Drugs and Its Effects

A drug is a substance which has a discernible physiological effect when taken into the body. These chemicals change the functions of the central nervous system (CNS), providing temporary relief from mental, physical and social problems. Usage of a drug over a period of time often results in dependence and tolerance of the drug. The user experiences physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms when attempts are made to quit the drug. Tolerance refers to the increased ability of the body to tolerate the drug without ill effects. Due to drugs having the capacity to enhance performance, they are often used recreationally and abused. This leads to addiction which can potentially destroy lives. Drugs which alter behavior could be categorized as stimulants, hallucinogens and depressants. Stimulants are a class of drug which can alter the way in which someone behaves by stimulating the central nervous systems. In other words, they increase the activity of the brain resulting in increased alertness physical activity, productivity, endurance and motivation. Stimulants include amphetamines, called ‘uppers’, cocaine and nicotine. Users usually find relaxation and rest impossible and tend to have no appetite. Moreover, side effects may include muscle spasms, chest pain, nausea, and blurred vision due to an overworked heart and the subsequent high blood pressure. During World War II, stimulants were extensively used by soldiers to maintain alertness. By then, various forms of the drug were readily available such as methamphetamine. Today however, due to its side effects and addictive properties, possession and usage have been made illegal and doctor prescriptions have been significantly reduced. Hallucinogens are a class of drugs which cause an alteration in perception, thought, or mood. Examples of hallucinogens drugs include marijuana, magic mushrooms and cannabis. These drugs distort sensory perception by interfering with the activity of acetylcholine, norepinaphrine, or serotonin. Hallucinogenic drugs are among the oldest known group of drugs used for their ability to alter human perception and mood. Effects of hallucinogens include perceptual distortion, increased heart rate, nausea, weaknesses and hearing, touching and seeing things that don’t exist. The effects of hallucinogens take place within half an hour and last for several hours. Depressants are a group of drugs which temporarily diminish the function or activity of a specific part of the body or mind. Depressants are described as psychoactive drugs that slow down one’s Central Nervous System (CNS), thus they are referred to as â€Å"downers†. These types of drugs are used as prescribed medication as well as illicit substances and can be dangerous. Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates and tranquillizers. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines are the two major categories of depressants used as medicine. Benzodiazepines that are commonly used such as Diazepam (Valium) and Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) were developed as a safe alternative to barbiturates to treat insomnia and anxiety but are now a major category of abused drugs. The prolonged use of these drugs can result in tolerance. In addition, the sudden withdrawal from these drugs by habitual users may result in physical withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, nausea, headaches, weakness and blood pressure drops. This may consequently lead to a coma and or death. Drugs which alter behavior could be categorized as stimulants, hallucinogens and depressants. The use of each type of drug results in an alteration of the Central Nervous System. Stimulants tend to affect the Central Nervous System by stimulating ones brain hence altering ones behavior. Hallucinogens are known to distort one’s senses by causing changes in perception, thought, and emotion. On the other hand, depressants have the opposite effect of stimulants. Depressants tend to temporarily slow down the function or activity of a particular part of the mind or body. Although some types of these drugs are acquired legally, they are often abused.

Global Marketing Essay

Sinar Sosro Private Limited is the first company that introduced bottled jasmine tea to the public in Indonesia in the year 1940. The family started their business in Central Java, Indonesia which then expanded their market to Jakarta, Indonesia. Initially, the jasmine tea was brewed on the spot and served to the consumers. However, after they expand their market to Jakarta, they realize that the consumers find the tea that was brewed on the spot find the drink is too hot to be consume. Thus Sosro come out with a new strategy, the bottling system. In 1970, they came out with the first design of the bottle where tea was pre-brewed and bottled when it was cooled down and thus sell it to the consumers. The design of the bottle changed again in 1972 and 1974, which the latter design was used till now. Today, there are 4 different products which are under Sosro Logo. They are Bottled Sosro tea, Sosro Fruit tea, Sosro Teabag and Sosro Joy Green Tea. In addition to the local market, Sinar Sosro had also penetrated to the overseas market mainly by exporting their products in Tetra Pak and can packages to several countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalan and several countries in the Middle Eastern countries, Africa, Australia and United States. In this report, I will be investigating and analyse the opportunities exist in Singapore for Sosro brand product which is the Sosro Teabag which comes from Indonesia. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SINGAPORE Singapore is known as one of the best country in the world for having the suitable environment for business. Located at the crossroads of the international trade routes, it is a constant top choice by multinationals organization to invest their money in. Singapore is known as a multi-cultural country with its diverse ethnic group, thus the varieties of cuisines are always in need. Food and Beverage business is one of the major business in Singapore and there is always a market for investors under this sector. Below, we will be analyzing the environment of Singapore and it is chosen to be the destination of the product. GEOGRAPHIC Located in the central of South East Asia, Singapore has one of the major advantages in doing business through their sea routes. The availability of the international and domestic transportation as well as the natural seaport had allowed Singapore to be one of the important hubs in the international trading. Changi Airport, the international airport of Singapore allows the country to connect with more than 180 countries in the world. This location allows them to easily access to all the premier Asian market. SOCIO-CULTURAL / PEOPLE With a population of more than 4 million people including expatriates, Singapore is a densely populated island with different races of people living harmoniously together. The people are the main drive behind most of the government decisions which aim to provide a better life for the people. With a population growth rate of 3. 1% in 2009, the literacy rate of the population comes up to 95% in total contributes to the economic boom in Singapore. The increase of the population plays a major part in the increase of the demand especially in the manufacturing field. Singapore is a knowledge based country, thus explained the highly educated people in the country. According to the Labor Force Evaluation Measurement report, Singapore has the best labor force in the world. Many of them have high productivity, technical proficiency, work hard and work smart culture. With professionals coming from all over the world, they bring extensive knowledge and professional expertise as well as experience which also contributes to the welfare of Singapore. The distribution channels for the food and beverage industry in Singapore can be divided into two main sectors. They are through retailers (includes wet markets, shopping malls, and supermarkets) and food services (e. g. hotels, restaurants, airlines). When it comes to distributing the products, many of them are controlled by local suppliers and their agents. Many of the channels prefer to purchase the products directly from the suppliers if they have large order quantity, for example, NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage. However, for those who have a smaller order quantity will purchase their products from reliable suppliers. INFRASTRUCTURE Constant upgrading of the country’s infrastructure, Singapore remains as one of the most sought after country by investors to do their business. It is also ranked as Asia’s top convention city which had hosted some of the world’s most prestigious events. Depending on the size or nature of the business, investors can choose to set up their operations in an industrial/business park, own establishments or move into a readily available commercial buildings. As it is a technology savy country, Singapore tries to use technology to build up their efficiency and approximately 99% of the population have access to internet broadband network. POLITICAL / LEGAL Singapore political system is one that depicts laws, decides priorities and sets regulations using a rational and pro-business approach. It have a vision of bringing the country to the front line of the industrialized nations with its stable and orderly government. Singapore government emphasizes its efficiency and effectiveness in every walk of life. As it is run with integrity and transparent, investors can set up their business in an efficient manner without any hassle, bureaucratic delays or the need to pay corrupt officials. According to World Bank’s report, Singapore is rated strongly for government effectiveness, regulatory quality and control of corruption. Singapore government reviews their policies and programmes and takes extreme measure to restore their economy back to stable as quickly as possible if they come upon economic crisis. Development of Singapore laws reflect and awareness of the need to recognize and accommodate the investors with their current international business and commercial practices. As there are clear-cut laws regarding working hours, minimum wages, industrial protection and taxation, Singapore makes an attractive place for investors to set up and operate their businesses. ECONOMY One of the major reasons of doing business in Singapore is the economic factor. Being a member of ASEAN (Association of South East Asia) and FTA (Free Trade Agreement) allows Singapore to be of the best destination to do their business. As part of the member of FTA, Singapore had signed an agreement on the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) scheme on 28 January 1992 which aims to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers in the region. Other than Singapore, countries who are part of the ASEAN had also signed the agreement. Investors also enjoy a range of benefits such as preferential access to certain sectors, attractive tax regime, liberal immigration policies and intellectual property protection. Taxes are always an important factor that all investors take into consideration. One of the unique advantages of Singapore is that they have low corporate taxes. Companies that earn profit up to SGD 300,000 are imposed with 9% tax and it is capped at 18% for the amount more than that. Furthermore, Singapore follow a single-tier tax policy which means investors will be able to receive dividends tax free. In order to move away from direct taxes, Singapore government have adopted a more broad based consumption tax which is known as Goods and Services Taxes (GST) which is 7%. Intellectual Property Protection is taken seriously in Singapore. Investors or companies are able to register their trademarks in Singapore and also to apply for global trademark registration. In order to promote their economy, Singapore government had also established few programmes which is to assist investors to improve the efficiency and explore new opportunities. The availability of loans, grants and tax incentive as well as equity financing gave many investors the reason to invest in Singapore. COMPETITORS As all the information above mentioned, we know that the industry of food and beverage in Singapore is a thriving business. Thus there are many companies that brought in their products to the country. In the current market, there are many competitors that bring in their product. Using our product as a category, we have tea brands such as Lipton, Dilmah, Twinnings, Boh Plantations tea and many others as our competitors. CONCLUSION After analyzing the environment of Singapore, we realize that there are many opportunities that can be explored by the company for our products. With the correct strategy and right marketing strategy, we will be able to have a competitive advantage against other competitors and put our brand to the front. Looking at the economy of Singapore and how the government made decisions with the pro-business attitude, we believe that Singapore will be a good choice of location to invest the product. REFERENCES 1. EDB Singapore (2009), Singapore Facts and Figures, July 24 2010 http://www. fta. gov. sg/benefit. htm 2. FTA Singapore (2008), Benefits of FTA, July 24, 2010 http://www. fta. gov. sg/benefit. htm 3. Focus Singapore (2009), Business Opportunities, July 27, 2010 http://www. focussingapore. com/singapore-industry/business-opportunities. tml 4. Guide Me Singapore (2008), Advantages of Doing Business in Singapore, July 25, 2010 http://www. guidemesingapore. com/business/c643-singapore-business-setup-benefits. htm 5. Kotabe, M. and Helsen, K. (2008) Global Marketing Management, John Wiley and Sons Inc. United States of America 6. Sosro (2008), Company Profile, July 23, 2010 http://www. sosro. com/sejarah-bisnis. php 7. Statistics Singapore (2007), Latest Data, July 24, 2010 http://www. sing stat. gov. sg/stats/latestdata. html

