Global Warming Fact or Fiction Essay Example

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction Paper It will address the same description and signs from the viewpoint of those that state global warming is a myth. Additional arguments will be presented from both believers and non-believers with regard to contributing factors. Many people believe global warming exists and many believe it is all hysterical hype. Arguments for and against the phenomena thrive in the media, government venues, the workplace and around dinner tables. The one thing that proponents and detractors agree on is that the debate is ongoing and that there is no single fact that will decide the outcome. Explanation of Global Warming Everyday there are changes in the earths atmosphere that affect the climate. They can include precipitation, oceanic movement or human inhabitation. These everyday occurrences are known as climate change (EPA. Gob, 2010). Global warming falls under the umbrella of climate change. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) global warming is described as: average increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the Earths surface and in the troposphere, which can contribute to changes in global climate patterns. Global warming can occur from a variety of causes, both natural and human induced. In common usage, global warming often refers to the warming that can occur as a result of increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities (2010). The Peas description lends credence to arguments for and against the threat of global warming and supports the purpose of this paper. Signs of global warming The greenhouse gas effect is the term used for specific gases that enter the earths atmosphere and lock in heat. It is similar to sunlight hitting glass in an airtight room ultimately causing the room temperature to rise at an escalated pace (national geographic, 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming: Fact or Fiction specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming: Fact or Fiction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Global Warming: Fact or Fiction specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Using the Peas common usage definition s it applies to human activity, signs that indicate global warming is a valid threat includes rapidly rising sea levels, extended periods of heat waves and the melting of polar ice caps (national geographic, 2010). Supporting Evidence Some of the most striking evidence presented to support the argument that global warming exists can be found on the Peas website. The Site reports that greenhouse gas emissions in the U. S. Have increased by 14% from 1 990 to 2008 and by 26%, globally, from 1990 to 2005. The report also States that acidity in our oceans, which have an effect on some sea life, has risen in the sat 20 years (2010). In addition, the Peas report provides statistical data on the signs of global warming as it relates to the shrinking of polar ice caps in arctic regions and warming of our CEO-system (2010). Skepticism Just as supporters of global warming as fact can point to arguments made by former Vice President AY Gore, skeptics can refer to facts in opposing arguments presented by Senator James Infer in 2006. According to Seen. Infer, the hockey stick, a graph developed by scientist Michael Mann to demonstrate a verifiable increase in global warming, was proved unreliable y two Canadian researchers and then refuted by the National Academy of Science in 2006 (absentee. Gob, 2009). The Senator also cited the Medieval Warm Period, 900 A. D. To 1300 AD. And the Little Ice Age, approximately 1500 A. D. 1 850 A. D. As proof that global warming is a natural occurrence (2009). Effects of global warming Scientists call the trends observed in global warming fingerprints. The effects of global warming are referred to as harbingers (warnings of future events) indicative of future impact to earth and humanity (national geographic, 2010). The harbingers of global warming have been noted as: roots in disease rates; changes in animals migration and habitats; frequent and strengthening storm activity and increased wild fires related to decreased precipitation (2010). Contributors to Global Warming Greenhouse gases and the earths temperature have fluctuated at a steady pace throughout scientific history, except in recent decades. Many believe that the advances of the industrial age contributed to the greenhouse effect (national geographic, 2010). This argument is rooted in the belief that global warming is man-made and caused by such things as air pollution and industrial waste (2010). Man-made What has humanity done to pollute the air and our CEO-system? Humans use coal, oil, gas and other organic compounds to produce energy. Burning these resources, called fossil fuels, increase the temperature of the earths atmosphere. This is what makes them contributors to global warming (national geographic, 2010). Natural The detractors of global warming as a fact can also provide reasons to support their belief that global warming is a natural event. Using historical trending data, provided by scientists throughout the years, they note natural happenings that contribute to heat increases in the earths atmosphere. These events include sun spots, massive volcanoes, meteors and changes in the earths rotation (Peer Curriculum, 2003).

