Incorporating Human development theory

Introduction There are numerous inferences that can be drawn from Piaget and Maslow’s ideologies that they formulated, ratified, and presented to explain various aspects of human development and other considerable provisions. Human development is an elaborated process requiring various considerable factors in order to illuminate its diverse aspects.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Incorporating Human development theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Concurrently, it is crucial to consider such aspects in the context of human development. This paper endeavors to compare Piaget’s use of concrete and formal operations and Maslow’s use of concrete and abstract thoughts to establish and explain various human phenomena. Understanding this context in the realms of human development and other considerable features is important. Concurrently, it is vital to incorporate human development the ories into the drug abuse/addiction prevention theories in order to illuminate its various aspects. This is a considerable phenomenon despite the looming challenges. Piaget based his arguments on actual and formal operations. Thus, he endeavored to explain his ideologies formally and considerably. He was able to relate the nature of knowledge itself and how people develop progressively to attain various behaviors. Addiction is relevant in this context due to its gradual development in the body system. Its acquisition occurs gradually regardless of the situation. Conversely, Maslow developed numerous ideologies meant to set various human principles and explain various phenomena. He ratified credible and abstract thoughts in order to distinguish vast ideologies concerning human development. This is a crucial provision when considered in this framework. It is crucial to understand these provisions in the developmental context in order to comprehend the aspects of drug abuse and its cha racterizing addictions (Hogan, 2003). How they are similar The aspects of human development are critical in this context. Concurrently, it is important to incorporate human development theories into the prevention mechanisms (regarding addiction). These relate to the similarities drawn from ideologies presented by Piaget and Maslow. Firstly, both theorists unveil the cognitive and physical development concerns. These factors are important in understanding various aspects of human development in the context of drug abuse and addiction. Piaget’s concrete and formal perceptions merge perfectly with Maslow’s actual and abstract thoughts meant to explain various aspects of the human development.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is a considerable provision in the creation of relevant ideologies applicable in explaining and preventing addiction and its aspects. It is important to understand such provisions as demonstrated before. Precisely, both ideologies endeavor to explain various aspects of human development that can be used to understand numerous provisions in the context of drug abuse and addiction. Additionally, both theories converge at a single point with regard to human development. For example, when Maslow’s formulated the hierarchy of human needs, physiological provision majored in the list. This indicates how the aspects of human development and other relevant factors must be fulfilled first (Hodson, 2001). This is supported by Piaget in his actual and formalized ideologies. Addiction is a physiological provision, which must be addressed for an individual to operate normally. In this context, it is important to incorporate such provisions in the prevention mechanisms meant to alleviate the aspects of drug abuse and addiction. Treatment options recommended in this context are numerous. Nonetheless, they might possess some disparities in the realms of principles and other relevant factors. It is imperative to understand such aspects before considering the ideologies presented by these theorists as futile and void. This is a crucial consideration when discerning the similarities that exists amidst the Piaget and Maslow’s ideologies and human developmental principles. The developmental processes, genetic epistemologies, and other considerable life concerns are fronted by these theorists (Shaffer Kipp, 2010). They endeavor to explain various principles applicable in the prevention factors regarding drug abuse and addiction. Understanding the provision of addiction in the context of human development is important as demonstrated by both ideologies. How they are different While comparing Piaget’s use of concrete and formal operations and Maslow’s use of material and abstract thoughts, numerous disparities are discernible despite the similarities indicated earlier. Both theorists based their ideologies on varying principles with regard to human development and other considerable factors. It is crucial to understand these provisions in order to establish substantial disparities amidst the two ideologies (Hogan, 2003). Evidently, Piaget formalized his findings in order to discern critical aspects of human development, addiction processes, and other relevant provisions applicable in this context.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Incorporating Human development theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is understandable to establish various components of human development in the realms of drug abuse, addiction, and other relevant provisions applicable in this context. Another disparity is that Maslow based his ideas on abstractions when making ultimate conclusions on critical matters (Hodson, 2001). Ideally, it is important to draw critical life aspects of these ideologies. The ability t o integrate the elements and effects of an activity/happening is an important concept in this case. Continuous application or use of something might trigger the aspects of addiction and other relevant provisions meant to explain this concept. It is evident that both Piaget and Maslow possess different opinions in this provision; nonetheless, there is a conventional consideration in this context. Whether there are value judgments inherent in either view Agreeably, there are value judgments inbuilt in either view. This is evident by the explanations and values possessed by both virtues. It is crucial to understand this phenomenon in various aspects. When Piaget presented his concrete and formal ideologies in order to explain the provisions of human development and other relevant aspects, several issues emerged so as to formulate addiction prevention mechanisms and other appropriate remedial factors worth consideration. Understanding the biological, cognitive, and psychological aspects of addiction is critical in this note (Shaffer Kipp, 2010). They constitute the value judgments embraced in the prevention programs meant to treat various components of addiction. Concurrently, the theories