Computer Use in Early Childhood Education Essay

Abstract The importance of the child’s development in early years of education has reached the stage where it becomes critical that learning programs becomes a global issue. Understanding changes and undertaking practice is fundamental in student learning. The purpose of this article is to increase our perception on the different effects of using computer technology in early childhood setting. In answering the question ‘What is the purpose of education? I started at that time from the observation that man lives in a world of objects which influence him and which he wishes to influence, and so he must know these objects in their characteristics, their essence and their relation to one another and to mankind. Friedrich Froebel Keywords : Early Childhood, Computer, Technology Education, Curriculum Introduction Throughout educational history, world philosophers have wrestled with understanding the myriad of questions and problems surrounding the education of society’s children. Historically, many early childhood educators supported the idea that children should be trained as soon as possible to become productive members of the larger society so that the cultural heritage of the society could be preserved from generation to generation; this cultural imposition theory has been prevalent throughout the educational history of the world (Staff, 1998. Early Years of Education Early Childhood Education is the term commonly used to describe the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. The developmental definition of early childhood education spans the human life from birth to age eight. However, typically early childhood education covers the period from birth to when a child starts school and this can be as early as five years of age as in New Zealand. This time period is widely considered the most vulnerable and crucial stage of a person’s life. The early years of childhood are receiving increased public attention around the world. Issues on providing quality service and ensuring a good foundation for lifelong learning is generating a new interest in the academic community by adapting different theoretical perspective, pedagogy and philosophy. There are several key components to understanding how young children learn, and therefore how they need to be taught. In New Zealand, the process of creating the early childhood curriculum was inspired by the evidence of not only a bi cultural society but a multi cultural and multi racial society. CurriculumCurriculum is defined in Te Wha? riki as ‘†¦ the sum total of the experiences, activities and events, whether direct or indirect, which occur within an environment designed to foster children’s learning and development’ (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 10 cited in Nutall, 2003). This definition of curriculum as ‘everything that happens’ is acknowledged in the curriculum theory literature (e. g. Cornbleth, 1990 cited in Nutall, 2003) and it is a description that resonates with the holistic, child-centred philosophy of early childhood education in New Zealand. The central expectation of Te Wha? riki is that early childhood centres and services will articulate ‘their’ curriculum in a conscious, culturally situated way. (Nutall, 2003). The implementation of Te Wha? riki, which was inspired by The Socio Cultural Constructivism principle of Vygotzsky, introduced the early childhood teachers in New Zealand to the most recent curriculum tradition. One of the reasons socio-cultural approaches resonate with teachers in childcare centres is the way in which children are understood to be learning through their experiences in the centre, including routine happenings such as play and mealtimes. (Nutall, 2003) Within this pedagogy, both the teachers and students are understood to be engaged in a process of actively constructing knowledge, through their interactions with time, space, objects and people. Children learn through collaboration with adults and peers, through guided participation and observation of others, as well as through individual exploration and reflection. There are five different developmental domains of children which all relate to each other. They are easily referred to as the SPICE of life: Social – Refers mostly to the ability to form attachments, play with others, co-operation and sharing, and being able to create lasting relationships with others. Physical – Development of Fine (small) and Gross (large) Motor Skills. Intellectual – The process of making sense of the world around them. Creative – The development of special abilities creating talents. Music, Art, Writing, Reading, and Singing are all ways for creative development to take place. Emotional – Development of self-awareness, self-confidence, and coping with feelings as well as understanding them. http://www. teachingexpertise. com/articles/computers-and-early-years-1124 According to Yelland (1999), Educators beliefs such as Montessori, Isaacs, Froebel, and Steiner, has led to early childhood programs that are characterized by their adherence to such traditional principles, manifested in unstructured environments, informal contexts, and learning through active exploration and play. Indeed, early pioneers such as Montessori advocated relatively structured learning opportunities, whereas Froebel’s views supported a less formal structure. However, both Froebel and Montessori seemed to agree that children learned most effectively from self-directed activities that gave them a high level of empowerment and ownership. Technology Education Technology education all over the world is evolving dramatically in a very fast phase as international academic institutions explore the implication of their present status and the rate they are progressing as compared to other developed countries. It is quite safe to say that, it is the brewing competition over the magnitude of the technology education, which comprises the curriculum that is becoming the main catalyst to these rapid changes. This notion could set the trend on how Early Childhood Curriculum should be designed and be implemented. What should be the content of this curriculum to help the children be prepared for technology education? Is the integration of technological tools beneficial to the learning outcomes of the students? Are computers developmentally appropriate to early childhood students?. Introduction of these devices and in some cases integration of the use of the technology in the existing curriculum has been a massive ground for global arguments. What brought this massive revolution to this day’s education is coherent to how fast the world is changing. Change is inevitable and sometimes predictable as it may seem, most of us will still be caught unaware and mislaid. As members of the community everyone takes part in the development of tomorrow’s citizens. The early childhood sector has been heavily influenced by particular views of child development and how children learn. Such views are often based on developmental psychology and seek to develop practices that are developmentally appropriate (Hirsh, 2004, cited in Zevenbergen & Logan , 2008) The author believed that whether traditional or technology education, students’ experiences, social influence, and development are the main considerations on the part of the educators/teachers approach in delivering knowledge and evaluating learning outcomes. There have been several studies and articles (Cordes & Miller, 2000; Haugland, 2000; Plotz, 2007) on arguments about the content of technology in early childhood, or the appropriate age to expose children to computers. Regardless what the parents thoughts are, whether or not they choose to expose their children to computers, eventually they will be introduced to technology when they enter school. To this day it is still uncertain on whether or not extensive use of computers for young people could be detrimental to their being, physically, socially and intellectually to say the least. What is certain is that technology is at hand and here to stay. Computers are increasingly present in early childhood education settings. Toward the end of the 1980s, only one-fourth of licensed pre schools had computers. Today almost every preschool has a computer, with the ratio of computers to students changing from 1:125 in 1984 to 1:22 in 1990 to 1:10 in 1997. This last ratio matches the minimum ratio that is favourable to social interaction (Clements and Nastasi 1993; Coley et al. 1997). In the event that the use of this technology could be measured in education settings, what are we to assume or expect in the different household settings. No one knows the exact number of computers in each and every particular household. Are Computers Developmentally Appropriate? There are many researchers, organizations, and other programs that recognize the benefits of using computers with young children. One major supporter of children and technology is the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). They created a lengthy position statement on Technology and Young children that states, â€Å"The potential benefits of technology for young children’s learning and development are well documented† (1996). Susan Haugland, a professor of child development and president of K. I. D. S. & Computers, Inc. , has done research and recently published an article about the benefits of technology called, â€Å"Computers and Young Children. † In this article, Susan states that an appropriate age to introduce children to computers is at age 3. She also goes on to state that, â€Å" children 3 and 4 years of age are developmentally ready to explore computers, and most early childhood educators see the computer centre as a valuable activity centre for learning. Children this age are developmentally within Piaget’s preoperational stage. This means they are concrete learners who are very interested in using newly learned symbolic representation – speaking, writing, drawing (including maps and geometric figures) and using numbers. Children this age are extremely active and mobile. They often have difficulty sitting still; they need frequent changes in learning modalities; and they want a variety of physical experiences involving dance, physical play, climbing and sports. Pre operational children are also are continuing their mastery of language, and exploring various facets of social behavior. Another large organization that supports technology in early childhood education is NETC (Northwest Educational Technology Consortium). They created a resource website for educators and providers called, Early Connections: Technology in Early Childhood Education. This website offers information on how to implement technology into child care centres, preschools, kindergarten, primary grades, and in before/ after school programs. They also offer suggestions on classroom arrangement, software selection, health & safety, hardware, and other resources. However, I think the most valuable information they offer is how technology is linked to learning and the curriculum. They state that one of the main benefits of computer use is because it enhances the five development domains: social and emotional, language, motor, and cognitive skills (Early Connections, â€Å"Learning and Development,† n.d. ). Clearly many of these developmental needs match up well with appropriate use of technology in the classroom, especially exploration, manipulation of symbolic representation, matching alternative learning styles, and quickly changing learning modalities that individual students can control and pace to meet their individual needs. It is also a very powerful tool for students with specific learning disabilities (Wardle,1999). If the goal for a certain age child is to learn to write personal journals, then the computer can naturally support that through writing software, digital cameras, and other methods. A science goal that requires learning the solar system can be augmented by using specific CD ROMS and accessing web sites. Similarly, studying extinct and endangered animals becomes more real and educational through the use of specific software and web sites. Lee and O’Rourke (2006), reported an Australian project on ICT use in Early Childhood setting, they discussed that teachers experimented with a range of activities and, in keeping with Piagetian perspectives of early development and learning, attempted to connect concrete experiences with those experiences children accessed on the computer. An example of this is the work done in one early childhood centre with the software ‘Millie’s Math House: Build-A-Bug’. The children created a ‘critter’ on the software and then recreated it in 3D using playdough, matchsticks and other collage materials. Making a connection between the image and the object was a powerful tool for engaging reluctant learners and the teacher was encouraged by the student response to the experience. Another example of this type of experience was developed by a teacher in a rural pre-school centre who used the program ‘Sammy’s Science House: Workshop’ to design, make and appraise a toy or machine. The children were invited to design a machine using the software and to describe what its function was. The teacher suggested that some children might like to build the machine out of materials of their choice. The use of computers in a fully integrated classroom is endless. Software can be used to assist not only the learners but the teachers as well in so many ways. Although research has proven many beneficial reasons to include technology in early childhood programs, there are many who believe that computers are not appropriate and could have harmful effects on young children. Jane Healy, an educational psychologist, wrote a book called, Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds- for Better and Worse (1998), in the book she states that children should be 7 before introducing them to computers due to the harmful effects of computer use on their development. Her