Week 1 discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Week 1 discussion 2 - Essay Example For example, pronunciation of words with /s/ or /z/ requires one to keep the tongue locked behind the teeth. Use of symbolic sound: this refers to one syllable words or sounds that are easy to produce; for example, â€Å"moo† or â€Å"woof†. Using symbolic sounds encourages vocalization and allows children to relate words with similar sounds; hence, pronounce them in the same way. Observation skills: comprise of skills that require children to focus on a specified task. In relation to pronunciation difficulties the instructor might assign a simple observation task to the student. This task will require the child to observe the instructor’s mouth as he/she pronounces different sounds. Activities and strategies to help develop Speech and Language Skills. (2013, January 15). Retrieved from i Communicate: http://www.icommunicatetherapy.com/child-speech-language/child-speech-language-development/activities-strategies-help-develop-speech-language-skills/ Gagen, M. R. (2007, January 13). Addressing Speech Difficulties During Reading Instruction Tips for Helping a Child Pronounce Specific Sounds. Retrieved from Right Track Reading:

Health Promotion Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Promotion Activity - Essay Example Also the organization would have low employee turnover as the employees appreciate the organization’s concern about their wellbeing (Infinite Wellness Solutions, 2008) At present numerous health issues need to be addressed and selecting one among those is a challenging task. However, in recent times obesity has garnered the attention of everyone as this medical condition leads to many complications such as cardiac problems and diabetes. There have been a lot of studies which have demonstrated the prevalence of the condition in most of the families in America. Statistics reveal that in 2003-2004, the risk of overweight percentage in children and adolescents was 33.6% with the percentage of overweight children being 17.1%. This is a considerable increase when compared to the results of the year 1999-2000 (Ortiz, 2006). The prevalence of the condition has increased in the recent times due to the fast pace of life, increased consumption of junk food and lack of physical activity. However, this condition can be brought under control with lifestyle changes and support and would offer a lot of positive outcomes for both the employee and the organization. After identifying the problem that needs to be addressed the next step is to garner the support of the management. The organization should understand the significance of the health promotion activity and should be able to allot adequate funds for the implementation of the same. The next step would be to set goals for the activity and then form a health promotion team or a planning committee (Infinite Wellness Solutions, 2008). Goals need to be established in order to proceed and accomplish what you hope the program will do. It serves as a sort of framework identifying the current situation and the future course after the implementation of the program. A person would head the committee and would focus primarily on the activity, strategies for making the program work and to meet the

A Business Plan of Medical Services Marketing Essay

A Business Plan of Medical Services Marketing Essay The medical tourism industry is in a rapid state of growth, both in Singapore and globally. Growth in consumer demand for health services delivered by foreign medical professionals continues to grow for a variety of reasons, including insufficient regional health care systems and the growing expense of performing domestic procedures in their countries of origin. Sometimes, booking a medical tourism package is simply an excuse to visit a foreign land whilst also to consolidate their travel interests and save costs. This growth in medical tourism provides enormous opportunities for launching Singapore MedTours and ensuring it can grow and be sustained. Medical Services Tourism is not without many business risks, including high levels of competition from intermediary companies designed to help consumers plan itineraries for medical services. There are also risks to the client that must be considered, including ensuring that they fully understand their own health risks so as to secure liability factors for the business itself. In terms of strategic objectives, a comprehensive risk management system must be developed. However, outside of these risks, profit potential is quite considerable due to the large customer demand that exists in many different foreign countries. Singapore was chosen as the country to launch the new Medical Services Tourism Company because of its award-winning infrastructure, the ability to raise new capital through a variety of means and even for the education system that can provide quality employment for the business by skilled professionals. Singapore is ideal for Medical Services Tourism and this business plan provides a comprehensive plan for the launch of the company. 2.0 Business description Medical tourism involves availing medical procedure in a foreign country. Westerners form a large segment of medical tourists who are attracted to quality healthcare and large savings as compared to the medical costs in their own countries. The patients then can take a vacation in the host country after receiving their medical treatments. Often patients can cover their surgery expense, flight and hotel accommodation charges for quarter of the operation cost they would have paid in their country (Puah, 2008). The Company would be named Singapore MedTours and it will be a Private Limited Company (See Appendix 1). The firm will act as an agent that facilitates tourism of international citizens looking for quality and affordable health care that they might not be able to achieve in their home country. It will be a start-up company with an onsite facility for receipt of travellers and to satisfy their inquiries on medical tourism. The agency will make profit by charging commission on these transfers and any additional profitability received from supplementary, non-medical tourism that might be booked through the agents or its online website. Mission Our mission  is to provide Safe, Affordable and Quality health care options to our customers through world class health care system of Singapore. Source: Author 2.2 Industry background The medical tourism market has nearly doubled in recent years, and is currently valued at over $20 billion every year (Gaddum, 2010). This makes medical tourism ideal as a profit-generating business with huge growth potential. Medical tourism fills a valuable niche that is desperately needed in countries with bureaucratically flawed or unaffordable healthcare (discovermedicaltourism.com, 2008, p.2). One of the reasons that make foreign travel so appealing to a variety of international tourists is in areas of cost. For example, in the United States, it might cost approximately $30,000 for a knee replacement surgery, where in Singapore these costs will be much less at only $18,000 (placidway.com, 2010). It is largely this cost difference, for the same medical expertise, that is making medical tourism such a booming business not just in Singapore. Some of the major countries that are offering Medical Tourism in the world are: Countries Medical Inbound Tourists 2002 2004 2005 2006 Thailand 390,000 520,000 Malaysia 210,000 320,000 374,000 410,000 Singapore 117,000 179,000 India 100,000 150,000 Source: http://www.ihf-fih.org/pdf/25-28.pdf Singapore is among the most attractive destinations for health care travelling. The country has been awarded as the Best Medical/Wellness Tourism Destinationin 2007 and will be the Leading Destination for Health Care Service in Southeast Asia (MedTourismReview, n.d). 