Marketing Luxury Goods to Chinese Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Luxury Goods to Chinese - Case Study Example The prices will also assist in controlling market prices and competition from Chinese firms that have invested in making fakes. Finally, the luxury makers should also invest in strategic Chinese markets where most consumers are located. The places include posh areas and major cities where consumers can easily access the goods. The makers should also analyze markets to have knowledge on the consumer trends. The consumer styles will be used to highlight potential areas where the luxury makers make market entries. The Chinese market was not affected much by the recession; hence leading to an increased economic growth of up to 30% per annum. The increased growth led to an influx of rich Chinese individuals that were the main targets for the luxury items. Additionally, the country also had increased industrial growth causing employment to most Chinese. Most workers invested in fancy items due to influence from other rich societies. The consumers also preferred purchasing goods from outside China because they believed that the products were of high quality (The Economist, 2014). China’s efforts to surpass Japan and the U.S in consumer ratings also contributed to the taste and preference of luxury goods. The Chinese rich class was also not affected much by the recession; hence providing market for the luxury goods unlike in other hit countries such as the U.S. The luxury makers took advantage of the increased economic growth that meant most Chinese could save and purchase luxury goods. They also ensured good product quality than that provided in the Chinese luxury makers. The Chinese also invested in impulse buying whereby their purchasing trends surpassed those of the Japanese. Moreover, the makers observed Chinese consumer styles such as more men customers than in Japanese markets. The Chinese men were ready to purchase more of the luxury goods compared to the Japanese women; hence leading to increased imports. The Chinese

American health care since 1994 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American health care since 1994 - Essay Example These efforts have thwarted efforts to attain affordable, effective and accessible healthcare for Americans. In the last fifteen years, the cost of American healthcare has increased by more than two times with the yearly growth rate being over double that of inflation. The costs have become a burden to the federal government, businesses, as well as families. Employers have had to cut back on their expenditure on healthcare so as to remain competitive against international companies that do not have such costs. Fewer companies are offering health benefits forcing individuals to look for coverage in the highly unregulated private market. This has affected Americans’ productive capacity as well as the country’s fiscal health. While there are varied reasons for the rising costs, the increase is attributable to excess costs of the country’s healthcare system and the underlying inefficiencies. In addition, the number of people who do not have sufficient insurance coverage or even any coverage at all has been increasing. It is noteworthy that the uninsured end up getting healthcare in an extremely costly way, thereby increasing the premiums of those with medical insurance. Unfortunately, this has not translated into quality healthcare or improved outcomes. These aspects underline the importance of pushing forward with the reforms. The American healthcare has been on its knees for quite some time. This calls for comprehensive reforms to enhance the delivery and quality of healthcare, provide accessible, comprehensive and affordable health insurance and reform payment so as to reward

Residual welfare model in Hong Kong

Residual welfare model in Hong Kong Residual view of social welfare Social welfare is a significant issue in a society. The social issues let us know which welfare should provide and to what extent the welfare can be provided. In fact, the ways to provide social welfare may vary between different societies. The social welfare system in Hong Kong is adopting the residual welfare model. Hong Kong has followed the big market, small government ideology for many years. It is based on the idea of the residual welfare model that there is no need for the government to engage in the distribution process of social welfare. This is because people can resolve the problems themselves. The needy can find support through the market mechanism, family or the nonprofit organizations. The government will only provide support to people when the needy really can’t solve the problems themselves. Therefore, according to the big market, small government principle, the government holds the belief that people have the ability to get rid of the difficulties. The government is the last and temporary resort of the needy. The government can provide the immediate support to the needy. However, in the long term, the needy have to find ways to help themselves. Due to the residual welfare model, the policies in Hong Kong are not universal. The social assistances in Hong Kong usually have the means test because the government just will help people who are under a very poor financial or living condition. I will use the education and housing aspects in order to show that the policies in Hong Kong demonstrate the ideology of residual welfare model. For education, the government provides funding in the form of loans and grants for students who live in the low income family. The students might get full grants of their tuition fee but they should undergo the means test first. Besides, in order to protect people’s basic living need, the government launches the public housing scheme. The government provides affordable housing for low-income residents. If people want to apply for the public house, they should pass the means test in the public housing scheme. From the policies of education and public housing, we can know that Hong Kong is under the residual welfare model because every policies are not universal and they will set some requirements for people to attain which this is match the beliefs of residual welfare model. Thus, the laissez-faire style and ‘positive non- interv entionism’ are regarded as two main features of Hong Kong’s policy. Despite the education and housing policies, the retirement protection system also demonstrate the ideas of residual welfare model. The aging population problem is becoming more serious in Hong Kong. The aging population of aged 65 and above is getting increasing from 12% to 17% in 2002 to 2012 (Census and Statistics Department, 2013). Hong Kong is experiencing the aging problems over the past decade. In my following part, I will focus on the retirement protection policy within the elderly