphasize one when all the three (past, present and future) collectively shape history of humanity. According to liberal historians, it is possible to analyze history progressively rather than look at it as tradition. They totally differ with conservatives who may always want to maintain status quo in areas such as divine rights of kings and hereditary status among many others. They regard traditions as having no value other than hindering social progress.Further, they hold the view that traditions and other social practices should continually be adjusted for the benefit of humanity. In other words, Liberal History constitutes those historical accounts which are highly critical of certain traditions and cultures, referring to them as uncivilized, barbaric and primitive. 6 Marxist History’s origin may be traced to the works of Karl Marx (1818- 1853) who analyzed human history and concl uded that it was all about class struggles. 7 It is also called Radical History.Marx theorized that in every historical era, there is always a dominating class and an oppressed class, as well as a struggle between these classes. According to him, these struggles are perpetuated by the state and economic conditions such as capitalism which produces oppressed classes. He contended that capitalists will destroy engage in brutal competitive struggles with each other, thereby giving an opportunity to the exploited laboring classes to rise up against capitalism and overthrow it so that they replace it with communism.In communism, there would be no classes and economic benefits would be shared equitably. 8 Marxist History is therefore, that interpretation of history on the basis of not only social and political factors but also economic factors. Marxist historians asserted that poverty and diseases of the poor people are as a result of social classes and conditions under which peasants liv ed and worked. 9 The base of man’s problems was to be found in the division of society into classes. Therefore, in order building a society with no exploitation is only dependant on the forceful removal of the capitalist  system.At the centre of radical history is the argument that the historical analysis of man’s progress and development is meaningless unless that analysis puts into consideration the economic and social relations aspect. 10 This is unlike liberal history which only emphasizes the social and political factors in the analysis of man’s development. So far, it is clear that Marxist History differs considerably from the other two branches discussed. For example, whereas liberal history centres on man’s progress, Marxist history is more concerned with changing the world.Marxist historians advocate for a radical transformation of the economic and social conditions by removing capitalist relations. This would have to be done through a violent revolution. An example of radical historians is Paulo Freire who championed the cause of the oppressed in his book, ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’. 11 In this book, he campaigned for the liberation of the poor who had been oppressed by the dominant classes. Having discussed the three branches of history in detail, the essay will now focus on the importance of each of these branches in the study of history.Merely defining the concepts without illustrating their relevance can render futile the need to understand them (branches) in the study of history. It should be noted from the onset that while all the branches discussed may have their faults or inadequacies, they all are very relevant in the study of history. Many a time, historians align themselves with one of the many branches, and this reflects in their works. The importance of Conservative History can never be overemphasized. What is life without tradition?No society would be what it is today without the contribution of past values and traditions. Though arguable, it could be true to assert that the world has evolved into what it is today because of the good values of the past. It is for this reason that caution ought to be taken to ensure that societies and politics remain immune to temptations to change. Conservative history is premised on the old adage that ‘the devil you know is better than the angel you do not know’. The emphasis on maintaining the status quo will definitely result in continuity and stability of societies and institutions.Conservative history gives an impression that things were better in the past than they are now and that there is need to go back to the olden ways. This is especially true in the area of African education. Indigenous education was better compared to the current western education, which promotes nothing but social stratification and unemployment. The entire curriculum is so irrelevant, bookish, with very few practical subjects at selected level s of education12. However, looking into the past, it is vivid that traditional education which was offered ensured a rounded education and comprehensive preparation for real life.There was no such thing as unemployment! Owing to the fact the past was much better off than the present, conservative history plays an invaluable role in enlightening the present generations on the achievements of the past. Its stress on the need to return to the values of the earlier times has always been received positively. In Zambia for example, there are moves to ruralize the school curriculum so that it includes some of the traditional aspects which have direct relevance to societies.13 Further, tribute should be paid to conservative historians for their role in the re-writing of African History which had been greatly tarnished by some liberal historians. The first writers of African history portrayed it in a very negative way. The African ways of life were seen as heathen, barbaric, primitive, backw ard and uncivilized. 14 It had to take conservative African historians to try to erase the fabrications, omissions and stereotypes of colonial historians. By eulogizing the African past, conservative historians have made a huge contribution to the study of history.Like Conservative History, Liberal history plays an important role in the interpretation of history. The notion of the past as a continuation into the present and future is very true and important. It is very true in the sense that society is indeed dynamic. The conditions of the past may not be the same conditions now. Therefore, societies cannot afford to be static in a fast changing world. For example, in the 1970s, Zambia and many other countries were under socialist and dictatorship regimes. It worked so well that time. However, in the 1990s, a wind of change blew, and countries could not afford to remain static.Many socialist governments were toppled and replaced with more democratic and capitalist governments which espoused the principle of liberalization. The role of liberal history in promoting the progress of society cannot be overlooked. Besides, this is the only branch of history which makes it easy to analyze the past in order to understand the present and finally forecast the future. By supporting social progressivism, certain bad elements of tradition can be done away with. Such elements or practices include the divine rights of rulers, hereditary statusand other injustices. 15 In the study of history, this branch helps greatly in the understanding of present events as offshoots of past events. In addition, it is the goal of liberal history to be written from several view points as long as it has man’s freedoms at the centre. 