Facilitating Case Management Essay

Why is it important for a case manager to develop rapport with a client? Provide three examples of how rapport can be generated. 2. Why are statutory requirements necessary? What impact do they have on the case manager’s role? 3. What information might you need to gather from the families of clients? 4. List two elements that may be considered to be characteristics of a complex case. 5. Describe two strategies you may employ when dealing with a client with complex issues. 6. Case management plans must be developed in order to reflect the initial assessment of needs. Why is it essential that these plans be designed in consultation with clients? 7. Casework processes should be continually monitored for effectiveness. a) List two reasons why this is necessary. b) How should monitoring be undertaken? 8. If changes to a case plan are required, who should be consulted prior to the changes being made? 9. Why is cultural consideration important as part of case management planning? 0. Outline three strategies you think a workplace needs to have for including cultural awareness in the planning process? 11. You are a Team Leader in a Community Service Organisation and your organisation has just employed a new case worker. Describe two strategies that can help facilitate casework consultation between staff to maximise their performance in their new role. Best practice and promoting high-quality case management 12. What is meant by the term ‘best practice case management’? Why is best practice a significant service delivery benchmark? 13. How can case workers benefit from appropriate leadership, support, advice, supervision and challenges? In what ways might these improve service delivery? 14. Legislation, organisational policies and procedures can change over time. How might case management leaders support case managers in keeping up to date with organisational policies and procedures?

Traits of a successful Byzantine emperor from the perspective of Research Paper

Traits of a successful Byzantine emperor from the perspective of Michael Psellus - Research Paper Example In his historical works, he describes the attributes of the various emperors (it is notable that he had shifted his political alignment numerous times during his lifetime, thus implying that he had assessed Emperors and shifted allegiances when he perceived that an Emperor was weak). Thus, one can make the argument that Psellus was a pragmatists and a proto-Machiavellian figure, as evidenced by his political career, and the standards by which he assessed politicians and emperors. From reading Psellus’ Chronographia, one can arrive to the conclusion that Psellus’ ideas on what constituted a successful emperor were derived from the earlier Byzantine history (since the notorious â€Å"dirty power politics† that one can observe throughout the late Byzantine history can be traced to the earlier Roman times). Therefore, the traits that would make one a good Byzantine emperor were theorized by Psellus at a time when the Byzantine Empire was enjoying a century of success , stability and expansion (while also going through difficult times later on). Thus, Psellus himself was a high-class Byzantine political figure who was actively involved with the court politics of the Byzantine Emperors . Since Psellus had specialized in court politics, his perspective is inseparable from the Constantinopolitan political culture. Various political events that took place in Psellus’ time and the reigns of various emperors that greatly differed from each other provided Psellus with a wide-range of political experience to derive his assessment model from, since he always had the opportunity to observe how the imperial court had functioned under different emperors. Michael Psellus Traits of a Successful Byzantine Emperor In his book, the Fourteen Byzantine Rulers, Psellus provides a first-hand account that includes observations of blatant mismanagement, unethical political practices, incompetence, as well as successful or exemplary incidents that he attributes t o various Byzantine emperors and politicians. Since Psellus was a member of the Byzantine court for nearly a quarter century, he was able to not only observe but also interact with various emperors. This enabled him to better comprehend the various traits and ruling-styles of different emperors and thus form connections between the traits of a particular emperor and how those traits related to economic growth, military success, or the general well-being of the Empire at different instances throughout his career3. It should be noted though, that Psellus’ views were undoubtedly influenced by the norms of his time. Thus, Psellus’ political assessments also have a historical touch to it, apart from only concerning the discipline of political science. From the first to the last of the fourteen emperors, Psellus provides the following traits as being necessary for Byzantine Emperor to be a successful ruler4. Alertness, thoughtfulness and Intelligence The notion that these se ries of traits are necessary for an emperor to be successful is evidenced by the after-math of the demise of John Tzimisces. The legible heirs to the throne were Basil and Constantine, and both of them had been gaining political power prior to the death of Tzimisces. Michael Psellus explains that the two heirs had different political

Advertising analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Advertising analysis - Assignment Example Obviously, the message of the advertisement is to attract customers to go to Disneyland for fun and entertainment. The aforementioned advertisement in particular uses an adventurous Disney character named â€Å"Buzz†, to show all the places the whole family can enjoy. Buzz goes from place to place and makes wonderful statements about everything he sees. His closing speech, â€Å"There’s no end in sight†, says it all. The message clearly shows that Disneyland is a place where there is so much to do and the fun stops depending on the customer’s time and budget. Children may be the primary target audience of the ad but it also includes adults as well. With the budget needed for the vacation at Disneyland, the company did not fail to consider the finance managers of the family. Therefore, they included what adults can also enjoy in the place. The ad also implies that adults need to have as much fun as kids do and that they need to unwind in a place such as Disneyland. The creator of the ad is Disneyland evidently because the materials used are all owned by the company. Moreover, who else would be interested to make an advertisement for a company’s product but the company itself. The creator highlights the fun and adventure which families enjoy at Disneyland and speaks to the customers through a fun-loving cartoon character who is loved both by kids and parents. Making a filmed ad is perhaps more effective than still images especially when it is intended for children and the busy parents. This makes the production of the ad quite successful. It does not just attract the viewers’ attention but it also entices them through the sights and sounds. The messages are delivered more easily and accurately through the images and the words of â€Å"Buzz†. The makers of the ad seemed to have considered all the different points of view. From the

Mainstream American environmental movement Essay

Mainstream American environmental movement - Essay Example Further, immigration policies and occupational experiences have also shaped the environmental encounters of different races. Rather than culminating into the intended functional marriage of conservation and liberalism, limitations of the environmental reform agenda has led marginalized races, people of color as well as working class Whites to develop alternative agendas related to environmental movements (Rosemarie 83). This paper will analyze the role of race in the American environmental movement, and why environmental groups have had difficulties in building racial diversity in the past. It will further suggest why mainstream American environmental movement has been overwhelmingly white in the past and what can be done to change the trend among religious groups. As early as the 19th century, African-American abolitionists were fighting against the use of the poisonous arsenic, alongside slavery, by tobacco plantation owners who were Whites (Bernstein 212). More recent history has shown that some middle class Whites fled urban cities and shifted their focus on wildlife issues, wilderness and outdoor explorations while those who remained developed urban parks as they attempted to progress environmental conditions. At the same time, the urban environmental activists accorded the white working class better safety and worker health as compared to people of color. Instead, the environmental activists drove them off their land into reservations where they were put into slavery and used as laborers earning low wages. This forced them (people of color) to develop environmental discourses and activist agendas that addressed, or sought to address, oppression and racism alongside violation of human rights, denunciation or loss of land ownership, restricted access to resources and safety and health issues (Bernstein 212). To bridge the gap between these historically diverse issues, modern day environmental movement in the United States is characterized by an array of soc ial movements or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) representing international, national and local interests (Rosemarie 69). Founded on different political views, the stake they seek from their influence on the environmental policy also varies widely. To analyze the complexity of the environmental movement, research must view it in terms of the distinct memberships based on their world views. Just like organized religious groups, participation in the environmental movement is based on prescribed sets of beliefs. The beliefs are made up of cultural perspectives that define a community’s practices concerning environmental movements. For instance, one such group, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice is aligned with the concerns of environmental health. Oriented by this perspective, its objective is to safeguard the health of residents of urban areas by getting rid of toxic substances from the environment. On the other hand, another group, the Wilderness Society is c oncerned with the discourse of protection of biodiversity and perpetuation of intact environmental systems. Informed through this perspective, the Wilderness Society emphasizes on the creation and maintenance of wilderness areas in a bid to guarantee an enduring ecological diversity in their areas of interest. Viewed from the angles of these two different communities, it is apparent that they both have

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Assignment 3 - Essay Example As a result there was some invention like the punch card computers which were designed to help solve the crisis (Smith, 1926). 2400 BC: The first known calculator known as Abacus was invented by the Babylonians to solve mathematics problems. This was the first step in developing computers and dealing with positional notations. 500 BC: During this period there was use of Zero mathematics where the formulated grammar of Sanskrit was highly systematized. As a result the computing power was developed and was similar to the Turing machine. This was simply a precursor to the modern computing (Smith, 1926). 60 BC: Sequence control was invented by Heron of Alexandria where the machine was set running by an operator and then responds to a series of instructions in a very unique manner. This was actually the first program that contributed towards the establishment of robotics. 850 B.C: Cryptography was developed by Al-Kindi who was an Arab mathematician. This led to the development of the frequency analysis where by letters could be easily analyzed and the encryption ciphers broken with a lot of easy (Turner, 2006). 1206 BC: There was invention of automata by Al-Jazari an Arabian Engineer, which was a foundation for the design of a programmable humanoid shaped mannequin. Eventually this lead to a castle clock invention also known as the earliest analog programmable computer. 1400 BC: During this time an analog instrument of the computer was invented by Jamshid al –Kashi. This was used in determining the time of the day at which the conjunctions of the planet would occur. It was also used in for linear interpolation purposes (Black 2001). 1492 BC: A mechanical calculator with the ability of adding and subtracting was developed. This was of great importance to the art field particularly when Leonardo da Vinci really contributed towards