welfare system. Three-pillar retirement protection approach In order to deal with the aging problems, the World Bank implements the multi-pillar-model. There will be three pillar approaches toward the retirement protection system when the World Bank first times to launch the scheme. The Pillar I is a public retributive and defined-benefit system. It is so called the ‘pay as you go’ approach. Besides, the Pillar II is a private, funded and defined contribution system. Also, the Pillar III is a private, voluntary and supplementary defined contribution system (Roller, 2012). The two more pillars were added in the models later which are the Zero Pillar and Pillar IV. The Zero pillar aims to protect people’s basic need. It holds the belief that everything should undergo the process of means test. It is also related to the Pillar I because both of them are wishing to alleviate poverty. Both of them believe that all citizens should engage in the welfare process (Castells, 2010). Moreover, Pillar IV is talking about some support f rom family which might not be related to the money (Chou, 2009). Even though the model of the World Bank has five pillars nowadays, Hong Kong is still adopting a three-pillar approach toward the retirement protection policy. First, the Zero pillar exists in Hong Kong which aims to provide the basic need to the elderly. In Hong Kong, when the elderly meet the age requirement, they can receive the CSSA and Old Age Allowance (OAA). The CSSA and OAA can act as spare money for the elderly to fulfill their daily living. Second, Hong Kong has the Pillar II which the example is the MPF. If you get a job, there is no doubt that every employee has to engage in the MPF. Third, Hong Kong has the Pillar III which is related to the voluntary private savings(à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ·Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ¼Ã… ½Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2011). In order to have a better living as a retired person, they might use their own savings to support their daily life. For the retirement protection policy, we can know that the government is obeying the rule of ‘big market, small government ’. It means that the government and the other institutions also have the responsibility toward the retirement protection policy. The Means tests are the primary method for determining eligibility when applying the CSSA and Old Age Allowance. Selective cash assistances are reserved for people defined within the context of the policy as in need. Means testing is used to identify people with limited resources. This selective process determines the eligibility for welfare benefits or services so it shows the ideas of residual welfare model. The government uses the three pillars approach in order to provide the basic need to the elderly. However, it is not problem free with the three pillars approach. Hong Kong Council of Social Service finished a statistic about aging population last year. There are a third of people aged 65 and over are living under poverty (à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ·Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ¼Ã… ½Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2011). They are regarded as very poor people among the world. Thus, people argue that if the CSSA and Old Age Allowance which the elderly rely on can really provide the basic necessities for them. Besides, people also argue that the MPF covers only working people. Housewives and others who are not employed are not covered by the MPF. There is little difficulty in understanding that people will feel doubt that how the retirement protection of the housewives is. Obviously, the existing retirement protection policy is trying to tackle the financial problems of the elderly. When the elderly really need help, the government can provide them with the basic need. The report from the Census and Statistics Department shows that the aging population will be increasing quickly in the coming years. The elderly aged 65 and above will increase from the 1.0 million last year to 2.6 million in 2041. This statistic suggests that by 2041, around one in three persons will be elders (Census and Statistics Department, 2013). Thus, due to the limitations in the retirement protection policy I mentioned, there is no doubt that the government should make improvement toward the retirement protection policy. Experiences from Taiwan Taiwan is the same as Hong Kong that it also has the aging population and with the similar geographic background as Hong Kong. As the retirement protection policy in Taiwan is quite well developed, it can be Hong Kong’s reference when improving the retirement protection policy. Taiwan follows the five-pillar approaches when dealing with the elderly policy. I will focus on talking about the National Pension Program in Taiwan because the other retirement protection policies in Taiwan are nearly the same as other countries. The National Pension Program aims to provide the elderly with the basic needs in their daily living. For the elders who want to apply for the National Pension Program, they ought to undergo the process of means test and there is a residency requirement that they have to pass. In order to maintain the sustainability of the National Pension Program, the government should not pay the money to the elders in one time. They should pay the money step by step, such as monthly (Roller, 2012). Urge for a universal retirement protection scheme Hong Kong and Taiwan have the similarities in the reform process. However, their pension reform is very different. Taiwan implements the National Pension Program successfully whereas Hong Kong just focuses on the CSSA and Old Age Allowance. With reference in Taiwan, some people suggest that Hong Kong ought to expand its retirement protection policy which is to introduce a retirement protection scheme which is for all citizens. This scheme is later explained by Professor Nelson Chow Wing-sun. He proposed to set up a universal retirement protection scheme in Hong Kong. In the scheme, HK$3,000 monthly pension will be given to people aged 65 and above (à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ¨Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¦- °Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2013  ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °. In order to maintain the stability of the scheme, the employers and employees need to contribute and the government would be responsible for some of the fund. This new scheme eliminates means tests and other administrative procedures because age criteria are the only eligibility to decide if you can get the pension or not. I think that the retirement protection scheme proposed by Professor Nelson Chow has the same meaning as the National Pension Program in Taiwan because both of them