Language Modes Essay Example for Free

Language Modes Essay Language arts is the term typically used by educators to describe the curriculum area that includes four modes of language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Language arts teaching constitutes a particularly important area in teacher education, since listening, speaking, reading, and writing permeate the curriculum; they are essential to learning and to the demonstration of learning in every content area. Teachers are charged with guiding students toward proficiency in these four language modes, which can be compared and contrasted in several ways. Listening and speaking involve oral language and are often referred to as primary modes since they are acquired naturally in home and community environments before children come to school. Reading and writing, the written language modes, are acquired differently. Although children from literate environments often come to school with considerable knowledge about printed language, reading and writing are widely considered to be the schools responsibility and are formally taught. A different way of grouping the language modes is according to the processing involved in their use. Speaking and writing require constructing messages and conveying them to others through language. Thus they are expressive modes. Listening and reading, on the other hand, are more receptive modes; they involve constructing meaning from messages that come from others language. (For those who are deaf, visual and spatial language modes–watching and signing–replace oral language modes. When one considers how children learn and use language, however, all of these divisions become somewhat artificial. Whatever we label them, all modes involve communication and construction of meaning. In effective language arts teaching, several modes are usually used in each activity or set of related activities. For example, students in literature groups may read literature, discuss it, and write about it in response journals. In 1976 Walter Loban published a study of the language growth of 338 students who were observed from kindergarten through grade twelve. He found positive correlations among the four language modes both in terms of how students developed competency in each, and of how well students ultimately used them. His study demonstrated the inter-relationships among the four language modes and influenced educators to address and more fully integrate all four of them in classrooms. Models of Language Arts Instruction Many changes in language arts instruction have taken place in American schools since 1980. To understand these changes, one must be conversant with the three basic models that have given rise to variations in language arts curriculum over the years: the heritage model, the competencies model, and the process or student-centered model. Each model constitutes a belief system about the structure and content of instruction that leads to certain instructional approaches and methods. The heritage model, for example, reflects the belief that the purpose of language arts instruction is to transmit the values and traditions of the culture through the study of an agreed-upon body of literature. It also focuses on agreed-upon modes and genres of writing, to be mastered through guided writing experiences. The competencies model, on the other hand, emanates from the belief that the chief purpose of language arts instruction is to produce mastery of a hierarchy of language-related skills (particularly in reading and writing) in the learner. This model advocates the teaching of these skills in a predetermined sequence, generally through use of basal readers and graded language arts textbooks in which the instructional activities reflect this orientation. The majority of adults in this country probably experienced elementary level language arts instruction that was based in the competencies model, followed by high school English instruction that primarily reflected the heritage model. Instruction in both of these models depends heavily on the use of sequenced curricula, texts, and tests. The third model of language arts instruction, the process model, is quite different from the other two models. The curriculum is not determined by texts and tests; rather, this model stresses the encouragement of language processes that lead to growth in the language competencies (both written and oral) of students, as well as exposure to broad content. The interests and needs of the students, along with the knowledge and interests of the teacher, determine the specific curriculum. Thus reading materials, writing genres and topics, and discussion activities will vary from classroom to classroom and even from student to student within a classroom. Authentic assessment is the rule in these classrooms, that is, assessment that grows from the real language work of the students rather than from formal tests. Clearly the process model leads to more flexible and varied curriculum and instruction than the other two models. While the heritage and competencies models have come under criticism for being too rigid and unresponsive to student differences, the process model has been criticized as too unstructured and inconsistent to dependably give all students sufficient grounding in language content and skills. In actuality, teachers of language arts generally strive to help their students develop proficiency in language use, develop understanding of their own and other cultures, and experience and practice the processes of reading and writing. Thus it seems that the three models are not mutually exclusive. They do, however, reflect different priorities and emphases, and