Reflective Review of Youth Work Practice

My decision to study E131 Introduction to Working with Young people was based on my desire to cement my experiential learning by developing my knowledge of theoretical concepts through academic study. I have worked with young people for seven years, and the majority of my training thus far has been practice based. My current role is as a group worker in a therapeutic community for children and young people. The therapeutic community is a residential provision with a specialist education and therapy centre for children and young people with attachment disruption and trauma leading to social and behavioural difficulties.We also work with children displaying sexualised and self-harming behaviours. The therapeutic milieu which exists within the community is underpinned by an attachment focussed approach and provides stability for chaotic behaviour and a disregulated emotional state. The therapeutic provision is underpinned by an integrated team approach which includes Child Psychotherapy , Clinical and Forensic Psychology, Educational Psychology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Social Work and Counselling.Prior to beginning Open University’s E131 Introduction to Working with Young People, and due to the highly specialised nature of the work I do, I held the belief that I had little to learn relating to youth work. The most significant, and surprising, realisation I experienced whist working through the module was that I will never and can never know everything there is to know about youth work. In fact, the very nature of my role within the Therapeutic Community may have narrowed my view of young people to only the most damaged individuals, which in turn has narrowed my outlook on the issues that young people are faced with today.A young person commented ‘†¦you can’t talk about â€Å"understanding young people† – all young people are different, so you would have to know different things to understand them all’ (The Open University, 2005, Study Topic 3, pg 5). This statement impacted me in a way that I didn’t expect. Not only in my working life, but also in my view of young people in general. When working with the most damaged children in society the danger is that all young people become viewed as potentially violent, harmful and not to be trusted.This view is contradictory to the very nature of youth work as set out in the National Youth agency’s Ethical Principles, which states ‘youth workers have a commitment to treat young people with respect, valuing each individual and avoiding negative discrimination’ (Harrison and Wise, 2005, pg 20). Although I do not feel my practice is discriminatory, my somewhat insular views on young people, and preoccupation with high risk behaviour in my working life, may have negatively influenced my ability to ‘value the individual’.This is an area that, due to my learning throughout the module, I have made a concerted effort to address. I have renewed my efforts to look past the negative behaviour and the diagnoses to view the young people I work with as individuals who are not defined by their circumstances. This has had a positive impact on my working practice as I continue to reflect on ways in which I can be more open to the individual needs of the young people with whom I work. The learning throughout the module has also given me the opportunity to come to terms with and challenge another view I was unaware I held.I had given little consideration to the view I held on youth work in general other than my belief that the work I do is not technically ‘youth work’ but rather more specialised and important. This is a view I now consider to be arrogant and unhelpful. Howard Williamson states that the ‘public perception of youth work is still largely locked into ideas about youth clubs and table tennis and pool’ (Williamson, 2005, pg 70), and prior to beginning this module I mus t admit that I held a similar misconception.However, Williamson’s account of his own experiences of youth work and the positive impact it has on the lives of young people has altered my perception. Although this has not directly impacted on my working practice, it has enabled me to view my role as a group and individual worker within the wider context of youth work, and realise the importance of broadening the experiences of the young people with whom I work, through valuing the opportunities on offer within the wider community.The shift in my view of youth work has also enabled me to consider the challenges that exist in my own work setting. One of the fundamental principles of youth work is the ‘voluntary principal’ (Jeffs, cited in The Open University, 2005, Study Topic 12, pg 5). This is described as ‘the kind of work where young people can choose not to take part†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (The Open University, 2005, Study Topic 1, pg 5). Within the setting of a t herapeutic community, and specifically within the context of my role as group worker, I find it difficult to describe the opportunities on offer for the young people as voluntary.For example, the therapeutic, social and educational workshop programme, which young people who are resident in the therapeutic community have access to during the school holidays, is considered to be voluntary, although it is incentivised through access to days out and rewards for attendance. However, some of the young people resident within the community may consider that their placements are not voluntary, making it difficult to consider any of the interventions on offer as such.Although I accept that youth work in its truest form should be voluntary, it has been difficult for me to accept that the work that takes place with the young people within the Therapeutic Community is any less valuable. The young people with whom I work are the most damaged in the country and would not be able to access the type of support they need without what Mark Smith calls coercive forms of participation (Smith, cited in The Open University, 2005, Study Topic 2, pg 31). Should we let them choose to avoid forming relationships and realising their potential forever simply to retain a puritanical view of what youth work is supposed to be?Or should we, as adults, do everything in our power to prevent these young people, who society has already failed, become casualties of that failure? Mark Smith also introduced the idea that targeting ‘at risk’ young people for focussed work as a negative progression in terms of youth work in its purest form. Smith feels that ‘the identification of specific target groups has the potential to lead to a narrowing of the diversity of young people worked with’ (2003, cited in The Open University, 2005, Study Topic 2, pg 30).Although I agree with Smiths statement, I am also aware of the funding limitations which exist, and am a strong believer that the most vulnerable or ‘at risk’ young people in society are a priority in terms of accessing the support they need. Despite my desire to defend the work I do, and its less than voluntary nature, my practice has been positively impacted by reflecting on the reason why the ‘voluntary principal’ is so highly regarded in relation to youth work.Within the process of planning the therapeutic, social and education groups within our group work programme, I have realised the important of extensive consultation with the young people to ensure the topics covered are relevant to them; something they are interested in and value, rather than what I feel they need or want. In this regard, I have been able to ensure that group participation is due to values that are closer to the concept outlined by the ‘voluntary principal’ than the idea of coercive participation.The impact of my shift in perspective on the young people within the therapeutic community is ye t to be evidenced, but the planning process for the groups has been much more focussed. Bruce Tuckman (cited in the Open University, 2005, Study Topic 6) has identified the five stages in a group’s life, his concept names the stages as Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Morning. As a group worker this concept underpins my practice in that my observations of the group and its progress are linked to identifying the stage in which the group is functioning and adapting my role as facilitator accordingly.Due to the chaotic nature of the client group within the therapeutic community the group regularly revisits the Storming stage of group development. In Study Topic 6, (The Open University, 2005, pg 27) this stage has been identified as a time when ‘there may be overt or covert antagonism towards the group worker’. When reflecting on my role as group facilitator, the reaffirmation of the pressures placed on me during this stage has been helpful. I have been rem inded about the importance of regular reflection in relation to the emotive aspect of group work in order to ensure the experience is safe and effective for the young people involved.In addition, the reflections of Guy Butler-Madden a Youth Support Worker at Lowbridge Youth Centre (Audio theme 6), in relation to the ‘storming’ stage of the DofE groups, impacted my learning through developing a shared understanding of some of the more challenging aspects of group work with others who work in a similar field. The final area of the module which has impacted on my learning is the importance of reflection. Study Topic 10 introduced the work of Donald Schon (1996) who advocated the ‘reflective practitioner approach to professional decision making’ (cited in the Open University, 2005, Study Topic 10, pg 6).Schon emphasises the importance of reflection for professional development and problem solving, rather than relying on ‘off the peg solutions’. Thi s concept has significantly impacted my approach to the work I do, in as much as I have introduced a weekly reflective space with my colleagues in order to consider decision making and problem solving in a formal setting. The act of practicing the art of reflection in a formal setting should impact my learning in that reflection will become second nature, thus improving my practice.In conclusion, the most significant impact my learning from the module has had on what I have already learned in my work with young people, has been identifying and challenging some of my preconceptions. In particular I feel that studying E131 has helped me gain a better understanding youth work in its purest form, its purpose and its values; and has allowed me to view youth work as a valuable tool in aiding young people through their transition into adulthood. My understanding of group process has been cemented and I have developed an insight into the challenges faced by other organisations in relation t o group dynamics.Finally, I have learned the value of effective reflection, and how professional development through using my knowledge as a fluid tool to enable effective decision making, rather than having a ridged view of the way an issue should be approached, can lead to more positive outcomes. All of these areas have impacted on what I have already learned from working with young people by allowing me to view my role within the wider context of youth work. My outlook has shifted insomuch as I now feel part of a wider agenda which seeks to enable young people to transition successfully and positively into adulthood.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse PREFACE

To my husband, Pancho, for your patience, love, friendship, humor, and willingness to eat out. And also to my children, Gabe, Seth, and Eli, for letting me experience the kind of love that people freely die for. Fire and Ice Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. Robert Frost PREFACE ALL OUR ATTEMPTS AT SUBTERFUGE HAD BEEN IN VAIN. With ice in my heart, I watched him prepare to defend me. His intense concentration betrayed no hint of doubt, though he was outnumbered. I knew that we could expect no help – at this moment, his family was fighting for their lives just as surely as he was for ours. Would I ever learn the outcome of that other fight? Find out who the winners and the losers were? Would I live long enough for that? The odds of that didn't look so great. Black eyes, wild with their fierce craving for my death, watched for the moment when my protector's attention would be diverted. The moment when I would surely die. Somewhere, far, far away in the cold forest, a wolf howled.

