Narrator in the Cathedral Essay

In the story â€Å"Cathedral,† the author shares his experience with a blind man, a friend of his wife, who comes to visit their home. The author is troubled by the blind man’s visit for unclear reasons, but he attributes it to Robert’s (the blind man) disability. The narrator dislikes the blind and often refers to Robert as â€Å"the blind man† and was bothered by Robert’s visit to their home. The narrators experience with the blind man is an eye opener to him and changes his perspective towards blind people and his relationship with his wife. This essay examines why the narrator kept his eyes closed at the end of the story, and the fate of his relationship with his wife after the experience with Robert. The idea that the narrator dislikes the blind when he is limited to his own sight makes the story ironical. The narrator’s experience with the blind man (Robert) clearly shows his limitations in terms of his relationship with his wife and hi s perspective towards the blind and life. The narrator is insecure with Robert because Robert and his wife were once married (Carver, 1989). This reveals his negativity and crudeness. He talks in a wicked humor, showing how detached he was from his life. He is jealous of the past relationship between Robert and his wife, which he tends to hide despite his apparent honesty (Carver, 1989). The narrator realizes a lot about himself through his experience with Robert. He is always alone according to his wife and he stays up watching television as she goes to bed (Carver, 1989). This shows a poor relationship between the narrator and his wife, as well as the society. The narrator lives in isolation, which shows his adamant close-mindedness, apparently in his feelings and pre-convinced concepts of blindness. Robert appreciated the narrator’s wife more than the narrator did while the narrator is more than remote to her (Carver, 1989). He realizes this in their conversations that night and in his experience when conversing with Robert. The narrator realizes that Robert was better than him, despite his inability to see. When the narrator closes his eyes, he sees the reality that Robert has been trying to show him since they met. He realizes the importance of religion as He leads Roberts in drawing the Cathedral. Robert’s final instruction to the narrator â€Å"put some people in there now† is a wakeup call to the narrator (Shmoop, 2010). Robert shows the narrator the power of faith in something great. The narrator also realizes that relationships are not build by sight alone, but also by touch. The narrator’s wife described Roberts touch with passion, and when Robert squeezes the narrator’s hand upon meeting him. The narrator realizes that one can learn about a person through touch. The blind are not blinded by the physical world and they can see some greater truth (Shmoop, 2010). The narrator’s experience with Robert makes him understand how he has been living blindly despite having sight. In the Cathedral, the narrator experiences a revelation that is both religious, and a social awakening. He gains literal, as well as figurative insights. The narrator learns to live a better life with his wife and other people. He appreciates Robert’s company and the eye opening experience. The narrator and his wife will live a better life after the experience with Robert. This is because the narrator’s view of his wife has changed, and his jealousy of her relationship with Robert would diminish as he now understands it better. The narrator has also accepted Christianity, meaning as a Christian, he will be open to his wife and the society; thus, building a better relationship. He prefers closing his eyes to opening them since he sees the reality of his li fe better with his eyes closed than when opened. References Carver, R. (1989). Cathedral. Vintage Books. Shmoop. (2010). Cathedral: Shmoop Literature Guide. Shmoop University Inc.

Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”

The relationship which is depicted in Theodore Roethke's poem, â€Å"My Papa's Waltz† is that of a father and son. The poem is â€Å"spoken† by a the son who reminisces about the way his drunken father used to dance with him before bed-time while his mother watched nervously. The opening lines of the poem emphasize the father's drinking and the fear which accompanied the dancing for the boy: â€Å"The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy;/ But I hung on like death:/ Such waltzing was not easy† (Roethke). The words â€Å"dizzy† and â€Å"death† seem to evoke a sinister sense, one which extends into the following stanza: â€Å"We romped until the pans/ Slid from the kitchen shelf; / My mother's countenance/ Could not unfrown itself. † (Roethke). The poem moves very quickly from a sense of nostalgia and familial memory, to an urgent sense of violence and sadness. The reader begins to understand that the words â€Å"waltz† and â€Å"romp† are euphemistic and that any dance which knocks pans off the shelf and makes the mother frown must be — not ordinary dancing. In fact, â€Å"dancing† may itself be a euphemism for child-abuse. The next lines make this violent connotation even more clear: â€Å"The hand that held my wrist/Was battered on one knuckle;/At every step you missed/My right ear scraped a buckle. † (Roethke). At this point the poem begins to reveal its obvious duality: at one level it is a poem about the intimacy of fathers and sons, but at another, perhaps, deeper level, it is a poem about child abuse and about the violence which often exists between fathers and sons. The concluding lines: â€Å"You beat time on my head/With a palm caked hard by dirt,/Then waltzed me off to bed/Still clinging to your shirt. (Roethke) fail to produce any sort of closure regarding the tension of violence between the father and son, nor does the poem seem to shed any sense of forgiveness or understanding on behalf of the narrator who speaks the poem much later in life after time has made him, also, a man. The tone of the poem suggest that euphemism replaces true understanding in bad relationships, in abusive relationships. The poem shows no sense of healing or gained wisdom from abuse, but merely the power to endure by the virtue of memory's capacity to transform the horrible into a ritualistic symbol of the original fear that incited it.

HR needs of Natural Knibbles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

HR needs of Natural Knibbles - Essay Example Aside from Furthermore, the same technology can be used to enable Cherrie to manage employee benefit packages that are effective in terms of motivating its existing employees to support the challenges the company is about to encounter. Among the HR issues and challenges that Natural Knibbles need to address includes: (1) the need to implement human resource information management system (HRIMS) that is tailored to the company’s current HR needs (Matthews: 140); (2) risk of facing the business consequences caused by resistance-to-change; (3) need to establish a strong organizational culture that strongly supports organizational learning, work flexibility and adaptation to organizational change; (4) significance of transformational leadership skills in the implementation of new HR strategies; and (5) importance of establishing a new organizational vision and mission. The problem with implementing HRIMS lies behind the possibility wherein some of the company’s existing employee may find it difficult to learn how to use new technologies. Although the use of HRIMS could enhance employees ability to improve the quality of their products and services rendered to the customers (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2012: 54), the success of implementing HRIMS is highly dependent on the willingness of its employees to embrace change. Because of their fear of changing their usual working practices, some of them may refuse to adapt to the required organizational change. Because of the risk wherein, Brandon and Cherrie would face business consequences associated with resistance-to-change, Cherrie should be able to establish a strong organizational culture that strongly supports organizational learning, work flexibility and adaptation to organizational change. With this in mind, the process of making organizational learning such as peer coaching and work flexibility a part of the company’s culture can make its employees more open to organizational changes  (Richardson 2009: 138; Zepeda 2007: 227; Zepada & Mayers 2004: 33).

Technologys Effect on the Music Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Technologys Effect on the Music Industry - Essay Example Music as a form of artistic expression of sound in various media has evolved dramatically over the last century. The change in musical scenario was largely due to technological advancement in instrumental equipment and forms of recording, composing, listening and storing musical scores over periods to time. With contemporary music being enjoyed by the younger generation in a wider array of technological gadgets and equipments, the role of technology is closely reviewed and evaluated in terms of its being used for and against the interests of the musical recording industry in general. In this regard, the essay aims to proffer various technological factors that shaped and influenced the music industry of contemporary times. The discourse would identify the technological breakthroughs in contemporary music, particularly in the recording industry. Likewise, the research would delve into analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of technology being used either to support the recording industry or to pose a threat to its future thrusts. Finally, a personal opinion would be presented on the future of the recording industry given the various technological perspectives detailed herein.

Case Study Project Management Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Management - Case Study Example Hillary has the identical resources as many other personal qualities from his staff. However, what distinguishes Hillary is its special capability to manage its assets in a highly creative way. For demonstration, Hillary sophisticated cross-docking scheme presents the mass-merchandise with significant cost benefits by advancing its ability to production as well as profits, but he states that the ideal way is to ensure personal qualities and attained. Most recently, Hillary case study examined the function characteristic competencies play in attaining comparable benefit to organizations established in some country, Midwestern groups. Two features of this study are worth noting since personal qualities have rendered people useless after attaining the impossible. More significantly, Hillary study specifically addressed the direct relationship between personal characteristic competencies and competitive benefit. Here, component analysis of one-by-one distinctive competency items discovered an underlying structure office discrete components or areas of distinctive competence. These five components were value likeness, productive. Differentiation, effectiveness of key productive practices, civic engagement of individuals and a command of attaining possible results. Hillary also measured the influence of these components on a number of presentation variables using regression investigation. Significantly, the component comprising the pr oficiency to control and assess individuals retail programs were positively affiliated with all three presentations assesses used. In addition, these outcomes hold the planned substantive linkage between the resources based potentials of an individual and competitive advantage in order to get possible results. This presentation of little unaligned individuals appears to be positively correlated with high-quality service likeness and command of retailing programs. In other phrases, more highly accomplishing localized retailers are

RETIREMENT ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

RETIREMENT ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example (Show how you calculated your ending salary and the number that you calculated. Then answer the question about your desired retirement income.) Many financial planners suggest that retirement income (from all sources) should be from 70% to 100% of the salary one had in the last year before they retire. How large will your portfolio have to be (when you retire) to provide your desired standard of living? This problem asks how much money you must accumulate (PVA) by the time you retire or are done working to live for n years, on a retirement income of (PMT) per year if you earn interest rate i. For example, imagine somebody about to retire today, who assumes that they are going to live for n=20 years, wants an income (PMT) = $200,000 per year during their retirement and their annuity earns i = 10% interest: Or, verbally, if this person had a portfolio of $1,702,712 on the day they retired, if they lived for another 20 years, and earned 10%, their annuity would pay $200,000 per year, and there will be nothing left when the person died. (Remember this example is for today: Your number will be much larger because your retirement will take place almost 50 years from now.) Value of Defined Benefit Plan with Single Employer: Suppose you take your first job with an employer that offers a defined benefit retirement plan and a beginning salary of $54,000/yr. Suppose also that you average 5.0% raises every year and that you stay with the same employer for all 48 years of your career. Note that during your 48-year career, you will receive 47 raises, the last of which happens on your last working day, which is also your 70th birthday. (No matter your current age, consider that you start working at age 22, and retire at 70). Assume a salary of $54,000 in the first year and an inflation rate of 2.0%. c. Assuming that the employer’s defined benefit plan pays 1.25% of ending salary per year of employment, what