view is one that is shared with another large organization, The Alliance for Childhood. The Alliance for Childhood published a large report, Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood, which claims â€Å"computers can have damaging consequences for children under age 7 in terms of their health, social relationships, and intellectual development† (Cordes & Miller, 2000, pg. 3). In this report they stated that, â€Å"Computers in childhood may expose children to the risk of a broad range of developmental setbacks† (Cordes & Miller, 2000, pg.3). A wide array of experts release a statement about the ways computers are reshaping children’s lives, at home and at school, in profound and unexpected ways. They stress that the use of technology is a distraction from the urgent social and educational needs of the low income children. And concludes with the following statement, â€Å"Those who place their faith in technology to solve the problems of education should look more deeply into the needs of children†. The renewal of education requires personal attention to students from good teachers and active parents, strongly supported by their communities. It requires commitment to developmentally appropriate education and attention to the full range of children’s real, low-tech needs — physical, emotional, and social, as well as cognitive† (The Alliance for Childhood, 2000. ) While both views provide compelling arguments, one can not avoid the obvious fact that technology will continue to evolve and will become a more significant part of the daily life. Use of technology in the early childhood program must not be a goal unto itself: the purpose is not to teach children how to use computers; they can do this as they get older, just as they can learn to drive a car later in their lives (Wardle, 1999). Appropriate use of technology in the classroom is to expand, enrich, implement, individualize, differentiate, and extend the overall curriculum. Computers are not to replace physical play, outdoor exploration of the community and of nature; art, music and dance; learning specific social skills and moral values, and experiencing diversity in a myriad of ways. Common sense suggests that we consider the potential harm, as well as the promised benefits, of this change and not rush forward with computer usage in childhood. As an educator we always want the best learning outcome for our students, and to extensively use whatever possible ways to achieve this goal. The only true education comes through the stimulation of the child’s powers by the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself. (James, 2005) Teachers’ Perception on the use of Computer Technology inside the classroom. One more compelling issue as regards to the use of technology in early years of education is the preparedness of the early childhood teachers in the use of technology inside their classrooms. Hsiac (2003) stated that the most important aspect of good early childhood program is its teacher, as classrooms practices are influenced by teachers’ beliefs. May (1997, 2000) has traced this rich heritage of multiple ideological, theoretical and pragmatic influences, showing how each successive trend has challenged early childhood teachers to re-examine their practice. (Cited in Nutall, 2003) Fact is not all early childhood teachers embraces the idea of technology education, some of them are faced with ethical dilemma in the use of information technology, (Myers & Miller 1996). According to Morrison (2007) there are, â€Å"three challenges confronting early childhood teachers when implementing effective programs using technology in their instruction: 1. ) Their own personal acceptance of technology, 2. ) Confidence that technology has a positive influence on children, and 3. ) Decisions about how to use technology in early childhood programs and classrooms† (pg.383). It’s important for teachers to accept technology and learn how to use it effectively. (cited in Plotz, 2007). Nutall’s (2003) research suggests to explore some provisions of frequent opportunities for teachers to make explicit their knowledge and assumptions about their role. As well as ideas about how children learn through the various aspects of their daily life. Furthermore, such research must take into account the way in which teachers in early childhood constantly teach each other about the deeply inter subjective and interpretive task of working with very young children. Aside from personal struggle there were also some issues being raised in accordance with the role of early childhood teachers in technology education. Gibbons (2006) mention some tensions between the early childhood educators and the government sector which in becoming a challenge for teachers and in one way or another becomes one of the reason for the derail of the their readiness and compliance of the task. Teachers as well as student possessed certain individuality; the trust that teachers should adjust to their student’s ability, will not be the same as students will adjust to their teachers ability. As teachers we are given the higher responsibility of being, according to Vygotzsky, the more knowledgeable other. Complex as it may be or to others simple as it may seem, early childhood teachers should take a step ahead to deliver this overwhelming educational demand. It’s important for teachers to accept technology and learn how to use it effectively. Morrison (2007) offers these guidelines for educators (pg. 384): Educate yourself on the potential benefits of computers and technology. Be willing to try new ways of using technology to help your children learn new knowledge and skills. Collaborate with colleagues in your school and school district to explore ways to use technology. Collaborate with parents and community members, many of whom have skills that you can use and apply. It is also important for teachers to have a positive attitude toward technology to create an appropriate classroom environment. Children will have a difficult time embracing technology if their teacher doesn’t approach the situation with a positive outlook. Summary and Conclusion Endless as it may seem, the ongoing issue of Information and Communication Technology in Early Childhood Education is giving the community of education a more clear and vivid guidelines on the process of creating, conceptualising and implementing policies and standards suitable to each and every environment. Immense concerns coming from diversity of culture and practice takes place. Analysing the impact of using technology in early childhood classrooms have established a variety of implications on different members of the academic community. Teachers, students, policy makers, writers and researchers, centre, and of course the ministry have presented diverse opinions and views on different aspects over this highly arguable issue. Because of the ongoing conflict of interests, the government of New Zealand particularly the Ministry of Education have gone through a major curriculum reforms leading to the development of a national technology curriculum. Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education 1995) became mandatory for all schools in February 1999. The development of the national technology education policy and the way in which the curriculum was developed, was described in an article by Jones(2003). This curriculum area will be compulsory for all students from years 1–10. Aside from Jones (2003), the evidence of issue concerning the integration of Information Technology in Early Childhood Education curriculum is becoming countless Gibbons (2006), Compton & Hardwood (2005), Zebenbergen & Logan (2008), Walters & Fehring (2009), Mawson (2007) to cite a few, and of course publications from the Ministry of Education (1993), (1995) and (1996) is as substantial. Recent development in Early Childhood Education offers exciting opportunities for exploration on how these technological tools will continue to improve children’s learning development and provides new stage to discover different aspects of teachers role. The challenge for parents and educators is to maintain a balance on the possible huge and massive effect of this ongoing evolution in technology education. * draft journal article for International Journal for Early Years References Clements, D. H. , and Nastasi, B. K. (1992). Computers and early childhood education. In Advances in school psychology: Preschool and early childhood treatment directions, eds. M. Gettinger, S. N. Elliot and T. R. Kratochwill, 187–246. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Clements, D. H. & Nastasi, B. K. (1993). Electronic media and early childhood education. In Handbook of research on the education of young children, ed. B. Spodek, 251–275. New York Cordes, C. & Miller, E. (2000). Fool’s Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood Alliance for Childhood. Retrieved April 2, 2011, http://www. allianceforchildhood. net/ Compton , V. & Hartwood,C. (2005) Progression in Technology Education in New Zealand Components of Practice as a Way Forward, International Journal of Technology and Design Education Genishi, C. , McCollum, P. , and Strand, E. B. (1985). Research currents: The interactional richness of children’s computer use. Language Arts, 62(5): 526–532. Gibbons, A. N. , (2006) The politics of technology in early childhood in Aotearoa/New Zealand Fitting early childhood educators in the ICT grid, Australian Journal of Early Childhood 31. No. 4 Haugland, S. (2000). Computers and Young Children. ERIC Digest. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from http://ceep. crc. uiuc. edu/ Hsiac, W. (2003), Comparison of Montessori and Non Montessori Teachers beliefs about Developmentally appropriate practice in pre school, Unpublished Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley James, 2005 retrieved from http://www. wilderdom. com/experiential/JohnDeweyQuotes. html Jones, A. 2003, The Development of a National Curriculum in Technology for New Zealand, International Journal of Technology and Design Education 13, 83–99 Lee, L.& O’Rourke,M. (2006) Information and Communication Technologies: Transforming views in literacies in early childhood setting, Early years, Vol 26,p 49-62 Marrison B. (2007), Factors affecting learning in technology in the early years, at school, Intl Journal of Technology and Design Education May, H. (1997) The Discovery of Early Childhood: the development of services for the care and education of veryyoung children, mid eighteenth century Europe to mid twentieth century New Zealand (Auckland, Auckland University Press/Bridget Williams Books/NZCER). May, H.(2000) Politics in the Playground: the world of early childhood in postwar New Zealand Wellington, Bridget Williams Books/NZCER). Ministry of Education, (1996) Te Wha? riki. He Wha? riki Ma? tauranga mo? nga? Mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum (Wellington, Learning Media). Ministry of Education ,(1998) Quality in Action. Te Mahi Whai Hua: implementing the Revised Statement of Desirable Objectives and Practices in New Zealand early childhood services (Wellington, Learning Media) Ministry of Education, (1993b), Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum (Draft),( Learning Media, Wellington). Ministry of Education: (1995), Technology in the New Zealand Curriculum, (Learning Media Wellington). Ministry of Education, (2005) Foundations for Discovery) p. 17 Ministry of Education, (2000) The Quality Journey. He Haerenga Whai Hua: improving in Early childhood services (Wellington, Learning Media) Ministry of Education, (2002), Pathways to the Future: Nga? Huarahi Arataki: a 10-year strategic plan for early childhood education (Wellington, Ministry of Education). Muller, A. A. , and Perlmutter, M. 1985. Preschool children’s problem -solving interactions at computers and jigsaw puzzles. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 6: 173–186. National Association of the Education of Young Children. (April 1996). Technology and Young Children- Ages 3 through 8. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved April 2, 2007 from http://www. naeyc. org/about/positions/pdf/PSTECH98. PDF Nutall, J. (2003), Influences on the Co-construction of the Teacher Role in Early Childhood Curriculum some examples from a New Zealand childcare centre, International Journal of Early Years Education, Vol. 11, No. 1, 2003 pp24-39. Papert, S. ,(1980). Teaching children thinking: Teaching children to be mathematicians vs. teaching about mathematics. In The computer in the school: Tutor, tool, tutee, ed. Plotz, K. , (2007), Integrating Technology into Early Childhood Classroom, Retrieved August 2010 from http://education. csm. edu/students/kplotz/position_paper. htm Staff, 1998, retrieved from http://froebelweb. tripod. com/web2002. html The Alliance for Childhood 2000) retrieved May 2011 (http://drupal6. allianceforchildhood. org/computer_position_statement) Wardle, F. 1999. Retrieved May 2011 http://www. earlychildhoodnews. com/ Walters , M & Fehring H. , (2008) An investigation of the incorporation of Information and Communication Technology and thinking skills with Year 1 and 2 students, Australian Australian Journal of Early Childhood Journal of Language and Literacy Vol 32, No. 3pp 258-272 Weir, S. , Russell, S. J. , and Valente, J. A. (1982). Logo: An approach to educating disabled children BYTE, 7: 342–360. Wyett, J. (1999), John Dewey and Earl Kelly : Giants in Democratic Education, Education Vol. 119, No. 1, pg 151-174 Yelland, N, (1999), Technology as Play, Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 26, No. 4 Zevenbergen R. & Logan, H. (2008) Computer Use by Preschool children. Rethinking Practice as digital natives come to preschool. , Vol 33, No. 1 Friedrich Froebel, retrieved April 2011 /froebelweb. tripod. com/web2002. htm http://applestar. org/capella/Educational%20Philosophers. pdf http://www. educate. ece. govt. nz/ http://www. simplypsychology. pwp. blueyonder. co. uk/vygotsky. html.

