Augmentative Alternative Communication Intervention Health And Social Care Essay

Children and young person who sustain a traumatic encephalon hurt ( TBI ) and/or spinal cord hurt ( SCI ) may hold impermanent or lasting disablements that affect their address, linguistic communication and communicating abilities. Having a manner to pass on can assist cut down a kid ‘s confusion and anxiousness, every bit good as enable them to take part more actively in the rehabilitation procedure and therefore, retrieve from their hurts. In add-on, effectual communicating with household, attention staff, equals, instructors and friends is indispensable to long-run recovery and positive results as kids with TBI and SCI are integrated back into their communities. This article describes how rehabilitation squads can utilize augmentative and alternate communicating ( AAC ) and assistive engineerings ( AT ) to back up the communicating of kids retrieving from TBI and SCI over clip. 1. Introduction Children and young person who sustain a terrible traumatic encephalon hurt ( TBI ) and/or a spinal cord hurt ( SCI ) frequently experience sequealae that can impact their ability to pass on efficaciously. In early stages of recovery, many kids with TBI and SCI are unable to utilize their address or gestures for a assortment of medical grounds related to their hurts. As a consequence, they can profit from augmentative and alternate communicating ( AAC ) intercessions that specifically address their ability to pass on basic demands and feelings to medical forces and household members and inquire and react to inquiries. AAC attacks may include holding entree to a nurse ‘s call signal ; schemes to set up a consistent â€Å" yes † â€Å" no † response ; techniques that help a kid â€Å" oculus point † to simple messages ; low-tech boards and books that encourage interaction with household members and staff ; communicating boards with images or words ; and speech bring forthing devices ( SGDs ) with preprogrammed messages, such as â€Å" I hurt † â€Å" Come here, † â€Å" Help me delight! † â€Å" When ‘s ma coming? † As kids with TBI and SCI recover from their hurts, many no longer will necessitate AAC. However, some kids face residuary motor, address, linguistic communication and cognitive damages that affect their ability to pass on face-to-face, write or usage mainstream communicating engineerings ( e.g. , computing machines, electronic mail, phones, etc. ) . A few may necessitate AAC and assistive engineering ( AT ) throughout their lives. Having entree to communicating through AAC and AT enables these kids to take part actively in the rehabilitation procedure and finally, in their households and communities. Without an ability to pass on efficaciously, kids with TBI and SCI will confront unsurmountable barriers to instruction, employment, every bit good as set uping and keeping relationships and taking on preferred societal functions as grownups. All AAC intercessions aim to back up a kid ‘s current communicating demands while be aftering for the hereafter [ 2 ] . However, the class of AAC intervention for kids who sustain TBIs and SCIs is different because of the nature of their hurts is different. In add-on, the focal point of AAC intercessions will differ for really immature kids ( e.g. , shaken babe syndrome ) who are merely developing address and linguistic communication and for those who were literate and have some cognition of the universe prior to their hurts ( e.g. , 16 year-old involved injured in a motor vehicle accident ) . For immature kids, the AAC squad will concentrate on developing their linguistic communication, literacy, academic, emotional, and societal accomplishments, every bit good as guaranting that they have a manner to pass on with household members and rehabilitation staff. For older kids, AAC intercessions build on residuary accomplishments and abilities to assist rectify address, linguistic communication and communicating damages every bit good as provide compensatory schemes that support face-to-face interactions and finally communicating across distances ( phone, electronic mail ) with squad members, household and friends. AAC intercession ends seek to advance a kid ‘s active engagement in household, instruction, community and leisure activities and purpose to back up the constitution and care of robust societal webs [ 4, 18, 25 ] . While a assortment of AAC tools, schemes and techniques are available that offer communicating entree, successful AAC intercessions for kids with TBI and SCI besides require that medical staff, household members and finally community forces know how to back up the usage of AAC schemes and engineerings because the demands of these kids change over clip. Speech-language diagnosticians, nurses, occupational healers, physical healers, physiatrists, baby doctors, and rehabilitation applied scientists work collaboratively with the kid ‘s household and community-based professionals to set up, keep and update effectual communicating systems. Ultimately, the end is for kids to take on coveted grownup functions ; AAC can assist them recognize these ends. 2. Pediatric TBI and AAC AAC intercession for paediatric patients with TBI and terrible communicating challenges is an indispensable, complex, on-going and dynamic procedure. AAC is indispensable to back up the alone communicating demands of kids who are unable to pass on efficaciously. It is complex because of the residuary cognitive shortages that frequently persist and because many kids with TBI have co-existing address, linguistic communication, ocular, and motor control deficits [ 11, 10 ] . AAC intercessions are ongoing and dynamic [ 12 ] because kids with TBI experience many alterations over clip and undergo multiple passages. Light and co-workers [ 17 ] described the on-going, three-year AAC intercession of an stripling who progressed through several AAC systems and finally regained functional address. DeRuyter and Donoghue [ 6 ] described an person who used many simple devices and a sophisticated AAC system over a seven-month period. Extra studies describe the recovery of natural address up to 13 ol d ages post onset [ 15, 29 ] . 2.1. AAC Assessment and Intervention Appraisal tools can assist place and depict the cognitive, linguistic communication and motor shortages of patients with TBI and supply a model for AAC intercessions. The Pediatric Rancho Scale of Cognitive Functioning [ 26 ] is based on the Ranchos Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning [ 13 ] . Table 1 describes general degrees of recovery, based on the Pediatric Rancho Lost Amigos Scale, and gives illustrations of AAC intercession schemes that rehabilitation squads can use across the degrees as described below. Levels IV and V. AAC Goal: Determining responses into communicating In the early stage of recovery, paediatric patients at Levels IV and V on the Pediatric Rancho Scale are frequently in the PICU, the ICU, acute infirmary or acute rehabilitation environment. At Level V ( no response to stimuli ) or Level IV ( generalized response to stimuli ) AAC intercessions focus on placing modes that kids can utilize to supply consistent and dependable responses. For illustration, staff can utilize simple switches ( e.g. , Jelly BeanA ® , Big RedA ® and Buddy Button from AbleNet ) , latch-timers ( e.g. , PowerLinkA ® from AbleNet ) and individual message devices ( e.g. BIGmackA ® and Step CommunicatorA ® from AbleNet ) to back up early communicating ( see Table 1 for some illustrations ) . Because kids ‘s early responses may be automatic instead than knowing, the household and medical/rehabilitation squad can besides utilize AAC engineerings to promote more consistent responses. Families provide valuable input about the sorts of music, games and f avourite toys a kid finds actuating. The squad can so utilize these points to arouse physical responses from the kid. For illustration, if the household identified the battery-operated plaything ElmoA ® from Sesame StreetA ® , the rehabilitation squad might show Elmo singing a Sesame Street vocal and so detect to see if the kid ‘s responds. If the kid begins to turn her caput when ElmoA ® sings, the squad might attach a switch with a battery interrupter to the plaything and inquire the kid to â€Å" hit † the button and â€Å" play the ElmoA ® vocal † . In making so, the squad can larn several things. For illustration, the squad may observe that a kid is able to follow bids, bespeaking cognitive recovery. The squad may besides get down to see alternate entree methods for kids with terrible physical damages, i.e. , head motion may go a dependable manner to run an AAC device or computing machine in the hereafter. It is hard to foretell whether a kid will re trieve natural address during early phases of recovery. 2.2. Middle Levels II and III: AAC Goals: Increase ability to pass on with staff, household and friends and support active engagement in intervention Pediatric patients at Levels III ( localized response to centripetal stimulations ) and II ( antiphonal to environment ) go more occupied in their rehabilitation plans as they recover some cognitive, linguistic communication and physical abilities. During this stage, long-run shortages that affect communicating become evident ( e.g. , dysarthria, apraxia, aphasia, attending, induction, memory, vision, spasticity ) . Dongilli and co-workers [ 7 ] and Ladtkow and Culp [ 16 ] besides report natural speech recovery in grownups after TBI at the in-between phases of recovery. Continued trust on AAC schemes and engineerings is typically due to relentless motor address and/or terrible cognitive-language shortages ensuing from the hurt [ 12 ] . AAC intercessions at these degrees focus on utilizing a kid ‘s most consistent and dependable response to pass on messages, promote active engagement in the rehabilitation procedure and increase interactions with household and staff. AAC intercessions ever take into history the kid ‘s developmental degree and involvements. Table 1 gives some illustrations of AAC engineerings employed during these Levels III and II. For illustration, Jessica was admitted to the infirmary at 18-months with jolted babe syndrome. At Level II, she began reacting to her parents by smiling and express joying and besides began to pull strings playthings with her non-paralyzed manus when staff placed a plaything within her integral field of vision. However, she did non exhibit any address or imitative vocal behaviours and her speech-language diagnostician noted a terrible verbal apraxia. Nursing staff and household members noted that Jessica seemed frustrated by her inability to show herself. Prio r to her hurt, she could call over 30 objects ( playthings, pets, favourite sketch characters ) and was get downing to set two word sentences together ( Momma adieu, Daddy place ) . AAC intercessions included the debut of a BIGmackA ® , a single-message address bring forthing device ( SGD ) that enabled the staff and household members to enter a message that Jessica could so â€Å" speak † during her day-to-day activities ( e.g. , â€Å" more † , â€Å" adieu † , â€Å" turn page † ) . Because the BIGmackA ® is a colourful, big and easy to entree SGD, Jessica was able to â€Å" press the button † despite her upper appendage spasticity and important ocular field cut. Within a month, Jessica had progressed to utilizing a MACAW by ZygoA ® , an SGD with eight-location sheathing that staff programmed with words she had used prior to her hurt ( e.g. , mommy, daddy, more, bottle, book, adieu ) . Staff besides designed extra sheathings to promote her linguistic communication development by supplying vocabulary that enabled her to build two-word combinations ( e.g. , â€Å" more crackers † ) . Jessica began to show herself at a developmentally appropriate degree, but she had residuary memory shortages that required cuing and support from her communicating spouses. For illustration, ab initio, she did non remember how to utilize her AAC system from session to session so staff needed to re-introduce it each clip. However, after several months, Jessica began to â€Å" seek † for her SGD to pass on. Jessica, like many kids with TBI at this degree, was able to larn processs and schemes with repeat and support [ 30 ] . 2.3. Level II and Level I. AAC Goals: Support passages, recommend AAC schemes and engineerings for usage at place and in the community As paediatric patients passage from Level II ( antiphonal to environment ) to Level I ( oriented to self and milieus ) , they frequently move from an ague rehabilitation installation to an outpatient scene, place or a attention installation. Thus, before discharge, AAC squads will carry on a formal AAC appraisal and supply long-run recommendations for AAC schemes and engineerings that can enable kids to be integrated successfully back into community environments. Table 1 illustrates the types of AAC engineerings and schemes employed at Levels II and I, as described below. For kids who continue to utilize AAC and AT when they return to their communities, the rehabilitation squad identifies a long-run communicating advocator. This individual, frequently a household member, becomes actively involved in AAC preparation and collaborates with rehabilitation staff to fix the kid ‘s educational staff, extended household and other health professionals [ 9 ] . Having a nexus between the rehabilitation squad and community professionals is indispensable because most instructors and community-based clinicians have limited experience working with kids with TBI and may necessitate support to pull off the cognitive and physical shortages frequently associated with TBI. For illustration, McKenzie, a 12 year-old with a terrible TBI secondary to a auto accident, was quadriplegic with terrible spasticity and no upper appendage control. She besides had cortical sightlessness and important communicating and cognitive damages. As she recovered, McKenzie used a assortm ent of AAC systems ( e.g. , thumbs up/down for â€Å" yes † â€Å" no † , two BIGmacksA ® to pass on picks, and a scanning Cheap Talk by Enabling Devicess with four messages to take part in structured activities ) . Prior to dispatch, the rehabilitation squad conducted a formal SGD rating and recommended the Vmax by DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, a voice end product device. McKenzie was able to entree the device via a caput switch mounted to the side of the head restraint on her wheelchair. Using audile scanning, she could make and recover messages. Because she was literate anterior to her hurt and could still spell, the staff set up her device to include an alphabet page every bit good as several pages with pre-programmed messages incorporating basic/urgent attention demands, gags and societal remarks. Family and friends participated in her rehabilitation and learned to utilize tactile and verbal prompts to assist her participate in colloquial exchanges. Due to her residuar y cognitive shortages, nevertheless, McKenzie had trouble originating conversations and retrieving where pre-stored messages were in her device. When prompted, she would react and originate inquiries and could prosecute in conversations over multiple bends. Over clip, she began to take part in meaningful, societal interactions, frequently spelling out two-three word novel phrases utilizing her alphabet page While her parents were restituting their place to manage her wheelchair, McKenzie transitioned to a regional attention installation that specialized in working with immature people with TBI. The ague rehabilitation squad identified McKenzie ‘s aunt as her AAC advocator because she had participated actively in earlier stages of McKenzie ‘s recovery, was adept with the care ( bear downing, set-up and basic trouble-shooting ) of the Vmax and could custom-make and plan new messages into the system. The attention installation staff met with McKenzie ‘s aunt weekly so they could larn how to back up McKenzie ‘s usage of the SGD. Specific developing aims included care and basic trouble-shooting, set up, switch-placement and how to plan new messages to utilize in specific and motivative activities. Staff learned how to modify the arrangement of her switch when McKenzie became exhausted or her spasticity increased. Additionally, McKenzie ‘s school staff ( particul ar instruction coordinator, speech-language diagnostician, occupational healer, and one of her regular schoolroom instructors ) visited McKenzie at the rehabilitation and the attention installations to assist fix for her return place and learned how to back up her in school, given her physical and cognitive restrictions. 