History of western civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History of western civilization - Essay Example as in the filmmaking industry, movies released with historical themes often require consultation with experts on a field of study such as theologians or scientists. The knowledge coming from these specialists reflect chiefly in the film so that it becomes filled with a body of ideas which altogether makes an object of interest for historians who would like to conduct thorough research on a subject matter. Apparently, â€Å"The Prince of Egypt† may be claimed to bear positive impact on studies pertaining to Egyptian societies. Besides its biblical context, it richly illustrates a civilization of Egypt that is governed by a pharaoh’s strict decree. By examining the role of a pharaoh as a leader and his relations with the subjects, one may ascertain the degree to which the Egyptian society is shaped at the time according to the ancient religion, economy, and political system prevailing in Egypt as well as the response and behavior of its people. Depending on the circumstances and reactions involved during the presentation of historical narrative by popular media, it may generate either favorable or unfavorable impression to the point that the story, being part of the nation’s history, is heavily criticized. Normally, the sensation which criticisms create tends to rouse racial discrimination or social injustice if the popular media fails to include significant details. On the other hand, a responsible media despite popularity may also function as a tool of learning the truth about a nation’s historical events. It seems common for Western movies to project themes that appeal to the senses of a greater majority so that producers of the West profit hugely upon market expansion. However, if the movie’s production were to be non-Western by nature, then its contents would have followed a certain perspective of origin in terms of theological history which agrees well with scholarly

Leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership and management - Essay Example It appears neither is aware of how to move beyond the conflict. The firm has assigned an important project o a team lead by James and Irene a key member. James knows that Irene has important skills and energy to make important contribution to the teamwork but is worried their continued conflict is likely to derail the team performance. It is therefore important to resolve the conflict, first, to avoid negative impact on the project, which is very critical to the company strategic goals. Problem Analysis As human resource manager, James requested intervention in resolving the conflict with Irene for the benefit of the company. Structured meeting is one of the initial processes of bringing conflicting individuals together to identify the underlying problem, and is an opportunity for active participation in indentifying problem and proposing possible approaches for resolution (Gottlieb, 1997). In such scenario, it is important to recognize the importance of make the meeting a conducive opportunity for the two individuals engaged in a conflict to interact without reservations. Hence, the first task as a mediator in the conflict is identifying a venue that is convenient two the both conflicting parties. The venue selected by the mediator and mutual accepted by both parties. To achieve that, the mediator ensured that the selected venue was convenient to both parties in terms of time spent to get there, the social status outlook is neither demeaning nor intimidating to both parties, is devoid of unnecessary interruptions and distractions and that the scheduling of the meeting allowed relatively unlimited time for conversation. Once, the venue mutually accepted, it was important to undertake a thorough background check of the history of conflict between the two individuals, reported to the human resource department. This involved a critical analysis of the possible causes of the conflicts, their resolution and the implication of the human resources decision on both par ties. According to Cortina et al (2001), checking the background of the conflict allows identification of uncivilized behavior or abuses involved in the interpersonal conflict. The result of this process indentified several factors, which were significant to the ensuing conflict between the two parties. First, it is apparent that the difference in opinion and the mode of expressing them was a major source of friction between James and Irene. Secondly, the nature of organizational structure required some power distance between senior managers and the junior staff. Accordingly, Irene felt that James was misusing these organizational characteristics to suppress brilliant ideas, which would improve work performance and at the same time ease the difficult of performing tasks. On the other hand, James noted that Irene has tendency to overlook organizational procedures, and even though this produces desired outcomes, the pose great danger to organizational policy. Further analysis f the tw o employees showed that their education background is different. James been much older is a student of the traditional management school of thought while Irene is much younger and exposed to modern management approaches. It was also apparent that although James had far much working experiences

Positive Working Environments for Children