World Cultures and Cultural Lifestyles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

World Cultures and Cultural Lifestyles - Essay Example With new attitudes, cultures and lifestyles flooding these regions brought forward by new business growth and job opportunities, very old-world systems of family and cultural relationships are taking on a modern appeal and value system. Depending on the type of culture in a certain foreign region, the impact of new attitudes greatly increases the chances of change in cultural systems all across the world. In regions of the world such as Saudi Arabia and India, there is a collectivist mentality that puts large emphasis on the needs of group loyalty and group welfare. People who hail from collectivist nations tend to view themselves as extended members of a larger family unit and generally these individuals have a great deal of respect for tradition and the reciprocation of favors (Blodgett, Bakir & Rose, 339). Collectivist nations often perform their business activities in such a way where group membership and group affiliation are demanded from domestic and foreign business leaders. This type of traditionalist culture and those who value its family-oriented concept will often demand a different style of business meeting where friendship, camaraderie, and informal discussions are the norm. What occurs in a collectivist culture when foreign business leaders who value more individualism and self-expression bring their new ideas forward is a change in attitude that is more Westernized rather than traditionalist in the region. Why is this? New changes in business presence and ideas that form from foreign business leadership begin to restructure business principles and therefore changes the attitudes of those working within this new globalized organization. For instance, new call centers developed in Saudi Arabia, as one example, might be originally focused on providing a forum for consumers to demand changes to product variety. However, after the influx of foreign business leadership from countries such as the United States, new styles of performing call center func tions that now are geared toward individualized customer service have changed the local culture simply through business restructuring. It is important to identify that cultural interdependency is not only present in business, but can be found sociologically in a variety of different international communities. â€Å"Leaders aspiring to be effective in multi-cultural environments must develop an awareness of the different dimensions of culture that are and will be most central to their constituencies† (Shriberg & Kumari, 20). What this is suggesting is that leadership must be flexible in multi-cultural environments and be adaptable to foreign attitudes related to culture and lifestyle. It does not necessarily mean that individuals from foreign countries are, necessarily, going to be able to make changes to how domestic cultures perform their lifestyle and business activities. For example, in certain cultures, there might be a preference for older, traditionalist ways and theref ore they resist any changes that bring liberal and individualistic attitudes into the local culture hailing from foreign visitors or business leaders. Cultural interdependency has become a product of a changing globe and the demands that are placed on what was once an under-developed country in order to make the local culture more in-line with flexible and adaptable individualistic mentalities. In an environment where group norms are powerful as it is related to traditionalist values, it becomes more and more difficult to change these attitudes to make them more flexible and progressive especially if the local cultural values greatly conflict with

IMAGES ON THE DANGERS OF SMOKING AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS ON SMOKERS Essay

IMAGES ON THE DANGERS OF SMOKING AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS ON SMOKERS - Essay Example The recent attempt of the UK government in providing graphic warning images on cigarette packets are commendable in this respect. The success rate of this attempt in bringing down the addiction level remains a matter of speculation, for both theoretical analysis and empirical facts vary on the efficacy of such methods. Health psychologists believe that addiction is a behavioural disorder and proper health aware ness along with behavioural treatment (Baban & Craciun, 2007) among people might be instrumental in dealing with such addictive behaviour. Addiction to smoking is considered to be health-risk behaviour and calls for intervention. Effective intervention strategy and its implementation on the part of the government establishment are most helpful and fruitful in such cases of public awareness. The style and nature of intervention actually makes the difference in the success rate of goal achievement. Therefore it is imperative that the organisation, government or otherwise adopts the intervention device that could motivate and help the individual addict to get over the addiction permanently. Intervention is generally made by means of a number of intervention models namely the motivation model, behavioural enactment model and the multi-stage model (Baban & Craciun, 2007). What becomes most important is the connection between intervention based behaviour change and improvement in the general perception of a healthy life as pointed out by Abraham and Michie (2008). This particular effort on the part of the government to creat e better awareness by highlighting on the adverse effects of smoking could be termed as motivational intervention. In this case the objective of the intervention by means of some kind of a threat to one’s happiness is to induce a behaviour change and also by so doing motivating one to give it up. The health belief model which is a form of motivational model

Politicization of the Civil Service Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Politicization of the Civil Service - Article Example Rouban makes interesting points that do serve to illuminate the problems inherent in a system in which all laws and institutions serve a political agenda to one degree or another. Where the article succeeds best is in showing that not all bureaucracies are the same and that the definition of a civil servant varies from one country to another. As a result, the most fascinating aspect of the article may be that it enlightens one to the shifting values of political import to be found in a country's social and cultural aspects. The idea that educators might be subject to political pressure in following their career path is especially frightening. This article furthers the ideas of Wilsonian separation of politics from administration while also adhering to Weber's theories on hierarchical assumptions. The problems that must be faced is that while Weber is correct in advocating the theoretical ideals of impersonal organization, ultimately the truth must be faced that everything carries a political component.

Corruption In The United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corruption In The United States - Essay Example Most obseThere are few things determining corruption in the United Sates. The economic approach to corruption in the US starts with the costs and benefits facing corrupt potential public offices. As put across, corruption is actually the use of public office or power for personal gains. In American, the most rampant determinant of corruption is the ability of a public official to increase someone’s private wealth by paying that person using money from the public purse. In extreme cases, this someone could be just the public official himself. Additionally, the other means by which public officials create wealth for themselves is through the transfer of government property to private persons for their own benefit (Williams and Kenneth 6-8). For instance, the transfer of government land to traction companies in the nineteenth century is a popular form of corruption. Furthermore, the other primary form of corruption is the creation of private wealth through manipulation of office power or enforcements of legal rulings in favor of personal gains. Some recent data collected from different states in the US reveal that the rising corporate agriculture to dominate the economies of rural and farm communities is one of the most devastating events of corruption in this country’s history. The data put across that, sixty years ago, there were over six million farms dotted across the landscape of America. Later, the number declined to only two million whereby the large numbers of these are small and medium-sized operations. sized operations. Surprisingly, the bulk of profits from corporate agriculture accrue to only a few hundred super farms. Few companies control most of these farms and there are increasing cases of vertical integration. These companies are flourishing and rural communities are suffering economically, socially, and environmentally due

Managing workplace diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing workplace diversity - Essay Example It is evident from the study that for the last decades, the term diversity has been used to mean the â€Å"demographic constitution of a particular group or team†. In experimental studies, the diversity of a team is normally determined using compositional technique, which focuses on how demographic characteristics such as ethnicity, gender, age among others are distributed within the team. Assessment of diversity in workplace entails determination of the extent in which members are similar or dissimilar to one another. According to Caleb, diversity represents the numerous individual disparities existing among people in particular organization. In studies of diversity in workplaces, various attributes of employees have been proved to be of critical importance in the current management practices. They include gender, ethnicity, length of service in the particular organization, areas of specialisation and skills, level of education, cultural values in addition to personality of t he individual. The content of diversity in workplaces has been a subject of many research studies. Aparna and Susan classified the content of diversity into two categories, namely task and relations oriented. Relations oriented diversity involves the availability of traits or attributes that are influential in determining interpersonal associations. In normal circumstances, relations oriented diversity does not have direct noticeable effects on the performance of tasks (Aparna and Susan, 2000: 60). Mike (2004: 157) consider relations oriented diversity as the social -category diversity. Task oriented diversity is the distribution of the performance-relevant attributes. Examples of attributes that are more likely to be relationship-oriented diversity include age, sex, race, ethnicity, religion, political association, sexual orientation and nationality. These attributes are readily indentified or recognised in a particular context (Caleb, 2006). Other relationship oriented attributes are not readily detected in workplace setting. They include gender, attitudes, values, personality, racial and ethnic identity, sexual and class identity among other social identities. Task oriented diversity attributes in the work place include readily identified qualities such as education level, membership to an organisation or department, association with professional bodies, formal credentials and titles in addition to organisation tenure. However, some task oriented diversity attributes are not obvious, or easily detected. They include knowledge and expertise, cognitive skills and abilities, in addition to physical skills and capacities (Aparna and Susan 2000: 201). Research on performance of employees in a multicultural background indicates that diverse teams perform differently from homogenous groups (Kreitner and Kinicki 1995:72) Although the exact mechanisms that cause the disparity in performance remain speculative, various existing theories provide feasible explanation t o the difference.

Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Plagiarism - Essay Example This practice has been well-known as plagiarism. This can be universally defined as the act of copying or imitating the works, words, ideas, thought, or feelings conveyed by an author in a particular text without acknowledging the original text and the author. In many cases, the doers of plagiarism are students who do their assignments haphazardly, who do not trust their own knowledge and ability on the given task, and others who aim for a high mark. Aside from this, plagiarism has evolved from being just the mere act of copying and pasting texts. In general, there are two basic acts of plagiarism; these are the total plagiarism and the partial plagiarism. Total plagiarism is defined as an act of an individual to copy all the texts of a specific source and considers them his or her own work. This replication of published texts is a fraudulent act, which also encompasses the act of photocopying a material without asking permission from the author or the publisher. Aside from this, a full plagiarism can also occur when an individual copies verbatim a sentence or a phrase, which is composed of three or more words from a source. It is essential for an individual to avoid full or total plagiarism, especially when the person does not have any intention of citing the source or sources because, in the academe, it is considered as academic dishonesty.