Hypothetical population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hypothetical population - Essay Example Even so, the genetic equilibrium idea forms a primary principle or rule of population genetics, which provides a baseline for determining genetic change. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium concept has a variety of names, which include HWP, Hardy-Weinberg law, or HWE. Despite the principle being applicable mostly in hypothetical cases, the equations of the principle can be used fundamentally to determine vital but hard-to- measure facts regarding a population. In a case where mating is by chance (random) in a huge population having no disruptive conditions, the principle forecasts that both allele and genotype frequencies will remain constant owing to the fact that they are in equilibrium (Nature Education). Assuming that the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium assumptions are met the calculation for the following hypothetical population is determined. p2 in this equation will be equal to the part (fraction) of the population that is homozygous for p and q2 being equal to the fraction of the population that is homozygous for q while 2pq equals the fraction of the population that forms the heterozygotes. Using the information from the calculation to explain the occurrences in the hypothetical population, it is realized that the recessive gene in most cases is never lost from a given population irrespective of how tiny the gene is represented. Therefore, gene ratios and gene frequencies in a randomly-breeding population usually remain constant from a single generation to another. Evolution comprises of changes within the population gene pool. However, in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium a population indicates no particular change. What the principle suggests is that populations can maintain a variability reservoir so that in case the future conditions need it, then the gene pool changes. In a case where the recessive alleles were disappearing continually, the population would become homozygous soon. Thus, under the conditions of

AN ASSIGNMENT PAPER Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AN PAPER - Assignment Example According to this Spanish Civil Law, any person or group can either establish a local corporation or a foreign business in Mexico. If a person is willing to establish a local corporation then the procedure is really very simple. First of all corporation is registered by getting provisional registration in the maximum of 48 hours and final registration is obtained in the maximum of four months. Whereas corporation can start functioning once the provisional registration is done. For getting the local corporation registered, it must have at least two members and corporation’s charter is executed in the form of Public Deed. Spanish Law allows the following types of companies to be established. A foreign corporate that needs to establish branch in Mexico is required to fulfill few legislative steps while getting registered. Commercial registration is awarded to foreign corporation once all the steps listed below are fulfilled. First of all foreign organization needs to produce a legal copy of all the by-laws and articles of the corporation in front of Mexican establishment and also it needs to sign a bond in favor of Mexican Government. Dear Isabella, as far as ‘sociedad en commandita’ is concerned, it is applicable to the establishment of foreign branch which is governed by at least two general partners and a few limited partners. This rule does apply to the corporation you are getting to start. Also, starting your new branch in Mexico based on this law helps you eliminate all other remittances and expenditures other than taxes to your business. Mexico is an open market for foreign business therefore; you can clearly follow this law as compared to NAFTA in your business. NAFTA(Canada) does supersede this law only if Mexico would not provide an open market environment. You are already getting subsidy for launching new branch in

Own-race bias Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Own-race bias - Research Paper Example In this time, black slaves were considered so different and removed from the aristocratic, land owning class of their owners that their enslavement and torture for centuries was written off as being part of the system. Furthermore, during the Jim Crow era and throughout the passing of the separate but equal legislation, African-Americans in this country were viewed as a concrete, separate racial category not only by many whites, but also by the law itself. In many ways, the separate but equal Brown v. Board of Education hearing reflects the rigid, concrete, categorical race structures that were prevalent in this country during that time. Legal terms like separate but equal give an indication of the way people viewed each other at this time. Obviously, strong categorical race structures dominated the way peers viewed peers. Race would have been at the forefront of the way most people viewed each other initially. Before peers could say hello, there would have been a quick, unconscious categorization of the person they were approaching based on their race and the race of the peer. This initial judgment is no different today, but the recent trends in the multicultural population of the United States have given way to blurred categorical race structures. As a system of rigid, concrete race categories is faced with individuals whose backgrounds are composed of two or even many of these categories, the way individuals perceive each other is forced to change. When individuals comprise several racial categories, peers cannot make such easy judgments as were made during previous eras. If a peer appears to be from a racial category one considers his or her own, and this same peer also appears to be from a racial category one does not consider his or her own, initial separation judgments are confused. This recent breaking down of categorical race structures has obvious implications on the way humans perceive one another, but how does this change affect human facial memory? The body of literature has shown that social categorization occurs within the early stages of perception, but lasts only briefly (Brewer, 1988) making it difficult to study. One model that helps explain the way humans remember faces is the In-Group and Out-Group Memory model (Pauker, Weisbuch, Ambady, Sommers, Adams, & Ivcevic, 2009). This model explains human facial perception as a categorization based on whether the perceived individual is of the same group as the perceiver. For example, an Asian person may perceive another Asian face as being â€Å"in-group†. Furthermore, Malpass & Kravitz (1969) showed that people have a tendency to have better facial memory of faces they classify as in-group, and lower facial memory of faces they classify as out-group (Malpass & Kravitz, 1969); a finding that Pauker and colleagues have shown to be repeated by over 100 studies (Pauker, Weisbuch, Ambady, Sommers, Adams, & Ivcevic, 2009). The own race bias links individuals’ in- or out-group categorization of others to individuals’ facial memories of these others by explaining that people remember faces they categorize as in-group better than faces they catego

Transformative Learning Essay Example for Free

Transformative Learning Essay Transformative learning is defined as â€Å"a process of getting beyond gaining factual knowledge alone to instead become changed by what one learns in some meaningful way.†(Wikipedia).     Michael Tsao, Kasuyo Takahashi, Jamal Olusesi, and Shikha Jain of the University of Georgia, defined transformative learning as, â€Å"learning to purposively question one’s own assumptions, beliefs, feelings, and perspectives in order to grow or mature personally and intellectually (Wikipedia). Transformative learning was introduced by Jack Mezirow in 1978 as an adult education but over the years, Susan Imel noted that it has evolved into a comprehensive and complex description of how learners construe, validate, and reformulate the meaning of their experience. † (Imel as cited by Mark Smith). According to Carrie Paechster, transformative learning does not only focus upon the transmission of existing knowledge but also acknowledges the importance of new knowledge being produced with in workplace communities.† (p8) He noted that â€Å"a role for a theory of instruction as well as the focus on the social processes, relationships, and resources that are needed to support learning.†(p. 68).   Paechter emphasized that â€Å"instruction in this sense involves ensuring that the goals of learning are clear and people are encouraged thinking beyond the immediate circumstances.† (p.68).   Thus, transformative learning has become an important option for individuals to have, and to experience as this could enhance one’s potentiality and the ability to cope with the increasing pressures of the day to day circumstances.   It is quite common that there are circumstances that sometimes difficult to handle especially when encounter engine trouble along the way with no one else to help.   This often poses problem not only in matters of schedule but in physical safety as well. International Association for Continuing Education and Training, Juanita S Stein and Shanan Farmer stated that transformative learning â€Å"opens door to substantial learning experiences that can be cultivated in a life long scope of practice† (p. 199).   They pointed further that transformative learning provides a perspective and can be associated with strategies that will cultivate an approach to reflective practice, cope with change, and create solutions that will be indigenous to the participants† (p.   199). Design and Implementation Since there are not many resources for an established design and implementation of transformative learning in the university context, here is a practical design and implementation of transformative learning in the university context. The university will adopt a non formal yet practical education in basic and practical know-how which offers basic knowledge and skills in the following fields of experience: Car engine trouble shooting, plumbing and basic life saving technique. This course is designed to equip and empower students to handle unexpected problem by them particularly in a situation where help is not possible. This course is a two months program which classes are to be held every afternoon on Saturdays. The concept of this program was derived from an information relates by Fordham University at an international conference in Williamsburg USA in 1967, about a growing â€Å"world educational crises† Non formal Practical education will offer practical education which aim not only theoretically well feed but also practically well rounded. This short-term program has to be adopted by the university as an arm of the university in helping out-of-school youth and adults.   This will be offered free of tuition fee except of miscellaneous expenses.   All applicants of this program must present requirements such as birth certificate, residence certificate, endorsement of the local community officials and good moral character from previous school attended for out-of-school youth.   Those who can complete the program will be given certificates of compliance which he can use in applying for a job and for any purpose it may serve him or her. The classes will be held every Saturday afternoon within the duration of four months during regular classes, and two months during summer classes in which classes are held during Saturdays and Sundays. Critical Discussion of the Design and Outcome Non-formal education is a two-month course designed to provide students a new perspective, a new experience that will help them ‘cope with change and create solutions that will be indigenous to the participants.’ In this course, the experience that the students get will help them realize that they have potentials and they could explore based on this new experience. As they ponder upon their lives, they will come to know themselves in terms of their potentials.   As Jack Mezerow defines transformative learning, â€Å"it is the process by which we transform our taken-for-granted frames of reference† (as cited in Eric Digest).   That is, perspective mindset, habits, and mind to make them more inclusive, discriminating, open, emotionally capable of change, and reflective so that they generate beliefs and opinions that will prove more time or justified to guide actions. By participating in the non-formal practical education, as Nancy Franz stated, â€Å"the goal of transformative learning theory is the empowerment through critical reflection for a more participating learning society; the participants are expected to become socially involved particularly if anyone is need of help.   This non-formal practical education is designed to equip and empower participants with practical know-how.    It means that the participants develop a new meaning or perspective of their experience from a new context derived from triggering events and through conversation with others to assess and justify their own assumptions. Thus, transformative learning has become important thing for every adult individual to have and to experience as this could enhance one’s potentiality. Reflection Most of the students who have undergone non-formal practical education are quite confident and has developed a sense of self-worth knowing that they are not only professional who are experts in office or business related matters.   Confident that in a sense, they knew that within them are the technical skills they have developed out of their new experience. The knowledge that they got from this experience have transformed their minds from a helpless-need help individuals at particular circumstances to-do-it myself attitude.   The transformation of their mindset has enable them to face and to cope up with day to day real life challenges with a sense of pride that they could handle even the worst case scenario. Most of all, the program give the students a hope and an opportunity to gain skills which they can use in order to survive in this world.    Work Cited Franz, Nancy 2007. Adult Education: Theories Informing Cooperative Extension’s Transformation.   Journal of Extention. http://www.joe.org/200/February/a1.shtml. Stein, J Farmer, S. 2004.   Connotative Learning: The Trainer’s Guide to Learning Theories and Their Practical Application to Training and Design. International Association for Continuing Education and Training.   USA: Kendall Hunt    Paechter, Carrie 2001.   Knowledge, Power Learning.   London: Sage Publication    Smith, Mark 2007.   Infed. http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-nonfor.htm ‘Transformative Learning in Adulthood.’ ERIC Digest no. 200. http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-2/adulthood.htm