Mas-Cadel Specialty Bicycle

Cadel Specialty Bicycle Management Accounting Systems ACCT2195 Name: Nguyen Thai Son ID: S3296794 Lecturer: Keshav Dayalani Table of Contents Executive Summary3 Introduction4 I. Cadel Specialty Bicycles’ (CSB)5 A. Business mission5 B. Mean of competitive advantage6 C. Key Success Factors (KSFs)8 II. Management Accounting System of CSB9 ?Personnel9 ?Scare resources10 ?Activities11 III. Performance measurement & Reward System (PMRS) and its roles11 1. The factors to be measured12 2. A specific performance target12 . A reward attached to the performance target12 IV. Limitations of current PMRS14 A. Limitation14 B. Dysfunctional behavior15 V. Recommendation for new PMRS16 Conclusion17 References18 Appendix20 Executive Summary Cadel Specialty Bicycle (CSB) is a successful business of which nature is made-to-order bicycles. In other words, each bicycle of CSB is assembled in accordance with customer’s specification. The business aims to target on the niche market in which alm ost people are committed cycling enthusiast.Due the success of the first store located in Doncaster, Victoria, Australia, CSB has recently expand its business by opening two new stores located in Geelong & Black Rock and each store has different potential in the track of development . However, CSB has faced problems of personnel & resources management because the business had not applied the suitable strategies within the expansion. Although, the company plans to implement a new management accounting system (MAS) to deal with these problems, there still are weaknesses contained in the new MAS.Hence, the purposes of this report are analyzing the current system and suggesting new suitable MAS for the business. The first demonstration of the report is Background & Current position of CSB, which is used as a foundation for developing suitable MAS. The business mission of CSB, classified as â€Å"Question mark†, is building as well as increasing the market share. CSB creates its c ompetitive advantage based on the differentiation of product/service and the niche market. However, CSB has not reached the Cost-cum-Differentiation advantage yet.CSB may focus on the five key success factors (KSFs) including Proper decentralization & measurement of manager’s performance, Good relationship with suppliers, Establishing appropriate costing system & minimizing cost, Maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction and Product & Service Quality The second part of the report focus on evaluating the role as well as benefits of tools/techniques of current MAS in supporting the business in term of of personnel, scare resources and activities.Next, the role of Performance measurement & Reward system (PMRS) within the business is clearly analyzed in relation to directional & motivational influences on behavior. The report also states the limitations of the current PMRS which potentially leads to dysfunction behaviors. Finally, the report will suggest the suitable PMRS for the business which may effectively & efficiently support CSB in the track of its success. Introduction One of the most essential factors which guide organizations and businesses toward success is management accounting system (MAS).It is always a smart decision for business to apply integrated MAS which provides accurate analysis report by gathering financial data from operations (sales, inventory & cost). As a result of having MAS, business gains sufficient advantages in streamlining operations procedures, reducing costs and building capital for expansion. Refer to the case of Cadel Specialty Bicycle (CSB), the business mainly focus on selling made-to-order bicycles and guaranteeing the product/service quality.After the expansion (two new stores), the business seems to get into trouble with management as well as operation. This report will demonstrate the business analysis, evaluate the current MAS as well as suggest new potential/appropriate MAS. I. Cadel Specialty Bicycl es’ (CSB) A. Business mission Business mission, â€Å"which usually reveals purpose of operation, value and priorities of company† (John&Richard 2009), can be considered as a fundamental factor in conducting appropriate MAS for the business.The following criteria will clearly illustrate the current mission of CSB (build, hold, harvest, divest): * Importance of externalities One factor that significantly contributes to the potential development of CSB is the external environment. Recently, bike paths have become popular around Melbourne as people tend to reduce using cars. Therefore, there has been a significant growth in the market for bicycles. Utilizing the bike paths, CSB opened two new stores (Black Rock & Geelong) which seem to have great potential for development. * Market share expectationDue to the well establishment, Doncaster store (touring bikes) is highly demanded by customers that provide the store many opportunities to develop. Besides, Geelong store (mou ntain & touring bikes) also has great potential thanks to its advantageous location although the demand is not yet as high as at the Doncaster store. As a result of having great potential, the Market share expectations of the two stores seem to be high. Although CSB does not own a large part of the bicycle market at the moment, the business has a substantial growth rate.Base on facts of the case, â€Å"CSB aim to capture a significant proportion of this growth in the future†. Boston Consulting Group Model Relative Market Share (cash source) Mission = Hold Mission = Harvest Mission = Build â€Å"Dog† Mission = Divest High High Low Low â€Å"Star† â€Å"Question mark† â€Å"Cash cow† Market growth rate (cash user) Overall, CSB has high Market growth rate while owning low market share. Hence, the business can be classified in to â€Å"Question mark† and the business mission of CSB is building as well as increasing the market share. B. Mean of c ompetitive advantageCompetitive advantage is a special characteristic that a business has over its competitors, enabling the business to gain greater sales or profit within the competition. The two common competitive advantage options, which have been applied by CSB, are Differentiation & Niche market. * Differentiation: CSB differentiates its products & services based on certain criteria which are Function & Customer service. * Function Unlike normal bicycle business, CSB primarily applies the made-to-order function for all three stores which assemble customized bicycles based on customer specifications.In order to ensure the timing & success of this approach, a large inventory of different bicycle parts is held by each CSB stores. * Customer service CSB puts much effort on the operating customer service as well as interacting with customers. Cadel- CSB owner spends significant time in taking care of store’s day-to-day operations and often engages directly with customers to make sure that customers can purchase desirable bikes. CSB also sets a limit for the waiting time (time for customized bicycles to be available) which are less than two days of the initial consultation.The applied post-sale service is calling the customer after a week of taking possession of CSB’s products to ensure the customer’s satisfaction, and offering free-of-charge changes if necessary. Additionally, free lifetime after-sales service is also offered in which customers only have to pay for parts required. * Niche Market CSB targets on specific segment of market which is cycling enthusiast through the offer of customized bicycles. This customer group willing to spend more for qualified & desirable product Business competitive advantage Relative Cost Position Cost-cum-Differentiation Advantage Stuck-in-the -middle† Differentiation Advantage Low-cost-Advantage Superior Inferior Inferior Superior Relative Differentiation Position Although CSB gains moderate dif ferentiation advantage, the business did not consider much about the costing system (estimating price without real cost data). Therefore, CSB has not reached the Cost-cum-Differentiation advantage yet. C. Key Success Factors (KSFs) In order to construct appropriate & efficient MAS, business may consider the essence of critical KSFs which determine its success (cost and efficiency, quality, time, innovation).Gaining sufficient knowledge of KSFs will support the business to define the necessity of promoting strengths and competencies that match those factors in order to gain competitive advantage and achieve the business success (Jorge&Donald 1989). Refer to CSB- a growing business with great potential, certain KSFs would be as the following: * Product & Service Quality Cadel spends considerable time in training the store manager and often personally assembles & checks the customized bicycles to ensure the Service & Product quality.As a result, CSB is currently well known as a busines s providing high quality, customized bicycle. * Maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction Giving customers more than they expect is the basic concept of this issue. As Cadel believe that specialized customer service is a KSF of CSB, he put many efforts in maintaining the customer satisfaction such as calling the customer after a week of possession, offering free lifetime after-sales service & limiting the waiting time (2days). Establishing appropriate costing system & minimizing cost A weakness of CSB is that the business operates without real cost data. Hence, establishing suitable costing system has become a fundamental mission in the track of reaching success. Besides, CSB has to consider cost minimization to achieve Cost-cum-Differentiation advantage. * Good relationship with suppliers Since the expansion, the demand for supplies of CSB has increased due to the requirement of more inventories for the two new stores. Therefore, finding and maintaining good relationsh ip with suppliers is also essential. Proper decentralization & measurement of managers performance It is essential that Cadel distributes the authority to store managers properly because the business structure has become more complicated since the expansion and Cadel cannot play all roles of the business. II. Management Accounting System of CSB In order to solve the problems arisen from the expansion, Cadel’s brother has suggested Cadel to develop a MAS which significantly supports the business management in term of personnel, scare resources and activities. The following analysis will demonstrate the roles & benefits of each tool included in the MAS: Personnel * Supplier performance measures (SPM) SPM is a critical initiative for business dealing with multiple suppliers. The main role of SPM is integrating supplier quality which helps the business have accurate visibility toward supplier delivery and avoid hidden cost drivers from poor quality. As a result, SPM directly decr eases business risks and revenue losses Besides, SPM is a vital tool for motivating improvement and ensuring that products meet the required standards. SPM also supports in determining good suppliers so that CSB can maintain relationship with those suppliers.Related KSFs: Product quality; Good relation with supplier * Responsibility accounting system (RAS) RAS is used as an internal system which improves cost control and business’s performance. Its main role is ensuring the responsibility of individual managers toward elements of business performance in which they gain control. In RA, each store/department will be assigned certain stated goals and relevant managers will be judged on how well they meet the goals. As a result, CSB is able to detect the weak areas within the business and make correction properly Related KSF: Proper decentralization & measurement of managers performance Scare resources * Net Present Value (NPV) analyses NPV is an efficient method used in determin ing capital investment decisions. A potential project should be proceeded if its NPV value is positive unless there is a superior investment option offered. NPV allows CSB to make proper investment decision and invest in worthwhile projects because NPV does not only calculate the net cash flow from the project but also considers various associated factors like time value of money, opportunity cost & risk of prospective cash. Related KSFs: Minimizing cost Costing system The main role Costing system within MAs is collecting, analyzing & reporting the cost data that enables the owner and managers to monitor cost for reducing wastage and