100 Idioms About Numbers

100 Idioms About Numbers 100 Idioms About Numbers 100 Idioms About Numbers By Mark Nichol Last week, I offered a post about idioms pertaining to the number one (I limited the scope because there’s only so much space on the Internet.) Here’s the sequel, with expressions that mention all other numbers. 1. (a number) (something) short of a (something): said euphemistically of someone who is mentally deficient or unstable (as in â€Å"one slice short of a loaf†) 2–3. $64,000 question/million-dollar question: a very important question (from game shows that offered such an amount to contestants who answered increasingly difficult quiz questions) 4. a dime a dozen: cheap and/or plentiful 5. a million miles away: distracted 6. a stitch in time saves nine: a proverb that refers to the importance of precaution 7. as easy as one-two-three: said of something as simple as counting 8. at sixes and sevens: confused 9. at the eleventh hour: at a late stage or the last possible moment 10. bat a thousand: be very successful (from the batting average in baseball: one who bats 1.000- or, in this context, â€Å"a thousand†- gets a hit every time) 11. behind the eight-ball: in a difficult situation (from the pool ball numbered 8 as an obstacle) 12. catch-22: a no-win situation 13. deep-six: dispose of or get rid of (from a nautical measurement of depth; compare to â€Å"six feet under†) 14: dressed to the nines: very well dressed 15. eight-hundred-pound gorilla: any formidable obstacle 16. eighty-six: to 86 someone is to eject or get rid of them, or to refuse them service 17–20: feel/look like a million bucks/dollars: said in reference to being in an excellent state of emotional or physical health or to having the appearance of being in excellent condition 21: fifteen minutes of fame: brief, superficial celebrity (based on Andy Warhol’s observation about ephemeral celebrity) 22. fifty-fifty: said of dividing something equally 23. five-finger discount: shoplifting 24. five will get you ten: in all likelihood (from the results of gambling on even odds) 25. fiver: five-dollar bill 26. four-bagger: a home run in baseball (from the batter touching all four bags, or bases) 27. four corners of the earth: all the parts of the world 28. four-eyes: a mocking term for someone who wears eyeglasses 29. four-leaf clover: an allusion to good luck because of the notion that finding a clover with four leaves, which is rare, will bring good fortune 30. four-letter word: an obscene or vulgar word, from the fact that several such words have four letters 31. forty winks: a nap 32. give me five: an exclamation prompting someone to slap another’s hand as greeting or acknowledgment 33. give two hoots about: said of someone, preceded by one or more names or a pronoun and doesn’t or don’t, to express a lack of concern 34. hang ten: a greeting referring to the surfing challenge of hanging all one’s toes over the front end of the surfboard 35. high-five: a gesture two people exchange by slapping hands with their arms extended upward 36–39. hundred-to-one/million-to-one chance/shot: said in reference to a low probability of success 40–41. hundred/thousand and one: said in reference to an indeterminate but large number of conditions or reasons something may fail or not turn out well 42. it takes two to tango: said of a situation in which two parties are both responsible 43. Joe Six-Pack: the average man (from the notion that he’s just a regular guy who likes to drink beer) 44. kill two birds with one stone: achieve two goals with one action 45. know a trick or two: said when one has an unorthodox solution to a problem 46. lesser of two evils: something that is bad but not as bad as something else 47. nine lives: a reference to having good luck (from the notion that cats have nine lives) 48. nine times out of ten: almost always 49. nine-day wonder: a briefly famous or attention-getting person or thing (see also â€Å"seven-day wonder†) 50. nine-to-five attitude: an approach to work in which an employee does the minimum required to remain employed (compare to â€Å"nine-to-five job†) 51. nine-to-five job: full-time employment during daytime hours, or, broadly, conventional office employment (compare to â€Å"nine-to-five attitude†) 52. no two ways about it: said to express certainty or inflexibility 53. of two minds: undecided 54. on all fours: on hands and knees 55. on cloud nine: very happy 56. phony as a three-dollar bill: said in reference to something patently fake 57. possession is nine-tenths of the law: a reference to the notion that someone who possesses something has a stronger legal claim to it than someone who merely asserts ownership 58. put two and two together: said of correctly figuring out or solving a problem, as compared with computation 59. queer as a three-dollar bill: said in reference to something very peculiar 60. scattered to the four winds: widely dispersed 61. seven-day wonder: sarcastic reference to someone or something supposedly made perfect in seven days (alluding to the biblical account of creation) 62. seven-year itch: a desire to cheat on one’s spouse said to manifest after seven years of marriage 63. six feet under: dead and buried (from the traditional burial depth of six feet; compare to â€Å"deep-six†) 64. six of one and half a dozen of the other: said in reference to little difference between two things 65–66. six-pack: while away the time drinking beer, or a reference to a well-toned abdomen (because the contours of the muscles resemble the adjacent curves of a set of beverage cans); see also â€Å"Joe Six-Pack† 67. six ways from Sunday: every possible way 68. slip me five: shake my hand 69. stand on (one’s) own two feet: be self-sufficient 70. take five: rest briefly 71. tell (someone) a thing or two: scold 72. ten: excellent or perfect (alluding to a 1-to-10 scale of quality) 73. ten-four: yes (from a radio code) 74. ten-spot: ten-dollar bill 75. ten to one: used as an introductory phrase to express one’s believe that the odds of something happening are favorable 76. that makes two of us: we agree, or something is true of the speaker or writer and another person 77. three-alarm fire: said of something as exciting as a major structural fire (the number referenced may vary) 78. three cheers: praise (also used sarcastically) 79. three hots and a cot: a slang reference to jail or prison as a place where three hot meals and a bed are provided 80. three squares a day: a reference to three complete meals 81. three R’s: reading, writing, and arithmetic (alluding to the first consonant sound of each word) 82. three-ring circus: said of a confused or noisy activity 83. three sheets to the wind: drunk (from nautical slang referring to sheets, or ropes that hold sails taut, coming loose, causing a sailing ship to move erratically) 84. three strikes: said in reference to having three chances before suffering a consequence (see also â€Å"two strikes†) 85. twenty-four seven: all the time, from the count of twenty-four hours and seven days (usually written 24/7 and sometimes extended to 24/7/365 to refer to the number of days in a year) 86. twentysomething: in one’s twenties (also thirtysomething, etc.) 87. two can play that game: refers to the possibility that