fronted by Maslow and Piaget constitute considerable and valuable provisions applicable vastly. This is quite critical in the human contexts. Concurrently, Maslow’s theories on the provisions of human needs and other relevant ideologies tend to explain critical aspects of human development. Thus, it is important to agree that both views have inherent value judgments. Conclusions Conclusively, comparison of Piaget’s use of concrete and formal operations and Maslow’s use of concrete and abstract thoughts indicate critical provisions in the context of human development. It is possible to incorporate the aspects of human development in the prevention programs meant to curb drug abuse and addiction. The arguments presented by Piaget in his works provide critical ideologies helpful in this context. Additionally, Maslow coined the hierarchy of human needs in order to categorize and illuminate various life provisions helpful in this context. The two ideologies presented by Piaget and Maslow contain varying similarities and other disparities. Nonetheless, both have inherent values applicable in discerning human developmental aspects.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Hodson, C. (2001). Psychology and Work. London: Routledge. Hogan, J. (2003). Substance abuse prevention: The intersection of science and practice. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Shaffer, D. Kipp, K. (2010). Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. This research paper on Incorporating Human development theory was written and submitted by user Benson L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

PG Organizational studies

PG Organizational studies Introduction In an effort to evaluate economic aspects and concepts in relation to an organization setting, this term paper focuses on a popular consumer company Proctor and Gamble, (PG), namely, on its organizational structure, employee compensation package, job design and dimension, as well as recommendations made in an effort to improve its operations.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on PG: Organizational studies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Company description Proctor and Gamble, commonly referred to as PG is a giant consumer good producer whose offices are distributed all over the world. What initially was a business partnership of its founders Proctor and Gamble, PG has become what it is today as a result of excellent and aggressive branding. The company has an impressive and extensive product line, which ranges from pet foods, cleaning agents, personal care products and until recently, foods and beverage s, making it one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world. This position has been complemented further upon the acquisitions the company has made overtime in a bid to diversify its product line. This has culminated to the substantial increase in profits. The company restructured its operations from its former global structure to embracing the matrix structure that has resulted into the categorization of the structure to include two Global Business Units with each unit, further divided into Business Segments, namely, beauty segment, grooming segment, health care segment, snacks and pet care segment, fabric care, home care segment, baby care and family home care segment. As a result of embracing this structure, the company sales levels have soared as a result of faster decision making, which is made possible due to the decentralization aspect brought about by the structure. PG has a leading position in many areas of consumer products, making its brand decision desirable to many firms. Good leadership, coupled with a combined team effort from all employees in all PG’s subsidiaries have strengthened its stance in the global arena, enabling the company to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive global market for over 100 years. This has led to the fact that the company has received numerous honors, such as the Fortune magazine award of the Global Top companies for leaders and also awarded it the fifth place among the most popular companies.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Chief Executive Magazine, PG is the best overall company for leadership development as depicted in its list of the 40 best firms for leaders (Daft, 2010). These achievements have not come easy as hard work and dedication have been the driving forces of the company’s success. Organizational structure An organizational structure , according to Daft (2010) is defined as a diagrammatic and architectural representation of a firm’s processes and procedures. In other words, it refers to an organizational hierarchy of people and how information flows within the organization. Taking due consideration of this definition, Proctor and Gamble has adopted a matrix organizational structure. Being a multinational firm with widespread networks all over the world, the structure is most appropriate for handling global operations. This has seen the firm decentralize its operations, enabling it to open up the regional front in areas it represents by means of appointing regional directors. The directors handle activities from the divisions available in that specific region and reports to the Headquarters. In this case, the firm has needs decentralization so the regional agencies could enjoy a great deal of autonomy in decision making. It has proved beneficial as each market is unique and different from the other one as each serves consumers who are themselves different, hence have different tastes and preferences. In a bid to address this issue and serve their customers effectively by responding to their needs, the matrix structure becomes most appropriate. This is a deviation from the global structure the firm had adopted as part of its global strategy. With this structure, it was characterized by centralized decision making, coordination and control at the level of key functional activities, such as research and development, operations and marketing, thereby seeing agencies receiving directives via direct communication from the Headquarters. This goes, however, against the advancements made possible due to the courtesy of the matrix structure.