Joint replenishment inventory (Can-order replenishment system) Thesis

Joint replenishment inventory (Can-order replenishment system) - Thesis Example Method Used: In the provided article of Silver (1981), different systems rather than methods have been widely utilised for the purpose of lessening setup expenses incurred based on per unit time. In precise, for keeping a greater control of costs associated with replenishment in the form of decreasing the same, the author Silver (1981) considered a definite control system, which was denoted as (S,c,s) system. Apart from this, another system i.e. Compound Poisson Demand was also being used for the fulfilment of the above stated objective. Based on the article of Silver (1981), it can be found that in consideration of the above discussed two particular methods were able to fulfil the stated objective, which is discussed in the section below. Results and Conclusion: While explaining the results and drawing a suitable conclusion about how the selected control systems such as Compound Poisson Model and (S,c,s) mechanism had attained success in lessening the setup replenishment costs, it will be vital to mention that utmost focus was laid upon inventory levels. In this regard, according to the article of Silver (1981), the control system i.e. (S,c,s) mechanism was used wherein distinct inventory levels were reviewed incessantly with determining the persistent inventory positions. On the other hand, the Poisson Model was executed to enlarge the probability allocation of entire demand of a particular item, which occurs during the interval of replenishment lead time. In terms of results, the article of Silver (1981) revealed that execution of (S,c,s) mechanism is capable to diminish the setup replenishment costs by checking the execution times and developing computerised routines with satisfying specified service constraints. Thus, in conclusion, it can be affirmed that the concepts including lead time and inventory levels affect the replenishment costs to be increased or reduced by a considerable

Strategic Plan of my current employer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Plan of my current employer - Essay Example Internal environmental factors affecting an organization’s performance include strengths and weaknesses. Externally, opportunities and threats influence an organizations’ performance among industry competitors. Inefficiency in the planning process is dangerous to the survival of an organization. Mistakes by the management while lying down the strategic plan management consequentially lead to failure and loss of business to competitors. In the extreme, an organization faces liquidation (Bo?hm, 2009). To achieve is purpose of â€Å"to develop a self-actualized scholar, who possesses a knowledgeable and discerning mind, thrives in service to others, and is prepared for college,† Paulo Freire Charter School must effectively manage its internal and external environments effectively and efficiently. Internal factors adequately affect the strengths and weaknesses of an organization. The management of any organization needs to plan for the purpose of hedging against any form of internal problems. Resources and human capital are essential elements in the internal factors management. Availability of raw materials, financial capital for investment and labour to work in the various departments are the internal factors affecting the performance of an organization. To achieve organizational goals, adequacy of resources is essential. Internal factors make both the organizational strengths and weaknesses. ... Long-term finances are essential in financing long-term operations of the school. Inadequate finances for an organization are its weakness, while adequate finances are its strength. Purchase of machinery, hiring of workers, and expansion of a classes and addition of courses offered by the school are the major uses of long-term funds in the school. Strategic budgeting process by an organization ensures proper allocation of resources according to the requirements of the organization. Poor budgeting of organizational funds potentially leads to financial problems to the school. Prioritizing needs with reference to the organizational needs and requirements will help the organization from getting into financial problems. Bo?hm (2009) points out that as strength, adequate finances greases the various wheels used by the management to achieve the school’s purpose. However, this could also form part of its weaknesses. Inadequate funds, misappropriation of the school’s income and poor liquidity position are a weakness that can lead to poor results, and thus the school losses business to its competitors. Human capital is responsible for the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Bruce, 2006). To achieve its goal the school needs human resources, and these need care and profession in their handling. Investing in human resources of the organization increases the organization quality of services. At the same time, the organization achieves its goals, reaches its vision and lives up to its mission statement. Proper motivational strategies to the teachers increase their output. According to Frey (2002), there is more to motivation than offering good salaries to the employees. Although

Germany and the germans class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Germany and the germans class - Essay Example er polished his oratory skills but at the same time he could afford himself to unbosom himself to his confidents, which was unacceptable during official speeches. Trevor-Roper set himself a mission to study the development of Hitler’s thinking - the point that is usually ignored by historians. Hitler’s personality is revealed through these conversations in all its unpleasant grandeur. The most interesting notes are dated by 1941-1942. At that time Hitler was on the rise and orated with a special inspiration. After Stalingrad, everything changed. It all ended when the Fuhrer, who was hiding in the bunker, increasingly practiced his eloquence only in the circle of sleepy secretaries or in the presence of his aide and doctor... Conversation topics were all but the most essential and urgent - the military one. England, America, India, painting, music, architecture, Aryan Jesus, Bolshevik St. Paul, pharaohs, the Maccabees, Julian the Apostate, King Farouk, vegetarianism and Vikings, the Ptolemaic system, the era of glaciation, Shintoism, prehistoric dogs, spartan soup – despite his utter ignorance, Hitler covered almost all possible issues in his talks. Hitler was tireless in his speeches. Albert Speer and Otto Dietrich unanimously talk about Hitler’s pathological and integral feature â€Å"speech egoism† (Redeegoizmus). It is very interesting to get to know what Hitler reasoned about himself and his empire, how he became a practical politician and political philosopher in one person, Napoleon and Spengler at the same time, who imagined himself to be a Roman emperor entrusted with the sacred mission to plunge the Huns - Russians and destroy Carthage - Britain. I would like to turn attention to Hitler’s opinion of his political opponents on the other side of the English Channel, in the U. S. and Soviet Union. He mentioned that both Anglo-Saxon are worth each other. His general characterization of Roosevelt is striking – the President is an imbecile, a

What are Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What are Financial Statements - Essay Example The main objective of financial reporting is to transfer the information, whether qualitative or quantitative, about a certain business to others who are interested in investing. Financial reporting provides financial information regarding the corporation’s capital investors, creditors and lenders who have to make decisions on their ability as capital providers. It is as a summary of the performance, or capability, in increasing, managing, and utilization of the capital by an entity. Financial reporting is represented by four types of financial statements which show the company’s financial position. These financial statements are quite exacting and provide a quantitative overview of the company’s financial health. The balance sheet represents the financial situation of a company by giving the assets, liabilities, and owners equity at a particular point in time or it points outs the company's net worth. Assets are economic benefits held a company due to its past transactions. Secondly, liabilities are the debts and obligations that a company had because if the company’s past transactions. The income statement, also known as the profit and loss statement shows the company’s net profit or loss during a given period of time by reporting the company’s earning to its investors. The third statement, the statement of cash flow reports the cash flow for the operating, financing and investing activities. Lastly, the statement of retained earnings reports the changes in the retained earnings of the company. Financial statements also include notes which give supplementary information about the company’s financial situation by describing the principles used in the accounting format, the explanation of the information in the statements or some other explanation that is not part of the statement.   Financial statements also help in the calculation of the financial ratios which are used to assess and estimate the financial situation of the company and these also of assistance in analyzing the statements themselves.  Ã‚  

China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump Essay Example for Free

China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump Essay Yardley, J. , Bradsher, K. (2008). China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump. New York Times, October 23, p. A6. In the article Yardley and Bradsher discuss China’s’ economic and financial slump caused by the global financial crisis. For three decades China has been one of the most powerful and promising countries in the world. The country has managed to booster its economic development due to flood of low-priced exports. However, global crisis negatively affects the country that faces the possibility of global recession. The question is whether the ruling Communist Party is able to prevent global financial crisis and to support China’s economic miracle. Economists and analysts say that China’s economic development plays crucial role for economies of the United States and European countries as they face serious downturns. Nonetheless, Chinese economic model is to be recalibrated, domestic investments are be stricken with government spending, and policies aimed at increasing consumer demand are to be promoted. China is in need of better health care network, improvements in social safety network, and lower fees for education establishments. Chinese government claims that global crisis insulates country’s financial system and, thus, leaders argue country’s banks would remain domestically concentrated. The overall economic growth has decreased, unemployment rates have increased and many factories have closed export region. China is recommended to use its foreign reserves for purchasing stocks in European as it gives China an excellent opportunity to gain more experience in global business. Some researcher say that America’s decline is inevitable and if China is prepared to manage it, it will be ready to stand as a superpower. In its turns, China isn’t willing to be considered as a replacement of the USA as it is still a developing country with more foreign reserves and more problems than other countries.