16 This branch is very important because it allows for the different perspectives with people try to explain historical events. Without liberal history, there would only be one universal interpretation of historical facts. It concerns itself with the politi cal and social life of societies.These are very cardinal aspects of history which demand for interpretation. Marxist history has an immense contribution it makes in the study of history. As discussed earlier, this branch fills the void left by liberal history. The latter only addressed the social and political aspects leaving the economic aspect which also contributes to man’s progress in both political and social life. Though radical in nature, this branch provides a working interpretation or hypothesis of the existing social classes and consequent class struggles in man’s history.17 It is therefore, possible to understand the source of the frequent conflicts between workers and owners of the means of production. Conservative and liberal history may not answer the questions of about poverty and diseases from which poor people suffer. Yet, these are very important questions in any study of history. Radical or Marxist history hence, becomes imperative because it provide s answers to these questions. According to this branch, poverty and disease are as a result of the creation of classes based on economic factors.In other words, capitalism which is the main cause of division of societies is the base of man’s problems and exploitation. 18 Another important aspect of Marxist history in the study of history is its role in trying to change the world. This branch of history attempts to cleanse the world of the social ills and inequalities by bringing them out in the open. It therefore, advocates for a radical transformation and liberation of the poor’s economic and social conditions. Careful analysis of Marxist history offers a good explanation for the under-development of Africa.Colonialism which brought with it capitalism, is blamed for the exploitation of African human and material resources. This knowledge is important in the study of African history. It is necessary to learn how African peasants and workers were stripped of their resou rces by the greedy colonial capitalists. Throughout the colonial period (and even now), Africans did not benefit from their resources. 19 Rather, they have always been suppliers of cheap labour to the capitalists. In summary, this essay has defined three of the many branches of history, namely: Conservative Liberal and Marxist.Conservative history bases its writings on the preservation of what has been traditionally followed. It has no room for divergent and radical views other than the status quo. Liberal history on the other hand, emphasizes freedom of thought for historians as a way of promoting historical progress of humanity. It is a reaction to conservative history. Finally, Marxist history is a radical view of history which emphasizes the interpretation of history on the basis of both social and economic factors.The essay has further, illustrated the importance of each of the branches discussed. Conservative history is cardinal to the understanding and appreciation of the pas t traditions and cultures. Liberal history facilitates an understanding of present events and projection of the future through analysis of the past. Economic inequalities and problems in man’s history can be better explained by Marxist history. It is therefore, clear that historical accounts of all the three branches discussed are extremely relevant in the study of history.

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Leadership - Essay Example The supervisor’s action is a manifestation that he has the attributes of a good leader, including the ability â€Å"to be firm and just in maintaining necessary order. Without a certain toughness in this regard you will not win the respect of the group as a whole† (Xenophon, Athenian Soldier and Author, 431 – 350 BC). Further, the supervisor’s focus on the task at hand and directing the rest of his team to the completion of it, shows that he is competent, mindful and forward-looking, knowing that there are grave consequences on the team should the task be left undone. Had the supervisor been an incompetent leader, he would have let Dan Porter go about the workplace and share to each and everyone there his news about winning the lottery. It is a natural reaction of ordinary people to want to hear about the news firsthand and to share in the excitement. Consequently, the rest of the team would have seen the supervisor in a different light – one that puts priority to other things not necessarily helpful to the achievement of the company’s goals. The rest of the team would have begun questioning the supervisor’s competence, priorities, and focus. This eventually would have led to the loss of confidence and respect on the supervisor by the team members, which would lead to inefficiency and mediocre performance by the whole team. In conclusion, effective leadership takes not only knowledge and competence, but also courage to give importance above all else to the greater good. As Xenophon said, â€Å"There is a small risk a leader will be regarded with contempt by those he leads if, whatever he may have to preach, he shows himself best able to

Identify and briefly explain the possible configurations of joint Essay

Identify and briefly explain the possible configurations of joint venture. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the join - Essay Example Countries like China, which opposed globalization once, became strong supporters of globalization at present. No country can develop properly with the help of domestic resources alone. The above truth was realised by the countries only after the entry of globalization. Today, countries are competing in attracting foreign direct investments. It is easy for the organizations to enter a foreign soil at present. Merger, acquisition, strategic alliances, Joint venture etc are some of the major mode of entry adopted by organizations. Joint venture is â€Å"a contractual agreement joining together two or more parties for the purpose of executing a particular business undertaking. All parties agree to share in the profits and losses of the enterprise† (Joint Venture, n. d). Joint venture is an alliance of two or more companies or individuals. The parties involved in joint venture will utilize their skills, expertise, resources etc to carry out the objectives, visions and missions of t he enterprise they formed under the label of joint venture. In joint venture agreements both the parties exercise control over the enterprise and all the assets, revenues and expenses. This paper analyses the structure of joint venture alliances and the advantages and disadvantages of joint venture as a mode of entry. ... The legal status of a corporation is clear, and its ability to own assets, incur liabilities and enter into legally binding contracts is obvious to third parties. The liability of shareholders for the corporation’s debts and obligations is limited to their capital investment in the corporation, something that is not always the case with other entities (Vaughan, 2010) Corporations operate strictly in accordance with the corporate law. The corporate laws can be different in different countries. The joint venture corporations should obey the corporate laws of the