focus on the people who are not in the labor market. They all want to protect these people from being poor. For the existing three pillar approach, I feel doubt of their effectiveness in meeting the needs of the elderly. With the low rates of return, the MPF can’t support people’s daily living. Thus, if the elder just rely on the MPF system, it is not rational for them. Due to the shortcoming of the three pillar approach, I have a quest for a universal retirement protection scheme as what Professor Nelson Chow proposed. However, based on Professor Chow’s proposal on universal retirement protection scheme, I think there should add the means test into the scheme. The aim of the universal retirement protection scheme is to alleviate elderly poverty. Thus, the poor people serve first. We should target on t hose with a genuine need and some form of means testing is necessary. There is no doubt that the elderly deserve a decent and better retirement. If we have the means-tested in the universal retirement protection scheme, some people can’t receive the public pension due to their income level. Thus, people might argue that it is not a retirement protection for all citizens so it is unfair. However, if there is no means test and everyone aged 65 or above can receive the pension, it might damage the economic development of Hong Kong and increase burden on employers. Moreover, any retirement protection scheme without means test is regarding as ‘welfarism’. This might cause the financially infeasible for the government to shoulder the burden of a universal retirement protection scheme over time. Therefore, in order to make a good use of the universal retirement protection scheme, I suggest that there should include a means test in Professor Nelson Chow’s proposal which is the same as the Taiwan’s National Pension Program. There is not a new thing when talking about the aging problem. Hong Kong and Taiwan have many similar characteristics toward the elderly policy. However, Taiwan developed its retirement protection policies at a faster pace. Thus, Hong Kong should learn from the Taiwan’s National Pension Program that to implement the means test in the universal retirement protection scheme. The advantage of the scheme is that it provides the protection to the non-employees. For the existing retirement policy, such as the MPF system, it excludes the protection of the housewives. Thu, a universal retirement protection scheme can complement this problem. Besides, for some people, they argue that the financial pressure will be mounted on working people under the universal retirement protection scheme because they have to bear the cost of the scheme. Thus, in order to make a good use of the fund, the universal retirement protection scheme should include the means test. Moreover, the means test can act as a resource distribution. This is because the needy elders can be found and they can get help from the government. Improvement of the three pillar approach Many people hold the belief that it is a huge concern for the population development that one in three people will be aged 65 years old and above in the coming years. This phenomenon threatens the economic growth because there will be more people but less that are working. Thus, fewer people will contribute to the economy. If we have more elderly people in Hong Kong, it is a must to review the retirement protection policy. For our future planning of retirement protection system, Professor Nelson Chow’s universal retirement protection scheme can be one of the measures. We can’t find a model answer to tell us how to set up a good retirement protection policy due to the diversity of different countries. Despite Professor Nelson Chow’s proposal, there is essential for the government to make changes on the three approach model toward the retirement protection policy. For the Zero pillar, CSSA and OAA act as a safety net for the needy elderly. However, there might have some problems toward the CSSA. When applying the CSSA, the elderly’s family members, such as her son or daughter, have to sign the declaration that they won’t provide financial support for the elderly. Thus, if the elderly is in bad relationship with her family members, here son or daughter might not able to sign the declaration for her. Thus, the elder can’t get the CSSA. Also, the money in the CSSA might not be able to provide basic needs for elderly because of the inflation. Due to the inflation, we have to pay more money when buying things. In order to help the elderly during inflation, the government should adjust the money in CSSA more frequently. In addition, we should improve the MPF system in the Pillar II. The employees should feel free to choose their MPF program due to the different sets of requirements. There should be no barriers for employees when choosing the MPF program. Furthermore, the government ought to offer incentives to encourage voluntary savings in Pillar III. The pillar III is related to the voluntary contributions to the MPF system. In order to encourage personal savings, the government needs to provide the tax incentives for people. For the three pillars approach, the government needs to assess the financial sustainability regularly. As suggestion before, the existing three pillars policies should be reinforced and enhanced. Future planning of the retirement protection policy Everyone agree that the universal retirement protection scheme is not implemented in Hong Kong for the elderly at this moment. The government only focuses on the Zero pillar. The government set some rules for the elderly to meet. If they can pass the requirements set by the government, they can get assistance. When planning the future policy for retired people, the scheme proposed by Professor Chow could be the way out. We should consider the concept of ‘responsibility’ when planning the future retirement protection policy. Hong Kong is under the residual welfare model that people solve the problems through the family and market. The government is the last way to help people. Thus, for the retirement protection policy, it is related to the concept of ‘who is responsible?’