Autism Effect on Children

Autism Effect on Children Introduction Autism is a neurodevelopment condition that lowers several mental capabilities of individuals. Children suffering from autism have reduced social interaction skills and become slow learners.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Autism Effect on Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Numerous cases of autism are reported all over the world, but people living with autism have become integrated well into the society due to the scientific advancements in medicine. Children suffering from autism not only get drugs that help to ease their condition, but they also learn how to interact with other people. It suffices to mention that children who have autism get opportunities for education, despite being slow learners (Mastropieri Scruggs, 2010). In some countries, they have special schools that have teachers who are skilled in teaching them. In other countries, the children are not separated from the oth er children in class. In the past, teaching other children together with children suffering from autism was a problem because the children with autism were perceived to be aloof (Scruggs, 2008). However, teachers have taken the initiative to understand autism and draft new and better ways of teaching children with autism. This paper will analyze how autism affects children and their social interactions from an academic point of view. Behaviors of Children with Autism It is crucial to understand the behavior of children with autism in the school set up in order to understand how autism affects children and their social interactions. Scruggs (2008) reveals that children with autism are usually perceived aloof because they do not interact with other children in the classroom.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In many instances, they are alone sitting in a corner and doin g their own things. An interruption or any attempt by other children to indulge in play with the affected child usually ends up in a disaster. Mastropieri and Scruggs (2010) argue that children with autism have a hard time associating with other children due to two main reasons. First, the children know that they are different from the rest. The difference is more pronounced in the older children compared to the younger ones. The second reason children with autism do not interact with other children freely is the fact that their condition gives them limited social interaction skills. Consequently, they do not feel comfortable being around other people. As Scruggs (2008) observes, many of the children with autism do not like to be touched and can get hysterical if it happens. It is also necessary to point out that children with autism do not care about the feelings and reactions of the other students. They rarely imitate the actions and reactions of the other students in the class. R esultantly, they are perceived to be mean and rude to the other students. Imitation of behavior is important in school because it gives children a predictable idea of what to do next (Scruggs, 2008). For example, if a child smiles at another child, it is very normal and expected that the other child will smile back. However, this is rarely the case with a child who has autism because of their limited social skills. In the same vein, such children shy away from such friendly gestures from the other kids. In turn, they lack the form of social interaction that is enjoyed by other children.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Autism Effect on Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Poliakova and Palkhivala (2008) also add that children with autism mostly portray some characteristics that push the other children away, making it difficult for them to interact with the other kids. One such behavior is screaming. Scr uggs (2008) observes that children suffering from autism have a tendency to scream whenever they feel scared, mainly because most of them do not like to be touched. Other things that can trigger screaming include impatience and wanting their parents. The screaming is not only ear deafening, but it also scares the other children in the class away. In other words, the other pupils become scared of interacting with the child out of the fear that the child may start screaming. Another behavior exhibited by children with autism is the unwillingness to communicate, which limits their social interaction further. Meadan and Monda-Amaya (2008) argue that there are times when the child will refuse to talk. For instance, the child may refuse to respond to the teacher or fellow students. In the past, many teachers would relish such acts because the child would appear quiet and calm. However, recent studies show that the child feels vulnerable if he exhibits such behavior, which is portrayed in the form of tendency to refuse to talk. Many draw on their books, instead of interacting with the rest because the communication process is too complicated. It further hampers their academic and social development. The lack of proper social interaction makes it difficult for the child with autism to advance in their studies. As they grow up, they refuse to be paired with other children for assignments. They also fail to make friends who can help them with school work or just talk regarding everyday issues that may linger in their minds.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Teachers act as the meeting point between the child who has autism and the other children in the classroom. It is up to the teacher to ensure that the child is comfortable enough to interact with the other kids. Improving the social skills of children with autism is not easy. However, it can be achieved through a series of behavior change models created by the teacher. Teachers’ Interventions As mentioned, teachers are the pivot of the relationship between the children who suffer from autism and the other children in the classroom. All the children, including those who have autism, know and trust the teacher. The child with autism will be more comfortable with a teacher they have known for a long time compared to the students in the class because they are many and may be newer to the child. The first thing a teacher can do to help a child with autism is to encourage the development of social skills. Scruggs (2008) argues that there are teachers who force children with autism to partner with the other kids on school assignments in order to get them to open up. Improving social skills can be achieved using a series of well-defined lessons on the same. For instance, the teacher can take time to help the child learn non-verbal cues. Nonverbal cues are the most important form of communication for a person suffering from autism (Mastropieri Scruggs, 2010). Understanding how space, time, and gestures affect other people can help the individual interact freely with other people. Understanding nonverbal cues can also assist the child when they do not want to talk. The second thing a teacher can do is to create an inclusive educational environment for the child (Santoli et al., 2008). It is true that children with autism have a hard time interacting with other children. It is also true that they cannot be forced to interact with the other children. However, shaping the classes to suit the child will help in keeping them calm enough to interact with the other kid s. If the child likes painting and drawing, then the teacher can first give every child drawing materials and leave them draw. The teacher can then pair the students to analyze and talk about their drawings. At this point, the teacher should pair with the child because they will prove calmer when with the teacher than another child. The child can then slowly start pairing up with the other children. It is crucial for the teacher to use an activity that the child enjoys the process of fitting into the school setting. In the same manner, the teacher can instill patience in the other students. It is easier for children to understand that a person is not feeling well and respect that. The teacher should encourage the other children not to make fun of the child who has autism and not to feel offended whenever the child becomes aloof. The positive reaction that the other kids give may encourage the child to open up. Teachers should also monitor the child and learn their responses (Scruggs , 2008). It is not enough for the teacher to just make sure that the child is feeling okay and calm. Instead, the teacher has to ensure that they monitor the behavior of the child. Monitoring will help the teacher find out some of the things that make the child irritated and aloof. Similarly, monitoring the child’s reaction will show the teacher what the child likes, which can then be incorporated into the class work to make learning easier for the child. Santoli et al. (2008) argue that not all children who have autism are slow learners. However, monitoring can help the teacher be in a position to decide the pace that is required for the child to understand the concepts that are taught in class. Particular attention in the sense of a special teacher should be provided for the students who are extremely slow. However, the teacher has to come up with a teaching model that will suit the pace of the child who has autism if the child is not very slow. Using the example of a child who likes to draw, the teacher can use drawings to teach. The other children will not have a problem using such customized learning activities, given that they have average learning speeds. Conclusion In conclusion, teaching children with autism does not have to be as difficult as it was a decade ago. Many teachers have the skills and tools that allow equip them to help these children fit in a typical class. One of the major things that make it difficult for the child who has autism to form relationships with the classmates is abnormal behavior. For instance, the child may scream and make the other children scared of interacting with the child. Teachers are encouraged to create an inclusive learning environment for the child to solve such problems. The teacher has to monitor the development and reactions of the child who has autism in order to establish a suitable environment. Additionally, the teacher has to draft suitable learning and teaching methods that target the development of social skills of the child who has autism, thereby improving the cognitive development of the child. References Mastropieri, M., Scruggs, T. (2010). The inclusive classroom: Strategies for effective differentiated instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Meadan, H., Monda-Amaya, L. (2008). Collaboration to promote social competence for students with mild disabilities in the general classroom: a structure for providing social support. Intervention in School Clinic, 43(3), 158-167 Poliakova, N., Palkhivala, A. (2008). Social impairment in children with autism spectrum disorder. Canadian Council of Learning, 1(1), 50-51. Santoli, S., Sachs, J., Romey, E., McClurg, S. (2008). A successful formula for middle school inclusion: Collaboration, time, and administrative support. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 32(2), 1-13. Scruggs, A. (2008). Effective reading instruction strategies for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Electronic Journal for Inclusive E ducation, 2(3), 1-11

