Effect of Reader Schemes and Initiatives on Child Reading

Effect of Reader Schemes and Initiatives on Child Reading Investigate whether the Accelerated Reader Scheme and Star Reader Test has a positive effect on a child’s reading achievement. Abstract An evaluation carried out in a primary school on the implementation of the Accelerated Reader Scheme demonstrates its efficacy in improving reading scores and reading ages for students who are less able readers. The literature review shows that while there is limited evidence on the scheme itself, which is derived from American schools settings, there is evidence which shows that similar schemes, which are targeted on reading development, and also schemes which integrate ongoing support and feedback (either personal or ICT based) are effective in supporting those who are falling behind national literacy standards. However, this study, which utilises marks and reading scores to evaluate the scheme, is limited in its applicability and in the usefulness of its findings. More research is needed into the underlying cultures and pedagogies which affect such reading interventions, and more depth and detail of pupil attitudes and responses are required to understand how such programmes affec t student achievement in reading and in the longer term. Introduction Children’s reading development is a key feature of overall literacy in the primary age group, and as such is subject to considerable governmental governance and input. Achieving standardised levels of literacy is seen as important in ensuring children reach developmental and cognitive milestones, and are properly prepared for secondary school when they move into this phase of their education. However, there are a number of challenges to supporting children to read, because even though this is a key element of their learning, children are often lacking in enthusiasm or confidence about reading, and do not take well to reading for pleasure. Similarly, school resources often mean that support for reading is less than optimal, particularly if teachers do not have enough time to devote to listening to children read and providing them with feedback and guidance. This dissertation describes an evaluation of a new approach to improving literacy in a chosen age group within a primary education setting: the Accelerated Reader Scheme, which includes the Star Reader Test. This scheme uses computer-based resources to encourage children to read. Children take the Star Reader test, are assigned a ‘reading age’, and then are pointed to books associated with that reading age within the school library. Children read the books and then take comprehension tests, which demonstrate their level of learning and their progress. Students can access the website at Think.com to chart their progress and see their own attainment. The scheme originated in America, where its success within primary age schools was demonstrated, and has since been adopted in a number of schools in the United Kingdom. There is some literature to cite the benefits of the Accelerated Reader scheme, and a lot of examples of websites, weblogs and feedback demonstrating enthusia stic approaches to it in certain schools and locations. This dissertation shows an evaluation of this scheme in one school setting in a socio-economically deprived area, and contains primary data on the implementation and effects of the scheme. A critical review of the literature was carried out, to explore the context of the scheme and its place within the pedagogy and practice of primary education within this country. The discussion of the scheme and its results takes into account current theory, and concludes with recommendations for future research and practice. A summary judgement of the efficacy of the scheme is included. The evaluation is based on reading result scores as discussed in the findings sections, and indicates where the scheme has been effective, and where findings were found to be other than those anticipated. The conclusions make recommendations for future research surrounding this intervention, and also explore some of the drawbacks of using such an approach. Literature Review Search Strategy A critical review of the available literature was carried out, in order to set the context of the study and evaluation, and to explore the current state of theory and practice. A literature search was first carried out, in order to identify the pertinent literature which could be used to inform the study. In order to do this, the author first carried out a ‘thought shower’ in order to identify key terms to be used as search words and search word combinations, then used these to search the literature, shortlist articles by abstract, and then select full text articles for reading and review. The Critical Review The changing nature of education, particularly within the state-funded sector, is such that there are emergent issues around the ways in which educational goals are defined and set, and the context of education[1]. However, the concern of this dissertation is the effectiveness of interventions in relation to supporting reading competence in primary schools, and so the focus of the literature review is on reading competence, reading interventions, and factors which might affect reading and the success of such interventions. It was decided to take a broader approach to the literature review because there were very few primary studies which directly assessed Accelerated Reader itself, and therefore the understanding of the current theoretical and practical context needed to be explored in terms of this type of approach to reading competence. The literature demonstrates that there are many factors which may affect children’s reading abilities and progress[2], not all of which are necessarily to do with the child’s cognitive or other abilities[3]. Understanding these factors may be important in understanding the kinds of schemes and programmes which might support reading progress in all children[4]. This review does not specifically address children with Special Educational Needs but does make some mention of them in relation to inclusive schools practices. Although published data presented by governmental and other official sources suggests that there have been significant improvements in reading and literacy overall in children in primary education, there are other authors who argue that this is not the case, and the tests and measured used have been ‘advantageously designed’ to reflect better on the current ruling party and its policies[5]. While standards may be improving, it is suggested tha t these improvements are not as significant as they are claimed to be[6], [7], and that recording and testing processes are sufficiently biased to warrant an independent body being set up to monitor standards[8]. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy may have something to do with changing responses to reading and even changing attitudes to reading, but this does not mean that the responses are overwhelmingly positive. One study suggests that the ways that children interact with reading and with books, and their attitudes towards books, are much more complex than the official guidelines and strategies might suggest[9]. This study was a questionnaire study with a sample of 5076 pupils in Years 4 and 6, and found that attitudes towards reading, while generally positive, did appear to decline between the younger and older of the sampled age groups[10]. Of the overall sample, it seems sub-sample of 2364 of these pupils were actually in the same schools where the same questionnaire had been implemented previously, in 1998, and it was found from comparison of these two incidences that â€Å"enjoyment of reading had significantly fallen over the five years, whilst confidence as readers had significantly increased over the same period†[11]. It may be that these changes may have something to do with the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, but it is argued that other, less popular explanations are also possible for this change, including differences in social life and differences in children’s exposure to other media and other forms of entertainment[12]. What is interesting about this study is that children were enjoying reading less, but had more confidence in reading. This might reflect the outcomes based type of education that is now very much the standard with the UK context, and to this author, also reflects the fact that reading literacy is very much related to competence rather than true enjoyment of texts and of wider opportunities for reading. This might also represent a restriction of students to only reading ‘set’ books or texts, perhaps, which would possibly limit enjoyment and pleasure in reading. Strategies towards improving literacy have taken many forms, but on significant change has been the use of classroom assistants, who specifically target reading and other deficits in children in general classroom settings. Interventions to provide extra support through classroom assistants have been shown to improve standards at Key Stage 1 testing[13]. However, studies such as these on meeting national standards in literacy do not address the wider and more complex issues around reading and engagement of students, and around the pedagogy of literacy teaching and the limitations of having standards based education rather than supportive education that encourages children to realise their own potential. Other studies, such as one carried out recently in Ireland, show that specific programmes, such as the Reading Recovery programme, can be efficacious in improving standards[14], but more work needs to be done on evaluating what is described as the ‘depth’ of such approache s, meaning how they really affect student-teacher interactions and quality of experience[15],[16]. Earl and Maynard explore one potential issue in relation to reading progress and proficiency, the ‘reluctant reader’, looking at what makes children behave in this way[17]. They examined the underlying reasons for children to develop a negative relationship with reading, and the possible resulting attitudes that they may develop towards it, and found that while the majority of children claimed to enjoy reading, in actuality, they found reading difficult, and subsequent investigation indicated that these children were not confident n their reading abilities[18]. The study showed that self-efficacy and a sense of autonomy were potential features of improving these responses to reading[19]. Earl and Maynard conclude that reluctant readers should be offered the opportunity to take responsibility for their own reading practice and development, to allow them to learn for themselves the value of reading[20]. â€Å"It was also discovered that it is vital that the childs parents /carers1 are involved with helping to tackle their childrens reluctance to read. Parental input is crucial to a childs education; if this input is provided at an early stage, then reluctance to read is more likely to be successfully overcome and may even offer prevention as well as cure† (p 163)[21]. There is some research to suggest that teachers are one of the important factors affecting student outcomes in literacy[22]. This is not just to do with their ability to use teaching skill in literacy development, but to do with other features of teaching practice. †It is teachers’ expectations, their enacted curriculum, their classroom talk, their relations to young people and their actual ways of inducting them into specific textual practices that most affect literacy outcomes.[23] This would suggest that while there may be specifics of educational practice, and pupil response or individual ability, there can be things to do with teachers themselves that are as important as paying attention to reading ability. In a study by Wilkinsonit was found that teachers used theory effectively to improve the literacy outcomes of students in eight disadvantaged South Australian schools[24]. â€Å"Teachers constructing and using theory to enhance their agency emerged as one of the key factors that made a difference to student outcomes†, which can be viewed as teachers using theory to underpin their actions, and achieving positive effect[25]. It would seem from this study, that â€Å"teacher quality is predicated on teacher knowledge, particularly theoretical knowledge†[26]. However, this study was carried out in Australia, within a different cultural, pedagogical and policy context, and as such would have to be replicated within a UK context to be fully transf erable. Fisher also suggests that there are features of teachers and teaching practice which may affect reading activities and reading attainment[27]. He also suggests that despite a growing awareness and understand of sociocultural nature of language and classrooms, teachers and theorists are continuing to argue for more frequent and extended opportunities for teacher-pupil