Untapped Mineral Resources And Their Potential Environmental Sciences Essay

Untapped Mineral Resources And Their Potential Environmental Sciences Essay Pakistan is blessed with huge mineral potential like coal copper, gold, limestone etc.   However, we have not yet been able to promote growth and alleviate poverty by exploiting our mineral resources as is done by other developing countries. Our efforts for mineral development has been limited to few industrial minerals such as limestone, rock salt, marble, gypsum and a very less amount of coal for internal power generation. 2. Our mineral resources are enormous and emerging as a promising country for exploration of minerals. Pakistans more than 6, 00, 000 sq kms  [1]  of outcrop area demonstrates varied geological potential for metallic / non-metallic mineral deposits. Exploration work and geological surveys have confirmed our great potential in the metallic as well as industrial minerals like copper, gold, silver, platinum, iron, lead, zinc, granite and marble. All these minerals have got huge prospects for exporting to the world. 3. Currently about 52 minerals  [2]  are under exploitation but on a small scale. The major contribution is of coal, rock salt, and other industrial and construction minerals. Value addition in the mineral sector is mainly concentrated in five principal minerals i.e. limestone, coal, gypsum, sulphur, oil and gas. The current contribution of mineral sector to the GDP is about 0.5% and is likely to increase considerably on the development of mineral projects like Reco Diq, Duddar Zinc lead and Thar coal. On the government level there is a requirement to put more serious efforts in the development of this promising prospect. AIM 4. To carryout comprehensive study of the mineral resource potential of Pakistan vis a vis impediments towards their development and its ramifications on the economy with a view to recommend viable response options. SCOPE 5. The discourse of the paper will follow the sequence as under :- Part I Mineral Resources of Pakistan Part II Untapped Minerals and their Potential Part III Economy and Mining of Mineral Resources Part IV Impediments towards the development of Mineral Resources Part v Recommendations for Viable Response Options Conclusion PART I MINERAL RESOURCES OF PAKISTAN 6.  [3]  Mineral resources for a country are like a wealth and Pakistan by the grace of Allah Almighty is gifted with enormous mineral resource potential. Presently 52 minerals are under exploitation but the major production is of coal, rock salt and other industrial minerals. The value addition in the mineral sector is mainly concentrated in five principal minerals i.e. limestone, coal, gypsum, sulphur, oil and natural gas. Mining industry in Pakistan is dominated by the public sector through Federal and Provincial development corporations. The public mining corporations such as PUNJMIN is involved in the mining of 8 minerals, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation in 11 minerals, FATA Development Corporation in 10 minerals, Balochistan Development Authority in around 40 minerals, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Development Authority in 4 minerals and Azad Kashmir Mineral and Industrial Development Corporation in 12 minerals . 7. Foreign investors are mainly from China due to their historic friendship with Pakistan. Besides this, there has been little or investment in mineral exploration. So far whatever development has occurred is restricted to simple technologies and foreign investors without investing in the modern management and technological fields. Consequently mineral exploitation contributes only 0.5% of GDP  [4]  . Realizing the vast potential of the mineral sector, there is a great opportunity for the multinational companies to invest in this sector and be beneficial to our economy as well as themselves. 8. Top Fifteen Minerals of Pakistan  [5]   a. Aluminium b. Iron Ore c. Copper d. Chromite Ore e. Zinc / Lead f. Coal g. Gypsum / Anhydrite h. Phosphates i. Rock Salt j. Solar Salt k. Magnesite l. Limestone for lime m Kaolin (China Clay) n. Building stones i.e. Granite, Marble and Onyx o. Gemstones 9. Mineral Resources in Punjab  [6]   a. Iron ore. Large iron ore deposits are present in Punjab. Major deposits are in Kalabagh(Mianwali district). b. Coal. In Punjab coal is present in Salt Range. Coal deposits in this region are 235 million tons with average quality coal. c. Gypsum. Punjab stands 2nd in gypsum reserves. Major deposits in Dadukhel are about 53 million tons. Other major reserves are in Khewra and D.G. Khan. d. Salt. Salt deposits are mainly found in the salt Range. Rock salt is mined at Khewra, Warcha, Kalabagh, Bhadurkhel, Jatta, karak ,Chakwal and Khushab mines. According to Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, reserves of rock salt are around 600 million tons. e. Lime stone. Lime Stone is present in salt Range Potwar Plateau, Margalla Hills and Zinda Pir (Attock) in large deposits. f. Aluminium. It is found in Khushab district,but graded as low quality Aluminium. g. Calestine. Celestite is used in flares, tracer bullets, warning fuses and fire-works. It is found in Daud Khel. h. Natural oil. All major oil fields are located in potowar plateau. A brief description is given In following table:- i. Natural gas. Major gas resources are in Uch near Multan and Adhi in Rawalpindi district, supplying a gas of 18Mcf/day   . j. Marble. Main marble reserves are in Dalbandin Hills in Attock District 10. Mineral Resources in Sindh  [7]   a. Coal. Pakistan has total coal reserves of 185 billion tons, out of which 184 Billion tons are in Sindh. It is one of the biggest good quality lignite deposits in the World. b. Salt. Bright prospects exist for the development of high purity solar salt facility around the coastal areas of Karachi. c. Limestone. It is found in Kot Diji, Ranipur, Ganjo Takkar, Murli Hills, Mango Pir and Cape Monze. d. Aluminium. In Sindh Aluminium is found in Kirthar Nits. e. Carbonate Soda. Present in large quantity in Nawabshah, Umerkot ,Nara Taluka( Khaipur) and Shah Bandar. f. Calestine. The estimated reserves are 300,000 tons. In Sindh, Calestine deposits are found in Thana Bula Khan. g. China Clay. It is found in Nagar Parkar (Tharparkar) and used in cement, paper, rubber filter manufacturing. h. Natural Oil. There are three renowned oil fields in Sindh which are briefly described in tabular form below:- i. Natural   Gas. In Sindh Natural Gas is found in Khairpur, Kandkot , Mari, Golarchi and Khaskheli. 11. Mineral Resources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  [8]   a. Chromite. Deposits in Dargai (0.7 Mt), Heroshah (0.1 Mt) have been proven. Similarly in Pattan and Chilas areas prospects appear to contain 0.2 Mt reserves. b. Coal. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa there is no large deposit of coal. Two small ones are briefly described in tabular form:- c. Bauxite.  Ã‚   Bauxite ismainly found in Hazara District. Details are as under :- d. Gypsum. The largest gypsum reserves in Pakistan are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which are primarily found in D.I.Khan and Kohat districts. e. Phosphates. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa   contains Cambrian sedimentary phosphates mainly in Abbottabad. f. Magnesite. In Abbottabad established reserves around 11 million tons geological 3 million tons mineable containing acceptable   46%      47%   magnesium oxide are present.   g. Limestone. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Northern Areas the average annual production of limestone is 8697 Metric tons. h. China Clay. Presently the major production comes from shah Dheri, Swat .. i. Marbles. Marbles of different classifications occur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Northern Areas. 158 million tons out of 160.2 million tons of marble reserves, are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. j. Gem Stones. Pakistan ranks amongst leading gem-hosting countries. Emerald, Ruby, Pink Topaz and Peridot are found in Hunza and AJK. k. Soap Stone. Its deposits are in Sherwan and Abbottabad districts. Soap stone is used in Ceramics and soap industries. 12. Mineral Resources in Balochistan  [9]  . Out of 50 minerals being mined 40 are being exploited in Balochistan:- a. Aluminium. Large deposits are in Kalat, Ziarat and Loralai districts. Khakhan-China spring mine in Loralai district produces 2000 tons annually. b. Iron Ore. More than 903.4 million tons of iron ores are found in Pakistan and potential ore deposits in Balochistan are the following: Copper. The significance of copper resources of Pakistan is widely known.Copper reserves are present in Saindak and Reko-diq in Balochistan. d. Chromite Ore. Major deposits are found in Muslim Bagh, Noshki, Ras-koh, Dilbadin and Khuzdar districts. e. Zinc. The Jurassic rocks of the Lasbela Khuzdar Belt have the potential to host several World class zinc lead ore deposits. Zinc deposits in Duddar Gunga   are estimated over 160 million tons. f. Coal. In Balochistan about 217 million tons of coal is estimated. Thà ¨se Resources are distributed in Hamai, ,Duki ,Mach-Abegum   Pir Ismail Ziarat   Bar khan Chamalang. g. Natural Gas. Total Natural gas reserves in Pakistan are estimated at about 31 trillion cubic feet. In the Province of Balochistan, the reserves are in Pirkok, Sui ,Mazarani, Golarchi. h. Manganese. Manganese is found in Lasbela and Khuzdar and estimated reserves are 0.477 million tons. i. Limestone. In Balochistan average annual production of limestone is 8697 Metric tons. j. Magnesite. In Balochistan it is found in Muslim bagh and Bela. k. Gypsum. According to geological survey of Pakistan, about 2000 million ton gypsum resources are present in different areas of Balochistan. l. Antimony. Antimony deposits have been sporadically mined near Qila Abdullah in district Pishin of Balochistan. m. Marble. Large deposits of marble are present in Balochistan, about 2 million ton high quality Marble is present in Chagai district. n. Gems. Discoveries in Chagai, Panjgur, Kalat and Killa Abdullah. o. Aragonite. It is found in Khuzdar and Loralai. PART II UNTAPPED MINERAL RESOURCES AND THEIR POTENTIAL 13. Despite the fact that Pakistan is bestowed with huge mineral potential the overall contribution of this sector in GDP is merely 0.5%, which warrants extensive efforts to harness this unexplored wealth. The untapped mineral resources are discussed in subsequent paragraphs  [10]  :- a. Platinum. The Chilas rock body with indications of Platinum and Platinum-group elements occurrences belongs to the largest basic intrusions in the world which are continuously exposed. Similarly area between Jijal and Patan, Allai in Kohistan and Malakand Agency, west of Dargai bears Platinum and Platinum-group elements. b. Antimony. Antimony is an important metal which is used for making and antimony salt is used in the production of safety matches, in percussion caps of cartridge and in tracer bullets. Antimony reserves have been recently discovered by GSP in Kharan district. Present estimates of available ore are 26,000 tons and the antimony content of the ore varies from 7 to 12% (Hussain, 1974). c. Copper. Copper is used in electrical industry, automobiles, airplanes, conductors and circuit breakers due to its high electrical and thermal conductivity and strength. Geological Survey of Pakistan has discovered copper at Saindak, Dasht-e-Kain, Missi and Ziarat Pir Sultan.Massive sulphide type copper deposits have been reported from Chagai, Lasbela and Khuzdar districts. Mineral deposits at Saindak are in table-1 and estimated recoverable quantities of different metals are reflected in table-2. Table 1 : Saindak Copper Reserves  [11]   Deposit Reserves (million tones) (% of copper) South Ore Body 111 0.430 East Ore Body 273 0.340 North Ore Body 28 0.440 Table 2 : Estimated Quantities of Metals and their Values  [12]   Metals Current Price (In USS) Value (in million USS) Copper 1.69 million tones 2000 / tones 3,380.00 Gold 2.24 million ounces 387 / oz 867.00 Silver 2.49 million ounces 5.0 / oz 12.45 d. Gold. In the present day world along with its major consumption in Jewelry, gold is being used as an important industrial metal also. In the Chagai area, Geological Survey of Pakistan has identified at least 12 porphyry type deposits which may contain appreciable quantities of gold along with copper and silver.Similarly clusters of gold and silver have also been discovered in Drosh district Chitral ,Sargodha, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad. e. Iron. Iron is used for making steel and a number of other alloys. Many small and large deposits of iron ore have been found in Dilband, Chilghazi, Chigendil and Pachin Koh districts of Balochistan. The iron ore deposits recently discovered by the GSP at Uthal appear to be of economic value. Estimated iron reserves and quality are given in Table-3. Table 3 : Iron Reserves and Quality of Iron Ores in Balochistan  [13]   Ser Area / Locality Reserves (million tons) Quality Chemical Mineralogical 1. Dilband, Kalat District 250 40-60% Sedimentry ore with predominant heamatite 2. Chagai District (Chigendil, Pachin Koh, Chilghzi) 85 20-55% Magnetite. 