The incoming UK government Essay Example for Free

The incoming UK government Essay In 1997, the incoming UK government provided The National Literacy Strategy, a steady and consistent1 means of raising standards of literacy, in English primary schools. The motive behind raising these standards was for the economy because if the levels of literacy were to low in a significant proportion of the population, then the economy could have shattering consequences. In a report on the impact of literacy, education and training on the UK Economy, the accountants Ernst and Young estimate that; 60% of all jobs now require reasonable reading skills2 and goes on to warn that UK productivity is relatively low compared with its major competitors Whilst in opposition, the government had set up a Literacy Task force, which set out a National Literacy Strategy designed to raise these standards in English primary schools across the UK. Targets were set and by 2002, 80% of year six children were expected to reach level four or above in the Key Stage 2 English tests. The Framework inside the National Literacy Strategy had been derived from means developed by the previous government in the National Literacy Project, also aimed to raise standards of literacy but only in a specified number of LEAs. This Framework sets out teaching objectives from reception through to year six to enable children to become fully literate and it provides a useful structure of class and time management for the daily Literacy hour. It is also expected that extra time may be needed for the allocation of reading to the class, pupils own independent reading for interest and pleasure and extended writing as well as Literacy being productively linked to other curriculum areas. The main objectives that the framework focuses on is three broad divisions of literacy, these include word level work, e.g. phonics, vocabulary, spelling, and handwriting, sentence level work, e.g. punctuation and grammar. And finally text level work, e.g. comprehension and composition. The National Literacy Strategy gives examples of what a literate primary pupil should be able to do, for example, read and write with confidence, fluency and understanding; be able to orchestrate a full range of reading cues (phonic, graphic, syntactic, contextual) to monitor their reading and correct their own mistakes3 As far as childrens progress in reading is concerned the National Literacy Strategy states that from the outset children must understand that words are made up of letters and these letters correspond with spoken sounds. In Key Stage 1, they should be taught to check their reading for sense, using grammar and the meaning of the text. This should then help them identify errors and correct them, not only whilst in Key Stage 1 but Key Stage 2 and beyond. Methods of teaching reading suggested by the National Literacy Strategy include, shared reading, guided reading and individual reading, each playing an important part in the learning to read process. Shared reading involves the whole class using a text e.g. a big book, text extract or poster. Here the teacher leads the reading pointing as she goes, with the children joining in. This method was developed by teachers working with Don Holdaway (1979) in New Zealand and has advantages that can over ride some of the difficulties that teachers experience with regular books, for example the book can be shared by the whole class and every one can see the print, the teacher can direct the childrens reading by pointing to indicate where they start reading and can bring to attention certain words, punctuation, graphology quicker by indicating using a finger or pointing tool. Holdaways idea of shared reading and carpet time is to re-invent the bed-time story and create a homely routine that can be practised in the classroom, and allow all the children to have intimate access to the book. From my own experience of shared reading I find that the children enjoy this part of literacy hour because of the intimacy and informal set up of the classroom. I found that even years five and six enjoy carpet time because it brings the class closer together and the formal classroom atmosphere almost disappears. Research by Lloyd Eldredge, Ray Rentzel and Paul Hollingsworth at Brigham Young University proved that this method was more successful than previous methods i.e. round robin. After four months, the shared reading group had significantly higher scores on tests of reading fluency, vocabulary acquisition and comprehension. There was evidence that the supported reading experience of the shared reading group had the greatest impact on the word recognition abilities of the pupils who initially were the poorest readers 4 In this situation I found the children more likely to ask questions about the text or the vocabulary used and children who were not used to reading or seemed distanced when reading individual work were more alert and interactive and able to work from texts beyond their independent reading levels. From being in a classroom one of the difficulties I have noticed, especially in the reading progress, is coping with differentiated groups. This is where guided reading comes into action. As with shared reading, guided reading helps children to progress by developing a deeper and clearer understanding than might be achieved individually. Talking to the teacher and their peers whilst reading a text can develop skills such as critical perspectives, predicting plot developments and being able to extract key points in