misuse of resources. Within the operation of business, it is easy to identify direct costs which associate with particular activities. However, indirect costs are those incurred in common or joint objectives so it cannot be clearly identified with particular activities. In order to assign indirect cost to projects accurately, Activity base costing syste m (ABCS) should be applied.ABCS is an efficient method which calculates and reduces operating the cost by finding key activities and its cost drivers. Consequently, the cost can be assigned accurately and the costing system can operate smoothly. Overall, costing system enables CSB to view all expenditures and manage its cost effectively Related KSFs: Establishing appropriate costing system & minimizing cost * Budget preparation The core role of Budget within CSB is tracking all of the money coming into the business along with all of the money going out.The budget can be designed to be detailed enough to cover numerous streams of income & expense. Establishing proper budget can significantly support the business in planning the use of resources, motivating individuals to achieve performance & supporting forecast. * Activities * Inventory management system – Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) The main role EOQ model is providing the most economical quantity of items which CSB should order to maximize value & minimize costs when re-stocking inventory.Applying EOQ does not only help the business to reduce Storage & Holding cost but also support in maintaining sufficient inventory levels to meet customer demand. It seems that customer service can be improved as inventory is available when needed. Related KSFs: Establishing appropriate costing system & minimizing cost; Maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction * Profit and loss statements (P&L) P&L is one of the major financial statements which clearly demonstrate the profitability (revenue, expenses and profit) of the CSB during a specified time interval.Hence, the basic role of P&L is indicating whether the business is profitable or not. Conducting a proper P&L can enable CSB to notice the areas needing improvement and provide an overall idea of how much the business owes compared to how much it owns. Besides, a truthful P&L report can also support CSB in planning ahead to the next financial period. III. Performance measurement & Reward System (PMRS) and its roles Performance measurement is a process of gathering & reporting nformation regarding the performance of the business & individuals. To be effective, Performance measurement must be combined with Reward system and the rewards provided are based on performance. The overall role of PMRS is to periodically monitor performance to judge how well the business is running and motivate the personnel’s performance by Reward system. Both performance measure and rewards provide directional and motivational influence on behavior. However, each element of PMRS has its own roles which complement the system.PMRS contains three elements: 1. The factors to be measured| The first element clearly demonstrates the factors which will be measured in order to communicate important aspects of the business toward employees. Thanks to that, employees are able to concentrate their work into informed aspects/areas| * â€Å"Directional influ ence on behaviour† is mainly fulfilled by the roles of the first 2 elements (Measured factors & Performance target). Within this method, employees are directed to achieve the desired behaviours. | 2.A specific performance target| The main mission of the second element is narrowing the targeted aspects into specific tasks/activities so that employees can focus, put effort and accomplish these tasks. Besides, the provided criteria in the system is also a base for owner/manager to provide feedback to improve future performances| | 3. A reward attached to the performance target| The Reward system is based on the concept of attracting, retaining and motivating people. As employees can be motivated by intrinsic (e. g. elf esteem) and extrinsic rewards (e. g. bonus), monetary reward is not the only important component of the Reward system. There are other factors which also efficiently encourage employees in improving performance. Based on Theoretical Framework (Khan KU, Farooq SU & Ullah MI, 2010), there are generally four main independent variables of reward which are payment, promotion, recognition and benefits. Promotion seems to be the most efficient motivation as almost people tend to have ambitiousness of getting better positions in the business/company.Moreover, different reward strategies would have a different motivational impact on diverse people. By providing attractive incentives, Reward system encourages individuals to actually undertake the tasks with intensive willing. According to Khan KU, Farooq SU & Ullah MI, 2010, â€Å"there is a statistical significant relationship between all of the independent variables of reward with dependent variable employee work motivation, all the independent variables of reward have a positive influence on employee work motivation†.Overall, Reward system plays role as a way of having people work harder. | * â€Å"Motivational influence on behaviour†, meaning individuals are motivated to intentionally acquire the desired behaviours, is mainly achieved by the role of the third element which is Reward system. | In this case, CSB applies reward strategy in term of â€Å"bonus† providing to each store manager up to 20% of their quarterly income * Meeting sales budget * Bonus of 2% of manager’s quarterly income if they meet the sales budget for each quarter. * Meeting profit budget Bonus of 10% of manager’s quarterly income if they meet the profit budget, prepared at the start of each quarter * Achieving favourable cost variances: * Bonus of 4% of manager’s quarterly income if all favourable variances are less than 10% of the initial budgeted cost; * Bonus of 8% of manager’s quarterly income if all favourable variances are 10% or more of the initial budgeted cost. * Directional influence supports individuals in focusing on the targeted areas and tasks. Besides, Motivational influence helps employees to do the work voluntarily and put much effort to successfully accomplish it.Moreover, Motivational influence is almost always less intrusive than Directional influence. As a result, the business’s personnel cannot be well managed without the combine of Directional influence & Motivational influence. IV. Limitations of current PMRS A. Limitation B. Dysfunctional behavior * Dysfunctional behavior means that individuals within the organization/business do not function properly in accordance with the organization’s direction. Dysfunctional employee behaviors often occur due to the rapaciousness of individuals or conflict between employee’s interest and the organization’s interest.The general purpose of Dysfunctional employee behaviors is gaining benefits (either for personal or department) from organization’s gaps. * In this case, as a result of lack of measurement in input and process stage, managers have opportunities to engage in Dysfunctional behavior. It can be explained by the following situati on: * If there is no mechanism for monitoring the consistency between input and output, managers may provide â€Å"unreliable report† which shows that they have reached the performance target and deserve rewards. Lack of input measurement also leads to the problem that managers purchase low quality material to reduce operation’s costs in order to reach the defined cost target. Consequently, it’s very difficult to discover such Dysfunctional behaviors without proper measurement. V. Recommendation for new PMRS Besides the Performance measure, several common Reward strategies are also suggested below: Conclusion As MAS is essential for business’s operation, CSB cannot successfully expand its business without proper MAS. However, the new MAS, which CSB has planned to implement, still has several weaknesses.Therefore, the main purposes of this report are evaluating the current position (Business mission, Competitive advantage & KSFs) and current MAS (including PMRS). The report also suggests the potential PMRS for the business. References ‘Competitive Advantage’, 2012, Investopedia US, viewed 28 July 2012, . Daniel, H, 2011, ‘Benefits of NPV’, BenefitOf, 27 July, viewed 28 July 2012, .John, AP II & Richard, BR 2009, ‘Strategic management: Formulation, Implementation, and Control’, 11thedn. , McGraw Hill, Singapore. Jorge, AS & Donald, CH 1989, ‘Key success factors: Test of a general theory in the mature industrial –product sector’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 367-382. Khan, KU, Farooq, SU & Ullah, MI, 2010, ‘The Relationship between Rewards and Employee’, Research Journal of Internat? onal Stud? es, May, Issue 14, pp. 37-42. Kumar, V, 2011, ‘Costing System', Accounting Education, 14 February, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://www. vtuition. org/2011/02/costing-system. html;. Meer, NVD, 2010, ‘The Importance of Competitive Advantageâ€℠¢, Market views, 12 September, viewed 28 July 2012, ;http://www. sharenet. co. za/marketviews/mv_view_article. php? id=1650;. Morris, K, 2012, ‘What is A Management Accounting System’, eHow Money, viewed 28 July 2012, ;http://www. ehow. com/facts_5460765_management-accounting-system. html;. ‘Motivational Influences on Attendance in Your Organization’, 2011, HR BLR, 1 January, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://hr. blr. om/HR-news/Performance-Termination/Attendance/Motivational-Influences-on-Attendance-in-Your-Orga/;. Piasecki, D, 2012, ‘Optimizing economic order quantity (EOQ)’, Inventoryops, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://www. inventoryops. com/economic_order_quantity. htm;. Reyna, SM, 2012, ‘Key Success Factors of Your Small Business’, Power Home Biz, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://www. powerhomebiz. com/vol95/key. htm;. ‘Supplier Performance Management’, 2012, Metric Stream, viewed 28 July 2012, ;http://www. metricstream. com /solutions/supplier_performance. tm;. The university of Texas, 2012, ‘Performance Reward’, tmc. edu, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://hr. uth. tmc. edu/Training_Development/perplan/reward. html;. ‘Value Measurement’, 2004, Performance measurement, viewed 27 July 2012, ;http://www. performance-measurement. net/news-detail. asp? nID=28;. ‘What is a Costing System’, 2012, Wise Geek, viewed 28 July 2012, ;http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-a-costing-system. htm;. ‘What Is Responsibility Accounting’, 2012, Wise Geek, viewed 28 July 2012, ;http://www. wisegeek. om/what-is-responsibility-accounting. htm;. Appendix * Porter’s Five Forces model for supporting an analysis of external environment Threats of New Entrants Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining Power of Customers Rivalry among Industry Competitors * Porter’s value chain analysis for supporting an analysis of internal environment Design Production Marketing Distributio n Support Activities: Finance, HR, Legal, IT Motivational influences A number of important motivational influences playing a strong role in encouraging employee include: * Job scope.Improving or enriching the nature of a job substantially reduces absenteeism. * Stress and conflict. Levels of absenteeism are higher in situations of job stress, anxiety, tension, and lack of role clarity. * Leadership style. Your leadership style affects attitudes that affect absenteeism. * Co-worker relations. Mutual tolerance and the absence of tensions among co-workers have a positive effect on attendance. * Pressures to attend. The economy and job shortages will influence a person to be more conscientious about job attendance. * Work group norms.When members of a highly cohesive group view coming to work to help co-workers as a desirable work ethic, job attendance is attractive. * Personal work ethic. A high regard for work as a personal value positively affects job attendance. * Organizational com mitment. Compatibility with the mission, goals, and values of the organization has a positive impact on attendance. You can affect most of these motivational factors significantly by the way you manage your department and supervise your employees. By encouraging open communications, by making employees feel needed and appreciated, by making their jobs as

