Is Hamlet insane or merely pretending insanity Why Essay

Is Hamlet insane or merely pretending insanity Why - Essay Example The ambience is eerie and unnerving. The appearance of the ghost makes it even more mysterious and intense. In such a context it is difficult to maintain composure and remain sane and more so for a prince. A question about Hamlet’s insanity may be put in the mind of the audience due to the appearance of the ghost and Hamlet’s speaking to it. But it is offset by the earlier appearance of the same ghost in Elsinore, after the stroke of twelve, in front of Horatio, Bernardo and Marcellus and vanishing by the sound of the morning cock. Thus Hamlet is not uniquely mad to have witnessed the visitations of the ghost of his father. However as the play progresses, we come to know clearly that Hamlet is not mad. He has planned to feign madness in order to convince his enemy that he is unaware of the truth about his father’s foul murder by his uncle. In the beginning Hamlet is distressed and says: â€Å"O God! O God! How weary, stale and unprofitable seem to me all the use s of the worlds.† He seems to be undergoing tremendous depression. In Elizabethan age, hallucinations were often associated with acute depression. Thus, in the beginning, it might seem that out protagonist is going through a period of deep depression of un-proportionate amount and this justifies the visions of the ghost. This type of thought was prevalent in the Elizabethan era. The unexpected death of his father and the almost instant re-marriage of his mother to his uncle were causes good enough to cause mental and emotional instability and unhinge his mind. Instead we see that despite his deep grief, he immediately transforms into his own, normal, commanding self when the players enter: â€Å"You are welcome, masters; welcome, all. I am glad to see thee well.† Hamlet in fact can be viewed to possess an extremely logical and cunning mind. He himself is not sure about the truthfulness of the ghost’s pronouncements. To ensure that it is not a trap laid by an evil spirit, he plans to write a play about the truth that he believes about his father’s death and plans to play it in front of the King and the Queen. He also warns his close friend Horatio and asks him not to be alarmed at his â€Å"antic disposition†. He sets the trap and during the play he sets his eyes on his uncle to follow his reactions as the play unfolds. He hurriedly leaves. Hamlet is convinced and starts planning his next steps. Hamlet plays the role of his contrived madness very convincingly. Ophelia thinks that he has been â€Å"loosed out of hell. To speak of horrors he comes before me.† Polonius is also convinced that Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia: â€Å"He knew me not at first; he said I was a fishmonger; he is far gone, far gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hamlet is so clever that he even convinces his mother Queen Gertrude: â€Å"Alas how is’t with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The queen’s suspicion is even more aggravated when Hamlet again experienc es his father’s visitations in front of his mother. He also speaks to it and this convinces the queen that his son is â€Å"mad as the sea and wind†. In fact Hamlet’s manifestations of madness changes according to the persons he is which. He feigns madness in front of Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. But in front of Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco and the Actors in the play, he acts normally. However Polonius says that: â€Å"actions although strange, do not appear to stem from madness. Polonius

Introduction to Communication Skills Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Communication Skills Essay Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the receiver. And its a process that can be fraught with error, with messages often misinterpreted by the recipient. When this isnt detected, it can cause tremendous confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity. In fact, communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication. By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals – both personally and professionally. In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburghs Katz Business School, points out that communication skills, including written and oral presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing to job success. In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many individuals continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively – whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of career progression. Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will be perceived. You must also weigh-in the circumstances surrounding your communications, such as situational and cultural context.