3. Uthal Lasbela District, Balochistan Not estimated Up to 45% Metamorphie ore with predominant magnetive. Total :- 335 f. Lead Zinc. Lead and Zinc metals form important alloys having varied uses in industry and ammunitions. The geological Survey of Pakistan has discovered several deposits of lead and Zinc ore in Lasbela Khuzdar region of Balochistan. Deposits at Gunga, Surmai and Duddar have been investigated in some details by GSP and are expected to be around 10 million tons each. g. Chromite. Chromite is mainly used in the manufacture of stainless steel and as refractory material. Chromite is found in Zhob, Killah Saifullah, Chagai, Kharam, Khuzdar and Lasbela districts as podiform type. A total production of 25,735 tons was achieved during the year 2002-2003. h. Manganese. Manganese ores are found in Lasbela, Khuzdar, Chagai and Zhob districts. The manganese occurrences in Chagai district are found as coating and film in the quartz veins cutting limestone beds. A total of 580,500 tons of manganese ore has been estimated in various deposits. The average range of manganese content is 8.2% to 50.56%. i. Fluorite. It is mainly used as flux in steel making and is the only source of fluorine which is required for hydrofluoric acid and other fluorine compounds. Fluorite is found in Maran, Dilband and Pad Maran areas. The reserves are estimated over 0.1 million tons . j. Gypsum and Anhydrite. Balochistan has very large reserves of gypsum/ anhydrite found at spintangi and Chamalang. Estimated gypsum reserves are given in table . 4. Table: 4 Major Gypsum Deposits of Balochistan  [14]  . Deposits/ Localities Reserve of million of tons Insoluble% R2O3% CaO% MgO% SO3 H2O% CaS O421 12O% CaSO4% Spintangi Range Analysis 0.5 0.30 0.50 32.30 0.68 47.30 18.20 High Gypsum 0.60 0.40 32.67 0.32 47.44 19.10 k. Baryte. The baryte deposits are located in the area between Uthal and Khuzdar. Deposits at Gunga near Khazdar and Daddar in Lasbela dirtrict are estimated over 12 million tons. The production from indigenous deposits meets the total requirement of baryte for oil well drilling and barium based chemical plants of the country. l. Dimension and Decorative Stones. The ones most commonly used are onyx marble and granite. Marble is used in building facings, bathrooms and floor tiles / handicraft items. Onyx marble of high quality is found in Chagai District / Gilgit Baltistan. Granite occurs in Chagai , Zhob, Kila Saifullah and Lasbela. m. Gemstones. Northern areas are marked by GSP as ruby-bearing marble zone. Similarly in Swat district few deposits are expected of gemstones. n. Limestone. Pakistan has vast resources of limestone extending from the coastal region near Karachi to as far north as the Chagai and Zhob. These rocks generally contain over 80% calcium carbonate,less than 5 %silica and less than 1% iron oxide making them suitable raw material for the cement manufacturing. o. Coal. According to estimates prepared by GSP, Pakistan has total coal reserves of 185 billion tons, out of which 184 billion tons are in Sindh. One of the biggest good quality lignite deposit is in Thar, Thar coal is of relatively good quality and is likely to be operational by Dec 2013  [15]  .There are six coal areas in Balochistan where coal mining activities are in progress i.e. Harnai, Duki, Daghari, Pir Imail Ziarat, Mach and most recently in Chamalang area but it has been abandoned due to a tribal conflict. The coal resources of Balochistan are described below:- Table No. 5 Summary of Coal Resources of Balochistan (Million tons)  [16]   S.No Coalfield Proved Indicated Inferred Hypot-hetical Total Mineable (1) Khost Shahrig Harnai 13 63 76 8 (2) Sor Range Daghari 15 19 16 50 9 (3) Duki 14 11 25 50 8 (4) Mach Abegum 9 14 23 5 (5) Pir Ismail Ziarat 2 2 8 12 12 (6) Chamalang 1 5 6 0.6 Total:- 54 13 134 16 217 32 p. Gas  [17]  . Zin block is surrounded by major natural gas producing fields of Pirkoh, Loti, Sui and Uch. 22 trillion cubic feet of projected gas reserves are expected in Kohlu district, therefore OGDCL has applied for security cover for four licenses i.e. Kohlu, Jandran, Jandran West and Kalchas. OGDCL is the largest upstream company in the country , as of December 2010 it holds 48 percent of the countrys recoverable oil reserves and 37 percent of the countrys recoverable gas reserves. PART III ECONOMY AND MINING OF MINERAL RESOURCES 14. Growing demand for mineral resources such as aluminium, nickel, copper and zinc by developing markets in Asia has contributed to a surge in mineral prices. Driven by the prospect of higher revenues, developing countries are increasingly turning to their minerals wealth as a source of growth and new economic development opportunities  [18]  . 15. The extractive industry sector is very diverse. Classification may refer to scale of operation, nature of activity (underground, off-shore, open-cast, etc.), material extracted (industrial minerals, gemstones, precious metals, oil and gas etc), utility (energy, metallic and non-metallic) or degree of capitalization. However, the unique feature of all extractive operations is that the resource being extracted is non-renewable. Therefore goal of non-renewable resource exploitation, should be the conversion of natural capital into other forms of capital. In terms of scale, there are three general levels of extractive operation as under  [19]  :- a. Large Scale. Capital-intensive and multinational companies use extraction and processing technologies that require high levels of investment and skills. Significant revenues, economies of scale and efficiencies result from these operations. b. Medium Scale. Includes state run enterprise such as national oil and gas producers and numerous expansionary juniors (with less than USD 100 million assets) in the hard rock mining sector. c. Artisanal and Small Scale Mining (ASM). Old mining methods i.e rudimentary technology, minimal capital investment , high labour intensity and low levels of technology for extraction and processing. It is estimated that ASM produces up to 31% of the global production of minerals including 20% to 30% of gold, 20% of coal, 10% of diamonds and 75% of non-diamond gemstones. 16. The Economics of Mining  [20]  . Minerals represent only a small part of world production and global FDI flows, however their supply is essential to modern economies. Major contributions of mining in economy are:- a. The contribution of Mining to Growth, Exports and Fiscal Revenues. Accurate statistics of the economic benefits derived from mining are difficult to obtain, especially when the full scale range of the sector is considered. For example, the informal and frequently illegal nature of ASM activities results in significant losses of potential government revenues. Where figures are available metal exports constitute a large part of total exports for several countries like in Tanzania, mining represents 40 % of national exports, 75% of foreign direct investments and is estimated to have contributed about 6 % of the total annual GDP growth rate of 4.8 % between 1996 and 2003 (ICMM / World Bank, UNCTAD, 2006a). Many governments derive a large part of fiscal revenues from the mining sector. In Botswana more than half of fiscal revenues are derived from mining (USGS, 2005) whereas mining accounts for 43% of government revenues in Peru (gold, copper, zinc, etc). b. The contribution of Mining to Employment and subsistence. The ILO has estimated that the mining sector employs 22 to 25 million people worldwide, approximately 1% of the total global workforce (ILO, 2007). Large-scale mining is capital-intensive activity requiring increasingly higher skills levels. The artisanal sector is coupled with the fact that mining may be pursued during periods of agricultural inactivity or underemployment. The sector often operates in poor / remote locations so as to provide pro-poor benefits which private sector or government are unable to provide. 17. Potential of Mining to Lift the Poor Out of Poverty  [21]  . The track record of countries with the opportunity to convert resource abundance into broader development goals is often disappointing. Resource abundance often does not translate into economic prosperity. Mineral wealth and its proper exploitation would form the basis for economic growth, poverty reduction and sustained development. However some of the most resource rich countries had the highest levels of poverty, corruption and conflict. 18. The evolution of mining codes has been described as having three phases. The first has been characterized by major withdrawal of state intervention. The second places greater emphasis on the responsibilities of companies for socio-economic development. In Mali, for example companies are required to pay a tax directly to regional governments for re-allocation to local communities. The third places greater emphasis on the participation of affected people and enhanced government responsibility for environmental and social safeguards. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), for example, has made provision to ensure revenue distribution to those directly impacted by mining companies (60% of royalties remain with the central government, 25% go to the provinces and 15% to the community where the mining occurs (CASM, 2007). PART IV IMPEDIMENTS TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES IN PAKISTAN 19. The detailed overview only helps to ascertain that the mineral deposits of Pakistan are huge but there seems a host of factors which are hindering the development of minerals. Taking a 360 degree view, there are internal as well as external impediments and also issues like environmental hazards and lack of technology. Each of these are discussed in succeeding paragraphs. 20. Internal Impediments. Some of the impediments faced by Pakistan internally are as under:- a. Understaffing of Mineral Department. Minerals department is critically understaffed. There is only one mine inspector for the whole district and only one Assistant Director of License to look after the licenses issues in the whole region. Hence the officials are unable to visit the mine sites and monitor the progress. b. Lack of Technology. There is visible lack of technology available for the miners, since most of the mine owners are medium to small scale. The mining carried in the country is still based upon the century old techniques. c. Lack of Proper Database. Inconsistency is common in the data provided by the Provincial Offices and District Offices on licenses, leases, budget, revenues, etc. Regional offices are not very reliable and do not help towards well-informed policy initiatives. d. Lack of interest of the foreign investors. Although the FDI inflow in mining and quarrying sector in Pakistan has increased yet deteriorating law and order situation and poicies are proving to be major barriers against the inflow of FDI specially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. e. Security of Tenure. Another important issue faced by the miners is the lack of security of tenure. The government can take away the lease any time citing reasons of low extraction, slow work progress etcetera and this reason alone is enough to deter investment. The mineral development Act of 1948 is still in place which also needs to be addressed. f. Weak Coordination and Non Transparency. Mineral department is not only weak in coordination due to nonexistence of proper policy but is also non transparent at times i.e. ignoring the mandatory requirement for grant of licenses and leases under political influence. Employees Old Age Benefit Institute (EOBI)  [22]  is a case in point. The contractors also accuse that some officials of regional directorate bypass the rules and regulations and ignore the merit due to their vested interests. g. Tribal Rivalries. In mineral rich areas tribes are mostly working against each other so as to gain control over the mineral resources in that particular region. Resultantly the exploration work is stalled, since no foreign company would like to work in a hostile environment. h. Deteriorating Law and Order Situation. Owing to GWOT the law and order situation of the country is not very encouraging for local as well as foreign investors. Most of the mineral rich areas are either under conditions of unrest or located in the close vicinity, thereby precluding any chance of exploration work. i. Role of Government  [23]  . The responsibility of the mineral exploitation rests with duality of control between provincial and federal governments. Constitutionally, government of Pakistan has defined its role for nuclear minerals, oil and gas while solid minerals whether they are in the Federal territory are the subject of provincial government. The concern of government of Pakistan for agriculture which relates to the curst of the earth is not likewise in the minerals. j. Public Sector Corporations. The public sector corporations which were created to undertake R D and disseminate/ transfer such knowledge and experience to the private sector have focused their attention on maximizing the revenue generation even at the cost of disregarding the safety measures. L k. Beneficiation R D  [24]  . The engineering universities as well as geological departments which have the high level of talent and manpower are not being utilized for R D in the mineral sector due to which most of the talent is being wasted. 21. External Impediments. Some of the impediments faced by Pakistan internally are as under:- a. Role of Donor Agencies. In case of third world countries the international donor agencies like IMF, World Bank ADB etce