Extensive Reading for Efl Learners: a Library Research Essay

Abstract Most of EFL learners do not like reading and they rarely read. It is because some factors such as difficult reading material, uninteresting material and low motivation to read. However, reading skill is important skill to improve learners’ ability in learning a language. From reading, the learners will get much exposure to the language. Therefore, the teachers should introduce a good reading approach for the learners to help them in reading. Extensive reading is one approach which gives the learners an opportunity to get contact with the target language. Extensive reading will motivate learners to read and also learn English. Therefore, it will also enhance the learners’ vocabulary and improve the learners’ language proficiency. Keywords: EFL, Extensive reading, learner. Introduction Reading is one of basic skills which is learnt in English as Foreign Language (EFL) besides listening, writing and speaking. Reading will influence learners’ success in the learning process. Without having a good reading ability, learners will have problems in getting any information from reading sources such as book, newspaper, or journal. As stated by Richard Anderson and the Commission on Reading â€Å"reading as the process of constructing meaning from written texts†. Reading is one way to get information from the source that was written. However, reading is not an easy skill to be learnt. There are some factors that influence the result of the reading activity such as the type of reading, environment, and reading material. In most EFL classes, the focus of the reading skill is on the study of vocabulary and grammar, which is known as intensive reading. That kind of language lesson is not reading at all (Alderson and Urquhart, 1984; Robb and Susser, 1989 in Sheu, 20 03). Moreover, the reading itself should be more than studying the vocabulary and the grammar. The most important of reading is to understand the information in the text, in the other words the focus of the reading is in the reading comprehension. It makes the learners have little time for reading practice in their learning process. As the result, they are maintaining their ability which can help them to read extensively and understand the content of the text latter. Some researchers have introduced some approaches which can help the learners to develop their reading comprehension. One of the approaches is extensive reading. Extensive reading is contrasted with the intensive reading which is slow reading and careful reading which will take much time. According to Sheu (2003) â€Å"an extensive reading (ER) approach appears to be most appropriate option for improving learners’ language proficiency and reading ability†. This kind of reading approach can help the learners to maintain their reading skill and reading ability, because they do not need to know the meaning of every word in the text. It concerns more in the context meaning which help the learners to reduce the time spent for reading. This article will show some reasons why the teacher should use extensive reading (ER) in teaching EFL. Definition of Extensive reading Extensive reading is an approach to language learning, including foreign language learning, by the means of a large amount of reading. The learners’ view and review of unknown words in specific context will allow them to infer the word’s meaning, and thus to learn unknown words (Wikipedia.org). Extensive reading is a kind of reading that ask the learners to read large amount of books which are relative easy and understandable for the learners. It also means reading for pleasure, because the learner read what they want to read or their favourite books. The aim of this approach is to develop the learners’ reading interest and to give them more opportunities to get a large contact with the foreign language in order to master it. Extensive reading will help the learners to understand the meaning of a text or to get the information in the text as quickly as possible. Moreover, reading is one way to get a large contact with the foreign language. However, the learners have limited time in the class to get large amount of reading practice. Therefore, they need to have their own reading practice outside the class. The reading source should be understandable and also should fit with their current level of language comprehension. Therefore, in this approach, the learners are given a freedom to choose and read their favourite books or anything that they want to read. As stated by Nancy (2000) by reading many books that fit in with their language level and also understandable for them, there will be some changes occur in the learner, such as: a.Learners become able to visually and mentally process written English in a smoother, more natural way, rather than in a halting process of translating. Because the readers progress smoothly and comprehendingly through short and easy books, they are able to understand the overall flow of stories and organization of nonfiction texts. b.The foundation of English vocabulary and grammar become better established and remembered by being processed in the mind dozens or hundreds of times in natural, comprehensible contexts. c.Many of the variations of high frequency vocabulary and grammar elements that are too numerous to learn explicitly, can be learned incidentally by reading texts composed exclusively of this high frequency lexical and grammatical core. d.Learners feel satisfied and enjoy a sense of accomplishment from reading many books on their own. This increases their confidence and autonomy. e.Learners who have experienced successful English reading on their own are more appropriate to develop a reading habit. They are more likely to read outside of their courses and after their formal education ends. The characteristics of Extensive Reading 1.Reading Material In this reading approach, the teacher need to provide the learners with large amount of books which are appropriate with the language level of the learners and also the books which the students may interested in. It will be better if the books are kept in the classroom because it will give the learners an opportunity to read in their leisure time and also give them the opportunity to borrow the book. It will also help the teacher to direct the learners to read. 2.Students choice In extensive reading approach, the learners are given freedom to choose the books that they want to read based on their interest. If the learners find difficulties in reading that books, they can return the book and choose other books. 3.Reading for pleasure and information Usually learners do not like to read. They feel frustrated to understand the reading text which is too far from their language level, because they are asked to understand the whole words in that text. It will make them do not want to try to read. In the extensive reading, the learners are asked to understand the text without forcing them to understand every single word in the text. This approach will maintain the learners’ interest in reading. 4.Extensive reading out of class In extensive reading, the teacher can persuade the learners to read a lot even outside the classroom. As stated before, when the books are kept in the classroom, it will encourage the learners to borrow books and take it home, it will help to maintain learners’ reading ability. 5.Language level The level of vocabulary and grammar in the books that the learners read should not pose difficulty. It is because the purpose of the extensive reading approach is motivating the learner to read and also encouraging the learner’s reading fluency. However, the books should not too easy, because it will lead the learners’ feeling that they get nothing from reading that kind of books. 6.Use of dictionary Reading becomes a boring activity for the learners because they need to stop their reading to look up every word that they do not understand in the dictionary. Therefore, the use of the dictionary in this kind of reading should be avoided when their reading flow. They can write or take note for some difficult words and can look them up after they have finished their reading. 7.The teacher role in Extensive Reading In the extensive reading, the teachers’ roles are to encourage, to motivate, and to help the learners with their reading. The teachers can involve their individual counseling in the learning process. This situation gives the teachers an opportunity to ask learners’ reading experiences and also ask learners’ problems in reading during or after class time by checking and commenting on written summaries that learners do of their reading (Susser and Robb, 1989). By making summaries, the learners are given opportunities to demonstrate what they get from reading and allow the teacher to check their understanding to the texts or books that they have read. The teachers’ role is also as a model for the learners. When the teachers are also seen to be a reader by the learners, it will encourage them to read. The teachers can talk in class about the books that they have been read. If the teachers are knowledgeable about the books in the class library and having them r ead, they can give recommendations to learners about what to read. The teachers can also read aloud to the learners, as a way of introducing students to different genres or individual books. Benefits of using Extensive reading technique for EFL students Many researchers have been held some research to know the benefit of using Extensive reading technique (ER) and also to demonstrate the effectiveness of ER to support the development of language acquisition for the learners. First, extensive reading can improve learners’ motivation in learning English. One characteristic of extensive reading is that the learners can choose books or articles in which they are interested because learners have their right to choose books or articles that they like to read. According to some result of experiment by Shang, Briody and Lin (2006), the learners prefer reading articles or books which they are interested in, rather than reading textbooks. Therefore, learners have more motivation to read English materials. Second, extensive reading can enhance learners’ vocabulary. In the process of extensive reading, the learners can read some words which show up frequently in the articles or books. When the learners read more and more, they will become familiar with the words that they usually read. They can understand those words and memorize them easier. In addition, learners have greater motivation to learn some special or interesting words through reading. Consequently, extensive reading can enhance learners’ vocabulary, these findings fit into the literature (Lai, 1993). Third, extensive reading can improve learners’ reading comprehension. Learners can comprehend more extensive vocabularies, build their reading ability, and access to background information through extensive reading. When learners read more, their vocabularies could be developed. Once the learners’ ability in vocabulary has been developed, it will be easier for them to get and understand the main idea from articles and other texts. Fourth, extensive reading can improve learners’ overall language proficiency. It does not only improve their reading skills but also improve learners’ skills in listening and also speaking as reported by Cho and Krashen (1994). Writing skill is also impacted by reading extensively as reported by Elley and Mangubhi, (1981) and Janopoulos, (1986). The most important thing is that extensive reading will make the learners become better readers. Research in languages learning shows that learners learn to read by reading. It means that the more they read, the better reader they become. Conclusion Extensive reading is an approach which give the learners high amount of reading chance. It is a good technique which can give the learners high contact with the target language which can help them to master the language. There are some benefits of using extensive reading for EFL learner such as: improving learners’ motivation in learning English, enhancing learners’ vocabulary, improving reading comprehension, and also improving language proficiency (speaking, listening, writing and reading skill). References Alyousef, Hesham Suleiman. (2005). Teaching reading comprehension to ESL/EFL learners. Retrieved from www.readingmatrix.com/articles/†¦/article.pdf. Bell, Timothy. (1998). Extensive reading: why? and how?. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/articles/bell-reading.html Hafiz, F.M., &Tudor, I (1989). Extensive reading and the development of language skills. English language teaching Journal, 43, (pp 4-13) Lan, Yu-Ju., Sung, You-Ting., & Chang, Kuo-En (2006) Collaborative early reading EFL reading among distributed learners: a simulation pilot study. The JALT CALL Journal, 2006, vol.2, No.2, pp3-18. Maley, Alan. (2009). Extensive reading: why it is good for our students†¦ and for us. Retrieved from http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/extensive-reading-why-it-good-our-studentss†¦-us Mason, B., & Krashen, S. D. (1997). Extensive reading in English as a foreign language. System, 25, 91-102. Retrieved from http://www.benikomason.net/†¦/extensive_reading2.pdf Richard, R.D. The benefits of extensive reading (ER). Retrieved from www.oup-bookworms.com/†¦reading/er_article. Shang, Hui-Fang., Briody, Paul., Lin, Chia-Yun. (2006) The effect of extensive reading strategies on