Speech Writing Essay Example for Free

Speech Writing Essay ASSESSMENT OF SPEAKING AND LISTENING SKILLS IN ENGLISH (ASL) CCE (Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation) the flagship project of CBSE has clearly outlined the significance of speaking and listening skills as part of co-scholastic areas of achievement by every learner and also stresses the clear integration of evaluation of speaking and listening skills as a part of the curriculum transaction. The formative assessment of these two skills along with other skills have been formally provisioned under CCE . But in the absence of Summative Assessment, we have not positioned the learner’s proficiency in Speaking and Listening thereby leading to a wash back effect of very little or no importance given to Speaking and Listening Skills in many classrooms . As a result a large population of students passes out of schools with inadequate competence in expressive communication skills. As good communication skills raise the self esteem of a student, CBSE essentially desires that the students acquire proficiency in it by the time they leave the portals of the school. In the present day global markets, speaking and listening are considered to be the essential skills of real life. Since CBSE has the onerous responsibility of assessing scholastic and co-scholastic achievement levels of students in over 12000 schools affiliated to it , it has been felt for a long time that CBSE must focus on assessing speaking and listening skills for qualification as Summative Evaluation as much for Formative Assessment . Considering this, CBSE proposes to give weightage in Formative and Summative assessments in ASL (Assessment of Speaking and Listening Skills). This weightage is clearly specified in the 2014 curriculum document uploaded in the CBSE Academic website. Guidelines for teachers to assess Speaking and Listening Skills in the term-end examination: LISTENING The Listening Comprehension section tests the candidate’s ability to listen for basic interpersonal, instructional and academic purposes. A number of sub-skills need to be developed in the every day classroom transaction. Given below are some of the sub-skills of listening which need to be assessed in the formative and summative assessments: i. i. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. Listening for specific information Listening for general understanding Predictive listening Inferential listening Listening for pleasure Intensive listening Evaluative listening 1|Page Role of Assessor: An assessor is a person who is assigned the job of assessing a candidate’s performance in any of the skills that is to be assessed. For the purpose of the Summative Assessment, an assessor will be a t eacher who would also be an examiner or an interlocutor who will conduct the examination and do the assessment if skills. It is extremely important to keep in mind the factors listed below as they can significantly influence the expected outcome of the Listening Test. Therefore, due care and attention must be given to each of the following: ? ? ? ? ? ? Size of the room Seating arrangements Acoustics of the room Equipment used Quality of the recording of the Listening Input Quality of the oral rendering of the Listening Input (in case it is to be read aloud by the Examiner), in terms of volume, clarity, enunciation, intonation, pace etc Test Administration: For the Assessor (Teacher) 1 2 3 4 5 6. Select the time and date of the assessment. Plan the seating arrangements in advance. Decide exactly as to how much time is to be reserved for instructions or any possible interaction regarding clarifications etc and for the actual test. Make the announcement giving General Instructions directed to the Candidate before the recording is played/before the reading of the text. Adhere strictly to the time specified for each of the three phases of the Test (Pre-listening, While Listening and Post-Listening) The general instruction given below should be followed while conducting the test. The Listening Test The Listening test comprises of a variety of task. These tasks are graded according to the length of the task and the difficulty level. Schools may download the sample tasks and reorganize them in two parts transcripts and the marking scheme for the interlocutor or the assessor and the worksheets for the students on which student swill write answers. General Instructions for Students You are not allowed to ask questions or interrupt the Assessor at any point. 1 2 3 You are being tested on your Listening Skills. You will hear a set of recordings of the Listening Input or listen to a reading of the Listening Input. Each of the recording will be played twice. In case there is an oral rendering of the Listening Input, it shall take place twice. 2|Page 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 You are required to answer a set of questions based on each of the Listening Inputs. The test consists of 4/sections. You are required to attempt all 4 sections of the test. Familiarize yourself with the questions on the Worksheet. It will help you to answer them later on. After you have listened to the input, you will be given specified minutes to answer the questions on your worksheet You may answer the questions on your Worksheet while listening. Do not interact/comment until you have moved out of the Examination Room Assessment of Listening The marking key is prepared before the test is administered. It will take about a period of 30-35 minutes to conduct a listening test. At the end of the test, the answer scripts should be collected and marked. It is objectives type of marking. Hence, it is suggested that scripts may be marked on the same day. SPEAKING Speaking skill has acquired a very important place in the communication skills. Like listening skills – a number of subskills of speaking need to be consciously developed amongst students. Some of the sub-skills are given below which can be assessed. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. speaking intelligibly using appropriate word stress, sentence stress and intonation patterns. narrating incidents and events, real or imaginary in a logical sequence. presenting oral reports or summaries; making announcements clearly and confidently. expressing and arguing a point of view clearly and effectively. taking active part in group discussions, showing ability to express agreement or disagreement, summarising ideas, eliciting the views of others, and presenting own ideas. expressing and responding to personal feelings, opinions and attitudes. articipating in spontaneous spoken discourse in familiar social situations. General Instructions 1 The total administration time for the speaking test is approximately 10-12 minutes 2 3 4 The speaking test will be conducted for two students at a time. There will be a single teacher to function as the Interlocutor and Assessor. The Interlocutor/ Assessor s hould be a qualified English Teacher The Speaking Test: Role of Assessor: 1. The (Assessor) should ensure that the room is quiet and has good acoustics. 3|Page 2. The tone, manner and body language of the Interlocutor should be relaxed, encouraging and pleasant. Care should be taken to make the candidates feel at ease. 3. Students must not be discouraged from making a fresh start in case they are unable to do so at the first attempt. 4. The Assessor needs to be flexible, sympatric and reassuring in her/his demeanour. 5. The Assessor should also be a proficient user of the language in order to conduct the speaking test successfully. For e. g . the interlocutor should be skilled in Elicitation techniques. For e. g. Yes/No questions should generally be avoided. 6. Alternatively questions such as Explain how/Why Tell me what you think of. 7. Ideally, the Assessor should award marks after the candidates have left the Examination Room. If necessary, notes can be made discreetly to be later in the scoring so that it does not make the candidates unduly tense and self-conscious. The Speaking test is divided into three sections as given below: I General Introduction The Interlocutor converses with the two candidates. Simple warm up questions based on the candidates’ names, place of residence, leisure preferences etc are asked. II Mini Presentation In this section the Interlocutor gives each candidate the choice to pick up a Role Card or a Cue Card with a topic written on it. The candidates are given 1 minute to prepare. The assessor should be ready with sheets of paper and pencil. Candidates may organize their thoughts and ideas. Prior to the day of the speaking test, as an assistance to students to prepare for the presentations, a teacher can give a choice of 20 to 30 topics in class to students so that they can prepare the topics and organise their ideas on each topic . Similar topics can be given in the formal testing . Please note that candidates are not allowed to write full length answers. They may jot down points only in the sheets given by the Interlocutor. Therefore, pencil and paper should be provided on the table. Students are not allowed to carry pen, paper or mobile in the examination room. After one minute, each student will be given 2 minutes each to present his/her ideas. In case, a student is unable to speak during /for the allotted time, the (Assessor) may ask some rounding off questions. III Pair Interaction The third section of the test is for 3 minutes. Both candidates are given a verbal or visual stimulus and asked to respond to it Both the candidates are given a total of 3 minutes to interact. Both of them will talk together. Closing 4|Page The closing is for 1 minute duration only. In case a student has not been able to speak or has been unable to speak owing to nervousness, the dominance of the second candidate or any other factor, then, the (interlocutor) may use the 1 minute to give a fresh opportunity to that student. Note: In the Summative II assessment it has been proposed to record the candidates’ performance in the MP 3 players/ recorders, so as to validate and make the test reliable and fair. Assessment of Speaking Assessors should familiarise themselves with the assessment scale of speaking. While the students are giving their presentation, assessors may refer to descriptors. It is they may share these indicators with the students while formative assessment tasks are given. As the test will be conducted for two students at a time, it is advised that two to three teachers sit in separate rooms to conduct the assessment of students of one section at a time. Hence 48 students can be assessed simultaneously within one and half hours, in three batches of 16 students each. Assessors are advised to pay due attention to and familiarize themselves with the design of the test items. The sample test items are given here as Annexures here. Similar test items can be framed according to the need and level of students. The descriptors are given below for reference: Interaction ? 5. Can initiate logically develop simple conversation on familiar topics Can take turns appropriately ? 4. Interaction is adequately initiated and developed Can take turn but needs little prompting ? 3. Develops interactions adequately makes however minimal effort to initiate conversation Needs constant prompting to take turns ? 2. Contributions are often unrelated to those of the other speaker ? 1. Contributions are mainly unrelated to those of other speaker Shows hardly any initiative in the development of conversation Very limited interaction 1 Insufficient accuracy in pronunciation; many grammatically errors Communicatio n is severely affected ? ? ? ? ? Generally passive in the development of conversation ? Pronunciation ? Can pronounce correctly articulate clearly ? 4 Mostly ? correct pronunciation clear articulation Can be clearly understood ? most of the time; very few phonological errors ? Is always comprehensibl e; uses appropriate intonation ? 3 Largely correct ? pronunciation clear articulation except occasional ? errors Some expressions cause stress without compromising with understanding of spoken discourse. ? 2 Frequently unintelligible articulations Frequent phonol ogical errors Major communication problems ? ? 5|Page Fluency Coherence 5 ? Speaks fluently almost with no repetition minimal hesitation ? Develops topic fully coherently ? 