2.4. AAC subjects in TBI When working with paediatric patients with TBI, three AAC â€Å" subjects † emerge. 1. Recovery from TBI is dynamic and takes topographic point over clip. In early phases of recovery, most kids with TBI have physical, address, linguistic communication and cognitive shortages that affect their communicating accomplishments. Depending on the nature and badness of their hurts, nevertheless, most recover functional address, although some will hold life-long residuary address, linguistic communication and communicating shortages. Acute rehabilitation squads can use AAC intercessions to back up communicating, every bit good as proctor the kid ‘s altering communicating abilities and needs over clip. 2. The cognitive-linguistic challenges associated with TBI make AAC intercessions peculiarly disputing for rehabilitation staff, every bit good as for households, friends and school forces. Because of the complex nature of the residuary disablements caused by TBI, coactions among rehabilitation specializers, household members and community-based professionals are indispensable. Some kids with TBI require AAC supports throughout their lives. Family members, friends and school forces seldom know how to pull off their terrible memory, attending and/or induction shortages that can impact long-run communicating results. 3. There is a demand to be after carefully for passages. Children with TBI will undergo many passages. While research depicting these passages in kids is non available, studies of the experiences of grownups with TBI describe multiple passages over clip. Penna and co-workers [ 22 ] noted that grownups with TBI undergo a important figure of abode passages peculiarly in the first twelvemonth following hurt and Fager [ 9 ] described the different passages ( acute attention infirmary, outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing installation, place with grownup day care services, and finally assisted life ) for an grownup with terrible TBI experienced over a decennary, documenting important alterations in his cognitive abilities, every bit good as his communicating spouses and support staff. Children with TBI are likely to see even more passages over their life-times. 3. Pediatric SCI and AAC Pediatric patients with SCI frequently have integral cognitive accomplishments and terrible physical disablements that can interfere with their ability to talk. In add-on, they frequently have important medical complications and may be left with terrible motor damages that make it hard, if non impossible, for them to compose, entree a computing machine or take part in the gambling, online and remote societal networking activities embraced by today ‘s young person ( e.g. , texting, electronic mail ) . A subgroup may besides show with a attendant TBI sustained as a consequence of the autumn, auto accident or other traumatic event that has changed their lives. For them, AAC intervention must reflect guidelines that take into history both SCI and TBI. As with TBI, the growing and development inherent in childhood and adolescence and the alone manifestations and complications associated with SCI require that direction be both developmentally based and directed to the person ‘s particular demands [ 27 ] Initially, AAC intercessions typically focus on guaranting face-to-face communicating when address is unavailable or really hard ; over the long term, nevertheless, enabling kids to compose and prosecute in educational, recreational and pre-vocational activities utilizing computing machines and other mainstream engineerings becomes the focal point. 3.1. AAC Assessment and Intervention The ASIA standard neurological categorization of SCI from the American Spinal Injury Association and International Medical Society of Paraplegia [ 1 ] is a tool that rehabilitation squads often use to measure patients with SCI because it identifies the degree of hurt and associated shortages at each degree. This can assist steer the rehabilitation squad ‘s clinical decision-making procedure for AAC intercessions. As shown in Table 2, kids with high tetraplegia ( C1-C4 SCI ) have limited caput control and are frequently ventilator dependant. They frequently require oculus, caput, and/or voice control of AAC devices and mainstream engineerings to pass on. While switch scanning is an option for some, it requires higher-level cognitive abilities, endurance, and watchfulness and may be inappropriate for really immature kids and those who are medically delicate [ 28, 19, 23, 14 ] . Children with low tetraplegia ( C5-T1 SCI ) demonstrate limited proximal and distal upper appendage con trol. If fitted with splints that support their arm and manus, some are able to utilize specially adapted mouse options ( e.g. , control stick mouse, switch-adapted mouse, trackball mouse ) , big button or light touch keyboards and switches to command engineering. These kids are besides campaigners for caput trailing and voice control of AAC devices due to the weariness and physical attempt involved in utilizing their upper appendages. For illustration, a multi-modal entree method to AAC engineering and computing machines may include voice control to order text, manus control of the pointer with an adaptative mouse to execute other computing machine maps ( e.g. , unfastened plans ) , and an adaptative keyboard to rectify mistakes that are generated while ordering text. This multi-modal attack can be more efficient and less thwarting than utilizing voice control entirely for these kids. Table 2 provides illustrations of appropriate entree options to AAC and mainstream engineerings. 3.2. Supporting face-to-face communicating For kids with high tetraplegia, being dependent on mechanical airing is scaring particularly when they are unable to digest a speaking valve [ 21 ] . Thus, supplying these kids with a manner to pass on is indispensable to their recovery and sense of wellbeing. As kids with lower degrees of hurt are weaned from a ventilator, they may see decreased respiratory control and be unable to talk [ 2 ] . Medical specializers can supply entree to AAC schemes and engineerings, which enable these kids to pass on their wants, demands and feelings throughout the twenty-four hours. This allows them to interact with direct attention staff, participate in their rehabilitation procedure, and keep relationships with household and friends. Pediatric rehabilitation squads may utilize a scope of AAC schemes and engineerings to back up face-to-face communicating in kids with SCI. Some illustrations include low tech communicating boards used with oculus regard or oculus pointing, partner-dependent scanning, an electro voice box with intra-oral adapter, or laser light indicating to a mark message or missive on a communicating board [ 2, 3 ] . Introducing AAC and AT engineerings early in the recovery procedure, peculiarly for kids who demonstrate high tetraplegia, will besides get down to familiarise them with attacks they may necessitate to trust on extensively throughout their lives, even after address returns. For illustration, Jared, a 17-year-old high school senior, sustained a SCI in a skiing accident at the C2 degree. In add-on to his hurts, he developed pneumonia and a terrible tail bone lesion during his hospitalization, which lengthened his infirmary stay. He was unable to digest a one-way speech production valve due to the badness of his pneumonia and reduced oxygenation during valve tests. Although Jared had minimum caput motion, he was able to command an AccuPointa„? caput tracker to entree his place laptop computing machine and spell out messages he could so talk aloud utilizing speech synthesis package. He used his AAC system to bespeak his medical demands to health professionals and subsequently reported that holding the ability to pass on helped relieve some of the anxiousness he experienced due to his status and drawn-out hospitalization. After Jared recovered the ability to utilize a speaking valve, his work with the AccuPointa„? focused on computing machine ent ree to run into written and societal communicating demands. Once his lesion had healed, he was able to return place 11 months subsequently. At that clip, all of his schoolmates had graduated. Using the AccuPointa„? , Jared was able to finish his GED at place and enrolled in on-line categories at the local community college. 3.3. Supporting written communicating and instruction At the clip of their hurt, some paediatric patients with SCI are pre-literate, others are developing literacy accomplishments, and others have extremely developed literacy accomplishments. However, most kids with tetraplegia will necessitate the usage of assistive engineerings to back up written communicating because their hurts preclude them from utilizing a pencil and/or typing on a traditional computing machine keyboard. In a study depicting the educational engagement of kids with spinal cord hurt, 89 % of the kids with tetraplegia relied on AAC to back up written communicating demands [ 8 ] . For illustration, Max, a 6-year-old male child who suffered a C6 SCI after an All Terrain Vehicle accident, was reading age-appropriate sight words and developing his ability to compose individual words prior to his hurt. After the initial recovery period, formal testing revealed that Max had no residuary cognitive or linguistic communication damages. However, he faced important barriers non merely to his continued development of age-appropriate reading and composing accomplishments, but besides to his ability to larn and make math, societal surveies, scientific discipline, drama games, use a cell phone, etc. Due to his tetraplegia, he needed ways to entree text and write, calculate, draw and so on. Max learned to entree a computing machine utilizing a big button keyboard, control stick mouse, and adaptative hand-typers ( turnups with an affiliated stylus that fit on the ulnar side of the manus and let the user to press the keys of a keyboard ) to back up composing activities and com puting machine entree. During rehabilitation, he was able to go on with his school assignment by developing the accomplishments to utilize the engineering and maintain up with his schoolmates. He returned place during the summer and participated in an intense place tutoring plan. By the autumn, he was able to fall in his schoolmates and was able to execute at grade degree in all categories. Essential to Max ‘s future educational success and development, every bit good as his future employment, may good depend on his ability to compose, calculate and possibly even pull utilizing a assortment of assistive engineerings that support communicating. 3.4. Support societal engagement and pre-vocational activities Entree to assistive and mainstream engineerings non merely facilitates engagement in instruction, but besides has deductions for future employment as these kids passage into maturity. Assistive and mainstream engineerings are now available at modest cost that can assist persons with SCI to counterbalance for functional restrictions, overcome barriers to employability, heighten proficient capacities and computing machine use, and better ability to vie for paid employment In add-on, these engineerings besides provide entree to life-long acquisition, recreational activities and societal networking activities. Specifically, computing machines are described as â€Å" great equalisers † for persons with SCI to prosecute in employment chances and distant communicating [ 20 ] . Social engagement in the current technological age includes more than face-to-face communicating. Social engagement has expanded with the popularity of societal networking sites ( e.g. , Facebook a„?and MySpacea„? ) , video web-based communicating ( e.g. , Skypea„? ) and instant communicating and messaging ( e.g. , Twittera„? ) . Progresss in the field of AAC have allowed persons with the most terrible hurts entree computing machine engineerings to prosecute in these societal communicating activities. For illustration, Crystal was a 10-year-old who sustained a C1 SCI due to a autumn. Crystal ‘s hurt left her with no head/neck control and her lone consistent entree method to computerise engineering was through oculus trailing. With an ERICA oculus regard system from DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, Crystal rapidly became independent with computing machine entree. She emailed and texted her friends and household daily, communicated via her Facebooka„? history, and engaged in on-line gambling plans with her friends and siblings. This engineering allowed her to get down to pass on once more with her school friends while she was still undergoing acute rehabilitation. Keeping these societal webs is an indispensable constituent to emotional accommodation kids with SCI go through after prolonging a terrible hurt [ 8 ] . Additionally, Crystal ‘s friends began to understand that while her damages were terrible, she was basically the same individual with the same involvements, wit, ends, and outlooks as before her hurt. 3.5. AT/AAC subjects in SCI When working with paediatric patients with SCI, three AAC â€Å" subjects † emerge. 1. For those with high tetraplegia, AAC may ease face-to-face every bit good as distant and written communicating demands, depending on the developmental degree of the kid. Introducing AAC engineering early, when face-to-face communicating support is needed, helps the kid become familiar with the engineering they will necessitate to trust on after natural address has recovered. 2. Return to an educational environment is a primary end with many kids with tetraplegia returning to school within an norm of 62 yearss post discharge [ 24 ] . Development of written communicating accomplishments is an indispensable constituent to successful educational completion and future vocational chances [ 20 ] .. 3. Introduction to methods of written and electronic communicating provides an chance for patients with SCI to prosecute in societal webs through electronic mail, texting, and societal networking sites. As these kids with terrible physical disablements face a life clip of possible medical complications [ 5 ] , the ability to keep and develop new societal connexions via electronic media allow them to remain connected during times when their medical conditions require them to be house or hospital-bound. 4. Decision Communication is indispensable for continued development of cognitive, linguistic communication, societal, and emotional accomplishments. Children with TBI and SCI have physical and/or cognitive-language shortages that interfere with typical communicating abilities. Their communicating demands are supported through AAC schemes and engineerings. A myriad of engineering options are available that non merely back up face-to-face interactions, but every bit of import distant societal networking and educational activities. AAC intercessions in the medical scene that non merely back up communicating of basic medical demands, but besides facilitate battle in societal, educational, and pre-vocational activities will ensue in successful passage to place, school and community environments for these kids.