Student must present and analyze this data and based on the analysis Essay

Student must present and analyze this data and based on the analysis students must derive requirements for the design of a simple decision support system to hel - Essay Example 2002, p.237). The hard part of selecting what best fits you is still present as below. From the above analysis, it is evident that software is good in saving time and cost effective. In restaurant, investing in software is a priority due to the monies they are willing to use. According to Barnes (2004), nowadays the choice of the software determines what you will be able to accomplish in time. In small scale business ventures, the owners need to be directed on what to use. Further, they should be trained how to use them since from the above two scenarios, they are experiencing difficulties in the operations. Also, during the purchase of the software, they rely much on the leadership of specialist, thus for them to be successful, a strategic department specializing in their advice should be set up which will lead them in selecting the software and informing them of the advantages of each. Further, they should be made aware of the importance of upgrading the software. According to Cynthia, M. (2006), software update minimizes the effects of data loss and makes the organization fit security wise. In this regard, they should be made aware of other services which exist since they appear to be only using the software which has been in existence since long ago. In addition, they should be made aware that, the amount they invest in software will be returned in terms of profits. Software raging from $400 and above should be designed aimed for the small scale business man. One is willing to invest in the correct software, one which will perform as per specifications. The environment one is in also plays some part. For example, family members as well as friends have been helping one in deciding and this is mostly if one is in the computing sector. In all the industry environments, software is in much demand but with the right specification. Cynthia, M. (2006). Beyond terrorism: data collection and responsibility for privacy. VINE, 36 (4), pp.  377-394 [Online]

Plea Bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Plea Bargaining - Essay Example According to a task force instituted to address issues in the judicial system, there was major underfunding within the judicial system, unlike other state government elements that fared much better in the recent economic crisis of 2009/2010 (Bibas, n.d.). Considering that most expenses within the judiciary are staff wages, it has been argued in the past that plea bargaining is the best thing that happened to the judicial system. Political analysts and lawmakers have dubbed plea-bargaining as "the new criminal justice system." Because plea-bargaining offers both efficiency and reduced logistical and financial resources, it is overly perceived that without plea-bargaining, an explosion of the court cases would erupt, increasing costs rapidly while at the same time disrupting the present legal system. The primary advantage for the continuance of plea bargaining is that it is vital in ensuring sustained efficiency and function of the criminal justice framework. Many people are of the opinion that if plea bargaining would be discontinued; the judicial legal framework would just cave in from the load of managing ever-increasing criminal cases with limited resources. Individuals supporting plea bargaining argue that while felony caseloads are seen to increase two-fold with every passing decade, the assets set aside to facilitate the activities associated with tackling crime and providing justice only increase by a small margin (Golde & Bonjour, 1975). They contend that plea bargaining is therefore required for the efficient allocation and distribution of judicial resources. Individuals in support additionally argue that extra increases in expenses because of executing trials for each defendant would only be another cost generating gateway, overburdening an already starving economy. Plea bargaining is additionally preferred because it offers extra flexibility in the US judicial framework. Prosecutors are offered the

A Collegiate Dilemma Essay Example for Free

A Collegiate Dilemma Essay Favoritism is the tendency of an individual to discriminate against another person or a group of persons. It happens when an individual favors another over others. In most cases, it occurs as a result of an individuals value judgment and thus it is an attitude( http://dictionary. die. net/favoritism ). For instance, in many learning institutions especially those dealing with higher education favoritism occurs when professors favor some students simply because they want to have intimate relationship with them. Such inclination or or disposition to favor some students or even treat others unfairly on the basis of prejudice motivated by the lust to have sexually exploitative relationship confirms the presence of favoritism in universities and colleges. College professors are supposed to display both ethical and scholarly standards in the best way possible. These standards are guided by ethical principles which include the following. Professors should not engage in any form of dual relationships with their students. They should not sexually harass the students. According to American Association of University Press (AAUP, 1987) professors should provide a free learning environment to their students and respect them. They should serve as role models of a scholar and also a thinker. They must not harm the people they work with either physically or emotionally ( http://www. google. com/search? num=100hl=ensafe=offq=Keith-Spiegel+et+al. %2C+2002+on+consequences+of+favoritismbtnG=Search). They should treat every person equally. They should also award grades in a transparent manner and provide a ream for grades appeal to avoid what can be referred to as Sexually Transmitted Grades (STGs). Dignity should guide their relationship with those they work with. Violation of any of these principles as a result of favoritism is unethical. Romance between professors and students will encourage favoritism and thus it is unethical. Romance between professors and students results to severe negative consequences. Many students are either physically or emotionally harmed in the process. Students concerned acquire STGs which are unfairly acquired demoralizing the other students. The professor and the student involved devote a lot of time in the relationship and produce â€Å"half – baked† professionals who cannot execute their roles properly in the future. It is therefore the professors responsibility to strictly observe the limits in their relationship with the students while defining both their roles together with their respective behavior even when out of the academic setting (http://www. collegevalues. org/articles. cfm? id=1416a=1). Refferences Definition: favoritism retrieved from http://dictionary. die. net/favoritism on 14th april, 2008 A Collegiate Dilemma: The Lack of Formal Training in Ethics for Professors retrieved from http://www. collegevalues. org/articles. cfm? id=1416a=1 on14th April, 2008 Keith-Spiegel et al. , 2002 retrieved from http://www. google. com/search? num=100hl=ensafe=offq=Keith-Spiegel+et+al. %2C+2002+on+consequences+of+favoritismbtnG=Search on 14th April, 2008. De Russy 2003 on consequences of favoritism retrieved from http://www. collegevalues. org/articles. cfm? id=1416a=1 on 14th April, 2008 Rupert and Holmes on favoritism retrieved from http://www. collegevalues. org/articles. cfm? id=1416a=1 on 14th April, 2008

