Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Ebonics and Education Essay Example for Free
Ebonics and Education Essay A Persuasive Research Paper on the Why Education Should Pave Way for Ebonics All a person needs to do is turn on the television or browse the Internet to see the proof that there are very important changes in the society. Among those changes is how the use of language increased and how its forms have greatly grown. With much slang, dialects and language transformation and combinations, the number of languages all over the world and not just in the United States, have significantly grown larger and bigger. However, the question of whether this continuous dynamic change in languages is for the better remains to be seen. This is because, though languages have changed and grown, problems caused by miscommunication and misunderstandings are still rampant and present. Although language and all its combinations with other languages aimed to bridge the gap between nations and cultures, different people with different origins and speech are still unable to bridge that gap. There are still many issues concerning the cropping up and usage of new languages. Most common among those is the problem that languages which are combined or which undergo a linguistic blend tends to be disruptive of formal, correct and grammatical language. A simple example would be those music videos which feature artists that combine and contract structure of words to make the song more likeable or even more attuned to the rhythm of the song. However, this has a negative effect as people, most especially young adults and children, become familiar with such language usage to the point that they begin to emulate them. Such debate has long been the topic in educational boards and institutions of whether they should correct and put stop to such language usage or encourage such exchange of words since clearly, the young are affected. In fact, Ebonics or Black English or African American English has become such a heated topic when it was quite obvious that there is a problem among the academics of African American students because they have such low grades and low performance levels that could be attributed to the usage of Ebonics. Many people sided against and for the encouragement of Ebonics. Study after study ensued to prove that Ebonics was an important and integral part of the many pupils and students since that is the language they actually use while others also discouraged its usage. Through this paper, it can be argued that Ebonics is not a mere slang which African American students can do without and that it is not something which should be corrected just because it is seen as ungrammatical. Instead, what the educational boards and institutions should do is cater to their learners and use Ebonics to implement knowledge transfer among their pupils and students and eventually make them learn and use Standard English. Ebonics is formally known as African American English or AAE according to the Center for Applied Linguistics (n. p. ). It is a kind of sociolect or social dialect where it is often used by people who are of African American origins in particular surroundings or situations. The difference of Ebonics with American English is its structure wherein African dialects and sounds are combined, blended, mixed with American English. American English is also sometimes contracted with African dialects or sounds to be inserted within the contractions. Such example is presented by John R. Rickford in his discussion of Ebonics as presented in the Website of the Stanford University. In the example, Rickford uses a simple sentence which is grammatically correct: â€Å"I asked Alvin if he could go†(n. p. ). He then conveys the example to a student known to use Ebonics and the student gives his own version of the sentence: â€Å"I as Alvin could hecould he go†(Rickford, n. p. ). Ebonics is not the mere transformation of structure of words to ungrammatically correct versions. In fact, though not completely grammatically acceptable, Ebonics is still considered a structured and coherent dialect. As what the Center for Applied Linguistics or CAL states, â€Å"AAE (or Ebonics) is a regular, systematic language variety that contrasts with other dialects in terms of its grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary†(n. p. ). Thus, Ebonics is not wrong or incorrect, it is merely different and a contradiction with other languages, in this case, the language of American English or Standard English. The origin of Ebonics is unclear but the origins of why it became a topic of heated arguments and debate is quite known. Because nations cater to other nations, and migration and immigration (and even simple leisure travel) are inevitable, it is also natural that the language which people of different cultures use would also be transferred and assimilated by other people with other languages. According to Ladonna Lewis Rush’s argumentative paper on the Ebonics debate titled The Ebonics Debate, the origins of Ebonics can be explained by Smitherman who wrote in Talking and Testifyin: Black English and the Black Experience that: Black English contains elements of Standard English, elements of West African languages, and elements unique to African-Americans. The structure of speech in Ebonics can be analyzed and related to African language structures as well as to the black experience in America. (as cited by Rush, n. p. ) Thus, Ebonic came about because the African Americans needed the language which they could adapt to and use while in America who used American English for their communication. Like what the CAL stated, Smitherman and Rush also believe that Ebonics is not mere slang which is featured and used by African American music artists but it is considered as a distinct dialect all on its own. The concept of Ebonics must have been unknown to most people before the year 1996 but because of a certain state in America, Ebonics and everything related to the dialect and term suddenly exploded to the point that it became a topic of debate. According to Tracey L. Weldon in her write up titled Reflections on the Ebonics Controversy which appeared in American Speech, the Oakland Unified School District in California passed a resolution on the month of December year 2006 that â€Å"recognized the legitimacy of Ebonics†and it called â€Å"for teachers in the district to be better