Explore the theme of danger with reference to the extracts from ‘Heart of Darkness’ and ‘Blood River’

Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ and Tim Butcher’s ‘Blood River’ both explore the theme of danger throughout. This is achieved through Conrad and Butcher’s choice of lexis. The extract from ‘Heart of Darkness’ is taken from chapter eleven. In this extract, Marlow and the rest of the crew of the steamboat are being attacked by the natives of the Congo. The extract from ‘Blood River’ is taken from chapter ten (Bend in the River).In this extract, Butcher describes how a child pickpocket is being attacked by an African mob. Both novels are written in 1st person, but ‘Heart of Darkness’ is fiction, whereas ‘Blood River’ is non-fiction. ‘Heart of Darkness’ was published in 1899 and ‘Blood River’ was published in 2007. The characterisation and narrative methods of the extracts are quite similar. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Joseph Conrad gives a vivid image of how brutal the natives in the Congo might of been: â€Å"†¦Ã‚  the arrows came in swarms. They might have been poisoned†¦ †This suggests to the reader that in the Congo, nobody is fully aware of the harm they cause to others or cares about the consequences of their actions as long as it does not affect them and highlights the dangerous nature of the Congo environment. In ‘Blood River’, Tim Butcher gives a vivid image of violent life in the Congo: â€Å"†¦ the mob parted and there was the boy, with his arms twisted behind his back†.This implies to the reader of how punishment is taken very seriously in the Congo, even when it is a small child being involved and shows just how danger is so common, it comes naturally to the natives of the Congo. The contexts of the extracts are very different to each other. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Conrad expresses to the reader that when the novel was published in 1899, life in the Congo was qu ite dangerous, so when Marlow is attacked by the natives, while on the steamboat, it came as a surprise for him, although the danger was known to him: â€Å"Arrows by Jove!  We were being shot at! †The use of the word ‘Jove’ emphasises to the reader that the attack came as a shock for Marlow and highlights the natives and their reaction to foreigners. In ‘Blood River’, Butcher expresses to the reader that at the moment, life in the Congo is different to what it was half a century ago, in the sense that people know more because of travel, news, etc, but the Congo itself has become more brutal and dangerous: â€Å"†¦ I had witnesses numerous times during my stint covering Africa†¦African mob justice was a terrifying thing. † This implies to the reader that the Congo has changed dramatically over time and that violence is now a common thing to occur. The contextual factors of the two texts are very different as they were written in di fferent times and so the historical backgrounds behind them are different. For example, when ‘Heart of Darkness’ was written, black men were called ‘niggers’ and it was thought to be normal to do so back then, but nowadays it would be an offence.In ‘Blood river’, Bucher mentions how violent mobs is a thing he has â€Å"witnessed numerous times†, but half a century ago was a very rare thing to find in the Congo. The genres of the texts are slightly different. ‘Heart of Darkness’ has a sense of danger and adventure throughout most of the novel: â€Å"The side of his head hit the wheel twice, and the end of what appeared a long cane clattered round and knocked over a little camp-stool. † This suggests to the reader that the novel has elements of danger in it and highlights the dangerous environment of the Congo.‘Blood River’ also has the same elements of danger imprinted in the novel, but is presented in an informational manner: â€Å"In Swahili, toleka means ‘let’s go’, so shouting ‘toleka, toleka’, I urged my peddler to find the Cohydro offices. †This suggests to the reader that the genre of Butcher’s novel is adventurous, but is laid out in a factual manner that might not be received in the same way as Conrad’s exciting manner of expressing danger in the Congo. The social, moral and political agendas of both texts are very different in the sense that the authors treat certain situations different morally.In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Marlow shows that he has morals when he navigates the steamboat to safety and tries to help his fellow crew members: â€Å"He stood before the wide opening, glaring, and I yelled at him to come back, while I straightened the sudden twist out of that steamboat. † This suggests to the reader that Marlow is heroic as he saves many lives during the attack on the steamboat. In ‘Blood R iver’, however, Tim Bucher seems to abandon his moral standards even though to help people in the Congo is considered pointless: â€Å"I was too preoccupied by my own emergency to worry about the boy’s plight.†This too emphasises the futility of the crisis in the Congo and highlights the dangerous nature of the Congo environment. The features of language change in the extracts are only slight. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, when Marlow and the steamboat crew are attacked by the natives, the language seems archaic to a modern reader in the sense that the language used is no longer in everyday use, but sometimes used to impart an old-fashioned flavour: â€Å"Arrows by Jove!†The use of the word ‘Jove’ shows the reader that the novel is very old-fashioned as nowadays we would use the expression ‘Oh my God! ’ instead. In ‘Blood River’, Butcher frequently uses modern language when explaining the dangers of the Congo: â€Å"The boy’s mouth was bleeding and the side of his face was squashed flat on the uneven concrete of the forecourt. It was a scene I had witnessed numerous times during my stint covering Africa.†The use of the contemporary word ‘stint’, which means ‘job’, suggests to the reader that Butcher is trying to sound more modern when explaining the brutality of the Congo and the dangerous nature of the Congo environment, and the casualness of the word highlights that violence is quite commonplace in the Congo. It could also suggest that Butcher is at ease when discussing African violence as he has come across so much of it in the past. In conclusion, both extracts of ‘Heart of Darkness’ and ‘Blood River’ explore the theme of danger in similar ways, but have different effects on the readers.For example, Conrad fictional writing, although based on true events, could be seen by the reader as just fiction and dangerous aspect s of the novel might not be as taken across as important as Butcher’s real expedition of the Congo and the dangers it contains. Both Conrad and Butcher have shown their own views of the Congo very carefully within the texts, to an extent where the reader can see the views of both authors as their own, and allowing them to see how dangerous the Congo environment really is.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method, and to establish how these are achievable compared to traditional methods. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry The UK is legally bound to cut its green house gas emissions under the Climate Change Act 2008. These cuts are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050, compared to the baseline emission value from 1990. This is not a scientific quantitative study of the actually energy effic iencies of the construction method, but more of an in-depth qualitative study of the features of prefabrication. This will be done by reviewing existing literature on the topic and comparing this to actual opinions and use in the construction industry. These opinions and the level of implementation of prefabrication within the construction industry will be established using questionnaires. From this analysis it is hoped that there are environmental benefits to using off-site manufacture/prefabrication. This should then be shown in the construction industry by it’s increasingly use. With the UK’s housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Although the Climate Change Act 2008 is not specifically aimed at the construction industry, the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy has called for action in â€Å"four key areasâ⠂¬ ; the method by which electricity is produced, increasing the use of electric transport, reducing the carbon footprint of farms in the UK and an increase in the construction of energy efficient homes (Adam 2010). Many reports, especially from prefabrication manufacturers themselves state the benefits of off-site construction over traditional methods. These include an increased speed of construction, better health and safety conditions on-site, better quality of final product and a lesser total cost when economies of scale apply. However when observing construction sites; off-site construction seems to not be included and traditional methods of construction seem to dominate. This study aims to find out the actual use of prefabricated, off-site components within the industry, and the reasons professionals have for either using, or not using this construction method. The hypothesis for this study states that the current use of off-site manufactured components will have a positive c orrelation to the perceived benefits from using them. For example if the perceived benefits of the using off-site manufactured components are great, then it is predicted that their use will be common within construction. Conversely if the features of prefabrication are not greatly beneficial compared to traditional methods, it is predicted that the use of off-site manufacture in the construction industry will be low. These assumptions have been made due to common reasoning, being that; if something is more beneficial than another, it will be chosen more often.

Teleradiology Biology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Teleradiology Biology - Term Paper Example As we advance in an era run by technology, teleradiology seems to be an emerging trend and hope for radiologist. Statistics today indicate that there are many people in developed countries are using teleradiology as compared to people in developing countries (Louise 2). In as much as people become tempted in using this form of radiology to get interpretations of radiological images, it is also risky as it will be discussed below in the text. Teleradiology is proving to be a useful and a developing field in diagnostic medicine and radiology. People far away can be able to get their radiological images interpreted in time in order to make clinical decision on patients (Louise 4). An excellent example could be radiological images being sent from a local Japanese hospital for interpretation in a U.S based hospital. Distance between a radiologist and a patient is greatly reduced by the use of teleradiology and many patients appreciate its use. Many a times, teleradiology serves the purpos e of technology well since it makes works easy for the people doing them. In as much as they reduce distance fee, at times they cannot be trusted. Tele-radiology has a number of advantages. First, people who used accept that it is cost effective. Imagine sending an X-ray, MRI or a CT scan to a radiologist expert in India from USA via a mailing company. Such images would reach a day or so late and might not be quite useful on interpretation. Teleradiology is not hampered by physical barriers as contrasted transportation. In transportation, many personnel handle your image and may even be subjected to loss or damage. With Teleradiology, one is always assured that the image reaches the way it was produced (Kumar & Krupinski 6). Teleradiology is proving to a faster and most affordable means to have radiological images interpreted in areas where a big geographical gap exists between two radiologists. In the end, one spends and risks less while using teleradiology. Furthermore, teleradiol ogy can provided faster diagnosis in emergency situations. In places where radiologists are not familiar with a given radiological image, they can use teleradiology to get an impression of what their image convey. Such information can be critical while managing emergency patients where specialized radiologists are lacking. Take for instance a woman who whose brain MRI scan is supposed to be interpreted by a specialists so as a clinical decision be made on how to manage her. With teleradiology, information on her diagnosis and management can be discussed immediately (James, Mangelsdorff & Parker 7). Teleradiology can also be used in distributing radiological services to people. These days, teleradiology is becoming a necessity in many heath facilities. These institutions sell their services of interpreting radiological images to needy hospitals (James, Mangelsdorff & Parker 12). In most cases, small hospitals usually lack specialized radiologists to interpret images, thereby turning to teleradiology as an alternative. In addition, hospitals dealing with complex problems sometimes use teleradiology to get correct diagnosis of various conditions. Some hospitals usually lack the necessary personnel to interpret radiological images, hence, through teleradiology; they are able to access radiological specialists elsewhere (James, Mangelsdorff & Parker 7). Poorly equipped medical facilities have been able to link up with technologically advanced hospitals to help them make clinical judgement based

Thomas Edison Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Thomas Edison - Research Paper Example Edison obtained the majority of his educational materials from The Cooper Union, which specialized in supplying higher education materials and instruction for students. Through his education, Edison became interested in various branches of science, which played a role in his later career as an experimenter and inventor. Growing up, Edison held a variety of odd jobs to increase his income. While living in Michigan, he made a modest salary by selling candy and newspapers on the trains that ran through his city. He also sold vegetables to help his family with their expenses. Edison’s first stable job came after he saved a little boy from being hit by a runaway train. The station agent, J.U. MacKenzie, who was also the father of the little boy, was so appreciative of Edison’s actions that he trained Edison to be a telegraph operator. Edison spent many years in this position. When he was nineteen, he moved to Kentucky where he received a boost in his career by being given a job with the Associated Press news wire. During his career on the news wire, Edison made sure that he always received the night shift so that he would be able to work, read, and experiment. However, on one particular night, Edison’s attention on his experimenting ended up costing him his job when a lead-acid battery he was playing with spilled sulfuric acid onto the floor, which then leaked through the floorboards and spilled onto the desk of his boss below. Edison was immediately fired upon arriving at work the following morning. However, despite losing his job, one good thing came from Edison’s time as a telegraph operator. While working, he met Franklin Pope, another telegrapher and an inventor himself. Pope allowed Edison to work out of the basement of his home, which allowed Edison the space he needed for his first two inventions, a stock ticker and the electric vote recorder that was officially patented on June 1, 1869 (Pretzer, 1989). When Edison was twenty-four , he married Mary Stilwell. He met her while she was working at one of his shops. Together they had three children, Marion, Thomas Jr., and William. Mary died thirteen years later from a brain tumor; two years later, Edison married again, this time to Mina Miller, who was almost half of Edison’s age and the daughter of a famous inventor. They also had three children, including Charles and Theodore, both of whom went on to follow in their father’s footsteps as inventors. Mina outlived her husband, dying in 1947 from natural causes. Thomas Edison became most known for his numerous inventions, obtaining over one thousand patents in the United States during his lifetime, as well as many patents in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. As previously mentioned, among Edison’s first inventions were a stock ticker and an electric vote recorder. He also invented numerous telegraph machines and improved on telegraph machines that had already been invented, such as inve nting the quadruplex telegraph, which made it possible to transmit four messages at once. He also invented the electric pen, which was a device used for copying. However, regardless of these first useful inventions, Edison first became known for his invention of the phonograph in 1877, which is the first record player. Even though the phonograph had very poor sound quality and could only be used a few times, the public was taken back by this surprising, wonderful invention, giving Edison the nickname of the Wizard of Menlo Park. Edison spent a few years perfecting his original phonograph,