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on PG: Organizational studies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The matrix structure also makes the global dimension be represented by the executive in cha rge of the worldwide product division while the local dimension is in the hands of the business units in the countries. As part of its marketing strategy, PG has 7 Market Development Organizations (MDOs), responsible for marketing products in the global regions where its presence is felt (Company 2013). Agency problem Lasher (2010) defines an agency problem as a conflict of interest, arising when people (agents) entrusted to look after the interests of others (principals) use the authority or power for their own benefit instead. In this case, the agent’s interest is self-motivated and overrides the one of the principals’, which should not be the case. This problem, also referred to as principal-agent problem, is most prevalent in organizations that offer a great deal of autonomy in decision making, enabling the trustees of the shareholders to take advantage of their position to work activities in their own favor. PG has not avoided this issue as there have been reports of the manifestation of the agency problem in the company. This has taken the form of price fixing, in other words, the establishing of products prices or services, rather than allowing it to be determined naturally through free market forces. PG in collaboration with Unilever, another consumer goods company, established a price fixing cartel in Europe. This led to PG, incurring a fine of $ 456.3 million. This adversely affected the share prices of its stocks, thereby leading to shareholders, losing the value of their stocks as well as affecting the reputation of the company which suffered a great blow. In this case, the directors and managers compromised the shareholders’ interests, by engaging in illegal business for unsustainable high sales levels. Directors, managers and employees of companies are supposed to use their delegated authority to maximize the total financial returns from the business to its owners (Lasher 2010). Therefore, PG acted contrary to its duty in reg ards to its shareholders. The main reason for the occurrence of the problem was due to the urge to create artificial prices that would translate to higher profits for the firm at the expense of the consumer. Upon the exposure of this illegal activity, the firm could suffer immensely as a result of fines imposed on it, as well as loss in investor confidence.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In a bid to correct the above situation, Lasher (2010) proposes the following measures the firm could adopt: Instituting measures, such as tough screening processes. The firm needs to put in place more restrictions that will see the decisions made by individuals scrutinized in order to promote transparency as well as accountability. This will help curb the occurrence of the problem. Introducing watchdog bodies within the firm. These bodies may take the form of committees, such as a financial committee, procurement committee, etc. This form of transparency of operations will instill discipline in employees as they will be wary of being exposed as a result of illegal activities, such as the occurrence of the agency problem. These bodies or committees should be comprised of independent members who do not have vested interests in the firm, as well as individuals of high levels of integrity and professionalism. Introducing incentives for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior. In an effort to award good behavior, the firm could introduce performance-based compensation. This will motivate individuals to work hard in the right way in order to enjoy defined compensation perks. Bad behavior could draw punishments in the form of threats of demotion or even result to firing some concerned individuals. This will make individuals conscious of their activities in order to avoid such eventualities. Job dimension Job dimension generally entails a description of the job in regards to the duties, purpose, responsibilities, scope and working conditions. This clearly identifies the title of the job which an individual can identify himself/herself with (Bailey 2009). PG description of job dimensions is, however, based on a global perspective because of its nature of being a multinational organization which has seen the description of jobs in its portfolio differ with regards to geographical position of the firm. Regional agencies of the firm differ with regards to the oper ations and local conditions in the host countries where they are located. This, consequently, means that the jobs ascribed to individuals working within the global platform prompt the proper organization and design of proper job dimensions that are in line with the demands placed on these agencies. Regions where PGs influence is felt are different and unique from each other. Each of them has different needs that need to be assessed in the determination of appropriate strategies that can be adopted. This also applies to the description of job dimensions. Employees, working in different regions need to have properly defined job descriptions that detail specific duties and purpose, customized in accordance with the demands of the local market which they serve, in a bid to achieve set targets and objectives. PG current design is, therefore, appropriate for its business. Running a global firm is no easy feat as it requires an effective organizational structure and an effective and motiva ted workforce. Employees within the firm have properly defined duties expected of them which create the basis for the evaluation of their performance. As a result, it creates clear and defined tasks which they use to guide their performance. Job design Mathis and Jackson (2010) define job design as the process of putting together various elements of a job in accordance with organizational as well as individual requirements and presenting considerations of health, safety and ergonomics. This leads to the outlining activities to be performed by an individual in accordance with the requirements of a job, while ensuring that a firm’s objectives are being achieved as well as ensuring that the employee is being considered with regards to achievement of personal objectives, while observing the health and safety of the employee. A good job design is important as it enables a firm to determine factors which affect work. In this case, firms are able to identify such factors and act acc ordingly in order to either exploit them to improve the firm’s business, or to downplay them if they have a negative impact on the firm’s performance. These factors are normally concerned with employee working conditions. It also enables to identify what tasks are require to be done, that is, companies require formulation of the firm’s strategic plan that details objectives that the firm strives to achieve, as well as relevant activities or tasks that will help to achieve these objectives as stipulated in the plan. This enables a firm to focus on what it aims at achieving, hence directing resources in an effective way to achieve these goals in the end. A good job design also determines when and how tasks are going be done. Identification of tasks required to be done is not enough as there is a need to determine the appropriate time to undertake them, based on the identified factors, influencing the firm, such as the status of the economy, as well as the methodol ogy adopted to carry out the tasks in a manner that will see the maximum use of resources in an effective way. This in