educated about the rules governing the variety (Ebonics)†with the aim that the teachers would be able to improve â€Å"the teaching of standard English to Ebonics speakers†(275). The issue sparked up debate after debate because linguists approved the resolution stating it was correct and adequate while Ebonics speakers and family members of African American origins complained that it was an obvious tactic of discrimination and identification of who were the students that does not have the ability to speak the â€Å"proper English†(Weldon 276). Ebonics and the usage of the dialect is quite obvious in the society as it can be heard from people in most social gatherings, informal meetings and even in the media. According to Rickford, many terms and structures in Ebonics are used by common people because of what they have learned from â€Å"rap, hip hop†and other means of â€Å"popular Black culture†(n. p. ). As what Rickford uses to describe this massive usage of Ebonics in popular Black culture, it becomes â€Å"an icon of youth culture itself†wherein young African Americans are immediately identified as being users of Ebonics. Since Ebonics is a mere means of communication among African Americans, then it should not be a great deal of a problem. However, unfortunately, the usage of the sociolect has become increasingly an issue most especially in educational institutions wherein grammatically correct and linguistically sound structure and vocabulary should be used and encouraged. Rush points out the case why Ebonics has become a problem among pupils and students in schools and this is because they manage to have poor academic standing and it was revealed that because of this dialect that the students have such appalling results. Rush writes in her paper that â€Å"language skills are directly related to success in academics†(n. p. ). This is obviously true since language is used to communicate and interact with other people. Poor language skills or inability to produce and understand the language would make it for one’s self and for other people to have a clear conversation and communication. It is also Rush who pointed out that African American students have a high rate of being suspended (around 80%) and that the students are â€Å"lagging behind in measures of academic success†(n. p. ). There was also an article which appeared on NEA Today that interviewed Lisa Delpit who is a professor an author that focused on Ebonics. In the interview, Delpit mentioned the reason why Ebonics is important and why the resolution passed by the school district was commendable: Most of the African-American children in Oakland were performing miserably. But one school, the Prescott School, consistently performed near the top of the district. Its students were all low-income African-American children. And it adopted a program called the Standard English Proficiency, which uses the childrens home language and culture to teach them Standard English. (17). If Ebonics will be used to relate to the students and slowly pave their learning for Standard English, then there is a high possibility that African Americans’ percentage of academically challenged students would significantly decrease. The question then is how does one go on solving such problem to ensure a fool proof way of solving the issue? This of course lies with the educational board and teachers. Teachers in formal schools teach Standard English because it something which society and the rest of the English speakers use. There is no problem with using Ebonics if it is outside professional and academic grounds; it is after all part of the African American culture. However, Standard English should be the language that is encouraged by the teachers to be used by their students because it would help them in the long run. Based on different discussions on the resolution passed by the school district of Oakland, the debate on whether Ebonics should be studied by the district’s teachers and used to pave the way to teach Standard English should not even be a topic of debate. This is because the debate started because of a mere misunderstanding about the resolution, another proof that language does not only bridge gaps it also creates them, when people saw Standard English as the only form of English that linguists identified as â€Å"proper English†. Linguistically speaking, there is indeed a Standard English as what Weldon has stated but the term â€Å"proper English†is incorrect since there is no wrong or right English. If it can be remembered, Ebonics is even identified as being a dialect that is structured thus, it is very much acceptable. In conclusion, the issue that Ebonics be used to gap and slowly push the learners toward Standard English (as aimed by the resolution) is created by the definition and need of the Standard English. Standard English is not the only English nor is it the only form of the language which is encouraged to be used; instead, Standard English is something which is needed to make all forms of English languages coherent and uniform in the sense that there would be no linguistically and communicatively wrongly structured words. It is the same case of having a one school uniform designated to students of a school to identify who are the members of that school or the generally approved legal age for drinking or voting or driving. There is a common factor which envelopes the entities of a school, a state or a nation. Standard English therefore is needed by the Ebonics speakers if they are desirous of being successful in society which is also the language used by the many. Ebonics is not slang, wrong nor should it be discouraged. However, the Ebonics speakers should be able to understand that learning the Standard English is important since it would make them socially adept at communicating with other people. With all the turmoil and misunderstandings that society is currently under, it needs all the unity and harmony it can getâ€â€even if it just comes from having a language they can all understand and speak. Works Cited A New Take on Ebonics and Teaching. NEA Today 17. 2 (1998): 17. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 26 July 2010. Center for Applied Linguistics. 2010. â€Å"Dialects – African American English†. Cal. org. Web. 26 July 2010. Rickford, John R. 1996. â€Å"Ebonics Notes and Discussion†. Stanford. edu. Web. 26 July 2010. Rush, Ladonna Lewis. â€Å"The Ebonics Debate†. Princeton. edu. College of Wooster. 1997. Web. 26 July 2010. Weldon, Tracey L. â€Å"Reflections on the Ebonics Controversy†. American Speech 75. 3 ( 2000): 275-277. Project MUSE. Web. 26 July 2010.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Torvald and Nora in in Ibsens A Dolls House :: A Doll’s House