Management Practices in Japanese and US Companies

Management Practices in Japanese and US Companies This Research Paper makes a summary comparison of cross-cultural research conducted in the last ten to fifteen years in the areas of Human Resource Management; Management Style and Negotiation Strategies in Japanese and US companies. The different Research Studies in these three areas analyzed the learning possibilities for Japanese and US companies on two different levels: At headquarters and at subsidiary level. For each one of the three research topics, a Roadmap is drafted with concrete steps and strategies as to how these companies should adapt their management practices in these 3 areas in order to be even more successful. The findings of this paper also cover the very central debates in the international Human Resource Management literature: The Convergence vs. Divergence issue and the Standardization vs. Localization issue. The results clearly show that overall the dominance effect is most important (i.e., subsidiary practices appear to converge to the dominant US practices). Hence the results obtained in this paper lead to the rather surprising conclusion that for what might be considered to be the most localized of functions HRM convergence to a world-wide best practices model is clearly present. From the authors viewpoint his is a logical consequence of globalization in all business sectors. Key Words: Road Map; Human Resource Development; Leadership Style, Negotiation Strategies; USA; Japan; Cross-Cultural Introduction to Human Resource Management Practices in Japan and in the USA From a historic perspective, Human Resource Management (HRM) has been identified as a key ingredient for the success of Japanese companies on world markets during the 1980s. In this decade, suggestions as to how Western managers could learn from Japanese HRM practices were plentiful. Only one decade later, however, Japan went into a recession from which its business model has not yet fully recovered. Oddly enough, these formerly superior HRM practices are now being viewed as the root of the malaise of the underperforming Japanese economy A Research Perspective of HRM Practices in Japanese and US Companies In the early 1980s of the last century, the Japanese management model, and in particular its HRM model, have often been depicted as very different from Western-style management, yet much more competitive (Kono Clegg, 2001). Its deep-rooted and unique cultural and institutional characteristics usually were cited as the key reasons for these differences (Pudelko, 2006). Earlier, Frenkel Peetz (1998) described a rapidly speeding up globalization-induced trend towards increasing convergence resulting from global competitive pressures. In parallel, Katz, Darbishire (2000) noted a clear trend towards convergence in key patterns of HRM practices among industrialized countries. This phenomenon they call converging divergences. In parallel, the research of Frenkel Kuruvilla (2002) concludes that employment relations patterns are being determined by the interplay of what they define as three distinct à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾logics of actionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸: The logic of global competition, resulting in the pursuit of global à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾best practicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ and ultimately global convergence does not allow local insular cross-cultural happiness and coziness any longer. One reason that the USA has achieved its dominant status in the 1990s was its superior economic performance. The conclusion from these findings were that if the strengths of a successful economy are concentrated in industries characterized by intense international competition such as IT, computers and electronics the attention and the readiness to learn from it tends to be particularly strong. Such industries are often the pioneers for defining and producing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾best practicesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ and the place where such global standards of management practice are set. Taylorism, or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾scientific managementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸, has been the prime example for a management concept claiming universal validity. Other examples were lean production, kaizen, re-engineering and management by objectives once strong points of the Japanese economy, when they were the best practice leader in doing so. Since the implosion of the Japanese economy and with the advent of globalizatio n, speed of action and instant flexibility to adapt to changing global market conditions were key criteria to succeed. Cultural diversity research carried out in the US and in Japan over the last one and a half decades has been that the American management model is particularly well suited to provide the required speed and flexibility to cope with rapidly changing economic and technological conditions. Consequently, the USA became again the dominant role model (Edwards, Almond, Clark, Colling Ferner, 2005). Summary Comparison of Key HRM Practices in Japanese and US Companies The following diagram shows a comparison between Japanese and US firms HRM practices. Areas discussed are: Recruitment and release of personnel; training and human resource development; employee assessment and promotion; as well as employee incentives. The comparison clearly illustrates the individualistic HRM approach in American firms as compared to the collectivism-oriented HRM orientation in Japanese firms. It is obvious that in the high technology sector especially the team and consensus oriented HRM philosophy of the Japanese is a hindrance to success. It appears that there are several other reasons for the declining importance attached to key attributes of Japanese model (kaizen, kanban, total quality management, quality circles, team work). Just like the Japanese firms have to learn from best practice solutions from other countries, these attributes have already been adopted by American HRM managers in the last 20 years, therefore are less significant in the future as sources for orientation. The changes brought about by globalization in the competitive environment probably also have played a role. For the future, fundamental developments such as globalization require substantial on-going responses from multi-national companies to maintain competitiveness. Figure 1 compares Japanese and US HRM practices and their competitive impact on HRM management in general. Figure 1: Comparison of Japanese US HRM Practices in 4 Key Areas HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 1. Recruitment Release of Personnel: Recruitment of new graduates to a permanent position Selection based on inter-personal skills Life-long employment philosophy low staff turnover rate= high loyalty Managerial positions filled with internal staff only Finding the best candidate internally or externally available Selection based on performance/expertise Job hopping philosophy pouts individual goals above company interests Positions filled with best expert available Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Slowness towards innovation Lack of external expertise Promotes rapid innovation from inside or outside Low loyalty to employer HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 2. Training HRD Development: Broad training towards generalist knowledge Extensive training based on work group approach Employee is trained to fit corporate culture Specific training for specific tasks only Training is limited and focused on the individual only Little effort to mould the employee towards the corporate culture Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Focused on corporate culture building Focused on individualism to promote success HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 3. Employee Assessment Promotion: Emphasis on seniority and not on performance Emphasis on group achievements Qualitative informal evaluation criteria Career path broad based in several Divisions Emphasis on individual success only Emphasis on individual achievements Quantitative measurable criteria and objectives Career path mostly confined to one functional part only HRM Sector: Japanese HRM Practices: US HRM Practices: 4. Employee Incentives: A mix of material and immaterial incentives Pay increases based upon seniority Little difference between top management pay levels and workers: Low with 20:1 Emphasis is on material incentives: Pay + bonus Pay based upon individual performance only Very large differences between top management and workers: High with 100:1 Competitive Effects of respective HRM Practices: Slow promotion for top performers Slow climate of innovation Quick promotion for top talents Innovative staff ensures innovative corporate climate Proposed cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic HRM Approach Throughout the research reports analyzed for this paper, Globalization demands a broader-based strategic HRM response by Japanese firms on this more than 90 % of the interviewed Japanese Executives agreed. The results from the American respondents showed that they considered it to be a particular strength of the American HR management. Japanese managers agree in turn, that their process based incremental improvements concepts will lose in significance in the future. Furthermore the research data clearly shows that only Japan management has a distinct desire to change its own HRM model in a rather comprehensive way. This definitely can be described as a paradigm shift. The following Figure 2 gives some key thoughts and elements for such a strategic approach to HRM tasks in the future. Figure 2: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to HRM Tasks in the Future Drivers of Global Changes in HRM: Elements causing Changes: Impacts of Change Elements on HRM: Need to reduce costs Speed of product innovation Quality of service Knowledge of client needs Staff motivation Training in design to cost method Innovative methods in product management Staff motivation and skills training Market knowledge has to be communicated Individual performance alone counts Risks involved: Overall corporate management philosophy has to be benchmarked against industrys best practice Key Changes needed: HRM has to install and accompany a change management process Individual performance evaluation has to abolish consensus-based group performance evaluation concepts Conclusions: HRM has to become the driving integrative force for the implementation of the Corporate Business Plan Resulting Roadmap for HRM Strategy: HRM Parameters that need to improve the Competitiveness of Corporations: HRM Parameter: Expected Benefits from HRM Changes: Strategic HRM Plan has to be part of Business Plan Future staff qualifications are in sync with corporate business plan Business Plan has to contain Change Management Concept HRM develops a long term focus linked to strategic corporate objectives Innovative Career Development Allows quick promotion of top performers Innovation oriented recruiting Speed up innovation cycles Promotion based on merit only Does away with risk minimizing attitude Introduction Best HRM Practice Concept HRM does self-control of its performance against key competitors Strategic HRM Implementation Roadmap: Overall Strategic HRM Objectives: HRM is the binding link of overall corporate business strategy to the employees of the company HRM promotes innovation and change culture in the company Planning Horizon of chosen HRM Strategy: Long term plan over 20 to 30 years Strategic plan over 5 years Operative rolling plans over 2 to 3 years Top Management Support required to implement new HRM Strategy: HRM has be a board level responsibility with staffing and budget to implement HRM Strategy chosen Introduction to cross-cultural Management Styles Globalization has changed the managerial tasks of US and Japanese mangers dramatically: Many have to work now in an international environment, in Japan or in the USA. Reasons for these changes were joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and cooperation alliances. In the 1980s, Japan taught the work what kaizen; kanban, total quality control, etc meant in terms of competitive advantage. So the US managers had to learn these concepts. Towards the end of the late 1990s, the US had caught up with this cross cultural learning approach. Then the globalization effect came to full speed suddenly the individualistic type of US management proved to be much more flexible and successful then the slow consensus-based Japanese management style. Research findings towards different Business Cultures in Japan and in the US The research for this paper showed that the business cultures in Japan and in the US differ in 5 key categories: 1. Power Structure: National level versus international level; egalitarian approach versus non-egalitarian approach; centralized management forms versus decentralized management practices. In the authority-driven business environment still prevailing in Japanese companies, aspects of power play a critical role. This slows down decision making, as power issues dominate business cultures dominating innovative US companies (Browaeys 2009). 2. People Relationships: Collectivism versus individualism; team orientation versus individual focus. Japanese collectivism is documented in its overemphasis on team issues; where consensus finding warrants longer times until a decision is being taken (Dickson 2003). Management emphasizes group loyalty, relationships in groups prevail over individual tasks. Americans have lesser loyalty to their companies, they see employment as a temporary issue for the mutual benefit of employer and employee. 3.Tolerance for Risk-taking: High avoidance levels versus low avoidance levels; bureaucratic orientation versus non-bureaucratic orientation. The consensus-based Japanese business culture tries to minimize uncertainties through an over-emphasis on planning. As a result, they do not like to change plans once they were approved (Yamazaki 2008).US companies treasure the opportunities offered in risky endeavors a horror for traditional Japanese companies! 