Beautiful Mind Essay

John Nash first arrives as a new graduate student at Princeton University. There he meets his roommate Charles, a literature student, who soon becomes his best friend. He also meets a group of other promising math and science graduate students. John sometimes goes out to a bar with his fellow students to try to meet women, but is always unsuccessful. However, the experience is what ultimately inspires his work in the concept of governing dynamics, a theory in mathematical economics. After the conclusion of John’s studies as a student at Princeton, he accepts a teaching offer at a prestigious institution, along with his friends Sol and Bender. It is while at this post that he meets Alicia, a student with whom he falls in love and eventually marries. While at Princeton, Nash runs into his former roommate Charles and meets Charles’s young niece Marcee. John Nash receives an invitation to the Pentagon to crack a complex encryption of enemy codes. He is able to decipher these codes mentally, impressing a certain mysterious William Parcher. This man later encourages John Nash to work for the government by looking for patterns in magazines and newspapers for a Soviet Plot. Involvement with Parcher came with chase scenes and gunfire, Nash eventually became paranoid and began behaving aggressively. In an attempt to help out a friend, Sol followed Nash during one of his late night top secret drop offs. Here Nash was seen placing enveloped documents in a mailbox at an abandoned establishment. Then one day during a lecture, Nash was caught trying to flee. He was sedated and sent to a psychiatric facility where he was interrogated. Alicia Nash, desperate to help her husband, visits the abandoned building only to find the never-opened â€Å"top secret† documents that Nash dropped there. She confronted her husband with this evidence, which at first he tried to deny true. Eventually he realized that William Parcher and the top secret missions were in fact all a delusion. He had to go through a painful series of insulin shock therapy sessions. Afterwards Nash is released on the condition that he agrees to take antipsychotic medication. These drugs however, had side effects that affected his relationship with his wife. Frustrated, He secretly stops taking medication, which triggered a relapse. While bathing their baby, Nash becomes distracted and wanders off. Fortunately his wife manages to save their child from drowning. When she confronts Nash, he claims that his friend Charles was watching their son. Alicia was alarmed desperately trying to contact professional help. Charles, Marcee, and Parcher all appear to John and urge him to kill his wife rather than allow her to lock him up again. Just when Alicia was about to leave, Nash finally realizes that these people are not real when he observes that Marcee never gets old. Only then does he accept that all three of these people are, in fact, part of his psychosis. From then on, Nash tries to live with these delusions by ignoring them. In his struggle to ignore these hallucinations, he approaches his old friend and rival Martin Hansen, now head of Princeton University. He is accepted to teach again. He is honored by his fellow professors for his achievement in mathematics. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his revolutionary work on game theory. He got up and gave out his speech.

Corrupt society Essay

In chapter twenty-four we learn that Jaggers treats every human interaction as it was in a court of law. Jaggers made a strong impression on Pip when Pip asked for some money, â€Å"Mr Jaggers never laughed †¦ with his large head bent down and his eyebrows joined together, awaiting an answer, he sometimes caused his boots to creak, as if they laughed in a dry and suspicious way. † This shows that Jaggers is cold and that he hides his emotions. We also learn more information about the casts. Wemmick told Pip, â€Å"These are two celebrated ones. Famous clients of ours that got us a world of credit. † The man was a person that murdered his master and did not get executed. The man then died later in New Zealand. Also, we find out that Wemmick is fond of jewellery. Wemmick gets the jewellery from the executed. â€Å"I always take ’em,† he told Pip, â€Å"Get hold of portable property. † This shows the reader that Wemmick doesn’t mind taking a dead man’s possessions. At the start of chapter twenty-six we see Jaggers washing his hands, â€Å"My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap. † He did this as he entered the office as if he was washing himself clean of his clients. We also meet Molly (Jaggers’ housekeeper) as Pip is invited to Jaggers’ house for dinner. Molly was once in love with the convict (Magwitch) and turns out to be Estella’s mother. Pip also sees some carved garlands when he enters the house. He says, â€Å"I know what kind of loops they reminded me of. † These loops have many possible meanings. This could mean that Jaggers also takes jewellery from the dead as well as Wemmick. However, these loops could also be the loops of rope that were used to hang the people he worked for. Also, the loops could have been bought using the money from the dead. In chapter fifty-one we learn that Jaggers is not heartless. Pip tells Jaggers that he knows who Estella’s parents are. Jaggers knows that her mother is Molly but does not know who is the father, â€Å"So you know who the young lady’s father, Pip? † Jaggers asks Pip. Estella’s father is Magwitch. Pip then tells Wemmick, â€Å"I know you to be a man with a gentle heart. I have seen your pleasant home, and your old father, and all the innocent cheerful playful ways with which you refresh your business life. † After that Jaggers laugh which is very unlike him. Jaggers realises that Wemmick leads two lives just like himself. Jaggers then tells Pip his side of Estella’s story when he rescues Estella from her mean beginnings. This shows that Jaggers seems to have a conscience and a moral sense. However, this chat was very unprofessional so Jaggers and Wemmick were glad when a poor client walked in and they started to turn on him. Wemmick as Jaggers’ clerk shadows his master and is compared to a pillar box but is very different when he is at home with his old father. He never shows emotions when he is at work as he sees it as being unprofessional and Jaggers would not like it if he showed emotions at work. I think Wemmick is a very emotional man at home but tries to lock up his feelings at work and does a very good job of it. Dickens shows a disillusioned approach to society in which al of the great expectations become false. I think this is because Dickens thinks that society is disillusioned and that great expectations for him personally have never become true. Jaggers works in this society but he tries to keep himself clean from it. I think this is shown greatly in chapter twenty six, â€Å"My guardian was in the room, washing his hands with scented soap. † He is trying to keep himself clean in a dirty society. Charles Dickens wants to do the same and make himself have a better life. This makes Jaggers like Charles Dickens. They both wanted to try to change the world. They both use words and are both powerful. Dickens uses words to state how bad the world is and Jaggers is very blunt when he speaks and always gets to the point. I think Charles Dickens is very much like Jaggers. Charles Dickens is very low at this time. Jaggers’ character of involvement and disengagement with society reflects this. Jaggers is very lonely as he sees most other people to be too poor and lower class than him in a dirty and corrupt society where he feels he does not belong. Charles Dickens was also very lonely with his wife which made him have an affair with Ellen Ternan. The book is about how empty these great expectations turn out to be. Jaggers shows the central idea of what you can do with a corrupt society. Jaggers knows how bad the corrupt society is but he is always trying his best to improve it whatever way he can. Jaggers also becomes powerful as many people are scared of him as he is a very good and powerful lawyer.