2.3 Goals and Potential of the Business According to Singapores minister of trade and industry; Singapore is a good place to raise funds, both equity and loans, including venture capital. (Satapathy, 2003, p.1745). Singapore was chosen as the start up location because of the ease of access for funds related to the launch as well as securing future loans or capital for improvement and expansion of the business. Because of the quality availability to investment funds and other loan-generating entities in Singapore, the business has several goals for short term gain: Source: Author A long term goal of Singapore MedTours is to create an internationally-recognised name in medical tourism that outperforms competition. There is massive potential for creating a strong marketing presence internationally based not only on growing consumer demand, but because of the systems already in place in Singapore to assist in developing a sound advertising programme with higher global exposure. 2.4 Uniqueness of service Singapore MedTours will have several unique features designed to make it outperform competitive entities in this industry. Singapore MedTours would offer a low-risk guarantee to enable the customers in moving forward with their medical tour with strong faith. In any case if after arriving at the destination, the conditions of treatment seem unacceptable to the client, we will give the liberty to cancel the surgery. The only charge the client will be responsible of is the air fare and accommodation. To our knowledge, were the only medical tourism company  that  offers this type of protection in Singapore. Also MedTours would be unique in supplementary services related to medical tourism that will improve profitability and improve the word of mouth reputation for the business. Offers the founder of Scotland-based Company Globe Health Tours; This is a huge word of mouth business (Crawford, 2006, p.1). Therefore, Singapore MedTours will be equipped with high quality service dimensions that please the travelling tourist and also improve customer relationships using advanced CRM systems (Customer Relationship Management software). 3.0 Marketing Marketing will be crucial to the success of this new business launch because of the importance of word of mouth to the company. With high levels of competition in this industry, an improved and superior marketing presence must be available and the funds needed to make this a reality will be allocated to this effort. 3.1 Target market identified There is no one, singular market available to this business because of the ability to capture the attention of many different consumers hailing from many international locations. No two patients are the same, either in their needs or the type of journey they either want or require (newsweekshowcase.com, 2010, p.1). This means that it would be quite difficult for the business to isolate a single target market strategy that would fit the needs of the majority of travellers who look toward our services. However, despite these unique consumer needs, medical tourism industry is dominated by patients from United States. In 2008 alone estimates put that more than 1.3 Americans travelled abroad for the exclusive purpose of seeking medical care (Health-Tourism.com, 2008). The marketing strategy should take into consideration the high volume of customers that will come from this region and use communications strategies that fit the needs of this high profit-generating customer client. Other international customers will be measured using software and database tools to determine which international location brings the highest volume of customers, and ongoing, future research methods will be used to determine their needs as they arise. Market Survey Research Objectives To analyze the growth potential for the business. To analyze the consumer needs according to their relative priority. To analyze the level of favourable consumer expenditure. Customer Profiling and Characteristics Customer profiling is important as it aids in identifying and catering to customers in every possible way (Anderson, 1997, pg 71). Based on the market survey conducted, most of the respondents show favourable response for medical tourism. A majority of respondents with negative response towards medical tourism shifted to need more information aspect when medical tourism benefits were mentioned. However the two main factors motivating respondents to be favourable to medical tourism are cost savings and high quality healthcare from internationally accredited hospitals. The most preferred service attribute is high standards of service with considerable savings indicating that not all consumers bargain hunters. It also indicates that respondents are not willing to compromise on quality for cost reduction. Determining the critical factors for success majority of respondents preferred English speaking population and highly accredited hospitals. The most influential means of promotion is word of mouth followed by hospital referrals and company website. In addition, with the various competitors positioning and competitive comparisons, most consumers decisions are influenced by Brand equity and awareness play an important role. Target market Based on the Market Survey conducted, Singapore MedTours will focus on target markets which are of high growth potential. The market is divided into the following segments which in turn will provide the company with clear focus to direct its marketing strategies Geographic segmentation: North American Citizens. Demographic segmentation: Age: 45-65 Income: U.S $24000- $70000 Psychographic segmentation: Customers keen on quality of service and interested in good savings while not in favour to comprise on safety. US Medical Tourism Market According to the Market indicators United States medical tourism has got good prospects in coming decade and beyond. In the United States, medical surgeries are very expensive, and every year millions of Americans default to pay for the health care expenses they require they are either uninsured, uninsurable or underinsured. According to a study in 2007 50% of personal bankruptcies are related to medical crises (Star Health Vacations, 2010). 3.2 Market size and trends In 2006, Singapore drew 410,000 international customers that received medical services primarily in form of Liver Transplants, Cardiac Surgery, and Joint Replacement (Hadi, 2009). And this number of inbound patients will exceed 1 million by 2012, with forecasted value of 3 Billion USD (The Internet Journal of healthcare Administration, 2010). Scotland-based Globe Health Tours experienced a 600 percent increase in business only after six months of operations (Crawford, 2006). In all, Singapore Medical Tourism is aiming to become a leading health care destination in all Asia and it witnessed a steady growth of 11.9% per year from 2004 to 2008 (prlog.org, 2009). 3.3 Competition Intensive competition exists in medical tourism, both internationally and in Singapore itself. Therefore, the company must create strong marketing presence and advertising know-how to make the business outperform competition step by step or service by service. Within the country, there are currently 29 hospitals that already provide health services to foreign travellers, with services being performed by over 7,000 physicians and 15,000 registered nurses (health-tourism.com, 2010). Because these hospitals already have contracts and/or relationships with other health tourism agents, there is a great deal of marketing work that needs to be performed by the business to make it stand out and be the preferred agency for these profitable customer groups. This well-developed network of physicians and agencies can be quite risky to the business model and require competitive focus to ensure improved customer preferences for the company. U.S agencies operating in Singapore: There are several U.S based medical tourism agencies, like Health Base Medical Tourism Agency, Planet Hospital, which are providing health tourism services in Singapore to patients of America. The companies are similar to each other only differing in the fact that they are tied up with different hospitals in different locations. U.S Agencies operating in other medical tourism countries: These agencies are tied up with budding medical tourism countries such as India, Thailand, etc. Key players include World Med Assist, Indus health, Quest Tourism, Med Journeys, Med Retreat SWOT Analysis of Singapore MedTours Strength Well trained staff with heavy focus on building customer relationship before and after their stay