a text. As well as being developed for the childrens progress, guided reading was introduced to make more efficient use of the teachers time. A report by OFSTED (1996) found teachers spending too much time listening to each child read. Guided reading has been developed so the teacher is in a position to focus on points tat are relevant for the whole ability group rather than individuals. It has also been noted that boys respond more positively to active and interactive nature of such readings 5 This sounds all very well but drawing on my own experience I find it does not always work like that. When the teacher is working with one group, the other groups do not work to their standard, either because a discussion has turned into an argument, the children are having difficulties and there is no one to help or they have lost concentration. However, for what ever the reason the children are distracted, this part of the lesson seems to be a difficult section to maintain the standards and expectations as stated in the National Literacy Strategy. On my first placement I saw a different approach to guided reading, in the form of reading in pairs, a year six child and a year three child were reading partners. I believe that this reading partner technique should play a bigger part in the National Literacy Strategy than it already does. At present all it states in the document is; to enable other pupils to work independently individually, in pairs or in groups without recourse to the teacher 6 In the situation I witnessed where an older child choose a book for a younger peer and listened to him reading it, was a valuable experience for both children. The year three enjoyed the attention from the older child and seemed highly motivated in his reading. The year six however, gained experience in choosing books for other people, rather than reading a book he was thinking about suitable content, language and illustrations for the younger child to enjoy. This is an excellent way in which to offer a meaningful context for children to consider these different aspects of the reading process. For the year three child this partnership allowed for development within the zone of proximal development, this is Vygotskys description where; what a child can do with assistance today she will be able to do by her self tomorrow7 Also for the older child the routine is challenging as it enforces a different thinking. In the same twenty minute period as guided reading the National Literacy Strategy also expects some individual work to take place. The objectives for these are stated in the document and include; independent reading and writing proof reading and editing comprehension work8 The National Literacy Strategy also states that; pupils should be trained not to interrupt the teacher and there should be sufficient resources and alterative strategys for them to fall back on if they get stuck 9 Having taught a literacy lesson I find this last quote ironic. The whole point of having a teacher is to teach the children to read and here it says the children must be trained not to interrupt the teacher. I am speaking from my own experience when I say that no matter how many resources or alternative strategies you offer children, the child will always come to the teacher first. However, I do agree with the fact that children should be taught and learn, not train, to find information and solve difficulties using alternatives such as a CD-ROM or a dictionary. Other strategies that are discussed in the National Literacy Strategy that will forward their progression in reading include; Direction, this is to enable the pupils to know what they are doing, to draw attention to key points and to develop key strategies in reading and writing. Another example is modelling; pupils are to discuss features of written texts through the process of shared reading of books and extracts. From first hand experience I believe that the National Literacy Strategy, along with other documents i.e. National Numeracy Strategy, will benefit children and teachers and make primary pupils more literate. The structured routine is consistent and concise throughout Key Stage one and Key Stage two however, for a teacher to meet these standards and produce high quality work from the children as well as making lessons, discursive, interactive, well-paced, confident and ambitious (as stated in the National Literacy Strategy) is a demanding challenge. In 1992, Jaap Scheerens meta-analysed research from across the world and provided factors which affect schools and their performance. His research showed structured teaching was important and defined this as; making clear what has to be learnt, dividing material into manageable units, teaching in a well considered sequenceregular testing, immediate feedback10 His research also showed that whole class teaching is often more effective than individualised teaching and the time spent on subjects and how the children are inspired, challenged and praised all increase learning activity. The National Literacy Strategy incorporates most of Scheerens findings and because of the way it is set out as a uniform for the whole country to follow, I believe standards could be raised. However, I also believe that the way children are taught to read and understand texts by using extracts and part of texts could be damaging to the pupil. It makes reading seem un-enjoyable and this is exactly what the National Literacy Strategy is trying to avoid. Most of the children I have worked with have enjoyed the Literacy