Should All Children be Included in Mainstream Schools?

Should All Children be Included in Mainstream Schools? The following paper shall discuss the educational provisions available for students with profound and complex needs. Such individuals have severe cognitive and neurological dysfunctions, which at times are also accompanied by sensory impairments. Their intellectual level cannot be thoroughly assessed. They form a vulnerable group of persons who are in need of constant assistance, even to perform the most basic needs of feeding and personal hygiene (Arthur-Kelly et. al., 2008). So what should be taught to the members of this group? Is it meaningful to follow the national curriculum? Or should it be modified? What teaching approaches should be used in order to maximise their learning and awareness? Can these approaches be used in ordinary classes? And if so, will it impact negatively on the other non-disabled students? Should they be included in mainstream schools? These are some of the pungent and yet delicate arguments which shall be tackled in the following paragraphs. Section A A1. What is Inclusive Education? Article 26, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states that education is a fundamental right of every human being (United Nations, 1948). The right to education is embraced by all since it opens the gates for employment opportunities; enhances the quality of life; gives empowerment to the individual; and promotes equity in society (Peters, 2007). All children should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential (DfES 2001b:2) Inclusive education refers to the education of special education needs (SEN) students together with their non-disabled peers in mainstream education schools. It values the right of all students to receive quality education with equal opportunities; whereby they can participate in meaningful learning and hence develop their full potential (Peters, 2007:99). Such schools shift their focus from the concept of disability and work to remove barriers of participation for all students (Barton Armstrong, 2001 as cited in Ypinazar Pagliano, 2004). The goal of inclusion is not to erase differences, but to enable all students to belong within an educational community that validates and values their individuality (Stainback et. al., 1994) A primary document which, identified that the way forward to reach education for all is through inclusive education, was the Salamanca Statement in 1994. It declares that every child is diverse in his or her abilities and is therefore unique. It goes on to say that primarily: Every child has a fundamental right to education, and must be given the opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning .. Those with special educational needs must have access to regular schools which should accommodate them within a child-centred pedagogy capable of meeting these needs (UNESCO, 1994, para 2 pp: viii) The philosophy of the Salamanca Statement is underpinned by the social model of disability; whereby learning difficulties are not considered as the problem to educational exclusion, but rather that the general education system needs to be responsive to the needs of all students (Peters, 2007). A2. Historical Overview in the UK Gone are the days when children with physical and intellectual impairment were labelled as being ineducable, idiots, or defective; and hence segregated away into asylums for imbeciles (Pickles, 2004). The situation started to take a better turn with the 1944 Education Act. It stated that disabled children had the right to receive an education tailored according to their needs, however, this had to be done in special settings; segregated away from their families and the rest of the community (Pickles, 2004). The Warnock Report in 1978 coined the term special education needs (SEN); a term which included all those children who had some type of intellectual and/or physical disabilities. The report was a key point in the history of inclusive education. The 1981 Education Act followed it. Both reports introduced a multi-disciplinary approach; whereby representatives from the Education, Health and Social Services sectors, teamed up in order to draw an accurate profile of the child, such that whenever possible the child was included in mainstream classes. The Act also empowered the parents or guardians in deciding on the type of education provision for their children. This legislation brought about a change in the composition of special schools. More children with mild to moderate needs started to attend mainstream schools, leaving their peers with profound and complex needs segregated in special schools (Pickles, 2004). Another two reports followed in 1992, in order to review the objectives of the 1981 Education Act. However, the Green paper, Excellence for All Children (DfEE, 1997) and subsequently the White Paper Program for Action (DfEE, 1998) were decisive, for these brought about the movement of the majority of SEN students into mainstream schools. The papers also addressed the financial resources of schools; and hence saw to the improved standards in all schools. A3. Inclusive Education at the turn of the 21st century The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act in 2001, together with The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (DfES, 2001) were introduced, and emphasised the importance that local education authorities (LEAs) should conform to the parents choice of schooling provision, except when the school: . is unsuitable to the childs age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs, or the placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of the other children with whom the child would be educated, or with the efficient use of resources (DfES, 2001:107) The SEN Code of practice coined the idea of Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCO), in order to work closely with teachers and parents to the best possible educational outcome for the SEN student and drawing up and Individual Educational Plan (IEP). Removing Barriers to Achievements (DfES, 2004) followed, strengthening inclusive approaches in schools and promoting early intervention programmes. It states that: All teachers should expect to teach children with SEN and all schools should play their part in educating children from their local community, whatever their background or ability (DfES, 2004:5) The policy promotes further use of assessment tools; where at the age of five the child is assessed in order to move on to formal schooling. The assessment is based on the Early Learning Goals. However these 13 goals are not classified enough to include the progress made by those children with profound and complex needs, who may also have additional sensory impairment. Therefore its inclusive nature is very much contested (University of Manchester, 20009). In 2006, the Report of the Teaching and Learning in 2020 Review Group stressed the importance of personalised learning as the way forward. Personalised learning means: Taking a more structured and responsive approach to each childs learning, so that all pupils are able to progress, achieve and participate. (DfES, 2006:41) This approach is important for the progress of all student; especially those with SEN and in particular those with profound and complex needs. Section BB1. Special and Mainstream Schools Should they join forces? The perceived divergence between special and mainstream schools should be reduced such that inclusion becomes a shared concept, and eventually the policies practiced in ordinary schools are adapted as to provide for the collective interests and educational needs of all students (Zelaieta in Armstrong Moore, 2004:33). At the turn of the century, the government has assigned a new role for special schools; whereby these have to be: outward looking centres of excellence working with their mainstream partners and other special schools to support the development of inclusion. (DfES, 2001:23) Mittler (2000, as cited in Rose Howley, 2007) believes that the role of special schools in providing educational services for those students with profound and complex needs has been and still is, of extreme importance. Yet, today, it is widely accepted that pupils are referred to special schools only when mainstream schooling does not cater for their educational needs. Improved cooperation between mainstream schools and special schools, has led to partnerships being established in order to help the transition of students from special schools to ordinary schools (Rose Coles, 2002 as cited in Rose Howley, 2007). Such collaboration is to the advantage of those teachers in mainstream schools who are willing to learn from the expertise of those who work with students with special educational needs (McLeod, 2001 as cited in Rose Howley, 2007). As they work closely together there will be more sharing of ideas and resources, ultimately to the benefit of all the students. The DfES Report of the Special Schools Working Group states that: Special schools have a vast wealth of knowledge, skills and experience which, if harnessed, unlocked and effectively utilised by mainstream schools, can help ensure that inclusion is a success. (DfES 2003b: 6 as cited in Cheminais, 2003:4) As Cheminais puts it, one size will never fit all (2003:5). She believes that as long as there is diversity of needs, special schools cannot be all closed down. She looks at inclusion from a realistic point of view; one which backs the notion that a small minority of students, usually those with severe and complex disabilities, will always necessitate special educational provisions in particular settings. B2. To be included, or not to be? Advocates of inclusion affirm that: the special education system is a key element in the creation and perpetuation of the social oppression of disabled people (Barnes, Mercer Shakespeare 1999:104) Butterfield and Arthur (1995, as cited in Arthur-Kelly et. al., 2008) stressed the importance that students with profound and complex needs should experience meaningful communication experiences both from their peers and teachers. Such communicative interactions could only be achieved in inclusive settings, whereby non-disabled peers could connect with them. An inclusive classroom could set the grounds for meaningful communication, and it is the best social forum for experiences such as turn-taking, requesting and greeting (Arthur-Kelly et. al., 2008:163). In fact, in his study, Foreman et. al., (2004, as cited in Arthur-Kelly et. al., 2008) concluded that inclusive settings further increase peer interaction and engagements for students with PCLD when compared to those students attending special schools. Moreover, Ypinazar and Pagliano (2004) retain that the segregation of SEN students in special schools accentuates their disability identity and hence the stigma of labelling. However, Knight (1999) argues that stigmatisation will not vanish just by placing a student with PCLD in a regular classroom. Peers need to be taught how to accept their difference and move beyond. Inclusion is far more than just about the location of a childs school placement (DfES, 2004 as cited in Runswick-Cole, 2008:174) MacKay (2002, as cited in Armstrong and Moore, 2004) believes that there might be cases where inclusion is not always appropriate; especially in the case of those students with severe and complex learning difficulties. When the mainstream school does not meet the needs of the SEN pupil, it would be highly irresponsible to allow the child attend such a school; such a situation leads to the build up of pressure both on the pupil and teachers alike. John MacBeath, a Professor at the University of Cambridge, recently declared that mainstream classes can be a form of abuse (BBC News, 2006). He affirms that: Physically sitting in a classroom is not inclusion. Children can be excluded by sitting in a classroom that is not meeting their needs. (BBC News, 2006) And in fact Peters (2007) argues that inclusion is more than just the physical presence; it means flexible curriculum for some students; teachers who are willing and prepared to welcome an array of abilities; and a welcoming school community. In 2002, Hanafin and her colleagues concluded that mainstream education does not fulfil the concept of inclusion. They feel that mainstream education is set up on a flawed notion of intelligence and is crippling the learning process of many students (Hanafin, Shevlin Flynn, 2002:410). Giving that the national curriculum is primarily based on linguistic and mathematical skills, those students who are not as proficient in these areas are going to find extremely difficult to cope. Whereas, if the formal curriculum had to give further importance to other subjects which do not require such skills, such as art, music and drama; then all learners would benefit. Moreover, learning and assessment depend on the ability to read and write; those students with severe disabilities, whose abilities are undeveloped if not completely absent, are at a disadvantage. As Camiletti (1996) puts it, SEN students constantly have to rely for learning on their weakest resources (as cited in Hanafin et. al., 2 002:417). Young people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities are often excluded from meaningful participation in mainstream education. As a result they rarely have an opportunity to interact with their non-disabled peers. and remain an isolated and marginalised group. (Shevlin OMoore, 2000, as cited in Gibson et. al., 2005:23) Norwich goes on to say that this issue of student placement and location of provisions is a huge dilemma, especially in the case of students with profound and complex disabilities. If these children are educated in mainstream schools it is very likely that they will not have access to appropriate resources and facilities; if on the other hand they receive their education at special schools it is likely that they will not have meaningful interactions and thus feel excluded by their peers (Norwich 2007a as cited in Norwich 2008). From his study (2007), Norwich concludes that inclusion can have its negative aspects as well. The study revealed that sometimes severely disabled students are made to feel unwelcome as their peers do not accept them as their friends, with the result that they feel excluded in their own class. Moreover their learning process can also be compromised by lack of teacher training and appropriate resources, as well as poor attitudes from the teachers side. B3. Has inclusion gone too far? The extent to which inclusion can be implemented still remains debatable. Baroness Warnock (2005) criticised the government for putting children with special educational needs in one scale. There isnt a single group of children with SEN; every child is an individual with his or her unique learning difficulty, and it is wrong to categorise children with SEN and those without. The term SEN covers a broad spectrum of learning difficulties and needs, which need to be addressed on an individual basis when planning the Individual Educational Programme. The needs of a child with cerebral palsy who is wheelchair bound differ widely from those of a child with Aspergers syndrome. Mercer (1997, as cited