in Singapore. Creating an easy to use Website and employing advance Customer Relationship Software to attract and retain clients interested in Medical Tourism. Singapore is ranked 6th in world for the quality of health care provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Medical tourists should not be able to witness chaotic events during their stay in comparison to the other Asian countries as Singapore is urbanized and clean country. JCI-certified hospitals and healthcare facilities are found in abundance throughout Singapore. English is one of Singapores official dialects. Though the cost of healthcare in Singapore is not as low as India or Thailand but they are still lower in comparison to Western Europe and the USA. Weakness The cost expenses in medical processes and treatments in Singapore are relatively high when compared to other Asian medical tourism countries like Thailand, Malaysia and India. The geographical location of Singapore is such that the climate is rather hot and humid which maybe a hindrance to the westerners especially during the post procedure and recovery stages. Accommodation, transportation and the cost of goods in Singapore is more expensive as compared to other Asian countries The travel times to Singapore are considerably very lengthy for the US medical patients. Opportunities World-class tourism service industry present in Singapore can help in recruiting best talent for the Medical Tourism. High market Growth Healthcare services from countries with aging population increasingly seek medical tourism. U.S. workforce is seen to be increasing more in context to globalization Low-cost global air travel had made Singapore all the more accessible for inbound patients. Employers and health plans targeting commercial populations have become accepting of the various benefit of medical tourism. Threats There is seen to be fierce competition posed by other Asian medical tourism countries like Malaysia, India and Thailand. Popularity of Medical Tourism may encourage more competition to open business in Singapore. New technological breakthroughs can make previously very expensive healthcare affordable in the clients home country. Global endemic outbreaks like H1N1, SARS, and Bird-flu etc in western countries can inhibit travel of foreign travellers to Singapore as government may impose restrictions. Source: Author 3.4 Estimated Market Share In order to estimate the market share few of the assumptions has been taken into account: That the rate of people seeking foreign medical services continues to grow at the same pace, with 1 million people entering Singapore in 2012 for this purpose. Very High volume of competition present in the country. Based on the above two considerations the firm is taking the minimum target of just 0.1% Market share, i.e., 1000 customers for the 1st year which it plans to grow to 1,500 in 2nd year and by 2013 the target is to reach 2,000 customers. The firm believes that this extremely low market share can be easily achievable by utilizing good marketing and promotion strategy and following best practices in the business. 3.5 Market strategy Positioning MedTours intends to work on a clear positioning statement of Quality, You can be Assured off which encourages customers to have complete faith in the company. The company will position itself as a reliable and friendly agency with utmost importance given to customer safety. The point of difference which separates the company from its competitors is the Quality Guarantee what the company provides and the idea of personalization of medical tours. This will help the company stay competitive while being positioned as a differentiated medical tourism agency. To be able to live up to the positioning the company will tie up with best in class hospitals and service providers with highest priority given to details of service dimensions. The company will purchase advanced CRM systems to improve overall delivery of customer services. The business will use, as one, marketing strategy, advanced training for its employees related to customer service to make the short encounter with the company one that is remembered and would help in creating good word-of-mouth publicity. Product Singapore MedTours will offer best of the medical services present in the Singapore by getting tie-ups with world-class hospitals of Singapore. Specific focus will be made on JCI-Accredited (Joint Commission International) hospitals like Alexandra Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Raffles Hospital, Parkway Group etc; so that inbound patients from US and other countries are assured that they are getting best quality service in a very safe environment. Services Offered By Singapore MedTours The following are the exact nature of services being offered by Singapore MedTours. Personal  preferences of patients would be given priority to select best hospitals and doctors. Source: Author Place Singapore MedTours will have a dedicated well-furnished office from where its entire staff can operate. Also in this office the customers would be received first and will be given initial briefing about the Medical Services they would be going through as well as general information about Singapore, its culture, famous tourist attraction etc. The main purpose of the office would be to make sure customers have one single easily identifiable and approachable location from where they could satisfy all their queries and solve their problems during their stay in Singapore. Promotion Approximately 78 percent of all medical travellers use the World Wide Web as their first choice for booking medical tourism (medicaltourism.com, 2010). Because of this high volume, market strategy will include a strong Internet presence that will require the expertise of information technology specialists to give the business a colourful, interactive and engaging online booking experience. The majority of the business will likely come from Internet exploration, therefore the budget must be allocated to a web design that outperforms competition and has the necessary information to make Singapore MedTours their first choice in booking their travel needs. The first publication of choice to improve visibility and awareness in customer groups will be the Medical Tourism Magazine, a bi-monthly publication that is distributed in a variety of international countries. Costs for these ads are $4000 for a full page ad and $2000 for a half page ad (medicaltourismassociation.com, 2010). This is a respected and well established advertising publication that will give Singapore MedTours better marketing presence. The company will purchase half page ads several times yearly to update its literature based on consumer research and success with other marketing formats. Additionally, web-based advertising will be part of the ad strategy that includes links to visit our business website on partnership or contract agreements with different hospitals, travel agencies, and physician websites. The goal of this rather inexpensive advertising method is to simply give the company more ad presence and ensure budget needs are met. Since most customers will not visit the business location prior to making their travel needs, web presence is vital to building higher profit and consumer demand. 