effect enables organizations to make substantial cost savings. It must also be mentioned that despite the identification of tasks required to be performed as well as the appropriate methodology and timing to carry them out, the emphasis with regards to the determination of a job design results to the prioritization of tasks as it is impractical to carry them out all at once. Based on the above advantages that result from the adoption of formulation of a job design, the following are recommendations on how PG can improve its job design strategy (Mathis and Jackson 2010): Allow and encourage employee participation in the job design process because the inclusion of employee input will help their opinions be incorporated in the job design, for instance, they may vary activities proposed, based on their personal needs, work habits and circumstances in the workplace. The company should organize training workshops and seminars that are dedicated to assisting employees know what is expected from them with regards to tasks they are supposed to carry out in order to achieve clarity on how to carry them out. The job design should have good work/rest schedules- This assists employees revamp their energy hence results to employee performance improvement. Compensation package Compensation does not only mean financial benefits accorded to employees but also includes non-financial aspects, such as employee professional development through training or motivating employees. Based on my own personal view, the compensation package can be considered as not perfect since perfection has never been achieved by any firm as employee needs are diverse, and it’s not possible to satisfy all of them. However, although there is still room for improvement, PG has tried to come up with an attractive compensation package that is responsive to changing trends in the ma rket as described below: It offers competitive salaries; It has also a comprehensive flexible benefits program that allows employees to choose health, dental, disability and life insurance benefits that meet their unique needs and circumstances. Retirement plans are funded by the company and provide employees with flexibility in plan, design and investment options. Existence of any Employee Assistance Program gives employees a confidential access to professional counseling to help them deal with any personal or family problems. In order to improve the existing compensation package, the firm could adopt the following recommendations as suggested by Madura (2007), namely: Evaluate their compensation management maturity and identify shortcomings. This will prompt the company to take appropriate steps in an effort to correct the situation, hence assist in achieving an employee satisfaction. Integrate appropriate sources and systems. This will enable the company to integrate existing information sources with compensation and workforce performance. This will enable the company to increase system efficiency that employees can relate with. References Bailey, T (2009). Organizational culture, macro and micro empowerment dimensions. Washington: Joessey Publishers. Company. (2013). Retrieved from https://us.pg.com/ Daft, P (2010). Organizational theory and design. New York: Sage Publishers. Lasher, P (2010). Practical financial management. Boston: Oxford Publishers. Madura, J (2007). Introduction to business. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers. Mathis, R and Jackson, J (2010). Human resources management. New York: Sage Publishers.

Northeast Utilities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Northeast Utilities - Research Paper Example The company that is the subject of this research is Northeast Utilities Industries. This company was formed in 1966 following the successful business merger that occurred between Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P), the Hartford Electric Light Company, and the Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO). This merger made the companies come under one management qualifying to be the largest multi-state holding following the Public Utility Holding Act of 1935. Other companies later joined the merger in the subsequent years and in this case, Holyoke Water Power Company (HWP) joined in 1967 and finally, in 1992, Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) signed a deal to merge with the company. This informs that five companies that were once independent constitute the Utility. In 2010, Northeast Utility further eluded their intention to the merger with NSTAR but maintaining the title as Northeast Utility and this is still a subject of approval. It is worth noting that the co mpany is listed in the Fortune 500 with the headquarters at Berlin, Connecticut. The company also runs several subsidiaries in the business of retailing electricity and natural gas. The company’s customer base in New England is about 2.1 million and this qualifies it to be one of the largest public utilities in New England. In this regard, the company has electric transmission lines covering 3,140 miles with about 32, 802 distribution pole miles. Their natural gas distribution also covers an area of about 5,000 km2.... In any business, it is very important to understand these forces so that one can identify the source of business strength and weaknesses so that the necessary adjustments can follow. In this case, this industry faces fierce competition from other companies providing similar products-competitive rivalry. This includes other companies like, First Energy, UIL Holdings, UNITIL, NSTAR, and EnerNOC (Murray, 2012). The existence of these companies in the provision of the same product has elicited severe competition in the provision of the same service-energy. There is different customer’s loyalty experienced in the market and other factors like switching cost that make the competition based on the existence similar products industries to be fierce. In the industry, there is need to achieve change in different categories; to achieve change in the efficiency of the energy production and distribution, this is aimed at reducing the cost of energy to the final consumers. When the cost of production is reduced, there is possibility of reducing the cost of the final product that goes to the consumers and thus a company is able to cut themselves a niche in the market. In this sense, the factor that is driving change in the company is the need to provide the consumers with products at moderated prizes to acquire a larger share in the market place. The reliability and safety of the product is also a concern of the company, the company dealing in the provision of the utilities tend to have the sense of reliability to the customers so that they do not lose market on that grounds. Competitors in the Industry Like any other business, the provision of the energy in which Northeast Utility is involved is experiencing the same competition from other service providers.