in Knight, 1999) argues that students with profound and complex disabilities may not benefit from inclusive classrooms, since their need of highly specialised services, such as physiotherapy or speech therapy will not be catered for in regular classes. The lack of such provisions will negatively affect the learning potential of these students. In fact there are situations where inclusion has a counter effect; that of exclusion, since the needs of the child are not being met while in the regular classroom (Knight, 1999). These views are also reflected by some teachers, who when interviewed said: I dont think it [inclusion] is realistic because a mainstream school doesnt have facilities to meet their needs and the variety of different things they need like physio, speech and medical needs (Simmons Bayliss, 2007:22) Baroness Warnock, who coined the idea of inclusive education more than three decades ago, has now criticised the extent to which inclusion policy has been carried. In her report Special Educational Needs: a new look, she criticises the fact that special schools are closing down with the result that students have no choice but to attend a mainstream schools, which fails to meet their needs. She goes on to say that special schools should still play an important and ongoing role in the lives of those students who need special provisions (House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, 2005/6). Baroness Warnock adds that the concept of inclusion has gone too far. She rejects the idea that for effective inclusion all students need to be under the same roof at all times. She believes that students with special educational needs should be included in the common educational enterprise of learning, wherever they learn best (Warnock, 2005 as cited in Norwich 2008:137). This idea is further reinforced by the Centre for the Study of Inclusive Education (CSIE) who accepts the notion that SEN students can spend part of their time outside the regular classroom, as long as it is for a limited period of time and the student is engaged in meaningful learning sessions. Time spent out of the ordinary classroom for appropriate individual or group work on a part time basis is not segregation . provided it is time limited for a specified purpose. (Thomas Vaughn, 2004:137 as cited in Norwich 2008:137) Moreover, despite the increasing numbers of SEN students attending mainstream schools and actually doing good progress; in 2004, the Office for Standard in Education (OFSTED) reported that schools in England and Wales still lack the required preparation, skills and resources in order to cater effectively for the needs of SEN students (Rix et.al., 2009). In fact statistics show that while in 1974, 1.3 per cent of the school population attended special schools; in 2004 there was just a slight change in the amount, with 1.1 per cent of the school population still attending special schools (DfES 2006 as cited in Runswick-Cole, 2008). This hints that maybe mainstream schools still leave much to be desired! B3. Teacher training The issue of lack of teacher training has been addressed by several scholars. According to Forlin (2001, as cited in Florian, 2008) it is one of the principal barriers to inclusion. Cook and Schirmer tried to identify what is special about special education (2003 as cited in Florian, 2008:204). In their study they explained that the same teaching methods used with SEN students are as effective when used with students who have no learning difficulties. Hence, Lewis and Norwich (2005 as cited in Florian, 2008) proposed the idea that teaching approaches should be designed in a ladder-like spectrum from high to low levels, so as to reach all, from the most gifted to the least; rather than designed according to one particular type of learning disability. Moreover, Florian is confident that most of the teachers, irrespective whether they teach in mainstream or special schools, have enough knowledge and skills to teach all children; all they need to do is to have the courage to put their expertise into practice (Florian, 2008). Florian (2008) looked in depth at the role of teachers as an influential factor in the success of inclusion. Teachers have to be aware that not all students are the same, and therefore it is in their responsibility to ensure that every student is participating in classroom activities. It is very worrying that OFSTED Reports in 2004 showed that teachers are still reluctant to perform the necessary adaptations to the national curriculum to include all learners (as cited in Runswick-Cole, 2008). School observations in mainstream classes conducted by Simmons and Bayliss (2007) confirmed that various teachers struggled to meet the needs of those children with profound and complex disabilities. One teacher clearly stated that: if staff want to learn more, then its up to them personally to join a course off their own back though we dont have time to do that at the moment (Simmons Bayliss, 2007:21) In my opinion it all burns down to attitude; teachers need to focus on the potential of children with PMLD rather than on their impairment (Peters, 2007). A study conducted by Higgins and colleagues (2009) showed how one primary school principal felt about her school: there is a family type environment here. weve got the buddy system up and running. I do something on values at assembly each week. the big children also learn [to be inclusive] from the school staff. thats how we are here (Higgins et. al., 2009:482) This proves that if the teachers attitudes are positive then inclusion is possible. As Hart et. al., (2004) put it: things can change, and change for the better on the basis of what teachers do in the present (Hart et. al., 2004 as cited in Florian, 2008:203) B4. The Role of Parents Parents usually have the arduous task of having to choose the type of educational provision for their child. Those parents who value socialisation tend to choose mainstream schooling (Duhaney Salend 2000, as cited in Flewitt Nindt, 2007); while those who prioritise on academic performance tend to opt for a continuum of services (Palmer et. al., 1998 as cited in Flewitt Nindt, 2007). However, a recent study by Flewitt and Nindt (2007) showed that nowadays the prevalence of parents opting to combine both inclusive and special education is increasing steadily. It seems that in the majority of the cases this combination worked very well for the children; and the parents were happy that their child is enjoying healthy peer interaction in the inclusive classroom while at the same time benefit from adequate resources at the special school. One parent said we had no hesitation about combined placement it just evolved (Flewitt Nind, 2007:434). Yet, some of the parents in the study were concerned about the possibility that this combination would ultimately cause confusion since the child would be attending two different settings. The choice of combining two educational provisions clearly shows that parents are looking for an ideal situation, and this ideal cannot be found in either one of the provisions alone. In their study Flewitt and Nind (2007) found that a common reasoning expressed by parents was: The child would get the best of both worlds. Copying healthy children and mixing with them socially, but also getting pyhsio, and physical support and exercise they needed to improve (Flewitt Nind, 2007:436) This point is further examined by Zelaieta, where she points out that since ordinary schools are not yet equipped to provide for the needs of all students; some SEN students have to attend two different schools, unlike the rest of the population. She proposes that special schools should change their approach, and instead of operating as individual bodies, start working towards an inclusive policy; since, she believes, ultimately these will fade out and mainstream schools [shall] transform themselves into communities for all learners (Zelaieta in Armstrong Moore, 2004:41). Richard a father to a severely disabled child relates his story: At this stage, we were frightfully keen, realising he was different and so, still trying to include him in the local community but he was being sort of parked in a corridor and he was actually being quite literally excluded because he was at the [local] primary school. So we started looking at special. (As cited in Runswick-Cole, 2008:178) It is a pity that the reason that drives parents to opt for special schools is one of a sense of exclusion and uncertainty from regular schools. In his study, Runswick-Cole (2008) observed that some parents had to abandon their original premise of sending their children in mainstream schools, due to attitudinal barriers present in the regular educational settings. Parents looked for a welcoming environment where their children could feel fully included, and for some special schools provided such safe and friendly environment. Conclusion Setting up educational provisions capable of supporting all learners, including those with disabilities is not an easy task. Educators are expected to respond to student diversity, through a range of educational approaches. New teaching approaches, such as the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices, enabled the effective participation and learning of those students who previously were unable to access the curriculum (Rose Howley, 2007). By right every child should have access to mainstream schooling. Choosing whether the child shall attend mainstream or special schools depends on the parents preferences and the childs needs. Students with mild and moderate learning disabilities are increasingly being educated in mainstream schools. Special schools with their supported environment are most often seen as the best option for those with profound and complex needs. There are parents who choose to combine both provisions in order to find the ideal educational setting for their child. James, a boy with cerebral palsy attends a combined setting. He says: If I was born 20 years ago I might not have had the opportunity to go to a mainstream school. I wouldnt have had the friends Ive got now, so things have got a lot better, but we have got a long way to go. (House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, 2006:37) Inclusion develops a greater sense of diversity, and helps society in general to learn that despite such differences all individuals have equal rights (Millar Morton, 2007). . regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities , building an inclusive society and achieving education for all. (UNESCO, 1994, para 2 pp: ix) ReferencesArmstrong F., Moore M., (2004) Action Research for Inclusive Education: changing places, changing practice, changing minds. RoutledgeFalmer, London Arthur-Kelly M, Foreman P., Bennett D., Pascoe S., (2008) Interaction, Inclusion and students with profound and multiple disabilities: towards an agenda for research and practice. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. Vol. 8 issue 3:161-166 Barnes C., Mercer G., Shakespeare T., (1999) Exploring Disability: a sociological introduction. Polity Press, Cambridge Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1997) Excellence for All Children: meeting special educational needs. DfEE Publications Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1998) Meeting Special Educational Needs: A Programme for Action. DfEE Publications Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2001). Special Educational needs and Disability Act 2001. DfES Publications Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2001b) Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. DfES Publications Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2004b) Removing Barriers to Achievement The Governments Strategy for Special Educational Needs. DfES Publications. Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2006)Teaching and Learning in 2020 Review. DfES Publications Flewitt R., Nind M., (2007) Parents choosing to combine special and inclusive early years settings: the best of both worlds? European Journal of Special Needs Education, Vol. 22, Issue 4:425-441 Florian L., (2008) Special and inclusive education: future trends. British Journal of Special Education Needs, Vol. 35, Issue 4:202-208 Gibson S., Blandford S., (2005) Managing Special Educational Needs: a practical guide for primary and secondary schools. Sage Publications, London Hanafin J., Shevlin M., Flynn M., (2002) Responding to student diversity: lessons from the margin. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, Vol. 10, Issue 3:409-423 Higgins N., MacArthur J., Kelly B., (2009) Including disabled children at school: is it really simple as a, c, d.? International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 13 Issue 5:471-487 House of Commons Education and Skills Committee (2006) Special Educational Needs, Third Report of Session, Vol. 1, House of Commons, London Knight B. A., (1999) Towards inclusion of students with special educational needs in the regular classroom. Support for Learning Vol. 14 issue 1:3-7 Millar R., Morton M., (2007) Bridging two worlds: special education and curriculum policy. International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 11, Issue 2:163-176 Norwich B., (2008) What future for special schools and inclusion? Conceptual and professional perspectives. British Journal of Special Education, Vol. 35, Issue 3:136-143 Peters S., (2007) Education for All? : A historical analysis of international inclusive education policy and individuals with disability. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, Vol. 18 Issue 2:98-108 Rose R., Howley M., (2007) The Practical Guide to Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Primary Classrooms. Sage Publications, London UK Runswick-Cole K., (2008) Between a rock and a hard place: parents attitudes to the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. British Journal of Special Education. Vol. 35 Issue 3:173-180 Simmons B., Bayliss P., (2007) The role of special schools for children with profound and multtple learning difficulties: is segregation always best? British Journal of Special Education. Vol. 34 issue 1:19-24 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) (1994) The Salamanca Statement and framework for action on special needs education. Paris: Author University of Manchester (2009) Profound and Complex Learning Disability: Education Child and Adult Issues, Sections 6 to 9. Unpublished course unit resource for PCLD programmes. Manchester: University of Manchester Warnock, M. (1978) Special Educational Needs. Report of the Committee of Enquiry into the Education of Handicapped Children and Young People. Department of Education and Science. London: Her Majestys Stationery Office Ypinazar V., Pagliano P., (2004) Seeking inclusive education: disrupting boundaries of special and regular education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, Vol. 8 Issue 4:423-442 Zelaieta P., (2004) From confusion to collaboration: can special schools contribute to developing inclusive practices in mainstream schools? In: Armstrong F., Moore M., (Eds) Action Research for inclusive education: changing places, changing practices, changing minds. London, Routledge Falmer.