3.6 Pricing Cost of Medical Treatment in Singapore If the procedure would cost $6000 in the U.S. financial savings might not be realized by the patients even if the same surgery costs $1500 in other country. By the time the airfare, accommodation and stay charges are covered patients may only realize a break-even scenario (Med Retreat, 2010). Hence with careful consideration the following procedures would be offered by Singapore MedTours. Comparison of cost between Medical procedures in USA and Singapore Source: http://www.health-tourism.com/singapore-medical-tourism/ Although the industry standard is 15% (See Appendix X) for each referral to the hospital by an agency but the firm would initially keep the commission fee at minimum 12% in order to gain competitive edge while start-up. This also aligns with our market survey where cost saving has been attributed as most important consideration for the customers. People Since this is highly service-oriented industry and the mission of Singapore MedTours is to have best customer experience as possible, so Singapore MedTours will make sure that it will hire competitive employees. Furthermore sufficient training would be given so as and when needed in order to cope up with market demands and competition. Lastly special packages and policies will be design to reward and retain the best employees of the firm. Process Process is extremely important part of any Service-oriented industry. Hence Singapore MedTours will make sure that its process is as efficient and as customer-friendly possible. Quality Control would be done regularly to identify and improve any bottlenecks and promote the best practices. Reviewing and Approving Online Membership Forms: Once an application is filled, detailed information based on the customer requirement will be provided allowing customers to make an informed decision. Assignment of an U.S Consultant to the patient: The consultant would cater to patients medical needs by designing a health tour plan. Informing the Medical Doctor: By sending digital copies of clients medical transcripts to the affiliated doctors for their approval to receive patient. Arranging for a Facilitating interaction between the Client and Surgeon: The process will be coordinated via email, teleconference etc. in this stage. Collection of Expectations Form and Desired `Travel Dates: To plan for exact tour plan. Checking Hotel Reservation at desired dates: The information will be obtained in this stage in order to be able to provide price quotations to the clients. Submitting the final price quotation for the health tour to the client: This is to avoid any further confusion and also to provide relevant information to the client. Deposit of necessary funds for health tour by client into Singapore MedTours bank account. These next few processes occur simultaneously: Finalize Clients medical consultation and surgery dates with the preferred doctor and hospital. Assisting clients in acquisition Passport/Visa Book clients Air Travel Itinerary which best suits their preferences. Reservation of accommodation for client Sending the booked travel and hospital information back to client: Now the client will make the trip from his or her own country to host country (Singapore). Assigning Destination Program Manager (DPM) to the client: Upon arrival of client in Singapore a DPM will be assigned permanently to client and the person will be their Personal assistant throughout the visit. This person will accompany the client to all their doctors appointments and medical treatments. Arranging for Pre-Surgery consultation with the surgeon: This process would be completed within 24 hours of clients arrival. The surgeon would review medical transcripts and tests to ensure that procedure can be performed on the specified dates. Assistance to client during surgical procedure and post surgery recuperation: After the client would be discharged from the hospital they would be accommodated in resort or hotel to begin recuperation process. Arranging for Post treatment vacation: After obtaining an authorization letter from surgeon, an enjoying vacation would be arranged for in Singapore. Assisting for Safe Return home of the clients: At the end of the tour the client will be send back to home country and the assigned US consultant would assist in any post-medical needs. 4.0 Operations Operational aspects of how the business is managed and structured will be key to its success. 4.1 Identify location The main requirements of indentifying the location for our business are: Low cost per square feet, large pedestrian volume and easy access to transportation (Abrams Kleiner 2003, pp67-68). Thus, after searching on the internet and checking the reality of the information with the agent, following address can be an alternative to the location of our business. Source:http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing-in-singapore/singapore-property/code4349017-commercial-industrial-buy-FRONTIER.htm This location, compared with other places, satisfies the above requirements. The charge for buying this office is expected at around 570,000 SGD, and by using the yellow line MRT routine, the dense population of UBI become bigger and bigger. Also two MRT stations (Tai Seng and Macpherson) are very near to the location (gothere.com). The business prefers to buy the office instead of renting because in 3-4 years time the amount of rent paid would be equal to the total value of the office and since Singapore MedTours is looking for long term viability of the business hence it is buying the office. Source: http://www.gothere.sg/maps#q:52%20ubi%20avenue%203 4.3 Zoning Various Districts of Singapore: Source: http://www.propertyhub.com.sg/images/M_images/singapore_district_map.jpg The Zoning of the office was carefully selected while keeping the following considerations: The office should have as low as possible per square feet cost. It should be present in or near the heart of the city. Also the office should be near the Changi International Airport. The current identified location of the office is in district 14 which is quite near the Central Districts 6 12 of the Singapore. Simultaneously the location is near the District 17 in which the Changi Airport is located. It is very important for the office to be near airport as majority of its firms clients would be international medical tourists who would be arriving via air-travel. 4.4 Taxes The low tax rates and positive and encouraging business policies give Singapore a reputation of attracting FDI. The taxes in Singapore are much lower than most others developed countries and regions (Asia Biz). Whats more, the tax rates have continued to decline significantly over the years (Appendix 2). Therefore, from the tax perspective, Singapore is an attractive nation to do the business. Overall, to our service business, the following kinds of taxes are needed to be considered before starting the business: Income Tax: The amount of Income Tax is based on the income of our companies, and according to Appendix 1, the income tax rate is 17% and as a new start business, some partial tax exemption will be applicable to us. Goods Services Tax GST, also known as VAT, is a broad-based consumption tax levied on the  import of goods, as well as nearly all supplies of goods and services in Singapore. And the rate of GST is 7% (IRAS 2008). Only the sales and leases of properties and financial services need not to pay GST. Therefore, our company needs to pay 7% GST. Stamp Duties Stamp duty is a tax on executed documents relating to properties or interest in properties and shares or interest in shares. Documents such as a lease, sale and purchase, or mortgage of property need to pay stamp duties (Appendix 3). Thus, our company needs to pay this kind of tax. 4.5 Proximity to supplies There will be little concern over supply chain issues because of the quality distribution system that exists in Singapore. But also, the business will only need access to marketing literature and internal office/software support systems that can be easily procured with its renowned infrastructure for these tools. If the need arises for additional supplies, there are 3,000 logistics and supply chain companies operating in Singapore to assist with these needs at no risk to the business (worldcustomsjournal.org, 2007). All supplies needs can be easily satisfied. 4.6 Access of transportation Singapore has a well developed transportation network consisting of Metro Rail Transport (MRT) systems, Bus systems and Taxi Services that are all air conditioned. As it can be found in the location map, the location of our company near to two MRT stations, which provides convenience to our customers to reach our company. The mass rapid transit system in place is comprehensive and connects to almost all parts of the country (Lim, 2008). It is also considered among the best in the world (app.www.sg, 2009). Also with one of the world best airports, Changi International, the access of transportation to other nations is unobstructed (Changi). Transport is no risk to the business and can sustain all traveller needs. 5.0 Management 5.1 Management Team and Key Personnel Singapore MedTours being a private business therefore Management team would initially be comprises of the primary investors of the organization. The following will be the structure of the Management Team: Source: Author Deep Kamal Agarwal (CEO / Financial Director): Deep Kamal Agarwal is successful Information Engineer from an Internationally Accredited College in India. His both parents are respected doctor with over 25 years of experience and hence he has natural affinity and knowledge about the Medical Service Industry. He posses 2 years industry experience as an operational manager in Sunrise Naturopathy Health Resort in India. His forte lies in encountering any business problem and working out prompt solution for it. He believes in holistic business approach and is critical person for the firm to provide vision