The Character of Torvald and Nora in A Doll's House  In Ibsen's "A Doll's House", there are many clues that hint at the kind of marriage Nora and Torvald have. It seems that Nora is a type of doll that is controlled by Torvald. Nora is completely dependent on Torvald. His thoughts and movements are her thoughts and movements. Nora is a puppet who is dependent on its puppet master for all of its actions.      The most obvious example of Torvald's physical control over Nora can be seen in his teaching of the tarantella. Nora pretends that she needs Torvald to teach her every move in order to relearn the dance. The reader knows that this is an act, but it still shows her complete submissiveness to Torvald. After he teaches her the dance, he proclaims:          Torvald. ...When you were dancing the tarantella,                              chasing, inviting--my blood was on fire;                   I couldn't stand it any longer--thats                 why I brought you down so early--          Nora. Leave me now, Torvald. Please! I don't want all this.          Torvald. What do you mean? You're only playing                    your little teasing bird game with me;                    aren't you, Nora? Don't want to? I'm                    your husband, aren't I? (Isben 447) This shows that Torvald is more interested in Nora physically than emotionally. He feels that it is one of Nora's main duties as his wife to physically pleasure him at his command.     Torvald is not only demanding mentally and physically, but also financially. He does not trust Nora with money. He feels that she is incapable and too immature to handle a matter of such importance. Torvald sees Nora as a child. She is forever his little "sparrow" or "squirrel". On the rare occasion that Torvald does give Nora some money, he worries that she will waste it on candy, pastry or something else of Childish and useless value. Nora's duties, in general, are restricted to caring for the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. But overall, Nora's most important responsibility is to please Torvald. This makes her role similar to that of a slave.     The problem in "A Doll's House" does not lie with Torvald alone. Though he does not help the situation, he is a product of his society. In his society, females were confined in every way imaginable. Torvald and Nora in in Ibsen's A Doll's House :: A Doll’s House The Character of Torvald and Nora in A Doll's House  In Ibsen's "A Doll's House", there are many clues that hint at the kind of marriage Nora and Torvald have. It seems that Nora is a type of doll that is controlled by Torvald. Nora is completely dependent on Torvald. His thoughts and movements are her thoughts and movements. Nora is a puppet who is dependent on its puppet master for all of its actions.      The most obvious example of Torvald's physical control over Nora can be seen in his teaching of the tarantella. Nora pretends that she needs Torvald to teach her every move in order to relearn the dance. The reader knows that this is an act, but it still shows her complete submissiveness to Torvald. After he teaches her the dance, he proclaims:          Torvald. ...When you were dancing the tarantella,                              chasing, inviting--my blood was on fire;                   I couldn't stand it any longer--thats                 why I brought you down so early--          Nora. Leave me now, Torvald. Please! I don't want all this.          Torvald. What do you mean? You're only playing                    your little teasing bird game with me;                    aren't you, Nora? Don't want to? I'm                    your husband, aren't I? (Isben 447) This shows that Torvald is more interested in Nora physically than emotionally. He feels that it is one of Nora's main duties as his wife to physically pleasure him at his command.     Torvald is not only demanding mentally and physically, but also financially. He does not trust Nora with money. He feels that she is incapable and too immature to handle a matter of such importance. Torvald sees Nora as a child. She is forever his little "sparrow" or "squirrel". On the rare occasion that Torvald does give Nora some money, he worries that she will waste it on candy, pastry or something else of Childish and useless value. Nora's duties, in general, are restricted to caring for the children, doing housework, and working on her needlepoint. But overall, Nora's most important responsibility is to please Torvald. This makes her role similar to that of a slave.     The problem in "A Doll's House" does not lie with Torvald alone. Though he does not help the situation, he is a product of his society. In his society, females were confined in every way imaginable.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Language Development
Language both oral and written is of utmost importance to human kind. Language is how one communicates, and understands the world. If children are going to lean and communicate in society their development of a wide range of language competencies are essential to guarantee their success in a mixture of settings in their everyday routines. (Otto, 2010, p. 3). The process of acquiring language begins before birth, but is moving at a more rapid pace and changing drastically in early childhood. Children in the early childhood stages of development are very social; they are asking many questions, enhancing their knowledge of language is essential for their learning in all aspects of development (Papalia, Olds, & Feldman, 2008, p. 16). Language development in early childhood is enhanced when educators present young children with curriculum content that supports language acquisition with the use developmentally appropriate methodologies in teaching language and literacy to young children across a developmental curriculum, and the use of adequate referral and intervention strategies for student with special learning needs related to language development. The curriculum content presented to preschool students is important to the acquisition of language in general. When teaching students language skills the