Hour more when they can work on a text they have read all the way through and they feel they have a better understanding and better liking of the text. Resource List * Eldredge, J.L., Reutzel, D.R., and Hollingsworth, P.M., 1996, Comparing the Effectiveness of Two Oral Reading Practices: Round-Robin and the Shared Book Experience, Journal of Literacy Research. * Ernst Young, 1993, Literacy, Education and Training: Their impact on the UK economy * Graham, J., Kelly, A., Reading Under Control, Teaching Reading in the Primary School, 2000 * Literacy Task Force, 1997b The Implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, DFEE * National Literacy Strategy, Introduction, 1998,DFEE * Scheerens, J., 1992, Effective Schooling: Research, Theory and Practice * Vygotsky, L., 1962, Thought and Language 1 Literacy Task Force, 1997b The Implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, DFEE 2 Ernst Young, 1993, Literacy, Education and Training: Their impact on the UK economy 3 National Literacy Strategy, Introduction, 1998, DFEE 4 Eldredge, J.L., Reutzel, D.R., and Hollingsworth, P.M., 1996, Comparing the Effectiveness of Two Oral Reading Practices: Round-Robin and the Shared Book Experience, Journal of Literacy Research. 5 Graham, J., Kelly, A., Reading Under Control, Teaching Reading in the Primary School, 2000 6 National Literacy Strategy, Introduction p 12, 1998, DFEE 7 Vygotsky, L., 1962, Thought and Language 8 National Literacy Strategy, Introduction p 13, 1998, DFEE 9 National Literacy Strategy, Introduction p 12, 1998, DFEE 10 Scheerens, J., 1992, Effective Schooling: Research, Theory and Practice

Sears Kmart Merger Essay -- essays research papers

Due to slow sales and less traffic at both Sears and Kmart, the two have decided to merge creating one entity named Sears Holdings. Kmart has agreed to buy Sears for $11 Billion. This puts Sears Holdings at the third largest retailer behind Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Although Wal-Mart is a direct competitor with Kmart, Sears Holdings goal is not to compete with Wal-Mart directly, but find areas that have been overlooked by other retailers, and take advantage of the expanded line of products the new company has to offer. Sears has had higher sales than Kmart, so hundreds of Kmart’s will be transformed into Sears stores. As of now, most of Sears 870 stores are only found in malls. The new strategy would be to open Sears stores in current Kmart locations, to offer consumers with a different variety of products than what’s currently available from large retailers like Kmart and Wal-Mart. Sears is known for selling items such as their exclusive line of craftsman tools and Ken more appliances. In the future these Sears exclusives will be found in Kmart stores, and Kmart exclusives such as Martha Stewarts line of housewares will be found in Sears. This merger will bring a wide array of products to a larger group of consumers. Currently consumers looking to buy home appliances like stoves or refrigerators have to go to a mall with a Sears store or a specialty store like Best Buy or Circuit City. Not all consumers live near a mall, so buying from Sears may not be an option. Although bot...

David the King

David the King of Israel and the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership After two thousand years of being scattered around the world, the Israelites, God’s chosen people were finally able to come back to their historic home. When they finally settled in and formed a new government, they decided to have as their national symbol a flag with the Star of David prominently displayed in the center. One has to ask, of all the great and mighty leaders that have come and gone in the history of ancient Israel, they opted to have David as the symbol of unity, strength, resiliency, courage and above all integrity for the newly formed nation. This paper will look into the life of David and how he has risen from anonymity and transformed himself to become the most effective general and political leader Israel has ever known. Introduction Based on what can be gleaned from the Bible, David did not come from royalty. But his family could not also be considered as dirt poor since his grandparents according to the Book of Ruth owned land. Nevertheless, David had to work as a shepherd boy to help augment the income of his family. They also have no servants because when it was time to seek news and provide supplies to his brothers in the war front, David’s father asked his youngest son to travel instead of asking a trusted male servant to the job. The above-mentioned information is very important because it must be established that David was not groomed as a leader. It also provides contrast to the current situation in the 21st century where people are more aware of leadership quality traits and that schools and leadership programs are being established to replicate good leaders. But it was not the case with David. It can be argued that David was thrust into the limelight so to speak and he did not plot his way to the throne of Israel. When he visited his brothers, he witnessed and heard and unusual sight – the people of God cowered in fear against a man-giant called Goliath. The 8-foot plus warrior was taunting and blaspheming the Israelites and Yahweh respectively. His young heart could not take the insults and so he decided to do something about it and the rest as they say is history. 