4. Masculinity/Femininity: Role differentiation between males and females at society and organizational levels. Japanese managers are expected to be assertive and decisive, with sex roles clearly defined. This means fewer women progress to managerial positions in Japan, whereas in the US women climb to executive posts on a much more regular basis (Jacofsky 1988). Work for Japanese managers is seen as the center of life interests. Edwards 2005) 5. Time Orientation: Long term view versus short term view in business planning and strategy formulation. The time perspective in their business philosophy: Past/present in Japan versus present/future perspective in US companies. American companies are a lot quicker to react to new opportunities what was successful in the past is less important than new opportunities which lay ahead in the near future (Dahl 2004). The retrospective business approach of Japanese companies has them look for long-term relationships. US companies take the present and look quicker and often farther into the future. This speeds up their decision making processes and facilitates the acceptance of risk taking among their executives (Tsui 2007). Research findings towards Key Managerial Skills in Japan and in the US Effective cross-cultural management skills have to fit the prevailing national business culture where they are being applied to on their workplaces. In individualistic business environments as in the US, new employees are being hired on the basis of their personal records. In the collectivistic business culture of Japan, recommendations from elite universities or from family members who already work for the company play a vital role. The following key managerial functions have been analyzed in research paper: Reward allocation and employee motivation; employee participation and managerial communication; executive development. 1. Reward Allocation and Employee Motivation: The proper allocation of rewards is the driving force of the individualistic US business environment: Rewards are expected to be equity based, i.e. based upon an individuals contribution to corporate success. Rewards are supposed to be equal for equal performance: Rewards have to based upon the specific needs of a position (Riley 2007). In the more equality and group oriented Japanese business culture, rewards are being allocated on a group basis. These research findings did prove that the application of inappropriate reward systems caused feelings of de-motivation and injustice (Buttery 2000) 2. Employee Participation and Managerial Communication: To get employees to participate in goal setting in a US company is daily business, as in this way it increases the employees involvement in how his work environment is being shaped. Given the individualistic US business culture team effectiveness rises if team members are personally accountable for their personal contribution, which can be measured i.e. management by objectives (Javidan 2006). In the more socially oriented Japanese Business culture, employee participation is more socially oriented and the employees display lower levels of power distance between organizational levels (Hofstede 1980) 3. Executive Development: In an American business environment, qualified staff is classified into high potential groups for future executive positions at a much earlier stage of their career and at a much younger age as compared to the Japanese business culture. This encompasses a mix of specialist type of work assignments combined with near executive project assignments, to give them an early feeling of how an executive ticks (Yamazaki 2008). Japanese companies tend to focus on generalist type of assignments with intensive functional and geographic job rotation at almost the same hierarchical levels. Promotion is by seniority criteria mostly (Saee 2010). In consequence this implies: Executive development in US companies is based upon the potential benefits seen in a junior executive, whereas the Japanese approach is more oriented towards rewards for the past performance (Raimo 2009). Proposed Roadmap for a strategic cross-cultural Management Style The following Figure 3 gives a strategic roadmap for a cross-culturally based management style which facilities quick and efficient adaptation to cross-culturally different work environment. Figure 3: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Drivers of cross-cultural Management Styles:Management Style Development Common Management Skills Deficiencies: Negative Impacts of missing cross-cultural Management Skills: Lack of employee motivation In-adequate communication style De-motivating reward system Slow pace of promotion system Lack of managerial skills training Performance is not recognized/rewarded Work objectives unclear=de-motivating Individual motivation not released Resistance to innovations Necessary changes do not take place Risks involved: Mix of management skills not suited for work environment High potentials are not identified and promoted High staff turnover; slow pace of innovation and change management Key Changes needed: HRD concept oriented towards cross cultural sensitivity Top management involvement in management skills profile development Cross-culturally oriented career development system Conclusions: An innovative HRD approach is needed Designed by managers with local management experience HRD skills Resulting Roadmap towards a cross-cultural oriented Management Style: Managerial Skills that need to be improved: Management Skills requiring Attention: Expected Benefits better Management Styles: Reward systems motivation tools Keep staff and attract talents Career development system for talents Quick promotion for high potentials Innovative pay system Increased motivation to innovate Clear set of managerial objectives Rewards are measurable and objective Internal PR for new management style More credibility for management styles Top managers have to practice this style Extra motivation to manage/risk changes Strategic Management Skills Implementation Roadmap: Overall Strategic Management Skill Development Objectives: Analyze requirements for necessary cross-cultural management skills Incorporate necessary changes into overall management philosophy and corporate mission Document and promote concept at all managerial levels Planning Elements for chosen Management Skill Development Strategy: Assess time and research requirements properly; involve superiors where needed Involve top management team properly and show their support in public statements/info releases Managerial Support required to implement new Management Skill Development Strategy: Develop a strategy paper involving top management and clarify roles and inputs and state resource requirements as compared to potential gains from these improved management skills Introduction to cross-cultural Negotiation Styles Cultural Diversity is one of the most critical issues in international negotiations. A key requirement for successful international negotiation is the extent to which the negotiating parties are capable of understanding the negotiating habits and thoughts of their counterparts who come from another culture (Brett 2000). When entering into an international negotiation process, the full awareness and understanding of the cultural differences, such as cultural background, national character, emotional aspects, rules and regulations of other countries, decision making styles, ways of discussing, meeting and negotiating is of vital importance in order to make the negotiation successful. The difficulty the negotiators are facing have to do with dealing on the basis of different sets of values, attitudes, behaviors and communication styles of the other party participating in the negotiation process. The proper planning and preparation for negotiations, and participating in the negotiation p rocess must take into consideration all these factors. This will avoid setbacks, surprises and shock so often faced in cross-cultural negotiations. A. Basic Research Findings linking Negotiation and Culture A nations culture in itself consists of interrelated patterns or dimensions which come together to form a unique social identity shared by a minimum of two or more people It is the unique character of a social group and the values and norms common to its members that set it apart from other social groups (Brett, 2001;). Consequently for this reason, because of the different values and norms, people from different cultures negotiate differently (Brett, 2001;). Many authors talk of a set of cultural values associated with each cultural group which actually is the determining force for the culture (Tinsley, 2001, Brett, 2001;). The knowledge of these values and norms provides insight into the choices made and influences these very negotiators cognitions, emotions, motivations and strategy. Research shows a clear differentiation: Whilst values refer to what a person considers important (more on cognitive side), norms refer to what is considered appropriate behavior (behavioral aspects) i n a specific culture. Consequently, because of these different values and norms, people from different cultures tend to negotiate differently (Brett 2001). These cultural values and norms shape implicit theories invoked in negotiations (Gelfand and Dyer 2000) and may influence a negotiators response to strategically displayed emotions. In Japanese companies, the emphasis of a group being the core nucleus for negotiations communicates these values to its members and rewards conformity. In this way a members values become thoroughly culturally constituted. Thus, culture creates an overall environment for Japanese companies and their negotiators which in many ways directly or indirectly compels the constituent members to be guided by their cultural value sets while negotiating. B. Research Findings concerning the strategic Framework of cross-cultural Negotiations According to the book The Global Negotiator: Making, Managing, and Mending Deals around the World in the twenty-First Century (Salacuse 2005) there are a total ten particular elements consistently complicating intercultural negotiations. 1) Negotiating goal: Contract or relationship? 2) Negotiating attitude: Win-Lose or Win-Win? 3) Personal style: Informal or formal? 4) Communication: Direct or indirect? 5) Sensitivity to time: High or low? 6) Emotionalism: High or low? 7) Form of agreement: General or specific? 8) Building an agreement: Bottom up or top down? 9) Team organization: One leader or group consensus? 10) Risk taking: High or low? Research shows that for a Japanese manager negotiation is also about being sensitive to the personal/emotional factors and hence may sometimes be indirect, informal, and general with less sensitivity to time whereas. On the other side for a negotiator from USA, any negotiation is to the point, direct, formal, with high consideration for time and less care for personal or emotional factors. B. Research Findings concerning Diversity Factors and Strategies in Cross -Cultural Negotiations In countries such as in the US and much of northern Europe, strong, direct eye contact conveys confidence and sincerity while in Japan, prolonged eye contact is considered rude and is generally avoided. In Japan they always prefer personal space during business dealings. With regard to the Japanese, Salacuse shows that 100 percent of the Japanese respondents claimed that they approached negotiations as a win-win process. Communication itself constitutes a basic component of negotiation framework. Diversity in this communication aspect is also very obvious and pertinent. In a culture that emphasizes directness, such as the American one, you can expect to receive a clear and definite response to the proposals and questions. In SE Asian cultures such as the Japanese reaction to proposals made to them may be gained by interpreting seemingly vague comments, gestures, and other signs. Concerning the cultural sensitivity to time, Salacuse in his study quotes Japanese tend to negotiate slowly, and Americans are quick to make a deal. Contrary to this perception of time, for Americans the objective is a signed contract and as for them time is money, they want to close a deal quickly. Americans therefore try to reduce time invested in formalities to a minimum and get down to business quickly. Japanese and other Asians, whose objective is to create a relationship rather than simply sign a contract, need to invest time in the negotiating process so that the parties can get to know one another well and determine whether they wish to embark on a long-term relationship Another crucial aspect in cross-cultural negotiations is risk taking ability. The Japanese tend to be highly risk averse in negotiations, and this tendency was affirmed by the survey conducted by Salacuse, which found Japanese respondents to be the most risk averse of the twelve cultures. Americans in this survey, by comparison, considered themselves to be risk takers. C. Research Factors concerning the Management of Conflict in cross-cultural Negotiations Research findings with regard to managing conflict in cross culture negotiation show that different cultures focus on different aspects. Tinsley (1998), revealed that when managing conflict American managers preferred to focus on interests, while Japanese managers concentrated on status power. The differences could be explained by the American value for poly- chronicity (or multitasking) and the Japanese occupation with hierarchy (or unequal social structures. It is obvious though, that awareness of emotions is vital to negotiation and it plays a key role when it comes to cross-culture negotiation conflicts. In the Japanese business culture, status and power also play an important role in conflict management where parties try to manage conflict by using differences in authority, status and power. To them it is normal that high status parties try to enforce their ideas for resolution on lower status parties. If this is not possible, Japanese negotiation parties try to enhance their st atus by co-opting people of higher status. D. Research Findings concerning cross-cultural Decision-Making styles during Negotiations Decision-making styles vary a lot between Americans and Japanese. When it comes to team based versus individual way of taking decisions one extreme is the American negotiating team with a supreme leader who has complete authority to decide all matters. The Japanese business culture stresses team negotiation and consensus-based decision making. American managers usually tend to make decisions by themselves, while Japanese managers tend to make decisions by consensus. Furthermore, Americans treasure the value of flexibility, whereas once a Japanese manager has reached a decision, may believe it is shameful to change it. Decisions can be taken either through a deductive process or through an inductive process. In his research, (Salacuse 2005) found that Americans do view deal making as a top down (deductive process); while the Japanese tend to see it as a bottom up (i.e. inductive) process. E. Research Findings concerning the Interests Strategy in cross-cultural Negotiations The process of aligning and integrating the best interests of both parties works as a catalyst for successful negotiation. This interests-based strategy promotes the resolution of dilemmas through cognitive problem solving. Research shows is essential to shift focus from position to interest. Several authors suggest that as both parties want to gain their individual interest therefore they always want to implement the negotiation. From their perspective, individual interests of parties are always more important than collective group interests. A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Negotiation Styles The following Figure 4 shows a roadmap for the development of efficient cross-cultural negotiation styles. Figure 4: A cross-cultural Roadmap for a strategic Approach to Negotiation Drivers of cross-cultural Negotiations: Common Negotiation Difficulties: Negative Impacts on Negotiations:

Fifth Business by Robertson Davies :: Fifth business robertson davies Essays

Fifth Business by Robertson Davies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Robertson Davies' novel Fifth Business, the author uses the events that occurred in Deptford as a Canadian Allusion to reveal character identity. Three characters in the novel from Deptford: Boy Staunton, Dunstan Ramsey and Paul Dempster, leave Deptford to embark on a new identity to rid of their horrid past. The three main characters of the novel, all of whom to some extent try to escape their small town background, change their identity to become people of consequence. All in some way take on a new identity. Imbedded in this transformation is the assumption that one's original self, especially one's small town origins, must be discarded before one can become significant in the world. Firstly, Paul Dempster grows up as an outcast in Deptford, his mother's 'simpleness' leading the tight social world of the town to cast out his whole family and force's Paul to leave the town and create a new image for himself. Paul runs away to the circus in his early teens because of the mental abuse he took from the town because of his mothers incident with the tramp. Dunstable comment's, "Paul was not a village favorite, and the dislike so many people felt for his mother - dislike for the queer and persistently unfortunate - they attached to the unoffending son," (Davies' 40) illustrates how the town treated Paul because of his mother's actions. Paul leaves his past because of the actions displaced by his mother and the guilt he feels because his "birth was what robbed her of her sanity," (Davies' 260) explains why Paul left Deptford. However, while Boy merely tries to ignore his Deptford past, Paul tries to create a completely new one and Paul asks Dunstan to write an autobiography that "in general terms that he was to be a child of the Baltic vastness, reared perhaps by gnomelike Lapps after the death of his explorer parents, who were probably Russians of high birth." (Davies' 231). The scenery of this autobiography seems significantly Canadian, but Paul does not want his book to represent his past life in Deptford. Therefore, Paul Dempster is a troubled child because of his mother's actions in Deptford which in turn force Paul to leave Deptford and to create a new identity for himself. Secondly, Dunstable Ramsey is haunted by the guilt of Mary Dempster over his entire life and he must create a new identity for himself. After a rock has hit Mary in the head (in a snowball thrown by Boy Staunton meant for Ramsay), and her preacher husband is crying over her, young Ramsay's only thought is that