4 Speaks without noticeable effort, with a little repetition Demonstrates hesitation to find words or use correct grammatical structures and/or self correction Topics not fully developed to merit Can express with some flexibility and appropriacy on most of the topics Demonstrates ability to use complex forms and sentence structures most of the time; expresses with adequate vocabulary to express 3 Is willing to speak at length, however repetition is noticeable Hesitates and/or self corrects; occasionally loses coherence Topics mainly developed, but usually not logically concluded Communicates with limited flexibility and appropriacy on most of the topics Sometimes uses complex forms and sentence structures; has limited vocabulary to/describe/exp ress new points ? ? 2 Usually fluent; produces simple speech fluently, but loses coherence in complex communication Often hesitates and/or resorts to slow speech Topics partly developed; not always concluded logically Communicates with limited flexibility and appropriacy on some of the topics Complex forms and sentence structures are rare; exhibits limited vocabulary to express new ideas ? Noticeably/lon g pauses; rate of speech is slow Frequent repetition and/or self correction Links only basic sentences; breakdown of coherence evident Demonstrates almost no flexibility, and mostly struggles for appropriate words Uses very basic vocabulary to express viewpoints. ? ? ? ? ? ? Vocabulary Grammar ? Can express with some flexibility and appropriacy on a variety of topics such as family, hobbies, work, travel and current events frequently uses complex forms and sentence structures; has enough vocabulary to express himself/herself ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 6|Page ASSESSMENT Grand Total Sr. No. Name of Student Interaction Pronunciation Fluency Coherence Vocabulary and Grammar Total 20 ? can we just write (5) 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 7|Page 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Signature of the Assessor 8|Page Set – I Assessment of Listening Skills Sample Tasks Class IX LISTENING Instructions: a) There are 10 questions in this set. Answer all the questions b) In the first part you will listen to five short extracts. As you listen to each one, answer the questions in your answer sheet. c) Before you begin to listen, read the questions quickly and get familiar with the questions. 0 Marks Part I 1. Transcript of the police announcement: Here is an announcement by a police officer on a local city channel. This is regarding an alleged criminal who is evading the arrest. Anyone who has a clue can come forward and inform the police at 100. So, here is the descriptionThe criminal has a broad face with a thick moustache and a be ard. Which one of the following faces are they describing? A B C D Tick the correct answer: A. B. C. D. Ans: C ____ ____ ____ ____ 2. Here is another situation, listen to it carefully. This is about the garden of Suresh. Transcript Suresh does not want people walking around in his vegetable garden that he has nurtured with great care. What sign board should he put up? 9|Page B C D Tick the correct answer A. B. C. D. Ans: C ____ ____ ____ ____ 3. Monu wants a penpal. Listen to his description of himself and fill in the columns given below: Transcript: Hi! My name is Monu and I’m from India. I live in Raipur near a lake. Since I have always lived here, I love water sports. I am twelve years old and love reading about plants and animals that live in the water. My box number is P. O. Box 002200. Fill in the blanks: Age Nationality . Here is the dialogue between Amit and Anand who have just completed their schooling. They are talking about some of the organizations which offer scholarships to students for different purposes. Amit is research minded and keen to take up a career in agriculture, which organization of the world would he apply to? Transcript: Listen to the dialogue and write your answer: Amit: I h eard about a Tall Clubs International that gives a scholarship of 1000/- per month to men above 6 feet and women above 5 feet 10 tall. Interesting†¦.. Anand: Oh! really, my height is only 5 so I am not eligible. Jokes apart, I have found a society â€Å"CV Raman Society† that awards scholarships to students who have interest in Science Technology. Amit: No, I don’t have any interest in Science Technology. I want to pursue a career in agro industry. Anand: So, in that case, The National Paotato Council has a number of scholarships for students who want to work for agro industries. Amit: But does it award scholarships to undergraduates? 10 | P a g e Anand: Yes, it does. There is another one that gives 500/- per mother to graduates or undergraduates, I will have to find out the field for which it gives. Amit: Thank you, please let me know which organizations award the scholarships. Ans: Amit will opt for___________________ Transcript: 5. Joy wants to live in a village near the city. It should be a small house with low doors and ceilings. He would prefer it to be located near the sea. Which house would you recommend for him? A B C D Tick the correct answer A. B. C. D. Ans: B ____ ____ ____ ____ Part II Instructions: a) You will now listen to the talk by Dr. Praveen Chawla on healthy foods. b) There are five questions to be answered. Read the questions quickly before you listen to the talk c) Now listen to the talk nd write your answers ‘Nature has given us everything that our body needs. If we take care we can avoid pills. Did you know that Mushrooms not only make tasty dishes but are a rich source of Vitamin D so essential for healthy bones? Regular consumption of mushrooms aids in better hearing power too. You must have heard of the Banana smile. Believe it or not this fruit can actually put a smile on your face. It contains tryptophan, a protein which once digested converts into a chemical neurotransmitter called serotonin which is a very important mood regulating chemical and works like an antidepressant. 11 | P a g e Broccoli has also come to be called a disease busting vegetable. It can prevent cancer. About 2000 years ago the curative powers of Ginger for all stomach related problems were discovered. It helps digestion, cures nausea and prevents bowel tumours Cheddar cheese is a very rich source of calcium and phosphate. These strengthen bones and muscles and reduce risk of osteoporosis. Grapes, which look so much like the lobules in the lungs, are rich in proanthocyanidin a chemical which helps circulate fresh oxygen to the blood stream thereby reducing the risk of cancer and also reduce the severity of asthma. If you cut a tomato into half, you will notice that it has four chambers just like our heart. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, a plant chemical that reduces the risk of heart disease and several cancers. This also helps lower the unhealthy effects of LDL cholesterol. The gnarled look of a walnut, mimicking the appearance of a human brain, is perhaps the only fruit rich in Omega -3 and fatty acids tends to ward off dementia and to some extent Alzheimer’s disease. (286 words) I. Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase 6. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ are rich in Vitamin D and help in good hearing. 7. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ood regulating chemical can make you feel happy. Ans: Banana 8. Broccoli keeps away †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Ans: 1. Mushrooms 2. Banana 3. Cancer II. Tick the most appropriate answer from the choices given below: 9. The food containing lycopene which reduces heart attack risk is A. grape B. tomato C. cheese D. walnut Ans: B. tomato 10. In the talk, Dr is advising people to A. eat a balanced diet B. be happy; live healthy C. live close to nature D. eat healthy food Ans: D. eat healthy food Closing This is the end of your listening skill assessment. Check your answers. (2 minutes) Hand over your answer sheet to the assessor. 12 | P a g e Set – II Assessment of Listening Skills Sample Tasks Class IX LISTENING Instructions: a) There are ten questions in this test. b) Answer the questions as you listen to the scripts. c) you will listen to four shorts extracts. As you listen to each one, answer the questions. I. Now listen to the news report and write correct answer 10 Marks Transcript 1. Kathmandu, May 14: Thirteen Indians were among the 15 people killed when their 20-seater aircraft slammed into a cliff in western Nepal, less than seven months after 10 Indian tourists were killed in an air accident. Six people miraculously survived the crash. A. B. C. D. Ans. B There was an explosion before the crash The crash was a consequence of collision with a cliff There have been several air crashes in the recent past Indians always die in the air crashes in and around Nepal Transcript 2. E mailing has enabled us to communicate messages to one another at a very fast pace. However, there are times when we have to post important letters and documents by surface or air mail. The postal department is very slow. Listen to the comment by an officer to his colleague. What option do you think the speaker would NOT opt for? A. B. C. D. Ans. C e-mail air mail postal department surface mail Transcript 3. City dwellers often depend on cars, buses or metros to travel from one place to another. Bicycles used to be a popular mode of travel once. I think we need to popularise them once again if we need to tackle the pollution problem. The speaker advocates the use of †¦ Now; listen to an environment activist who is talking to one of his friends. A. cars B. buses C. bicycles D. metros Ans. C 13 | P a g e Transcript 4. ‘The Mars rover Curiosity landed on the Martian surface to begin a two-year mission, seeking evidence that the Red Planet once hosted ingredients for life,’ Nasa said. Mission controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Los Angeles burst into applause and cheered as they received signals relayed by a Mars orbiter confirming that the rover had survived a make-or-break descent and touched down within its landing zone. What is the news report about? A. B. C. D. Ans. B invention of Curiosity landing of Curiosity happiness at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory possibility of living on Mars Transcript 5. A V-chip has been developed. In addition to spelling out the age-based ratings, letters will be displayed to warn parents if a show contains violence or other objectionable content. A group of major networks and producers have agreed to go along with the system, but NBC will not. What does the V-chip do? A. B. C. D. It allows the cable company to monitor what TV programs you watch It turns your TV into a virtual reality computer. It allows parents to block out certain programs, so their children cannot watch them. It reduces the use of the remote control device Ans. C II Now you will listen to a long text a) Before you listen to the talk, read the questions for 1 minute. b) Your will listen to a talk about Tigers. Transcript: Tigers are being loved to death. Tourists desperate for a glimpse of a tiger are damaging habitat and harassing tigers. This by no means decides that tiger tourism or wildlife tourism is a bad thing. Wildlife tourism has a lot of advantages. Wildlife tourism helps people of the area who get employ in tourism. In this way, wildlife is valued, rather than poached, or encroached upon. Wildlife also inspires the people who see it. For many, a dramatic view of one of the world’s great beasts — a tiger, a leopard, a whale — is a life-changing experience. Such a sighting makes people aware of the fragility of the planet and the folly of our short-term thinking. Above all, it prompts people to step back from our traditional species chauvinism. Wildlife tourism is similarly equivocal. When carried out with wisdom and responsibility, it is the best possible news for the creatures and the people of the area, and for the people doing the touring. Wildlife tourism can sometimes, with the best of intentions, be stupid, greedy and destructive. 14 | P a g e An adjustment of practice in India’s wildlife tourism is a good thing. It is not tourists that are killing off tigers: it is, above all, the world’s ever-increasing human population, and its incontinent need for room to live in. 231 words) A. State whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 6. People’s fascination with the tigers is causing them harm. 7. Wildlife tourism should be banned. 