Cross culture and human resource management 03015 Essay

Cross culture and human resource management 03015 - Essay Example Kennedy (2008) however focus in aspect of competition that urged the business houses to look for new markets and customer groups in order to enhance their scope of business and signified competition as one of the primary drivers in the inclusion of cultural factors in the business domain. Focusing on the functional aspect of the human resource processes of the business, Hampden-Turner (2009) stated that the two most essential roles of the HR managers is to ensure employee engagement and commitment towards their organizational responsibilities. This research is focused on establishing a subsidiary for British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline in India. The process of developing the subsidiary will undergo through many cultural challenges and analysis of the business environment of India. For the initial market research process, GSK will send some British managers for understanding the process of designing the functions for the India based subsidiary. The group of managers selecte d include 3 male and 2 female individuals out of which the female managers are married and will be travelling with their families. This also brings in the aspect of adapting to the social structure of India for all the managers. The personal reflections of the managers will also be considered in forming the report regarding the cultural environment of India. The responsibilities of the subsidiaries will be mainly related with evaluation of the critical cultural and environmental factors that can influence the operations of GSK. Culture is one of the most crucial aspects of the human behaviour, their decision making processes and choices made while taking actions for fulfilling their goals. Based on this assumption the observation of Bate (2008) highlighted that culture influences the decisions and behaviour of a group of people and forms the basis of differentiation of one group from another. Thus, culture can consider as means for segregation of the global population based on their

Cytotoxic chemotherapytprinciples and care Essay

Cytotoxic chemotherapytprinciples and care - Essay Example leads to DNA strand breakage and cell death. This drug produces severe nausea and vomiting and requires extensive premedication to prevent these. Vincristine is a plant alkaloid that binds to tubulin within the cancer cell and causes cell death (Solal-Celigny, P.et al., 1998), and this is also potentially emetogenic.Tom presented with an 18-month history of weight loss, sense of general malaise, decreased appetite, and a lump in the side of the neck and was diagnosed to be having NHL. Tom was diagnosed to be HIV positive. A whole body computerized tomographic (CT) scan revealed presence of disease both above and below the diaphragm. Tom had involvement of lungs with bilateral upper lobe cavitations and centrilobular nodules and involvement of liver indicated by multiple metastatic hypointense lesions in the liver. Tom appeared to be suffering a lot. He had weight loss, anorexia, diarrhoea, and malaise. The initial blood tests indicated his fitness to undergo chemotherapy. I was present as an observer when Tom attended the day unit for his pre chemotherapy assessment; my ward sister went through the details of Tom's intended treatment with him and discussed the possible side effects. It was at this point Tom disclosed his main fear, which was nausea as a result of chemotherapy; he was concerned about the effect of chemotherapy over the baseline anorexia induced by the antiviral drugs for HIV disease. All the drugs that have been prescribed to him, except vincristine can potentially lead to nausea, specially cyclophosphamide can generate nausea from 18 to 24 hours following the administration. Prednisolone also leads to bloating symptoms and nausea. On the baseline, he was...American Journal Of Clinical Oncology; 17(6): pp. 522-526. Coates, A., Abraham, S., Kaye, S.B. et al., (1983). On the Receiving End- Patient Perception on the Side Effects of Cancer Chemotherapy, European Journal of Cancer and Clinical Oncology; 19: pp. 203-208. de Boer-Dennert M., de Wit R., and Schmitz, P.I., et al., (1997). Patient perceptions of the side-effects of chemotherapy: the influence of 5HT3 antagonists. British Journal of Cancer 1997;76: pp.1055-1061 Little, R.F., Yarchoan, R ., and Wilson, W.H., (2000). Systemic Chemotherapy For HIV-Associated Lymphoma In The Era Of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, Current Opinions On Oncology; 12(5): pp. 438-444. Molassiotis, A., Yung, H.P., Yam, B.M., Chan, F.Y. and Mok, T.S. (2002). The Effectiveness Of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training In Managing Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea And Vomiting In Chinese Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Support Care Cancer; 10(3): pp. 237-246. Morrow, G.R.(1984). Methodology in behavioral and psychosocial cancer research: the assessment of nausea and vomiting: past problems,current issues, and suggestions for future research.Cancer;53(suppl 10):pp. 2267-2280. Portlock, C. S., Qin, J., Schaindlin, P., Roistacher, N., Myers, J., Filippa, D. , Louie, D., Zelenetz, A. D., O'Brien, J. P., Moskowitz, C. , Norton, L., Yahalom, J. , Straus, D. J., and Bertino, J. R., (2004).

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

International Management - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  in the fast changing global equation of socio economic development, it is important that efforts are made to ensure that better understanding of cross cultural values and business practices are developed. The need of the hour is that a comprehensive study of factors which may hinder the business negotiations are undertaken and efforts are made to mitigate the influence of those factors in furthering the mutual business development of the global community.  This study outlines that  The imperatives of the global business environment have transformed the traditional business practices to suit the business and cultural compulsions of the host business partners. the international business practices must take cognizance of the changed equation of business practice with reference to the changing socio cultural background of the country, where one needs to establish the business interests. National cultures are known to determine the negotiatorâ€℠¢s assumptions and thoughts which help to form business strategy and behavioral pattern.  Negotiations primarily involve six major steps: defining goals and objectives; understanding socio-cultural values of one’s business partner; identify main variables in the negotiation processes; gaining comprehensive knowledge of country’s legal framework and political compulsion which may have significant impact on business outcome; develop mutual trust and confidence building.

Production chain in the car indusry and CSR Essay

Production chain in the car indusry and CSR - Essay Example On the other hand, corporate social pesponsibility is the act of a company or an organization to ensure that its activities work in a way that it benefits the society in which it surrounds. The company should also ensure that employees and customers' needs are well gathered for and as a result lead to proper relationship amongst the parties involved thus leading to a sustainable developmnent owing to the fact that each and every member of the society will be feeling considered and hence contribute to the success of the organization in whichever way possible (Bloom and Gundlach, 2001; Darren et al, 2009; Fernanda, 2006). Since production chain should be taken as a single service delivery aimed at achieving a common goal, it should always be appropriate that all the interelated components are brought together, for instance, as a result of variation in characteristics involved in making different types of cars such as speed, capacity and modes of operation which in a way may varry according to the various operations the car undertakes(IB chamber, 2002). For instance, a heavy commercial vehicle will definitely be made in a way that it will not speed beyond a certain limit being exceeded by a small car. As a unifying factor, it is important that over time, the designing and development of processes be improved. This requires making further improvements on the existing car models. This should be done to ensure that the firm or the company maintains its customers and furthemore coming up with what the competitors in the market cannot attain. In essence, production in car industry normally requires that al l the departments in an organization are involved. for instance, the purchasing department will be responsible for the acquisition of raw materials to be used in the actual making of the car, the manufacturing department will ensure that the actual car is made to work, the human resource department will make sure that the labour force is hired and its employees rights and welfare is taken into consideration, finance department is responsible for making the necessary payments to staff and further ensuring that all transactions made by the car production industry are well accounted for, sales department is accontable for all the sales, that is; making sure that the organization is able to achieve the targets as per the needs of the organization and finally the marketing department core responsibility is to ensure sustained competetiveness of the industry by making sure it sources for more markets for the products coming up from the car production industry. Taking all the departments i nto account, it is appropriate to employ good corporate social responsibility as this will ensure that proper morals and code of conduct are put in place and thus ensuring that no

Realism and Idealism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Realism and Idealism - Essay Example Ideally, art should come from within an individual but this does not happen and instead, art is taught in schools. Courbet asserts that art cannot be taught and that it should come from inside an individual and should be an expression of the artists towards the things that surround him. In the same way, a person from another generation cannot accurately form an art of either the previous or he next generation. It is impossible to do so since an artist can only draw accurately what they experience. From this reading, it is clear that everyone knows their place in the society. The poor are aware that there are places they can only admire from afar but not get into. Even children are conscious of the poverty and the lanes that they should maintain. The children stare with amazement at how beautiful the building is yet the narrator had already exclaimed that it was unfinished. Further, the other guest is uncomfortable at the sight of the poor family and asks the companion to request the manager to send them away. The world has had a class struggle from time immemorial. There are those who own factors of production and those that work for the rich to earn a living. The bourgeoises are the rich in the society who continue accumulating wealth at the expense of the poor. The society has become such a money-minded community that even the prestigious professions such as medicine and engineering are focused on making money rather than helping the people. The proletariats, on the other hand, are the workers who work for the bourgeoises for a living. Once in a while they attempt to join hands so that they can have fair dealings with the bourgeoises. The strength of their unions and their demands is highly dependent on whether they will remain unified in the long run. For the proletariats to have a fair share in the society, they need to keep on fighting for their rights. A doll’s house is about a woman who leaves her husband and children to