one who has treated another badly may be treated that way in return 88. two cents’ worth: advice 89. two heads are better than one: collaboration will produce a better outcome than individual effort 90. two left feet: said of an awkward dancer 91–92. two of a kind/two peas in a pod: said of two people who are very similar (or, in the case of the second expression, often in each other’s company) 93. two shakes of a lamb’s tail: a very brief period 94. two strikes: said of someone or something that has two disadvantages or obstacles, with the implication that a third strike, as in baseball, will put someone or something out of action 95. two wrongs don’t make a right: doing something wrong in response to another wrong is not justified 96. two-timer: someone who cheats on a partner 97. two’s company: part of a proverb (followed by the counterpoint â€Å"three’s a crowd†) to express that often, a third person is unwelcome 98. up to eleven: to a great degree (an allusion to a volume dial going past the usual 1-to-10 scale) 99. whole nine yards: as far as possible, or the entire amount 100. wouldn’t touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole: a reference to assiduously avoiding something Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? 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The Personal Reasons for Joining the Group Essay - 8

The Personal Reasons for Joining the Group - Essay Example The main issue in the story is the value of truth and hard work. The struggle to raise a family with a child suffering from disability compounded the problem. In the article, the challenge is on how to raise a better family and the power of finance in shaping the personal decisions. The effect of poverty on decision making is evident in the choices made and the level of understanding of the choices. However, in the conclusion of the article, the author addresses the issues that led to him leaving the group. The group focused on white supremacy and their focus was more on gang actions rather than offering support to its members. In making the decision, the author acknowledges that joining the group did not add value to his life, but make it worse. In conclusion, the author joined the Klan for sustenance. The response is fairly precise in addressing the moral view of Ellis while handling the problem of moral choices and family upbringing. The response indicates the understanding of the writer the stories and the needs of the main character and the impact of joining the group. Even though he rose to the rank of president, the choice to quit was driven by moral value, which is captured in the response. However, the response does not give a conclusive account of the events that led to joining and quitting. In writing the power of moral bringing on choice, the response covers the power of upright family development and poverty. Poverty drives a person to make difficult choices, but the choices can be altered because of the moral conviction. The other issue addressed in the response is the power of the family in shaping the future of a person. Having experience poverty during his upbringing, the choices made by Ellis indicate the personal struggle to address the issues of confidence.  

Reed Solomon Code Applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reed Solomon Code Applications - Essay Example The applications of Reed Solomon codes are mainly obtained in data storage and digital communications. The following major applications can be listed for Reed Solomon codes –†¢ Data Storage – In case of both CDs, and DVDs, it is possible to apply codes for correction of errors and measure the raw errors before correcting them. The application is in holographic data storage or optical storage and the two major schemes that are applicable include Cross-Interleaved Reed-Solomon Code (CIRC) for CDs and a Reed-Solomon Product Code (RS-PC) for DVDs. Each bit of data is considered for a firm decision by both these codes to understand if the bit is 1 or 0. Following this, the correction scheme of the codes can fix the errors in the data storage devices (Curtis et al, 2011).  The application is most effective in cases where error occurs in bursts. Reed Solomon codes are capable of correcting up to 2 byte errors per 32 byte block. Up to 4000 bits of error bursts can be cor rected by CIRC as a result of the features and applications of the codes.  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Data Transmission – Reed Solomon codes can be used in several applications for the purpose of transmission of data. Data can be transmitted from the receiver to the transmitter. The applications include transmission systems for mobile data, and for highly reliable military systems of communications. There are specialized forms of RS codes enabling data transmission, such as Caucy-RS and Vandermonde-RS where the code performing the task is an RS(n,k) code.

Changes in UAE Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Changes in UAE Culture - Essay Example The major contributing factor toward the multiculturalism of the UAE is the massive in-pour of foreigners specially Westerners in the UAE. Another contributing factor is government’s flexible policies and frequent efforts to modify the country’s environment so as to match the needs of the foreigners. The main reason the government is doing this is that the government wants to provide the foreigners with a homely environment so that more and more foreigners work in the UAE and contribute to the strength of its economy. The positive effect of multiculturalism of the UAE is that it has provided the indigenous people with an opportunity to easily integrate into the contemporary lifestyle. For centuries, the Arabs have lived the life of nomadic tribes that were totally unaware of technology or the fundamentals of the modern lifestyle. Living with the foreigners in their own country has enabled the people to live and work in the foreign countries. The negative effect of multi culturalism of the UAE is primarily the concerns of the indigenous population to preserve its original culture as it is readily merging into the whole range of cultures that are dwelling together in the UAE. Preserving the indigenous culture of the UAE is primarily the government’s responsibility. To achieve this, the government can take initiatives that describe the indigenous culture of the UAE, for example, making films, theatres, and songs that reflect the original values of the UAE culture. The government has taken certain steps to preserve the indigenous culture e.g. â€Å"To act as repositories of this heritage and a source of information for both visitors and the younger generation who have not experienced a traditional lifestyle, museums and heritage centres have been developed throughout the UAE† (UAE Interact, n.d.), but objective measures need to be taken to actually sustain this culture in a time where it is threatened by external cultures. Change 2 Increa se in the Number of English-Speaking Indigenous People of the UAE I have chosen this area of change because there is a considerably increase in the number of the indigenous people of the UAE who know and can speak and understand English today than there were 40 years