8. Tigers tourists are destroying their living places. Ans: TRUE Ans: FALSE Ans: TRUE B. Fill in the blanks with a word or phrase. 9. Wildlife tourism helps in †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . 10. Ans: employing people/ generating employment Wise and responsible behaviour is expected from tourists who go for wild life sightings Ans: human population. 15 | P a g e Set I Assessment of Speaking Skills Sample Tasks Class IX SPEAKING Instructions: ) The speaking test will be conducted for two students at a time. b) Students should not have pen, paper, mobile phone etc. c) The teacher will be an interlocutor and an assessor both. I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION (1 min) (The Interlocutor makes the students feel comfortable) Interlocutor: Good morning, I am -. Hope you are looking forward to this brief interaction. Student A: Yes -/ I am Interlocutor: And what about your? (Looking at student B) Student B: Interlocutor: What do you do in your spare time? To Student B) Student B: Interlocutor: And how about you? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: What makes you special? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: What about you? (To Student B) Student B: -Interlocutor: What do admi re in other people? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: How about you? (To Student B) Student B: Interlocutor: Thank you, this is the end of the first part of the test. II MINI PRESENTATION (1 min Preparation+ 2 each min each for the students= 5 min) 0 Marks Now, in this part of the test, candidates are given a topic with some points. They have a minute to prepare on the given topic and two minutes for the presentation. 16 | P a g e Students are given the following sets of inputs on cards or papers. Three options are given. Only one option has to be used at a time. Interlocutor: (To both A and B) Here is your topic. Both of you prepare your presentation on it. You are given one minute for preparation. Please use pencil and paper for writing points. After one minute I am going to ask you to present your views on the topic. I can ask anyone of you first. So be prepared and get ready. (Interlocutor hands over one card with cues to both A B) I. 1. 2. 3. Mobile phones in school Security Multiple uses Distraction If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? Do you think mobile phones should be allowed in school? ? Give two advantages of carrying a mobile phone to school. ? Do you think advantages outweigh the disadvantages? II. Changing Concepts and Methodologies of Teaching-learning in India 1. Examination Pattern 2. Variety of Subjects 3. Assessment Parameters If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? Do you like this present system of evaluation? ? Do you learn better when you are stress free? ? Do you think some students take this system very casually? III. An incident/person/book that changed my life. 1. What it is 2. What it is about 3. How it affected me If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? What was that specific quality that remained with you? ? What did you learn? ? How would you like to be now? III PAIR INTERACTION (3 mins) Interlocutor: In this part of the test the candidates A and B will discuss the given topic together . The interlocutor can refer to the assessment scale while the candidates are discussing together. Students respond to visual/ verbal stimulus. 1. Changing roles of women- a multitasker, works in office, answers phone calls, always under pressure of work. Working at home additional. 17 | P a g e 2. Growing Pollution, all kinds of pollution water, air and tourism pollution. 3. Discipline issues in schools are now becoming a serious concern. As responsible citizens discuss i. ii. iii. Kinds of indiscipline issues Reasons for growing indiscipline Advice / solutions to your fellow students. Closing (1 min) Thank you very much. That was the end of your test. The interlocutor retrieves the pencil and paper . 18 | P a g e Set II Assessment of Speaking Skills Sample Tasks Class IX SPEAKING Instructions: a) The speaking test will be conducted for two students at a time. b) Students should not have pen, paper, mobile etc. c) The teacher will act as an interlocutor (who is involved in a conversation) as well as an assessor who will also give marks to the candidates. 10 Marks I GENERAL INTRODUCTION (1 min) The Interlocutor makes the students feel comfortable) Interlocutor: Hello! Good morning, I am -. May I know your name please? Student A: My name is -/ I am Interlocutor: And yours? (Looking at student B) Student B: Interlocutor: Where do you live? (To student B) Student B: Interlocutor: How about you? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: What do you do in your leisur e? (To student A) Student A: Interlocutor: And what do you do in your free time? To student B) Student B: Interlocutor: What hobby would you like to cultivate? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: How about you? (To student B) Student B: 19 | P a g e II MINI PRESENTATION: In this part of the test teacher will give 1 minute to prepare and 2 minutes each to both students to present (5 min) Oral examiner can frame any inputs; the following two frames are suggested: (1) To student B, describe something that you own and you value it tremendously. You have 1 minute to prepare and 2 minutes to present. ? ? ? Where did you get it from? How long have you had it? What do you use it for? Why is it so important for you? If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? ? ? Did you buy it/ was it a gift? Would it be easy to replace it? Is it valuable in term of money? (2) To student A: You will be given one minute to prepare on your most memorable journey you will have 2 minute to describe your journey. (Each student is given 2 minutes to present) For student A ? ? ? ? Where did you travel to? What was the highlight of your visit? monument/temple/park/relatives) Which place would you like to visit next? Why are journeys relaxing? If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? Was it a trip organized by the school? ? Did you go with the family? ? Was it a place you had never seen before? ? What fascinated you? Ask student B to ask a question. To student A: (Repeat) (2) Qualities that I value in a friend For student B ? ? ? ? Qualities I like in a friend Why do I consider these qualities important How many of these qualities do I have What is that one quality that I would like to inculcate If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? Do you have a lot of friends? ? Why did you pick on them? ? Why do your friends care for you? Ask student A to ask a question 20 | P a g e (3) Changing role of women ? ? ? ? Varied jobs Working mothers Financial security Economicsocial independence If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? ? ? Do women in your family work outside the house? Do you appreciate women working? Why? Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? III PAIR INTERACTION (3 mins): Instructions: a) Teacher to both students A and B Look at the visual carefully. Talk together for 2 minutes. Students are given 1 minute to think and prepare. And then their respond to visual/ verbal stimulus. (1) Child Marriage (2) Growing Obesity 21 | P a g e Verbal Stimulus (3) How do you imagine life in cities in the future? The interlocutor can give the following hints: ? Work ? Leisure/Entertainment ? Travel (4) What responsibilities do you think individuals have towards the environment? The interlocutor can give the following hints: ? Life style ? Shopping ? Finance IV Closing (1 min) Thank you very much. That was the end of your test. The interlocutor retrieves the pencil and paper. 22 | P a g e Set – I Assessment of Listening Skills Sample Tasks Class XI LISTENING Instructions: a) You will listen to the librarian of a new town library talking to a group of people who are visiting the library b) Before you listen to the talk, look at the plan of the Town Library given in your answer sheet. 1. As you listen, answer questions 1 – 5 in not more than one or two words. 20 Marks Transcript: Good morning, dear students. Now we are at the entrance to the town library. My name is Anita, and I’m the chief librarian here, and you’ll usually find me at the desk just by the main entrance here. So I’d like to tell you about the way the library is organized, and what you will find where. All of you have a plan in front of you. Well, as you see my desk is just on the right as you enter, and opposite this the first room on your left has an excellent collection of reference books. Here is the place where people can read or study peacefully. Just beyond the librarian’s desk on the right is a room where we have an up- to- date periodicals section. This houses the newspapers and magazines. This room also has a photocopier in case you want to photocopy any of the articles. If you carry straight on you’ll come into a large room and this is the main library area. There is fiction in the shelves on the left, and non-fiction materials on your right, and on the shelves on the far wall there is an excellent collection of books relating to local history. We hope to add a section on local tourist attractions too, later in the year. As you walk through the far door in the library just past the fiction shelves, there is a seminar room. This room can be booked for meeting or talks. The next door leads to that is the children’s library, which has a good collection of stories and picture books for youngster below eleven. Then there’s a large room to the right of the library area – that’s the multimedia collection, where you can browse through and borrow videos and DVDs. We also have CD-Roms you can borrow to use on your computer at home. It was originally the art collection but that’s been moved to another building. And that’s about it – oh, yes before I forget; there’s also the Library Office, on the left of the librarian’s desk. Ok, now I hope you all are fairly well acquainted with the layout of the library. (360 words) 23 | P a g e Instructions: You will listen to two short extracts. As you listen, tick the correct answer. Transcript: 11. The tiger population has dipped from thousands to few hundreds. Look at the graph depicting the tiger world population which is very dismal. It reflects a dramatic fall in the tiger population. Identify the graph. Tick your answer. A. B. C. D. A Ans: D B C D 1 mark 12. Now look at the Pie chart of populations of English native speakers. The pie chart reveals that the USA by far had an overwhelming majority. This was followed by the United Kingdom. Australia seemed to have the least numbers of English native speakers. Choose the pie chart which reflects the situation of native speakers of English. B A C D A B C D Ans: D 24 | P a g e 4 Marks 1. Before listening to the narration by one of the campers please read the question 1 – 4 given in your answer sheet. Listen to the narration and with the words that you hear. Transcript: One day in 1924, five of us who were camping in the Cascade Mountains of Washington saw a group of huge apelike creatures coming out of the woods. We retreated in terror and locked urselves in our cabin. The creatures pelted rocks against the walls of the cabin. All of us inside were quaking in our shoes. 8. 9. 10. 11. The number of campers†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Place of camping†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Intimidated by†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Method of attackâ⠂¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4. pelted rocks Ans: 1. Five 2. Cascade Mountains 3. huge apelike creatures 2. Here is a dialogue between Neetu Kumar and the receptionist. Neetu Kumar is fixing a doctor’s appointment. Listen to this dialogue and answer the questions given in your sheet. Transcript: Receptionist: Good morning, KVG Hospital. How can I help you? Neetu: I am Neetu Kumar. I’d like an appointment with your cardiologist, Dr Suresh Reddy, please. R: For when would you like the appointment? N: For tomorrow? R: Please hold the line. I’ll check if I can fit you in tomorrow. N: Sure, thanks. R: Thanks for holding. I’m afraid Dr Suresh is fully booked tomorrow. Would you like to see our other cardiologist Dr Dinesh Mehra instead? N: I’m sorry, but we’d prefer to see Dr Reddy. R: That’s all right. In that case, would you like an appointment with him for the day after? N: That’d be fine. R: Would 12 noon suit you, Ms Kumar? N: Sure. R: Could I have the patient’s name and age? N: It’s Mrs Prema Kumar. She’s 65. R: Is this her first visit to KVG? 25 | P a g e N: Yes. R: Are you consulting Dr Reddy on your physician’s advice? N: No, a friend of mine suggested we see him. R: OK, I’ve put you down for 12 noon, Friday, 15 September. Please be here by 11. 