Health care Capstone Discussions week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health care Capstone Discussions week 4 - Essay Example How important is it for human resource to address training and development needs within the workplace? Evaluate and discuss two situations from a health care setting in which one method would be more appropriate vs. the other method. Question 1: Analyze the overall concept of leadership as reflected in the activities of those who may be referred to as â€Å"managers,† â€Å"supervisors,† or others who direct the efforts of people. How do you believe leadership relates to the concepts of authority, power, and influence? In your discussion post, provide examples of leaders from real life to clarify/support your ideas. As reflected in the activities of those who may be referred to as â€Å"managers† and â€Å"supervisors†, the concept of leadership varies among others who direct the efforts of people. Being a manager or supervisor gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization but not the power of being a leader. Managers or supervisors get assigned leadership by position, making them the â€Å"boss† and not the leader who take a lead to influence others in achieving great things. Based upon the reflection, one can see the relevance of leadership to authority, power and influence. Leadership can be formal or informal and is defined as the ability to influence others towards the attainment of a goal (Marshall, 2011, 62); thus, one must have the skill of influencing other to take the role of leadership. Authority is derived from a formal position or endowed ability, accountability, or right to act and make decisions in an organization which extract obedience from others (Marshall, 2011, 62). Having authority corresponds to assigned leadership by position and does not guarantee that influence towards other members despite obedience. On the other hand, power is the ability to exert influence and the key to leadership (Marshall, 2011, 62). Effective leadership comes with power. In general, one must have the

Restaurant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Restaurant - Case Study Example They are very much open to questions and amidst their Japanese origin, they can remarkably communicate to diners with ease. Aside from being friendly and courteous, staffs should also be complimented because of their efficiency. They cycle tables and deliver orders relatively fast with minimal pitfalls. Staffs never feel to make any customer at home by extending excellent customer service. Japanese are always known to be very concerned about profit maximization without sacrificing quality or detail. Fukuda Restaurant mirrors this commitment through its use of minimalist architecture and interior design which enhances the spirit of simplicity, authenticity, and order. True to the Japanese tradition, the restaurant features long wooden tables and benches with individual tables on the side. The use of earth hues in Fukuda restaurant is very much relaxing compared to the vibrant and screaming colors utilized by most eateries. The combination of brown and the touch of greens enhance the well being of every customer. The cleanliness of the place is treated as a primary concern evident by its being well-maintained and spotless amidst the high number of people who visit the place every day. Lastly, the main attraction of the Fukuda Restaurant is its organic dishes which are surprisingly delicio

A Review of London Docklands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Review of London Docklands - Essay Example LDCC developed a master plan and preferred to depend on the market led redevelopment. . Dockland was very close to the city of London which made it an attractive and preferable for establishment of the office as well as it is possible for residential development on the riverside to accommodate single high income households. The approach that applied to the development of London Dockland Area was clear and simple and it emphasized on attracting investment in that area. The LDCC was formed to develop this area. It is due to the initiative of the LDCC the filling of the old dock was stopped and it became most popular and preferable area for the people to invest. The approach that was followed by the LDCC during redesigning of the Dockland area was to improve the transportation. The development of transportation is considered as the key to the redevelopment of the London Dockland. The tenants of the new office desired more efficient transport facility that will link or connect the area w ith the city. In order to fulfil or satisfy the desire of its potential tenants it focussed more on the development of transportation facilities. The first phase towards the development of the dockland was developing the Dockland Railway links. The developers of Greenwich Peninsula also extended their help and support for redevelopment of the area. In spite of various economic and financial uncertainty and risk, these railway links or connections encourages or motivated the commercial tenants to Canary wharf.

Foreign Direct Investments in Bulgaria Assignment

Foreign Direct Investments in Bulgaria - Assignment Example This paper looks at these problems using a strategic analysis framework and proposes a few key solutions that will help the country find clear answers. The investment climate is a country's ability to attract or encourage foreign individuals or corporations to invest or bring in funds that will start or develop an ongoing business (Kotler et al., 1997, p. 189). Foreign investors pay attention to at least four attributes of a country's investment climate: its comparative and competitive advantages, its domestic economic and political stability, property rights protection, and foreign trade zones. Foreign investors will put in money in another country only if the investment climate is attractive, which means that there is a good chance the funds invested will make money and profits, that the government will not give the business difficult problems, and that the country can also benefit from the investment. Examples of FDI are funds to construct public roads and schools, to modernize the country's telecommunications facilities, or to develop energy generation plants. Countries like Bulgaria that want to develop its economy are doing its best to attract foreign businessmen so they will invest. Investors will know the four attributes of a country's investment climate by using a strategic analysis approach, where the country is treated like a bus... strategic analysis approach, where the country is treated like a business that wants to attract capital from foreign investors for business projects that will result in long-term profits for the investors and give benefits to the country and its people. There are many strategic analysis frameworks to choose from: Porter's Five Forces (1980) or Ansoff's Strategy Matrix (1965) applied to firms, or Porter's Diamond (1990) and Yip's Drivers (2003) used to analyse countries and firms strategically. A simple framework that applies to both firms and countries combines both the SWOT (Andrews, 1971/1987; Ansoff, 1965; Chandler, 1962) and PESTEL (Steiner, 1979; Andrews, 1987) techniques of strategic analysis into what is called the SWOT-PESTEL approach. We will use this to analyse Bulgaria's investment climate. Method of SWOT-PESTEL Analysis SWOT analysis is a review of the country's internal (Strengths and Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities and Threats) environment. PESTEL analysis studies the effects on the country's foreign direct investment environment of six general factors: Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal. The strategic analysis combines four SWOT and six PESTEL factors. We will do this by conducting a SWOT analysis of each of the six PESTEL factors based on literature available from our research and summarise our findings on table format, before we conclude with a list of four investment climate attributes as they apply to Bulgaria. This will help foreign investors make decisions, allowing them to compare Bulgaria's investment climate with that of other countries. We begin the paper with a brief write-up on Bulgaria, highlighting important issues the country is currently facing. Then, we proceed with our analysis by

Movie Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movie Review - Essay Example It is Beauty in whom Yesterday’s hopes rest in seeing the girl break the vicious cycle of poverty and oppression through the opportunities of education. What Khumalo’s character does not realize early on in the film, and that which is the central theme of the film, is that the opportunities gained through education mean much more than a better income. As Yesterday will learn, it means, too, an informed mind, the means by which to confront old customs and traditions that have brought about a healthcare crisis in African and other third world countries by the rampant spread and devastation of AIDS. Khumalo’s character learns that her life will be cut short by the killer disease passed on to her by her husband. It is often the old traditions that continue to enslave people, especially women, on the social front long after freedoms are won on the political front. In the film Yesterday, we see plight of women whose lives are like the road upon which we see Yesterday walk down as she makes the two hour trip to the clinic to receive healthcare. It is a barren stretch of desert where the desolation of the landscape is a reflection of the lives of women enslaved by poverty and old traditions where men still prove their prowess by sexual conquest and performance. Yet there is beauty even in the barren South African landscape. This is contrasted by the beauty of the actresses, Khumalo and Mvelase as they walk together down that same road. The skillful close ups that capture the natural beauty of the two actresses is successful in casting the beauty of life onto the desolation of the landscape. Desolation in the desert, as in poverty, gives way to the beauty of life. However, we know, as seen in the community scenes where the harshness of life is deeply etched in the faces of the women scrubbing their clothes on scrub boards that â€Å"Beauty† without the opportunity of education to rise

Three Main Concepts Of Leisure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Three Main Concepts Of Leisure - Essay Example The past experiences, leisure have been defined as the free time or something that one wants to do freely. Others define it as relaxing and spare time or time for doing nothing. The approach is different from the considered diverse because the definition of the term is not static but dynamic. Therefore, the first concept of the leisure is defined as time. In this definition, leisure is defined as the time that allows an individual to have greater freedom. For instance, if the work schedules offer time off, the time that one has to do his own stuff can be considered leisure. However, the definition of free time is challenging based on the concept of free. Freedom is a factor that is defined by the culture and the nature of the society. For working class, it may be considered as the off time given by the company or the organization. However, the case becomes complex if looking at the retired persons because the definition changes completely because the available time increases thus mak ing the situation complex when looking at leisure as a time-based subject. Leisure can also be defined as the activity which is considered as leisurely. The Greek definition of leisure is a serious activity without pressure. It means that the activity is not done as a compulsory subject but is defined done by one’s personal appeal. While addressing the challenge of leisure as an activity, it is evident that all the activities done cannot be classified as leisure with some considering playing softball as leisure. While activity as leisure offers an absurd ideology, others consider leisure as the stat of existence or mind which can be addressed differently and handled based on the mood contemplation. The difference of ideologies are different but do not address the challenge of definition differences. The challenge of the word is the diverse nature of the activities and states associated leisure.