English Proficiency Essay

Language proficiency or linguistic proficiency is the ability of an individual to speak or perform in an acquired language. As theories vary among pedagogues as to what constitutes proficiency,[1] there is little consistency as to how different organizations classify it. Additionally, fluency and language competence are generally recognized as being related, but separate controversial subjects. In predominant frameworks in the United States, proficient speakers demonstrate both accuracy and fluency, and use a variety of discourse strategies.[2] Thus, native speakers of a language can be fluent without being considered proficient. ————————————————- Organizations ACTFL The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) distinguishes between proficiency and performance. In part, ACTFL’s definition of proficiency is derived from mandates issued by the US government, declaring that a limited English proficient student is one who comes from a non-English background and â€Å"who has sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language and whose difficulties may deny such an individual the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English or to participate fully in our society.† ACTFL views â€Å"performance† as being the combined effect of all three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational. ————————————————- Proficiency frameworks Note that test scores may not correlate reliably, as different understandings of proficiency lead to different types of assessment: * FSI Test (Foreign Service Institute) Scores range from 0 to 5+.[3] (deprecated) * Interagency Language Roundtable Scores range from 0 to 5.[4] (evolved from FSI) * Language Proficiency Index * ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines ACTFL recognises ten different levels of proficiency: â€Å"novice†, â€Å"intermediate†, â€Å"advanced†, and â€Å"superior†, of which the first three are each subdivided into â€Å"low†, â€Å"mid†, and â€Å"high†. * Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEF recognises six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. Proficiency tests * CELPE-Bras (Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners) * Defense Language Proficiency Tests * DELE (Diplomas of Spanish as Foreign Language) * Examination for Japanese University Admission * General English Proficiency Test * Hà  nyÇ” ShuÇ pà ­ng KÇŽoshà ¬ (æ ±â€°Ã¨ ¯ ­Ã¦ ° ´Ã¥ ¹ ³Ã¨â‚¬Æ'è ¯â€¢) * IELTS (International English Language Testing System) * iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency * Japanese Language Proficiency Test (æâ€" ¥Ã¦Å" ¬Ã¨ ªÅ¾Ã¨Æ' ½Ã¥Å â€ºÃ¨ © ¦Ã© ¨â€œ Nihongo NÃ… ryoku Shiken) * Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers * The European Language Certificates (telc – language tests) * TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) * TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) * TEPS (Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University) * Test of Russian as a Foreign Language * Test de franà §ais international * Test de connaissance du franà §ais * TOCFL(è  ¯Ã¨ ªÅ¾Ã¦â€"‡èÆ' ½Ã¥Å â€ºÃ¦ ¸ ¬Ã© ©â€" Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language) * UBELT (University of Bath English Language Test) * University of Cambridge ESOL examination See also: Language tests category ————————————————- [edit]Professional organizations * Alliance franà §aise * American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages * Association of Language Testers in Europe * Foreign service institute * Goethe-Institut * UCLES * UNIcert * Instituto Cervantes * UBELT ————————————————- References 1. ^ www.ncela.gwu.edu 2. ^ http://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu 3. ^ www.utm.edu 4. ^ www.utm.edu English proficiency is the the ability to speak, read and/or write in English. To be considered truly proficient, one should have advanced abilities in all three areas of communication. English Proficiency In The Philippines I recently read that 80% of teachers failed their English proficiency exam and that some CallCenters are closing because of a lack of applicants who have a level of English fluencydemanded by the industry.I am a Native Speaker (Canadian / UK) with over 20 years experince presenting Englishlanguage programs for the Canadian federal and provincial governments, several colleges and auniversity. After moving to thePhilippinesI continued my presentions and teaching to foreigners in ESL schools.Recently I decided to change my ESL students. Why should I be teaching foreiners English whenwhat I should be doing is giving the Filipno a chance to improve their chances of having achallenging and rewarding career?. It makes more sense to me, to help them to improve their English to a level of fluency that most companies both here in the Philippines and abroaddemand†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Lets give the Filipino a chance to improve their position in lifeMy first opportunity was to present my English fluency program to English teachers in the private school sector. 80% failed the initial testing, However, later 80% achieved a much higher level of fluency after completing the program. The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is a report which attempts to rank countries by the average level of English skills amongst adults. It is the product of EF Education First, a global language training company, and draws its conclusions from data collected via online English tests available for free over the internet. The report was published for the first time in March, 2011 based on the results of over 2 million test takers.[1] The most recent ranking was released in October, 2012. ——†”—————————————- Methodology The 2012 index is compiled from the results of 1.7 million adults who took one of three short online English tests between 2009 and 2011. The test takers were self-selected and no demographic information was collected on them. The tests are used by the company for marketing and placement purposes. 52 countries and 2 territories appear in the 2012 index. All other countries did not have enough test takers to be considered valid. In order to be included a country was required to have at least 400 test takers total.[2] ————————————————- Findings The report is composed of a country ranking table, several pages of analysis with graphs correlating other economic and social factors with English proficiency, and regional analyses of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. The 2012 report includes data for the first time comparing women to men, and comparing different age groups by English proficiency. The website displays portions of the report and has in-depth profiles of the role of English in 15 countries [3] which are not contained in the report. Eleven country factsheets are presented separately from the report. These provide data on how cities and regions scored within the country. Primary conclusions 1. Exports per capita, Gross National Income per capita and average number of years of schooling all correlate positively with English proficiency. That is to say wealthier countries speak better English. 2. The factor that correlates best to English proficiency is Internet usage. 3. Europe as a whole speaks the best English, Latin America the worst. 4. Starting English education younger in school does not necessarily improve adult proficiency. ————————————————- Criticism The EF English Proficiency Index has been criticized for its lack of representative sampling in each country.[4] The report states that participants in the tests are self-selected and must have access to the internet. This pushes the index towards the realm of an online survey rather than a statistically valid evaluation. However there are few alternative comparisons available of countries by their English skills, and those that exist are smaller in scale, as is the case with a reported British Council study,[1] or they have other sampling flaws, as is the case with rankings of countries by standardized English test scores such as the TOEFL.[5] The European Commission performed a language survey, SurveyLang, which tests a representative sample of 15 year old European students on their foreign language skills. The first report and data sets were released for 13 European countries in June 2012 [6] ———————————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- References 1. ^ a b English: Who speaks English?. The Economist. Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 2. ^ EF English Proficiency Index – Comparing English skills between countries – EF EPI. Ef.com. Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 3. ^ English around the world – Country profiles – EF EPI. Ef.com. Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 4. ^ The English Blog: EF English Proficiency Ranking. Jeffreyhill.typepad.com (2011-03-30). Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 5. ^ TOEFL: Test and Score Data Summaries. Ets.org. Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 6. ^ [1]. European Commission. Retrieved on 2012-09-20. Communicative Competence and English as an International Language Language is used for expressing our thoughts , and for verbal thinking, problem-solving, and creative writing, but it is used essentially for communication. What makes it difficult to grasp the language user’s systems of representation for communication with others is the fact that the capability of individuals to interact with others through language is a unique quality and at the same time a universal human quality. The successful language use for communication presupposes the development of communicative competence in the users of that language and that the use of language is constrained by the socio-cultural norms of the society where the language is used. The use of English in Britain is influenced by the British socio-cultural norms which underlie individual differences. So are American English, Indian English, Nigerian English, and Singaporean English. That holds true in areas where English is used daily either as a native language or as a second language. In the use of English for international communication, however, what society’s or societies’ socio-cultural norms should be observed? Should they be the Anglo-American norms because speakers use American or British English as the model? Or would they be the socio-cultural norms of speakers’ native societies, which are not conspicuous nevertheless inevitably ooze out? Or is there what might be called pan- human or universal socio-cultural norm(s) overarching individual societies and cultures? In this paper, I would first review communicative competence briefly, then discuss what English as an International Language (EIL) is, and lastly argue that communicative competence, especially socio-cultural competence, of EIL speakers does not necessarily need to be that of native English speakers. English Proficiency English nowadays is considered as the universal language; for which it is understood by almost all countries around the world. It is used by most people as their second language. First, it is a way of communication in business, negotiations & especially in academics. It plays an important role in the basic education, particularly to speaking and writing (Kumar, 2009). English proficiency must be treated as an additional skill. In reality, a country needs to build familiarity, friendship and collaborate with other countries as well. It is the government’s obligation to give good quality of education to be able to work and communicate in a wider and competitive world (Alave, 2006). English proficiency pertains to the ability to speak, read and write in English. To be considered as truly proficient, you should have an advanced skill in this. We know that English is the universal language, to communicate to those people in other countries; you have to speak in English so they will understand what you are saying. We all know that lately, our country, Philippines is known for being English proficient of its citizen. But, this advantage is being eroded by other rising competitions with declining mastery of some college graduates. Just recently, a language test was taken by IDP Education Pty. Ltd. Philippines which showed that our country is no longer the top English-speaking country in Asia. This may be so because some students nowadays do not even try to enhance their English skill. LOW ENGLISH PROFICIENCY; CAUSES AND EFFECTS TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS The low levels of English proficiency among university students nowadays becoming a hot issue among academic thinkers. This is because the students’ English language skills are not being developed during their higher education experience. Thus, reflects negatively on the quality of higher education and its graduates. The factors low English proficiency among most learners are due to two factors; internal factors such as no confident when using English, negative attitude towards the English language and external factor like the limited opportunities to use English outside the classroom. Most learners have lack of confidence when using English language. For example, the person that has low self-confidence may refuse to use the language in publics. Anna Freud once said â€Å"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.† This shown that confident levels are decreasing when the learners are lack of self-confidence to use this language. They are afraid to be wrong and prejudiced about it. The second reason is the negative attitudes towards the English language. For information, attitude has been defined as the inclination to act or to be in a state of ‘readiness’ to act (Gagne, 1985). The learners just learnt English for pass the examination not using it as their second language. Students in university generally find it difficult to maintain their interest in English language learning as English is not seen as important for their immediate needs other than to pass their examination. A lot of negative attitudes build up from unfamiliarity with the culture of the target language (Tucker and lambert, 1973). Malay students from small towns or rural places usually grown up in a situation that English is unimportant language, not like their speaking homes language, Bahasa Melayu. English Proficiency for Global Competitiveness For some years, the Philippines was well-known as the only English-speaking country in Southeast Asia. The fluency of the English language came from the Americans who once occupied our coasts. In that period of time, we stood at an advantage from our neighbor countries. We got a lot of profits because we could speak the language that most developed countries use. Filipinos had already been capable of persuading foreign investors to set in our country even before other Asian countries realized the need to train their citizens in utilizing the English language to be able to converse with other countries and increase their economies. That is why we held a great promise of development during those times. After some years, we shifted to use our national language as the medium for instruction in school, government facilities, and everywhere with our belief that people would learn better and they would become more nationalistic. The advocates of the English language, then, suddenly had to give way to those who are in favor of our native language. Language, indeed, became an issue. Well, it does not mean that if we use the English language, we are less nationalistic. We have been using Filipino in our lives for several years already and we have actually seen its effect. We could say that it had not really made a significant difference in terms of the students’ rate of learning and development in our country. I think, it is about time that we embrace the use of the English language once more so we could be more competitive globally. Surely we have to move back to square one as we try to regain the edge that we lost. Right motivation and proper attitude towards the acquisition of the English language will undoubtedly help us become confident and adept in the language. Stop neglecting the English language, let’s use it. English Proficiency in the Philippines Introduction Because English is so widely spoken, it has often been referred to as a â€Å"world language†, the lingua franca of the modern era, and while it is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a foreign language. The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These tribes, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from what today is Denmark and northern Germany. At that time the inhabitants of Britain spoke a Celtic language. But most of the Celtic speakers were pushed west and north by the invaders – mainly into what is now Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The Angles came from England and their language was called Englisc – from which the words England and English are derived. Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language. English today is probably the third largest language by number of native speakers, after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. However, when combining native and non-native speakers it is probably the most commonly spoken language in the world, though possibly second to a combination of the Chinese languages (depending on whether or not distinctions in the latter are classified as â€Å"languages† or â€Å"dialects†). Countries such as the Philippines, Jamaica and Nigeria also have millions of native speakers of dialect continua ranging from an English-based creole to a more standard version of English. Ways to Improve English Proficiency This article was created by a professional writer and edited by experienced copy editors, both qualified members of the Demand Media Studios community. All articles go through an editorial process that includes subject matter guidelines, plagiarism review, fact-checking, and other steps in an effort to provide reliable information. By Gregory Hamel, eHow Contributor 1. o English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. Gaining English proficiency can be an important aspect of education in many fields from business to aviation to science. Even native English speakers can benefit from increasing knowledge and improving writing skills. There are many accessible ways to improve English proficiency effectively without taking formal classes. Speak Regularly o One of the most important aspects of gaining proficiency in any language is speaking it regularly. Self-study can improve reading and comprehension skills, but interacting with other English speakers is essential for boosting real-world comprehension and practical use of the English language. If you live in a bilingual home, designate a certain amount of time each day for speaking only in English. Making English-speaking friends, perhaps those interested in learning a different language that you speak, can help increase proficiency. Living in an English-speaking country will help immerse you in the language and increase all aspects of your English knowledge. Media o Watching or listening to media in English is a way to improve English comprehension without feeling like you are studying. Watch popular English movies and listen to English music. Avoid watching dubbed films in favor of those with English voice and subtitles. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY LEVELS The definitions of the five limited-English language proficiency levels, as well as Level 6, one of two fully-English language proficiency levels, are from PI 13.08(3)(1)-(6), Wisconsin Administrative Rule. Level 7, the other fully-English language proficiency level, is used for purposes of state reporting/state testing. Level 1—Beginning/Preproduction [WIDA level = Entering]: A pupil shall be classified level 1 if the pupil does not understand or speak English with the exception of a few isolated words or expressions. Level 2—Beginning/Production [WIDA level = Beginning]: A pupil shall be classified level 2 if all of the following criteria are met: (a) The pupil understands and speaks conversational and academic English with hesitancy and difficulty. (b) The pupil understands parts of lessons and simple directions. (c) The pupil is at a pre-emergent or emergent level of reading and writing in English, significantly below grade level. Level 3—Intermediate [WIDA level = Developing]: A pupil shall be classified level 3 if all of the following criteria are met: (a) The pupil understands and speaks conversational and academic English with decreasing hesitancy and difficulty. (b) The pupil is post-emergent, developing reading comprehension and writing skills in English. (c) The pupil’s English literacy skills allow the student to demonstrate academic knowledge in content areas with assistance. Level 4—Advanced Intermediate [WIDA level = Expanding]: A pupil shall be classified level 4 if all of the following criteria are met: (a) The pupil understands and speaks conversational English without apparent difficulty, but understands and speaks academic English with some hesitancy. (b) The pupil continues to acquire reading and writing skills in content areas needed to achieve grade level expectations with assistance. ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: HOW MUCH OF A PROBLEM IS IT? For many of us, the state of education in a country speaks volumes. Where English is spoken and taught as a second language, fluency is deemed a basic requirement for proper communication and propagation of ideas and connotes success. Does this fluency actually translate to a country’s economic success and overall standing in the world of nations? Back when American influence on teachers was still strong in the 1950s, I recall instances where all of us, pupils then, were required to speak English in English class or be fined five centavos per instance of speaking in Ilocano, a major dialect of northern Philippines. Five centavos then was a hefty sum. Tagalog, now Filipino, was not commonly in use at the time. Each one of us would try to catch anyone who committed the â€Å"sin† and report it to a classmate assigned to collect the fines who, in turn, would submit the list of offenders to the teacher. We never asked where those collections went. Teachers were the bosses and their word was law. No one questioned them. They stood on pedestals and we looked up to them with much respect. Teaching was a very respectable profession. Looking back, I now realize that our teachers in elementary and high school, then spoke or at least taught us proper English and with much enthusiasm. Perhaps my siblings and I had the added advantage of being raised by parents who happened to be teachers. Several of their brothers and sisters were graduates of the Philippine Normal School. Books we used were brought in by the American teachers and ministers–from readers, to hymnals, to almanacs. There were practically no Filipino authors that we knew of. American influence gave us a decided advantage over our Asian neighbors. The country enjoyed a privileged status in the region as a consequence of this. Engish is the standard form of communication. It’s used worldwide by people who are from different countries but need to communicate with each other. English is also seen as the business language, as for reasons mentioned above. We study it also for the reasons we study any language-we need to have a way to articulate the things we need and desire. English is also used primarily on the internet-which today connects millions of people world wide. English is used in many different countries also because curing the Colonial and Imperial Age, Britain proved to be â€Å"successful† at gaining colonies on different continents around the world. MUCH has been said about the importance of English in our schools and here is another to add to the sum total. There is a saying that if you have something the world wants, it will beat a path to your door wherever you may be; but if the world has something you want, then you have to go out to get it. As of now, what we want from the outside world is the latest knowledge in all fields of human endeavour. Undeniably, most of these are couched in English and to acquire them we have to be proficient in the language. Having acquired and returned with new knowledge, the need is to disseminate it through learning institutions for the benefit of the country. Teaching it to those proficient in English is straight forward. But to recipients who are monolingual in Bahasa Malaysia, translations will be required, and this can be slow and time-consuming. Depending on translations alone is hardly an efficient way to keep up with the latest advances. Perhaps that is why our government is encouraging bilingualism – English and Bahasa Malaysia – in our national schools. But individual proficiency in English will differ and it may require enhancement depending on one’s career leanings. If one wishes to engage in local business or to take up more mundane occupations, then perhaps knowing Bahasa Malaysia alone will be adequate, but of course, a smattering of English will always help. But if one aspires to be a diplomat, a scientist or to enrol in an English university, then a greater depth in English is required. Since Bahasa Malaysia is the national language, it has to be taught in schools. It is the glue that binds our people together for national betterment. English, on the other hand is the currency for international discourse, without which we would be isolated. Hence, until such time when we are an advanced country and our national language is brought to a wider and impeccable level and our people can invent things the world will want, then the world will indeed beat a path to our shores to learn from us and in our national language. C.P.B., Kuala Lumpur. Today, there are many people all of the world study English. Most of people think that maybe english becomes their second language. But have you ever wondered:† Why do we need to learn English†. Why don’t we searching about it? First, English helps you to improve friendship and maybe include our knowledge around the world. Nowadays, many people have a wider friendship around the world. So learning English is an important way to communicate with friends from another countries. Absolutely, learning English can help you to make more friends, we can exchange with a lot of people, improve our relationships. From that, we can learn more, open our knowledge world. Every year, there are lots of teenagers go overseas to learn for themselves, to improve every important, to bring every new thing from another countries to our country. Second, English helps you to connect our country to the world or we can learn more about another countries’s tradition. Learning English, we can introduce every beautiful things, places,†¦ to internaional friends from another countries. Foreigners wil be curious and they will travel to our country. On the contrary, we can understand more special traditional foods, cultures,†¦ from another countries. I think it’s great so we need to learn English Finally, we can find jobsmore easily. Today, all companies need their wokers know at least on language, especially English. In some international companies, every person have to know English well. So we need to learn English in other to have a good job for you. You can see. Learning is very important way to climb on our future stepladder. I hope that people wil learn English for themselves and for their future. English is one of the legacy`s examples that was left by the British colonial rule in Malaysia long time ago. It is one of the most crucial foreign languages in Malaysia and even around the world nowadays, and is used widely and quite extensively in all aspects of daily life. English and the national language of Malaysia, `Bahasa Malaysia`, both play a very important role in tighten together our multicultural nation. English and `Bahasa Malaysia` helps to unite people and to create a unique national awareness. Instead of its history, Malaysia has recently showed a sharp decline in the English language proficiency. According to Murugesan (2003), the decline is largely due to a backwash effect from a change implemented in the early 1960s and 1970s when `Bahasa Malaysia` replaced English as the medium of instruction in schools and as the language used for official matters. On the other hand, according to Lee (2002), the drop in proficiency of English has not been due so much to the emphasis on Malay, but it is primarily the result of bad attitudes to language and poor approaches to the teaching of language. The decline of English language proficiency will lead to other side effects that will someday give out various major problems to us. Due to the decline in our country, it might be a step backward from other country around the world from the information and technology aspect and other related aspects. In this essay, I will critically response about the topic, `English Language Proficiency Should Not Be Taken for Granted` based on the three articles that have been chooses. The first article that I have chooses is mainly about the importance of English language proficiency. The second article talks about the steps that will be taken to enhance the English usage, while the third article discuss about suggestions to strengthen the students English language proficiency.