Rhetorical strategies Essay Essay Example for Free

Rhetorical strategies Essay Essay All can relate to that one special time of the year, Christmas, when whole families unite and spend hours endlessly sharing stories, making memories, and of course, opening presents! What happens though, when all of the sentimental value of Christmas is replaced solely with physical value, the gifts? What would Christmas be like then? Richard Rodriguez takes the readers through one of his annual Christmases and brings to light, through his thoughts, the disconnect that exists between himself, his siblings, and his parents. Rodriguez’ chronological presentation of events with flashbacks, short, abrupt syntax, light-hearted attention to detail and concerned tone contribute to suggest his worried attitude toward his family. Rodriguez builds a sense of the lacking sentimentality through the syntax, using short, abrupt sentences to show how the family’s Christmas is just another thing done every year and not a special time. These short, abrupt sentences are down to the basics. There is no â€Å"fluff† just like there is no sentiment in Christmas. This style of syntax mirrors the sentimentality of the family. It is nothing but another stop. â€Å"The room grows uncomfortably warm. The talk grows listless.† The family has finished the business of opening gifts and they are ready to move on to their next event. Rodriguez adds little detail at first to create a lighthearted mood associated with the positive parts of Christmas. â€Å"So you’ll have to buy me soft food and put a blue wig on my head.† Later in the prose, Rodriguez’ selection of detail is used to show the physical items that have taken over in place of sentimental things. â€Å"a shiny mink jacket,†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦where expensive foreign cars idle sharply.† Details like these are used throughout the second half of the passage to add to the loss of sentimentality within the family. Rodriguez uses dialogue throughout the passage to add effects and to help  the reader to understand what the author is experiencing. Rodriguez uses interesting punctuation, parenthesis, to represent his personal thoughts as well as background conversation, where he uses both parenthesis and quotations. â€Å"(â€Å"we have to get up early tomorrow†),† â€Å"(sad that we are all going home?).† Rodriguez’ personal thoughts are crucial in helping the reader understand the narrative. Rodriguez’ use of short, abrupt syntax, specific use of details, and interesting punctuation in the dialogue makes the narrative of his annual family Christmas become much deeper with an underlying worrisome, concerned tone and an emphasis of the loss of sentimentality of not only family Christmas but of family as a whole.

How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 9 Essay Example for Free

How Does Fitzgerald Tell the Story in Chapter 9 Essay In the Great Gatsby, the last chapter of the novel is told two years later still from the perspective of Nick. Nick is writing two years later after the events with Gatsby, showing that a considerable amount of time has passed between its occurrence yet it is still fresh in Nick’s mind. The fact that Nick is still reminiscing about Gatsby and has written a book about him highlights the huge impact that Gatsby has had on Nick’s life. The strong connection that Nick feels has been created between Gatsby and himself is evident particularly in chapter 9 as it is apparent that Nick feels â€Å"responsible† for him. Even two years later Nick feels a sense of responsibility and loyalty towards Gatsby and that he is owed the truth instead of all the malicious lies which are created by the reporters, similar to that of all the party goers. The idea that nobody respect Gatsby the way he does leads Nick to believe that there was a â€Å"scornful solidarity between Gatsby and me against them all†. And so the start of his book begins two years later, the book that Nick hoped to clear Gatsby’s name with and right the wrongs that occurred that summer. In the final chapter of the ‘Great Gatsby’, Fitzgerald creates a sense of finality for the reader suggesting â€Å"the party was over†. Through the use of the repetition of the word â€Å"last† Fitzgerald also demonstrates the end of Nicks experience with Gatsby. The reader acknowledges that Nick finds it hard to move on and accept Gatsby’s death as he tries to keep him alive through the creation of false memories as a result of his grief, believing Gatsby to have told him that â€Å"I cant go through this alone†. The obsession that Nick has with Gatsby is more evident as Nick tries harder and harder to create the funeral he feels that Gatsby deserves, however he was met with much disappointment by those who Gatsby had done so much for. During Nick’s attempts at assembling Gatsby’s funeral he tries very hard to get the people Nick thought were Gatsby’s friends to attend. The difficulty that occurred as a result of Nick’s attempt highlights just how little an impact Gatsby truly had on any of their lives as â€Å"nobody came†. Fitzgerald uses this two-word sentence at the end of the paragraph to emphasise the betrayal Nick felt towards Gatsby, that after everything he did for everyone else, no one other than himself truly cared about him. The disappointment that Nick shows when nobody other than Gatsby’s father and a few servants came, made Nick feel angry towards everyone else as the contrast between Gatsby in life and death is so hugely different and it is now a world in which Nick takes a while to accept. In life, Gatsby was someone who burned bright through his dreaming, yet in death he had become someone who was forgotten in an instance, indicating the little influence he had on the lives of so many.