. Some people think that the old age living protection should be the responsibility of individuals and their family and not be laid on others nor should it be wholly financed by the governme nt. Thus, the role played by the government in retirement protection policy can be different from various parties. In the perspective of limited financial resources, the government should only provide for the financially needy elderlies and not for all senior citizens. On the contrary, with the level of Hong Kong’s economic development and the huge financial reserve, some people proposed that the government have the capacity and means to provide for basic livelihood protection for all senior citizens. The perception toward retirement protection policy will influence the role of the government. If people link the retirement protection policy with the income, it causes heavy burden on public finance and may have influence on the economy. On the other hand, people who universal retirement protection scheme points to a kind of benefit for all senior citizens, unrelated to their past work history or salary. They hoped for the setting up of some kind of universal livelihood protection grant. There is obvious that Hong Kong uses the three approaches toward the retirement protection policy. Many elderly received the cash assistances from the government. They still live under poverty. This might people argue that if the CSSA or other cash transfer programs are viable or not. Nowadays, people have a higher expectation on the welfare support. They have the quests for universal retirement protection scheme. The scheme supposed to provide better protection for retired people. However, how the scheme should be implemented is still under a negotiation process. There are many things we have to decide when implementing the scheme, such as to undergo the means test or not. The universal retirement protection in Taiwan implement in a very successful way. Even some people claim that Hong Kong is better developed than Taiwan, we still should learn from Taiwan’s experience and decide how to initiate a universal retirement protection scheme. We should launch the scheme according to the specific features of Hong Kong. In fact, some people claim that the political environment affect the implement of the retirement protection scheme. This is related to people‘s conservativeness toward a policy. Thus, we should be aware of the political issues when designing the retirement protection policy. The retirement protection policy is a very complicated subject which affects all HongKonger and has far-reaching impact on the fiscal sustainability in Hong Kong. In order to find a suitable way of the development toward retirement protection policy, people should clarify the concept which is related to ‘responsibility’. References à ©Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ·Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ¼Ã… ½Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ³Ã‚ ´Ã‚ ¼Ã… ¡Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  Ãƒ §Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ºÃƒ ¤Ã‚ »Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ©Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¼Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…’à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ©Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃƒ ¤Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ Ãƒ ©Ã… ¡Ã…“à ¥Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¦Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ¡Ã…’ ¼Ã… ¸ à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ ¥Ã‚  Ã‚ ±Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ ²Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¶Ã¢â‚¬Å"à ¦- °Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ Ã… ¾Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2011 à ¥Ã‚ ¹Ã‚ ´4 à ¦Ã…“ˆ4 à ¦- ¥. à ¥Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚ ¨Ãƒ ¦Ã‚ °Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ ¦- °:à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  Ãƒ §Ã‚ ¤Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¦Ã…“Æ’Ã ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ §Ã‚ ­-à §Ã… ¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¨Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ µÃƒ ¥Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã…’à ¥Ã‹â€ Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¦Ãƒ £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 2013  ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¼Ã…’à ¤Ã‚ ¸Ã‚ ­Ãƒ ¨Ã‚ Ã‚ ¯Ãƒ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¸Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ±Ã¢â€š ¬ Castells, M. (2010), The Shek Kip Mei Syndrome: EconomicDevelopment and Public Housing Development in Hong Kong and Singapore, UK. Pion Ltd. Census and Statistics Department (2013), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chou, L.K. (2009). â€Å"Retirement Income Protection in Hong Kong†. Ageing in East Asia Challenges and Policies for the Twenty-first century (pp. 105-137). London: Routledge. Roller, E. (2012). The welfare state: the equality dimension. The scope of government, New York: Oxford University Press. 1

John Philip Sousa :: essays research papers

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA John Philip Sousa was born in 1854, the third child of ten. He was born in Washington, D.C. His parents were immigrants. John Antonio Sousa was his dad. He was originally from Spain, even though his parents were Portugese in origin. His mom, Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus came to America from Bavaria. John was a talented youngster. At the tender age of 6 he was studying music. He learned to play many types of instruments; the violin, piano, cornet, alto horn, flute, baritone. Like his father, who played the trombone in the U.S. Marines Band, John, too, learned to play the trombone. John also spent time studying voice. John was a rather mischevious teen. At the age of 13 John tried to run away to join the circus. Dad was not all that impressed with John and made him enlist in the Marines. While in the service he published "Moonlight on the Potomac Waltzes". That was his first published composition and the beginning of a very successful career. After spending 8 years in the Marines, he was discharged. John found the love of his life in 1879. Jane van Middleworth Bellis became Mrs. John Philip Sousa that year. Together they travelled to Europe four times. On one voyage back, John was inspired to write the "Stars and Stripes Forever". Three of their trips to Europe were for performances, another trip was as a vacation. While they were on vacation Sousa's promoter, David Blakely died. In 1892 John named his band "Sousa's New Marine Band". Needless to say, Washington was not pleased with the name and Sousa had to rename his band. He had a couple of great tours with the Marine Band but was convinced to go into the civilian sector to create another band. As stated earlier, Sousa was a prolific writer. He wrote 135 songs and conducted many , many more. His most memorable song was "Stars and Stripes Forever". It is song that many children remember by singing " be kind to your web-footed friends...". In his lengthy career he conducted over 100 operettas, 11 suites, and 2 concert pieces. Not a man to sit on the sidelines for long. Sousa joined the Naval Reserves at the ripe old age of 62. He sure was not in it for money. He went in as a lieutenant and only made a buck a month. It was only World War I.