exchanges and discussions about texts, and more reciprocity in teacher-child dialogue in relation to reading and exploring texts and books[28]. Fisher (suggests that there are studies of classroom teaching practice and activities which demonstrate the continued use of triadic dialogue, in which the teacher predominantly controls the nature and length of any interaction, and effectively closes down discussion rather than encouraging more free exploration and debate[29]. This would seem to indicate that there is more to students developing reading skills and engaging with reading than simple pedagogical practices and activ ities, and much of the work around reading is still functional rather than philosophical. However, it may be that these findings simply reflect the realities of classroom practice, with deliberate control over discussions because of the need to maintain good discipline and achieve the prescribed tasks and goals of the teaching at that point. Certainly a classroom which encouraged more free debate and interaction with teachers could be viewed by some traditionalists as one in which discipline would be harder to maintain. And because of the kinds of limitations on resources, some ideal ways of addressing reading skill might not be practical. A study by Downer (2007) shows that one to one, targeted reading and literacy support, provided by teaching assistants, could be efficacious in improving the reading abilities of pupils who were falling behind literacy standards[30]. The study showed that as little as four minutes one to one support each day could make a difference[31]. However, this study is about supporting children identified as having fallen significantly behind their peers and the natioanl standards for their developmental age, and might require resources that are simply not available in the majority of state schools. It also has the disadvantage of singling out the students who are demonstrating slower progress and development in reading, which is not necessarily a good thing because it highlights the difference between them and their peers. Yet it does highlight the potential value of providing targeted reading support, perhaps even 1 to 1 support, in supporting children’s reading. Hatcher et al (2005) report a randomised controlled trial which evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention for reading-delayed children in Year-1 classes[32]. In this, a sample of 7 children from 14 different schools, children identified as having the poorest reading ability, were randomly allocated to either of the two groups, and the 20 intervention group received the programme for two times ten weeks, the second group only for the second ten weeks[33]. This was a small group programme, providing daily sessions of around twenty minutes, comprising small group and individual teaching[34]. In this study, the children who received the programme during the first ten weeks made markedly more progress on outcome literacy measures, but the children who received the programme in the second 10 week period seemed to catch up with the first group[35]. This programme, as with that described by Downer (2007), used trained teaching assistants, and found it was effective for children who show ed reading delays, although around a quarter of children did not respond to the intervention[36]. Again, this is an intervention which singles out those with less ability and provides specialist input, but it does not really address the notion of reading as a whole within the primary classroom, and, as with the previous study, singles out the poor achievers. This is no surprise, as it really reflects the predominant ideologies of national strategies for literacy[37]. There are a number of ways of targeting literacy, especially in poor achievers. Bunn (2008) reports a study which compared the progress in reading and spelling of 256 children in eleven classes in nine primary schools in England, located in years 3 and 4, and a partially overlapping sample of 126 children who received additional help with literacy during a single year[38]. In this study, teachers and teaching assistants implemented either Additional Literacy Support (ALS), which is a highly structured programme of small group teaching activities and materials, developed by the English National Literacy Strategy, or they used a broad range of other materials and approaches, including other published intervention programmes, reading scheme-based, computer-based and individually designed interventions, alone or in combination with ALS[39]. A strength of this study is that the researchers explored the influence of a broad range of contextual factors, especially whether childrens qualitie s, school factors such as socio-economic status and class size, and delivery differences made any marked differences to the results of the different interventions in relation to reading ability[40]. The design of the study was a naturalistic quasi-experimental design, and the author found ALS was marginally more effective than other interventions in the majority of the classes studies, however, the authors also found limitations in their ability to ‘catch up’ to their peers, and found little difference in attainment in relation to individual factors[41]. Another study demonstrates a targeted, home-based intervention that can be good at supporting literacy in children identified as being at risk of developing reading problems[42]. This was the Literacy Early Action Project, which is described as a home-visiting scheme for these children, carried out by teaching assistants, which involved parents and grandparents[43]. The study of this intervention identified five key factors which supported the child’s progress: â€Å"the flexibility in the teaching assistants approach that enabled extended family members to become engaged in literacy support; the teaching assistants sensitivity to family culture; the playful approach to learning adopted by the teaching assistant; putting the child at the centre of the intervention; and the existence of a school culture that strongly promoted involvement for parents†[44]. What this shows is that not only do certain children need more support than is available in current school settings, but that the individual needs and attributes of the child are important in achieving reading standards. The nature of the intervention, therefore, must be something that would be responsive and sensitive to individual children. Most literacy