most teachers, schools, and/or school systems align beliefs and practices primarily with one or another model. Focus on Outcomes From a historical perspective, marked shifts in language arts instruction have taken place. In the early twentieth century, textbooks and assigned readings, writing assignments, and tests came to dominate the language arts curriculum. Instruction was characterized by a great deal of analysis of language and texts, on the theory that practice in analyzing language and drill in correct forms would lead students to improved use of language and proficiency in reading, writing, and discourse. Instruction was entirely teacher-driven; literature and writing topics were selected by the teacher; spelling, grammar, and penmanship were taught as distinct subjects; and writing was vigorously corrected but seldom really taught in the sense that composition is often taught today. In the 1980s a shift toward the process model emerged in the works of many language arts theorists and the published practices of some influential teachers including Donald Graves, Lucy M. Calkins, and Nancie Atwell. In 1987 the National Council of Teachers of English and the Modern Language Association sponsored a Coalition of English Associations Conference. Educational leaders from all levels came together at the conference to discuss past and present language arts teaching and to propose directions and goals to guide the teaching of language arts in the years leading up to and moving into the twenty-first century. The conference report specified the ideal outcomes of effective language arts instruction, in terms of the language knowledge, abilities, and attitudes of students. These outcomes were largely process oriented, as illustrated by the following examples of outcomes for students leaving the elementary grades, as reported by William Teale in Stories to Grow On (1989): * They will be readers and writers, individuals who find pleasure and satisfaction in reading and writing, and who make those activities an important part of their everyday lives. * They will use language to understand themselves and others and make sense of their world. As a means of reflecting on their lives, they will engage in such activities as telling and hearing stories, reading novels and poetry, and keeping journals. Principles to guide curriculum development evolved from the conference participants agreed upon student outcomes, and, like the outcomes, the principles were broad and process-focused. For example, two of the original principles are: Curriculum should evolve from a sound research knowledge base and The language arts curriculum should be learner-centered. Elaborations on these and other curriculum goals deviated from earlier recommendations in that they included classroom-based ethnographic research, or action research, as well as traditional basic research in the knowledge base that informs the teaching of language arts. There was also agreement that textbooks serve best as resources for activities, but that the most effective language arts curricula are not text driven; rather they are created by individual teachers for varying communities of students.

journeyhod A Journey into the Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

A Journey into the Heart of Darkness   The white man is evil, or so says Joseph Conrad in his novel Heart of Darkness, which describes the colonial transformation of the symbolically angelic African wilderness into an evil haven for the white man.   The novel presents a psychological journey into the core of evil or "heart of darkness" in one's own mind, as he or she progresses through the jungle. The reader follows Marlow, the novel's narrator, along such a journey.   His psychological changes as he approaches the heart of darkness are evident, as the reader observes, in his views of the African natives, lying and Kurtz.     Marlow is an honest man.   He sets out on a genuine search for answers to his questions of exploration of the unknown "when (he) was a little chap" (Conrad 64).   Marlow was drawn to a certain place on the world map, called the Congo "the biggest, the most blank, so to speak---that (he) had a hankering after" (Conrad 64). Upon first entering the mouth of the Congo River, Marlow declares his stance on lies and those who lie.   [He believes that lying in the worst thing for a person.] He vows never to lie in his life.   After reading Kurtz's report about his progress down the Congo, Marlow finds that Kurtz lied, and in part loses all the respect he ever had for Kurtz.   However, Marlow still continues to pursue him.   Marlow continues his journey up the Congo River, penetrating further and further into the heart of darkness.   In the process, Marlow reverts back to his innate state to survive, whether or not that means going against his principles.   Finally, 200 mi les later, Marlow meets Kurtz, who is the object of his psychological desire, only to find him very ill.   After Kurtz's death, Marlow finds himself transformed into a person he thought he would never become, a liar.   Marlow lies to Kurtz's intended about Kurtz's last words when he returns to Europe. After being consumed by the heart of darkness, Marlow throws away his previous values as he reverts into a savaged, almost evil state of mind.     Though honest, Marlow is a prejudiced man; he is the epitome of colonialism.   Going into the Congo, Marlow views the natives as prehistoric evils in desperate need of white influence and civilization. Throughout the physical journey, Marlow is confronted with the natives time and time again, seeing them chained as slaves, living in a village and attacking his own steam boat.