before. Today, there is a very large population of foreigners in the UAE and though many of them are not Americans and have arrived there from such South-East Asian countries as Indian, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, yet they commonly communicate with one another in English. Owing to the omnipresence of the English-speaking foreigners in the UAE, the indigenous people feel the need to learn to speak English because they have to encounter the English-speaking foreigners on daily basis and everywhere, be it market or workplace. For centuries, the people in all of the Arab countries including the UAE have not felt the need to learn English, but now they have. The main contributing factor behind increase in the number of English -speaking indigenous people in the UAE is the fact that they have to interact, live, and work with the foreigners on daily basis whether or not English is the first language for the foreigners. Since a vast majority of the foreigners from the South East Asian countries cannot speak Arabic, so English has been established as a standard language for communication with

Early literacy support programme

Early literacy support programme This small-scale research project focuses on The Early Literacy Support (ELS) Programme (DfES, 2007) within an urban primary school. Over the past few years there has been a large amount of investment provided by the Government to help raise childrens attainment in literacy. As a result, additional support programmes and interventions have been developed. The ELS Programme is an intervention produced by the National Strategies aimed at Year 1 children, who with additional support, should reach or exceed age related expectations in literacy. Aims This research aimed to study the ELS programme to identify how children are selected to participate in in the programme and to investigate the staff and childrens perceptions of the intervention and impacts as a result of the programme. This research examined three key questions; How is Early Literacy Support supporting childrens specific needs? What are the perceptions of teaching staff on how Early Literacy Support has impacted on childrens enjoyment, development and attainment in literacy? What are the perceptions of the children on Early Literacy Support and their enjoyment and development in literacy? Rationale I have a keen interest in literacy and am interested in learning about different ways to support children who struggle to easily acquire literacy skills within the mainstream classroom. The main reason for conducting research into this area was to enable me to gain a better awareness of literacy interventions for young children, which will ultimately increase my understanding and inform my future practice as a teacher. The class where I was on placement had a large number of children who required additional literacy support, so it seemed the ideal opportunity to further investigate the literacy interventions that children were involved in. Furthermore, although research has previously identified the positive impact of ELS and other phonics interventions, there is no documented research assessing childrens or adults views on the programme. The present research aimed to address this literature gap. Literature Review Learning to read, write and spell are among the most critically important and empowering skills that children will learn at school (Pumfrey Elliott, 1990, p. ix). Literacy skills provide the grounding for education and future life, however, a large proportion of children in the education system experience literacy difficulties. Children who struggle to acquire literacy skills are a continuing educational concern in todays modern society (Pumfrey Elliott, 1990). Browne (2009) identifies that teachers largest concern is surrounding children who fail to make progress in reading and writing. There are a wide variety of possible causes of childrens literacy difficulties, for example language delay, visual impairment, absence of books at home and general learning difficulties (Browne, 2009). It is therefore essential for teachers to assess the pupils difficulties and identify underlying causes in order to provide support that is tailored towards their individual needs. At Key Stage 1 in 2009, 84% of children achieved level 2 or above in reading and 81% of children achieved level 2 or above in writing (DfCSF, 2009). These figures remained relatively stable between 2007 and 2009. Although the majority of children are achieving age-expected levels, there is still a proportion of children who are under-achieving in literacy during their early school years. The gap between children who are struggling in literacy during their early years of schooling and their progressing peers will widen as children continue through their school life, which will have a negative impact on their self-esteem as well as educational attainment (Moore Wade, 1995; Rose, 2006). Graham (2008) states that approximately 35,000 children (6% of Year 6s) each year are leaving primary school with literacy levels below their age expected potential. Moore and Wade (1995) highlight that difficulties in literacy will also impact attainment in other areas of the curriculum, as reading and writing are crucial skills. It is therefore essential that children receive suitable, individualised support as early as possible to prevent later, exacerbated difficulties (Moore Wade, 1995; Graham, 2008). Rose (2006) argues that childrens reading and writing difficulties can be avoided through early assessment and by implementing appropriate interventions to support their individual needs. The use of early interventions can be seen as a preventative approach to avoid later difficulties (Burroughs-Lange Douetil, 2007; Savage Carless, 2008). This view has been recognised by the Government and schools are now formally required to provide focused support to children before Year 3 (Graham, 2008). Following the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy in 1998, the Government introduced additional initiatives with the aim of alleviating literacy difficulties in todays young population, in order to raise attainment (Shiel, 2003; Soler Paige-Smith, 2005; Graham, 2008). The Government instigated three waves of support to help schools plan and implement adequate provision for every child (DfES, 2007; Graham, 2008). Wave 1 describes the provision of Quality First Teaching which consists of systematic phonics and a rich language environment that all children should receive within whole-class literacy lessons. The DfES (2007) argues that good teaching is the most effective way to raise childrens achievement (p.9). Wave 2 is designed to help children who have experienced quality teaching but are still behind their peers, although they have the potential to reach age related expectations. This level of support is in addition to daily literacy lessons and usually consists of group work following a structured programme that is delivered by a teaching assistant. Wave 3 is designed for children who have Special Educational Needs and require personalised one-to-one support (DfES, 2007; Graham, 2008). A recent focus in schools has been on Wave 2 interventions, with the aim of helping