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton :: essays research papers

In Cloudstreet, the mysterious figure of the Blackfella appears at key points, mostly to Quick. In each occurrence he appears to represent a different meaning or purpose, but there is an overall symbolic representation, and that is of spirituality. Although he appears to be in physical presence, as in where he talks to Quick, the Blackfella has an overwhelming spiritual presence. This is not represented just through aboriginal symbolism – there are also many biblical references when the Blackfella appears. On page 61 the Blackfella flees from Cloudstreet once he reaches the centre of the house. This portrays a sense of spirituality in the air due to the ancestral deaths that had occurred there. In an imaginary scene on page 178, Fish sees a lack man flying around and over him. This image represents somewhat an impression of the spiritualistic freedom the Blackfella has. On page 208, Quick picks up the Blackfella who has take the role of a hitchhiker. He leads Quick back home to Cloudstreet, but Quick refuses to go back. During the drive to Cloudstreet, a biblical reference is made to the Blackfella. From his bag, he pulls out bread and a wine-like drink, much like the bible story, and this supply appears not to deplete. Quick suspects nothing at all. By page 217, Quick begins to think about who this black man is. Quick had been pulling in hundreds of fish in an almost incomprehensible situation, where he would be catching strings of fish attached to each other. As he is rowing he sees a black figure that appears to be walking on water. As he moves closer he recognises the black figure as the familiar Blackfella. This, again, can be perceived as a biblical reference. Page 326 has a short appearance of the Blackfella to Fish, who sees him across the street from Cloudstreet. As a truck goes by, the Blackfella disappears â€Å"in the dust as it leaves†. This simply gives a supernatural feel to the Blackfella’s presence. Earlier when Quick had given the Blackfella a lift to Cloudstreet, it had appeared that the Blackfella was attempting to guide Quick home. This subtle message was later presented much stronger on page 362 where the Blackfella tells Quick straight up to â€Å"Go home †¦ This is not your home†. Again on page 368 the Blackfella sends Quick home. When Quick turns to face him again, instead of one, there are hundreds of Blackfellas.

A commentary on a passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein

The passage from Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's â€Å"Frankenstein† is a warning to society that we cannot let science get too far out of hand; that knowledge entails social responsibilities. She writes in the style of the 19th Century Romantic Movement, portrayed though her long sentence structures punctuated with commas, colons and semi-colons. The syntax is often inverted from that of modern writing; word use is also different from that of modern writing. The passage is written in first person narration, which means that the reader rarely sees anything outside of the narrator, that is from Frankenstein's perspective. Hence the tone of the writing is mostly reflective and self-critical, but is frequently changing throughout the passage. The passage is very â€Å"Gothic† and explores indecisiveness, horror and pity. The passage commences â€Å"I sat one evening in my laboratory† which conveys a feeling that there is nothing unusual in his sitting there. The word â€Å"evening† is the height of the line, thus stressing the time of day. The â€Å"evening† is often associated with dying and mystery, and so a sense of murky mystery is immediately created in the passage with the â€Å"the sun had set, and the moon was just rising from the sea† which depicts a clear picture of the atmosphere. It illustrates a time of transition, and is a metaphor reflecting the indecisiveness of the scientist, Victor Frankenstein. It is also a reference to nature, which is, along with the long sentence structures of the passage, typical of the 19th Century Romantics. Shelley often uses this long structure to make our voice rise and fall on certain words, so we accent some of them. It makes us concentrate and pause on certain words of importance. The words â€Å"idle† and â€Å"pause†, which are still a continuation of the long first sentence, slow down the sentence reflecting the actual notion of being in thoughtful pause. Next, the sentence continues on to stress the word â€Å"labour†, which explains to the reader what the scientist was thinking about. His contemplation is described with a metaphor present in the beginning of the next sentence, â€Å"a train of refection†. He is, in particular considering â€Å"the effects of what I was now doing†, which implies that his present work could have major effects, and he perhaps has not yet considered them fully. â€Å"now doing† is an example of inversion, as we are accustomed to write ‘doing now' in modern English. This again shows a characteristic of writing in the 19th Century Romantic genre. The tone of the passage is soon turned from reflection to one of regret. The phrase â€Å"bitterest remorse† is used to describe the absolute regret that scientist felt for the action which he had been â€Å"engaged in† three years ago. From his thoughts it becomes apparent to the reader that he had â€Å"created a fiend† three years before and that he is currently creating another. From this we can see that Frankenstein is bitter at both the monster, potentially wanting revenge, and also at himself for creating that monster. The uses of the word â€Å"fiend† shows that Frankenstein believes that the monster is an evil, devilish creature. It is here that we feel that Frankenstein has perhaps gone too far with science, misusing the power of knowledge for self-indulgences, and now reaps the product of this self-indulgence. It portrays how unpredictable and potentially disastrous playing with nature and creation can be. This was a conventional belief of the 19th Century Romantic movement. The narrator then goes on to describe the â€Å"fiend† as having â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†, an example of hyperbole, which implies that the monster he has created is so hideous that he is even odd in his barbarity. However, it can be felt that Frankenstein does not directly blame the monster for his devilish character, but rather its â€Å"unparalleled barbarity†. This implies that the monster became barbaric and evil through circumstances, such as not belonging or being able to relate to anything or anyone, rather than through his basic nature. Frankenstein's uncertainties are further expressed when he illustrates that he is â€Å"ignorant† of his female creation's potential disposition. He hypothesizes that â€Å"she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate†, displaying how evil the creature could be. Shelley makes us pause on the word â€Å"delight† to further describe the possible evil of the creature, as she continues in the sentence to describe that the â€Å"delight† is in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†. This is the first time in this extract that the gender of the new monster becomes apparent. Also, while it is implied that the original monster, was involved in â€Å"murder and wretchedness†, it took no delight in it nor did it for its own sake. As well, to get his point across, Frankenstein again uses hyperbole in order to create an impression of his fear and uncertainty as â€Å"ten thousand times more malignant† implies that any atrocity could occur. â€Å"He had sworn to quit the neighbourhood of man, and hide himself in deserts†. In this line the reader realises that the monster has asked Frankenstein to create a female mate for him, because of his loneliness and desperation; and for this we have pity for the monster. Frankenstein suggests that the female monster might refuse to leave human civilisation, further expressing his doubts in persevering with his â€Å"labour†. Frankenstein's thoughts reflect the fact that this female creation â€Å"in all probability was to become a thinking and reasoning animal†, but at the same time lower her to the status of a savage â€Å"animal†, and so, once again, demonstrating his loathing of the original monster. â€Å"the creature who already lived loathed his own deformity, and might he not conceive a greater abhorrence for it when it came before his eyes in the female form?