Well-Written Essay About Yourself

Well-Written Essay About Yourself Essay about yourself It is very important to produce a great essay about yourself no matter the purpose of writing and your educational level. When preparing this work, students may face some difficulties. It is sometimes very hard to understand what to focus on when writing it. How to Write an Essay About Yourself Appropriately? Follow the Instructions Provided BelowKey point of the paperIt is obvious that essays about yourself should present your personality efficiently. This very fact confuses students. Therefore, it is complicated to formulate the points you are going to cover. For this reason, you should pose a specific question and discuss it in the best way. In case you get the topic from your professor, you should try to cover it completely. Do not be afraid to put forward creative ideas. Besides, you may browse the Internet and find a handy essay about yourself. It will help you understand what to concentrate on.Describe your experienceIn order to understand how to start an essay about yourself, think about your life. Surely, it is full of memorable events, precious moments, and difficult situations. They are: birthday parties, graduation, exams, etc. All of them help you gain valuable experience. Nevertheless, you should select an extraordinary top ic and examine it. Thus, readers will be impressed with your work.Put original ideasWhen writing an essay about yourself, you should not discuss boring issues. Try to explore something unusual. Therefore, your paper will differ greatly from the works of other students. Writing about Yourself Essays Is a Perfect Opportunity to Introduce Yourself Without any doubts, about yourself essays reveal the student`s personality much better than the book reviews, PowerPoint presentations, and research papers. The best essays about yourself talk about the honesty, gratitude, the strength of character, free will, perseverance, and many other characteristics. In its essence, a personal essay is a wonderful opportunity for the student to introduce him/herself without the fear of sounding too selfish. When the college admission officers read your essay, they should think What an interesting and creative person! Such an essay will help them learn more about your personality and decide if you fit their educational institution. Start the writing process by thinking about your strengths. Consider answering the questions: What makes me different from others? What my friends and family can say about me? Do I have the leadership skills? Am I passionate about anything? By answering these questions, you will be able to create an interesting topic that will enable you to introduce yourself from different perspectives. After the brainstorming process, start writing your rough draft. Begin with the few introductory sentences that will catch the reader`s attention. For this purpose, your introduction should have some hook that will make your essay interesting to your audience. It may be some thought-provoking idea or appropriate joke. Then, organize your thoughts into the logical flow. Your writing should be clear and coherent and should not have any logical gaps. If you hesitate if you have managed to write a good essay, feel free to ask some of your friends to read it and point out to its inconsistencies. Do not be afraid of criticism since it is always a way to progress. You should know that storytelling is one of the oldest forms of transferring information from one person to another. You may find a lot of essays about yourself on the web. Undoubtedly, you may use them for gaining some writing inspiration and for understanding the proper essay organization. However, you should never plagiarize from free essays about yourself since cheating will lead to terrible consequences. Do not even try to complete this assignment on the last day. Indeed, time-management is the inevitable skill that can be very helpful in completing this assignment. At, we understand all your fears and hesitations. Therefore, we have developed a perfect writing workshop helping an average student become more proficient in writing about yourself essays. Our workshop provides the despaired students with the essential instruments for creating perfect about yourself essays.Essay About Yourself I am a thirty eight year old single mother of one, applying for a scholarship to fund my studies in information technology. I am deeply interested in the information technology field. My interest in computers started 18 years ago when I started a small sales company. We did everything manually for the first three years. Then I purchased a computer, taught myself how to use it, and three months later, I designed a database to use for my unique business. Ive been in love with computers since that time and currently, I sell my database programs to other in the same line of business as my company. Designing websites and databases has since become my hobbies. All the computer expertise that I have is self taught and I believe that if I further my studies in this field, I can make the best out of my interest in computers. There is much I need to learn for me to excel in this field and that is why am interested in going back to school at this age because further studies will open me to the expansive world of computers. My desire to learn and my life long goals will help me to excel in my studies. My objective is to start an Information Technology business upon completion of my studies. As a single mother of one taking care of an ailing mother, I cannot afford to foot my college fees given that my business went down two years ago and I make a living out of the part time office administration job I got recently. This scholarship will help me to buy IT equipment that I need for my course. It will also help me in purchase of books and other school implements. I hereby apply for a scholarship, hoping that my application will be considered.See also another of essay about yourself

personal responsibility Essay

personal responsibility Essay personal responsibility Essay Personal responsibility means to me is being accountable for your own actions in life. Being a responsible person shows you are also a reliable person. Both of these two go hand in hand, meaning with out one you can not be without the other. Personal responsibility issues throughout your entire day it starts from the time you awake in the morning until the time you go to bed and are a sleep. For example when we wake up in the morning we have a choice to do our hair or not. With that in mind let us explore the personal responsibility and college success . With personal responsibility and college success both of these have similarities in each other. College success is possible with proper study time techniques and time management. Personal responsibility goes with the study time management because you as the person have to set some time away so that you are able to study and be successful in college as well in the class. A major part of personal responsibility is your every day life which consistent of time management because it helps you to succeed in college. Most college students come in from either high school or from being out of school from a long period of time. With both of these two will vary in time management because one has to juggle with family and the other having to much of free time. If you do not stay on track will find themselves in not succeeding in the college process. Personal responsibility is to manage your time correctly. In doi ng so one can be very successful in college. We as individuals have a choice to take