Overview of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen essays

Overview of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen essays Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice is a lighthearted tale of love and marriage in eighteenth-century England. It centers on the elder sisters of the Bennet family, Jane and Elizabeth. Their personalities, misunderstandings and the roles of pride and prejudice play a large part in the development of their individual relationships. The spirited Elizabeth and softhearted Jane have to deal with not only their own feelings but also the status of their family, both of which affect the outcomes of their prospective marriages. Pride and Prejudice is an apt name for the book. These notions permeate the novel thoroughly, especially in the views of Elizabeth and Darcy. Jane's temperance does not allow for these qualities to exist in her personality. Our first introduction to pride and prejudice is at a ball Mr.Bingley throws. His sisters and a dear friend of his, Mr.Darcy, accompany him. Mr. Darcy is characterized as a proud, haughty, arrogant man and ends up almost immediately alienating himself from the townspeople. This opinion arises after he refuses to dance with the young ladies who have attended the ball and his obvious reluctance to talk to anyone. His pride was said to come from his extreme wealth. Eighteenth-century England was quite preoccupied with status, especially concerning wealth and reputation. Darcy's reluctance to speak with anyone stemmed from his lack of respect for anyone outside his close-knit circle. His good breeding was obvious only to those whom he knew well. Elizabeth is p rejudiced against Darcy for entirely different reasons. She received information that was one-sided and made unfair assumptions on Darcy's character. She prejudged him; combining the superficial view she had of him and some rumors. The roles of pride and prejudice can be summed up in the exchange between Darcy and Elizabeth after he proposed. Darcy clearly defines the reasons for his prejudice: "Could you expect me to rejoice in ...

Project managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project managment - Assignment Example Supply Chain management Review, one of the industry’s leading prints published an article by David Anderson, Frank Brit and Donavon Favre titled: The seven principles of Supply Chain Management. This came at the time when the depth of SCM as a concept was relatively unexplored and the article therefore opened a door into further studies on how to better the idea and come up with improved models. According to Bowersox, Closs, & Cooper (2007), the 1997 article properly discussed the need to adapt supply chain to the needs of customers. The agreement with this is an indicator of the futuristic nature of the article by Anderson et al, who suggested that customers should be segmented according to their diverse service needs. The suggestion to use sales volume and profitability as the matrices for segmentation has since the production of this literature been adopted by industries and major trade channels. Amazon for example, applied this concept to initiate a program dubbed; Amazon Prime where free 2 day and one day shipping at a discounted rate is provided. In the midst of scepticism, customer numbers at Amazon has continued to rise since the launch of this program as evidence of its success. Chopra & Meindl (2001) in their book- Supply chain management: strategy, planning, and operation discussed the need to customize logistics networks if service to customers if to be optimised. According to them, once customers have been segments and their needs clearly outlined, logistics networks must then be tailored to best serve each segment. This in the end ensures that custom made solutions apply among the many groupings for maximum efficiency and profitability. Wang, Heng & Chau (2007) discussed the need to align demand planning across the entire supply chain so that data on demand is shared on a common platform among associates to ensure all those involved do not keep excess stock. This sharing of demand data ensured that partners know in real time where a specific