† – is Frankenstein's consideration for the fact that the two monsters might have a loathing for each other. This view is probably originating from 19th century social belief that the female's main function was to look attractive and be obedient. â€Å"She also might turn with disgust from him to the superior beauty of man† is written in, what is to us an arrogant tone, as we feel that Frankenstein is much too biased towards â€Å"man†, although voicing the general convention of the time that humans were the peak of creation. Thus, we feel even more pity for the monster. In a way, this is once again Shelley's way of reflecting society's view of women in her time. Women, like the monster created, were lonely, helpless and had no power. The monster has no choice for a mate other than another of his kind, a kind whose appearance he finds horrible. He is helpless. Frankenstein also suggests that â€Å"she might quit him, and he be again alone, exasperated by the fresh provocation of being deserted by one of his own species.† This suggests that the monster is destined to be alone, deserted by even his own kind, simply because of his appearance. The second paragraph of the passage mentions the â€Å"deserts of the new world†, which returns us to the theme of the Romantic writer's exploration of nature, with the idea of â€Å"new world†. Even so, the tone of the paragraph soon changes to one of fear. There is a shift from the sympathy of the previous paragraph, and Frankenstein's fear becomes apparent. He soon talks about how one of the first â€Å"sympathies for which the daemon thirsted would be children†. The description of the monster as a â€Å"daemon†, once again depicts Frankenstein's view of the monster as being purely malicious. He fears that a whole â€Å"race of devils would be propagated upon the earth†. Frankenstein fears that this â€Å"race of devils† would make the human race â€Å"full of terror† or, at worst, destroy the human race. Then, changing into a tone of nobility, and even a hint of egoism, he asks himself – â€Å"Had I a right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?† From this he implies that the world depended on his action, and that he should not be selfish for his own safety, which is a change from his previously self-centred thoughts. He refers to the monster as a curse, an indication of its perceived position, and perhaps also the theological implications of the monster's presence. However, Frankenstein does not mention the best possibility of his situation – that the monster would just quietly go, and remain out of the reach of human civilisation. The description, nevertheless portrays Frankenstein's view of the monster as being malevolent, as well as his discontented belief that the monster would show any sympathy to the human race. Frankenstein realises how craftily the monster had lured him into making the female monster, with the â€Å"sophisms† put forth. Despite all of the disastrous results of Frankenstein's creation of the original monster, and Frankenstein's fear and horror, the monster managed to persuade Frankenstein through a combination of sophisms and â€Å"fiendish threats† to create him a female mate. Again Frankenstein realises the potential importance of his actions, and the fact he could become famous for his self-centred actions. Here the cunning of the monster becomes apparent to the reader, but a sense of pity is still felt for the monster, who could relate to no one. The next paragraph is commenced with an ambiguous statement, â€Å"I trembled, and my heart failed within me†. We are left with a sense of uncertainty as to the source of all this terror – was it the fear of creating the monster he was working on, or the fear of the monster that already lived? This is answered later on in the fifth paragraph of the passage where we find that it is the thought of resuming his â€Å"labours† that is the cause. On â€Å"looking up†, Frankenstein sees the monster at the window. The tone of the passage at this point changes to one of fearfulness and absolute terror, reflecting how weak Frankenstein is compared to his creation. This fear is reflected through the description of how â€Å"a ghastly grin wrinkled his lips†. The word â€Å"ghastly† reflects the fact that the monster is not ‘human', rather a mythological savage. The monster is described as having ‘allotted' the task of creating the female monster to Frankenstein. The use of the word ‘allotted' implies that the monster has gained power over Frankenstein, through terror and cunning. Frankenstein's fear is further conveyed when we find that the monster is, through his desperation, ‘stalking' Frankenstein, to ensure that he attains his female companion. Frankenstein then tells us that the monster had an expression of â€Å"the utmost extent of malice and treachery.† At this point of the paragraph, Frankenstein kills all sympathy that we had previously felt for the monster, portraying him in the dimmest, most horrific light. Hyperbole is also being used, to exaggerate this effect. This treacherous look leads Frankenstein, to come to his senses and destroy the monster in a fit of rage. He describes himself as â€Å"trembling with passion†. He is so overcome with rage and fear that he trembles. His enraged strength is enough to tear the monster to pieces, again demonstrating the intensity of his anger, fear and horror. The destruction of this female creation was the destruction of all chances of happiness that the existing monster could grasp. The monster is now referred to as â€Å"The wretch†, making him seem helpless. Calling him this also projects the fact that all happiness has been destroyed. This is a contrast to his previous descriptions as a â€Å"daemon†, an image of strength. The monster again becomes subject to the sympathy of the reader. The monster is described as giving a â€Å"howl of devilish despair†. By howling, he is reduced to being almost an animal. The fact that he is howling with revenge implies that he has not yet been defeated, and Frankenstein has perhaps secured his own downfall. As well, the device of alliteration is evident here: the two ‘d's in â€Å"devilish despair† emphasising the plight of the monster. The fifth paragraph switches back into a tone of reflection. He speaks of never resuming his labours again, making a â€Å"solemn vow†. From this we see the absolute remorse Frankenstein feels in his heart for creating the first monster, as well as his sense of absolute helplessness. The next paragraph is a contrast to the rest of the passage. It is written in a lighter, Romantic tone, presenting a sense of calmness and tranquillity. It is a description of nature, another trait of the 19th Century Romantics when he describes a ‘few fishing vessels alone speckled the water†, portraying how nature can overcome man. A sense of mystery is created as the paddling of oars and a person landing their boat near Frankenstein's house interrupts this calm. The arrival of the boat is shortly followed by the slow opening of a door, the creaking of the door suggests the slowness, which creates a sense of imminent peril. We are left with a sense of mystery, as even though we predict that it is the monster, we do not know who is at the door.