country in which the corporation is registered. For example, Dubai Internet City and Kerala (one of the Indian states) recently formed a corporation called smart city in order to do IT business in Kochi. There were lots of controversies before the formation of this corporation. Dubai Internet City insisted some demands about the ownership of the land provided to them by the Kerala government. They asked for total control (Including selling right) over some portions of the land allocated to them by the Kerala government. â€Å"The main barrier that caused postponement of the smart city Kochi project was the conflicts about the free hold rights for 12 percent land of 30 acres which demanded by Dubai based promoters†(Kochi smart city new agreement details, 2011). However, the Kerala government insisted that it is impossible to give outright ownership of the land as per the existing laws in India. Finally, Dubai Internet City forced to give up their arguments. General partnership is another structure of joint venture mode of entry. In this case all the members in the partnership agreement may have personal liability for all the obligations performances of the enterprise

South africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

South africa - Essay Example The companies’ efforts were however met with government’s counter strategies to maintain the practice of apartheid. Caltex, owned jointly by Texaco and SoCal is one example of foreign company operating in South Africa whose shareholders on many occasions tried hard to pass resolutions that were anti apartheid. This paper seeks to highlight Caltex, its conception in the South African market, its operations and how it affected the growth or downfall of the practice of apartheid. First we consider whether the entry of Caltex in South Africa empowered apartheid. Whether or not the utilitarian benefits of Caltex’s operations stood above the moral rights and justice violations that its presence seemed to propagate. In 1975 Caltex sought to expand its investment in South Africa. The expansion could cost $135 million, increase south Africa’s refining capacity by 11% and it promised a return on interest of about 20% i.e. approximately $27 million annually. In essence, a Return on Interest of $27 million annually, had a strong utilitarian benefit. After all Caltex is a profit making company and profit making is the major focus. However, this expansion would consequently strengthen the economy of the very government that was steadfast at maintaining apartheid as its legal policy. A strong economy meant a strong government and thus widespread apartheid. The commitment that Caltex later showed to the plight of their black employees is another utilitarian benefit that requires consideration. They moved 40% of their black workers to refinery jobs initially held by whites and they moved a total of 29 to the topmost four of the white collar and skilled job categories. Even though most blacks remained in the lower job categories, Caltex had at least shown their commitment to eradicating apartheid. The utilitarian benefits of Caltex presenting better working conditions

Organization Theory, Design and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Organization Theory, Design and Change - Essay Example In order for a business to achieve effective coordination, excellent decision making and efficient problem resolution framework, it may adopt either a rigid or flexible approaches in addressing issues. To start with, in standardization, definite models which are regarded to be suitable in certain situations may be applied. However, the business may approve mutual adjustment technique whereby depending on the prevailing circumstances, the managers on the ground may decide to use their own judgments in determining the best technique and solutions to the emergent problems. It is important to note that all the discussed mechanisms are necessary and can appropriately apply in different circumstances. For instance, centralization may be more suitable in cases where a business needs to make decisions in regard to long term strategies while decentralization is more effective on the situations that require middle and lower level managers to decide on the real problems occurring on the ground. Besides, standardizations may best fit the circumstances that require conformity while mutual adjustment may be more appropriate in addressing unique issues and special

Assessing the Cardiovascular System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assessing the Cardiovascular System - Assignment Example Losing weight might also aid in reducing medications required to regulate high blood pressure. If a person is overweight, then they should talk to their doctor concerning a healthy weight loss strategy (McArdle 45). The most appropriate manner of losing some kilos is through moving around more. This will help you burn more calories than you absorb through normal activity or exercise. Normal exercise, at least 30 minutes every day, can also aid lowering blood pressure, as well as strengthening someone’s heart. Maintaining a food diary or written record of a person’s daily food intake is the most appropriate way of knowing what to eat on a daily basis (Ross 108). Writing down the foods someone consumes, including the amount or size, can let you observe "the true facts" concerning someone’s food consumption (Lee and Nieman, 278). For a patient with an elevated blood pressure, he or she can start cutting back – decreasing portion sizes and calories -- to lose significant pounds and manage their weight, as well as blood

Is Competition Good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is Competition Good - Essay Example In any case to adequately support competition, authorities must comprehend when competition itself is the issues reason, not its cure. Market competition, while hurting a few members, frequently profits public opinion. Anyhow does competition dependably profit public opinion? (Stucke, 2103) In business, competition prompts innovation. If youre the player in your field, it could be troublesome to progress. And in case youre working in a packed business, you wont succeed by doing what other a person does. Sound competition supports change which will recognize your organization from others through technology, item adjustments or by enhancing the client experience. (Forbes, 2014). Moreover, customer services are enhanced due to competition because as one of a few organizations offering a comparable item, an organization is compelled to vie for clients. Enhancing client administration enhances the chances of customer retention. (Forbes, 2014). Competition also shakes off complacency. In the event that an association is reliably attempting to advance and better itself, their workers will be urged to inspire themselves. (Forbes, 2014). Competition encourages an organization to concentrate on their core customer and target audiences. On the off chance that an organization is f ocusing on a particular geological area or demographic, market challengers sway them to better understand that setting. In doing in this way, they will have the capacity to better accommodate that target demographic/setting. (Forbes, 2014). Seeing what one’s rivals do well can show you things about one’s own business. Their practices may well furnish an organization with profitable knowledge into the state of the business sector, and help demonstrate to them; what works – and what does*3not. (Forbes, 2014) The Late Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: â€Å"Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but