Social impact of Facebook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social impact of Facebook - Essay Example Likewise, Wilson (2009) reported in The Australian that the negative effect of Facebook in students grades is due to putting off schoolwork; because of the addictive nature of scrolling through photos, reacting to messages and viewing video clips, a student’s attention is diverted from his schoolwork onto Facebook skimming without noticing the passing of time. While many studies prove the negative impact of Facebook on grades, there are, however, also those that disprove this relationship. A more recent study by Pasek, More and Hargittai (2009) found that based on data gathered from a nationally representative sample of American 14- to 22-year-olds, there was no significant relationship between the use of Facebook and the level of grades and that changes in academic performance were no different from non-users. The Pasek study noted that â€Å"if anything, Facebook is more common among individuals with higher grades†. Those who have formed an obsession with the service and are constantly connected to it could not be healthy nor helpful to a student’s studies, but anything overdone is likely to be harmful. Used in moderation as it was intended to be used, there is little connection between grades and the usage of Facebook. There are other broader effects that the use of Facebook has not only on students but society in general. It seems that the particular attraction of Facebook compared to other online services is the relative lack of commercial advertisements, making the interaction feel personal (McConnell, 2009).

Early Childhood Education in NZ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Early Childhood Education in NZ - Essay Example Informing Children are naturally curious and full of wonder. In order to learn about their interests, they move around and play. It is the interactions with others, their thoughts and the materials in their environment facilitate them getting to learn about the world. Adults must be supportive of helping them understand how they learn and think best to reach their learning goals (Primary National Strategy, 2006). This is in relation to learning outcome 1.3 which is multiplying ways of knowing learners in-depth. Observing them keenly is one way of knowing what they are interested in and knowing how they react to things. However, knowing what children want to learn should not hinder them from discovery by imposing one’s own thinking or supplying the answers without letting the children find out for themselves. This is complying with learning outcome 2.3 which is about informed practice through the use of effective curricula and content knowledge, current assessment and planning processes and reflective practice. Confronting I believe the way I was raised and educated has much influence on how I think children learn. Growing up, I was exposed to adults spoon-feeding information to us, and we were expected to just accept the â€Å"wisdom† that our elders passed on to us. I did not realize that it did not matter what we children were interested in. We looked up to authority figures as dispensers of knowledge and we were grateful to them for this. It is only now as an adult that I realize how much our learning was limited because it was just dictated to us. We were not allowed to discover things on our own. Education in my homeland was very teacher-directed that children did not have much choice in directing their own learning paths. Growing up, I was accustomed and very comfortable with that kind of system that now in New Zealand, I find it difficult to let go of such practices with my own students. I am learning from my practice teaching that I need t o follow the child’s lead. I need to be more observant of children’s interests and follow those instead of my own ideas even if I think they are great and that the children will enjoy and learn much from it. My role is to extend their knowledge and skills by organizing their learning environment according to their interests and needs. I bring out some interesting choices of activities for them and let them freely select what they want to do. Te Whaariki respects children’s ideas that they should always be participative in the planning of their learning. This empowers them to know that their ideas are worth listening to and even trying out, as reflected from the principle of Empowerment of Te Whaariki. Reconstructing In order to be more efficient in child-centred strategies, I need to not only observe children in action but also pose more open-ended questions. I can ask them what they already know about or what they want to learn more about and solicit their idea s on their activities. It is good if all children can contribute to the discussion regardless of their backgrounds because I believe in inclusive classes and respect all children no matter where they came from or what their abilities are.