30. N: Thanks! R: You’re welcome. Can I have your phone number, please? N: 9940109932 R: Thank you, Ms Kumar, have a nice day! Task Fill in the information in the appointment book. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Doctor ________________________ Day and date __________________________ Time ________________________________ Name of atient _________________________ Age _______________________ Referral Yes/No If Yes, doctor’s name ____________________________ Contact person __________________________ Contact phone number ___________________________ 26 | P a g e Set – I Assessment of Speaking Skill Sample Task Class XI I GENERAL INTRODUCTION (1 min) 10 Marks (The Interlocutor makes the students feel comfortable) Interlocutor: Good morning, I am -. Student A: My name is -/ I am Interlocutor: And yours? (looking at student B) Student B:Interlocutor: How would you describe yourself? to student B) Student B: Interlocutor: What about you? (to student A) Student A: Interlocutor: What is that one thing that you would like to change in yourself? (to student A) Student A:-(The interlocutor/assessor gives instructions for the mini presentation. ) II MINI PRESENTATION In the mini presentation, students are expected to speak for two minutes on a given topic. The interlocutor gives them pencil and paper to write points. They are not supposed to write complete answers. (1 min Preparation+ 2 each min for students= 5 min) The input cards are given to the students. Any one out of the four can be given to the pair. The Interlocutor may ask any student A or B begin first. After one student has finished his or her presentation, the student should be asked to ask a question on the mini presentation. The same process should be repeated with the other student also. a. What skill would you like to learn most in the future? Why? (1) My choice of a career ? ? ? Why is it important? How do you hope to achieve your goal? How do you think would you be a productive member of the society? If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions 27 | P a g e ? How did you decide on your choice? Do you have other options? (2) What would you preferlife in Rural or Urban area? ? ? ? Choice Three reasons Difference If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? Have you been exposed to both the life styles? ? How is it different? (3) Advantages of co education ? ? ? Society consists o f men and women Rapport is built Helps in adult life If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? ? What do you prefer? Why? Does it add to your comfort? (4) A book that I enjoyed reading ? ? Why did you pick up the book? How long did you take to read it? Genre of the book If the student is not able to speak at length the teacher could ask rounding off questions ? What kind of books do you enjoy? ? Have you heard or of seen a book that has been filmed? III PAIR INTERACTION (3 mins) Students respond to visual/ verbal stimulus. Students AB look at the picture and talk together to describe it. (1) Rag Pickers 28 | P a g e Teacher could ask prompt question: 1. 2. What are the environmental hazards if the waste is not managed in time and properly? What kind of a holiday would you prefer? Students look at the pictures and choose one, then talk together? Teacher could ask a prompt question. 3. ? ? ? Studying abroad High cut offs Easy money from parents Brand value and status symbol 4. Changing Values ? things that give status to people in your country ? changes since your parents’ time ? Reasons for changes IV Closing (1 min) 29 | P a g e Assessment of Listening Skills Class XI Set – II 20 Marks Instructions: a) Before listening to the passage on Tsunami read the questions. (1 min) b) Listen to the passage on Tsunami that caused devastation in Japan. While you listening complete the blanks. Transcript: The tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011 has been labelled the countrys worst tragedy since World War II. The 8. 9-magnitude earthquake that hit north-eastern Japan and the 23-feet tsunami it triggered has left a trail of devastation in its wake. After the Ferocious Friday some numbers continue to haunt: tens of thousand dead; even more missing; 4,50,000 rendered homeless. The Japanese are familiar with natural disasters and are trained in handling a calamity and ways of evacuation. Statistics speak of a tremor occurring somewhere in the country about every five minutes with annually there being up to 2,000 quakes. But no amount of preparation proved enough for the recent calamity of colossal proportion. Natures fury swept aside every safeguard in place. Many perished in split seconds and those who escaped the wrath pleaded for aid in every possible way. The catastrophe has lead to an outpouring of grief from around the world. The quake-tsunami double blow wrecked parts of a beautiful country and scarred lives. It couldnt, however, crack the inherent willpower or destroy the strength of character of its beautiful people; the people who have stayed admirably calm under chaos and begun regrouping forces to rebuild what they have lost. Most eyewitness accounts from the affected zones spoke about residents experiencing power outages, shortage of drinking water and food but there being no panic, arson or emotional breakdown, as reported from other countries where similar disasters have struck. It’s temperament reflecting a society that cares for its neighbour. It was not the countrys technical competence which endeared, it was its people. They displayed dignity, discipline and a genuine desire to assist. (274 words) While you listen to the passage, tick the correct option 1. The tsunami of 2011 has been labelled the †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. . the countrys worst tragedy since World War II. b. the countrys worst natural calamity c. the countrys worst earthquake d. the country’s worst economic disaster Ans: b. the countrys worst natural calamity 30 | P a g e 2. The Japanese are familiar with natural disasters because†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. a. there is a tremor in the country about every five minutes b. they have nerves of steel and presence of mind c. they are technologically advanced and can cope with disasters d. they are used to being hit by a tsunami Ans: a. there is a tremor in the country about every five minutes B. Fill in the blanks 3. The quake-tsunami wrecked the beautiful country and scarred lives but it couldnt destroy †¦.. 4. The Japanese experienced shortage of drinking water and food but they did not resort to†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5. What endears the Japanese to the world is their †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Ans: 3. the strength of character/ the will power 4. unlawful means/ panic, arson or emotional breakdown 5. dignity, and discipline II. 1. Listen to James talk about his routine, and fill in the blanks given in your answer sheet: Transcript I guess I should tell you about what I do everyday. First, everyone has to get up at 5:30 A. M. The silly old rooster amed Harry loves to wake us up. Next, we have to make our beds and tidy up the cabin before our camp counsellor, Jeff, comes to inspect the place. Then, we have breakfast around 6:30 A. M. After that, we have some free time, so Ive been going down to the nearby stream to fish for a couple of hours. But yesterday, the only thing I caught was a n old shoe and a tree branch. Great catch, huh? Then when I was trying to swat a mosquito buzzing around my head, I slipped and fell in the stream and lost my fishing pole. That ended my fishing career. 6. 7. 8. 9. James is woken up by. The first thing that James does is†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ He eats breakfast at about †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ James talks of two mishaps when he went†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2. Listen to the town planner describes the road. Which one is he talking about. Transcript Many types of road exist around the world. We are looking for well laid out thoroughfare which will be aesthetically laid out with a canopy of trees. 31 | P a g e A B C D Ans. C 3. Match the graphs to the correct definitions Transcript 10. 11. 12. 13. Ans: 1. 2. 3. 4. Sales fell steadily through over the year. Sales rose steadily over the year Sales increased sharply from June. Sales bottomed out in May C A B D A B C D 32 | P a g e 4. Match the images with the correct descriptions B C D Transcript 14. 15. 16. 17. Ans: a. b. c. d. 5. Youngman with dark glasses and a happy face Good-looking young man with black eyes Young man with glasses and a beard Old man with curly hair and glasses D A B C Listen to the telephonic conversation and fill in the blanks Transcript F: Hello Mrunal, Mira here. M: Hi Mira, how are you doing? F: I’m good but busy as always. Actually, I’m completing a project with Wipro. In fact I wanted to talk to you as I’m looking for an assistant – any ideas? M: Is it the database project? F: No, it’s about developing our brand. M: I see. Do you know what kind of person you are trying to find? F: The person needs excellent qualifications – it’s more the creative side of things. Moreover we need the person to be involved in. M: You could give Neera a call. She’ll help you as she’s doing all kinds of consultancy work. Currently she’s an advisor to a couple of large companies I believe. I can email you her details if you like. F: Great, thanks Ans a. b. c. d. 33 | P a g e a project an assistant creative / involved neera 18. Mrunal was busy completing †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 19. Mrunal wanted to Mira to help him find †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 20. Mrunal wanted the person who was†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. and †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Closing 34 | P a g e Assessment of Speaking Skill Set II Class XI 10 Marks I GENERAL INTRODUCTION (1 min) (The Interlocutor makes the students feel comfortable) Interlocutor: Good morning, I am -. Student A: My name is -/ I am Interlocutor: And yours? (looking at student B) Student B: Interlocutor: What do you do in your leisure time (To student B) Student B: -Interlocutor: What other hobby would you like to develop? To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: what would you like to develop? (To student B) Student B: Interlocutor: who is your favourite actor? (To student A) Student A: -Interlocutor: And yours? (To student B) Student B: II MINI PRESENTATION (1 min Preparation + 2 each min for both the students= 5 min) 1. Your school is planning to organize an adventure camp during summer vacations. The Secretary of the School Adventure Club has offered the following three choices. As a member of the club which place would you prefer? Give reasons for your choice. (Interlocutor gives different input card to both students. Four samples are given) ? ? ? Seven day swimming camp at lake Bhimtal Four day trekking camp at Pehalgam, Srinagar Five day river rafting camp at Rishikesh 35 | P a g e 2. Talk about a book you have read recently ? ? ? Why did you decided to read that book? How long did it take to finish the book? What genre of book it was? 3. Talk about your favourite news channel. ? ? ? 4. ? ? ? ? III How often you use this news source Why do you use this channel What other sources you use E-learning. Autonomous learning Adds variety Gives choices Clarifies concepts PAIR INTERACTION (3 mins) Students respond to visual/ verbal stimulus. Students look at the pictures and talk together for three minutes 1. Elderly –sad and lonely, neglected by their family members. Dependent on others for their physical needs. Money not adequate to meet the expenses of medicines. 36 | P a g e 2. E-revolution in India. Awareness in villages about computers. Government has brought out e-tablets which are cost-effective Energy Saving devices in new computers. Closing 37 | P a g e