21 Laws of Leadership The fact that David did not consciously desired to be king and the fact that his family did not actively encouraged him to set his sights so high can be a very good starting point for studying the 21 laws of leadership. If Maxwell was right then even ancient peoples practiced these principles. If this study provides proof that an ancient leader such as David did indeed – consciously or unconsciously – sought out the benefits of these principles then at the end of this study one can conclude that John Maxwell was right to say that these principles are indeed irrefutable. The following pages describes Maxwell’s laws of leadership as seen in the life of David: A. The Law of the Lid- Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness David did not enroll in leadership school. His was a training program found in the wilderness. It was not formal but he desired to perfect the little talent that he had and from here he accelerated faster than the others did. During this time all he knew was three skills. The first one was to tend sheep; the second one is the ability to ward off predators using a slingshot and stick; and finally the ability to play the harp B. The Law of Process- Leadership develops daily, not in a day There were others who probably knew the same skills set as David but he became an expert in the little things on a daily basis he practiced the playing of the harp and the dead aim of a slingshot-shooter able to scare away lions and bears. He kept plugging on it until his fame grew as a young boy eager to please his father and also as a budding musician skillful with the harp. Because of constantly desiring excellence even in the little things, David was rewarded in his efforts. The news of a good musician skilled in the art of providing happiness to a gloomy heart reached the ears of a depressed King Saul. This was the beginning of an accelerated development process for David. On the part of David, it is very probable that he was not there absentmindedly fiddling with the harp but actively soaking it in learning all that he could. Now, the young is not only learning about the ways of sheep, lions, and bear he is also beginning to get an insight into the ways of a leader in the times when he was called into the palace. During this time, David had insider information as to how a government should be run. There were only a few young men given the privilege of doing so. C. The Law of Intuition- Leaders evaluate everything with a leadership bias There were many examples in his life when one can see this principle regarding intuition is in full display. The first one is when he faced Goliath. David did not grandstand or acted foolish as was suggested by his brothers. God knew what was going on, David was prompted by something so profound that no one in the whole camp was able to understand except this young man. The leader’s intuition was first displayed here when David refused to back down from a blasphemer and instead asked permission to go to battle with the giant. The second time this intuition was on display was when David refused to glory in humiliating Saul and finally when his enemy was killed he did not gloat and showed tremendous restraint choosing instead to mourn the former ruler of Israel. In this way David demonstrated a leadership bias and not merely someone following the dictates of emotions. D. The Law of Influence- The true measure of leadership is influence When David decided to become a dutiful son he immediately became an influence in his region. He was well known and it is the reason why he was brought to the palace of the king. Yet his influence grew even more in his association with the king. Finally his capacity to influence others grew exponentially when he destroyed Goliath. This capability was in full display when was able to convince the King that the whole nation should put their trust in him, knowing fully well that if he failed then Israel will be enslaved by the Philistines. His ability to influence grew as he was considered as Israel’s new hero. The Adult Years In the second phase of his life, David finds himself married, a successful career in the military and serving a delusional king, severely depressed and jealous of his success. It was at this time when he was driven out of the palace and he survived by living in caves. It is also at this point in his life when one can observe the following leadership principles come into play: 1. The Law of E.F. Hutton- When a real leader speaks, people listen 2. The Law of Respect- People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves 3. The Law of Magnetism- Who you are is who you attract 4.The Law of Solid Ground- Trust is the foundation of leadership 5. The Law of Empowerment- Only secure leaders give powers to others 6. The Law of Connection- Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand The people that he met – during the time when he was Public Enemy No. 1 – were acknowledged to be fugitives like David. Many were the dirty dregs of society and the Israeli military would love nothing but their capture. Yet it was from this group that David handpicked his future leaders and used it as the core to create one of the most feared armed forces in the history of ancient warfare (1 Sam. 22). This could only happen if David was able to practice the 8 leadership principles listed above, including those mentioned previously. The desperate men gathered in the caves listened to David because they believe in him and they respect him because they sense that he is a man of inner strength. They probably heard that he was the one who had slain the giant