support programmes, particularly those for under-achievers, are based on phoneme-oriented strategies[45]. Authors of one study suggest that training in phoneme awareness and letter-sound knowledge is a fundamental part of effective interventions for poor reading in the context of reading books in particular, and evaluate the UK Early Literacy Support (ELS) programme[46]. Again, this is a study on children who were already identified as poor readers, and found that this programme offered a cost effective method of boosting 6-year-old childrens reading to an average level[47]. However, it does not address the idea of improving attitudes towards reading, rather, it focused on functional reading skill. A similar study explored why students did not respond well to phoneme-based reading support, and showed that other factors, such as letter knowledge and vocabulary were important in attaining reading competence[48]. This study also fails to address issues in the nature of the reading materials that may affect children’s responses to reading activities. Technological advances and the rapid development of information and communications technologies within the leisure as well as the educational sector an have effects on and provide insight into different ways of supporting reading skill development for children. Wood reports a small scale study of beginning readers using a form of ‘talking books’ software, compared to adult teaching support, using the same books in paper versions[49]. The authors found that â€Å"there were no significant differences between the two groups in their phonological awareness attainment, with both groups showing equivalent gains from pre- to post-test. Use of specific features of the software was associated with gains in rhyme detection ability and with changes in the childrens reading strategies†[50]. While this is a small study with a limited sample, and limited transferability, it does show that children might interact slightly differently with ICT-based reading interventions, perhap s due to differences in autonomy and engagement with reading materials, although more research is definitely needed into what features of the ICT-based reading activities are most effective. Another study describes the evaluation of a parent delivered, computer based beginning reading program[51]. â€Å"Statistically significant treatment effects were found for Kindergarten students in the intervention group on letter-sound fluency, oral reading fluency, non-word decoding, and phonemic awareness skills. Grade 1 students in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvement over time on letter-sound fluency, letter-name knowledge, non-word decoding and oral reading fluency; however, these improvements were not significantly greater than those for the Grade 1 comparison group†[52]. This study was implemented in pupils across the ability range, but the authors also concluded that it might be a very useful intervention for students more at risk of poor achievement in reading and literacy[53]. It is interesting that this computer-based intervention was particularly targeted at reception and year one age students, and this author would raise the question of how well different reading programmes meet the needs of different ages. Also, it would have been good to have more detail about the computer based programme and its components. This may be a feature of these kinds of studies, that they do not really look at what it is about the programme that attracts students or engages them. Another study outlines the use of computer software to identify reading problems and propose ways of addressing these. This is in the form of an adaptive assessment named the Interactive Computerised Assessment System (InCAS), and can be used with children of a wide age range and differing levels of ability, in order to identify specific reading problems[54]. There are different potential formats of feedback to teachers, but overall the feedback provided also indicates how children need to improve[55]. Such programmes may be very useful but it is difficult to see how they can improve on good teacher-student interaction, and whether or not they would help to reduce the major challenges of managing the teaching workload to improve literacy. While it is unsurprising that the programme is aimed at addressing specific reading problems, it also underlines the ongoing theoretical and pedagogical orientation towards eliminating problems rather than enhancing students’ reading experien ce, engagement and enjoyment. However, there is research which shows that reading can be enhanced by ICT-type reading tools and activities[56]. Reading is important for many reasons, not just for the child’s ability to carry out the increasingly difficult tasks which concur with their progress through school[57]. Wallace (2008) shows how literacy an identity are strongly linked within the minds and behaviours of children, and how reading can help them to build links and connections between the childrens diverse personal histories and the texts and practices validated by school[58]. Supporting the development of reading literacy, and also engagement with reading as an activity in itself, may be a more important feature of primary schooling than is suggested by government guidance[59] and by teaching practice and pedagogy. It may, perhaps, be more than a functional skill. There are also some differences found within primary education between the genders[60],[61], [62], and between reading fiction and non fiction independently[63]. Boys tend to be of lower reading ability than girls, [64], [65], and although they may read marginally more non-fiction than fiction, they appear to do this less carefully and with less skill[66]. A mixed methods, but primarily ethnographic study in the North of England found that there were two different discourses around reading, both of which were gendered: â€Å"Two main differently gendered discourses about reading were encountered. The one discourse, dominant in the ‘working class’ classroom, was strongly gendered and afforded reading low status. The other discourse encountered in the ‘middle class’ classroom was gender-inclusive and reading carried high status. It is argued that the interaction between social class and gender is important in understanding children’s discourse about reading.