children to make progress in literacy (Rose, 2006). A commonly implemented Wave 2 intervention is The Early Literacy Support (ELS) Programme (DfES, 2007) produced by the National Strategies. The approach is used for children in Year 1 (age 5-6 years) whose literacy skills are developing slower than expected during their first term in Key Stage 1 (Shiel, 2003; Graham, 2008). The children identified to participate in ELS are expected to progress to, and possibly exceed, age-related expectations following small, focused group sessions (DfES, 2007; Hatcher et al. 2006a). A teaching assistant delivers the group sessions in close collaboration with the class teacher, which is essential for successful application of the programme (DfES, 2007). The ELS programme consists of planned, systematic sessions that work alongside the Primary Literacy Strategy and incorporates aspects of Letters and Sounds (DfES, 2007). The sessions focus on supporting and developing childrens phonological skills, helping them to link sounds to graphemes, decode words and subsequently improve their reading, spelling and writing (Hatcher et al. 2006a). This is essential, as studies assessing a variety of interventions have repeatedly identified that successful literacy interventions focus on phonological knowledge as a starting point to reading and writing (Hatcher et al. 2006b; Savage Carless, 2008). Ehri et al. (2001) conducted a meta-analysis of 52 intervention studies and concluded that phonemic awareness was the most significant contributor to reading and writing development. Rose (2006) stresses that effective interventions must build upon phonic work that the children have experienced within the mainstream classroom. Furthermore, he argues th at interventions will only be successful if the work completed in the sessions is sustained and built upon back in the classroom when the intervention finishes (Rose, 2006). Research has shown that the ELS programme has positive impacts in improving childrens literacy skills, particularly reading (Burroughs-Lange Douetil, 2007). Soler and Paige-Smith (2005) documented that children who were experiencing mild difficulties in acquiring literacy skills, progressed in literacy following the ELS programme. Further evidence comes from Hatcher et al. (2006a), who evaluated the effectiveness of the ELS programme compared to another reading intervention. They found that the reading skills of 6 year olds were raised in line with their peers by the time they had finished the programme. However, in this study there was no unseen control group, so results cannot be compared to children with low literacy skills who did not engage in the programme (Hatcher et al. 2006a). On the negative side, a constraint with the ELS programme is that the sessions are delivered by teaching assistants, rather than trained teachers. Researchers have argued that children who are struggling should be taught by skilled professionals who have knowledge of how to support and improve childrens attainment (Stainthorp, 2000) However, research has consistently shown that interventions delivered by teaching assistants can be effective in improving childrens literacy attainment (Hatcher et al., 2006b; Savage Carless, 2008). Rose (2006) highlighted that successful interventions were regularly carried out by teaching assistants who worked effectively with groups of children. Evidence comes from Hatcher et al. (2006b) who assessed the effectiveness of a reading intervention and found that the majority of children had caught up with their peers by the end of the programme, although a proportion of children still required extra support. They concluded that teaching assistants are mo re than capable of successfully teaching a group intervention in order to raise attainment. Additional support comes from a longitudinal study conducted by Savage and Carless (2008). They found that the majority of pupils who had engaged in teaching assistant directed interventions in Year 1, achieved national average results at the end of Year 2. Research to date stresses the importance of early interventions and highlights the success of teaching assistant directed group sessions. However, an important consideration regarding additional support is ensuring that the type of intervention given is related to the childs specific needs in order to raise attainment (Bradley, 1990). Furthermore, although research has previously investigated the effectiveness of ELS, there is a lack of research that has examined the teachers, teaching assistants or childrens perceptions of the intervention and subsequent impacts. The present research aimed to further examine the ELS programme to address this literature gap by studying the intervention in an urban primary school, where staff had recently implemented the programme in order to raise literacy skills for a group of Year 1 children (see Appendix 1 for project plan). The research aimed to investigate: How is Early Literacy Support supporting childrens specific needs? What are the perceptions of teaching staff on how Early Literacy Support has impacted on childrens enjoyment, development and attainment in literacy? What are the perceptions of the children on Early Literacy Support and their enjoyment and development in literacy? In order to answer the above research questions, ELS sessions were observed and staff and children were interviewed. Furthermore, childrens literacy targets were obtained and their reading and writing levels were compared from before and during participation in ELS. Methodology Design This small-scale research project employed a case-study design, examining the ELS intervention within one urban primary school. Demetriou (2009) identifies that case studies enable researchers to collect and record in-depth data within a real-life context. Participants A purposive sample (Burton et al. 2009) of three Year 1 children from an urban primary school were recruited for the study as they had been selected by their class teacher to participate in the ELS programme. The sample also consisted of the Year 1 class teacher and teaching assistant who delivered the programme. Data collection methods A mixture of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was used in this study. Mason (2006) recommends using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods to enable a clear view of the data. Furthermore, Evans (2009) highlights that using different categories of participants (teachers, teaching assistants and students), alongside a range of data collection methods enables triangulation and therefore increases validity and reliability of the methods and data collected. The majority of the data collection involved qualitative research methods, in order to gain rich, detailed data regarding individuals beliefs and opinions surrounding the ELS programme (Evans, 2009). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the class teacher, teaching assistant and three children who participated in ELS. This form of interview enables the researcher to respond to interviewees answers to gain more detailed information (Burton et al. 2009). A set of key questions were planned (Appendix 5, 6 and 7) and additional questions were asked during the interviews depending on the participants response. Open-ended questions were asked to enable participants to express their own opinions, leading to more detailed, in-depth data (Burton et al. 2009). All interviews were recorded using a dictaphone and later transcribed. Three sequential ELS sessions were directly observed, with the observer as a non-participant. Although this is a time consuming method, Burton et al. (2009) argue that observation can be one of the most powerful tools in research (p. 95) as it can yield rich, real-life data that can be essential for the research. The observations were noted using a continuous narrative and were also recorded using a dictaphone to ensure objectivity. Quantitative methods were used to examine childrens literacy targets and attainment levels. Childrens literacy levels before participating in ELS (Autumn Term 2010) were compared to levels after completing a few weeks of the programme (Spring Term 2011). This data was also compared to adults and childrens perceived improvements as a result of the programme. Data analysis Observations and interviews were transcribed and coded using the open coding method, by identifying emerging codes from the data related to the key research questions (Burton et al. 2009). The observations were transcribed and coded according to the ELS session activities that the children engaged in, such as sounds, spelling and writing sentences (Appendix 8). All interviews were transcribed and systematically coded according to themes related to the key questions, for example childrens needs, development, enjoyment and attainment (Appendix 9). Ethical considerations Before conducting the research, an ethical consideration form was completed (Appendix 2) using Bera (2004) guidelines, which was signed off by my MA Tutor. As the research was being completed in a school, the research proposal was explained to the Head Teacher and she gave informed consent for the research to be carried out in her school (Appendix 3). As the research involved children under 16 years of age, parents of the three children involved were sent a letter explaining the research and asking for their permission for their child to be interviewed and observed. All parents returned the letters signed (Appendix 4). The research was also briefly explained to the children and they were informed that they didnt have to answer any questions if they didnt want to. Interviews with both staff and children were completed at a convenient time for the participants and were kept short so as to not impact on their usual school/work routine. Interviews with children were conducted in a quiet room that children were familiar with to ensure that they were comfortable. Furthermore, observations of ELS sessions were conducted during normal timetabled sessions to minimise intrusion or distress for children. All data collected was coded to ensure confidentiality and anonymity. Once the data was transcribed and reported, all interview recordings were deleted (Bera, 2004). Results Observations of ELS sessions are shown in Appendix 8. Interview transcripts with the class teacher (CT), teaching assistant (TA) and three children (A, D, and E) are shown in Appendix 9. The three childrens writing targets are shown in Appendix 10 and their literacy levels from September 2010 to April 2011 are shown in Appendix 11. How is Early Literacy Support supporting childrens specific needs? Childrens needs During the interview, the class teacher (CT) stated that the ELS programme was implemented at the school as there was a need in Year 1, particularly to raise the levels in writing. The three children were selected to participate in ELS as they were working on a W level in literacy and they lacked confidence in reading and writing. She said they all have potential, they are beginning to use their sounds but need more input with decoding words to read and sounding out words to spellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.independently they werent able to produce a sentence on their own. Furthermore, child E had a lot of time off school so was selected in order to fill the gaps in his learning that he had missed. The childrens writing targets prior to starting the programme (Table 1), were all focused towards using sounds to spell and writing a simple sentence with correct punctuation independently. The teaching assistant (TA) said she was unaware of the childrens literacy targets, but knew the children has been selected for the programme to increase their confidence in reading and writing. Table 1 Childrens writing targets. Writing Targets January 2011 Child A To use full stops and capital letters in my sentences. Child D To use a Thrass chart to help me spell. Child E To write a sentence on my own. ELS session activities During a typical ELS session, the TA stated that they look at letter sounds, apply an action to each sound, learn key words and write simple sentences using the key words. She said a lot of the sounds and words we use in the sessions are also Thrass words, and the children often recognise that. During ELS observations (Appendix 8), the majority of the activities observed were focused on sounds and spelling. Session 18 incorporated writing simple sentences using the sounds and spellings that they had learnt in the previous sessions. Children were occasionally required to read key words, however there wasnt a specific reading activity incorporated into the observed sessions. Both the CT and TA stated that the ELS programme is followed strictly and not tailored according to the childrens specific needs or individual progress. However, the CT said that a feedback and assessment procedure is currently being implemented whereby the TA records a brief summary of the sessions to pass on to t he CT. What are the perceptions of teaching staff on how Early Literacy Support has impacted on childrens enjoyment, development and attainment in literacy? Enjoyment The CT and TA both identified that the largest impact of the ELS programme has been on the childrens confidence in reading and writing, both in the ELS sessions, whole class lessons and at home, which has increased their enjoyment in the subject. CT said they now believe they can write and seem to enjoy writing. Furthermore, she stated that the children are also starting to write things at home and show them to the rest of the class, which they never used to do. Within whole class lessons, she has also observed that the children are more involved during discussions and are definitely more positive towards their work, especially child A. The majority of the children seem to enjoy their extra literacy sessions. However, the TA noted that child A sometimes seems frustrated because she is missing out on class work, but otherwise she is enthusiastic in the sessions. The CT said that the children always come back from the session with a big smile on their face, which highlights their enjoyment of the ELS sessions. Furthermore, when in the classroom, the children are now showing pride and pleasure in their literacy work. The TA stated that children come over and say look at all the work Ive done, or can you read my writing. Development During interviews, both the CT and TA were very positive regarding