The under achievement of boys in Language Learning

The under achievement of boys in Language Learning For many years, research has been carried out in the field of applied linguistics, predominantly from a psychological perspective, on the attitudes towards foreign language positioning gender issues as important in understanding attitudes towards learning (Powell Batters, 1985; Loulidi, 1990; Bacon Finnemann, 1992; Ellis, 1994; Clark Trafford, 1995, 1996), sited in Kobayashi 2002:181). Gender differences in attitudes towards learning foreign languages have been repeatedly witnessed, compelling researchers to provide an explanation for the fact by drawing attention on the ways that gender may affect ones attitude in learning a foreign language. Foreign languages in schools have been rendered as the subject in which the disparity between girls and boys performance is at its greatest (Barton (2002), sited in Murphy 2010:81). Considerable international data has emerged (Field, 2000; Chavez, 2001; Carr and Pauells, 2006), illustrating that achievement and participation in foreign languages in schools seems to be predominantly the domain of girls (Murphy, 2010). The underachievement of boys in language learning, the low participation of boys in foreign language modules as well the negative attitudes of boys towards the learning of a language has led in research trying to identify the underlying reasons. The gender gap noticed in performance on foreign languages at an international level (Murphy, 2010), has led in gender to be considered other than the socioeconomic background of students, also an important factor in understanding the attitudes of both girls and boys in learning foreign languages at school. This paper seeks to explore and bring together the various factors affecting boys attitudes towards the learning of a language. It attempts to understand why foreign language learning may be experiencing a particular delineation of participation and achievement along gender lines and to raise awareness of the issue of boys and foreign language learning. Moreover, this paper shall draw attention on the various methods that teachers could employ in order to motivate boys and raise their involvement and achievement. Boys and foreign language learning Nowadays, due to an enormous amount of statistical information it is widely accepted that boys perform less well than girls in all kinds of schools with the greatest gap found in foreign languages (Murphy, 2010). Davies (2004) points out that researchers over the past decade (Barton, 2002; Jones Jones, 2002; Clark Trafford, 1996) have noted, in particular, that the disparity in performance between boys and girls is significantly greater in modern languages than in other areas of the curriculum. The option of learning a foreign language is not taken seriously by boys in schools with the majority of them refusing it or not fully becoming engaged with it (Murphy, 2010). Clark (1998) and Chavez (2001) argue that in reality, from the moment foreign language study becomes optional and as the study of foreign languages become more advanced in school systems, classrooms across the English language dominant communities of the world are inhabited primarily by girls(Murphy, 2010:81). Data tak en from the UK, Australia and New Zealand shows the low participation of boys in foreign language learning. At advanced levels of foreign language learning in schools across these countries boys only count 24-38% of all students with an average of only 33% of male participation (Muprhy, 2010). In the UK specifically, the gender-gap in achievement among several subjects has been recognized by the government which in the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status has made explicit reference of the distinctive needs of boys and girls (Murphy, 2010) leading in teachers having as one of their main targets the development of strategies to respond to the different needs (Davies, 2004). It has been noticed that boys in the UK educational system generally have less favourable attitudes towards foreign language learning than girls and are less likely to take a language in a public examination (Pritchard, 1987:65). Davies (2004), points out that in 2000 the average size of the gender gap across subjects (i.e. girls results minus boys) was 9.2%, which prompted headlines such as Girls stay top of the class in GCSEs (Guardian) and GCSE results reveal that boys are failing to close the gender gap (Independent). The GCSE results in 2001 and 2002 have shown that the gender gap across all subje cts is persisting at 9% with a higher figure of 15.6% in modern languages indicating that boys are underperforming more severely in this subject; a phenomenon also confirmed by the Nuffield Languages Inquiry (Davies 2004). For example, in 2000, statistics showed 44% of boys achieved grades A*-C in French whereas 60% of girls achieved those marks. Comparable results were found in German with 49% of boys achieving Grades A*-C compared to 63% of girls in the same year (Davies, 2004). Bradford and Noble (2000) point out that an examination of the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) results as well as A-levels confirms that girls do far better than boys in foreign languages. Davies (2004) argues that if GCSE results serve as an indicator of linguistic performance that means that although statistics have shown some progress since 1992, the gender gap remains wide. In all secondary school subjects, modern languages are the most likely to be dropped by boys at key stage 4, being the least popular amongst the other subjects (Bradford Noble 2000). Main Concerns The above facts have led in a considerable amount of concern to be expressed about the underachievement of boys in various subjects, especially foreign languages (Williams et al. 2002). As we enter the next millennium, it is the underachievement of boys that has become one of the biggest challenges facing society today (Wragg (1997), sited in Williams et al. 2002:508). A major concern is that due to the increasing disproportion between the percentage of girls and boys taking public examination in the five most popular languages taught in the UK (Powell 1979; Hawkins 1981) the profession of language teaching is becoming increasingly feminized (Pritchard, 1987). According to Pritchard (1987), this is also a matter of concern as it means that fewer and fewer boys are likely to be available for training as future language teachers, a fact which makes it increasingly possible that boys will be taught predominantly by women teachers (Pritchard, 1987: 65). In turn this is more likely to enhance the perception of boys that languages are a girl subject contributing in the maintenance of a vicious circle leading in boys underachievement in languages (Pritchard, 1987). This leads in further concerns arising as language learning may be seen as a key component in pursuing the objectives of co-operation between states, respect for the identity of others and the promotion of mutual understanding (Moys (1998), sited in Williams et al. 2002:508). According to Graddol (1997), we move into an era where peoples future will need to be based on multilingualism therefore such a situation has severe consequences (Williams et al., 2002). The Nuffield Inquiry points to the need for foreign languages in the new century from a European perspective, from a business stance, and because of the rising need for international communication and highlights the fact that many employees in Europe can speak a second, third and fourth language. Speaking English alone will not be enough to ensure a full and productive participation in the 21st Century (Graddol (1997), sited in Williams et al., 2002). Moreover, Williams et al. (2002) point out that both the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Nuffield Inquiry indicate that there is a need for foreign language as the lack of it has been a major barrier in business. The Nuffield Inquiry identifies that there is an inadequate supply of language skills available to industry across a range of languages and points out that UK companies are more deficient in linguistic and cultural competence than their major European competitors. It recommends that in order to promote international understanding and contribute to economic success the government should show commitment in setting a national policy agenda for languages and enhance international dimension in education (Williams et al., 2002). Reviewing the reasons To be able to deal with these issues one (either that is the government, school or teachers) must be aware of the personal, interpersonal and external factors leading in boys opting out or underachieving in foreign language learning. As according to the Office of National Statistics (1999) girls consistently outperform boys both in GCSE and A-Levels in modern languages there must be mainly gender differences that cause this consistency. Muprhy (2010) argues that efforts to understand and to explain the effect of gender on language learning, and in this case in particular foreign-language learning, can generally be categorised into the traditional binary structure of either nature or nurture (Murphy, 2010:89). According to Murphy (2010), differences in language learning between girls and boys may be attributed to two positions namely, the essentialist and anti-essentialist position. The essentialist position contends that there are innate and inherent brain differences between females and males, which result in different language learning abilities for the two sexes (Young and Brozo (2001), sited in Murphy, 2010). According to the essentialist position, linguistic information goes directly to the seat of language processing in the female brain, whereas males use sensory machinery to do a great deal of work in untangling linguistic data resulting in more inefficient processing of language (Murphy, 2010:89). As per this perspective girls are qualified with possessing other innate characteristics that give them advantage in foreign language classes i.e. enhanced aural, oral and memory skills as well as social and collaborative learning styles, intrinsic motivation and concentration (Murphy, 2010). Cecco and Shaw (2008), point out that according to brain research brains develop differently according to gender even before we are born, with females having more language centres and males having more visuo-spatial centres. Moreover, they point out that there are three preferred ways of learning i.e. auditory, visual and kinaesthetic, with the visual and kinaesthetic learners processing information mainly from the right side of the brain, the dominant side in boys learning. According to Noble et al. (2001), verbal and linguistic intelligence required for language learning is linked to the auditory learning the weakest style in boys (Cecco and Shaw, 2008). The anti-essentialist position holds a socio-cultural perspective contending that gender is about socially constructed maleness and femaleness and the performance of same (Murphy, 2010). Carr and Pauwels (2006) argue that it is generally accepted that enduring hegemonic versions of masculinity in society accord little importance to the oracy skills, personal expression, disclosure, introspection, exploration and literate practices, which form the bedrock of foreign language classroom practice (Carr and Pauwels (2006), sited in Murphy, 2010:89). According to this perspective, language classrooms therefore involve ways of working and learning, which contradict the dominant versions of masculinity, that frame many males out-of-school experience (Gilbert and Gilbert 1998; Hall and Coles 2001, sited in Murphy, 2010). As males of school-going age experience particular pressure to be accepted, to conform and to perform hegemonic versions of masculinity many males will avoid, dismiss and rej ect peer-disdained activities (Rankin et al., 2004) of which foreign language is one, with the resulting consequences for relative male participation and achievement (Murphy, 2010). According to Cecco and Shaw (2008), the factors for gender differences explained by nurture cover various learned attitudes and behaviours that seem often to be modelled unconsciously. Minns (1991) argues that social and cultural attitudes about gender are learnt from birth and are modelled and reinforced, often unconsciously, by parents and other significant adults, including teachers (Minns 1991, sited in Cecco and Shaw 2008:11). Bleach (1998) also argues that socialisation towards particular roles takes place based on the adult version of appropriate behaviour (Cecco and Shaw, 2008). According to Barton (1997), differentiation between the sexes from birth is inevitable and important as our identity is determined by the knowledge of our sex. Most parents encourage behaviours appropriate to the childs gender e.g. males are expected to be more noisy and adventurous whereas girls are supposed to be passive and dependent to others. The toys and games given to children nature the characteristics conforming each gender. e.g. cars and building kits foster creativity and spatial awareness whereas dolls, teady bears or domestic appliances such as cookers mostly resemble human or animal life (Barton, 1997). Therefore, Barton (1997) argues that if we consider the prerequisites for language learning, it becomes clear that girls toys, promoting human contact and communication, give them [girls] an immediate advantage over boys (Barton, 1997:11). Moreover, it is argued that role models in the home have an influence in the childs life and ways of learning (Barton, 1997). The male figure model is more practical and goes out to work daily whereas the female prepares meals, takes care of the children and doesnt work so hard. Even where children live in an environment which does not conform to domestic norms they may be influenced by those stereotypes through the media. Therefore, their learning is also influenced as girls are meant to sit down and abuse their brains whereas boys are meant to move around. (Barton, 1997) Furthermore, studies have showed that both parents and teachers interactions with children can either consciously or otherwise endorse the different approaches of the two sexes to language use (Barton, 1997). Fagots (1977) study revealed that teachers interactions with girls were more verbal whereas they tended to join in with boys play (Barton, 1997). Boys unwillingness to listen to others as well as the challenge required by them in order to get motivated do not enable them to perform well in language learning as the lesson makes demands of them that are inconsistent with the linguistic role normally expected of them by the society (Barton, 1997). Moreover, peer pressure is considered to be an important social factor affecting the attitudes of boys towards learning a language. Youngs research (1994) offers much in support of the view that learner perceptions and experience of peer attitudes concerning school, education, foreign language learning in general or the learning of a particular language in question may exert considerable influence on the individuals own FLL orientation, attitudes and motivation (Bartram, 2006:47). Also, Walqui (2000) argues that teenage peer pressure usually has a negative effect on language learning due to the performance element involved in this learning which may provoke feelings of insecurity and embarrassment (Bartram, 2006). According to Barton (1997) male adolescents will, no doubt, find it much more difficult than females to relinquish their hold on their primary means of communication and expose their breaking voices to their peers ridicule (Barton, 1997:12).The fact that males have a need t o show off and be thought as successful does not allow them to get involved with something that would make them feel insecure or embarrassed. Boys [] think success is sad, and that image is all-important (Hofkins, (1995), siten