curriculum consists of teaching the child to read, write and speak well. This will require systematic work in several different areas, such as: phonemic awareness, semantic knowledge, syntactic knowledge, morphemic knowledge and pragmatic knowledge (Otto, 2010, p. 207). The curriculum for young children should consist of teaching how printed language works, recognizing and naming the letters in the alphabet, leaning letter sounds, as well as blending sounds. Asking questions, describing events, developing vocabulary though conversations and experiences, and opportunities and materials that encourage discussions between students, other students and teachers, along with discussion for problem solving (Bennitt, 1999, pp. 114-115). The developmentally appropriate methodologies in teaching these language and literacy skills to young children consist of exploratory activities, teacher-guided activities, and routine activities (Otto, 2010, p. 208). Exploratory activities are independent activities that allow students a chance to explore ways of interacting with the materials provided. For instance blocks and manipulative urge children to meet the language goals of describing and labeling what was built and how they built it, helping children to solve problems, and persuading them to ask questions, about what they are building and how it relates to real-life structures and events, using receptive and expressive language . Another exploratory activity is a drama corner, children in this environment talk in the roles they are playing using all five aspects of language knowledge. The drama center also helps the understanding of written language when students are provided with pencil and paper to make grocery list, or write letters, or take orders in a restaurant. The book center is also a developmentally appropriate method of presenting language curriculum. In the book center students are encouraged to recreate, previously read stories using pictures and tell them to other students, enhancing both receptive and expressive language. The teacher should only be an observer in this setting as it is exploratory and not teacher guided (Otto, 2010, pp. 11-213). Teacher guided activities also encourage language development, these are activities for a small or large group, but it is considered more developmentally appropriate to keep the large group activities to a minimum and use small groups more often to allow more opportunities for participation and a better view of illustrations or objects involved in the activity. Some of the teacher guided activities that encourage language development are show and tell, book time, oral storytelling and poetry and music time. Show and tell encourages language development by increasing listening comprehension, vocabulary, and taking turns (Otto, 2010, p. 223). Show and tell also supports expressive phonetic knowledge, encouraging children that to speak at a volume with articulation for clear communication to the children they are speaking to. It encourages receptive semantic knowledge though hearing other children describe what they have brought, while expressive semantic knowledge is enhanced by the child describing what they have brought. While pragmatic knowledge is encouraged though the learning of how to use language in this setting of sharing an object or event on interest (Otto, 2010, p. 223). Another teacher guided activity is on that increases interest in reading, increases understanding with written language, expands vocabulary development, and awakes of story structure; this activity is book sharing (Otto, 2010, p. 224). Children will gain knowledge in each aspect of language: 1. Pragmatic, diverse stories use language differently. . Phonetic knowledge, consciousness of the sound system of language. 3. Morphemic knowledge, receptive knowledge of how morphemes impact word meanings, 4. Semantic knowledge increased, through strong and diverse language in books, and pragmatic and syntactic knowledge, how thoughts are structured into sentences and phrases of book language or literate resister. Increasing this skill depends on the appropriate selection of books and the interaction strategies used doing the book sharing (Otto, 2010).
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Medical Intake / History Review - 2160 Words
Life Care Plan for Mr. Robert Vince Date of Report: December 12, 2014 Source of referral: Department of Veterans Affairs Client: Mr. Robert Vince Date of Birth 11/17/1957 Age: 57 Social security number: 123-45-6789 Date of Injury: May 15, 2014 Medical Intake/History Review Mr. Vince is a 57 year old African American male referred by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The referral is in reference to the development of a Life Care Plan and required home modifications that addresses the patient’s lifetime disability medical needs secondary to a motorcycle accident that resulted in paraplegia due to T7 thoracic injury. Mr. Vince has prior military experience, but was not service connected to any†¦show more content†¦Unfortunately, the room is too small for a clinitron bed to fit in it and other medical equipment needed to care for the patient. There is only a half bath downstairs; therefore, the spouse has to use a basin to give her husband a bed bath. Her desire is for her husband (patient) to be able to maneuver in the house utilizing his wheelchair. Chief Complaint and Subjective History by Patient Patient incurred a T7 thoracic injury and has no lower extremity functional ability. At present the patient has a stage two sacral decubitus, urinary tract infection, and muscle spasms in his lower extremities. The sacral ulcer was caused from the lack of frequent position changes while in bed and improper seating in the wheelchair. The wound requires daily dressing changes and more frequent if soiled from urinary and fecal contamination. The urinary tract occurred from the patient intermittently cauterizing himself with a straight catheter every four hours. The patient has also been experiencing spontaneous uncontrolled spasticity in the lower extremities. Mr. Vince states he was 56 years old on the date of his motorcycle accident; he lost control of the motorcycle when a vehicle cut in front of him. The patient was pinned between his motorcycle and the guard rail on the highway. When EMS arrived, the patient was reported to need
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