the impact that ELS has had on the childrens literacy skills since starting the programme in January. Children are now confidently answering questions, they are able to write sentences independently and use their sound knowledge to spell and read words. CT stated they can now write a sentence independently without getting stressed out and they are beginning to spell all the simple words correctly. She also identified that children are more focused on their class work and are able to confidently complete writing tasks independently. CT described child E who was previously not focused on his work, whereas this week when he wrote about the school trip he wrote half a page on his own, which he would never have done before. This development has also been noted by the TA during ELS sessions, with child A now willing to try any activity, child D can correctly sound out words and child E has caught up with peers after a lot o f time off. The TA stated that all children have definitely benefitted from the programme already. Attainment As shown in Table 2, all of the three childrens levels in reading and writing have increased from W levels (not yet accessing the Year 1 curriculum, so assessed against P scales) in November 2010, to at least a level 1c in April 2011 during the period that ELS was implemented. The greatest improvement has been in writing, with child A and E achieving a level 1c+. What are the perceptions of the children on Early Literacy Support and their enjoyment and development in literacy? Enjoyment During interviews with the children, it was clear that all children enjoy the ELS sessions, however child A stated that she didnt want to be in the group anymore as she doesnt think she needs to be in it. All three children stated that they enjoy sounding out letters in the sessions and described how much they enjoy helping Pip the puppet with her sounds. Child D said I like it when we talk to Pip and help her sound out letters and likewise child E stated I like sounding out letters and reading things. Writing was consistently the activity that children enjoyed the least as they found it the most difficult. However, when describing her favourite piece of writing, child A stated I enjoy writing lots of things because I know how to write now. Development When describing what the children thought they had improved at in literacy, all the children identified that they can now sound out letters to help them with their reading and writing. Child A felt that she had got better at sounding out letters and stated this was because she had been practising with the TA. She also talked about finding writing difficult in Foundation Stage and said now I just remember how to write a word and can write it down. Child D said Ive got better at my reading because I can now sound out words to help me read. I am on List 9 hotwords already. Child E stated I have got better at writing. I always make the sounds for the letters and words to help me to write. Discussion This research aimed to investigate how the ELS programme is supporting childrens needs and assess adults and childrens perceptions of the programme. Interviews, observations and obtaining childrens targets revealed that the ELS programme is at present supporting the childrens specific needs. Furthermore, overall both staff and children expressed positive opinions regarding the ELS programme. The ELS session activities focused mainly on sounds and spelling, with writing a simple sentence incorporated into some sessions. This links directly with childrens needs before starting the programme and their individual writing targets, which Bradley (1990) argues is crucial in order for an intervention to be successful. Furthermore, the phonics covered in the session was linked to Thrass, which is the phonics programme that children experience in the mainstream classroom. This is crucial, as Rose (2006) argues that it is essential for children to have continuity to enable them to transfer their skills from the classroom into the session and vice versa. Although the sessions at present are supporting childrens needs, their targets will change over time and it cannot be concluded that the sessions will continue to support their needs. The ELS programme is followed strictly, with no room for incorporating work to specifically target the childrens individual needs if they are not cove red by the programme. This is therefore in contrast to the view held by Bradley (1990). Although the programme must be followed, it might be beneficial if the TA knew the childrens targets so she could focus on those particular skills, within the planned sessions. Both the adults and childrens perceptions of the programme were very positive. The adults have seen improvements in childrens literacy skills during the past few months, particularly with the childrens confidence in all aspects of literacy. The adults stated that the children are now more confident at sounding out words and will independently complete writing tasks that previously they struggled with. The children were able to identify what they felt they had improved at, which were in line with the adults opinions of the childrens development. This increase in confidence appears to have had an impact on the childrens enjoyment in aspects of literacy, although writing was consistently their least favourite aspect. Only one child expressed her frustration with being involved in the group as she felt she was missing out on class work. The ELS sessions are timetabled for 20 minutes at the same time each day, meaning children are always missing foundation subjects as part of their topic work. Although the intervention is clearly aiding childrens development, the children are potentially missing out on crucial learning experiences within the mainstream classroom. It would be interesting to investigate whether childrens opinions of the intervention were more positive if the interventions were timetabled on a rotational basis to ensure that children were not always missing the same lessons. The adults positive opinions surrounding the impact of ELS are supported by the increase in childrens progress and attainment in literacy. The childrens attainment in both reading and writing had increased from W levels, to at least a 1c during the period that ELS was implemented. The current research therefore supports previous findings that have documented improvements in childrens literacy skills and attainment following participation in the ELS programme (Soler Paige-Smith, 2005; Hatcher et al. 2006a; Burroughs-Lange Douetil, 2007). However in this study, it cannot be concluded that increase in literacy attainment is solely attributed to the ELS programme, because other variables were not controlled. Alongside the intervention, children were also experiencing quality teaching during their whole class sessions, with reading and writing supported across the timetable. Furthermore, the school has recently implemented the Read Write Inc. phonics scheme to use during the literacy le ssons, which focuses heavily on sounds and spellings. Therefore, it may be a combination of the ELS intervention, quality first teaching and literacy phonics schemes that have led to an improvement in literacy skills