Employment Law Compliance Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employment Law Compliance Plan - Assignment Example Please note that the descriptions contain the consequences of the violation of the employment laws. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour applies to covered nonexempt employees (Fox & Davenport, 2013). The rate took effect from July 24, 2009. The minimum wage in Texas and Federal are equal. The federal minimum wage covers the workers of businesses with more than $500,000 (Canas & Cross, 2008). However, the administrative personnel, executives, and professional workers are exempted from the protection of the minimum wage. The non-exempted employees deserve a pay for the overtime for time worked over forty hours. The employers are liable for minimum wage if they classify the employees incorrectly as exempt when they do not qualify such status. The violation of the law attracts a fine of more than $100,000. It is a requirement for the employers to offer safety to the employees as stipulated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The employees should work in a safe environment that is free of hazards such as toxic chemicals, excessive heat and noise, and mechanical dangers. The employees can file their complaints with the Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDIDWC) (Fox & Davenport, 2013). The employers are liable to compensate the employees as determined by TDIDWC or OSHA. Employers cannot discriminate against the employees who file such complaints. The law prohibits any form of employment discrimination based on religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, color, national origin, disability, and age. Additionally, the law stipulates that employers should not discriminate employees who comply with a subpoena (Canas & Cross, 2008). Employers who violate the law are liable to prosecution and charges imposed on them. The courts have the rights to compel the employers to give compensation to the employees who have suffered due to discrimination. The employers should not

The Implications of Spanish Essay Example for Free

The Implications of Spanish Essay The United States is the world’s fourth largest Spanish-speaking country. This ranking should not come as a surprise to anyone. According to Renan Alemendarez Coello (qtd. in Hochmuth), it is not that hard to find someone who speaks either limited English or no English at all on the street today. Indeed, recent demographic studies and observations that have been made by researchers have implied that Spanish is the second most widely used language in the country, next to English. This is because as of the year 2000, Mexican immigrants make up 27. 6% of the total foreign-born U. S. population with another 5 million immigrants coming from other Spanish-speaking nations and countless of unaccounted illegal migrants entering the country in the U. S. – Mexico border and Americans learning Spanish through formal education (Carreira 334; Lipski 14; Huntington 26; U. S. English Foundation 15). In certain and territories of the country such as Miami and Puerto Rico, Spanish has become the primary language used not just in homes, but in business and politics (Castro; Lipski 29-31). In fact, in the 1984 national elections Jones had reported to Senator Quentin N. Burdick that in Texas alone 283,000 voters from 1,012 precincts in the states were Hispanics covered by the 1965 Voting Rights Act which mandated that elections be conducted in a language aside from English in order for the minority would be able to exercise in their right to vote (1-2). Even more recently, the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate debate held in September 2003 was done both in English and Spanish (Lipski 30). While the evidence mentioned establishes Spanish as the second language of the United States, these proof that Spanish is flourishing in the country today has given a growing rise of concern among many Americans about its implications. Many have begun to fear that the proliferation of Spanish in the country would cause the nation to be divided and would even hinder the country from progressing (Hochmuth; Lipski 30). One significant issue currently faced by the country today that has been linked to the growth of the Spanish language in the country is the growing academic achievement gap between Hispanics and Caucasians. In a recent study made by Rumberger and Anguiano in 1998 in 120 kindergarten schools in California, they have attributed that the academic achievement gap is caused by two factors namely the socio-economic status of the family of the student and the English proficiency of the student (17). These two factors are interlinked with each other. Since Hispanic immigrants are not fluent or do not speak English efficiently, they are unable to find employment to be able to uplift their socio-economic status (Hochmuth; Lipski 34). Because of this, they are unable to provide their children the skills needed in order to be able to perform competently once they enter school. This is evident in the grade point averages that they receive in secondary schools and in their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores as compared to students from other cultural backgrounds (Lavin-Loucks 3-5; Rumberger and Anguiano 4). This would eventually lead to long term consequences ranging from unemployment to dependency on welfare (Lavin-Loucks 7). In order to address the matter, some government organizations have began to lobby for fluency in the English language should be mandated. Dubbed as the â€Å"English Only† movement, its statutes may range from declaring English as the sanctioned language in the state to the exclusion of non-English assistance and services. Today, sixteen states have become â€Å"English Only† states. These states include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, North and South Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia. Supporters of this movement see this as the solution to address other concerns such as the academic achievement gap and the high number living in poverty (American Civil Liberties Union 2; Lipski 34). In order to educate immigrants to become fluent in English, they would facilitate the education through the use of English immersion programs. These programs would prohibit the use of any language except English. There are three methods that could be used for these programs. The first is the English as a Second Language (ESL) method which supplements the classes with