†[67] This seems to show that reading ability is based upon a much more complex interaction of factors than simply the child interacting with the set activities, and being defined as a reading ‘age’ regardless of other features of their life, personality and attitudes. The study also demonstrates the ways in which class and social context affect perceptions of reading and reinforce gender differences in literacy and attainment at this early educational level. How much any reading intervention or teaching approach to redress this balance is debateable. Other research appears to demonstrate that the idea of encouraging reading for pleasure, rather than for necessity[68], is not really a part of current pedagogy and classroom practice[69], [70]. In a study of secondary schools in the south of England, it was found that because of a lack of time and absence of demand for wider reading in the English curriculum, teachers expressed ambivalence about encouraging and assessing wider reading, and teachers with less experience expressed uncertainty about how to introduce and encourage this[71]. Interestingly, it was also found that â€Å"where teachers did initiate wider reading, this was sometimes against departmental practice, a semi-illicit addition to their workload and could thus be seen almost as a form of bootlegging† [72]. This study places emphasis on the need for school children to learn to read widely rather than just because they have to, but also shows that the current approach to reading and literacy is prohibitive rath er than encouraging[73]. It would seem that current pedagogical and classroom cultures are limiting the opportunities for children to develop as individuals, in their own ways, and to engage in individual ways with reading[74], making their own choices[75]. The Accelerated Reader programme appears to increase self-efficacy and motivation in primary students[76], but the evidence for this is limited and is based on American schools, which have a different culture to the UK. However, the interactive, ICT based nature of the programme makes it attractive to the current primary education context, particularly in enhancing cross-curricular knowledge development. The Evaluation The Accelerated Reader Scheme was implemented in three classes, years 3, 4 and 5 in a primary school in an urban, deprived area. The aim was to improve reading scores, using the scheme to support students to engage more with their own reading activities and progress. It is well known that attainment levels suffer in schools with a high proportion of children who are subject to socio-economic deprivation[77]. The Accelerated Reader Programme has been implemented with some success in a range of schools in the

The Sun Essay -- Sun Solar Power Solar System Essays

The Sun   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sun is the largest object in the solar system. It is a middle-sized star and there are many other stars out in the universe just like it. Even though it is only a middle-sized star it is large enough to hold over 1 million Earth’s inside if it were hollow. The temperature on the sun is far too much for any living thing to bear. On the surface it is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit and the core is a stunning 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. But don’t worry we are over 90,000 million miles away, the sun could never reach us, at least not yet. The sun is a still a middle aged star and later in its life it will become a Red Giant. In this stage it will get bigger, and closer to us causing a temperature increase and most likely the end of the world as we know it, but this will not take place for quite some time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But the sun is not our enemy, if it weren’t for that big ball of burning gas there would be no life on this planet at all. We need its heat, its light, and its energy. Without these our planet would be frozen over like a big ice cube and there would be no signs or traces of life ever. In total amount the sun provides about 2 pounds of energy to us every day. Yes, that’s right only 2 pounds. The sun evaporates water from the earth’s lakes, streams, and rivers. It also heats the earth and cools the earth at the same time. Without the Earth’s atmosphere to protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays we would be toast. This is kind of how the greenhouse effect takes place. The greenhouse effect is when the atmosphere of the earth traps heat from the sun and lets sunlight heat plants, yet prevents much of the heat from getting out. In a similar way, the atmosphere lets sunlight through to the surface of the earth. The sunlight warms th e earth, but the heat that created cannot easily pass back through the atmosphere into space.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now what is going on in the sun? When we look up we just see a bright object that makes us warm, sometimes gives us sunburn and gives us light, on the contrary. The sun is a mass of incandescent gas, a gigantic nuclear furnace where hydrogen is built into helium at a temperature of millions of degrees. The sun is so hot that everything on it is a gas. About 75% of the sun is made up of hydrogen, about 23% is helium and the remaining percent consist of iron, copper, aluminum, and about 70 more elements that are comm... ... as Stonehenge, to see the suns shadow and tell the time of day. Ancient people also used the sun to tell directions, they knew that it rose in the east and set in the west everyday, and that one whole day was the time it took the sun to get from one edge of the horizon to the other. Ancient calendars were based on the phases of the moon. The phases occur because sunlight reflected by the moon is seen from different angles as the moon circles the earth. Even today the sun has an important role in surveying and navigating people. Surveyors can use the sun to calculate their own position and other positions on the earth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, that about does it as a summary for the sun. Even though this essay may have brought out some true facts about the sun there is still much more to know about the sun. Some stuff we don’t even know about the sun and may never know, but what we do know is good. We know that it is the largest object in the solar system, it is the size of 1 million earth’s and it hotter than 27,000,000 in the core, now that’s cooking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The World Book Encyclopedia, â€Å"sun† Robert W. Noyes 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why the sun shines 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science Book