History (Fifteen Year War in Asia) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History (Fifteen Year War in Asia) - Essay Example This essay will address the responses of African Americans and Japanese Americans before and during the World War II. Many influential African descendants began admiring Japan after Japan’s defeat of Russia. W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey and Harry Dean all wrote and spoke about their high regard for the Japanese. These men considered Japanese to be a people of color. For a people of color to vanquish a country ruled by a white monarchy gave African Americans hope. If Japan could triumph over Russia, why could Japan not defeat America? Marcus Garvey believed the wind of change had started blowing. His organization the Universal Negro Improvement Association began supporting pro-Japanese causes in American and Britain. The African descendents and African Americans did not only admire the Japanese for their victory in the Russo-Japan war. The Japanese were admired for their acceptance of people of color. Many Japanese speakers in America at that time brought an African American wife or mistress to address the African Americans. In a time of Jim Crow laws to have a Japanese man affiliate himself with African Americans proved that Japan could provide a more racially equal environment than America. The thought of a society with little or no racial tension appealed to African Americans. To boost the pro-Japanese stance, Elijah Muhammad, a Nation of Islam leader, Marcus Garvey and Harry Dean, Paul Cuffe’s grandson, put forth the theory that Africans and Japanese were related by blood. A theory was put forth that Africans and Japanese were related by blood. Harry Dean, a sailor by profession, brought a tale back from Africa. This tale, the Teo Saga, claimed a chief, more Japanese than Africa, told how South Africa, Madagascar, Sumatra, Java, Korea and Japan once were connected by land. After the great flood these places were separated by water. Elijah Muhammad pointed out the

Effective Ways to Improve English Essay Example for Free

Effective Ways to Improve English Essay English is important since it is a well known language and has frequently been referred to as a world language. Comfort with English is almost a prerequisite for success in the world today. Regardless of the industry, proficiency in English is an important factor in both hiring and promotion decisions.Being a student in College, English is the major language to communicate with our lecturers, friends and strangers in college.Most of the subjects are written by English too. We must practice to speak English in college so that we can communicate with other people with proper English and even we can gain more marks when we are having a presentation and our oral test in college. First is what most people would advise: read.You can read story books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, comics, English textbooks, instructions and ingredients on food packages, advertisements, etc. Read books whose subjects interest you, and try if possible to get some advice on whether the books you have chosen are written well. Beside that,Reading alone is not enough. I really do think that Malaysians have to develop the dictionary habit. I have observed how reluctant so many Malaysians are to look up a word in a dictionary to find out its exact meaning or meanings. Be best friends with English dictionary. We can use Oxford, Collins, Cambridge, etc. This is such a pity, because never before have we had so many free dictionaries available, on the Internet. So please take advantage of that! Some of them even pronounce the words for you if you click on the right icons. Next,Listen to English songs. Read the lyrics as you listen to the songs.Although just listening to a song in English can be a good way of really learning the words of the chorus in an easily memorable way, if you want to really get something out of listening to English music you will need to take sometime to read the lyrics of the song with a dictionary. If the lyrics are not given in the CD booklet, you may be able to find them on the internet.if We listen and read at the same time or sing along to them, this can be a good way of understanding how sounds change in fast, natural, informal speech. Other than listen to songs ,Watch English movies with subtitles also is a good way of learning English. Not only to have a fun time watching the movie, we would be learning new words at the same time and knowing how to pronounce them . Then try watching without them as you gain confidence. How about improving our writing? If we have no tutor or a friend to help us, One traditional way to make sure you write every day in English is to write an English diary. whenever feel happy or upset or angry about something, try to write how our feel in diary.This is where we can write anything in it. But if you do write something you wouldn ¡Ã‚ ¯t want others to read, make sure you hide it somewhere safe! We can also write about neutral stuff like the places you went that day, what we ate, who we met, what we did, etc. on the other hand,we can Start a blog in English. This is also one way for us to practice our writing. Blog on something that we love. Even for people who dont have to write in English, writing can be a great way of properly learning the kind of vocabulary you need to describe your own life and interests, and of thinking about how to stop making grammar mistakes. The problem most people have is that they dont know what to write about. Besides blogging, try joining online forums, engage in online chatting and more. In addition,learn a new word a day. Keep your own vocabulary notebook and write a new word and its meaning in it every day. Refer to it as often as possible so that the new words will stick in head.We can Improve our Vocabulary by Useing the dictionary to learn new words or an electronic dictionary if cant afford to turn the pagesso much or cope with the small handwriting. An electronic dictionary has synonyms and antonyms or a thesaurus included in it, so its a great deal. Not to mention it corrects your spellings if you enter the word whose meaning you dont know wrong.Never lose the interest to learn new words. Always keep up the practise.A lot of us have studied English in school and are fairly comfortable with reading and writing. However, we hesitate while speaking because we feel that we lack the fluency and may make grammatical mistakes. We are afraid of speaking English in formal situations and we are quick to switch to our native language once we are in the company of our fa mily and friends.peak the language whenever you can. Speak it with friends and family. Don ¡Ã‚ ¯t be shy to try speaking the language. Don ¡Ã‚ ¯t be afraid that others will tease us. In fact, they ¡Ã‚ ¯ll admire us for our courage and confidence. In conclusion,these are the ten most effective ways to improve our English. If you have extra money to spend, you can even sign up for English courses, English camps and so on. Remember Don ¡Ã‚ ¯t get stressed out when it becomes a little difficult,most important piece of advice is: Do something (anything). If you dont do anything, you wont get anywhere. Make it your hobby, not a chore, but above all have fun!