Literacy Instruction

Language plays a critical role in literacy instruction. In fact, these two concepts are inseparable. Teaching a learner for the first time requires the use of a common language between the learner and the teacher. By sharing a common language, the two will be able to establish connection and achieve communication, thus lessening the barriers to literacy. Basic reading, for instance, requires modeling by the teacher of how the phonetic sounds of English are produced before the reader is able to decode a word. In addition, teaching reading involves communication between the teacher and the learner. In the pre-reading stage, the teacher needs to give instructions or guidance to reading, and in the post-reading stage, s/he needs to discuss with the reader regarding progress. In such cases, language is indispensable. Also, there are times when the teacher needs to explain what is being read, or determine the context for the reader to understand it better. The role of the language in facilitating learning in early childhood is very essential since â€Å"literacy skills are developed in conjunction with oral language skills.† (Shaughnessy, Sanger, Matteucci, Ritzman, 2004) In relation to this, it is the teacher's role to gauge the learner's oral skills at the beginning of the reading instruction. Knowing the learner's ability for language acquisition would help the teacher â€Å"recognize indications of delays in children's language development.† (Shaughnessy, Sanger, Matteucci, Ritzman, 2004) Likewise, this will also enable the teacher to determine whether interventions are necessary to avoid delays in literacy development. Literacy instruction for adults likewise suggests the importance of language. From giving directions to eliciting critical responses, language serves as a significant tool for acquiring and expressing ideas. Without it, other teaching tools and environment will prove useless. Literacy instruction does not end up in teaching a person how to decode or write words and symbols. The meaning of literacy has continuously evolved and so did literacy instruction. It includes not only basic reading and writing, but higher psychological processes of reading and writing. These two skills involve cognitive levels of thinking which start from the literal to the evaluative level. Reading can be characterized as a higher level of psychological process if it involves cognitive skills of identifying main ideas from minor ones, comprehending the selection, synthesizing central themes or message, analyzing truth in statements, and applying concepts to real-life situations. The last one which presents the evaluative level requires the highest psychological process. In the same way, writing also involves higher psychological process than merely identifying letters or symbols. For instance, writing an essay requires the use of the language to convey ideas in sentences, establishing coherence and unity in a paragraph, and applying past learning in writing activities. To ensure that students’ development does not stop at a certain point, teachers engaged in literacy instruction should guide students to aim for higher cognitive levels in consideration of their readiness. In his research, Morrow (1990) found that students who were provided with teacher guidance proved to display more literacy behaviors than those who were not given guidance. The same is true with adult-guided classrooms. Students tended to have more advanced literacy skills when guided closely. In both reading and writing, we see the role of critical thinking. Critical thinking is another skill involving higher psychological process. Mainly identifying ideas in a reading selection (those that answer questions like what, when, where) is not part of critical thinking. Critical thinking is present when the learners are asked to answer questions starting with â€Å"What if† or â€Å"If you were the character†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Essentially, these questions challenge the minds and response of the learners to their environment, and require the application of practical learning. In both reading and writing, critical thinking can be further enhanced through the method of collaboration in the literacy instruction. In this scenario, the learners’ role is taken to a higher level, from being passive receivers of instructions and information to being active reactors and players. â€Å"Proponents of collaborative learning claim that the active exchange of ideas within small groups not only increases interest among participants but also promotes critical thinking† (Gokhale, 1995). Collaborative learning involves the participation of students and the exchange of ideas among them. Through collaborative learning, the students’ critical thinking is enriched by their peers’ ideas and experiences, resulting in a more productive literacy instruction. Importantly, literacy instruction in the beginners’ level should involve planning by the teacher. In this stage, the teacher serves an active role in providing activities which would challenge the higher psychological processes such as reading, writing, and critical thinking. As such, the teacher should be well-informed of the learners’ background and their capabilities. However, in the pre-adult and adult levels, planning for literacy instruction should likewise involve the students. Students’ suggestions and inclinations should be taken into consideration to assure a more fitting instructional design and to achieve the goal of higher literacy. The rationale behind this is, the students will participate more if they can relate with the situation, and if their needs are addressed well for it is best to start with what they are prepared and interested in. Similarly, the teacher’s guidance in the learning process is valuable to produce the best results. Indeed, in every literacy instruction, working hand in hand with the learners is recommended. References Gokhale, A. (1995). Collaborative learning enhances critical thinking. Journal of Technology Education vol. 7, no.1. Retrieved December 11, 2007, from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JTE/jte-v7n1/gokhale.jte-v7n1.html Shaughnessy, A., Sanger, D. Matteucci, C., & Ritzman, M. (2004, Feb. 3). Early childhood language and literacy: Survey explores kindergarten teacher's perceptions. The ASHA Leader, pp. 2, 18. Retrieved December 11, 2007, from http://www.asha.org/about/publications/leader-online/archives/2004/040203/040203c.htm ;

Ethnic Group and Diversity Essay