Free Essays on Nat Turner

Nat Turner’s Rebellion Nat Turner was the leader of a slave rebellion that resulted in the deaths of 55 white people. This came as a shock to the white residents of Southampton County, VA. This rebellion, which Turner believed was directed by God, became one of the most famous slave insurrections in U.S. history. Nat Turner was born in Southampton County, Virginia on October 2, 1800. When Nat was young people noticed he seemed highly intelligent. One incident took place when he was only about three or four years old. While he was playing with other kids, his mother overheard him telling them about something that had happened before he was born. She asked him about the incident, and it confirmed that he knew about this past event. From then on, the slaves believed that in addition to his high intelligence there were signs that he would be a prophet. When he grew up, he became a preacher. He began having visions that he believed were from God. Turner had three visions before the famous rebellion in 1831. His first vision occurred in 1821, after he had run away. While hiding out in the woods, he was provoked to return after a vision from the Spirit who directed him to "return to the service of my earthly master." After thirty days in the woods, he returned to his master. The second vision came in 1825 after he saw "lights in the sky." He prayed to find out what it meant. His prayers were answered when â€Å" . . . while laboring in the field, I discovered drops of blood on the corn, as though it were dew from heaven . . . I then found on the leaves in the woods hieroglyphic characters and numbers, with the forces of men in different attitudes, portrayed in blood, and representing the figures I had seen before in the heavens." On May 12, 1828 he had his third vision. He â€Å" . . . heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down t... Free Essays on Nat Turner Free Essays on Nat Turner Nat Turner’s Rebellion Nat Turner was the leader of a slave rebellion that resulted in the deaths of 55 white people. This came as a shock to the white residents of Southampton County, VA. This rebellion, which Turner believed was directed by God, became one of the most famous slave insurrections in U.S. history. Nat Turner was born in Southampton County, Virginia on October 2, 1800. When Nat was young people noticed he seemed highly intelligent. One incident took place when he was only about three or four years old. While he was playing with other kids, his mother overheard him telling them about something that had happened before he was born. She asked him about the incident, and it confirmed that he knew about this past event. From then on, the slaves believed that in addition to his high intelligence there were signs that he would be a prophet. When he grew up, he became a preacher. He began having visions that he believed were from God. Turner had three visions before the famous rebellion in 1831. His first vision occurred in 1821, after he had run away. While hiding out in the woods, he was provoked to return after a vision from the Spirit who directed him to "return to the service of my earthly master." After thirty days in the woods, he returned to his master. The second vision came in 1825 after he saw "lights in the sky." He prayed to find out what it meant. His prayers were answered when â€Å" . . . while laboring in the field, I discovered drops of blood on the corn, as though it were dew from heaven . . . I then found on the leaves in the woods hieroglyphic characters and numbers, with the forces of men in different attitudes, portrayed in blood, and representing the figures I had seen before in the heavens." On May 12, 1828 he had his third vision. He â€Å" . . . heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down t...

Persuasion and Influence 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Persuasion and Influence 1 - Assignment Example In an effort to influence and persuade, people comprehend the pros of being the first to command an order to get something back. An example is in the cosmetic industry where shoppers are encouraged to make a purchase in order to receive a gift or sample. The fact that there is a gift in exchange of a purchase compels one to buy (Hogan, 2010). The law of scarcity portends that whenever choice is limited or threatened, the need to maintain a share of that limited commodity makes us crave for it even more. When an opportunity is scarce, its value increases hence, the urge to own it. In marketing for instance, department stores use scarcity to bait consumers into an uncontrollable frenzy to shop for items brought on offer at bargain prices for a limited time only, limited shopper to a restricted number of items. They make use of deadlines, limited spaces, number or availability of stock clauses to create urgency to purchase (Pratkanis & Aronson, 1992). At a personal level, power may be applied on the basis of knowledge, technical competence and the ability to articulate ideas for others to follow. It relates to building trust and loyalty, relating well with others, communicating opinions and ideas in compelling ways, accomplishments, a charismatic style, self-confidence, enthusiasm and hard work. Words shape the thoughts, feelings and attitude towards a focused subject. The use of language and mastery of words control human behavior. For instance, in tobacco commercials, which portray the calming, soothing and comforting effect of a cigarette brand. At the end of the commercial, the negative side effects are read out quickly and de-emphasized that viewers are left with the overall positive impression. Words are positively chosen emotionally packaged to â€Å"Tame the sting† (Fahnestock, 2011). To ensure prudence in shopping, it is essential to purchase or acquire products on a need be basis. It is also necessary to

The Catholic church did not help the Jewish people during the Essay

The Catholic church did not help the Jewish people during the Holocaust - Essay Example It has been estimated that during the Holocaust approximately nine million Jews occupied Europe but almost two thirds lost their lives through Holocaust. Pope Pius XII was the catholic Pope during the time of the Holocaust1. Various controversies surrounded the position of the Pope in advocating against the Holocaust. The Pope took a more neutral position; he only made statements that condemned the injustices done against humanity, without coming boldly to condemn the Nazis for the massacre. The Pope failed in his authority and demonstrated that the Catholic Church had no firm position on the Holocaust. The Catholic Church’s main representative to the modern age is the Pope, During the Holocaust; Pope Pius XII was besieged to help the Jews to no avail. The Jews were constantly killed throughout every collaborating country in Europe. The Pope has continued to hold a supreme authority and was seen to influence political situations. Around 1941, the Cardinal of Vienna, Cardinal Theodor Innitzer took time to speak with the Pope on the issue of Jews that were deported from Spain to Germany where they were killed. In addition, there was pressure from a delegation from the United States to have the Pope condemn the killings2. However, the Pope took a very undefined position and was not bold and vocal in condemning the attacks. The argument by the Pope was that condemnation of the atrocities would have negative implications on the catholic faithfuls in Germany. This reason made the Pope to take a more neutral position. When a Ukrainian citizen, Andrej Septyckyj wrote to the Pope poi nting out to the ruthless nature of the German government, surprisingly the Pope replied with a verse from the Bible asking Andrej to bear adversity with patience3. There were opportunities for the voice of the church leaders to be heard but the neutrality aspect made the Pope and his cardinals to remain mum. Around 1940,

Informative publication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informative publication - Essay Example This number is insignificant when you compare it with the number of graduates from our institution. For instance, it is evident that over 10,000 students graduated in the year 2013. Summing up all the students that have graduated since 2008 and then relating with the 2000 students with degrees in careers related with science will make you understand the impact of producing insignificant number of scientists. Our current world is changing every day from bad to worse. This is as results of technological changes that have contributed to the pollution as well as depletion of factors that hold the universe together. Majority of the world misuse cases are as a result of lack of awareness. Very few people know how to relate the daily occurrences with scientific reactions. For instance, very few people understand the impact of carbon dioxide to the ozone layer. Telling people that the carbon dioxide results to ozone layer depletion without explaining to them how it happens beats logic. We need to be in a position to explain some incidents in the universe by aid of evidence. It is as a result of this that we are holding a gland Science Congress meeting in our school. The poster that you will receive is designed in a very a unique way in order to grasp your attention. The title of the poster is in large fonts as well as bright colors so that you can see from a distance along expound what the whol e poster entails. The designs of other writings within the poster are meant to grasp your attention as well as convey the message concerning the title of the poster. The venue in which the Science Congress event will take place is written in large and bold fonts so that you can read it easily. The picture at the bottom and left side of the poster is of our guest of honor. Majority of you know Professor Lac Wal and others I think you have heard of him. Those who do not know him will also have

This paper will apply project management skills to Brown Educational Case Study

This paper will apply project management skills to Brown Educational Gaming studio Ltd - Case Study Example Also, we will discuss the process of exploring the model, arriving at recommended actions and implementing these actions within the culture of the organization. "Brown Educational Gaming Company (BEG) is a UK-based educational gaming company specialising in young children's educational games. The company has operated from the start through projects, starting with the development of two major and highly successful games. Now there are many more; no-one quite know how many projects are taking place at BEG at present if the truth be known. BEG has just completed their fourth year of operation. The company has received a large influx of capital for growth by issuing stock privately through an investment bank. The return on investment for the 2006 and 2007 was 80% per year and for 2007-08 will be 25%. Parents and grandparents of young children have been buying BEG products almost as fast as they are developed. Every member of the 56-person firm is enthusiastic and looking forward to helping the firm grow to be the largest and best educational gaming company in the world. The founder of the firm, Sally Peters, has been awarded the accolade of The Guardian Business Woman of the Year 2007 for her ability to develop an organizational culture in which all stakeholders are committed to innovation, continuous improvement and organizational learning. Last year, the 10 top managers of B... This year the same 10 managers had a weekend away in a 4 star hotel in Barcelona, to formulate next year's strategic plan, using the same strategic plan. Most executives seem to have a consensus of where the firm should go in the intermediate and long-term, but there is little consensus on how this should be accomplished. Peters, now Managing Director of BEG feels she may be losing control. The frequency of conflicts seems to be increasing. Some individuals are always requested for any new project created. When resource conflicts occur among projects, each project managers believes his or her project is most important. More projects are not meeting deadlines and are coming in over budget. Yesterday's management meeting revealed some top BEG talent have been working on an international business game for college students. This project does not fit the organization's vision or market niche. At times it seems everyone is doing what they like. Somehow more focus is needed to ensure everyo ne agrees on how strategy should be implemented, given the resources available to the organization. Yesterday's meeting alarmed Peters. These emerging problems are coming at a bad time. Next week BEG is increasing the size of the organization, the number of new products and its marketing effort. Fifteen new people will join BEG next month. Peters is concerned that policies be in place that will ensure that the new people are used most productively. An additional potential problem looms on the horizon. Other gaming companies have noticed the success of BEG; recently one rival company tried to hire a key product development employee away from BEG. Peters wants BEG to be ready to meet any potential competition head on and to discourage any new entries