in Barton, 1997:12). In addition, peer group pressure is considered be a key reason for the demotivation of boys in learning languages as according to Court (2001) boys need to assert their emerging sexual identity (Bartram, 2006). Due to the feminised associations of language learning boys usually reject it or do not get involved with it. Barton (1997) argues that making clear ones sexual identity and appearing one of the lads is, it seems, foremost in the male adolescent mind and is often achieved by appearing uninterested and boasting of missed homework (Barton, 1997:12). In their momentous study of psychological research published, Jacklin and Macoby (1974) came to the conclusion that boys are more susceptible to peer pressure than girls with teachers and advisors investigating male underachievement coming up with remarkably similar findings (Barton, 1997). The fact that boys need to assert their sexual identity can be supported by studies into attitudes and motivation towards learning different languages in the UK. Chambers reported a differential rise in the number of students entering for GCSE examinations in French (4%) and German (22%) between 1991 and 1994 (Williams et al., 2002). Philips and Filmer-Sankeys (1993) findings showed that the majority of pupils of both sexes preferred learning German to learning French and that more boys than girls showed an interest in learning German. According to Barton (1997), this is due to the fact that German has a masculine image and is viewed as more useful by boys for industry and commerce. Interviews of students have revealed that French is considered feminine and not cool for boys to make an effort in learning French (Williams et al., 2002). In the popular imagination French would be associated with fine wines, good cooking, haute couture and luxurious perfumes all either domestic or feminine in orientation [whereas] German language is associated in pupils minds with masculine-type imagery such as war, harshness, strictness, shouting, the Nazis and Hitler (Pritchard, 1987:65). The fact that French is considered as feminine is considered to contribute in the low motivation and achievement of boys in French as they do not wish to harm their image and sexual identity. Furthermore, the fact that the most popular and widely taught language in the UK is French is particularly offputting boys who are far less inclined than girls to see French as useful to them in a future job or course of study (Powell and Littlewood, 1983) (Pritchard, 1987). Moreover, there has been evidence to suggest that boys rate French as more difficult (Clark Trafford, 1996), less important (Powell Batters, 1985) and less relevant to their future lives than girls (Pritchard, 1987) (Court, 2001:7). Stables and Wikeley (1999) found that other reasons putting boys off involve the belief that modern languages are difficult and that they are not required for international communication. Although science and mathematics may also be considered as difficult, boys view the effort as necessary due to the importance of the qualification. Stables and Wikeley (1999) point out that Employers do not, in general, require GCSE in a modern language; to be more exact, pupils seem little aware that they might. Thus the difficulty that many pre-GCSE pupils seem to find with modern foreign languages is not offset in many cases by the belief that the effort is really worthwhile (Stables and Wikeley, 1999:30). Moreover, Stables and Wikeley (1999) argue that in the UK where the home language is also the dominant international language, motivation to learn is inevitably less than in countries where failure to speak other languages is seen as severely personally limiting. As members of a national cultur e with strong international standing, pupils may also lack motivation in the form of curiosity about other national cultures (Stables and Wikeley, 1999). What also seems to de-motivate male students in learning foreign languages is the lesson content itself as well as the assessment methods used. Barton (1997) points out that features of the language lesson may seem as a threat to male identity. Reading fictional novels, that is considered as a feminine activity, puts boys off as they prefer informative texts such as newspapers, articles and comics; a thing which needs to be bared in mind by teachers and educators. Moreover, as dialogue is crucial in learning a language, boys usually hesitate to get involved as dialogues indicate vulnerability (Barton, 1997). Boys usually hesitate to ask for directions or corrections. In an investigation into patterns of interactions in foreign language classes, Sunderland (1998) found that even if boys did talk more, the girls exhibited more sophisticated interactions, and actively created learning opportunities for themselves and took advantage of those the teacher provided them with (Sunderland (19 98), sited in Williams et al. 2002:508) Furthermore, due to the fact that boys from a young age are not taught to sit still and listen but to search for the experience, they are unable to concentrate on language tasks, leading in teachers complaining about boys attitude in the classroom (Barton, 1997). Moreover, Jones and Jones (2001) have found that boys see modern languages as different from other subjects mainly because of the central position of the teacher in the language classroom and that boys who are underperforming tend to see the teacher as responsible for the difficulties they are having because the pedagogy of modern languages is so teacher-centred ( Cecco and Shaw, 2008:7). In addition, Cecco and Shaw (2008) point out that boys attributes are not particularly favoured by the requirements of coursework, i.e. sustained effort, process as well as outcome and often a considerable amount of well-presented written work. Although exams themselves may suit boys sudden bursts of effort, national awards in recent years have incorporated increased amounts of coursework. However, Arnot et al. (1998) argue that fairness to all learners involves a variety of assessment modes so that all pupils have opportunities to produce their best performance (Cecco Shaw, 2008). Other factors that seem to contribute in the underachievement of boys include the sex of the teacher as well as teacher expectations. As mentioned in the previous section most language teachers are females and this is considered to perpetuate the myth that languages are feminine subjects. However, Clark and Traffords recent survey showed that students ascribed more importance to teachers personalities than to their sex and many boys in Powell and Batters study preferred a female teacher because it contributed to their overall perception of languages as an easy, non-serious subject (Barton, 1997). On the other hand it is argued that a boy who is susceptible to peer pressure (found most commonly in the weaker sets) will not be highly motivated to set himself apart from his fellows and affiliate himself with a subject dominated by feminine connotations (Barton, 1997: 13). In addition, the fact that the gender-gap in language learning is widely acknowledged as well as boys attitudes towards the subject often leads in teachers being either consciously or unconsiously biased towards their students. Although there is not much evidence to support this it is argued that teachers will focus their attention on the girls, assuming that the boys will not be interested in continuing their study of a feminine subject (Barton, 1997:14). This leads in enhancing both their belief that foreign languages are feminine and their negative attitudes towards the language. Raising boys achievement The above factors discussed lead into boys being de-motivated to learn the language resulting in their underachievement. The findings of a group of PGCE students at Goldsmiths College conducting interviews in two schools to ask boys why they thought girls did better at Modern Languages predictably showed poor motivation as a key factor: Us boys dont take it seriously. Some days, I just think oh its French today and I aint going to try very hard if I dont want. (Harris, 1998:57) Cecco and Shaw (2008) point out that motivation is a central component to successfully acquire knowledge and that lack of motivation can hinder learning whereas being motivated can greatly enhance it. Particularly welcome is the assumption that motivation can be increased or decreased; that it is not a unitary characteristic of which learners have a lot or a little (Cecco and Shaw, 2008:6) The issue of motivation has always been on the agenda in language learning. In order to raise boys motivation educators and teachers need to be aware of the motivational conditions identified by psychologists and also have an insight into the ways boys learn in order to modify the classroom context to meet boys learning needs. According to Cecco and Shaw (2008), three sets of motivational conditions identified by Dornyei (1994) have also been found useful for providing a framework for the classroom context. These are a) course-specific motivational components which relate to the motivational influence of the syllabus, teaching materials, teaching methods and learning activities, b) teacher-specific motivational components which relate to the teacher-pupil relationship, the teachers approach to the management of behaviour, the promotion of the sharing of ideas between pupils as well as between teacher and pupils and the provision of motivating feedback and c)group-specific motivational components which relate to the dynamics of the learning group, its participation in collaboration, its shared goals and shared norms of behaviour (Cecco and Shaw, 2008). As far as how boys learn, Hannan (1996) offers an insight into the typical boy learner and cites the following characteristics. Boys are doers first and thinkers second, they have a shorter concentration span, they get easily bored, they have weaker listening and verbal skills as well as social and collaborative skills, they have less ability to organize and plan work, they are highly influenced by their peer group and they seek immediate gratification. In the following paragraphs, by having in mind the reasons for boys underachievement, the motivational conditions and the ways in which boys learn, various ways that could help raise their motivation shall be discussed. Although as has been discussed social norms to a great extend seem to affect boys attitudes towards language learning, some steps could be made on the part of teachers in order to enhance boys motivation and achievement. According to Ofsted (2003), improving the achievement of boys is a complex matter in which interlinked factors play important parts including a positive learning ethos, good teaching and classroom management, close monitoring of individuals and effective support for learning. Ofsted (2003) argues that these factors are significant in all schools and are relevant to girls as well as boys (OfSTED, 2003). It must be noted that the strategies suggested should not disadvantage the learning of girls but to incorporate them so that they enhance boys participation and involvement. Taken that boys underachieve in languages, due to the fact that they are considered to be feminine, teachers should encourage an atmosphere that would raise boys will to participate. Boys perceive languages as feminine as they consider girls to be better at them and as the majority of them consider typical topics like wine, cooking and haute couture to be feminine in orientation (Pritchard, 1987:69) What can be done, therefore, is to provide challenging exercises and integrate materials that attract boys attention such as articles, newspapers and comics (Noble and Bradford, 2000). As boys like challenge, challenging activities shall get them involved e.g. giving them team quizzes about the set texts and marry this with competition. Moreover, as boys tend to read non-fiction, including articles that involve sports, technology or hobbies would probably lead to more commitment to reading by boys. Increasing the choice of reading resources available in the language classroom is essential , as this would show consideration of boys preferences. Diversity in the materials used is required to meet both the needs of boys and girls (Noble and Bradford, 2000). Moreover, although language teachers are usually biased, they should not allow this to let them treat boys differently from girls. By devoting their attention to girls assuming boys are uninterested in the learning of the language would have indirect implications for boys achievement as less attention would mean less language opportunities (Court, 2001). Even though studies (Spencer, 1998) have found that boys receive around 2/3 of teachers attention during class much of it is negative as it arises from discipline problems appearing to receive less praise than girls (Harris, 1998). Harris argues that insensitive feedback may serve only to foster the macho image that boys are tough and you dont need to worry about hurting their feelings (Harris, 198:61). Instead teachers should encourage the participation of boys into the lesson and praise them for their involvement without harming their image. However, Harris (1998) suggests that due to the nature of peer pressure this should not alw ays be praised in front of the class as it may not be seen as cool but should also be done also on an individual basis either on an individual basis or positive comments on homework. Without it boys shall remain unmotivated, behave badly and produce poor quality work, becoming even more convinced that they are not good at languages and feel justified by making even less effort. In addition, teachers should allow boys to do things rather than being more teacher-centered. According to Harris (1998), this would give them more flexibility to really adapt things to their way of learning. Graham and Rees (1995) suggest that boys need to have some sense of control because by learning what they feel they need to know in a way that is appropriate for them accelerates their learning (Harris, 1998). The Ofsted report Boys and English (1993) concluded that boys performance improves when they have a clear understanding of the progress they need in order to achieve (Harris, 1998). Harris (1998) suggests that clear and explicit guidelines should be given to boys in order to help them progress and that it is not enough to offer pupils greater independence in their learning. Teachers should also equip them with the tools or strategies that will enable them to go about it. Nunan (1995) points out it is a mistake to assume that learners come into the language classroom with a natural ability to make choices about what and how to learn (Numan (1995), sited in Harris, 1998:58). OMalley and Chamot (1990) identify three types of strategies that the teachers should help the boys to develop; metacognitive strategies which deal with planning and evaluating learning, cognitive strategies which deal with grappling directly with the language itself and social and affective strategies through whic h the learner interacts with others or controls their own emotional response to the learning situation (Harris, 1998). According to Ofsted (1993), female students use more learning strategies than males and use them more often therefore it is important for teachers to intervene systematically with some strategy instruction to enable boys to develop their learning strategies (Harris, 1998). By developing these strategies boys shall be able to control their own learning. Rather than feeling that there is nothing they can do about their lack of success other than give up, it makes explicit what can be done to improve and locates the responsibility firmly on them (Harris, 1998:59). In addition, we have noted earlier that boys tend to like audio-visual work. Incorporating the use of computers in the language classroom would not only be see