Challenges To Masculinity In World War 1

Challenges To Masculinity In World War 1 In the years 1914 to 1918 half of all men between the ages of 15-49 left behind their usual lives and jobs to toil on the battlefields and war related occupations during the First World War. Of 8 million men mobilised, some 1.7 million were wounded and 722,000 killed (Bourke, 1994). Sometimes referred to as the war to end all wars 5 million men served and survived and every frontline soldier experienced loss; it made an unforgettable impact on those who lived through it (Gregory, 1994). 7% of all men between the ages of 15-49 were killed in battle (Bourke, 1996). Men who fought in the trenches had memories of living with the dead, fears of death, close escapes of death, killing and bereavement. It is no wonder men were traumatised and broke down (Gregory, 1994). In this essay, I will show how this trauma challenged the idea of a man being masculine and how this is linked to challenges of ethnicity. Masculinity for many people is what differentiates men from women or femininity (Bourk e, 1996). Ethnicity is a social construction representing the cultural values and norms which distinguish members of a given group from others (Giddens, 2001:689). What was unbearable about modern warfare was its passivity in the midst of extreme dangers. Modern warfare was more psychologically difficult than warfare in the past because the men had to remain for days, weeks, months in a narrow trench exposed to constant dangers (Bourke, 2000). The trauma of world war one made society less secure, the period following the Great War is portrayed as the decline in Victorian values. The world wide economic depression meant fewer jobs and for those men who were unemployed found themselves no longer the breadwinner of the family (Bourke, 1996). Before world war one, those who were without limbs were mostly working class, for example children of the poor, adult factory workers, dock labourers and miners. However, after the war men who had been very fit had become war amputees, for example 70% war amputees were aged younger than 30 but also 10% officers (Bourke, 1996). The war affected all classes. The trauma of world war one made all men from different classes who were amputees invisible in the labour market. Labourers had no incentive to give jobs to disabled men. This became very embarrassing for soldiers; advice and help from officials such as the Heritage School at Chailey recognised that there was little they could do to eas e what must have been a difficult alteration for wounded men. Crippled soldiers had to be made in to men again, because they were often reduced to being children (Bourke, 1996). The war had a dissolving effect on the class structure of Britain, although still being a class-conscious society the emotional stress of war brought males classes closer together. Before the war, not having an arm or a leg meant you were poor but because of the war all classes were affected. Going out to work was an important milestone on the road to manhood and a source of pride, there was a link between masculinity and living wage that required defending (Bourke, 1994). Although the majority of disabled veterans found employment, 100,000 disable ex servicemen were unemployed in 1920 (Gregory, 1994). It did not matter about your class anymore, during the war all men had to live in the trenches regardless. Those men who had suffered losing a limb during the war regardless of their class faced challenges to their masculinity because they were no longer the breadwinner of their families (Bourke, 1994). For Irish soldiers the trauma experienced in world war one challenged their masculinity because their actions in wartime were not actually appreciated. The breakdown of Irishmen is linked to ethnicity because despite Irishmen having a reputation for being an aggressive race Irishmen, they were generally thought of as weak because pensioning authorities and the war office constantly asserted without statistical evidence that proportionally more Irishmen were driven mad in war than their English, Scottish and Welsh comrades. In Southern Ireland, the proportion of ex-servicemen receiving pensions for neurasthenia and other disabilities was said to be well above average. In an attempt to explain this prejudices started to emerge. There had been a common assumption before the war, for example according to one writer high lunacy levels in Ireland were a legacy of mental weakness dating from the sufferings of the famine years (Bourke, 2000: 61). Their ethnicity was legitimised with politics ; Irish soldiers were stereotyped because legislation passed at the time legitimised them as being prone to mental illnesses. It was British masculinity that helped to win the war rather than Irish people. Irish people were a site for ethnicity. Such assumptions about the social and ethnic characteristics of shell-shocked men meant they received poor treatment at the casualty clearing stations and later the hospitals, assumed to be trying to malinger. Emotional Irishmen and weak privates were given progressively more painful electric shocks in an attempt to help these men (Bourke, 2000). There was an added emotional stress for men/ex-servicemen, which challenged their masculinity because their actions in warfare were not appreciated. The neglect started the moment they stepped off the hospital ship. Pensioning officers never stopped in their attempt to prove that mentally ill men were liars and malingers. The ministry of pensions were obsessed with the problems of reducing the pension bill, for example as late as 1931 they were still warning medical officers to beware of shell-shocked men who exaggerated their symptoms so their pension would not be re-evaluated at a lower rate. Those ex-servicemen who had broken down in war were faced with a hostile attitude. Irish ex servicemen were not only outcasts for having fought for Britain, their maddened minds debarred them from participating in civil war and the war of independence in an increasingly militaristic society, which discredited their very masculinity. Returning home they found their masculinity challenged, every one from bureaucrats at the ministry of pensions to local employers seemed to gang up against them (Bourke, 2000). Therefore, Irishmens masculinity was challenged because of their ethnicity that was justified with politics. Similarly, by 1914 the vast majority of the Indian troops for the Indian army were drawn from the north and North West of the sub continent, the provinces of Punjab, the North West frontier and the independent kingdom of Nepal. The regional bias was the result of the martial races theory, which had influenced British recruiting strategy since the 1880s. A mixture of indigenous notions of caste and imported social Darwinism, the martial races idea had at its core the belief that some Indians were inherently more warlike than others. Very few troops were recruited from southern and eastern India because of the growing British conviction that southern and eastern Indians had become weak and powerless through racial degeneracy. By the time of the armistice, India had provided over 1.27 million men, including 827,000 combatants, contributing roughly one man in ten to the war effort of the British Empire (Omissi, 1999). For Indian men, there was an intense fear of shame because many troops often expressed contempt for those who ran away or deserted, or who otherwise failed their duty. It was better to die than to fail in ones duty (Omissi, 1999:12), for Indian soldiers shame could involve a loss of masculinity, given the highly gendered nature of military service. To be a coward was to be like a woman. The range of military behaviour was tightly constrained by the types of masculinity available to soldiers. The reputation of the regiment really mattered to the troops because shame like honour attached itself to the micro-identities of the regiment. In the few weeks after their arrival in France the soldiers letters were full of hope and good cheers. The censor believed the soldiers wanted to show their loyalty to the King and to prove themselves equal to white men. Above all Indian soldiers fought to gain and preserve their izzat (Omissi, 1999:12), in other words their honour and reputation. It was considered glorious and honourable to die in battle. This was not jus t about retaining their masculinity, but also their ethnicity. They not only had to prove they were masculine, but that they were equal to British men. War veterans were mentally and physically traumatised. Just as the outbreak of war in August 1914 drove many young men to recruiting offices because it was a sign of masculinity, this was also true of after the war. The images created to encourage young men to volunteer to go to war were posters of men who were brave and fearless; this painted a picture of what masculinity should be like. There was this idea of a compulsory masculinity (Barker, 1998). Therefore, when soldiers suffered from a host of new mental disease defined throughout the war, for example shell shock and war neuroses. The patients were thought simply as weak and cowardly men. Neurasthenia came to be treated as if it was a disease of the will rather than of nerve force (Barker, 1998:1). This made men blameworthy for their own illnesses. It appeared that mental illnesses were inherited. Men had huge pressure on them to behave a certain way in the heat of battle; the soldier should always confront dangers with steadfa st courage because of the posters that showed this compulsory masculinity. It is obvious that these social expectations of the masculine role in war were related to shellshock. World War one was a crisis of masculinity because suffering an emotional breakdown at the time made them be seen as less of a man because there was this idea of a compulsory masculinity, they had to act in a certain masculine way. The images constructed of men going to war were very manly; coming back all traumatised was a challenge to their masculinity. Trench warfare itself challenged masculinity, for example many jobs and tasks men had to fulfil were tasks their mothers, wives or servants would attend to at home. Female duties such as washing, mending, cooking and nursing were all tasks women would normally attend to. Men also mothered each other for example they had to nurse the sick and wounded and comfort men during times of stress and ordeal. This helped men create stability, which helped the soldiers to cope with physical hardship and emotional disruption. In addition, men received and sent letters, which enabled men and women during world war one to transcend the gender-bound categories because it helped women to experience the traumas of war; it brought men and women together. The traumas of world war one, such as illnesses and generally low spirits intensified the need to receive a letter from their loved ones. The moment where men felt there lowest was when they needed the image of home the most (Dudink, Hagermann and Tos h, 2004). By writing letters in showing attentiveness to their mother or loved one, men fostered a connection with a feminine sensibility. This was a sign of their masculinity being challenged because men wanting to go home were sign of weakness, something considered to be quite feminine. The closeness of the mother-son tie was something, which men replicated in their relationships with each other at the front. Men acknowledged that the depth of the maternal attachment and mothers remained important figures in emotional relations amongst men (Dudink, Hagermann and Tosh, 2004). Therefore to conclude, there were many challenges posed to masculinity by the experience of world war one, many men broke down during war and developed psychological illnesses such as shell shock and neurasthenia. It was considered unmanly to develop these and those who suffered from these illnesses were made blameworthy for them because they were considered hereditary. Furthermore, men who lost a limb because of the war had their masculinity challenged because if they were unemployed they were no longer the breadwinner of the family and this made them feel feminine. Irish men suffered the worst challenges to their masculinity and this is linked to ethnicity because for Irish soldiers to break down was a loss of their manhood but part of their ethnicity because politics legitimised them as prone to being mad.