The Single Most Important Factor Influencing Learning Education Essay

The Single Most Important Factor Influencing Learning Education Essay Broadfoot (1996, p.21) describes assessment as the most powerful tool in education and as a source of leverage to bring about change. In this assignment I will attempt to draw together my own experiences of using assessment as a teaching tool, both summative and formative, and how music has been the most assessed of disciplines, both in the school context and beyond (Phillpott 2007) FIND REFERENCE or use online source?!!!! With relevance to Q11 I shall explain my understanding of the assessment requirements for GCSE and AS level music and how I have used these to inform my own practice and involvement with assessment for learning, specifically as a day to day classroom tool. It is necessary that pupils achievements are recorded and monitored in some way, not only to provide the student with essential hard evidence of their strengths for use in higher education, the workplace and beyond, but to provide a means to appraise the effectiveness of a school and its staff. OFSTED inspectors will appraise a schools record keeping and assessment protocols and will need to scrutinize records of student results. The school league tables printed in the national press focus on exam results in order to rate a schools success against the national average although these published results do not illustrate a schools success measured against other influences such as socio-economic factors or turbulence for example. What does key stage 3 national curriculum assessment consist of? At the end of key stage 3, normally when pupils are in year 9, schools have to report teacher assessment outcomes to parents/carers. The requirement for all pupils to sit tests in English, mathematics and science at the end of key stage 3 was removed in October 2008. Teacher assessment of pupils remains a statutory requirement. At the end of key stage 3, teachers summarise their judgements for each eligible pupil, taking into account the pupils progress and performance throughout the key stage. They need to determine: a level for each attainment target in English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages   an overall subject level in each of the core and non-core subjects. Teachers should base their judgements on the level descriptions in the national curriculum. GET THIS IN SOMEHOW!! RELATE TO FFT/RAISE ONLINE, ETC Q13 requires trainee teachers to know how to use local and national statistical information to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching. At Guthlaxton College, the pastoral assessment of pupils uses a summative model described as an ATL (attitude to learning). This compares aspirational target grades taken from scores at key stage 3 and analysed via the Fischer family trust data analysis project which produces estimates of likely attainment. These FFT estimates are calculated individually for each pupil and, from these, school and local authority performance projections may be calculated. These figures are estimates only in that they make predictions for future attainment if pupils work and make progress that is in line with that of similar pupils in previous years. The ATL score looks at current progression against the FFT estimate for that pupil and is useful in providing on-going data evidence, alongside teacher assessment, coursework grades, test results and attendance in pro viding a picture of the student across all of their subject areas. Student progression, with further relevance to standard Q13, can be assessed in this way and attainment levels can be raised by identifying strength and areas for further development or support. Effective schools continuously monitor progress and evaluate themselves by scrutinising pupil progress and grades, identifying influences which prove to hamper or accelerate achievement and progression. The school should pay close attention to the impact that any intervention or support has had and how it has affected the learning of the pupils. In my own practice I have used summative data, ATL scores and FFT projections to discuss pupil progress with parents during student review sessions. I have also been able to identify areas for improvement in my own teaching methods by using test and mock exam scores to create a picture of student achievement levels. At key stage 4, GCSE results can be used by the school to identify areas of weakness or areas which require support and intervention by looking at patterns which may emerge from scrutiny of these summative results. This information can be fed back to subject leaders who may then be able to identify areas for future development. Therefore, summative assessment can be used as a driving force for school improvement. Educational decisions regarding pupil performance, for example the streaming I observed in my second school placement at key stage 3, must be based on effective use of the evidence gathered. Over a relatively short space of time a childs performance may evolve. Careful and regular use of summative data can help a teacher or school make effective teaching decisions. www.fischertrust.org Broadfoot, P. (1996) Assessment and Learning: Power or Partnership? In Goldstein, H and Lewis, T (eds.) Assessment: Problems, Developments and Statistical Issues. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons The National Strategies illustrates that it is important for schools to use summative assessment data in a contextual way. For example learner achievement should be viewed against the national average, against relevant influences such as turbulence and KS3 and 4 splits (Leicestershire) and socio-economic factors such as EAL. Also, subject specific achievement differences may emerge. The strategies continue to illustrate that only useful data should be collected for the purpose of providing sound evidence for improvement. Relevant data may be used by schools to set targets and to identify successful practice so that it may be repeated or used as good exemplar teaching. When targets are established the school can then take steps towards support provision, training, intervention and further development (dcsf 2010) nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk Music as a discipline is fraught with grey areas which present challenges when trying to perform a final assessment of a performance or a composition, etc. In a school setting, when faced with the challenge of evaluating work which on some levels will always be interpreted subjectively, a teacher needs to have an assessment model that has legitimacy in a whole-education context (Spruce 1996) Spruce, G (1996) Teaching music, Assessment in the arts:issues in objectivity, London, Routledge. In my own practice for example I have used the carefully worded marking criteria given by the exam board as a template for appraisal and I have also used our college guidelines regarding learning objectives to assess what I have asked pupils to do and hopefully learn. However, it is the ongoing interaction between student and teacher which brings about most development in a young musician. The nature of learning a musical instrument requires that we move in small, guided steps and, to make any musical progress at all the learner must become self-reflective about their own skills and understanding. Traditional instrumental grades, although valuable in providing a signpost to a students general ability only deal with performance but do not provide any information about the journey which brought the student to this point. They do not take into consideration the musical growth, learning and understanding which has taken place prior to the final test (Faultley 2010). Fautley Martin Assessment in Music Education, Oxford Music Education, 2010. The folk view of assessment, that it happens after teaching has occurred, as in the model demonstrated by traditional musical instrument grades, separates assessment from teaching itself. This model of summative a ssessment makes the performance at the appointed hour of assessment the priority rather than the learning which has occurred. There are two types of assessment commonly referred to in education, summative and formative and there has been much debate over which one is more beneficial in education. In practice it seems that one, formative, is a teaching method which can lead to improvement and success in the other, summative form of assessment. Summative assessment is the summing up of a performance or an overall assessment that usually occurs at the end of a module or a period of work. The term formative assessment, on the other hand, is an ongoing process shared by the pupil and the teacher and is often referred to as assessment for learning because the constructive, reflective nature of the assessment is used an educational tool in itself, essential to guide both pupil and teacher alike for identifying areas for improvement and development. Summative assessment, tests, exams, grades, etc. summarise student progress at a specified point in the educational career, but formative assessment, questioning, peer and self-assessment, teacher feedback, etc. are all intended to develop and improve the process of learning itself. The results of formative assessment are not used to provide a final grade or judgement of a pupils knowledge or abilities but to guide learning. AfL, used well in the classroom encourages deep thinking and reflection rather than simple recall of information through questioning, self-assessment, peer assessment and teacher feedback. As a student teacher, I have often been asked by mentors, How do you know if they are learning? My initial attempts at teaching classroom music were characterised by the delivery of facts and instructions but without the utilizing the powerful opportunities for formative assessment such as open questioning or peer assessment for example. Dylan Wiliam in an interview for teacher TV is quoted as saying that the basic premise for AfL is the question Did the children learn what I just taught? If not, why not? This seemingly simple question requires discipline on the part of the teacher to be answered openly and constructively and the 10 principlines of AFL (assessment reform group 2002) gives a broad overview of how this might be achieved. Depending on situation, subject, behaviour issues, etc. it might be very difficult to put AFL into practice as it is intended. Indeed, Black and Wiliam (1998) write that formative assessment is a powerful tool if communicated correctly. As a trainee teacher, my second school placement in a very turbulent school presented me with such behavioural difficulties in the classroom that I found it difficult to attempt some of the AFL techniques I had been trying to hone with my perfectly behaved GCSE students elsewhere. Day to day strategies for AFL such as questioning, self-and peer assessment and feedback were not in place in a way I was familiar with and seemed tokenistic. The pupils were not familiar with the methods and so the style was not as effective as it should have been had they been introduced to AFL via a whole school approach. There is a definite need for a school to adopt a consistent culture of assessment for learning for it to work successfully within the music classroom. T he temptation may be to enhance a lesson using a few token AfL techniques such as peer assessment, etc. just to get through an observation or OFSTED inspection. However, the idealism and spirit behind assessment for learning seems to be that the pupil becomes more responsible for shaping their own learning through the constant use of self and peer assessment, receiving feedback and dealing with challenging, thought provoking questions. The AfL ideas should be the basis for the teaching rather than empty, ritualistic mechanisms or novelty add-ons. The Assessment reform group states that Assessment for learning should be recognised as central to classroom practice and should involve both teachers and learners alike in the process of reflection on the classroom activity and decisions regarding progression towards learning goals and objectives. AFL is also an important tool for the teacher to assess their own methods and ask Did they learn what I just taught them? If the teaching practice is ineffective then it must be adjusted and improved and AFL should become part of the effective planning of teaching and learning (Assessment reform group, 2002). The assessment judgments of teachers do matter, they are essential to the successful development of every child in learning music, and, as a number of recent initiatives observe, every child matters. (Faultley 2010) The Assessment Reform Group (2002, p.2) define assessment for learning as the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there.   Assessment Reform Group. (2002) Research-based principles to guide classroom practice. London: Assessment Reform Group The single most important factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly (Ausubel et al, 1978) Ausubel, D.P, Novak, J and Hanesian, H (1978) Educational psychology:A cognitive view, 2nd edition, Holt Rinehart and Winston. Many different researchers such as, Casbon and Spackman, (2005), The Assessment Reform Group (2002) and Black, et al, (2002) have identified different strategies that underpin successful assessment for learning.   