The Neo Aristotelian Criticism English Literature Essay

The Neo Aristotelian Criticism English Literature Essay First I will begin with Invention. According to Leith Aristotle said that the basic job of the rhetorician is to discover the best available means of persuasion. Thats what is meant, in this context, by invention. In invention, I would like to analyse using proof. The proof which makes speech persuasive norm is composed of 3 elements. These are logos, ethos and pathos. The first form is logos. This speech seems logically structured. She organises this speech chronologically. She promotes general family background as acceptable to the audiences (36-77) and then applies their story to her arguments. The First ladys backstory draws the audiences attention and prepares them to guess what her speech is about. By describing the values learnt from their family (76-88), she paves the way for the idea that the decisions Barrack has made during his term, are guided by the learnt values. In 90-95, her implication is that ones character is not something one can change, or imitate, or gain from h is or her advisers. Furthermore, she implicitly describes Presidential-level decisions which require weighty responsibility should be based on the character. In order to prove her arguments, she provides several examples what Barrack has done in his term (102-126). After that she implies that he who is the first African-American President has not changed and still possesses the values (134-167). In the closing part, she frames his emphasis on values and fairness concerning the election. She makes a plea for vote for him for his second term. The second form is ethos. There are some indications that she is trying to provide credibility to audiences. Michelle provides her backstory to let audiences identify similarities in their experience and belief. In 36-37, she emphasises that Obamas rather unusual upbringing is really no different from hers. In 78-85, she tells about their values which learned from their family. In 83-85, she subtly addresses one of the points that her husband has tried in his period by keeping the focus on the people whove helped them and gives hints at right decisions that he has made. This builds his commitment and integrity for his time in the presidency. In 102-126, she mentions his 5 actions which audiences were able to trust during his term serving the U.S people. Especially, in 108-110, her statement is intended to remind audiences that her husband doesnt always choose the easy thing to do politically. Again, she connects it to how he was raised. In 200-208, she makes an inclusive promise that Barrack will make a commitment for the U.S people. The last proof is pathos. Michelle delivers an elaborately detailed story of her early life with her husband. In her story, she mentions the grandfather who suffered with multiple sclerosis, and thus evokes sympathy and their daughters to give an individual touch. Her mission is to humanise her husband for people who think that his life is remote from the lives of ordinary Americans. She makes an emotional connection between herself and audiences that Barack himself has struggled before being President and shows him as a normal family man. She illuminates current the hard issues he faces, (89-95) and this gives recognition recent concerns of some audiences so as to show his desire to share the pain with the nation as a whole. Her speech shows the common touch, highlighting the financial crisis with major issues in the U.S. She calls out to the uniform people for linking emotion of pride and patriotism. She references America several times to bring them together. Finally, the self-described mom-in-chief (198) successfully gives effective emotion. The second part is arrangement of the speech. Keith and Lundberg (2008, 55) shows that this strategy guides listeners through the speech and helps them identify and remember the most important points. The organisational pattern is quite simplistic and the speech is arranged in the order of time, which delivers her goals that people might choose to support her husband. In Exordium (1-17), she starts a sequence of thanks and gives proper respect to those who she has met while serving their first lady in order to captures the audiences attention. She does this to bring awareness to audiences of the issues in her speech. Then, in Narratio (21-88), she tells audiences about her and Barracks family backstory before moving to Washington. She also speaks briefly of first getting to know him. She once again emphasises that Barrack was brought up in similar family environment. In this paragraph, she highlights their shared mind to show they are normal and humble people just like their audience s. Moreover she focuses more on the bigger picture, which is the vision and values that guided him as President. With the story, she intends to lay the foundation for the idea that the decisions Barrack has made during his term are guided by the values learnt from his background. In Partitio (89-129), she previews her speech arguments. She shares the current critical tasks on Barracks desk and reassures the audiences that Barrack has made efforts to solve national issues such as Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, tax cuts, creating jobs, health reform and student aids. In Confirmatio (132 -173), she focuses on arguments that his position of President has not changed him. She delivers persuasive speech with regards to his responsibility, family care, and his hard-work and wants to share her love to Barrack with audiences. In 174- 196, Obama shows sympathy toward the hardships American people have endured and appreciated their sacrifices theyve made and service for the country. In Perorati o (200-209), she emphasises his value once again and makes a final plea to the audiences for supporting Barrack. She delivers her assertion of what must be done, and uses traditional final blessing. The final canon in this critique is style. Lawson-Tancred (2000, 215) refers to Aristotles view of style as follows rhetoric is a practical skill and that the study of presentation is therefore required by the baseness of the audience. In general, she chooses not to pursue political argument on the competitive aspects of this campaign, but tries to focus on the positive and bright aspects with personal approach. I would analyse her speech with Figures and Tropes. The distinctive figure in her speech is repetition. In repetition of words and phrases, 6 Anaphora are used in I loved, we learned, the man, I see, I love, and if. And also, 2 Antistrophe are identified in story. so. Furthermore, this speech has 2 repetition of sounds, one is alliteration dignity and decency, another is rhyme honesty and integrity. She uses these repetition styles with triple and extended-triple to make her points and arguments more persuasive and memorable. She uses jokes about their middle-class life in th e past in order to humanise her husband and make him more appealing and accessible to audiences (32-25, 121). Additionally she uses Tropes: metonymy and metaphor. She uses the metonymy in uniform representing people who serve in military, police, and etc. for the United Sates of America. Also she uses a metaphor with America to link it to the concept of America, to address the nation with easy familiarity and to evoke good patriotism. In summary, her speech concentrates on reassurance and of her intention to make this speech uplifting to the audiences. Her style with a personal approach reaches out to the audiences not just the First lady addressing ask for vote for her husband. In conclusion, Michelles speech is quite narrative, deliberative and persuasive norm and makes audiences to believe Barracks campaign and to reassure how to lead the nation of a better way in a respectable way. She combines personal stories with broader policies of what her husband believes in. This speech was well-written with a mixture of soft jokes to clearly accomplish the goal of reminding Barracks humanism and the reason why U.S people like him. I think she indicates well what the speech is about and easily understands how her issues relate to one another. The First ladys speech connected their background to the values helps guide Mr. Obama as President. However, from the point of purpose of convention speech, which is usually about making a connection between the right man and the right moment, I dont think it gives a powerful impact in the content, the theme, the vision except for one line being President doesnt change who you are. One more thing I feel sense of loss is that this speech is too biographical about her husband who is running for the 2nd term, and she tries to utilise too many emotions to motivate people to vote him. I have to acknowledge that this analysis excludes the other rhetorical canons, memory and delivery. Therefore, there are some limitations in identifying whether this speech meets the needs of audiences because delivering a speech can be successful when all devices work in place.

The Nature of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Essay -- Exploratory Essay

The Nature of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Dementia is traditionally considered to be one of the possible results of aging. Its effects are heartbreaking and tremendously exhausting for the patient as well as their family and friends. There are many factors to consider. What would be the best treatment plan for my loved one? Who would care for them? These are all very difficult decisions that impact the patient and family for years to come. But what if you only had a few months to make these decisions? What if all your loved one had was a few very short months before they were gone? In Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), the situation is just that. With no known cause or cure, CJD takes the patient and family completely by surprise. Time is precious when you see new changes arising day after day in areas such as movement, speech and cognition. How could you make them as comfortable as posssible? What could have caused these sudden changes? What treatment options do you have in such a short period of tim e? Most importantly will my loved one be able to express their needs to me? Creutzfeldt-Jakob is considered to be a transmissible dementia or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, which means that the spread of the disease is similar to that of viruses. Further studies have shown that instead of a virus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or CJD, is considered to be caused by a proteinaceous infection agent or "prion" (Asher et al, 2000) that attacks nerve cells causing vacuolization, the formation of holes in the cell, and eventually cell death. To date there are no effective screenin... ...ore to be learned. The important factor during the course of CJD is the patient. We as Speech Pathologists must ask ourselves a few questions. Was the best interests of the patient met for as long as they could have been? Was the family aware of any and all support and community groups available to them during this difficult time? If we as SLP's can answer these questions with a yes, then we have done our jobs indeed. To those who involoved with CJD, thank you. Because of the researchers, therapists, and families of CJD patients, we have the knowledge we have today. This knowledge will continue to grow, providing tests, screening measures and maybe some day a cure. To live with the hope that one day another person will not have to endure what sorrows you have can be a great motivation.