Skilled Labor Scarcity Essay -- Human Resource Management

Article Summary Skill shortage is a genuine lack of adequately skilled individuals available in the accessible labor market with the type of skill being sought and which leads to a difficulty in recruitment. A recent article by Ben Casselman in the Wall Street Journal highlighted the difficulties recruiters and employers (specifically manufacturers) facing are moderate to severe shortage of skilled labors to fill their well-paying positions that requires specialized skills. The shortages (due to weak labor market) are being felt in what have been heavy-duty blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and other industries that somewhat do not require a college degree. The demand for skilled workers has a significant negative impact on the manufacturing firms and the skills gap can thus lead to a ripple effect. Skills gap is used to describe the qualitative mismatch between the supply or availability of human resources and the requirements of the labor market. Skills gap exists where employers feel that their existing workforce have inadequate skill type or skill level to meet their business objectives; or where new entrants to the labor market are apparently trained and qualified for occupations but still lack a variety of the specific skills required. The shortage also affects the less-skilled workers who lose out on spin-off jobs to support the increased production. Because of skills shortages, employers are lowering their expectations when recruiting people and cutting back on capacity and quality level. The skilled worker gap is developing at large due to the significant decline in the manufacturing sector (aspects of globalization and off-shoring) that appear less stable and attractive now as large number of workers approach retireme... ...rker employed). And, businesses may decide to increase production by making greater use of capital inputs such as extra units of machinery. A growing economy creates jobs for people entering the labor market for the first time; and it provides employment opportunities for people unemployed and looking for work.† Article Source: â€Å"Help Wanted: In Unexpected Twist, Some Skilled Jobs Go Begging,† by Ben Casselman, The Wall Street Journal, Column A1, November 26, 2011. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203707504577010080035955166.html Frederic S. Mishkin. Macroeconomics Policy and Practice. Pearson Education, Inc., Addison-Wesley 2012. Ronald G. Ehrenberg and Robert S. Smith. Modern Labor Economics Theory and Public Policy. Eleventh Edition. Pearson Education, Inc., Prentice Hall 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structural_unemployment