Problems That Face Asians In English Pronunciation English Language Essay

Problems That Face Asians In English Pronunciation English Language Essay Speaking regarded as the most important and difficult micro-skill of the four skills in foreign language learning. Most adult non-native students of English in the UK particularly Asian students face a lot of difficulties when they speak English and they sometimes get frustrated when they could not understand or be understand by native speakers of English. Therefore, they encounter the same problems that confront any students studying in a foreign culture, such as grammar, pronunciation, listening comprehension and different cultures. Also, it is difficult for them to adjust to the English language especially when they speak it. They may have difficulty understanding class lecture, making them feel reluctant to participate in class discussion, seminars and tutorials. This essay will first explain and evaluate only one issue that face adult Asian students in UK when they speak English which is English pronunciation. Therefore, pronunciation is a difficult aspect in language learning f or adult Asian students which lead to real barriers to communication and can contribute to motivation with native English speakers. This essay also will examine what are the most frequent difficulties encountered them in English pronunciation, the factors that affecting the pronunciation of non native students of English , some solutions to surmount the difficulties of mispronunciation among Asian adult students and finally it will throw some light on the implications of language teaching. Literature review: Teachers of English as a FL or a L2 know so well how important pronunciation is. Nevertheless, sometimes it has been obvious that a teacher has been paid little attention to the students pronunciation in the process of second language learning and teaching. Celce Goodain(1991) states that over the past years, there have been different views about the value of teaching pronunciation in language teaching and they reported that the cognitive approach and grammar translation reading based method which used by teachers attach no importance to pronunciation. However, in the direct approach, pronunciation is considered important. In addition, Jack and William (2002) reported that pronunciation is no longer considered as an indispensable aspect in a foreign language teaching. According to Beebe (1984,51), `Most current textbooks in English as a second language either ignore the teaching of pronunciation or rely primarily on old stand-bys-to teach non-native learners to pronounce English accurately. Trammell (1993) also indicates that instruction in pronunciation has been deemphasised due to the new teaching methods like the Communicative Approach. Communication is an important need of in daily life and it should be the primary purpose of language learning and teaching . Therefore, teaching English speaking to non-native students of English how to speak English accurately and fluently with native speakers of English is one of the general objectives of the foreign language teaching. According to Yule (2006: 33), language is primarily speech and it is more basic to language than the written form. Knowles (1987) argue that written language is permanent and looks imperfect version of the spoken language whereas spoken Language is more elusive. It is clear that we all speak and hear the sounds spoken in our environment first before we write or read. For instance, child before goes to school, he will speak before write because he will acquire his first Language from his family when he imitates what they said. It is seem that as long as one can communicate with others in the second language, everything is fine but the questions is ,how can communicate with people fluently if your pronunciation is incorrect? Beebe (1984) insists that pronunciation always affect what we communicate and how well we communicate it, and therefore it should be take seriously. Weeren Theunissen(1987: 109) pointed out: Firstly, good pronunciation allows one to be better understood. It gives the speakers oral production a certain redundancy. And this can help to get a message across more effectively as a learning objective because of it is high pay off. The number of sound, sound clusters and intonation pattern in a Language is finite, as is the alphabet. Once the system has been mastered, it can be used, thus giving it fundamentally an infinite scope. Thirdly, a deviant pronunciation means that one is immediately marked as non-native abroad. Harmer (2007) suggests that if students want to be able to speak fluently in English, they need to be able pronounce phonemes correctly and appropriate stress and intonation. Pronunciations of students need to be good enough to communicate the message so that it is understood by other speakers of English. Therefore, most Asian adult students have difficulties to pronounce words or sentences correctly which can be a major cause of misunderstandings. They have difficulties in recognize sound of English, word stress( which part of a word are more heavily stressed that is spoken louder and longer), sentence stress( which part of a sentence can be more heavily stressed), sounds in connected speech( how to link the sounds together in a sentence),and finally in intonation(how our voice rises and falls at a certain point of the sentence).From my own experience as a teacher in a secondary school, most students have potential pronunciation problems when they speak English. They have problem wi th stress and intonation that they unable to put the right emphasis on the right part of the word. Also they have problems with vowels bends and consonants blends as well. For example, sounds likeea and ou can be confusing them because when they listen to the audio recordings, it can be very difficult for them to pick up the subtle blends of two or more vowels. Additionally, In consonants blends, they have problem with th sound because they are not accustomed to putting t and h together to form th sound to reproduce. It is clear that pronunciation is so difficult to learn. The first language of most overseas students effect on learning the second language. Problems that face Asian students in English pronunciation: Most Asian adult students work and study hard to become very fluent in English. However, there are many different varieties of spoken English and non-native students may have achieved fluency such as knowing correct grammar and knowing a large numbers of vocabulary especially when they have been taught by non-native speakers but they have a non-standard accent which make the use of English difficult for native speakers of English to understand. Vowels Celce-Murcia, Brinton and Goodwin (1996) states there are different types of vowel sounds in English pronunciation. Firstly, received pronunciation. It has twelve monophthongs (single or pure vowels).Secondly, eight diphthongs (double vowels) and two thriphthongs (triple vowels).therefore, some of in Asian students like Arabices , Japanese and Chinese have fewer vowels in their first Language which lead to have problems with hearing and pronouncing these distinctions of vowel sounds. For example, Japanese language has only 5 vowels /i/,/e/,/a/,/É‘/,/o/. According to, Kenworthy(1987) there are five vowels letters which are (a, e, i, o, u) .They map to 13 different sounds. For instance, the letter is pronounced differently in the words: boat, boot, out and hot. This is one of the problems that encountered by Asian adult students in pronunciation subject. They have problem with the /a/ sound (e.g. at) because it is not easy for them to hear and pronounce this sound. Also, they could not differentiate between the long sound/a/ and the sound/e/ (e.g. paper-pepper).They also have problems in differentiating between the long/e/ and the short /i/ (e.g. eat-it). Furthermore, diphthongs in English are difficult to learn and definitely tribal markers in English. .They are also very easy for native speakers of English to identify but not easy for non-native speakers of English. So, speech sounds which involve a slide from one vowel to another is the biggest problem which face Asian adult students when they speak English. For example, theou sound in the word out is a blend of /ah/ and /oo/. Several of diphthongs are quiet subtle .For instant the long /ee/ sound in the words feel and fear is a blend of /ee/ and /ah/ as (fee-ah). Celce-Murcia , Brinton and Goodwin ( 1996 ) 2- Consonants Kota(2006) stats that English consonants are less difficult than vowels. Most languages have the sounds which are represented by the letters d, t, s, and z .Nevertheless, some languages do not use certain consonants which can be difficult for non-native speakers of English. For examples, the r and l sounds are not used by Japanese and Korean native speakers. Then, the so- called ra-la distinction is especially difficult for them. They have also difficulty to distinguish between /b/ and /v/ sounds. The /th/ sound is not simply to use it in the naÃÆ' ¯ve language. It can be difficult for Vietnamese students. Therefore, they substitue a /zh/ instead of /th/ as in: /zh/ese problems may be caused by pollution. Also, he adds that there are more consonants in English than in Japanese language .Therefore, the /f/, /v/ /o/, A/, /s/,/3/,/ts/,/d3/ do not exist in the Japanese consonantal system. In addition, Munro((1993) states that some Arabic language do not make use of separate sounds for /b/ and/p/.then, they have difficulty to distinguishing and pronouncing b and p sounds as in : do not bark while I park the van. The difference is quite subtle. They may confuse z withj .These problems cause misunderstanding by native English speakers when they communicate with each other From my own experience as a Libyan student at Leicester University in the UK, I had a car accident in university road because the weather was slippery and snowing which cause that the brake of my car was out of the control. After that the police came to me and asked me some questions about the accident. I said to him I feel slippery. The problem here, the police wrote in the report driver feel asleep but he did not write what I said I feel slippery .I think that was a misunderstanding between the police and me because of my language. He misunderstand me because of his linguistic constraints particularly his heavily -accented English. Other problems which face Asian adult students, is dropping medical stopped consonants. Some of them tend o drop stopped consonants such as, sounds /p/ and /k/ from the middle of poly syllabic words. For example, Chinese students tend to drop the difficult c from the word of success. They say/ suhsess/.Also, some native speaker of English pronounce the word accessory as/ assess or ee/ instead of / ack-sess-or-ee/.(Dalton,1994) Syllable structure: According to Joanna Heather (2003), English allows for in syllable structure a cluster of up to three consonants before the vowel and four consonants after the vowel as in the words straw and glimpsed. Therefore, the structure of syllabus cause issues for speakers of many languages. For instance, Japanese students usually try to in between the consonants (e.g. desk-/desks/) becomes desukusu or in the word milk shake / mIlk ʃeIk/ becomes mirukushȆ¡ku.Kota(2006) there are two types of syllable in English which are open syllables( CV) and closed syllables( CCCVCC).On the other hand, Japanese only permit one type of syllable which is open syllable. For example, Word meaning syllable Ke hair CV Kare boyfriend CVCV So, Words in Japanese do not end with consonants and it Japanese does not allow both initial and final consonants. Knowles (1987) maintains that some Asian students who first languages end in vowels, they often tend to make all English words end in vowels. For example, they pronounce the word make as /meIkÉâ„ ¢ / instead of/ meIk/. Also, they sometimes find it is so complicated when native speakers of English may drop consonants in the more complex blends (e.g. the word months, they say /mɆ¦nÉ µs/ instead of / mɆ¦nos/. 