Ptlls Understanding of Inclusive Learning

In inclusive learning we need to consider the diversity of a student body and make efforts not to exclude anyone be it intended or unintended. â€Å"Some students could feel excluded during your session if their particular needs are not met,† Gravells (2012:56). Inclusive learning is simply â€Å"involving all students, treating them equally and fairly,† Gravells (2012:56). The field of self-defence includes physical, philosophical and physiological elements which allows for a large range of learning and teaching strategies.A new course would begin with the filling out of an enrolment form and discussions which give participants an initial platform to put across any concerns or specific needs, the initial discussion can also be used as an icebreaker that everyone is involved with. A great deal of self-defence training will be scenario based giving the students the freedom to work and discuss their own scenarios and also those from other student’s viewpoints. When the discussions and enrolment forms are completed I would be able to better tailor the learning and teaching strategies some of which are: The participants will be shown a technique/drill with explanation which can include a handout. This method is directed by the instructor to allow the students to see and come to some understanding of what is expected and some of problems they may face. (Presentations – the didactic approach/ the psychomotor domain). †¢ They will then move on to practice the technique so that there can be a greater understanding of how it feels to do, rather than see or be told (Participative/interaction/ the psychomotor domain).The student can be individually assessed and alterations can be suggested, finally an open discussion and general assessment of that which has been learnt will allow the students to put forward any queries or suggestions. †¢ Group work will be introduced in which the group can discuss various self-defence scenarios, role playing or work in a team when analysing case studies, before presenting their findings (Discovery/search/ the affective domain/ the cognitive domain).The range of learning strategies used in a typical self-defence lesson allows for a more effective lesson and more motivated students, â€Å"studies have shown that over a period of three days, learning retention is as follows. †¢ 10% of what you read †¢ 20% of what you hear †¢ 30% of what you see †¢ 50% of what you see and hear †¢ 70% of what you say †¢ 90% of what you say and do. (Pike 1989) If your students can incorporate reading, hearing, seeing, saying and doing during your session, their learning retention should increase. Gravells (2012:30) Because the fields of read, hear, see, say and do are covered in the self-defence class the opportunity for a learner to participate fully are increased. Flemings VARK: Visual, Aural, Read/Write, Kinaesthetic Gravells (2012:31) also looks at the differing lear ning styles which are used within the lessons to support learners. From a self defence perspective: demonstrating and explaining a technique (Visual/Aural) with the added handout (Read/write) followed by practice and discussion (kinaesthetic) follows Fleming’s principles of the four learning styles.Aspects of inclusive learning include: †¢ Entitlement: everyone is entitled to fair treatment and the chance to learn. There can be no bias towards an individual or group because of who they are their background, lifestyle, or situation. There must be an understanding that even getting to a course for some can be problematic whether it be financial, childcare, access or any number of reasons, there are many ways to help a student access the learning they require, whether it be via private organisations, charities or government funding. Equality: â€Å"can be described as everyone is different, but having equal rights. † Gravel (2012:54) Although students will have their individuality they should be treated equally regardless of their, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, gender , gender identity, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership or age. â€Å"Students seem keen to fit in at university and tend to focus on the similarities between themselves and other students.But when it comes to classroom learning, they value having their individual academic and social identities acknowledged and their particular needs addressed. † Hockings (2008:3) †¢ Inclusivity: It is of importance that the tutor makes all efforts to include all students in the learning environment. Correctly planning lessons, creating a friendly non judgmental atmosphere and including a range of teaching styles will help learners feel included.By understanding the needs of the individual, social, physical and academic the tutor can eliminate any feelings of exclusion. †¢ Diversity: Everyone is different and these differences need to be valued, the tolerance of different cultures, beliefs, races, ages and gender to name a few, needs to be of importance not only to the tutor but the students as well. Creating a classroom atmosphere of valuing and understanding individual experiences and views can be achieved through ground rules and by the example set by the tutor. Differentiation: With the understanding that all students are different the tutor will need to plan the lessons around these differences by using the various teaching methods available or acquiring the resources that will make the students learning experience a productive one. The inclusion of inclusive learning techniques will be selected in response to an individual’s needs; this information can be garnered via enrolment forms, induction or an informal chat.Sometimes a learner will not want to divulge information or may not be aware of or think certain information is important the tailoring of teaching techniques may then come into effect due to formal or informal assessments. Once the assessments and enrolments are completed I would then be able to plan the lessons to suit, some examples are: †¢ Role play: an important part of self-defence training is working through realistic scenarios one way of accomplishing this is through role play.This method of training can be good for those that aren’t confident in their literacy or language and although some may find it embarrassing, it can be a good way for a class to bond while developing the social skills needed in self-defence. †¢ Handouts or PowerPoint: A good way to reinforce some of the physical training is to precede or follow up with some written material, this will engage those that learn better through reading and writing, it can even have a different impact with the use of interesting visuals. Handouts can also be taken home for future reference. †¢ Demonstration and imitation: demonstrating a technique by breaking it down nto easily manageabl e sections whilst giving accurate and precise instructions will give the student a good grounding in how the movement should be performed, but the real learning will be achieved when the student begins to practice the move themselves. This method allows the students to find or feel their way through a technique and will allow both the tutor and student the opportunity to assess and make alterations where needed on an individual basis. There will be many resources available to meet the needs of the learner which again would need to be assessed on an individual basis.Correctly chosen resources can help to engage learners and promote a fuller learning experience although the methods used would need to be constantly evaluated for effectiveness. Examples of this could be: †¢ video: The use of a short film or can be beneficial for those that have language or reading difficulties or prefer to learn by seeing as this resource can introduce effective images which at times can explain an idea better than words alone. A film can also alter the momentum of a class if attention spans begin to suffer from prolonged periods of work.Questions can be put to the students to assess what they have learned from the film. †¢ Assistant (voluntary or paid): Within any course there may be learners that need extra help, be it physical, emotional or academic. When this is identified the tutor can begin the process with their organisation for a learning support assistant to support those in need. †¢ Flip chart: this can be an invaluable and versatile resource as it can be used actively in the lesson to show brainstorming ideas or