This assignment will focus on four that I have put into practice myself while teaching music and can comment upon from personal experience: setting goals and the sharing of assessment criteria, questioning, peer and self-assessment and teacher feedback.   I will use these four strategies as a guide to describe exactly what assessment for learning is and how it relates to musical Education. Casbon, C and Spackman, L. (2005) Assessment for Learning in Physical Education. Leeds: Coachwise Black, P, Harrison, C, Lee, C, Marshall, B and Wiliam, D. (2002) Working Inside the Black Box; Assessment for Learning in the Classroom. London: nferNelson SETTING GOALS/SHARING CRITERIA By setting goals and sharing criteria the classroom teacher can aim to ensure pupils know what they should have achieved by the end of the lesson (School Curriculum Assessment Authority, SCAA, 1997).   Pupils should know what they are trying to achieve. Without this information they cannot evaluate their own success at the end of the lesson (Weeden et al, 2002).   Before setting goals, the teacher needs to find out what the pupils have learned previously and what level they are at in order to make the goals achievable and a source of motivation (James, 2000 and SCAA, 1997). Q11 refers to developing an understanding of assessment requirements for public examinations and I have used these a starting point for designing many of my units of work as the AQA GCSE syllabus lists clear marking criteria. Indeed it was a useful exercise for me to translate these criteria into easily digestible, pupil-friendly language. Questioning, the second strategy, is a vital part of assessment for learning and one which as an inexperienced teacher I have had to seek much advice from colleagues.   Weeden et al. (2002) report that a lot of teachers use questions which require only the recall of information in order to provide an answer. Weeden, P, Winter, J and Broadfoot, P. (2002) Assessment: Whats in it for the school? London: RoutledgeFalmer As Stobart and Gipps (1997) point out, a pupil cannot demonstrate understanding simply by regurgitating facts or pieces of information.   Assessment for learning is concerned with process and not the product and therefore questions need to enable knowledge and understanding (Casbon and Spackman, 2005) via the implementation and demonstration of higher order thinking.   According to Blooms taxonomy, the recall of knowledge is classified as a lower order skill. By adjusting the complexity of a question and the requirements for an answer, a teacher can encourage higher order skills and thinking. For example, in my music lessons for KS3, I had to begin a topic on notation by introducing simple facts such as note values and pitch. The next questioning strategy I used, involving simple sums using notes instead of numbers, was designed to encourage the students to demonstrate their comprehension of note-lengths. Black, et al. (2002) describes teachers as not only presenters of informati on but leaders of exploration. The skills I am aiming to develop in my own practice require being able to create probing, explorative questions which cause a pupil to apply and analyze even simple knowledge and facts. Blooms taxonomy hierarchy of questioning get it in there somewhereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They can be used to explore pupils prior knowledge (Black and Wiliam, 1998) and also their own points of view on a subject.   Questions are also useful tools for feedback.   Black, et al. (2002) explain that impromptu questions posed while the pupils are working about what they are thinking and why, encourages wider thinking and provides immediate feedback to the teacher regarding pupil understanding.   Teachers also need to be aware of how the questions are being answered and that this can be influenced by the mode of questioning used.   The all-important thinking time allowed for all pupils is approved by Black, et al (2002) who prescribe a no hands up policy, where all the pupils should have an answer to share with the class if they are called upon by the teacher.   This approach to questioning allows more pupils to be involved and engaged in a question and answer session. According to personality type, different students will show different levels of willingness to be involved. The more effective and valuable technique I have used in my music lessons is to present a question, allow thinking time and then assess student answers in a way which does not rely on the hands-up approach. The answers and thoughts can be retrieved via methods such as asking a student by name and then asking a peer to comment on their answer or by using the mini-whiteboard method whereby the whole class can answer a closed question simultaneously. My first attempts at this AfL method were poorly planned because of the closed nature of the questions I used and I realized later that some pupils would give me answers they felt I wanted to hear rather than engaging in a dialogue unveiling the genuine state of their learning. In this way, I conclude that the focus should always be on the pupil truly reviewing their own understanding by tackling open ended questions. Black and Wiliam (1998) assert that a common feature of poor questioning practice is that teachers fail to allow adequate processing time when asking questions. Without reflective thinking time factored into the questioning, the only answers that can be reasonably asked are factual, knowledge based and limited in their scope for demonsrating learning through exploration and evaluation (Black and Wiliam 1998). The lesson may have a sense of pace and enthusiasm but it will only be a limited number of pupils answering the rapid, fact-based, short answer questions. Shirley Clarke (2005) advocates increased waiting time during classroom questioning by indicating the thinking time and adopting a no-hands up approach ie. Dont answer straight away, split into pairs and take 2 minutes to consider why Mozart changed key suddenly at bar 27. Clarke (2005) goes on to state that changing the student expectation of what classroom is and how they are to be involved in the process will result in long er, more confident responses. The variety of answers and explanations will widen and help to provoke thought and learning and the failure to respond will decrease for those who are less confident. In my second school placement I was presented with an assessment policy briefly covering the expected elements of AFL. This document stated that skillful questioning gauges understanding (Hamilton community college, 2010) but I would suggest that questioning in the classroom