Positive Working Environments for Children Introduction â€Å"To be included is to experience belonging.† Lancashire County Council (2010) The aim of this assignment is to explain and examine how the staff within a setting ensures a positive working environment for the child. The practitioner will demonstrate an up to date and working knowledge of principles, policies and practices of inclusion. The practitioner will also discuss how parents and multi-agency team’s maybe involved in meeting the particular learning needs and care needs of a child through the implementation of a case study. And also review how new legislation such as Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 and The Children and Families Act 2014 have resulted from the term ‘inclusion’. According to Lancashire County Council (2010), children are included when they attend a mainstream setting and have complete access to its social and academic life. In becoming more inclusive, schools should meet a greater diversity of needs. Some children may have an identified Special Educational Needs (SEN), whilst others maybe gifted, a child who has English as an additional language or a child with behavioural difficulties. All these children will experience barriers when it comes to learning; therefore we describe such children as having additional needs. All settings should make arrangements to meet the individual needs of all their children, before considering whether some children need arrangements that are additional to or different from their usual practice. All settings should be following good practice guidelines and be providing a differentiated approach for all children. â€Å"Differentiation â€Å"means altering and adapting the way activities are presented to children to enable them to access them and make progress. Settings should offer a range of resources to match different levels of ability, use staff flexibility to give children one to one or small group activities or individual attention and ensure that members of staff has time to plan and prepare activities. Staff should also look at how their setting is organised, are children expected to sit and listen for longer than is appropriate for their age and stage of development? Do children know the structure of the session? , does the setting have clearly defined area s for activities? All these issues can be addressed by adding visual cues for the defined areas and structure of the session. this can make such a difference to the children with speech and language development and for children with English as an additional language as these visual prompts will help the child to learn what is coming next and what is happening in that specific area. â€Å"Every child deserves the best possible start in life, and support to fulfil their potential† DFES (2008) According to the DFES (2008) a child’s experience in the early years has a major impact on their future life chances. Practitioners should focus on each child’s individual learning. All Early years providers must have and implement an effective policy for ensuring equality of opportunities and for supporting children with additional needs, learning difficulties and disabilities. Working effectively in partnership with parents is a crucial part of the early years work. Parents frequently feel that their parenting skills will be judged according to how their child is getting on. Even the most confident and assertive parents can feel very vulnerable and ignorant when it comes to inclusion. â€Å"Parents are the children’s first and most enduring educators. When parents and practitioners work together in early year’s settings, the results have positive impact on the child’s development and learning. Therefore, each setting should seek to develop an effective partnership with parents.† (QCA 2000 page 19) When a parent is told that their child might have an additional need the parents might endure a number of feelings for example, guilt – what have they done wrong? Denial- his brother was just the same and he’s fine now, Anger- who do they think they are giving me this information? Worry- I don’t want my child being treated differently from any other children. Recognizing and accepting that their child is experiencing difficulties can take time but as a practitioner it is important to support this process by taking the time and effort to build up a good relationship with the parents, have an honest and open approach, avoid using language that the parent might not understand or find distressing. It is important to remember that a parent has a lot of valuable information about a child and as a practitioner there aim should be to build a trusting relationship with the parent/carer and to keep the parent fully informed and included in any processes following the initi al discussion. In March 2011, the government published the SEN and disability green paper which proposed a new approach to special educational needs and disability .they intended to develop a radically different system that will support better life outcomes for young people. Any legislation changes were to be taken forward from May 2012. The green paper offered a visual representation of the main themes of the recommendations put forward by the government in the form of a ‘word cloud’.in the illustration below, the larger the word ,the more heavily it featured in the green paper. Although the modern SEN started in the early 1980s, the current framework emerged in the 1990s with the education act 1993/1996 and the issue of the SEN code of practise (as revised in 2001). The code of practice as become the bible of SEN for anyone involved for anyone involved with children with an SEN. The new SEN code of practice 0-25 years (2014) has evolved from many criticisms of the older publications. Parliaments own education and skills committee said in 2006 that the system was â€Å"not fit for purpose†, and many people felt that getting children and young people the correct provision had become a â€Å"fight† between parents and the local authorities, with schools and nurseries often caught in the middle. Parents also perceived that local authorities had a conflict of interest as they both assessed need and made provision. There was also a criticism of the SEN system and particularly of statements in an Ofsted report in 2010 entitled a† a statement is not enough† Five separate inquiries conducted about SEN/disability issued between 2006 and 2010 made other criticisms. After a change of government in 2010 a call for views of the SEN Green paper in 2011 promised the biggest reform in SEN in 30 years. A subsequent SEN Green paper has become The Children and Families Act 2014 and a completely new SEN code of practice has now been issued coming into law in September 2014. Main body Child A is 35 months old; he lives with his mum and dad and is an only child. His mum and dad both work full time so child A spends a lot of time with