Maldives-a paradise on earth Essay

The Republic of Maldives consists of 1,190 islands (fewer than 200 are inhabited) in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka. The Maldives has a population of 270,000, of which about 70,000 reside in Male, the capital city. Beautiful atolls, inhabited by over 1,100 species of fish and other sea life, attract thousands of visitors each year. Tourism facilities are well developed on the resort islands. The Tsunami of December 26, 2004 caused some damage to several hotels and facilities on some of the islands. Most of the tourism infrastructure remains intact. Travelers planning to visit the Maldives should consult with travel agencies or the Maldivian Tourist Board to ensure their itineraries take this event into consideration. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Maldives for additional information. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport, along with an onward/return ticket and sufficient funds, is required for entry. A no-cost visitor visa valid for thirty days is issued upon arrival. The Department of Immigration and Emigration routinely approves requests for extension of stays up to ninety days for travelers who present evidence of sufficient funds and who stay in a resort or hotel or present a letter from a local sponsor. Anyone staying over sixty days without proper authorization faces heavy fines and deportation. All visitors departing the Republic of the Maldives (except diplomats and certain exempted travelers) must pay an airport departure tax. Travelers need a yellow fever immunization if they are arriving from an infected area. Arrival by private boat: Travelers arriving by private yacht or boat are granted no-cost visas, usually valid until the expected date of departure. Vessels anchoring in atolls other than Male must have prior clearance through agents in Male. Maldivian customs, police and/or representatives of Maldivian immigration will meet all vessels, regardless of where they anchor. Vessels arriving with a dog on board will be permitted anchorage, but the dog will not be allowed off the vessel. Any firearms or ammunition on board will be held for bond until the vessel’s departure. Specific inquiries should be addressed to the Maldives High Commission in  Colombo, Sri Lanka at No. 24, Melbourne Avenue, Colombo 4, telephone (94) (11) 2580076/2586762/2500943, or the Maldives Mission to the U.N. in New York, telephone (212) 599-6194. See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on the Maldives and other countries. Visit the website of the Maldives Permanent Mission to the United Nations at http://www.un.int/maldives/ for the most current visa information. Find more information about Entry and Exit Requirements pertaining to dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction. Please refer to our Customs Information to learn more about customs regulations. SAFETY AND SECURITY: For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, including the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad. CRIME: The Maldives has a low crime rate, but thefts of valuables left unattended on beaches or in hotels does occur. INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport  should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed. See our information on Victims of Crime. MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: The Maldives has limited medical facilities. There are two hospitals in Male: the government-owned Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGM) and the privately-owned Abduarahman Don Kaleyfan Hospital (ADK). ADK accepts some insurance plans, but IGM does not. The hospitals perform general, orthopedic and neurosurgery, but the Maldives has no trauma units, and spinal surgery is not available. Persons needing treatments not offered in the Maldives require evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility, such as in Singapore. Two recompression chambers are available in the Maldives. One is on Bandos Island (fifteen minutes by speedboat from Male) and the other is in Kuramathi (one hour by speed boat and about twenty minutes by air taxi from Male.) Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith. MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the Maldives is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. Only a few of the islands are big enough to support automobiles. Most transportation in the Maldives is by boat or seaplane (air taxi). The Maldives has good safety standards for land, sea, and air travel. Roads in Male and on the airport island are brick and generally well maintained. Dirt roads on resort islands are well kept by the resorts. Transportation on the small island on which the capital, Male, is situated is either by foot or by readily-available taxis. Transportation between the airport and Male, as well as to nearby resort islands, is by motorized water taxi and speedboat. Several local companies provide seaplane and helicopter service to outlying islands. Air taxis stop flying one hour before sunset, and several resorts do not transport passengers by boat between the airport and the resort island later than one hour before sunset. Visitors to distant resorts arriving in the country at night can expect to stay overnight at a hotel in Male or at the airport hotel and should confirm transfer arrangements in advance. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Religious Laws: Public observance of any religion other than Islam is prohibited. Religious gatherings such as Bible study groups are prohibited; however, a family unit may practice its religion, including Bible readings, within its residence. It is against the law to invite or encourage Maldivian  citizens to attend these gatherings. Offenders may face jail sentences, expulsion and/or fines. In the past, several non-Maldivian families resident in the Maldives, including some Americans, were expelled for allegedly engaging in religious proselytizing. Although Maldivian law prohibits importing â€Å"idols for religious worship,† tourists traveling to the resort islands are generally allowed to bring in items and texts used for personal religious observances. Currency: Credit cards are increasingly accepted outside large hotels and resorts; cash payment in dollars is accepted at most retail shops and restaurants and by taxi drivers.