Equity and Trusts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Equity and Trusts - Essay Example The contention of this paper was that the principles of need and partnership were incongruous for cohabitant couples. Most of the instances of such couples with children involve limited assets. Therefore, the court had to assess the extent of the economic requirements of the children and then divide the assets. After taking into account the recommendations of various legal luminaries, eminent jurists, sociologists and other experts a final report will be published in the year 2007. Its recommendations are expected to substantially benefit separating cohabitees2. If a divorce ensues, then the court can issue pension adjustment orders. However, the Law Commission opined that this facility should not be extended to a cohabitation relation that breaks down, because it does not accord the same importance to cohabitation that it does to marriage3. It is an onerous task to consider the legal treatment of cohabitants as it involves important questions of social policy. Its complexity can be attributed to the laws and its social impact. The larger problems posed by this phenomenon have been dealt with in Parliament and the Law Commission has restricted its endeavours to the establishment of technical deficiencies in the law and to recommending the procedure to be adopted in order to ensure that reform takes place4. In October 1999, the Law Society made several proposals to the Courts to pass such orders as would ensure payment of capital and maintenance on separation. The Law Commissioner, Charles Harpum, opined that the law in respect of home sharing was biased, ambiguous and irrational. In addition, the Office for National Statistics had disclosed that the number of cohabiting couples was on the increase. The rights of cohabitants are far fewer in comparison to the rights of married couples. Further, it would be incorrect to maintain that this situation is ideal as only

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

Project 2 - Essay Example Because of the ripple effect, the loss of jobs resulting in unemployed workers, reduces the overall dollar amount of discretionary income and this itself has other economic ramifications. United States workers often take action and lobby their congressmen to limit the amount of foreign imports and overseas production. If successful, the result may be tariffs or quotas or both. Tariffs are taxes on each item imported. Quotas set a limit on the number of items permitted to enter the country. Both cause the prices to rise because the foreign manufacturer raise the selling price in US markets. This in turn often causes Americans to purchase American products because of the lower price. This increases the demand for US products and the need for increased production. Free trade therefore exists within US borders to increase domestic levels of production and benefit the employees of those companies and the US economy overall. An added benefit passed on to the consumer is reasonable pricing for the items. In popularly held beliefs the American producers of wine (i.e. California vineries) would benefit from a large tariff on French and German wine because the tariff imposed on French and German exporters would be passed on to the consumers in the American market thus prohibiting them from buying them at such high prices. They would in turn buy more domestic wines compared to imports. Theoretically though, both would benefit because there are many wealthy American citizens willing to pay higher prices for imports because of the real or imagined perception that they are superior. It would require examination of the American markets to see if sales actually rise when such tariffs are imposed and a comparable examination of French and German companies to see if sales remain the same even though they are higher priced or if the added cost passed onto the consumer maintains the same level of profits. Protectionist trade barriers might not save American jobs or

About alcohol and drug regulation(Writer's Choice to determine the Essay

About alcohol and drug regulation(Writer's Choice to determine the topic, but in this direction) - Essay Example genetic models of alcoholism should account for the clinical findings.† In connection to this, the paper will expound on various reasons as to why there is a genetic factor in alcoholism. Evidence for the presence of a genetic factor in alcoholism arises from many diverse sources. For instances, family studies, twin studies as well as separation studies on adoptees and half sibs confirms that there is a genetic factor in alcoholism. Studies of genetic linkage are also the most direct way of justifying that the presence of a genetic factor in alcoholism. The studies were enhanced by the investigations on physiological as well as biochemical processes that were relevant to alcoholism as well as having genetic bases. From the findings of the studies, it was evident that the alcoholism runs in families. According to Collins, Leonard and Searles (40), the percentage of alcoholism is very high in relatives of alcoholics compared to other persons. Most family studies also evidenced that rates of alcoholism was significantly higher in subjects born to alcoholic fathers. Psychiatric conditions manifested in the etiology of alcoholism also play a very significant role in the study of the genetic involvement in alcoholism. For instance, for many years antisocial personalities has been associated with adult alcoholism. This has also been evidenced by the clinical and family studies that have been carried on alcoholism. The existence of antisocial personality is often associated with earlier age of drinking as well as earlier age of regular drinking. According to Collins, Leonard and Searles (41), earlier onset of drinking alcohol has a genetic influence and, as a result, leads to familial alcoholism. Children’s conduct also plays a very significant role in studying familial alcoholism. In most occasions, children born to alcoholic parents portray aggressive behavior. For instance, it is evident that the majority of them is hyperactive as well as portrays conduct

Is Outsourcing Good for America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Is Outsourcing Good for America - Essay Example As Konig & Koskela elaborates â€Å"Over the last years, as a result of the growing globalization, international outsourcing, which is defined as the acquisition of production parts from an independent foreign supplier, has become an important managerial tool in reorganizing a firm’s production process (22). Outsourcing as a managerial tool however is not a new or a radical business practice concept. Offshoring, a specific subset of outsourcing, involves the practice of moving noncore operations overseas, either by transferring jobs to a foreign subcontractor or building a facility where labor is cheap (Burkholder 2). It is only recent that outsourcing became pervasive as precipitated by the advances in information technology, integration of economy and the necessity for businesses to keep up with competition. As further elaborated by Burkholder, Private industry and the federal government have numerous reasons for outsourcing. Based on a survey by the General Services Admini stration in February 1998, â€Å"Outsourcing Information Technology,† the following are the primary reasons, in descending order of importance, for outsourcing information systems: Focus in-house resources on core functions. Allow personnel cost savings. Improve quality of information systems services. Increase flexibility (9). And this pervasiveness in resorting to outsourcing has changed the way business is done. Now, some early adopters are figuring out how to tap overseas workers for personal tasks. They're turning to a vast talent pool in India, China, Bangladesh and elsewhere for jobs ranging from landscape architecture to kitchen remodeling and math tutoring. They're also outsourcing some surprisingly small jobs, including getting a dress designed, creating address labels for wedding invitations or finding a good deal on a hotel room, for example (http://online.wsj.com). Given the scope and scale that outsourcing is being practiced today, it is no longer a surprise tha t this has caused anxiety among workers of host countries of a possible displacement from their jobs. Those workers' fears however have some grounding in fact. The prime motive of most corporate bean counters jumping on the offshoring bandwagon has been to take advantage of such "labor arbitrage" -- the huge wage gap between industrialized and developing nations. And without doubt, big layoffs often accompany big outsourcing deals (http://www.businessweek.com). Business as an entity is still profit driven and will always look for ways for it have a competitive edge against competitor to maintain profitability and increase the value for its shareholders. As always, it will always be motivated on cutting cost to maximize profitability. Such, outsourcing is just one of its strategy to keep up with competition and maintain its profitability in the market. For sure jobs will be in danger. With wages in developing countries like India and China which is only 10 to 20% compared to US salar y, the incentive for companies to outsource is just very hard to resist especially when there seems to be an endless supply of educated and underemployed workers (Hira 3) who can equally perform a US based job. The IT industry, which was once one of the highest paid jobs, is estimated by the experts of the University of California to be in danger of being outsourced. And nothing can

Investments and Assessments Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Investments and Assessments - Research Paper Example responsibility efforts put in by the company yield needed results, the company has its own assessment mechanisms that it uses in measuring the effectiveness of the programs. Commonly, the company would use a qualitative assessment test that compares the corporate social responsibility goals with the larger company business plan to ensure that there is a relation or positive link. Given that the company has set business plans and strategies of becoming a market leader and also expand its profit base, the financial successes and expanded growth experienced by the company in the last five years makes the company conclude that its corporate social responsibility has yielded positive results (Norberg, 2000). From the 2012 sustainability report published by Marriott Company, it can be seen that as many of the company stakeholders that were identified as possible expressed positive sentiments about the impact that the company’s corporate social responsibilities through sustainability is making (Marriott, 2012). This is because the patronizing populace has been identified as people who have become more concerned about the need to trade with sustainability oriented companies and so they have responded to the company’s quest by increasing their patronage of the company’s services and products offered. It can therefore be seen that there exists no differences in the opinions expressed by stakeholders as against the one expressed by the company. Marriott Company. 2011/2012 Sustainability Report. Accessed February 23, 2013 from

Child cognitive imparment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Child cognitive imparment - Essay Example The disease is defined by the center of disease control by a score of 70 and below on the child’s intellectual test capabilities i.e. the IQ test. There are four levels of a child’s cognitive impairments. A child suffering from mild cognitive impairments has an IQ test of 50 to 70 while moderate cognitive impairment has an IQ test of 35 to 55. Severe cognitive impairments with an IQ test of 20 to 40 and profound cognitive impairment where the child has an IQ test of below 20.physical disabilities will usually impact on the way a child controls its body, move and the cognitive and intellectual disabilities will affect the way the way a child thinks and learns. Children develop at different rates. However, there are certain milestones that the healthy child ought to reach by a specific age. The child’s cognitive impairments will affect the developmental milestones of the child (Webster et al., 2006). Cognitive impairments are as a result of a number of factors. Majority of the instances of cognitive impairments are as a result of genetic and chromosomal disorders. Cognitive impairments are also attributed to injuries and illness that occur to the mother during pregnancy or infancy period. Extreme cases of malnutrition to the child, inadequate medical accessibility among the infants, exposure to environmental toxins and chemicals can attribute to cognitive impairments among children. Other causes attributed include genetic diseases, infections on the child such as meningitis, parasitic infections to the child, cerebral malaria, in-utero alcohol and drug exposure during pregnancy, asphyxia, low birth weight, endocrine disorders and head injuries to the children. Most of these causes are preventable. However, it is difficult to prevent these conditions in developing countries. With the many possible causes, it is difficult to define the specific cause of cognitive defect on a child (Ferguson, Hall, Riley, & Moore, 2011). Signs and symptoms