his grandparents. He lives on a local council estate 3 miles away from the setting and this is his first setting that he has attended which he started in September 2014.Child A has an identified speech and language difficulty which has been identified through observations and assessments by the practitioner and the settings SENCO. The child’s parents have also identified the speech and language difficulty and have a scheduled meeting with the settings SENCO. DFES (2008) suggests that the development and use of speech, language and communication are very imperative in young children’s learning. Much teaching is delivered verbally; and children need good communication skills to make friends. Children’s future achievements are reliant on their capability to communicate effectively. It is essential for us, practitioners to ensure that we do everything we can to support child A in becoming a skilful and capable communicator. As well as making use of spoken language effective communication is also non-verbal. Eye contact, body posture, gesture, facial expressions displaying interest/surprise/boredom can be just as expressive as words. If children arrive in the classroom without the ability to communicate effectively, then they will be disadvantaged from the outset. A number of reasons are given for the decline in early communication skills, forward facing buggies may hinder a childs speech development as it is difficult to push and talk to a child whilst the child is facing away from you , it is impossible to have any eye contact and engage in running commentary of sights, sounds and smells. New technology is also another factor in a child’s speech delay, mobile phones and listening to music with headphones isolate a parent in their own world , leaving a child to become isolated in theirs..Tallent et al(2011). It is my job as child A’s key person is to identify these key issues and educate the child and the parents on opportunities for communication .ways in which I can do this is describe the stage child A’s speech and language and communication development has reached, track their progress (as shown in appendices 1) and identify issues as they arise. I encourage and interact with child A and also plan and implement activities that meet the level of his language development (as shown in appendices 2). I have the responsibility as child A’s key person to provide additional support for child A and to give the child my full attention when child A is talking and to ask open ended questions to encourage the child’s speech development. Skinner the behaviourist therapist suggested that children learn language through reinforcement. In other words, when we show enthusiasm for something that the child is trying to say, this should encourage child A to repeat the utteran ce. It is also essential that i provide the correct support for the child by adapting activities such as adding visual aids, adding visual aids around the room in the defined areas and offering the child visual aids in form of choices, and provide the child with prompts to indicate a response or request. This will help the child communicate effectively and give the child the same opportunities. I identified that child A had a speech and language difficulty whilst tracking his progress child A was at the developmental age of 16-26 months I observed and assessed the child over the next few months in accordance with the graduated approach outlined in the SEN code of practice 2014 and when no progress was being made I took the evidence to the settings SENCO as outlined in the graduated approach shown in the illustration below. In my settings inclusion policy reviewed in 2014(as shown in appendices 3) it states that the setting will encourage children to thrive and to recognise and appreciate their differences and so fulfil their unique potential. It also states that the settings objective is to help parents with children and their families to take part in the nursery and their community and will do this by working with partner agencies and the local community to eliminate the causes of social inclusion and make our services available to all. This includes facilitating, assisting, supporting and valuing each child in pursuit of this aim. As a practitioner following the above graduated response will help the child to reach their full potential. And allow the families access to the partner agencies such as a speech and language therapist. According to DFES (2008) parents need to work in partnership with the setting and support their communication within the home, with their family and in the wider world. These situations are very different from those provided by the setting. For that reason I as child A’s key person must work with the parents in partnership. I should plan regular opportunities to discuss child A’s level of development with his parents. Information should be relayed between me and the parents such as rhymes that child A likes in the setting so these can be repeated at home. The settings single equality policy is derived from The Equality Act which first came into force in October 2010. The equality act states that, public organisations including schools have to take action to make things equal for the people who work for them and use their services. This is called the Single Public Sector Equality Duty. My setting is committed to taking positive action based on the equality act and to make sure staffs are aware of the law and how to put it in to practice. My setting has a professional and dedicated, multi skilled, highly qualified and diverse team of staff who have lots of experience of working in a diverse setting within a diverse community. All these professionals such as practitioners, family support , the setting SENCO and other outside professionals such as health visitors and speech and language therapists will work together to ensure that child A will get the support that he needs. This support will come in the form of regular reviews and meetings with the setting SENCO and key person and additional support in the form of family support services and speech and language referrals may also be offered to child A’s parents..