and subsequently an increase in reading and writing attainment. Further, controlled studies need to be conducted to assess the specific impact that the ELS intervention has on childrens literacy skills. Additionally, the present research only assessed a snap shot of the intervention and did not assess the impact of the programme on literacy skills and attainment in the longer term. Although the research documents an increase in skills and attainment, it cannot be concluded that the programme helped children to reach or go beyond age expected levels in literacy by the end of a school year. It would be interesting to conduct longitudinal research to see whether children participating in ELS during the spring term of Year 1, achieve age-related expectations of at least a level 1b by the time they finish Year 1. Although Savage and Carless (2008) conducted a longitudinal study of ELS and assessed results at the end of Year 2, research has yet to assess childrens attainment across the whole of Year 1. The current research also supports the literature that suggests that teaching assistants can deliver interventions successfully in order to raise attainment (Hatcher et al. 2006b; Savage Carless, 2008). However, prior to starting the programme the teaching assistant received no training and simply had to deliver the programme following the session plans. She was not confident in using Thrass as she had had no phonics training. In agreement with Savage and Carless (2008), it can be argued that to further improve childrens attainment, teaching assistants who are delivering interventions need to be trained in phonics programmes and should be aware of approaches to support childrens learning. As this was a small-scale case study conducted in one urban primary school, the findings from this research cannot be generalised to other children or schools (Demetriou, 2009). Furthermore, case study designs have been criticised for being influenced by the researchers subjectivity (Demetriou, 2009). However, to overcome this issue, the present research adopted multiple research methods and recording approaches in order to ensure objectivity, which therefore increases the validity and reliability of the findings (Burton et al. 2009). A strength of the research was that observations of ELS sessions were conducted sequentially over a 3 day period in order to increase reliability and observations were noted and recorded to ensure objectivity. However, the researchers presence may have influenced the children and staffs behaviour, meaning the observed sessions may not have been a true reflection of typical intervention sessions (Wilson Fox, 2009). Furthermore, the interviews yielded hi ghly valid, in-depth data, however once again the results cannot be generalised as the answers were specific to the children and staff interviewed (Wilson Fox, 2009). Conclusion In conclusion, this small-scale study revealed the positive benefits that the ELS programme has had both on the childrens confidence and their attainment in literacy. The research has increased my understanding of literacy interventions to support childrens learning and increase their attainment. Interventions would be something I would consider implementing in my own classroom if there was a need to boost childrens literacy skills. Furthermore, I would carefully consider the timing of the interventions so as not to greatly impact of their learning in other subjects that the children may enjoy. The recent changes being proposed in the Education Bill currently going through Parliament, has led to a period of uncertainty with regards to the curriculum, National Strategies,

Price Discrimination Essay -- Economics Economy Profit Finances Essays

Price Discrimination Prices are based upon the price elasticity of demand in each given market. In other terms, this means that during ladies night at the local bar, it costs more for men to have a beer than women simply because these bars find it o.k. to charge females less, as a way to draw more females to the business on a specific night. Price discrimination is part of the commercial and business world. Movie theaters, magazines, computer software companies, and thousands of other businesses have discounted prices for students, children, or the elderly. One important note though, is that price discrimination is only present when the exact same product is sold to different people for different prices. First class vs. coach in an airline (though sometimes just differing in how many free drinks you can get) is not an example of price discrimination because the two tickets, though comparable, are not identical. Price discrimination is based upon the economic thoughts and practice of marginal analysis. This process deals specifically with the differences in revenue and costs as choices and/or decisions are made. Profit maximization is achieved not when the number of products sold is the highest, nor when the price is the highest. Profitability price discrimination is only profitable if and when the given target groups price elasticity of demand differs to the point where the separate prices yield to profit maximization for each given group in question (where marginal revenue equals marginal cost). Groups that are more sensitive to prices, (students and senior citizens for example), have a lower price elasticity of demand and are the ones that are often charged the lower prices for the identical goods or services. The key to price discrimination and using it to fully compliment other economic practices, ultimately achieving the total profit maximization, is the ability to effectively and efficiently collect, analyze, and act upon data gathered about the different groups. First of all, the groups must be accurately identified and the differences between groups must be thought of ahead of time. Children, genders, and senior citizens are easily singled-out by appearance, while military personnel, college students, and other groups must carry some sort of identification. Firms typically will quote the highest prices in advertisements,... ...portunity cost. Price discrimination is a significant and influential practice on the market in the modern economic world. It aids in a firm's profit maximization scheme, it allows certain consumers with more scarce resources the opportunity to purchase goods or services that would otherwise be usable, and it aids firms in balancing what is and what is not sold. Price discrimination is an effective means by which a firm can sell a higher quantity of goods, make a higher profit margin on the goods it sells, and builds a broader consumer base due to differing price elasticity of demand for given goods and services. Price discrimination ultimately equalizes price and value for both the consumer and the firm, creating a more ideal situation for both entities in terms of preference and opportunity cost. Bibliography http://www.wired.com/news/story/18656.html infousa.com/toolkit/home/text/po3_5230.htm www.researchinfo.com/wwwboard/messages/7633.html www.mhht.com/economics/frank4/student/appendixes/appendix4.html agriculture.house.gov/glossary/price_elasticity_of_demand.htm www.nets.kz/ilia.nets.kz/p_text.html www.nd.edu/keating/textbook/chap2/chap2.html