According to information provide by ask. com â€Å"Cultural diversity has affected society many ways. It has affected everything from how we speak to the clothes we wear and the food that we eat. † â€Å"America is widely known as ‘the melting pot’ of the world. This means with immigrants coming and going so rapidly over history, we have a very diverse nation. † Some of the benefits of such a diverse nation is that we can learn from each other. We are able to learn of the languages, culture, and backgrounds of others. Having such a diverse nation allows us to see that all humans are equal. According to chacha. com â€Å"Cultural diversity best illustrates the want for equality. † This diversity that we have in the United States has allowed for so many learning experiences from each other. In the schools our children are learning from each other. Without diversity children would not learn that there are different people in the world. One of the negative impacts from such diversity is prejudice. There are groups that are still teaching children and adults that not all people are equal and this is a sad and unjust way to teach someone. What will U. S, Population look like in the year 2050? â€Å"The results of the 2010 U. S. Census project that the racial and ethnic makeup of the United States will undergo dramatic changes over the next few decades. In particular, by the year 2050 there will no longer be any clear racial and ethnic majority because the most rapidly growing number of residents in our nation today are of Hispanic and Asian descent. † This according to: The Center for American Progress. Also according to The Center for American Progress: The United States is undergoing a remarkable and profound demographic shift. Today, in eight states across our union, the majority of children are children of color. This by itself is not significant, but what is worth noting is that the very communities that are growing are the ones that are experiencing significant obstacles and disparities. Sadly, this too is unsurprising. For too long we have been watching the racial and ethnic disparities in education, employment, health, and wealth widen. We know the stories well. Communities of color suffer from high dropout rates, economic insecurity, and lack of health care while wealth gaps rise to record highs between whites and communities of color—the largest gap, in fact, since the government began publishing such data. We know so much about these challenges in part because of the comprehensive work by groups that focus on closing these gaps and in part due to the work of demographers who outline the urgency of reducing these disparities before we reach a point in American history when communities of color together make up a numerical majority. But there is a pressing need today to analyze the implications of the demographic change for local and national policy. We need to better understand how local communities are managing these changes in the face of daunting obstacles so that ultimately we can outline a positive vision of what our country could look like in 2050 if we truly work to close the gaps that exist over the next 40 years. Doing so will enable our nation to harness the full talent and drive of all our people. Progress 2050, a project of the Center for American Progress, seeks to do just that by: Working with the Center’s policy teams to create a more informed and inclusive policy agenda Exploring the implications of this demographic change for our economic, political, and cultural landscape Fostering a localized dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of diversity in communities across our country Helping craft a policy framework and narrative squarely focused on the opportunities of diversity for the future prosperity and well- being of our nation. Without open and frank discussion about the opportunities and challenges of diversity, anxieties about where our country is headed combined with the coming demographic change may generate more division and disturbing stories that counter the fundamentals of American democracy. We as a nation have been down this road before many times as wave upon wave of new immigrants, new Americans, arrived on our shores—often to face brutal discrimination and hardship. We triumphed each time, sometimes after many decades of discrimination, enabling the latest generations of Americans to assimilate and thrive, breathing new life into our economy and our democracy. But the stakes are even higher today. Today, discrimination abounds Escalation in voter suppression tactics. Hate crimes. Anti-immigrant sentiment. And a general sense across the country that our federal, state, and local governments and social and economic institutions are failing to provide the leadership needed to move us meaningfully beyond the economic crisis of the Great Recession. Progress 2050 is uniquely positioned to counter these challenges by offering an alternative. Certainly a progressive voice is needed now. We cannot allow the conversation about the future of this country to be dominated by voices on the right who advocate a very narrow definition of the American ideal. The demographic shift is a reality we must accept and embrace. And a clear vision of where we want our country to be in 2050 and how to get there is urgently needed . Working in collaboration with progressive and civil rights organizations, Progress 2050 will help devise that path forward. If there are not changes made in policies for the poorer people and not just ethnic groups, but all poor people I feel that the United States will lose chances to make a better nation. It would be better to figure out how to advance the poorer people so that they would be an investment to our own Country. Including the people that are already citizens here that were born citizens here. I know that immigrants are offered money to begin their own businesses, why not offer that to citizens that are already here as well that can not afford the cost to start their own business. † What Challenges does the United States face due to the diversity of its people? â€Å"For all the platitudes about melting pots, mosaics, and rainbow coalitions, many regard the â€Å"browning† of America as a profoundly disturbing trend. Miscegenation is still regarded as culturally taboo on Main Street. As recently as 20 years ago, some states still had laws in place forbidding interracial marriage. † Scott London also said â€Å"Many people complain that miscegenation waters down their culture. Some Jews, for example, blame the disintegration of Judaism on the growing rate of interfaith marriages in America. Similarly, a number of Indian tribes are concerned that thinning bloodlines will lead to the â€Å"statistical extermination† of their people. A century ago, half of all Indians in the U. S. were considered full-bloods. Today the number is down to about 20 percent. On Indian reservations, there is now a suicide problem among young half-breeds who don’t feel sufficiently â€Å"pure. † Also from an article from Scott London: â€Å"As writer Richard Rodriguez has pointed out, â€Å"we have never had an especially rich vocabulary for miscegenation. † While other cultures speak of themselves as mestizos, mulattoes, and creoles, we persist in referring to ourselves using clumsy designations like Asian-American, African-American, Native American, and even Anglo-American. Curiously, the 1990 census form had boxes for â€Å"white,† â€Å"black† and â€Å"other,† but not for â€Å"multiracial. † Bureaucrats in Washington are now preparing a form for the 2000 census. It seems that as much as the United States thinks it is ready for more diversity we as a Country are not. More still must be done to include all races and ethnic backgrounds. From the way things seem one day we may just be all one big mixed race. What are the benefits of such a diverse society? There are many benefits to having such a diverse society. Some of these include learning from each other. Learning thins such as cultural differences and the why of it. We can even learn languages from each other. In a culturally diverse nation we learn that all humans are the same with just different backgrounds. Our children then do not even realize that there ever was a place in American history where others were treated as less than human. In an article by Scott London he says â€Å"As I see it, the mingling and the mixing of race