Use of Minor Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay -- To Kill a Moc

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a range of both major and minor characters which are portrayed with varying personalities. These character's interactions help to explain the issues that this text is concerned with. In the novel, the protagonist, Atticus Finch, is a defence lawyer who is appointed to represent a black man, Tom Robinson, who is charged with raping a white woman. The novel is set during the 1930s in America, which was when segregation of blacks and whites was well manifested into the society of those days. A black person had no right to defend himself if accused of a crime by white men. The author depicted several minor characters which helped to build up and expose the personality of the text's protagonist, Atticus Finch. Tom Robinson is a minor character who is black and accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson symbolizes a mockingbird which does not harm any people but is accused of an uncommitted crime. Atticus Finch is appointed to defend Tom Robinson. The portrayal of Tom Robinson in the text helped me understand the char...

The Definition of a Hero :: Definition Essay

The Definition of a Hero When I think of a hero I immediately think of someone who is strong, intelligent, handsome, and daring. Upon closer examination, many different qualities than these become apparent. Courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness, and the will to try are just a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition of heroism changes with the context and time. Heroes of the past are not necessarily heroes of present time and vise versa. A person can be a hero for saving the life of one or of millions. Heroes are not only real people, but they are also fantasy figures. Children are extremely interested with legendary and fantasy figures because they take on such tasks as: difficult journeys, challenges with dragons, discovering lost treasure, and changing the nature of the world through their singular acts of courage and selflessness. They also endure much resistance, hardship, and danger. Often the hero learns valuable lessons about survival and self-reliance. Not only do heroes teach valuable lessons they give a child a sense of belonging. To a child, a hero is an invincible person who will change the world. There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday. You also don’t have to kill anyone, conquer foreign land, or risk your life to be a hero. Anyone who influences anyone else by saving or helping save his or her lives is a hero. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. changed the lives of millions of people by bringing justice to minorities. Mahatma Gandhi, one of the greatest heroes, led a nonviolent revolution to free his country.

Many Headed Hydra Summary Essay

Chapter 1 Summary for The Many Headed Hydra The chapter tells the story of the wreckage of the Sea-Venture off Bermuda in 1609. The people of the shipped was welcomed by a land that contains both water and abundant of food. Being that they were suppose to be new reinforcements for the plantation for the Virginia Company, they decided that they will disregard the command from the company and create a settlement of their own because of the riches that Bermuda contains. The chapter then goes on to compare the colonial conditions between the Bermuda and Virginia. Unlike Bermuda, the conditions in Virginia was filled with â€Å"labor and wretchedness† indicating that the people who lived in Virginia faced many hardships. The settlement in Virginia went through a series of unfortunate events for a number of reasons. The main reasons that Virginia went into a time of turmoil was because people either died from sickness, don’t want to work, or commit crimes that include murder or stealing. With these problems at hand, Virginia Company of London were having difficulty establishing authority when it comes to dealing with the people who are living in the Virginia. Due to their inability to do what they were assigned, the officers decided to use military discipline as their way to maintain order. The chapters contains historical references regarding the English historical background when it comes to their colonization and the events that led to the problems that was to come in their way. Such problems includes the Tudor regional rebellions that took place like the Cornish Rising(1497), the Prayer Book Rebellion (1536) or the Felt-Makers’ Riot(1584). Besides the historical references, some pieces of literature have also been noted because of how the events of the Sea-Venture were described in Shakespeare’s book The Tempest. The chapter suggested themes that were shown in the story depict an earliest form of capitalism and colonization as well as the struggle of adjusting to new ways of life.

Rhetorical Analysis on JFK’s Inaugural Address Essay

Majority of the people know the eminent line â€Å"ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country† (Kennedy). That is indubitably one of the most well known segments of his speech, however, there are other parts that made it memorable. He knew he was not only speaking to America, but other countries as well. His speech keeps the audience both focused on what is important and understanding of the point he is trying to make. He sought to send a message to the nation about the Cold War and his hope for peace along with his desire to inspire the nation. Throughout his speech, President John F. Kennedy uses parallelism, ellipsis, and antithesis to display to the audience that he was ready to be president and take on its challenges. Of the many rhetorical devices that President JFK used in his speech, parallelism was perhaps the most effective. The repetition of â€Å"Let both sides† amplifies his wants for unity and peace. His first use of â€Å"Let both sides† begins with talking about unity not division. As Kennedy repeats this for the second and third time, he includes how all countries should come together rather than to stand alone and take part in wars against each other. The world should succeed and prosper as one. President John F. Kennedy focuses on the idea of unity and peace throughout his speech. With those two factors, the world can undertake great things without the need for war, tension, or other harmful actions towards opposing countries. In the beginning of his speech Kennedy is willing to â€Å"pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardships, support any friend, oppose any foe†. This shows his willingness to fight for what he wants for the country: liberty, peace, unity. There are numerous forms of parallelism in JFK’s speech; however, there are few which have become infamou s and recognizable immediately. Kennedy’s speech is short and to the point, making it very effective. JFK had moral intentions and wanted to help his nation along with the rest of the world. This is clear by his use of ellipsis when he says â€Å"This much we pledge- and more† (Kennedy). By saying â€Å"and more†, President Kennedy expects the people to accomplish and partake in more than the ideas that were listed. Not listing numerous ideas made his point clear and effective. It allows his audience to think about what else can be done for the country. Kennedy makes it clear that he intends to do anything and everything in his power for peace and liberty. He is telling the audience  that what he said was not all that can be done, and that they were just examples of what should be done to reach that goal. Kennedy uses ellipsis when he mentions â€Å"a celebration of freedom- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning- signifying renewal, as well as change† (Kennedy). By strengthening his statement on the celebration of freedom, it confirms that with this freedom comes a new beginning alongside change. President Kennedy states this in the first sentence of his speech, which fortifies the idea of freedom and what needs to be done in order to attain it. By the use of antithesis, JFK makes his speech memorable by inverting his sentences. Kennedy goes on to say that America should â€Å"never negotiate out of fear. But let us ever fear to negotiate† (Kennedy). This statement outlines the entire purpose of President Kennedy’s speech-spreading peace and assuring the success and survival of liberty. Kennedy’s most famous line â€Å"ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country† (Kennedy) creates an idea that is still used tod ay. The idea it generates is that citizens should be giving more to the country than they expect to receive in return. It incorporates the audience into his speech, which makes the listener feel as if they can also make a great impact on the world. It shows that America is not afraid to fight for what is right and the country is not afraid of working for what the entire world should be aiming for. Most inaugural addresses are quickly forgotten, but using the correct rhetorical devices in a proper and effective way can make any speech memorable. President John F. Kennedy’s speech is a prime example of a speech that stuck with people and is still be referred to time to time. Kennedy’s speech has stuck with the country for over four decades and will continue to have a great impact on the world. Kennedy knew what to say and when to say it through his own style and grandiloquence. He uses many different rhetorical devices to achieve the main goal of his speech. That being America is not afraid to fight for what is right and let the enemies know that America is not afraid of its enemies. Pres ident Kennedy uses parallelism to emphasize the key points and make sure that his message is given clearly.

Africa&Egypt Essay

Africa is one of the richest continents when it comes to spectacular experiences with nature. Nowhere in the world can one encounter the abundance and variety of wildlife. Africa also delivers a plethora of ecosystems, geographical features and amazing wilderness experiences. Whether it is deserts, rivers, lakes, mountains, jungles, waterfalls, etc. Africa Geography The continent of Africa borders the southern half of the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean is to the west and the Indian Ocean is to the Southeast. Africa stretches well south of the equator to cover more than 12 million square miles making Africa the world’s second largest continent. Africa is also the world’s second most populous continent. Africa is one of the most diverse places on the planet with a wide variety of terrain, wildlife, and climates. It is the second largest and second most populous continent. Major Cities The highest point in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania at 5895 meters high. The lowest point is Lake Asal in Djibouti at 153 meters below sea level. The largest country in Africa is Sudan, the smallest is The Seychelles. The most populated country is Nigeria and the largest city is Cairo in Egypt. The largest lake in Africa is Lake Victoria and the  longest river is The Nile River, which is also the longest river in the world. Africa is rich with varied wildlife including elephants, penguins, lions, cheetahs, seals, giraffes, gorillas, crocodiles, and hippos. African languages are varied with more than 1000 languages spoken across the continent. The Suez Canal divides Africa from Europe. The Sahara Desert The Sahara is larger than the US. Temperatures can reach as high as 130 and some areas go 10 years without rain. A few areas have grasses that can support animals. For thousands of years people have carried goods and ideas across the Sahara. The Kalahari Desert The Kalahari is not as dry as the Sahara. Grasses and wild melon grow and animals are able to graze. The Namib Desert The Namib Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. Trees and get water from mists that drift from the Ocean. Still animals and people find ways to survive in this area. Desertification: Turning semi desert land into desert Desertification can happen by natural actions: drought or by human actions such as cutting down forest for cooking fuel or to make farmland, overgrazing of shrubs and grasses by cattle and goats. With no grass or tree roots, the topsoil blows away and the desert advances. Natural Resources The most abundant natural resources in Africa are gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, and oil. However, the distribution of resources is uneven causing wealth in some counties and poverty in others.