have pre-prepared material which can be revealed at the appropriate time.It will be limited to the literacy or artistic abilities of those using it (tutor or student) and may be hard for some to follow if their reading ability or eyesight is at a low level, the tutor will also need to make sure that what they put down is legible. Within the self-d efence scenario assessment opportunities can be created by: †¢ Viewing: viewing learners repeatedly practicing techniques on striking pads or working with a partner will allow assessment and alterations on an individual basis.This is an informal method which also allows for discussion between the tutor and student to clarify any queries that may arise and can be used by the tutor to gage a student’s understanding of a technique. The downfall of this method is that it can be time consuming, to alleviate this problem the tutor can monitor from a distance and involve the whole group in any alterations which need to be made, in this way no one person needs to be singled out. Group work (large or small): a group can work though and discuss awareness scenarios or drills such as assessing the dangers and opportunities in a room before presenting their findings. This method can bond a group and promote discussion which can also become a self assessment exercise. This method may become a problem for those who are less confident and may feel overpowered by those with greater confidence. †¢ Formal assessment: Formal assessments can be set up within the syllabus at certain points to allow students to show their progress.The tutor would need to make clear any requirements or what the student will be assessed on and when assessments will take place at the beginning of the course, they will need to include a written list, maybe a tick box sheet which can be used to gage a students’ knowledge or skill. In a self-defence course a discussion can be added to the end of the assessment for the student to self assess their feelings on being put under scrutiny allowing them to come to an understanding of their own emotions and reactions when put under pressure.Learners can gain opportunities to practice their Literacy and language skills via the handouts or slide presentations associated with the course or being involved in course discussions, presenting and listening to ideas, researching laws and visiting self protection websites. A section of the self-defence course will be the ability to explain what one saw verbally or on paper or accurately reading back information, handouts with purposeful mistakes or with lists of objects previously seen on a slide can be used to develop the skill of accurately seeing.Numeracy can be practiced when taking into account details such as times of events, amounts of people involved or distances with regards to accurately giving statements. ICT skills can be practiced when researching laws, viewing websites relevant to the subject or course, writing statements or using phones or camera’s to capture evidence. Motivating learners in an inclusive environment can be achieved by first nderstanding what it is that motivates those being taught, â€Å"motivation is either intrinsic (from within) meaning the student wants to learn for their own fulfilment, or extrinsic (from without), meaning there may be an external factor motivating the student. † Gravells (2012:40). Once established there are numerous ways to engage and motivate, some examples are: †¢ Creating a relevant learning experience which can be achieved by allowing the students to use their own experiences to form the basis for a lesson (in self-defence this can be achieved by having individuals put forward scenarios to discuss or work through). Keeping the class momentum up by being aware of student attention spans and the need to alter teaching methods if those used are not effective with the current students. †¢ Praise and encourage individual achievements by giving ongoing and constructive feedback through informal assessments or discussions. †¢ Ask open questions which create relevant discussions which will engage students. †¢ Have clear and defined targets so that students are clear as to their goals and what is required on the course. †¢ Use different teaching approaches. Keep the learning interesting and relevant to the course and the individuals attending. Within the learning environment it is necessary to establish ground rules early on, usually in the first lesson so that learners have a framework from which to work which will promote respect for others and set appropriate boundaries so that everyone will understand what is expected from them during the course/lesson. â€Å"If not set, problems may occur which could disrupt the session and lead to misunderstandings or behaviour problems. Gravells (2012:91). Ground rules which are set to promote respect for others must take into account those things which some may regard as innocent but may have a negative effect on other classmates. Often a discussion at the beginning of the course can be used to involve students in the setting of ground rules, some examples are: †¢ Smoking: a no smoking policy can be agreed (smoking indoors is banned although some locations can be exempt), although it would be pru dent and fair to have agreed smoking breaks for those that need them. Offensive language or behaviour: agreeing amongst the group the boundaries set with regards to the use of inappropriate jokes, stereotyping etc. This can be incorporated into a self-defence class with a discussion on how the seemingly innocent actions of an individual may seem offensive to another and cause conflict due to differences in perception. †¢ Respecting others views: Respecting that everyone’s voice has the right to be heard and every opinion is valid, this can be achieved by understanding that it is inappropriate to interrupt or speak over a classmate. Being punctual: It can be put forward that having to wait for an individual disrupts the class flow and can show a lack of regard for those that are punctual and ready to learn. †¢ Turning off mobile phones: again this can be viewed as a disruption and off-putting for those that have the come to and have the right to learn. †¢ The in structor: is integral in the attitude towards others within the lesson, being punctual, professional, respectful and polite from the outset will set the mood of the class and the standard by which others will act.Constructive feedback is an important part of the communication process and can be used to reinforce positive behaviour and alter negative behaviour. Effectively delivered feedback can boost self-esteem and encourage progression. Some ways to give constructive feedback are: †¢ Informal: speaking to an individual or a group during or after an observation or task, allowing for a two-way discussion to clarify any points and focus on positive development. †¢ Formal: written feedback or discussion, again this should also be a two way process where the individual has the opportunity to discuss the feedback.This could be done in two parts, the written feedback and then an individual meeting to discuss the positive steps available for further development. †¢ Specific : Feedback will need to include facts which increase progress. When practicing a physical self-defence technique it can become necessary to alter a student’s movements to improve the technique, this feedback would also need to include the reason for the adjustment to help facilitate better understanding. Awareness: of a student’s reactions to feedback will allow for alterations so as not to offend and hinder progression. A tutors positive body language, tone and use of language can help make the feedback a positive experience. †¢ Praise sandwich: praising the things a student has done well will make them more receptive when listening to the things they need to improve on, following this up with another positive will create the praise sandwich. Research listing:Ann Gravells 2012 Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector: (5th edition) the new award. Hockings 2008 Teaching and learning research briefing, Learning and teaching for diversity and difference in higher education: http://www. tlrp. org/pub/documents/Hockings%20RB%2041%20FINAL. pdf Christine Hockings, April 2010 Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research, http://www. heacademy. ac. uk/resources/detail/evidencenet/Inclusive_learning_and_teaching_in_higher_education_synthesis