Homosexuals are Not Born Gay Essay -- Gay Lesbian Homosexual Papers

If a young boy has a feminine throw he may be homosexual. Also if he has a soft or high voice this would be another detection that one would be homosexual. There have been many conclusions and statements as to what causes homosexuality. These are the traits that normally are classed with someone who is homosexual. The popular argument in today’s society is that homosexuality is something that is inborn, genetically linked to an enlarged gland in the brain or due to a particular chromosome. This would prove that it is natural, and that it is luck of the draw whether one is homosexual. There have been many studies done to prove this theory, but due to a lack of evidence it has remained just that, a theory. Homosexuality, contrary to popular beliefs, is not inborn and has yet to be proven. Dr. Simon LeVay, a neuroscientist at the Salk institute of Biological Studies in San Diego, conducted a series of autopsies in order to seek out the reason for sexual orientation. In 1991, he conducted autopsies on forty-one people in search of an answer (Winslow 2). Among these cadavers, nineteen were allegedly homosexual men, sixteen allegedly heterosexual and six allegedly heterosexual women. His study was primarily centered towards a group of neurons in the hypothalamus structure. This structure is called the interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus, or otherwise known as the INAH3 (Dallas 111). His reports showed that he found a portion of the brain that he believed regulated to sexual behavior in men. The gland he discovered was â€Å"twice as large in men assumed to be homosexuals as it was in those who were homosexual†(Winslow 2). In the same year that Dr. LeVay performed his research, there was a pair of researchers out for the ... ... even goes into what is going to happen if your are homosexual. In 1 Corinthians 6:9 it states, â€Å"Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders will inherit the kingdom of God†(Bible 2069) Clearly God does not look upon homosexual lightly. In actuality, God does not take any sin lightly. Not just homosexual sin but all sin is detestable to God. The verse that is normally ignored in 1 Corinthians when referring to homosexuality is that â€Å"you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ†(Bible 2069). There are too many holes in the idea that homosexuality is something that one is born with. If someday science proves that homosexuality is something that one is born with, than I believe that that person can be born again.

Inclusion and Diversity Essay

The professional role of the class teacher is continually changing. It has long been expected that teachers should effectively accommodate all children regardless of their needs, with strategies and practice differing within and between settings to ensure that all children learn. However, recently more specific and detailed guidance has emerged that focuses on understanding the range of children’s needs (Hanko 2003). Instead of expecting children to ‘come up to standard’ or otherwise be segregated, an emphasis is now on schools to adapt and be flexible in order to accommodate, fully integrate and include every child (Tassoni 2003). Every Child Matters (ECM) details how it is the legal responsibility of the class teacher to ensure its five outcomes ensure inclusive pratice for all pupils. Evidence of this is apparent within the Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS), where meeting and understanding the diverse needs of children is highlighted. Based on the Childcare Act (2006), the EYFS aims to provide every child with the best possible start in life and with support to fulfil their potential (DCSF 2008b). The statutory guidance states: ‘Providers have a responsibility to ensure positive attitudes to diversity and difference – not only so that every child is included and not disadvantaged, but also so that they learn from the earliest age to value diversity in others and grow up making a positive contribution to society’ (DCSF 2008:9). Having such an understanding enabled me during my placement experience, to be particularly objective and critical with regards to how well the class teacher raised attainment and met the classes’ diverse needs. During the experience particular attention was played to the teaching strategies’ and practice in place within the setting, the learning environment and how the class teacher personalised learning. For the benefit of this assignment many of these observations regarding the inclusion of diverse needs were focused on two specific children, one of whom was identified as having a Special Education Need (SEN). A child has a special educational need if he has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him (Education Act 1996). This is the case for the observed child as his disability hinders him from making use of educational facilities that are generally beneficial to children of the same age (Appendix 1). Whilst the second child was learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) as he came from an Eastern European background and had recently moved to the country and school. Like the child with SEN he required additional support to ensure understanding during the school day as well as making him and his peers aware of cultural diversity and how this was valuable to society (Appendix 2). This critical review will begin by reflecting on inclusive teaching practices and strategies to meet diverse needs. As the observed class was a foundation stage class, a significant strategy seen to be effectively used was that of ‘play’ and its various multifaceted and multifunctional forms. It could be seen through observation that all barriers of communication between children were removed, as they played freely and interactively together. Both the child with EAL and the observed child with SEN had developed ways of communicating with other children in the class to ensure that they were fully included, the majority of which time was without the aid or support of the class teacher or teaching assistant. Interestingly this idea of play is deep routed in historical theory, with the observed practice relating significantly to the beliefs of Vygotsky. He emphasised how play creates a zone of proximal development, where children behave beyond their