Humans and Nature

How Religious Belief Connects with Humans And Nature Humans’ relationship towards nature is complicated. Phyllis Trible, a well known scholar, mentions in her paper A Tempest in a Text : Ecological Soundings in the Book of Jonah that â€Å"Theological language is ecological language† (Trible 189). It suggests that widespread religion has a reflection on the relationship between humans’ belief and nature. Besides, the two main characters, Arab and Jonah, from the movie Moby Dick and the religious book The book of Jonah, their different views of God are shown in their opposite actions towards nature. ? In the movie Moby Dick, Ahab, the captain, is the emblem of the pioneers leading in the exploration of the great nature. He challenges the mysterious nature fearlessly. Rather than praying to God for help when he encounters confronted and unexpected difficulties, he believes that he can overcome all those difficulties by himself and never ceases his expedition. In t he movie, Pequod, the whaling ship, is caught in a terrible storm. The sails should be put down for slowing ship’s speed in a storm. Starbuck, one of crew member, wants to furl a sail, but Ahab refuses.Ahab asks all of his sailors to hold sails tightly. When Starbucks tries to furl down sails, Arab threats Starbuck to stop by using an arrow. Ahab steadfastly continues battling with the nature to the end until finally his ship survives in bad weather. â€Å"Ahab called that Typhoon’s bluff; stood toe to toe with it and punched away till it hollared ‘quits’! † (Bradbury 158). Through the whole battle with the storm, Ahab even mocks at what he encounters. â€Å"Oh, how the gods enjoy playing with us. What’s the point of the game, I wonder?Sometimes I’m on the very edge of knowing-and then they toss me back in the box† (Bradbury 158). In Ahab’s mind, he is fighting against God, and choosing to put his own will above faith. Ah ab believes himself above the natural world, and almost a god. This belief lends him power and majesty that make him battle with nature. In the movie, Ahab’s persistence on chasing the white whale makes him act like a hero, however, his vengeance of whale also makes him overstep on the boundary of nature which leads him to the death.To Captain Ahab, the whale symbolizes the evil in the universe: â€Å"He is part of this wicked game that runs man from the cradle and bullies him into the grave, Moby Dick is evil ten times over, in a world where evil is common as sea-water† (Bradbury 90). So it is Ahab’s destiny to get rid of it. In the last part of scenes, Ahab has no chance of killing Moby Dick, yet he engages in his suicide plan to stab at the whale: â€Å"To the last I grapple with thee! from hell’s heart I stab at thee! ; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee, though damned whale! Thus! I give up my spear! (BRADBURY 174). His plan to ki ll Moby Dick seals the tragic fate for himself and the crew of the Pequod. In the end the whale represents both noble peace and terrifying death. Besides, in the book, Ahab sees the graves of other sailors died in killing whales, and he gets predictions about his death from Fedallah. Those things not just happen accidentally to Ahab. In fact, it’s the fate already made by God try to stop Ahab’s actions of killing the whale. The whale is the combination of contradictions, a symbol of the universe's wide and mystery of God's boundless divine power, fate. ? God controls what we would consider â€Å"fate† in the casting of the fortune. In The Book of Jonah, Jonah opposes to God’s will and flees away which results in a storm created by the God in his journey. Jonah gets on a ship to Tarshish, and he encounters the storm: â€Å"The Lord, however, hurled such furious winds toward the sea that a powerful storm raged upon it; the ship expected itself to crack upà ¢â‚¬  (1:4). The storm is so powerful that all the sailors start to pray to the God for help. and the Lord, God of Heaven, I worship-he who made the sea, and the dry land as well† (1†10). Even though Jonah runs away from the Lord and has no thought for the spiritual condition of his shipmates; his life still brought them closer to God. However, the storm just gets worse. Jonah tells sailors in order to worship God, they can calm the sea by throwing him into the sea. â€Å"If you lift me and cast me overboard, the sea will calm its raging against you, for I personally acknowledge that this massive tempest raging against you is on my own account† (1:12).Jonah has no doubt that his rebellion against God is the cause of the storm that threatened to sink the ship they are sailing upon. Hence, humans fear of unexpected natural power and then pray to God for help. Contrary to how the white whale drives Ahab crazy which result in Ahab’s death with the whale, the whale in The Book of Jonah changes Jonah’s attitudes toward God and saves him from his sin. God does not put Jonah into death immediately, instead, he sends out a fish. â€Å"The Lord directed a large fish to swallow Jonah.Jonah remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights† (2:1). Jonah is helpless in the fish’s belly and starts to repent and pray to God :â€Å" In my trouble, I appeal to the Lord; he answers me†¦ as for me, voicing gratitude, I shall offer you sacrifices; I shall fulfill all that I vow† (2: 10). By singing the thanksgiving song, Jonah starts to be thankful to God and he realizes that he is still connecting with God. God as a merciful and generous figure in The Book of Jonah, he saves Jonah from the fish. The Lord spoke to the fish and made it vomit Jonah upon dry land† (2:11). From an ecological point of view, Phyllis Trible clams in her book â€Å" If the verb ‘swallow’ suggest that fish is a ho stile environment for Jonah, the verb ‘vomit’suggests that the fish is a hostile environment for the fish†¦ In a bulimic exercise the animal of the sea rejects human fodder† (Trible 190). This ecological danger recalls Jonah’s inner instincts to God: â€Å"Yet God brought up his life from the Pit, and to this God he rendered thanks† (Trible 190).In other words, The whale as well as considered to be â€Å"hostile environment†, represents the nature power that given by God. It suggests that humans should always keep their faith to the God, thus, God can rescue humans from the danger and forgive their sins. When humans are building the relationship with nature, if they are going against nature they cannot get the results they want, instead, if they working along with nature which can actually leads to peace. In the movies, even if Ahab orders his crew to chase Moby Dick again and again, the white whale does not surrender but appears to coun terattack.It attacks the boats, wrecks the whaling ship and brings much pain to human beings. God’s power and embodiment of justice are shown through nature. God warns human beings that if they still destroy nature unshakably, they will be buried by divine nature eventually. It is difficult for human beings relying on our own insufficient power to win the battle between nature and them. In contrast, Jonah suppose to preach God’s will to Nineveh, however, he is from the country which is defeated by Nieveh, thus he is reluctant to deliver God’s message.God puts Jonah into hostile environment and wants Jonah to learn about tolerance through Jonah’s repent. Jonah realizes his sin and start to believe God again which results in later God saves his life. His confession to God adequately proves that his humans’ tolerance has persuaded him to give up his enmity. Human beings can get along well with nature and they can keep a harmonious relationship with na ture. However, keeping the harmonious relationship must be based on human beings’tolerance to nature.

How does immigration affect the population structure in Los Angeles Research Paper

How does immigration affect the population structure in Los Angeles - Research Paper Example Immigrant population in Los Angeles promoted relevant changes in nation’s economic growth. Their taxes, lower-wage goods and services contributed better growth in local and regional economy. Manuel Pastor and Rhonda Ortiz examine the economic effects of immigrant population in Los Angeles. They rightly comment that ‘Finally, immigrants comprise 46 percent of the workforce in Los Angeles, making them integral to the growth of the local and regional economy’ (Pastor & Ortiz 7). Similarly, both Federal and state governments have spent a considerable amount of money for the welfare of immigrant communities through implementing schools and hospitals. Discussion and analysis Social effects of immigration Socio-economic effects of immigration in the United States have been a controversial issue among the policy makers and media in recent years. Analysing the immigrant population of Los Angeles County, California, it is obvious that some changes in the fields of culture, ethnic backgrounds, education, employment, gender perspective, housing and social customs among the Hispanic and Asian immigrants. Immigrants from Hispanic and Asian population contributed considerable amount of capital for the growth of GDP. In social and educational field, immigrant women in Los Angeles played remarkable role. After 1990, Immigrants from higher socio-economic backgrounds concentrated on cities and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds tend to select densely populated areas. Immigrants have occupied in skilled –jobs, lower-wages services, and farmlands. Women were concentrated in agriculture, fishing and weaving. Immigrant children often depend on private schools for education than mainstream education. â€Å"Over 40 percent of all students in Los...The census website for 1990 and 2000 gives relevant information about the growth of population and its major sources. Recent studies and researches have mentioned the fact that immigration plays a vital r ole in the process of increasing population and its effects are many and varied. Women contribute a higher proportion than men in immigrant population. Paul M. Ong and Edna Bonacich made some relevant observation in the field of immigrant population and they remark; ‘Women constitute a far higher proportion than in the past and now make up the majority of immigrants from some countries’ . Higher proportion of women population paved the way for high birth rates and population growth. Consequently, Federal government forced to spend maximum fund for immigrants. Immigrant population in Los Angeles promoted relevant changes in nation’s economic growth. Their taxes, lower-wage goods and services contributed better growth in local and regional economy. Manuel Pastor and Rhonda Ortiz examine the economic effects of immigrant population in Los Angeles. They rightly comment that ‘Finally, immigrants comprise 46 percent of the workforce in Los Angeles, making them integral to the growth of the local and regional economy’ (Pastor & Ortiz 7). Similarly, both Federal and state governments have spent a considerable amount of money for the welfare of immigrant communities through implementing schools and hospitals. Immigrants from Hispanic, Latino and Asian population have marked gradual growth in their population in recent years. Difference in higher socio-economic and lower socio-economic backgrounds of immigrants paved the way for a new social structure in society.