is also a means to provoke thinking when used correctly. Black et al (2003) concur with this by stating that More effort has to be spent in framing questions that are worth asking: that is, questions which explore issue that are critical to the development of students understanding. (Black et al, 2003) Black, P., Harrison C., Lee, C., Marshall, B., and Wiliam D. (2003) Assessment for learning, Open university press. Shirley Clarke (2005) writes that effective, thought provoking questioning is planned prior to the lesson and will extend student understanding beyond mere recall of facts or knowledge. Blooms taxonomy defines closed recall of fact as a lower order thinking skills but that analysis or evaluation require a higher level of thinking and involvement in order to engage with the question. Therefore, pre-designed questioning will encourage the required thoughtful, reflective dialogue needed to evoke and explore understanding (Black and Wiliam 1998) and through the implementation of sound framing and the use of thinking time all pupils may have the opportunity to develop and express their ideas. SELF ASSESSMENT Stobart and Gipps (1997, p.15) believe that assessment is only truly formative if the process involves the pupil, and this of course requires self-assessment, the third strategy.   By allowing independent learning where pupils crucially take active responsibility for, and participation in, their own learning, self-assessment is a vital AFL  tool. Black, et al. (2002) feel that this personal reflection on progress can only take place if the pupil fully understands objectives and this is backed up by Shirley Clarke (2005) who outlines a model for enabling students to identify their own success against clearly outlined learning objectives. The Assessment reform group (2002) states that AFL should develop a learners capacity for self-assessment, so that they can become reflective and self-managing. With well outlining learning goals the process may also avoid be destructive to a pupils confidence and can be focused mainly on areas for future improvement. For example, in my GCSE music classes I can use self-assessment to ensure that a pupil looks objectively at their own composition work with reference to the AQA marking criteria which help to provide sound success criteria for the unit of work. By understanding what they should be learning they can assess what they need to do to reach the required goals. Self-assessment is a skill which needs to be taught and used on a regular basis but in my brief experience needs to be woven into lesson planning in order to fulfill its role. Stobart, G., Gipps, C., Assessment: A teachers guide to the issues, Hodder Arnold H&S; 3rd Revised edition edition (4 Dec 1997) PEER ASSESSMENT As well as self-assessment, peer-assessment is also a powerful of learning tool.   Cowie (2005) points out that often pupils are more likely to understand the feedback language used by their peers.   Pupils may also appear more confident when they are around their peers and are consequently more likely to interrupt another pupil through lack of understanding, than a teacher (Black, et al, 2002).   It is however, important that pupils are not encouraged to draw comparisons between themselves because that could have a negative effect on confidence and self-esteem. The Dfes guidance states that students do not become self-evaluative overnight and in my own practice it has taken time and commitment to self and peer assessment to move the process away from simple competition in the classroom towards more valuable collaborative learning activity. The focus for peer and self-assessment should be on the quality of the work produced and ways to improve it rather than simply marking each others work. FEEDBACK Teacher feedback may be described as formative when it helps students understand how to do better next time. If feedback, written on the bottom of an essay for example, simply gives a grade or mark out of ten, the student has no idea how to improve. However, if a teacher gives clear guidance for possible next steps or areas for development then this is valuable for all students, regardless of ability. It also avoids the comparison effect and focuses on personal improvement. If the emphasis is placed on the grade of a piece of work, a student with low ability can easily become demotivated. This is especially true in GCSE music where the spread of the cohort admitted to the course can range from those who have had private instrumental tuition for years to those whose only experience of practical music making will have been in the music classroom. Through careful feedback a teacher can avoid the maladaptive responses (Dweck 1986) which can manifest in a music lesson as a form of helples sness and the lack of persistence a learner can exhibit when faced with difficulty or a low grade. Formative feedback is diagnostic and is more important to raising achievement by giving a commentary for improvement than simply by giving a grade (Lawson 2008) Lawson, Tony, Assessing students reflective teaching and learning edited by Dymoke, S., Harrison, J. 2008. Sage publications limited. Feedback, the fourth strategy, is very important in assessment for learning; it can have huge impacts on pupils learning.   There are two types of feedback, normative, which refers to the giving of grades and the comparison to a statistical picture and formative which refers to giving constructive comment. Weaver (2006) points out that feedback is an effective way of alerting pupils to their strengths and weaknesses and giving information on how to close the gap. Closing the gap refers to the difference between the learning outcome or goal and the pupils present state (Black and Wiliam, 1998). By using feedback and assessment information, pupils and teachers are then able to decide what should be done next. A study by Martinez and Martinez (1992) found that normative feedback, grades and marks, etc., had a negative effect on pupils learning and this is echoed by Black and Wiliam (1998) who observed in their research an over-emphasis on marks and grading which in itself did not provide useful advice or instruction for the future. In order for learning to take place feedback must involve constructive dialogue and comment between the teacher and the pupil.   This kind of feedback can be a catalyst for discussion and further enhance learning (Maclellan, 2001). Traditionally however, the education system is grade dominated, and it would be hard to deviate from that.   Pupils will always want to know their grades.   Feedback can have very positive effects on both confidence and motivation, if used effectively (Weaver, 2006).