4-Rhythm and Cadence: Brown (2001: 121) pointed out that cadence is the pattern of stresses within a sentence and rhythm refers to the beat syllabus. If each one were marked by tapping fingers on a desk: rat a-tat-tat-tat TAT of this. He adds that the main issue that trips up Asian adult students that British English are stress timed whereas most Asian languages are syllable timed. Stressed syllables are roughly equidistant in time and they like the sound of the mechanical tat-tat-tat-tat of gun machine with equal length to each syllable. However, native English speakers stretch syllables at the same time like putting emphasis on some syllables and not others. For instance,hi. Wonderful to see u again .They say this sentence like this hiiiii woooood fl to seeeeeee yu agaiaiainn. This mean, won- see- gain is both emphasized and lengthened but other syllabuses in the sentence are so lightly and shortened spoken. According to Kota (2006), stress time in English is one of the problem that encounter Asian students particularly for Singaporeans students. They speak in the way which is very difficult for English speakers to understand. 5- Intonation Roach, (2002: 50) defines intonation as the rising or falling pitch of the voice while pronouncing words or syllables. He believes that intonation enables speakers to express their emotions and attitudes when they speak. The most problematic area of pronunciation for most Asian students is intonation. They find it extremely difficult to hear tunes or identify the different patterns of rising and falling tones. Therefore, some Asian languages have less pitch variation than English especially Japanese language.They use pith changes to mark stress on the word level which result the so-called monotonous intonation. Wong(1987) suggests that English as a tonal language(not using tones).We can understand the words in isolation but if we put them together in sentences, the meaning of the sentence may change by a shift in tone. For example, Are you going to the library?(low-then-high on word library) but if u wondered which of two persons agreed to get the list of books, the same words would have a different emphasis Are you going to the library?, and the tone for you would be rather deep which is different from the first question. Jack and Willy (2002) introduce other problems in English pronunciation .Firstly, difference between spelling and sounds. There are lots of words in English language which have silent letters. Therefore, most Asian students specifically Pakistani students pronounce these silent letters unknowingly which make them mispronounce the words. For example, knowledge, kneel .These two word have k silent letter which they should not pronounce it at all. Secondly, multiple sounds of the same letters are also one of the issues that encounter Asian adult students. This mean there are many letters and combinations of letters which produce numerous sounds at different place. For instance, the letter c produces two sounds like s and k (e.g. circle, car) and also ch letter produce three sounds as ch,k andsh. Factors affecting the English pronunciation of Asian students: The effect of native language: Every language in the world has different accent and varsities is true that non native speakers speak the target language in a different way. Sometimes, they speak highly different than native speakers of English do. Avery Ehrlich (1987:9) calls the foreign accent the nature of which is determined to a large extended by a learners native language. Then, native language of speaker may influence on the pronunciation of the target language. Jack and Willy(2002: 184) states that the way we speak is a part of our identity ,that is, phonemic differences between language cause, a target language which will be spoken with a foreign language. Some Asian students specifically Turkish adult students have difficulty in some English sounds or words that are not exist in their first language. For example, the sounds/ÃÆ' °/ and / ÆÅ ¸/ are not exist in Turkish language which lead Turkish students to face difficulty to pronounce these sounds when they speak English. So they produce these sou nds under the influence of their first language. Then, the influence of native language is inevitable. 2-The factor of age: This is the most important factor in learning English pronunciation. If someone wants to pronounce a foreign language with a native like accent, he/she should start to learn it during his/her childhood. For example, children who start learn English language in foreign language speaking people environment. As a result, they have more advantage than the children who learn the second language in their motherlands. Krashen (1988) mentions that people who expose their second language during childhood, they achieve higher foreign language proficiency than those who beginning as adults. It seems that age is the main factor which effect on adults English pronunciation. They are difficult for them to learn English language after puberty. Therefore, it is better to learning it in short run and should be started in puberty. Phonetic Ability: According to Jack and Willy (2002) pointed out that some people who have a good ear, they have the ability to discriminate between the two sounds accurately. So, learners phonetics ability affects the development of their pronunciation. Kenworthy(1987) believes that the influence of age is an efficient factor for phonetics ability. Because it is so difficult for adult students to have more ability in pronunciation than immigrants children who start their learning process in a second language speaking environment. 3-The Amount Exposure: Many non native speakers have not opportunity to practice the English language in their motherlands. English also do not only used in the classroom. If the learners live in an English- speaking country, the learners will have opportunities to listen and speak with native speakers of English. Conversely, there will no advantage for learners if they live in a non English speaking country. Kenworthy (1987) insists that exposure can be a contributory factor but it is not necessary factor for developing adult learners pronunciation. Learners should make use of it is opportunities, if they are aware of the necessity of being exposed to the second language. If the learners do that, they will be more successful in case of improving their pronunciation. 5- Personality and Attitude This factor affect the pronunciation of most Asian adult students in a bad way if the learners have negative attitudes for the English environment .learners or they are introverted students. From my own experience as a student in the UK, I am one of the students who are introverted or shy. Therefore, I usually do not take part in classroom activities; seminars and tutorials .Whereas extrovert students have more chance to improve their pronunciation. Brown (2001) states attitude of the students toward the new language have an effective role in pronunciation learning. Also, if the learners have a good attitude for the target culture, they can develop their pronunciation accurately. If the learners have some prejudices on the second language and its society, this event will influence their approach to the language. It is clear that these above factors are effective in the learners pronunciation and also exert much influence on the adult learners. So, teachers play a significant role for helping adult learners to develop their English pronunciation. Also, they should pay attention to the students concern for pronunciation because they are not aware of the way that they speech. Therefore there are lots of methods and types of teaching English pronunciation which help Asian adult students to overcome the difficulties of it. They will also help them to acquire an accurate pronunciation and improve their speech. Solutions to surmount the difficulties of mispronunciation among Asian adult students:- Teaching pronunciation:- Jigsaw: Pennington (1996) maintains that jigsaw is a form of information gap. Students work in pairs or small group to exchange their information. They try to combine words with each other to create sentences. These sentences consist of words that the learners have difficulty to pronounce these words. For example, in the word rise which has the letters s that they must pronounce it as z and producing /raIz/ e.g. I was surprised that the raisings rise! B-Tongue Twister: This kind of activity helps adult Asian students to say difficult words and phrases so quickly. Celce-Murcia (1987:55) stress that there is a little transfer from practice to natural information. But, if it is needed and necessary, they can be used. Example: Paul piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. 2-Drilling Techniques There are lots of drills which helps adult Asian students to improve their English pronunciation. They are very useful for teaching the correct pronunciation of the words and sentences. A- Saturation drill Wong (1987) proposed it is vey suitable for all position of the problematic sound. For instance, the sound /s/ as a problem sound. It can be drilled in its three positions Initial media final See leasing peace Seem clinic purse Substitution drill Dalton (1994) says that this drill can be applied by substituting any sound instead of other sound. For instance,/t/ sound instead of /ÃŽÂ ¸/ and /d/ in place of /ÃÆ' °/( e.g. this is thin/tin.) It is clear that there are other ways helps learners to overcome difficulties of pronunciation .First, media which give to the students positive advantage especially when they watch standard English news channel like BBC. Second, is practice. Students should practise English with native speaker or non native speakers of English to improve their English speaking Conclusion: To sum up, teaching pronunciation is one of the important areas of foreign language teaching. Most overseas students especially Asian adult students encounter troubles when they try to communicate with native speakers of English. Then, communication should be the primary purpose of language learning and teaching. One crucial part of effective communication for Asian adult students to grasp is: comfortably intelligible pronunciation. They have certain difficulties such as produce correct sound and recognition of English sounds, understanding of stress and intonation, difference between spelling and sounds and other problems. Therefore, it should be studied in the early age (from puberty) to eliminate these problems and also to overcome the negative influence from the first language interference. Teachers must be a ware of the techniques which help students improve their pronunciation according to their age, ability, needs, attitudes and expectations. Count words (3200) Classroom Implications: Appendix I: Generally, pronunciation is really complicated process in foreign language teaching. There are some of sounds which have similar sounds but have different meanings. This can be causing much confusion to the learners. Therefore, most ESL students have problem with English pronunciation when they speak English. From my own experience as a teacher in Libyan secondary school, I used several ways to teach pronunciation which can be benefit all learners. Firstly, introducing phonemes .because the biggest problem that faces them is the distinguage between sounds. For example, in the words fat, mat, cat, sat, the letters /f/, /m/, /c/, /s/ are the phonemes which are the beginning letters of these words. Phoneme makes the distinct difference between similar words. After that, students listen and repeat these different sounds and then identify them. For the best result, I introduce phoneme in pairs. (e.g. the /f/ and/v/ sounds).They listen and speak them and also repeat simple words like( fat- vat)Secondly, practicing phonemes for making the sound accurately. I drew pronunciation diagrams on the blackboard because they help them to know how to hold the tongue and lips. For example, the sound /th/ in #the word this and thank. Anxiety is usually common among students when they lean pronunciation. Then, I usually use some verbal games such as, handclap rhythms and jazz charts which can help them to improve their speaking and relieve much of pressure. Appendix II: Students listen to audio recordings and they practice what they hear because recordings get them attuned to stress, intonation, pitch and phonological distinctions. For example: Listen and say what word you hear: is it from column (a) or column (b)? Some words are unusual. a b 1 Port Bought 2 Pack Back 3 True Drew 4 Fast Vast 5 Thank Than 6 East Easy 7 Please Pleasure 8 Ship Chip 9 Choke joke Appendix III Word stress and intonation Listen and mark the stressed syllable. Daughter- orbit-planet- computer- meaning- handle-homework- hospital derision. 2-Read these sentences and mark the pauses with / and mark the intonation pattern with à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬Å". 1- People who look different from others in some way are interesting. 2- The one who looks bored is my sister. 3- The latest design, with CD player is very expensive. 4-A tidy, conventionally decorated room with everything in its place is boring.