The South African Youth

Reflecting back on the tragedy that just occurred at Columbine High School in Denver Colorado and the generalizations being made about the U.S youth and the crisis that we are in and supposedly are experiencing ,I decided to research the youth crisis in South Africa. There is at present no â€Å"youth crisis† as such. However young people find themselves in the midst of a range of crises that should be addressed urgently by the state and society. † South African youths† as a category refers to South Africans between 15 and 30 years of age; they constitute 29,5% of the population, yet there is no comprehensive youth policy in place to attend to their needs. Most young people share common values of society – signs of radicalism and militarism are found in only a minority of youth. Only a small percentage of South Africa's youth can be considered truly marginalized as the country's youth as a whole and therefore cannot be called a â€Å"lost generation†. Thirty-seven per cent of South Africa population were below the age of 15 in 1991. It can be compared with the average of 40% for similar countries in the world, less-developed countries averaging 44% and industrialized countries 23%. The composition of people between 15 and 30 years, comprised 29,5% of South Africa's population. Figures for racial categories indicate a total of approximately 8,3 million (75%) black, 1,4 m. (12%) white, 1,1 m. (10%) colored and 300 000 (3%) Asian youths in this group. There are many problems for the South African Youth and some of the most challenging problems include family and community instability that leads to a wide range of other social problems for youth. The black family has been under enormous strain partly because of an education system that is not providing all youth with relevant and quality education. Economic stagnation, together with inadequate education, has resulted in high levels of unemployment and poverty, especially among women and blacks. Demographic factors which continue to impact on the South African population and more specifically the youth. It has been estimated that by 1995, 50% of the age cohort 15 to 19 will live in urban areas. The extent to which young people from the different racial and cultural groups have become isolated from one another, with the accompanying negative stereotypes, intolerance and racism. A historical survey in the report leaves little doubt that South African youth have over the years been victims of political and socio-cultural crises. They have been subjected to poverty, blatant political manipulation, racial and other divisions that tore the country apart, and a lack of any systematic youth policy to attend to their needs. As a group, they have for many years been largely ignored by the leaders in control of their destiny. And yet, from the earliest decades of the century, they have attempted to assert themselves by forming youth organizations, by protesting against injustices and by insisting on a decent education and living conditions. Unemployment has been a struggle for the South African Youth. Studies show roughly 42% of youth between the ages of 15 and 30 were unemployed. Young women were particularly disadvantaged. In the first place, they were less likely to be part of the labor force because large numbers were involved in unpaid domestic work. Secondly, they found it difficult to find employment while being involved in unpaid domestic work. Unemployment affects the unmarried, junior members of households more adversely than the other members. Unemployment is higher in the homelands and in urban areas that comprise squatter and informal settlements close to the major metropolitan area. It is however unclear as to whether unemployment is higher in rural or in urban areas. At the time, studies indicate 45% of the black, 12% of the white, 40% of the colored and 29% of the Asian youth were unemployed. Family structure and living conditions play an important role. The core family has been seriously affected by social upheavals. Studies indicate that 22% of white, 20% of Asian, 32% of colored and 40 % of black families are currently headed by females. Stability may be found in nuclear, extended, compound or single-parent families. The extended kinship system among blacks and Asians seems to cushion the negative effects of disrupted nuclear family units. However, many youths are not experiencing stability of an enduring nature, and it emerges from surveys that a lot of young people are receiving only fragmented care. The lack of control, supervision and attention is clearly linked to teenagers' negative behavior such as alcohol and drug abuse, crime, indiscriminate and unprotected sexual activities, etc. Percentages of teenage pregnancies and births out of wedlock are unacceptably high and AIDS is a frightening reality. Amenities such as electricity, on-tap water, waterborne sewerage, refuse removal, etc, are massively under provided to blacks. Black youth live in homes of which 46 % do not have running water and 57 % have no electricity. Only 53 % blacks have access to television Over the life span of today's youth, a third of all Asian families, nearly a quarter of all colored families and nearly a fifth of the black population were forcibly moved by one method or another. Culture and youth organizations play a very important role in the South African youth of today. Studies affirm that one cannot really speak of a single, monolithic â€Å"youth culture†. In an era of rapid social transformation, stereotyped binary cultural oppositions such as urban/rural, elitist/popular, modern/traditional, are also losing their essential distinctive value. For example, some research point to the possibility that the position that youth occupied in â€Å"traditional†, conservative societies has changed with urbanization and westernization. Recognition of youth's new, more assertive position has important implications for policy formulation regarding their diversity and their ability not only to react to change and development but actually help guide it. On the other hand, one study showed that, in spite of lingering signs of racism, 60% of adolescents from all the population groups preferred to identify themselves as â€Å"South African†, which may indicate an increasing sense of shared identity, if not unity. The present processes of societal transformation and democratization make the promotion of a shared culture and values essential; something that should start at school level. Recreation and sports play an important role in young people's lives: 41,7% of male youth and 18,7% of female youth in South Africa are active members of sports clubs. Only 16,3% of all youth however belonged to a youth club and only 8,4% belonged to a cultural organization. Facilities for sports, recreational and organizational activities are urgently needed. The crisis in education is well documented. Black education was seriously disrupted during the 1980s. However, black education expanded greatly in an attempt to fulfil its community's needs, and improved its retention rates at the same time, despite a range of crises that were almost beyond human imagination. For the majority of black youth in South Africa, access to secondary education is restricted to traditional secondary schools where places are limited, facilities are not up to standard, teachers are not properly qualified and access to subjects such as mathematics, physical science, economics, business economics, accounting, etc, is limited because of a shortage of teachers qualified in these subjects. This causes the whole system to be skewed in favor of such subjects as biology, geography, history and biblical studies, which are the four most â€Å"popular† non-language subjects among black pupils. Clearly if this trend were to continue, the youth would be even more fr ustrated with the learning opportunities offered to them. Violence and crime remain endemic in the country and have many destructive effects on youth. Scientific research has shown that black respondents generally rejected violence as a political option, but that about 20% of the white the respondents tended to be militarized in their outlook. In a new democracy like South Africa it is imperative that all its citizens should be politically literate to enable them to participate fully in all facets of a democratic society. Several studies on political literacy among young South Africans have suggested that this country's youth are not well informed about politics. There is probably no area of South African life which has more compellingly shown the extent to which apartheid has isolated and insulated different sections of this country's youth from one another than the area of politics. Youth who grew up in the security and tranquillity of white neighborhoods could fully participate in the parliamentary politics of apartheid South Africa if they wished to do so. They had very little knowledge or understanding of the harsh realities of township life which confronted the vast majority of South Africa's youth every day. For most white youths the events, that have taken place in South Africa's black townships since the mid-seventies, were nothing more than images on the television screen – events they were socialized to interpret as being initiated by radical (communist inspired) people who were attempting to take away their (whites') privileged position. Indeed, white and black youths under apartheid lived in different worlds. Studies have shown that the above problems are ameliorated by two sets of findings, namely that â€Å"the South African youth† by no means represent a uniform category of people, and that the majority of South Africa's young people want to play a constructive role in the creation of a new South Africa. Their rejection of violence, their respect for the cultural and racial diversity in South Africa, the value they place on education and training are all very important to the South African youths of today and in that sense we American youths should learn a thing or two from them. They have adapted in remarkable and innovative ways to the often painful processes of rapid change, and although they may lack skills and opportunities, they are eager to face the challenge of reconstruction and development. Most of them share their communities' values and are basically conservative in their views. Only 8% of the sample claimed no religious affiliation – the majority felt that religion played an important role in their daily lives. In conclusion that the tide may be turning for the country's youth. Population growth rates are decreasing, income distribution is becoming more equal, the assault on family structures was balanced by the growth of the compound family, a legitimately elected government is in place and a national youth policy has been promised in the RDP. June 16 has been declared a public holiday and renamed Youth Day. Not only youth's many contributions to the country, but in particular their sacrifices and hardships have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