Differences Between Chinese And German Employment Systems

Differences Between Chinese And German Employment Systems Employment systems are complex structures of productive and reproductive activities, various payment schemes, and different working time arrangements (Christiansen, Koistinen, Kovalainen, 1999, p 1). They can be shaped by societal structures, national cultures, social welfare systems, educational and vocational training systems (Christiansen, et al., 1999). This argument successfully explains why there are so many different employment systems globally. In addition to the structural and cultural differences, globalisation, technological innovation and workforce aging also have resulted in tremendous changes in the social and economic context (Christiansen, et al., 1999; Tuselmann, 2001; Ying Warner, 2005). This paper discussed how and why the employment systems in Germany and China are different and the influences of globalisation. The German employment system was chosen to be the counterpart not only because Germany is one of the worlds leading economies and a prototype of the Continental Model, but also in consideration of its close international trade relationship with China. The attention was focused on the differences between the aspects of Trade Union role and Vocational Education and Training System (VET). The changes in China was focused on the State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) because it is still the dominant employer in China and the data are relative easily be accessed. The term of human resource management (HRM) was used in broad sense in order to cover more aspects of the current HRM practices. This is because HRM, first derived from Northern America after the Second World War and spread to the world, is getting popular in China but there are great variations in interpretation, understanding and practices (Cook, 2004). Differences between German and Chinese employment systems When we talk about the social models in Europe we may consider that the Europe Model is unique and pervasive. However, the notion of Europe Model is too big to reflect the natural differences between each national system, thus it was re-categorized into several sub-groups, named Nordic Model, Anglo-Saxon Model, Mediterranean Model and Continental Model (Sapir, 2006). Germany, along with France, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, was categorised into the Continental Model characterized with collective bargaining between unions and employers associations, close tie between companies and banks, the comprehensive vocational education and training (VET) system, and extensive labour market regulations (Tuselmann, 2001). Employment system in Germany One outstanding characteristic of the German employment system is its dual representation and legalistic structure industrial relations system. Trade unions and work councils are well established with their counterparts of employers association and firms respectively. Legislations and laws provided a framework for different parties (Katz Darbishire, 2000; Schnabel, Zagelmeyer, Kohaut, 2006). In Germany, collective bargaining is mainly carried out at the region or sector level and the agreement is legally binding. The collective bargaining parties have been legally empowered a great sense of autonomy, so it is possible to apply the agreements without the direct intervention of the state. Wages is a good example. It is collectively negotiated and applied at the state or sector level. Therefore, individual company within a bargaining sector do not has considerable differences in terms of the wages despite the organizations size, structure, technology, capital intensity and global exposure (Katz Darbishire, 2000; Schnabel, et al., 2006; Tuselmann, 2001). This leads to a high functional flexibility while a relatively low numerical and financial flexibility (Tuselmann, 2001, p 546-547). Comprehensive VET system is another feature of German employment system which has successfully supplied a large pool of qualified labours. In Germany, VET is supported by the state and regulated by different labour laws. Qualifications are designed on consensus of the employers association, trade union and educationalist. Chambers of commerce is employed to monitor the training progress and ensure that the trainee is not exploited. The close tie between the firms and banks ensures that investment is in long term interests instead of short one so that firms have much more patience to invest into the VET system. At the same time, because the pay is collectively negotiated in the sector level, it reduce the possibility of key technicians be poached so that firms are more willing to invest into VET (Grugulis, 2007; Tuselmann, 2001). Employment system in contemporary China In order to catch up the rest of the world and improve the economic situation, China has adopted a series of political and economic reforms since 1979, which have resulted in great changes in the context of management practices (Zhu, Thomson, Cieri, 2008). The government has less directly intervened into the workforce management at the enterprise level. Instead, a series of laws and regulations have been adopted to handle the employment issues. SOEs have decentralized or privatized and more and more collectively owned enterprises, privately owned firms, self-employed business as well as foreign-related businesses, such as multinational corporations (MNCs), joint ventures (JVs), were setup. The changes of ownership structure and government involvement methodology undoubtedly impacted the employment system at the macro level. The trade union role, pay structure and VET system have gone through radical changes accordingly (Cooke, 2005). In china, the officially recognized trade union is the All China Federation of Trade Union (ACFTU), which was set up in 1920s and supported the Communist Party to fight against Japanese and Kuomintang. Since 1979 its influence has improved largely but differences are apparent due to the difference of ownership structure, enterprises size and location (Cooke, 2005; Rowley, Benson, Warner, 2004; Ying Warner, 2005). All the union members, despite their occupations, sectors and regions, all belong to the same Union ACFTU. The Trade Union Law, adopted in 1995 and amended in 2001, and the Labour Law (1995) provide a legal framework and empowered union to represent, monitor and protect the members legal rights and interests and develop their activities according to the law (Cooke, 2005; Ying Warner, 2005). In terms of the pay distribution, performance-based incentive policies have been initiated but the basic wage is still largely based on the traditional seniority-based egalitarian wage structure (Cook, 2004, p 25) which can not fully reflect the competences and contributions of the workers. As a result some workers are low motivated and some of the key technicians have been poached by private or foreign-related companies by high wages or higher social identification (Cooke, 2005; Ying Warner, 2005). Another characteristic of Chinese employment system is the ineffective VET system and severe skilled shortage although China has the largest labour pool in the world. VET in China is mainly funded by the government and SOEs. But only in recent years VET received some attentions. There are considerable differences between different enterprises ownerships, sectors and regions. Most of the enterprises leaders think VET is not the core business so that very limited fund was allocated to it (Cooke, 2005). These problems make it difficult for VET to train skilled labours for the social development. In short, compare with Germany, the trade union in China has well organized and developed. It has actively and effectively involved into the collective bargaining and disputes settlement especially after the adoption of the Trade Union Law. The pay structure has abandoned the Maos equality norm and some incentive policies have been introduced but failed to reflect the individual competence. At the same time, compare with the German VET systems, the Chinese VET system is less effective and fail to supply enough skilled labours to meet the social needs. Why are they different Employment systems are complex structures which can shaped by several factors, such as societal structures, national cultures, social welfare systems, education and vocational training systems (Christiansen et al., 1999, p 1). This part explores the reasons of the differences between these two systems from the perspectives of political structures and culture differences. Political structures In Germany, the employment relations is famous for its high degree of juridification (Katz Darbishire, 2000; Lansbury, Bamber, Wailes, 2004). Trade unions activities are guided and governed by the series of legislations and laws, such as the Works Constitution Act, the Co-determination Acts, the Collective Bargaining Act and the Social Security Act (Lansbury, et al., 2004). Dual representation system and various unions make it more effective to represent and protect the members legal interests. In contrast, in China, there is only one officially recognized trade union All China Federation of Trade Union (ACFTU). It is mainly guide and regulated by the Trade Union Law (2001) and the Labour Law (1995). National culture Cross-culture management studies and theories have acknowledged the pervasive influence of cultures on choosing HRM practices in the global business context (Aycan, 2005; Leat El-Kot, 2007). Employment systems theories re-emphasized the importance of the cultures in the shaping of a national system. The comparison between these two countries cultures will provide a new perspective to understand why the German and Chinese employment systems are so different. Hofstedes dimension of culture scales is a powerful indicator to recognize the differences between cultures. Chinese ranks higher on power distance, long term orientation and low on individualism. Germany, however, ranks very high on individualism and very low on long term orientation (Arrowsmith, 2009). The differences between individualism and collectivism will largely affect the workers attitude to job satisfaction, security duty and harmony (Warner, 2008). For example, the contribution norm and egalitarianism is very popular in Chinese pay structures. The attempts from the top to increase income differentials according to workers performance and competence have been largely mediated by the operational managers (Cooke, 2005). While the elitism, which regards manual skill as an inferior to formal education, resulted in low attention be paid to VET development. How has the globalisation changed the situation? Globalisation is growing faster than ever before (Briscoe Schuler, 2004). Organisations are more and more exposed to international exchanges and competitions. Managers interact more commonly with multi-cultural background customers, suppliers and employees (Warner, 2008). This creates great opportunities as well as threats to the organisations which are struggling to be successful in the global business. However, the involvement in the globalisation does not guarantee a success. How to integrate the market differences, realize the business scales and transfer the knowledge beyond the physical boundary, but more importantly, how to manage and motivate the multi-culture employees play a crucial role (Friedman, 2007). Hence, both the worldwide organisations, such as European Union (EU), World Trade Organisation (WTO), and countries, like China, Germany, UK, US, have adopted series of changes and reforms. This part aims to assess the globalisations influences on the national employment systems from the institutional perspective. Is it more convergent or divergent? Convergence and divergence debate has existed in the comparative studies for a long time. Convergence theorists believe that the development of the industrialisation, globalisation, decentralizing and transfer of knowledge will lead to a convergent business management practice. However, the divergence theorists insist that the national culture and values will resist to this change and the management practice cannot be duplicated across nation borders (Warner, 2008). The core of the debate is the management practice should be localized or not. In China, globalisation has showed its power to convergent the various practices. Studies found that Chinas active participation into the global business context especially after the joining of WTO has resulted in tremendous changing in its business law, taxation and business management. These changes make the Chinese management practices are closer to the international standards and western management philosophies (Warner, 2008; Ying Warner, 2005). For example, before the reform, the Chinese employment was high centralized lifelong iron bowl system. However, after two decades of massive efforts, the Chinese employment system has primarily established a market-driven, performance-based, decentralized employment system. Trade unions are empowered to monitor and protect the workers legal interests according to the newly amended Trade Union Law. China even tried to duplicate the German VET system in 1980s. Some of the trials failed but these movements made Chinese practices closer to G erman way. Meanwhile, some of the underlying Chinese traditional values are functioning as an resistance force to stop or slow the progress of convergence. For example, performance-based pay structure were introduced to differentiate the income differences according to individuals competences but it was mediated at the operational level due to the underlying egalitarianism (Cooke, 2005). This controversial finding consist with the process of globalisation it is a process rather than an end-state (Hughes ONeill, 2008). With the development of globalisation, the management practices and philosophies come from different countries will keep conflicting, but at the same time, more similarities will be found in the international business arena. Conclusion Different political structures and national cultures resulted in considerable differences between employment systems. Coming from two continents, China and Germany have very little in common before 1970s. However, globalisation put these two countries, as well as the other countries, on the same arena, global business context. This creates opportunities as well as threat to these countries which are struggling to be or keep being prosperous. Therefore, series changes and reforms have been conducted in different sectors and contexts in order to seize the opportunities. Decentralization in Germany has been conducted (Katz Darbishire, 2000). But compare with China the German employment system change is smaller. Since 1979, China has conducted radical changes in its ownership structures, HRM practices, legislation and laws. A market-driven, performance-based and decentralized employment system has been primarily setup. The differences between these two employment systems in terms of trade union role and VET system are still big but some similarities have been successfully identified. At the same time, the underlying long-lasting national cultures and values are functioning to resist some of the changes. The controversial findings between convergence and divergence reflect that the process of learning and conflicting will not finish overnight. It, likes the progress of globalisation, will not be stopped or reversed. Meanwhile, it should be taken into consideration that differences of employment systems may exist between regions, sectors and firms even in a same country (Arrowsmith, 2009). This increases the difficulties of comparative studies across the national boundaries. Much more efforts will be needed to make this issue clearer.