is a sign that we are evolving toward a higher, more integrated state as a culture. One indication of this is the fact that, as the French theologian Teilhard de Chardin put it, â€Å"union differentiates. † â€Å"The smaller the differences are between people, the more they insist on them. † â€Å"Anthropologists have long observed that as people and cultures evolve, they become more and more distinctive. They don’t shed the qualities that make them unique, they refine and develop them. Diversity appears to be a function of social evolution. † â€Å"Of course, diversity doesn’t mean a thing if it doesn’t challenge us to be more open-minded and inclusive. All too often, what passes for diversity are merely brown, black, and white versions of the same political ideology. There will always be those who overemphasize our diversity and fail to appreciate our essential unity, just as there will always be those who overemphasize our unity and fail to recognize the virtues of diversity. It’s a delicate balance. Our founding fathers captured this tension in our national motto, E Pluribus Unum — from the many, one. It’s the great paradox of America: what we have in common is diversity. When the founders laid out America’s first principles two hundred years ago, they took inspiration from the Iroquois Indian Confederacy. The Indian tribes modeled this principle of unity in diversity by retaining their individuality while at the same time belonging to a common network in the name of progress and mutual protection. † America can benefit from diversity when Americans are taught that all human beings are equal. Education is the key to this perfect diversity. Yes, education of our children, but why not education of their parents as well? Parents prejudice has been passed down to. How can society foster a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the United States? According to: MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Zayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. Fostering an environment that is tolerant of and conducive to cultural diversity is necessary for upholding democracy in an age dominated by information and communication technologies. In democratic societies, media have been central to the democratic process, giving an outlet to diverse voices and channeling diversity into a process of democratic integration or public opinion and will formation. A free debate is necessary to reach an integrative unity, and media pluralism goes a long way toward achieving such a goal (Tehranian, 1999). In much the same way freedom of expression is important to assert cultural and individual identities, access to information is important for an active participation in decision making and contribution to democratic processes. Although media plays a vital role in society fostering a climate of acceptance and cultural pluralism in the U. S. it still must begin with education. The Government will have to begin a campaign in the nation’s schools and provide education for parents as well. Parents that have been taught prejudice and to deny acceptance and cultural pluralism. Many of these parents, especially in the South, have been taught that African Americans are a lesser human race, the same for any race or culture except the white race. The prejudice has also been taught to the African American children as well. The thinking that all White people are racist and prejudice has been passed down from generation to generation of African Americans as well as white Americans. Spanish/Mexican Americans are taught the same thing and many prejudice white Americans teach this negativity about any race that is not white. These people have some where gotten the idea that the white race is superior to any other race, this can just not be ignored by the Government. It must start with our children and a campaign for them and their parents as well. Then the media could come in at this point and focus on the greatness of such teaching. In what ways does the media perpetuate stereotyping and prejudice? Provide examples to support your assertion. â€Å"The pace with which media have been changing over the past few decades is phenomenal, to say the least. The increased global connectivity along with the convergence of communication infrastructures, media content and electronic devices have dramatically changed the way we experience media and interact with it (Jenkins, 2006). More than ever before, there has been an exponential multiplication of information and communication technologies and growth in media services and modes of delivery. For Tehranian (1999), the changes in technology, the transformation of media and the globalization of communication have a strong bearing on the ability of individuals and groups to safeguard diversity. Three interrelated types of media can be identified with different implications: Macromedia of communication (which are associated with global satellite and computer networks, trans-border data flows, scientific and professional electronic mailing, and commercial advertising) support the globalization of national markets, societies and cultures, though they privilege the power centers more than the periphery; Mesomedia of communication (such as the press, print media, audio-visual media, the film industry, and news agencies) are usually under the control of national governments or commercial and pressure groups and, as such, function mostly as agents of national integration and social mobilization; and Micromedia of communication (such as the telephone, copying machines, audio and video recorders, tapes, PCs, and the Web) have primarily empowered the centrifugal forces of dissent at the peripheries of power. They provide channels for counter-hegemonic projects of cultural resistance, socio-political participation and autonomous development. The affordability and accessibility of micromedia are not without implication on world peripheries which have increasingly been focusing on modernization, indigenous development, cultural identity, and political communication formation (Tehranian, 1999). † This from MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESZayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. The effect of media is neither monolithic nor uniform. Media plays a central role in fostering the effect of the culture industry; they shape our relationship with each other. Individuals have developed a taste for what media shows, we as a nation consume what media promotes, and it seems that we as a nation act with the information media reveals, we also interpret things by what the media communicate to us. In what ways does the media help foster appreciation for diversity? Provide examples to support your assertion. Fostering an environment that is tolerant of and conducive to cultural diversity is necessary for upholding democracy in an age dominated by information and communication technologies. In democratic societies, media have been central to the democratic process, giving an outlet to diverse voices and channeling diversity into a process of democratic integration or public opinion and will formation. A free debate is necessary to reach an integrative unity, and media pluralism goes a long way toward achieving such a goal (Tehranian, 1999). In much the same way freedom of expression is important to assert cultural and individual identities, access to information is important for an active participation in decision making and contribution to democratic