Keep Sharing as the Debate on essays

Keep Sharing as the Debate on essays There is a war raging throughout the music industry right now. Unfortunately it is not about which big star can sell the most records by producing the best music. Instead, this battle doesnt really involve any big names at all. It is in fact, all about the little guy, the consumer, and more specifically the downloader. You know, the one who sits in front of his computer all day and night swapping files and downloading tracks from numerous websites. These people have been around for a lot longer than many of us realize. However it was very difficult to find music five or ten years ago. Only with the accessibility and ease of interface of sites such as Napster, Kazaa, and Morpheus did their numbers increase to a level that caused concern with many artists as well as the Record Industry Association of America. These parties were concerned that this boom of Peer-to-Peer file sharing was drastically reducing their profits and made a push to have these sites shut down and their users stopp ed, or at least made to pay for their use. They feel these sites are illegal and immoral. While the legal matters pertaining to this case are unclear and well beyond the realm of my understanding, I can speak to the morality of this issue and feel very strongly that file sharing should remain entirely legal, and that file sharing, with the exception of a small percentage of the people that use it, is very moral indeed. Not to mention the fact that it actually helps more artists, more often than it hinders them. File sharing may actually help the music industry by fostering the natural selection of the best artists while forcing the fake and untalented musicians out of the business. This whole debacle could have been avoided if the music industry would have embrace the concept of file sharing and used it as another tool to distribute their product. Instead, they chose to ignore it, either out of fear or sheer ignorance and it has now feste...