Essay --

Children are our future and they should be given every possible opportunity to succeed in life even if they are born into disadvantaged situations. Sometimes the families of certain children can’t provide as much as other children’s families and this can create a gap in the achievement and development of these children. Those disadvantaged children need special programing that accommodates for the lack of cognitive and social development that if not properly addressed could lead to poor school performance and delinquency. The Head Start program was created to address this shortcoming that some children face and to catch them up with their more advantaged peers. (Garces, 2002, p. 999) Head Start was originally designed to provide a nurturing environment that would provide children with preschool education, positive social interaction, and nutritious snacks and meals to help compensate for the lack of those things in the children’s lives. Head Start does an adequate job at meeting the needs of children in the manner in which it was originally founded. The Head Start program is not bad and should not be done away with. But, from what I have learned through this study, amendments could be made to increase the longevity of the desired results. In this paper I will discuss the Head Start program. How Head Start has succeeded. The way it attempts to influence children’s behaviors. I will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the Head Start program and ways to make the program more effective. Discussion: Early intervention into the lives of children has been proven to prevent delinquency. At an early age it is an effective means of changing the course of children’s lives for the better. The most commonly agreed upon age to begin e... ...have health concerns as well. Perhaps an upgrade with some of the standards of the Perry Preschool Project would be a sound investment in the lives of children. This investment would serve to better achieve a reduction in crime and delinquency. This upgrade would be relatively simple since the current policy is similar to the Perry Project. Another very important reminder, and something that I became aware of through this project, is to always consider the individuals who will be impacted by this policy. The investment in their lives is extremely important because at the ages that early intervention deals with, they may not have anyone else to fight for them. The policy that is implemented should really have the best possible outcomes for children associated with it. Head Start and other early childhood interventions are important for the children that they impact. Essay -- Children are our future and they should be given every possible opportunity to succeed in life even if they are born into disadvantaged situations. Sometimes the families of certain children can’t provide as much as other children’s families and this can create a gap in the achievement and development of these children. Those disadvantaged children need special programing that accommodates for the lack of cognitive and social development that if not properly addressed could lead to poor school performance and delinquency. The Head Start program was created to address this shortcoming that some children face and to catch them up with their more advantaged peers. (Garces, 2002, p. 999) Head Start was originally designed to provide a nurturing environment that would provide children with preschool education, positive social interaction, and nutritious snacks and meals to help compensate for the lack of those things in the children’s lives. Head Start does an adequate job at meeting the needs of children in the manner in which it was originally founded. The Head Start program is not bad and should not be done away with. But, from what I have learned through this study, amendments could be made to increase the longevity of the desired results. In this paper I will discuss the Head Start program. How Head Start has succeeded. The way it attempts to influence children’s behaviors. I will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the Head Start program and ways to make the program more effective. Discussion: Early intervention into the lives of children has been proven to prevent delinquency. At an early age it is an effective means of changing the course of children’s lives for the better. The most commonly agreed upon age to begin e... ...have health concerns as well. Perhaps an upgrade with some of the standards of the Perry Preschool Project would be a sound investment in the lives of children. This investment would serve to better achieve a reduction in crime and delinquency. This upgrade would be relatively simple since the current policy is similar to the Perry Project. Another very important reminder, and something that I became aware of through this project, is to always consider the individuals who will be impacted by this policy. The investment in their lives is extremely important because at the ages that early intervention deals with, they may not have anyone else to fight for them. The policy that is implemented should really have the best possible outcomes for children associated with it. Head Start and other early childhood interventions are important for the children that they impact.

Trade Show Intelligence Essay -- Marketing, Competitive Intelligence

Trade show intelligence Introduction Many organizations that offer products and services in their individual markets are involved in the practice of gathering data and information about their rivals or competitors. This practice is common in trade shows and other similar exhibition events. Trade shows offer a rich source of actionable information and most organizations know this and thus; their participation therein is crucial in order to adapt to their environment and keep up with their market (Calof, 2004). The aim of this paper is to discuss trade shows by focusing on how the most actionable information can be gathered from trade shows to enable better decision making and adaptation to changing environments. Firstly, a brief description of trade shows and trade show intelligence is provided, followed by the benefits and problems of trade and lastly; recommendations on forming an appropriate information collection and analysis team are provided. What is meant by trade show intelligence? Bonoma describes trade shows as a marketing tool whereby organizations and vendors are invited to participate to showcase their products and services in an exhibition setting (Bonoma, 1983). They are events organized solely for the purpose of marketing and information sharing, where competitors and partners are in direct contact with each other. As mentioned in the last paragraph, organizations are actively collecting information on each other’s strategies and operations. This allows them to identify trends and predict changes in their environments in order to become flexible and remain in operation (Calof, 2004; Cherry & Gardner, 2002). Trade shows are important for this reason, they provide organizations with â€Å"†¦the best opportunity for coll... ...ormation from trade shows (Calof, 2004). Once the trade show is over and information has been collected, it will be time to return to the office and analyze the results. A follow up can be made on formed relationships; agents can use these relationships to collect more data in the future. Since these agents will actively be involved in CI even after the trade show; these formed relationships can be of advantage to them. Conclusion To conclude, trade show intelligence is a sub-concept of competitive intelligence that allows organizations to use actionable information to change their position in the market, maintain it or make strategic decisions. A dedicated CI team made up of CI agents that understand the full context of the information needs derived from Key intelligence topics is required to collect the data and bring it back to the organization for analysis.