additional lessons in English. ESL may focus on grammar and language structure or focus on the contents through communication. The second method is the sheltered immersion method where the English taught is dependent on the proficiency level of the student. The third model is called the â€Å"sink or swim† method. This involves were placed in regular classrooms regardless of their proficiency level. This third method was banned by the Supreme Court in 1974 (The Benefits of Bilingual Education). However, there are many who protest to the â€Å"English Only† movement. Coalitions such as the American Civil Liberties Union have noted that while there are some benefits to this movement, there are also a number of consequences which they view as bearing more weight compared to the benefits. For one, the â€Å"English Only† movement would void federal and state laws which require the government to provide services in languages apart from English, such as the 1965 Voting Rights Act (Jones 1) as well as services pertaining to everything from health and education to assistance to victims of crimes or accidents (2). It also leads to the abandonment of multicultural events. This movement would also lead to Spanish-language, and other foreign language, programs in television and radio stations to forfeit their licenses and would eventually go off the air. Furthermore, immigrants who are coerced English one way or another would experience some psychological woes. In an interview, Ronald Rodriguez (qtd. in Torres) found himself becoming aloof in his class where everyone, but him, spoke English as a youngster. When he eventually became fluent with the English language, he began to feel a sense of embarrassment in speaking Spanish and had a feeling that he had betrayed his family for speaking English. Moreover, this movement is contradictory to the Equal Protection Clause protected by the Fourteenth Amendment and would inhibit immigrants who are not proficient in English of certain rights such as the right to vote, education and to be free of discrimination (2-3). This would make the â€Å"English Only† policy as a racist policy (Schmidt 143). Opposing groups have proposed alternatives to the â€Å"English Only† policy. In order to solve national concerns such as the academic achievement gap and the growing poverty due to unemployment on the part of immigrants is through bilingual education (Huntington 30). Bilingual education was initially employed to level out unequal education (Arce 228). Bilingualism refers to an individual’s knowledge of two or more languages apart from his or her own native language and the ability to function in these languages according to the need (Meyer and Fienberg 2; Minami). These abilities include speaking, reading, writing, and understanding (Chiocca). There are three bilingual education models that are currently used in the country today. The first model is the Transitional model. This model accentuates English language development and academic learning using the native language of the students as the medium to instruct them. The second model is the Developmental model. This model is aimed to advance the fluency of the student both in writing, reading and speaking both in their native language and in English. The third model is the dual language program. This program teaches both English and the student’s native language alternately to the students in order to make them fluent in both English and the student’s native language (Lipski 29-30; The Benefits of Bilingual Education). In today’s society, all nations including the United States are geared towards globalization (Robinson). In line with this, more and more individuals view bilingual education and dual language programs to become popular (Lipski 29-30). Children who are enrolled in bilingual education programs in the country have been reported to succeed academically since their language and culture are incorporated in the curriculum of the program and in their daily interactions in the classrooms providing a firm language foundation (Arce 228; Wu and Ito). This environment allows the children enrolled in bilingual programs to foster a feeling of security (Konishi). Being proficient in more than one language also allows students the opportunity to continue their education in other countries (Fallows). Furthermore, bilingual education preserves the student’s sense of pride, making them able to blend in a dominant English speaking easily able to interact with his or her classmates at the same time protecting their sense of identity since language and culture are important to the identity of an individual (The Benefits of Bilingual Education). In line with this, bilingualism also allows Americans in order to understand the other cultures in the country. A few of the languages that Lipski had suggested for Americans to select as a second language to learn are Chinese, Japanese and Spanish (29). Bilingualism also has its benefits in the corporate world. Bilingual candidates, particularly those who are fluent in Spanish and English, have greater employment opportunities than those who can only speak one language (Chiocca). This is due to the growing Hispanic market in the country. As of 2000, the Hispanic community is reported to have a purchasing power of over $300 billion annually (Carreira 334). Thus, many business organizations in the United States prefer to hire individuals who are able to speak both Spanish and English. The need for bilingual employees is more imperative in industries that inquire vast amount of paperwork. Examples of these industries are car sales, insurance, mortgaging companies, and those who cater to foreign clients. In these industries, the transactions between the customer and the company are seen to have high risks. Bilingual employees minimize these risks by being able to communicate effectively with their clients. An employee who is able to speak the same language as the company’s customers would be able to make them feel more secure and important to the business (Jares; Shepherd). An example of this was when Continental Airlines began to service passengers to Latin America and began to hire bilingual stewards and stewardesses for these flights. Erica Roy, spokesperson of Continental Airlines stated that the company decided to hire bilingual stewards and stewardesses because the company’s clientele was improving in Latin America and the company wanted to make the customers feel comfortable (Jares). Despite the many benefits bilingual education may bring about to an