while he (David) was still in puberty. They may have also figured out that Saul is hunting him down though he is innocent. So they were attracted to him because like them he has full of potential but circumstances conspired to make him a lesser man. It is also because of David’s loyalty to Saul – in spite of the king’s ingratitude – that made the people feel that they can trust this young man. So by training them and teaching them how to behave like a disciplined military unit, he was able to touch their inner being and he was able to empower them. Reigning King The following principles are evident even before he was making a push to ascend the throne of Israel. But it was only when he reached manhood when David was mature enough to display the following: E. The Law of Navigation- Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course For many years, David was living in a remote outpost far from Saul. But when Saul was dead he knew that the best step is to go to the capital and claim what was rightfully his according to the late prophet Samuel. F. The Law of The Big Mo- Momentum is a leader’s best friend David allowed his organization, his small band of men to gather momentum. There is no use charging a fortified target if the group is not yet ready. Momentum was building for years and when he was ready he made it known that it was time to go to Jerusalem. G. The Law of Timing- When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go Those who are eager enough to seize power and those who are foolish enough to charge in without being sensitive to what is happening all around him is not a good leader. David demonstrated his knack for timing when he did not immediately enter Jerusalem after Saul’s death. He waited until he has gathered enough support – until his army is ready to face whatever it is that the enemy can throw against them. H. The Law of Production- It takes a leader to raise up a leader One of the main reasons why David was able to establish a strong government can be attributed to his ability to raise up leaders. He was able to train former fugitives who used to have no direction in life until he stepped in and intervened in their behalf. The result was awesome, a multitude of military leaders were equipped and made ready for battle. I. The Law of Buy-In- People buy into the leader and then the vision Aside from leading a band of former fugitives to capture Jerusalem and other key areas in the Promised Land, the vision that David provided for his men were almost impossible to achieve. The men who went with him in pursuit of the dream have to believe first in David before they could follow him into harm’s way. J. The Law of the Inner Circle- A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him It is important to note that David’s capability can also be determined by the caliber of people that he surrounds himself with. According to 2Sam 16 it was not only efficient military commanders that comprise David’s inner circle but also religious men who are also an important component of Israel society. K. The Law of Victory- Leaders find a way for the team to win David, it seems, can find the solution to his problem in just the nick of time. He saw the weakness in Goliath’s armor and he was well aware of his enemies weaknesses and strength allowing him to become Israel’s’ most victorious military strategist. L. The Law of Priorities- Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment When Absalom, David’s son decided to rebel against his father and tried to usurp the kingdom, David did the unthinkable. He retreated and crossed the Jordan. He saw no reason to fight Absalom and engage him head on. He was criticized by this act but he demonstrated that it is not only ruthless action that can win wars. M. The Law of Sacrifice- A leader must give up to go up It is too many to count the times when David decided to sacrifice something in order to win. The first time that he demonstrated this is by obeying his father and doing all the tedious work needed to support his family. The second incident is when he decided to run away rather than to stage a coup against his King Saul. N.The Law of Explosive Growth- To add growth, lead followers-to multiply, lead leaders In the earlier part of his reign David was able to grow the army in size and potency in warfare. David has at least thirty chiefs responsible for hundreds of men. On top of this there are many that defected to David to increase further the strength of his army. O. The Law of Legacy – A leader's lasting value is measured by succession Before he died, David left the Kingdom of Israel into the hands of capable men. One of them is Solomon who grew up to lead Israel into its golden age. But there is perhaps no other legacy that David left behind than to prepare a bloodline from which Jesus Christ will come from. Conclusion Even though the 21 laws of leadership was a modern take at leadership principles and values; it is clear to see that ancient men were able to observe and practice them. One of the ancient rulers who benefited greatly from the wisdom of the 21 laws is a young man called David. He was once a shepherd boy who grew up to become one of the most beloved and one of the most accomplished military general and ruler of Israel. References Maxwell, J. (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Retrieved from: Â  Accessed 17 September 2007. Holy Bible. (2005) Today’s New International Version. CO: International Bible Society. Â  

Definition and Examples of Encomia in Rhetoric