Effective Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Tamaris Purvines Assignment Three LDR 404 07/29/2012 Assignment Three Part One There are several different processes, ideas, and efforts that go into the overall practices of effective negotiation and conflict resolution. Yet no productive negotiation could be possible without the valuable use of skills. Two types of skills can help a successful negotiator. The first type is hard skills, which are guidelines, strategic measures, or anything that can be copied down onto paper and taught. The second type is soft skills, which are the skills acquired through practicing negotiation that can’t necessarily be taught.To get a better idea of the definition and examples of each type of skill, it is better to discuss them each individually in more depth. Hard Skills Several authors have written books and articles about what methods are beneficial for successful negotiation. A great example of an author who knows a lot about effective negotiation methods that benefit both sides of the ne gotiation is Bernard Mayer. As an author of several books, a professor at the Werner Institute and Creighton University, and a founding partner of CDR associates, Bernard has a lot of accomplishments in the field of conflict.He also has been working in the field of conflict for over forty years as a mediator, facilitator, researcher, and consultant. In his book Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention, Bernard discusses in depth unique ideas of looking at negotiation that benefit negotiators. In one section of the book he mentions a way of looking at conflict that helps the negotiator determine the source of the conflict at hand. He uses the Wheel of Conflict to demonstrate various aspects of interaction, personal life, and outside forces that can be the cause of a conflict.The outer layer of the wheel contains personality, data, culture, and power. The second layer of the wheel contains emotions, values, communication, structure, and history. The inner circle, a nd final layer, of the wheel are basic needs broken down into survival needs, interests, and identity needs (Mayer, 10). When in the negotiation process it is beneficial to look at these different layers of the Wheel of Conflict to help determine the source of the conflict at hand. Being able to first acknowledge the root of the problem is a great way to start the process of working through it.Three authors collaborated on the book Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In. These authors are Roger Fischer, Bruce Patton, and William Ury. In this book, they describe a method of negotiation that helps keep the discussions on track throughout the entire negotiation process. The method is broken down into four parts that help keep the negotiator and the parties involved focused on resolving the issue. The first part is â€Å"separate the people from the problem† (Fischer, 19). This allows the problem being faced to be the focus of discussions rather than the people a s individuals.The second part is â€Å"focus on interests not positions† (Fischer, 42). Focusing on the position rather than the interests causes the individuals to get stuck in something they may or may not end up wanting in the end. However, if the focus is on the interests of each side, then it is possible to come to a solution that is beneficial to all sides. The third part is â€Å"invent options for mutual gain† (Fischer, 58). Obviously it is in the best interest of both parties to come up with a solution that is mutually beneficial.Finally, the fourth part is â€Å"insist on using objective criteria† (Fischer, 82). The use of objective criteria insures that no side is trying to hoodwink the other. If the information is objective, then it is impossible for one side to claim that it is unfair to their cause. Each part of this method provides a structured negotiation process that is beneficial to all parties involved. Soft Skills While the above-mentioned ha rd skills are highly helpful in aiding a negotiator in their negotiation process, there are some skills that are unable to be broken down into categories or methods.Throughout the process problems arise that are situation specific. Knowing when one party is bluffing or trying to trick the other party are skills that come with learning through experience. The delivery of statements and ideas are definitely situation specific. Discussing an issue with a church group may not be the same type of discussion that may be necessary with a theater group. Individuals respond differently to how phrases are stated. Only through working with similar groups does a negotiator learn how best to phrase their ideas to parties in any given situation.Learning how to best reframe a harsh or inappropriate statement into the truth of the statement is also a soft skill that is highly beneficial to negotiators. The only way to learn how to accomplish this difficult skill is by practicing it. It takes years of practicing and using this skill in negotiation processes to truly learn how to effectively hone it. Being able to determine the best possible solution to the problem for both parties involved in a negotiation is also something that cannot be learned. Each negotiation is going to be different and have different circumstances.Even after years of working with groups in negotiation or mediation situations, it is still difficult to help both sides create a mutually beneficial solution to their problem. This is something that almost comes as a talent to negotiators. It takes a certain gift to be able to achieve positive outcomes for everyone involved every time. Sometimes it may not be possible to come to a full solution. Maybe the situation has progressed, but perhaps the negotiator cannot take the parties any further in their differences.Whatever the case, negotiators have to have the experience to know when the right time is to be finished with the negotiation or when to keep trying . This knowledge can’t be taught or learned in a classroom. It is clear that it takes more than just book knowledge and methods to produce a great negotiator. Part Two Learning how to be an effective negotiator is a long process that requires patience and understanding. It takes time and effort to learn all the different processes, methods, and procedures that can be helpful in the negotiation process.However, no matter how much work and effort you put into learning good methods for negotiation, there will never be a â€Å"perfect† negotiation. To further understand the complications that may arise during negotiations, it is good to look into two fairly common areas that negotiations are often required in. Many challenges arise during this process whether it is in a business situation or a personal situation. Difficulties Faced in