leadership log essays

leadership log essays Wednesday, August 23, 2000-The head football coach, Joe Hollis, shortened practice today because he said that the team was tired and needed some extra rest to make sure our legs are fresh for our first game on September 2, against North Carolina State. I think this displays his specialized role as a leader. That kind of decision rests singularly on his shoulders, players and coaches follow his decision because of his specialized role as the head football coach. Thursday, August 24, 2000- I read an article in Sports Illustrated about my favorite baseball player, Greg Maddux, pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. It discussed how well respected he was among his teammates and other players in the Major Leagues as well. I felt that this demonstrated a shared influence leadership within his social system. He is not in a specialized role, he is simply looked at as a good role model and a wise baseball player. Friday, August 25, 2000-Our team captains called a team meeting to ask the younger players to be mature about going to class, and handling non-football duties maturely so that the focus can be on football when the right time comes. This is somewhat of a mixture between specialized roles and shared influence. The captains have specialized roles as leaders, but the way they obtained these roles was from gaining respect in the shared influence environment. Tuesday, August 29, 2000-I have noticed that some of the assistant coaches on the football team use different influence processes when providing instruction for their players. For example, the receiver coach's players seem to be motivated to do things by indifferent compliance, meaning they are basically in a bad mood when they are told to do something. On the other hand, the outside linebackers coach seems able to make his players not necessarily enjoy practicing, but practice in a much better disposition. ...

Social Work Field Supervision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Work Field Supervision - Essay Example From the beginning, she would not look me in the eye and seemed considerably nervous. I had noticed that whenever someone walked past Jones, she always tightened up as though ready to become reactive. As I gained the child’s trust, I began to approach her with concepts regarding the learning contract, as a mutual agreement that works toward a common goal. Jones indicated enthusiastically that she enjoyed school, letting me understand that we could talk comfortably about the subject in detail. I worked to let Jones understand that she is in charge of her own learning and completing that objective involved good behavior. Her stance became immediately defiant and she resumed her previous gesturing of dissatisfaction. As the child has a tendency to become hyper-stimulated, I quickly shifted the discussion back to a more positive school environment. In this case, the preferred learning style is that of reflective observation, under Kolb’s theory. This individual is â€Å"impartial†, â€Å"tentative†, and â€Å"reflective† and generally makes very careful observations; an introvert (casa.colorado.edu, n.d.). It is oftentimes easier to see the world through an observational lens without the barriers to self-exploration that might be caused by noise in the communication process inflicted by the social environment. Having a student like Jones, who clearly maintained a preferred learning style of concrete experience, made the interview a feelings-based discussion. Jones relied heavily on her peer guidance and tended to lean less toward authority in the process. When discussing school, she was enthusiastic, another evidence of peer reliance. When attempting to discuss the learning contract with Jones, she was open and direct with discussion when the emphasis of the discussion involved school activities. Being an observational learner ensures I am lecture-oriented with a somewhat rational approach,

Management and Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management and Accounting - Assignment Example Breakeven analysis of the results has also been prepared to determine the volume of sales at which the company will be able to cover its fixed costs. There are a number of financial tools and techniques available to assist business managers to monitor and control their operations. They include budgeting, ratio analysis, breakeven analysis and sensitivity analysis. 2.0 Budgeting Budgets are useful methods of monitoring and controlling costs and organisations prepare a number of them in order to monitor and control expenditure. They include revenue budget, material budget, labour budget, cash budget, budgeted income statement, and budgeted financial statements. The revenue budget is normally the first budget to be prepared. The revenue requirements are determined and a forecast is done of the revenues that the company will generate over a period and when the actual amounts will be received (See Appendix A). The material budget and the labour budget is then prepared based on the informa tion in the revenue budget. These budgets indicate the cost of materials that are required in each period in order to achieve the targeted revenues. The material budget indicates when materials are purchased and the quantity in which they are purchased (See Appendix B). The labour budget includes a description of the labour required and the cost of labour for each period included in the budget. A cash budget is then produced based on the information in the revenue budget, material budget and labour budget (See Appendix C). The cash budget includes a section for inflows (receipts) and another for outflows (payments) (See Appendix D). The receipts in the cash budget are linked to information in the revenue budget and the payments are linked to information in the materials budget and the labour budget. The revenue, material, labour and cash budgets are shown in Appendix A, B, C and D. In order to forecast the total income, expenditure and profits for the period a projected income state ment is prepared. This statement draws cumulative information from the revenue budget, the material budget, the labour budget and the cash budget. The projected retained earnings from the projected income statement is then used in the preparation of the forecast balance sheet along with capital items in the cash budget, prepaid and unpaid expenses which are determined by comparing the information in the income statement with the cash budget. The projected income and financial position statements are shown in Figure 1 and 2 respectively. Famished! Limited Forecast Income Statement for the year ending March 31, 2012 ? ? ? Gross sales revenue 592,000 Less direct material costs after deduction of closing inventory 124,320 Gross margin 467,680 Less expenses: Lease 24,000 Refit depreciation 7,000 Equipment depreciation 5,148 Business rates 24,300 Water 1,712 Electricity 4,508 Gas 6,050 Internet for business use 360 telephone 909 Cleaning 10,944 Promotional expenditure 600 Salaries 241,661 327,191 Operating profit 140,489 Interest payable 902 Retained profit 139,587 Figure 1 Famished! Limited Projected STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION as at March 31, 2012 ? ? ? Non current assets Cost Dep'n Net Refit of premises 35,000 7,000 28,000 Equipment 28,600 5,148 23,452 51,452 Current assets Inventories 1,800