individual, particularly to children, many researchers have found that it has its share of disadvantages. According to the studies of these researchers, children who enroll in bilingual education programs experience more hardships in terms of language proficiency as compared to those who grow up learning only one language. Bilingual children have been noted to exhibit vocabulary proficiency scores below normal in either of the two languages. Researchers attribute this to the fact that since they are learning two different languages, they are learning twice as many words within the same time span as that of a child who is only learning one language. Other researchers have also concluded that bilingual education can inhibit the cognitive development of the child which may result to retardation (Minami). Recent studies on the impact of bilingual education to the cognitive development of a child have shown results contrary to the initial findings made by researchers. In fact, studies have shown that children who are raised learning more than one language have a higher potential to become smarter than those who only learned one language. In a study done in Darthmouth College headed by Laura-Ann Petitto, a group of children whose ages were between 4 and 6 years old and spoke either French or English were compared against a group of bilingual children who were learning one spoken and one signed language. The cognitive capability of the participants of the study were compared using a commonly used research device to measure the thinking ability as well as the ability to allocate attention wherein the participants telling the researchers the color of the square appearing on a computer screen and its position on the screen. The results of the study showed that the bilingual children scoring better than those who only knew one language. The results of this study disproved previous studies that cognitive development is compromised in the case of bilingual children (McCoy). Another similar study at the University College in London supported the findings made by Petitto. They had concluded that because they were learning more than one language, the brains of bilingual children are more structurally enhanced as compared to those who can only speak one language (â€Å"Linguists Have Better Brains†). Petitto confirms this by explaining that the increased demands in processing two language systems also increased the computational analysis capabilities of the brains of bilingual children (McCoy). Bilingualism has also shown to cultivate classification skills, concept forming, reasoning through analogy, and a better control in linguistic processing (Chipongian). The latter was evident in a study done by Viberg where bilingual children and monolingual children were given a story which they then needed to relay, the versions given by bilingual children were more detailed than their monolingual counterparts (Minami). Furthermore, bilingual children have been noted to be more flexible mentally and able to conceptualize better. These analytical capabilities demonstrated by bilingual children as well as the recognition of uncertainties and sensitivity towards detail and structure have also been noted to surpass that of children their age who have learned only one language. They are able to focus their attention on important details without being sidetracked by information that have no bearing on the information or details that may be misleading (Chipongian). It is important to remember that currently, the findings on how bilingual education affects the cognitive development of an individual has been concentrated on children. Further research would yet have to be to determine if the same benefits would be exemplified by teenagers and adults who learn a second language.

Working With Survivors of Trauma Essay -- Post-traumatic stress disord

Bio-psychosocial Assessment Presenting Issue Spartacus came to seek the help of a mental health specialist since he was experiencing a number of difficulties in his life after his service at the U.S. Army. He â€Å"felt different† on his return to home and found it exceedingly tough to blend in into the family life as he did before going to serve in the army. The emotional attachment he had with his family members such as the wife and the son had disappeared. Spartacus not attend to the son accordingly as a father should. Though he knew that this was not right, he could not bring himself to a solution and that is the reason why he sought specialized help. The problem had persisted for a while and Spartacus knew that the situation was getting worse. It was interfering with his day-to-day functioning. He wanted help so that he could revert back to his normal function just like in the period before living for the military. He could not sleep, he was constantly nervous, he felt less motivated and showed a general loss of ap petite. Demographic Information Spartacus is an African American male aged 25 years. He has served in the U.S. military for with multiple deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. He had returned to his home in U.S having suffered many physical injuries during one of the combats. He was (and is still) married to Tamika and they have a son who is three years old. Current Living Situation Spartacus spent most of his time in solitude, away from the wife and son. He easily got irritated and found comfort in smoking cigarette. In his loneliness, Spartacus could spend many hours replaying the scenes from his combat experience. He always felt jumpy. Birth and Developmental History Having been born 25 years ago... ... useful evidence that helped in coming up with the right treatment for Spartacus. Bibliography Chang, Y., & Hsiao, S. (2006). Quality of Life: Scaling with Maslow‘s Need Hierarchy. Gerontology, 52(6), 376-376. Hofmann, S. G. (2007). Enhancing exposure-based therapy from a translational research perspective. Behavior Research and Therapy, 45(9), 1987-2001. Kennedy, J. E. (2007). Posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder-like symptoms and mild traumatic brain injury. The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 44(7), 895-920. Resick, P. A., & Miller, M. W. (2009). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Anxiety or traumatic stress disorder?. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 22(5), 384-390. Taylor, S. (2004). Understanding and treating health anxiety: A cognitive-behavioral approach. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 11(1), 112-123.

Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination

Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination Keanna Jones Gen 200 March 18, 2010 Instructor: Jenta Young â€Å"You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step† says Martin Luther King Jr. (Finest Quotes, Lift Your Spirit Up, 2010). Sounds simple enough to some, but for many people taking the first step can be quite difficult. In other words, putting off something intentionally that should be done is called procrastinating (Merriam-Webster, 2010). There are lots of reasons that people can’t take that first step for such as having a busy schedule, stress, afraid of failure or wanting complete perfection; because of this, people tend to wait until the last minute to do things, lye to themselves, do other things instead of what needs to be done and avoid making decisions. Actually, waiting until the last minute gives some people just enough pressure to complete their task or time to refresh their minds. Therefore, procrastinating can be a positive thing for some, but for others it can be a barrier that hinders one from accomplishing the simplest-everyday tasks to more long term goals. So for those people that consider procrastination a problem, once you figure out how and why you procrastinate, then you find a solution for your problem. â€Å"There are many ways to avoid success in life, but the most sure-fire just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves. They put obstacles in their own path. They actually choose paths that hurt their performance† (Staff, 2005). Thus, procrastination can be a problem for many people. Waiting until the last minute to do things or not making decisions can cause detrimental side-effects on ones emotional and physical state. Subsequently, it can be stressful and cause you to feel hopeless or depressed which often delays or stops people from achieving their ultimate goals or becoming successful, but it is possible to prevail over it. In order to overcome procrastination, first you need to gather a few things to get started (you may need more or less as youbegin to learn more about yourself): a notepad and pen, a calendar or some sort of date book (both can also be done on your personal computer), some rewards for yourself and a new positive attitude. Next, you need to determine why you are procrastinating. Harold Taylor lists several reasons why we procrastinate and how to defeat them. For example: Sometimes we figure that tasks are more unpleasant than they truly are; so, â€Å"complete these tasks first, schedule them for early in the day, and give yourself a reward for doing them. † Also, break complex projects into smaller ones, and if you are afraid of failure, remind yourself of how good you’ll feel when you finish. Moreover, if perfectionism and making decisions are your struggle, determine a time to make decisions and set deadlines. Remember that even the simplest things can cause someone to procrastinate like a lack of interest or distractions; free your-self from interruption and clutter (Taylor). In addition, use your calendar and date book to make appointments and set your deadlines; write down everything from daily tasksto your long term goals. Finally, measure your achievements and with any objective you conquer in procrastination reward yourself. Furthermore, people can procrastinate in any and everything they do whether it isacademically, in the workforce or just daily living. â€Å"Based on some figures, it is estimated that as much as 95 % of the people are prone to procrastination. Amongst them, 20 % of them are chronic procrastinators. These people have an increasing chance of losing their jobs, have financial problems and have serious problems with their relationship with others† (Hobbs, 2008). What’s more, with academic procrastination, students may not complete work or meet deadlines, and as result, they may fail and not graduate. Also, workforce procrastination can mean not completing assignments at work, not applying for a promotion, or not looking for a better job; so procrastination in the workforce can not only lead to trouble there, but also difficulties financially and in your relationship. At some moment in everyone’s life we may procrastinate in our daily living like waiting until the next day to clean up, but as long as it does not effect of livesnegatively we should be able to overcome it. However, if it does, just follow the instructions above and one should be fine. So if you are a procrastinator, remember that you are not in this alone; as you can see, 95% of us procrastinate in some way. As we mentioned above, consider what type of procrastinator you are, how you procrastinate and what motivates you to reach beyond and you should be able to overcome it. Think about what makes you tick. Besides, it takes a lot of discipline to break this pattern. Consider what inspires you to advance, move ahead and be successful. Thus, use your pen, paper, planner, gather your rewards and develop a positive attitude and you will be on your way to coping with procrastination. In conclusion, procrastination can be positive or negative, but as you can see, it clearly affects people’s lives. For plenty of people it does not help them; it actually hurts them. However, one can rise above it by simply remembering that you are a procrastinator and how to fix it. Do not wait until the last minute to do things or avoid making decisions because these are all signs of procrastination. By following some of the suggestions mentioned above, one might become triumphant in breaking this habit. Works Cited Finest Quotes Lift Your Spirit Up. 2010). In Procrastination Quotes. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. finestquotes. com/select_quote-category-Procrastination-page-0. htm. Hobbs, Jason. (April 2008). What Do Statistics on Procrastination Have to Say? Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? What-Do-Statistics-On-Procrastination-Have-To-Say? &id=1093970. Procrastination. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved March 18, 2 010, from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/procrastination. Richard Farrar. (2010). Life, Technology and Everything. The Powers of Procrastination. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. richardfarrar. com/the-powers-of-procrastination/. Staff, PT (2005). Why We Procrastinate. Psychology Today. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. psychologytoday. com/articles/200507/why-we-procrastinate. Taylor, Harold. How to Stop Procrastinating. Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://www. getmoredone. com/tips2. html Tucker-Ladd, Clayton. (2007)Psychological Self-Help. http://www. psychologicalselfhelp. org/Chapter4/chap4_77. html, p. 76-80.