Discrimination Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discrimination Legislation - Essay Example linguistically, as in a school, most individuals spoke different languages so, for better understanding of the lessons, these students had to be separated, and taught the same language, or example English before they joined again to form a set of class understanding the same language, this is just but an example of a positive gesture of an affirmative action. On the same note, employees got divided and taught the same rules, before being joined up again. At that time, affirmative action proved rather indispensable, considering the fact that, people had to be taught, the same language, in order to understand their roles, and duties in the particular organization, though, recently a research conducted by a PhD student at the university of Purdue showed that, some human resource managers have taken advantage of this, to embezzle themselves funds, so how do they do this? Well, one might be wondering the thing is after shuffling workers in a particular work station, the restriction they put is that, for any promotion to be awarded. Although the perpetual dislike for affirmative action, has been established in most countries, some countries more so the developing once, have emulated the idea, and are working out pertinent ways to have it

Statement of Purpose for UCLA art major Personal

Of Purpose for UCLA art major - Personal Statement Example Since an early age, my parents instilled in me a love for art and a respect for various artistic disciplines. I attended painting and drawing classes every week since 7 years of age until 15 years of age. I came to the U.S. from Taiwan at a young age. I fully credit my parents with having given me the tools to succeed in the art world in the U.S. My parents passed on to me their interest in collecting paintings of a wide variety. Therefore, we have an art gallery at home full of famous paintings from both Taiwan and China. My parents consistently took myself and my siblings to art galleries, and is still one of our favorite family activities when we get together. Regarding my own personal interest in art, I’ve participated in numerous painting and drawing contests. When I moved to the United States for high school, I attended a creative and performing arts school in San Diego and continued working on my artistic talent. After high school, I developed my other interests in desi gn. I chose to work on fashion design. Fashion is art to me. I wanted to pursue art on a different level, however. After graduating from college, I wanted to have more formal higher education experience focused not just on art as it is studied in traditional schools, but also study art at another level at UCLA. My purpose in pursuing this graduate degree in art at UCLA is undergirded by the fact that I know UCLA is an excellent school with a stellar reputation in this field. UCLA also has respect for diversity in its student body, which was important to me in selecting a grad school program. The UCLA faculty is very experienced and knowledgeable in several aspects of the art world, which was also another key factor in deciding to apply here. I sincerely feel that attending UCLA will help me become a better artist. My ultimate goals in obtaining a graduate degree in art are to: 1) own my own gallery; 2) share my art with the public at large; and 3) work with art museums and/or galler ies in order to restore and preserve masterpieces for posterity, so our children and grandchildren will still be able to appreciate creative pieces from master artists. Obtaining a graduate degree in art at UCLA would not only serve to bolster my experience and interest in art, but would also help provide a schema for how to realize my dreams. Wanting to become well-known in the art world, I believe this degree would give me instant credibility that would signify my expertise in not only dealing with art but creating it. I thank you for reading and for your thoughtful consideration of my application in light of the above-stated comments. Personal Accomplishments, Community Pride: A Response to Prompt #2 I have accomplished many personal achievements in my lifetime, but I consider many of these achievements as exemplars for my community (including my family). Having grown up as an immigrant, I realize the incredible opportunities that coming to America gave me and my family. I will b e forever grateful for those. Undertaking this graduate degree in art from UCLA, therefore, is not only a source of personal accomplishment but a symbol of community pride for everyone I know and love that contributes to my culture—both in the U.S. and in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, I won the first-place award for the Taiwan Shei-Pa National Park’s official drawing contest when I was only an 11-year-old elementary school student—chosen from all the student contestants in all of Taiwan. When I came to attend high

This paper will apply project management skills to Brown Educational Case Study

This paper will apply project management skills to Brown Educational Gaming studio Ltd - Case Study Example Also, we will discuss the process of exploring the model, arriving at recommended actions and implementing these actions within the culture of the organization. "Brown Educational Gaming Company (BEG) is a UK-based educational gaming company specialising in young children's educational games. The company has operated from the start through projects, starting with the development of two major and highly successful games. Now there are many more; no-one quite know how many projects are taking place at BEG at present if the truth be known. BEG has just completed their fourth year of operation. The company has received a large influx of capital for growth by issuing stock privately through an investment bank. The return on investment for the 2006 and 2007 was 80% per year and for 2007-08 will be 25%. Parents and grandparents of young children have been buying BEG products almost as fast as they are developed. Every member of the 56-person firm is enthusiastic and looking forward to helping the firm grow to be the largest and best educational gaming company in the world. The founder of the firm, Sally Peters, has been awarded the accolade of The Guardian Business Woman of the Year 2007 for her ability to develop an organizational culture in which all stakeholders are committed to innovation, continuous improvement and organizational learning. Last year, the 10 top managers of B... This year the same 10 managers had a weekend away in a 4 star hotel in Barcelona, to formulate next year's strategic plan, using the same strategic plan. Most executives seem to have a consensus of where the firm should go in the intermediate and long-term, but there is little consensus on how this should be accomplished. Peters, now Managing Director of BEG feels she may be losing control. The frequency of conflicts seems to be increasing. Some individuals are always requested for any new project created. When resource conflicts occur among projects, each project managers believes his or her project is most important. More projects are not meeting deadlines and are coming in over budget. Yesterday's management meeting revealed some top BEG talent have been working on an international business game for college students. This project does not fit the organization's vision or market niche. At times it seems everyone is doing what they like. Somehow more focus is needed to ensure everyo ne agrees on how strategy should be implemented, given the resources available to the organization. Yesterday's meeting alarmed Peters. These emerging problems are coming at a bad time. Next week BEG is increasing the size of the organization, the number of new products and its marketing effort. Fifteen new people will join BEG next month. Peters is concerned that policies be in place that will ensure that the new people are used most productively. An additional potential problem looms on the horizon. Other gaming companies have noticed the success of BEG; recently one rival company tried to hire a key product development employee away from BEG. Peters wants BEG to be ready to meet any potential competition head on and to discourage any new entries

Statement of Purpose for UCLA art major Personal

Of Purpose for UCLA art major - Personal Statement Example Since an early age, my parents instilled in me a love for art and a respect for various artistic disciplines. I attended painting and drawing classes every week since 7 years of age until 15 years of age. I came to the U.S. from Taiwan at a young age. I fully credit my parents with having given me the tools to succeed in the art world in the U.S. My parents passed on to me their interest in collecting paintings of a wide variety. Therefore, we have an art gallery at home full of famous paintings from both Taiwan and China. My parents consistently took myself and my siblings to art galleries, and is still one of our favorite family activities when we get together. Regarding my own personal interest in art, I’ve participated in numerous painting and drawing contests. When I moved to the United States for high school, I attended a creative and performing arts school in San Diego and continued working on my artistic talent. After high school, I developed my other interests in desi gn. I chose to work on fashion design. Fashion is art to me. I wanted to pursue art on a different level, however. After graduating from college, I wanted to have more formal higher education experience focused not just on art as it is studied in traditional schools, but also study art at another level at UCLA. My purpose in pursuing this graduate degree in art at UCLA is undergirded by the fact that I know UCLA is an excellent school with a stellar reputation in this field. UCLA also has respect for diversity in its student body, which was important to me in selecting a grad school program. The UCLA faculty is very experienced and knowledgeable in several aspects of the art world, which was also another key factor in deciding to apply here. I sincerely feel that attending UCLA will help me become a better artist. My ultimate goals in obtaining a graduate degree in art are to: 1) own my own gallery; 2) share my art with the public at large; and 3) work with art museums and/or galler ies in order to restore and preserve masterpieces for posterity, so our children and grandchildren will still be able to appreciate creative pieces from master artists. Obtaining a graduate degree in art at UCLA would not only serve to bolster my experience and interest in art, but would also help provide a schema for how to realize my dreams. Wanting to become well-known in the art world, I believe this degree would give me instant credibility that would signify my expertise in not only dealing with art but creating it. I thank you for reading and for your thoughtful consideration of my application in light of the above-stated comments. Personal Accomplishments, Community Pride: A Response to Prompt #2 I have accomplished many personal achievements in my lifetime, but I consider many of these achievements as exemplars for my community (including my family). Having grown up as an immigrant, I realize the incredible opportunities that coming to America gave me and my family. I will b e forever grateful for those. Undertaking this graduate degree in art from UCLA, therefore, is not only a source of personal accomplishment but a symbol of community pride for everyone I know and love that contributes to my culture—both in the U.S. and in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, I won the first-place award for the Taiwan Shei-Pa National Park’s official drawing contest when I was only an 11-year-old elementary school student—chosen from all the student contestants in all of Taiwan. When I came to attend high