Business Many various complications can arise in business negotiations. Often times businesses are working with other businesses to determin e a solution to a problem or are defining a contract.Many of these negotiations take place in multi party discussions. It is often very easy for one party to start feeling attacked by the other party, to feel cheated of something they believe they deserve, or to communicate in a way that the other party may not understand. For example, when two businesses are trying to settle a problem, each side is trying to gain something the company needs. In this effort it is easy to start putting blame on the other party for what has taken place. When this happens it causes a lot of strain in the negotiation because the focus is no longer on the problem at hand.This can create major setbacks in the process, and cause the negotiator to have to start back at the beginning to try to show each side how they can mutually benefit from a solution if they work together. Sometimes the parties may feel as if the problem has caused too much harm to the companies, and may decide to quit the negotiation pro cess altogether. The same results can be said of two businesses attempting to create a contract. Frequently one company or the other will feel as if they are being cheated out of something that can be beneficial to them. It can also be difficult to overcome cultural differences in business.One company may base their business practices on the cultures surrounding them. The other company may do the same in a different region. When this occurs, it becomes difficult for the two to effectively communicate to each other. The negotiator then gains the task of having to interpret the differences, and show both parties how they are similar rather than different. While these are all complications that can come up during negotiations, the negotiator soon learns how best to overcome these issues and work toward mutually beneficial solutions. Difficulties Faced in Personal Life Negotiations can arise within personal situations as well.While it may not be establishing a mutually beneficial contra ct, difficult situations occasionally occur in personal relationships. Relationships such as romances, friendships, and family members can encounter problems or difficult situations that require a solution. When this happens, the individuals involved enter into a negotiation. In all relationships it becomes easy to attack the other person for disagreeing, having opposing needs, or feeling neglected. As this starts to happen both individuals become negotiators for what they determine to be the truth or best solution for the situation.It is very easy for each party to feel hurt, take everything personally, and get angry. What is not easy to do is assess the situation in a calm state, and restate any negative statements into the truth of the situation. All too often individuals start saying things out of anger and hurt, and the negotiation quickly turns into a personal attack or fight. While it is difficult to focus on the needs of both sides, to keep personal feelings at bay, and work at finding a positive solution, a successful negotiator must learn to do this. ConclusionNegotiation is a process that requires lots of learning, hard skill techniques, soft skill techniques, and experience. Quite often complications arise that can deter the process or completely end the negotiation altogether. Successful negotiators learn as much as they can from mentors, education, books, and whatever other sources they may find on conflict resolution and negotiation. They then take that knowledge and apply it to then hone hard skills they can take into negotiations with them. Once they start to experience working as a negotiator, they gain the knowledge of soft skills that work for them.And while all of this takes place they constantly run into complications. However, they overcome these complications and gain knowledge from them. Throughout the process of negotiation, whether as a professional or just in everyday life, negotiators learn how to establish and maintain relationshi ps through effective communication. Works Cited 1. Fischer, Roger, Bruce Patton, and William Ury. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York City: Penguin Group, 2011. Print. 2. Mayer, Bernard. The Dynamics of Conflict: A Guide to Engagement and Intervention. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2012. Print.

Assessment Of An Organization A Unique Form Of Growth...

Assessment of an organization is a significant measure that help decide the prosperity that is holds. Many companies that are surgically assessed often experience a unique form of growth than its peers. Depending on the size of the company, some company are assigned by the traditional management within, while many big organizations has the capacity to employ an organization consultant team to help them handle a well-coordinated assessment of their organizational growth. Also, for an organization to thrive, it has to be in the right frame set. Most organizations that struggle are often deprived of the right framing, while most organization who owns the better market share of any industry out there are guided by the administration of a†¦show more content†¦Delta Air Lines serves as one of the major airlines across the globe that has re-defined the air transportation system. Delta Air Lines was initially created as Huff Daland Dusters Inc. on May 30, 1924 in Macon, Georgia, which was an aerial crop dusting operation. On September 1928, one of the directors purchased the company and renamed it Delta Air Service. It started transporting passengers, though only had a single passenger seat, on June 17, 1929. Upon the commercialized of Delta Airlines, Inc., it is now headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Airline appears to be the right city for Delta Airlines because it is the world’s largest airline hub with over 1000 daily departures to 316 destinations. This reputable organization also has hubs in Cincinnati, OH; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN; New York-LaGuardia, NY; New York-JFK, NY; Salt Lake City, UT; Seattle, WA; Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France; Amsterdam, Netherlands and Tokyo-Narita, Japan. Delta Airlines currently has around 800 aircraft for his services in over 57 countries where it operates. Overtime, Delta Air Lines have continued to grow as a result of many airline fusions over a period of eight decades. It has also instituted a fine leadership structure. The following is the list of executives that is encompassed in the leadership structure: Richard Anderson is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), he joined the company in April 2007 and eventually became CEO in September 2007. Under