Compare Aeneas and Odysseus as Heroic Figures :: The Aenied, The Oddessy

Odysseus and Aeneas are very alike in some ways and very different. They are both epic heroes except that one is Greek and the other is a Trojan. Odysseus is from the Greek tale The Oddessy, which was written by the famous Greek poet Homer. His quest is to find his way back home after a long journey. Aeneas is from the roman tale The Aenied, written by Virgil a famous Roman poet. Aeneas’s mission is to find a new home for him and his family. Both these characters had many similarities and differences in their ways of fighting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Odysseus and Aeneas were helped by different gods. Odysseus was helped by Calypso in a way. She held him captive, but was forced to release him from the father of all Greek gods,Zeus. Athena, goddess of wisdom, helped Odysseus find out whether or not Penelope still loved him, she disguised him to look like an old man so he could go into the town without people knowing who he was. He got help from the god of wind as well who helped him by giving him a bag of wind so he could sail back to Ithaca. Poseidon did not really help Odysseus, he was just trying to convince him that he was nothing without the gods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Aeneas was never held captive by any of the gods as was Odysseus. Aeneas got help from Venus (Goddess of love), his mother. She convinced him to stop fighting because she wanted him to rescue his family which was a lot more important. Jupiter also helped him because Aeneas’s wife told Jupiter that Aeneas was going to kill himself, so she wanted him to send Aeneas a sign telling him not to kill himself. Aeneas was going to do this because he found his father almost dead and decided to take his own life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both of them are really great fighters, but they have differences in how they do things. Odysseus plans things out before he attacks and has a good plan as well. Aeneas however does not plan things out and just jumps right into things.