age and above their daily behaviour (Vygotsky 1978). He believed that play makes children become more confident enabling them to experiment with language and their bodies in ways that perhaps they would not have done, had they not been engaged in play. Such an understanding significantly relates to observations of both observed children (Appendix 3). Perhaps these observations are not surprising, as play has more recently been recognised as being vital to children’s all-round health and wellbeing. It provides opportunities for first-hand experiences that underpin their understanding of and engagement with the world; it facilitates social development and cultivates creativity, imagination and emotional resilience (Daily Telegraph 2007). It is therefore not surprising that it significantly underpins the Early Years framework with the EYFS highlighting its importance to all areas of development (DCSF 2008:7). Within play, the class teacher had also effectively selected and chosen toys, resources and materials that were culturally diverse in the hope that children would appreciate and accept this as the norm (Appendix 4). Such practice has been researched by theorist Lindon, who highlights the importance of children seeing themselves and their family reflected in play resources, visual images and books (Lindon 2001). She also believed that good practice included reviewing the messages given by all your resources and the experiences offered as it is part of the class teachers’ role to extend young children’s understanding beyond their own backgrounds (Lindon 2001). Practice within the setting reflected her beliefs as the class teacher gave the Eastern European child, chances to share with the class things that they did in their family. As his English was not advanced he often showed pictures and brought in things that he had received from church. Not only does such practice support the beliefs on Lindon, but it also helps the class teacher meet inclusion guidelines from the National Inclusion statement which highlights the importance of teachers being aware of the different experiences, interests and strengths pupils bring with them to school and how they should plan their approaches to teaching and learning so that pupils can take part in lessons fully and effectively (DfE 2008). As the observed child was being encouraged to share his experiences one is able to see how this guidance is being achieved. This leads one to explore other strategies that encourage diversity. In particular a model of best practice put in place a different approach to teaching children from diverse backgrounds due to the particularly high numbers of children learning EAL (Appendix 5). In this setting, professionals encouraged cultural diversity by allowing, when necessary, children to use their home languages. Support for this belief has been seen within the Plowden Report which also embraces the child centred philosophy (Bourne 2001). Similarly research by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO 1953) supports this view, reporting that the home language is the best medium for instruction and for literacy development and should be used for as long as feasible. An explanation for this would be that because the home language facilitates subject learning and literacy development it is the means through which ‘a child absorbs the cultural environment’ (UNESCO 1953:47). It is through using this language that the school believed its children were going to learn most, as they have a greater understanding of what they are being taught. However, the placement setting chose to meet children’s diverse needs differently. Instead they did not separate the child with EAL but instead often supported him by differentiation, much of which involved informal methods of recording and learning. Particular provision which supported his Eastern European culture was a whole class ‘Ourselves’ topic that was covered for a whole term. During this time he was encouraged to bring in objects or photographs of things from his culture to share with his peers (Appendix 6). Legislation which supports this practice can be found within the Every Child Matters framework, which recognises the importance of preparing all children to live in a diverse, multi-ethnic society (DfES 2004). One could argue that the observed setting achieves this by recognising every child’s differences and their individual contributions to the class. Similar support also emerges for within the National Curriculum framework, which also highlights the importance of responding to pupils’ diverse needs, in particular the document details how teachers need to be aware of the different experiences, interests and strengths pupils bring from their range of diverse backgrounds (DfEE 1999). Having observed the very differing practice in two settings, one is able to make a judgement as to which appears to be most effectively catering for the diverse needs of its pupils. One would be inclined to argue that teaching children from an Eastern European background in their home language, isolates them and does not create an inclusive environment, and instead draws attention to their differences. It could also be argued that their social development is likely to suffer, as interaction with peers is likely to be limited to those who were able to speak their home language. As a trainee teacher one would be inclined to believe that the most effective way would be to recognise pupils differences and value their contributions, whether that be through discussion and by recognising difference, through demonstrations and visitor or the showing of differences and traditions. It could therefore be concluded that the provision within the placement setting effectively achieved this. Having explored and evaluated the effectiveness of a variety of inclusive teaching strategies, one becomes interested in analysing other ways that the class teacher is able to meet pupil’s diverse needs. This leads one to explore how the learning environment can be used to enhance such practice. In becoming familiar with the Early Years statutory framework it becomes apparent that the learning environment plays an important role, and as a result has been made one its main principles, known as ‘Enabling Environments’. The government document highlights how ‘The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning’ (DCSF 2008). To put it simply the document encourages class teachers to use the learning environment to meet the diverse needs of all children. At the placement setting the arrangement of the physical environment was particularly important, especially for the focus child with SEN whose physical impairments needed catering for. Had the classroom not been arranged effectively, his level of involvement and interaction with adults and children would have been affected (NAEYC 1991:43). During my time at the setting I observed numerous adaptions to the environment to suit his individual needs, these adaptions included the use of a chair for him during whole class sessions, large spaces between tables so he could walk around the classroom with ease and as the he was smaller than the majority of children in the class all equipment and resources were checked at the start of the term to ensure that they were accessible to him (Appendix 7). Such adaptions as those described warrant support from researchers Salisbury & Smith (1993) who encourage spatial accommodations that make it possible for children with special educational needs to participate in the classroom (Salisbury & Smith 1993). Similar support can also be found within the SEN code of practice, which describes how schools may need to use specialist equipment, approaches and adapted activities for some children to ensure that they are fully included (DfES 2001). As well as these adaptions made for the child with SEN, similar adaptions were put in place to include and meet the diverse needs of the Eastern European child who could speak very little English. Perhaps the most noticeable of these was the classroom’s printed resources which reflected the Polish language spoken by the focus child as well as the English language and a picture that could be universally understood by all. Such practice not only satisfies recommendations within the SEN code of practice, in similar ways to adaptions made for the focus child with cerebral palsy, but it also meets guidance set out within the more recent document Removing Barriers to Achievement: The government’s strategy for SEN (2004). It details how teachers must make provision that enables individuals to participate effectively in the curriculum and assessment activities (DfE 2004). One could argue that the described practice reflects this as the hild is being encouraged to learn by being given the same opportunities as the rest of the class as oppose to being disadvantaged by his inability to understand labels and displays around the room. Having said this, models of best practice take this inclusion one step further and highlight areas where the observed setting could be more thorough and significantly improve their practice. Provision in place at these settings included extensive bilingual websites, parent classes and translated letters (Appendix 8). Such practice finds support from researcher Cummings (1991) who believes extensive adaptions and changes to a learning environment are necessary if settings are to be inclusive. Having said this, it could be argued that the smaller adaptions that the placement setting had made, were also going some way to meeting his beliefs, despite them not being to the extent of the models of best practice. To further strengthen this argument is the practicality of implementing adaptions such as translated letters and bilingual websites as they require bilingual skills, time and money that many schools do not have access to. As a result one would be inclined to believe the observed placement settings attempts to be diverse and inclusive met current legislation sufficiently without placing unnecessary pressures on the class teacher’s role. As well as the physical learning environment being important when supporting children with diverse needs so is the emotional learning environment, which involves ensuring that children enjoy and want to achieve at school. Such beliefs are reflected within the Every Child Matters document, with one of its desired outcomes, being that of ‘enjoy and achieve’ (HMSO 2004). In order that children are motivated to learn it is important that the work is set at a level that is suitable for them, that it is achievable, but also a challenge. According to NASP, Children are naturally curious; they want to explore and discover. If their explorations bring pleasure or success, they will want to learn more (NASP 2003). To relate this to attainment, if children experience success and achievement in their work they want to take this further and are motivated to learn. This is where the use of differentiation is particularly effective, as work can be set at more achievable levels so that all children are able to experience success (Appendix 9). The importance of this has been highlighted by government, claiming that differentiation ‘helps the school to meet the learning needs of all pupils’ (DFE 1994). This has also been reinforced within the National Curriculum and within the EYFS which both indicate that meeting the individual needs of all children is central to their beliefs (DCSF 2008; DfEE 1999). Similarly the study of differentiation by Westwood (1997) recognises its benefits particularly when catering for those who have a barrier to learning. During my placement experience it was evident that both the child with EAL and the child with SEN were having their needs met using differentiation on a daily basis (Appendix 10). Despite seeing both focus children react positively to the differentiation in place, on a couple of occasions; comments were made towards them about their work being easier. Such observations support the belief that when differentiation is not done effectively, it can create segregation within the classroom (Hart 1992). By meeting one set of National Curriculum and Early Years inclusion guidelines, obstacles may be put in place, preventing the reaching of others. For example in meeting the diverse needs of all through obvious differentiation they may actually point out the differences between children and make certain children feel excluded (DCSF 2008; DfEE 1999). As a trainee teacher, one could attempt to build on the observations made, taking the positive strategies that were seen, such as the different methods of recording pupils work and build on this so that the more negative aspects could