processes. This from MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESZayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. The media helps foster an appreciation for diversity when the owners, reporters, journalists, and so forth all have an agenda to do so. We also have to look at what the owners of a station, reporters, and other employees believe themselves. If they appreciate diversity themselves then they are more likely to promote diversity. For example: Take a white reporter and give him the assignment of reporting on diversity. His report is going to be based on what he believes. If he has an appreciation for diversity then he will help to foster that. But if he is prejudice and does not support the coming together of races and cultures as well as immigration, then his report is going to reflect that. The sad thing is if his report is negative he will impact many people just due to the fact that people have their favorite news and other media channels. If he supports diversity he will win over many or at least make many start thinking about their own beliefs and feelings on the matter. How might individuals and the United States work together to reduce prejudice and increase appreciation for diversity? According to Building One Nation: A Study of What is Being Done Today in Schools, Neighborhoods, and the Workplace. â€Å"Race has played a paradoxical role in American society since the founding of the country. While our racial and ethnic diversity has been a source of great strength, it has also been our central moral challenge. Our nation has made great strides in addressing prejudice and discrimination during this century. Laws that denied citizenship to people because of their race or ethnicity have been repealed. Discrimination at the ballot box and in housing, employment, education, and public facilities is illegal. Segregated lunch counters, movie theaters, water fountains, and restrooms are no longer part of the American landscape. Racial tolerance and understanding have increased manyfold. At the same time, research and everyday experience demonstrate that discrimination continues to infest American society, resulting in lost opportunities for too many individuals. † To make changes we as individuals and the United States as a Country must work together to reduce prejudice and increase appreciation for diversity. The first thing we must do is to bring these issues to light by discussion. Without these issues being discussed by individuals and the United States it will never be addressed. We must also increase intergroup contact situations. We must create intergroup panels of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds. From these discussions the debate must be discussed in detail among the groups. Through this discussion changes must be made in institutions, schools, churches, and other group forums. If we implement these things we must implement them to each individual group at age appropriate levels. â€Å" Educational Approaches And Strategies (K-12) A school is a natural setting in which to forge enduring bonds among children from different backgrounds. Research — primarily in integrated educational situations — clearly demonstrates that when individuals are permitted to deal with one another across racial and ethnic lines in cooperative, equal-status activities with plenty of room for one-on-one exchanges and with support from authority figures, there is an excellent chance that positive intergroup relations will evolve. In this section we consider numerous strategies for improving the rapport among children in Kindergarten through high school, under the following headings: Curriculum Reform Training and Retraining of Teachers School Desegregation Cooperative Learning Paired Programs Conflict Resolution Youth Leadership Training in Desegregated Settings. Diversity In Higher Education Given the level of segregation in our nation’s communities as well as in our primary and secondary schools, many students meet across racial lines for the first time when they reach college. Colleges and universities therefore play a pivotal role in conveying an appreciation of American diversity and in breaking the cycle of intolerance. Educational Approaches And Strategies (K-12) A school is a natural setting in which to forge enduring bonds among children from different backgrounds. Research — primarily in integrated educational situations — clearly demonstrates that when individuals are permitted to deal with one another across racial and ethnic lines in cooperative, equal-status activities with plenty of room for one-on-one exchanges and with support from authority figures, there is an excellent chance that positive intergroup relations will evolve. In this section we consider numerous strategies for improving the rapport among children in Kindergarten through high school, under the following headings: Curriculum Reform Training and Retraining of Teachers School Desegregation Cooperative Learning Paired Programs Conflict Resolution Youth Leadership Training in Desegregated Settings. Diversity in Higher Education Given the level of segregation in our nation’s communities as well as in our primary and secondary schools, many students meet across racial lines for the first time when they reach college. Colleges and universities therefore play a pivotal role in conveying an appreciation of American diversity and in breaking the cycle of intolerance. † This according to: Building One Nation: A Study of What is Being Done Today in Schools, Neighborhoods, and the Workplace. We must also intergrate neighborhoods and make them more diverse. This is another area where the United States and individuals must come together to discuss and come up with plans to intergrate neighborhoods. How might a person change their own behaviors to be more inclusive and pluralistic? People can change their own attitudes by educating themselves. They can also inter-relate with diverse groups of people, different racial groups and different ethnic groups. People can start by going to their children’s school and meeting all of the classmates. Parents can encourage their children to interact with all students in their class. When parents give their children parties they can make sure that they and their children invite individuals from all races and ethnic groups. Adults can also have intergroup relations in the workplace. If a person wants to make a change the workplace would be a great place to start. Individuals could take the initiative to have conversations with individuals of different races or ethnic backgrounds. They could start inviting those of different racial and ethnic groups to have lunch with them. There are many things that individuals can do to change their own behaviors and include multi-cultural individuals into their own daily lives. The question is Are they willing to make the change? Sources and References: http://www. americanprogress. org/issues/race/report/2011/10/18/10477/progress-2050/b http://www. ask. com http://www. scottlondon. com/articles/newface. html http://search. proquest. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/docview/884629314? accountid=35812 MEDIA, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND GLOBALIZATION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Zayani, Mohamed, PHDView Profile. Journal of Cultural Diversity18. 2 (Summer 2011): 48-54. http://www. civilrights. org/publications/reports/building_one_nation/.