Intro To Justice Administration Example

Intro To Justice Administration Example Intro To Justice Administration – Coursework Example Introduction to criminal justice United s has established various s that have been given the man to deal with crime. These institutions have been given different roles and responsibilities to address crime. Some of the agencies with defined responsibilities are the police and judicial. The security personnel in this case have a jurisdiction to stop operations of train services till the security issue is addressed. The passengers who saw the masked person who dropped the package should record statements will the police to help them in investigations. After the police do some investigations, they can arrest the suspects and detain them before they are taken to court. (Bohm & Haley, 2011).The court is another agency of jurisdiction. The court has the jurisdiction of making judgments when the suspects are brought before the judges. The judges can grant a bail or deny bail requests. If there is enough evidence that the suspects were involved in this terror act, the judges can make judgmen t and jail the criminals. The judgments made will depend on evidence presented by the prosecutor (Bohm & Haley, 2011).In this case, the police cannot meet the demand of the terrorists who are demanding the release of prisoners in overseas. The police officers should do their best to identify the origin of this anonymous call and arrest the caller. The criminal just system does not negotiate with criminals but they have to face the full force of law. They have to be dealt with accordingly by various jurisdiction agencies and get fair trials (Bohm & Haley, 2011).In conclusion the jurisdiction agencies should work hand in hand to ensure the rate of crime is controlled. The jurisdiction agencies stated above should be well monitored to ensure there are no conflicting roles. When these agencies are well used, such rates and be prevented in future after appropriate measures are taken (Bohm & Haley, 2011).ReferencesBohm, R., & Haley, K. (2011). Introduction to criminal justice (7th ed.). N ew York, N.Y.: Glencoe.

Basic in Management Essay example

Basic in Management Essay example Basic in Management Essay example resume basic in management as per Robbins, S., Coulter, M., Langton N. (2009) Management. 9th ed. pearson canada inc. toronto, on Week 1 Managerial concerns Efficiency (mean): doing the right thing Low resource waste (high efficiency) Effectiveness (ends): doing thing right High goal attainment (high effectiveness) Managerial function (to achieve organisation’s stated purpose) affected by culture Performing duties to efficiently and effectively coordinate the work of others Planning: degree of risk, plan developed by individual or team, degree of environmental scanning that management will engage Organizing: who much autonomy into employees jobs, task perform by individual or in team, degree that different managers interact with each other Leading: degree of concerns with employees job satisfaction, what leadership style is appropriate, if disagreement even constructive ones should be eliminated Controlling: impose external control or allow employees to control their own actions, criteria in employee’s performance evaluation, repercussion from exceeding budget Management role Interpersonal roles Informational roles Decisional roles Management skills Technical Human Conceptual Challenge to managing Ethics Workforce diversity Globalisation (international organisation) Costumers (create a customer-responsive culture: hire right employee, few rigid rules, empower employee, encourage listening skills, clarity of roles, have conscientious employee Innovations: nothing is more risky than not innovating Knowledge management :cultivation of a learning culture, encourage knowledge charing Type of e-business E-business-enhanced organisation (units within traditional organization) E-business-enabled organisation (tools and app. Used within traditional organization) Total e-business organisation (organisation’s entire work processes revolve around e-business model) Week 2 Manager how much control? Probably between omnipotent and symbolic views The omnipotent view: directly responsible for success or failure The symbolic view: limited effect on outcomes because of a large number of factors outside their control The organisational culture: The way we do things around here. Attention to details: employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis and attention to details Outcome orientation: manager focus on result or outcomes rather than how these outcome are acheived People orientation: take into account the effect on people Team orientation: work is organise around team rather than individual Aggressiveness: employees are aggressive and competitive rather than cooperative Stability: maintaining the status quo Innovation and rick taking: employees are encourage to be innovative and take risk Factor affecting strength of culture Size of organisation Age of the organisation Rate of employer turnover Strength of original culture Clarity of cultural values and beliefs Strong culture (make it easier for managers to achieve organisation goals) Create stronger employee commitment to the organisation Aids in recruitment High organisation performance by promoting employee initiative Employees learn culture by Stories Rituals Material symbols Language Managers can create ethical, innovative and customer-responsive culture Ethical culture High risk tolerance Low to moderate aggressiveness Focus on mean as well as outcomes Tips: be a visible role model, communicate ethical expectation, provide ethic training, visibly reward ethical and punish unethical acts, provide confidentiality Creating Innovative culture Challenge and involvement Freedom Trust and openness Idea time Playfulness/humor Conflict resolution Debates Risk taking Environment External: forces or institutions that can affect organisation’s performance Public pressure, suppliers, competitor, customers Specific: external forces that have a direct and immediate impact General: economics, socio-cultural,

Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Analysis - Essay Example The first part dwells on the first idea. It lasts from 0:00 to 2:59. The end of this part is obvious due to harmonic minor applied in the last idea in the piece to make a smooth transition to the second section. The second part starts at 2:59 and ends at 4:44. It is simpler in its melody because it repeats the second idea two times before the third section, which develops the first idea further (4:45-6:18). This part is interesting due to the fact that there is a special variation for cello in it and unusual transition between 2 variations of the first idea represented in this part. The last section dwells on variations of the second idea. They become minor and major, but the melody remains recognizable. This part is united with the previews one by â€Å"rhetoric† call and response linkage. It starts at 6:19 and ends at 7:53. The first section has violins in their leading part. They are followed by viola. Cello performs the role of bass in this section. The second section, on the contrary, is led by the viola and cello. Violin comes in the second variation of the idea together with pizzicato accompaniment of the viola. In the thirst section, violin and cello have major parts. After it cello has its solo. It is interrupted by viola and violins to lead the section to the end. The last section starts with cello. Violins and viola continue the melody further. This part is very airy; it is almost deprived of the bass party. Pizzicato cello appears in the second part of this section on the background to follow the violins and viola. It is notable that first two sections have the same tempo. They are both played in moderato which link them together. The first part is dynamic because of little expressive deviations in tempo close to the culmination. Melody is most tensed in the places where strings take the lead. Loud in the beginning, the melody fades out close to the end in the first section; it represents the models of

E. Franklin Fraizier's Black Bourgeoisie Research Paper

E. Franklin Fraizier's Black Bourgeoisie - Research Paper Example The â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† can be seen as a type of formal refutation of the â€Å"talented tenth† theory of W.E.B. DuBois, for where DuBois saw the vanguard elements of the educated, prosperous, and successful black affluent class in America in accepting leadership responsibility for the uplift of the larger race or community from bondage in the American apartheid system of the era, Frazier in the post-war era (1950’s) saw this to have been relatively hollow and false. Rather, Frazier saw the â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† as actually accepting â€Å"white† mainstream American values in a way that mimicked the wider oppressive society and gave little heed or moral recognition to the urgency of the poor, uneducated, and black people suffering under broader patterns of institutional racism. Instead, as shown in Frazier’s analysis of â€Å"black† media, the â€Å"talented tenth† who achieved success in relationship to the goals of the mainstream American society based on materialism were likely to be just as self-serving, hypocritical, and deaf to the needs of the poor or realities of the broader collective experience of racial segregation and discrimination. Whether or not there is anything out of the ordinary or exceptional about Frazier’s recognition can be disputed, for some argue that it reflects merely human nature in its corrupt element or the way power is used generally in society through control and coercion of others. The Marxist element of interpretation would see this as a fundamental element of Capitalism itself. In this regard, Frazier’s use of media interpretation in building a broader critique of society from the viewpoint of sociological method is innovative historically. Looking at the dynamics of the situation, early progressives, liberation, and civil rights leaders such as Dubois suggested as the educated numbers in the African-American community were educated and became integr ated into the society through successful social enterprises, they would naturally accept the leadership role that led to the further development of the black community nationally. This would come through economics, as in â€Å"black business†, and also through vanguard education, values in art, literature, music, popular media, etc. Frazier counters this and suggests that it is rather a social myth with no basis in evidence after 50+ years of African American progress when he wrote in the 1950’s. He suggests that the â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† vanguard culture is actually an assumption of the exclusionary and elitist social values of the broader capitalist system and society that also fuels and profits off of the racism of segregation. The â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† is more inherently selfish than revolutionary, more apt to work for their own status, wealth, and prestige, even if that is defined through the lack of experience in others. Whether or not this is human nature or an aspect of corruption inherent in capitalism cannot be determined without the subjective interpretation. Thus, Frazier presents his evidence via sociological methods and media deconstruction to show the pattern of values represented in the â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† popularly. In this regard, President Obama is one of the best examples of the â€Å"Black Bourgeoisie† in America today. He has attained the ultimate symbol of success in society, the Presidency, and as the first African-American or