be minimised. In particular segregation and exclusion could be reduced by changing the differentiated groups regularly, according to pupil progress and between subjects. This would potentially make it more difficult for children to understand that they are grouped and being given work according to ability. This leads one to analyse how assessment can be used to help class teachers cater for children’s diverse needs. As the range of needs within a class is evident, even from just focusing on two pupils with additional needs, the importance of individual assessment is obvious if these individual needs are going to be catered for. This importance has been recognised within the Primary National Strategy which details how assessment for learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there (DfES 2004a: 13). The placement setting managed to achieve this through observation, which appeared to be particularly successful for the children with SEN and with EAL, as they had difficulty with communicating their ideas and responses (Appendix 11). This use of observation for assessment is support by theorist†¦ who believes that†¦. Using this theory and the observed practice during placement, as a trainee one would want to implement similar practice so that all children’s needs are catered for and this is not just limited to those that have the ability to communicate their ideas. When focusing on the personalisation of learning, the focus child with cerebral palsy had a number of additional measures in place for him that ensured his inclusion in the mainstream classroom. Unlike all children with SEN, his disability meant that he had been given a statement of Special Educational Needs and as a result he benefitted from a one-to-one teaching assistant for a number of hours a week. Not only does this form of support cater for his specific needs but it also put him at the centre of this learning. An idea initially detailed within the Plowden Report (1967). The report put forward ideas originally investigated by Piaget, recommending child-centred education and discovery learning to be used to integrate children following Piaget’s belief that all children learn at different rates and was in favour of waiting until they were ready to move onto a further stage or schema (Piaget 1965). One would therefore argue that it is from research such as this; that the quality of teaching and learning has improved for many children they are now encouraged to develop at their own rate and pace. Having said this, the argument is not one sided, with some researchers believing that Piaget’s theory of school readiness was impractical in practice. For example in a class with thirty children, is it realistic for the teacher, to know the exact state of readiness for every child, and to set individual work? On a practical level, this is not possible; suggesting Piaget’s theory is unrealistic. It is not feasible for the child with SEN to always have work set at his own individual level; however during the few hours that he is given one-to-one support more challenging work and activities that he would not be capable of tackling alone are addressed, Physical Education being one of these areas (Appendix 12). Such practice meets recommendation within the Strategy for Special Educational Needs (2004) which details that successful inclusion is determined by the quality of their experience; how they are helped to learn, achieve, and participate fully in the life of the school (DfE 2004:25). One could argue the way that the extra support is used within the setting improves the quality of children’s experiences. Support within literature comes from Vygotsky (1978) believing adults not only support children but also encourage progression through ‘scaffolding’. In his view it is not only important to focus on what children can do unaided and within their capacity but also what they can do with adult support (Gindis 1998). Development is dependent on learning and through learning they develop. Learning should be matched to the child’s level of development but should also take them beyond it’ (Duffy 1998:92). Though formal and informal observations completed by the one-to-one assistant and the class teacher, they are able to see what the child is capable of without support and then build on this during his one-to-one time. This personalisation of learning for the child with SEN is also met through his Individual Education Plan (IEP) which is used to support his individual learning needs (Appendix 13). Support for such practice was not only seen from the parents of the focus child and the class teacher (Appendix 13) but can also be seen within government legislation, both within the Education Act (1996) and the SEN Code of Practice (2001), which highlight the importance of identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs (DfES 2001). Putting in place an IEP is one way of achieving recommendations within the SEN Code of Practice which details how schools should match provision to children’s SEN in response of their individual needs (DfES 2001). The implementation of his IEP demonstrates inclusion as the class teacher uses his targets to direct his learning and set him goals to achieve, in a similar way that his peers are achieving their early learning goals. Despite the placement setting appearing to use IEPs successfully some research exists to dispute them, particularly regarding their involvement of parents. According to Rock (2000) in some cases parents feel that educational programs have already been determined before they are involved in their child’s IEP meetings and therefore they may not agree with the progress and the direction of the development being encouraged. Such a claim, disputes initial reasoning for such practice being put in place as legislation emphasised integrated practice with parents so that they had an opportunity to plan the most appropriate program for their children alongside the professionals (Friend 2005; Goldstein & Turnbull 1982; Martin et al 2004). However if this research is to be used to form an argument against the success of IEPs, its validity most be investigated. One could argue that Rock (2000) appears to be bias as she is an SEN teacher whom appears to have lost faith in the education system. She appears to be putting into question the effectiveness of the IEP program because of individual cases that were not successful, rather than judging each case individually. In addition to this her research appears to be based on only a very small number of cases, leaving one to question whether her research is to generalising and judgemental. Having taken both of these points into consideration research one would be inclined to dismiss this research on the grounds that it is not valid enough to create an argument against IEPs. Instead one would be better to judge the success of IEPs based on the practice seen on placement. Having gained an understanding of how parents can support class teachers in meeting the diverse needs of children, attention is turned to other outside support that my also aid teachers in providing effective provision. In particular is the support available to cater for the diverse needs of pupils, like the focus child with EAL. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (EMAG) is a government scheme ran via the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCFS) allocated on a need based formula to all Local Authorities (NALDIC 2010) (Appendix 13). Support of this kind was investigated during the placement however it was made clear because they did not have high numbers of children learning EAL that they were unable to access this support. One could argue that no matter how many children the school have to cater for that have EAL, they still need provision to meet children’s diverse needs and for this reason they should all have access to this government support. Research conducted by Sure Start supports this, as they believe, there is a lack of access to expert support for developing good practice in equal opportunities and cultural awareness (Sure Start 2004). In the case of the EMAG expertise is available however for work to be carried out more widely additional funding needs to be allocated (Sure Start 2004). Using Lincolnshire as an example, research from Sure Start shows how only a small number of settings have had access to this grant, meaning those benefiting from Government support is very limited. However one could assume that if settings are lucky enough to have access to this type of support, it would enable class teachers to provide even better provision than that seen during the placement experience. Having analysed research, legislation, literature and my placement experience throughout this assignment, one begins to conclude what provision most successfully allows class teachers to inclusively meet the diverse needs of pupils. Play is a particularly valuable strategy which can effectively cater for a diverse range of needs. Resources, toys and book can also be incorporate into play to encourage children’s acceptance of diversity. The physical and emotional learning environment also plays a vital role, as it motivates learners and helps removes barriers to children’s learning. The learning environment was analysed in depth when focusing on the needs of two children within the placement setting. Provision showed how the class teacher met the needs of the child with a physical impairment by arranging resources at a lower level, by giving him a chair to sit on as oppose to the carpet and create more free space around the room for his of access. Similarly classroom displays and labels reflected the home language of an Eastern European child so that he had equal opportunities to understand and access these resources as his peers. Other suggested strategies as seen in models of best practice included bilingual websites, parent classes and translated letters so families of EAL children can actively support the setting in meeting children’s diverse needs. Other strategies that class teachers may use to personalise leaning include differentiation, one-to-one teaching and IEPs, however all of these have faced an element of dispute, whether that be on the grounds that they are based on traditional theories or that modern researchers have proven more updated theories.

Foundation of Democracy Essay

Desktop Computers  ·Also called personal computers.  ·sit on,beside,or under a desktop. Notebook or Laptops  ·Similar to desktops  ·Advantages  ·Netbook  ·Similar to a notebook  ·For wireless communication or access to the internet Tablets  ·Looks similar to a notebook  ·Touch screens capability Servers  ·A computer dedicated to shaaring resources among 2 or more computers and managing large amounts of data. Hand-held or Mobile Computers  ·Any computing devices that fits in the palm of your hand and is portable.  ·Cellular Phones  ·Personal Digital Assistants (PDA)  ·Music or Media Players (ipods ,Mp3)  ·Game systems (wii, playstations)  ·Electronic Book Readers (kindle, Nook)  ·Calculators Looking at the system unit  ·sometimes called the â€Å"Box â€Å"or â€Å"Tower†.  ·Most expensive part of the computer system.Devices in the system  ·Power supply  ·Motherboard  ·Micro processor  ·Memory Power Supply  ·Supply the necessary power to run components in the systemunit. Motherboard  ·The central printed circuit board in the system unit that holds many of the crucial comporents. Connecting Devices  ·Parallel  ·Serial  ·Ports  ·Universal Serial BUS(USB)  ·Network Ports  ·Used for connecting to anotheer computer on a network ,a modern ,or to the internet  ·Ethernet of firewire Device Driver  ·To enable communication between the operating system and the device. What is a software Program?  ·A step by step set of instructions that tell a computer what to do.  ·Software applications are created using program languages.  ·A complex code that activate functions and complete tasks.  ·Computer software code is based on a set of rules called algerithms Ergonomics  ·Fitting the job to the peoplewho have to do it,through the design of equipment and procedures.  ·Fitting the person to the job, through use of placement procedures or training.  ·Application requires matching tasks demands and environmental conditions with user characteristics.  ·Ergonomics originated during the second world war to overcome performance failures due to human error in new high tech defense systems.  ·Proper lighting for visionby utilizing prortable adjustable lamps for each workstations, and indirect lighting sources some type of blinds for windows to reduce glare including to the computer screens.  ·Proper posture using adjustable desk and chairs with height.