Legalization of Marijuana Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Drug Histo

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For decades the marijuana prohibition has been violating individual’s rights, but scientific research has proven that marijuana has therapeutic uses and is harmless compared to other drugs. Therefore, marijuana should not be considered a dangerous drug and should be legalized. The prohibition of marijuana did not end with crime; nonetheless, it is responsible for the imprisonment of thousands of its users. The government’s campaign against marijuana has also created cultural factors that make the use of marijuana socially unacceptable. However, it should be up to each individual to decide if he/she wants to use marijuana whether it is for pleasure or for therapeutic reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The legalization of marijuana has been strongly debated since the 1920s and 1930s, when it was first recognized as a dangerous drug, and tabloid newspapers popularized exaggerated stories of violent crimes allegedly committed by immigrants intoxicated by marijuana (Grinspoon, Marihuana Reconsidered 118). In 1937, the Marihuana Tax Act was signed to prohibit the use of marijuana because marijuana supposedly caused violent crimes, â€Å"sexual excess,† addiction, and led to the use of harder drugs (Grinspoon, Marihuana Reconsidered 118). In the 1970s, the government created the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to study the effects of marijuana (Weir 26). The NIDA published many claims concerning marijuana use, but they did not have evidence to support their claims (Weir 26). This misinformation and the government’s campaign against marijuana made the legalization of marijuana impossible. Marijuana is a harmless drug, but it has not been legalized because people believe most of the anti-marijuana claims. Research studies have proven that marijuana helps the individual experience a sense of well being, relieves fatigue, stimulates the appetite, and induces a feeling of mild stimulation (McDonough 50). Another advantage of marijuana is that experienced users can control the degree and quality of the intoxication by â€Å"coming down† when it is necessary to perform (McDonough 50). Marijuana does not cause sexual excess because daily use of marijuana has not been found to alter testosterone or other sex hormone levels like alcohol use, which lowers testosterone levels (Grinspoon, â€Å"Whither Medical Marijuana† 28). Marijuana is not an addictive drug. National epidemiological sur... ...ugh it is harmless and has medical uses (â€Å"NORML Report on Marijuana†). Over ten million people use marijuana regularly even though it is illegal, which clearly shows that the government’s anti-marijuana campaign has been useless (â€Å"NORML Report on Marijuana†). The government should stop spending scarce federal funds on the campaign against marijuana, and use that money to conduct more research so that the Food and Drug Administration can approve the legalization of marijuana (Grinspoon, â€Å"Whither Medical Marijuana† 27). No amount of research is likely to show that marijuana is as dangerous as tobacco and alcohol because marijuana is a harmless drug. If marijuana had official medical uses, then people would be more likely to accept it. Also, the legalization of marijuana would be regulated so it would not be a threat to society and its users. There are many people who need the legalization of marijuana for medical reasons, but people who us e it for â€Å"fun† also have a right to use it without fearing to be arrested. Marijuana should be legalized for all citizens in the United States, and it should be up to each individual to decide if he/she wants to use marijuana, not the government.

Life :: essays research papers

Until recently, scientists believed that the sole source of energy responsible for life on earth was the sun. In 1977, a group of scientists researching the theory of plate tectonics, traveled to the floor of the equatorial Pacific Ocean and discovered something that could possibly explain how life began on this planet. From the Galapagos Rift's thermal springs, scientists discovered densely populated communities of several species never before observed. Since that time the Federal Government has devoted more than 10 million dollars to research these communities and their evolutionary history. This figure, to many scientist's dismay, is dramatically less than that of the space exploration program's budget. For example, in 1992, the government budget for oceanography research was $600 million while NASA spent 8.5 billion. We know more about the space around us than we do about our own home. Only 1 percent of the sea floor has been mapped. The sea is the largest, most inaccessible, and least understood ecosystem on this planet. Since studies of these communities began, previous notions that cold darkness, and extreme pressure are inimical to life have been disproved. We now know that an ecosystem can be sustained by unusual energy sources. The animals that have been discovered in hydrothermal vents are fascinating as well as extremely important. The structure of these creatures is such that a new kingdom has been discovered/created. Previously scientists divided the living world into two kingdoms: bacteria, also known as prokaryote and eukaryotes (plants and animals). The difference between the two kingdoms was their genetics. The DNA of these newly discovered animals was distinct from the two other kingdoms. They have been called archaea. Research on these animals is limited since they do not grow and culture well in a laboratory. These animals live in extremely hot temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and higher, while microbes have been found living in boiling water. This revelation surely must change all of the "rules" we have for health standards. These newly discovered facts must dramatically change the way we think of life on earth. Living in these vents are entire communities of invertebrates: tube worms, mussels, clams, and even shrimp. In the absence of light and without the photosynthesizing plankton that provide most sea life with food, these animals have an alternate way to live. These invertebrates have formed symbiotic relationships with the bacteria living with them. The mechanics of this relationship are incredibly interesting. Bacteria thrive on sulfide which is found in vent water (hydrogen sulfide). They use the sulfide's chemical energy to produce organic carbon compounds similar to how plants use solar energy in photosynthesis. The bacteria employ chemical rather than light energy to transform inorganic

Differentiated Instruction

Due to the differences in the ability of every student to learn, the need for differentiated instruction, also known as differentiated learning and multi-level instruction, increases that involves a variety of strategies used by teachers in addressing every students learning. Basically, differentiated instruction is a way by which teachers find a variety of ways in teaching in order for students to have multiple options in gathering information, creating new ideas and teaching students in the same class with different abilities.It involves the recognition of the difference in the students background knowledge, preferences in learning, interest and as well as language, readiness and their ability to react responsively. The main premise of the theory is that the teaching approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to the diverse students in the classroom and as well as in relation to every individual students. Thus, the teacher’s main challenge is to come with a variety of ways in order to maximize the growth of every student by individually meeting each student while assisting in the learning process.Differentiated instruction aims to encourage the inclusion of all the students while addressing different learning styles and allowing diversity among the students. It also fosters self-worth together with social relation among the students while meeting the emotional and especially the academic needs of every student and allowing the teachers to reach all of his or her students. Thus, teachers really have to put a lot of effort in order to differentiate instruction for the benefit of their students.Differentiated instruction is important especially in the elementary grade because students at this level greatly vary especially in their knowledge background and ability to comprehend. Thus, teachers at this level have the greatest challenge of maximizing every students potential by attending to their differences in various ways, thus differentiating instr uctions. It can also be said that differentiating instruction also relates to the professionalism of every teachers, their competency and creativeness.It can also determine the eagerness and dedication of the teachers to help their students since differentiated instruction takes a lot of time and preparation. Based on the readiness of students, there are at least four elements in which teachers can differentiate such as content, process, products and the learning environment. The contents are the information that every student must comprehend and differentiating content would mean using different materials and elements in order to support the context.Differentiating process involves activities in order for the students to have an understanding and grasp of the subject matter that most of the time uses flexible grouping. The products involves the termination of the activities and asking the students to rehearse, extend and apply everything the he or she was able to learn in the activ ity thus, making the students active in exploring the knowledge that he or she acquires. Differentiating learning environment on the other hand is basically the way the classroom feels and works.If for example in an elementary school, differentiating content may include putting the text materials in a tape or using both auditory and visual means in presenting a topic. It may also include having buddies or forming a small group and using different reading materials with varying levels of readability. Differentiating process on the other hand may include activities in which learners with the same understanding and ability work together or offering hands-on supports for those students who are in need.Time variation for students to be able to finished a certain task can also help in supporting struggling students to have a full understanding of the topic while encouraging advanced learners to search for the topic in a deeper sense. Differentiating products may include activities in whic h students have to work on their own or in group in order to accomplished a certain task or giving the students the options for them to express the required learning through different activities such as letter writing or maybe, a puppet show.Differentiating learning environment on the other hand may include ensuring that the place or room is free from distractions such as noises and other distractions or providing materials in relation to the topic for better understanding. There are certainly several ways of presenting a topic to students and differentiated instruction is widely needed by students especially in the elementary level. However, differentiated instruction does not only fit elementary students but every student from different levels as well.Through differentiated instruction subject matter can also be more comprehensible for English Language Learners and as well as those students with special needs through the use of different activities. Acknowledging the different nee ds of every student specially those with special needs will also help the teacher to prepare special teaching methods for the students to have an understanding of the subject matter. It will also help to pay more attention to these kinds of students, offering them more of their time.Traditional method of teaching, commonly lecture discussions, practice works and others have its own advantages such as being uniform and consistent, however, due to the differences in the learning ability and adaptability of every student (that is recognized by every teacher) flexibility is also needed, one thing that traditional method lacks. On the other, differentiated instruction take into consideration that every student are different and have different learning abilities, thus, making appropriate actions to fill in the gap of those who are left behind.The use of differentiated instruction involves the clarification of key concepts to ensure that all students are gaining powerful understanding that will serve as their foundation for future learning. Assessment tools are also used before, during and as well as after the given learning activity that does not necessarily mean a written examination. Also, the goal of differentiated instruction is to provide critical and creative activities to ensure understanding on the part of every student. It also takes into account that every learners, although different are essential and thus striving to meet the needs of every students.Differentiated instruction also helps in creating a balance student-selected and teacher-assigned task. These characteristics enable differentiated instruction to be more effective that traditional teaching methods. Differentiated instruction is also flexible to meet the needs of other students to maximize their potential and learning. Thus, it can be said that differentiated instruction indeed is needed in the contemporary time. It was said that differentiated instruction is a compilation of many theories an d practice in the field of learning thus, providing a greater understanding of the needs of every student.It is based on years of studies and researches and as well ass educational theories and concept such as the concept of readiness. Researches from the 1980’s up to the contemporary time also shows that practices such as grouping of students and engaging learners are really effective in the learning of students. We may have been used to the traditional method of teaching, i. e. board lectures and the likes; however this method may not be suitable in the contemporary time. What we need today is not set of rules and activities.The needs of every student’s changes along with time and traditional methods may not just work in every situation. Maximizing learning and understanding is the main purpose of every teacher and if that would mean acquiring new methods then, there is nothing wrong in doing so. Thus, differentiation must be encouraged in every learning institution for the betterment of the present and the generations to come. Changes are part of our everyday life and there are times that we must embrace those changes, such as differentiated instruction, in order to achieve greater heights.