Dual Route Model in Adult Reading

Dual Route Model in Adult Reading Introduction Dual route model is the study that defines the changes in the mode of interpreting printed words to sound. Therefore dual route model is associated with the study of reading and spelling and the various assumptions that arise out of the investigation. These assumptions highlight the fact that the processing of the written language is always accomplished by two separate methods called the lexical and non-lexical routes. These two methods are interactive in nature. Reading and spelling in the lexical method always depends on the creation of word specific orthographic and phonological memory representation. All the current models of word recognition are based on either the dual route models or connectionist theories. The way a word recognition model accounts for different types of reading behaviours, is the word of success of every model. The dual model theory has withstood most of the tests associated with reading behaviours. However some psychologists do not agree with this theory, instead they suggest a combination of dual as well as other models for deriving positive results in the field of reading behaviours. A number of psychologists have researched in this field and published their results. Prominent among them is the study reports of Coltheart and Bates, who have demonstrated that an equation derived from dual-route theory accurately predicts reading performance in young normal readers with reading impairment due to developmental dyslexia or stroke. Studies conducted by John Marshal also have much significance. Marshal concentrated on the fact that the method of skilled reading can be used, particularly the dual route model, for interpreting acquired dyslexia as well as developmental dyslexia. The basic concept of the dual model explains that non words and irregular words are two independent routes that lead from the written word to the noise. There is also the direct access route which is also known as the lexical route. This route deals with the pronunciation of irregular words. In this method reading is always continued through the lexicon for the purpose of pronouncing words correctly. Then there is the Grapheme phoneme conversion route which is also called the sub lexical route. In this route reading is continued without accessing the lexicon. All regular words and irregular words should be read from the lexicon, this is the suggestion given by the dual route model. A strong judgement in this regard is that the steadiness of the word always effects the periods it takes to name it. Moreover there is also a relation with its rate of recurrence. Low recurring words are more affected than high recurring words. Some words having the same frequency are not made similar, particularly inconsistent words. Moreover regular words are sometimes pronounced irregularly. According to experts a simple dual route model cannot explain all these outcomes. A dual route model can be used for the prediction of real words though the lexican route. However we can see that steadiness, rate of recurrence and uniformity effects reaction times. The suggestion that non words are read by the GPC route is not correct. Strong findings suggest that non words processing s are affected by the lexicon. Previous normal reading process of a person is affected by the impact of acquired dyslexia the affected person will suffer some kind of a shock in the left side of his brain. In this case the dual route model predicts a double disassociation. With respect to surface dyslexia, a person makes over regularisation mistakes for irregular words. The person can read words and non words if they are regular. The person will not show any case of image ability. This is due to the fact that the route remains undamaged. Another type of dyslexia which is commonly found is the Phonological dyslexia. In this situation, patients are poor to read non words. Moreover real words are easily read. Experts suggest that, here the GPC route may be damaged and the lexical route is undamaged. It is often argued that the Phonological dyslexia and the surface dyslexia are separate. They do not associate themselves. Therefore the dual route model is supported. But in other types of dyslexia the situation can be more complicated. Another type of dyslexia is the deep dyslexia. This type is characterised by poor reading of non words, semantic reading mistakes for real words, and problems associated with the GPC route. Moreover the patients under this category have an injury to a system which usually allows them to read through a semantic system. This type of dyslexia cannot be regarded as a syndrome. But in some circumstances it has to be regarded because evidences support it. Another point of argument about this type of dyslexia is that it may be a result of reading using the right hemisphere of the brain. There are assumptions that this type of dyslexia is a syndrome which is caused by a wound in the left hemisphere. If that is correct then the conclusion should be that reading is possible through semantic system in such a way that the dual route model cannot be taken into account. According to psychologist Knight R.A from his journal article titled, Language, history and use, there are alternatives to the dual route model also. They are the three routes model, Analogy theories and the Connectionist models. In the three route model, the lexical route is split into GPC route, the route through lexicon and the route direct from the lexicon. Analogy theories are single route theories. a major drawback of this theory is that it is sometimes unpredictable regarding the pronunciation of non words. The connectionist models are single route theories where there is no storage for individual words. The drawback of this model is that it also fails to predict the pronunciation of non words (Knight, Language History and Use). The dual route model has become a standard model for both normal as well as abnormal reading of adults. There is very strong evidence that there is twofold disassociation of phonological and surface dyslexia in the dual route model. The dual route model had assumptions that the conversion of grapheme-phoneme depends on a theoretical set of rules which is similar to the plans in a logical system. Other models of normal and abnormal reading development were developed on the basis of the dual route model of mature reading. The dual route theory is a very comprehensive theory. It explains both normal and abnormal adult reading and as well as normal and abnormal reading development (Pennington, 2002, p.292). In the semantic system, spoken as well as written words always turn on mechanically the matching theoretical representations. All familiar words used whether they are customary or non customary can be processed through the lexical route. This is possible in terms of their letter indicated by sound relationships. However the non lexical route makes use of the sub word level process which is based on the sound- spelling association rules success of non lexical route always depends on non words and regular words that is always associated with the English phoneme grapheme conversion laws but when there is irregular words which does not obey these set of rules, it fails to produce a correct response. All the efforts undertaken to read or write through non lexical method can result in regularization mistakes. Studies by psychologists Rapcsak, Henry and others revealed that dual route model contains purposeful mechanisms that are exclusive to both the lexical and the non lexical routes but no one can say that the two procedures are totally independent. Dual route theory always maintains that lexical route will help in delivering a true response for irregular words. The non lexical route is essential for the reading and spelling of non words correctly. For the interpretation of the written language of persons having acquired alexia / agraphia, dual route models have provided a powerful hypothetical structure. It is possible to identify the damaged cognitive module of neurological patients by specifying the practical architecture of the written language processing system. For example, the destruction that is caused to the lexical route will give rise to surface dyslexia distinguished by disproportionate complexity in reading and spelling irregular words. However damage to the non lexical route will result in phonological dyslexia, distinguished by very poor reading and spelling of non words. Apart from all these applications, dual route theory can also be used for producing quantitative predictions related to reading and spelling. It is possible to predict the accuracy of a persons and the performance on irregular words as well as non words. The basic concept of dual route models is that using lexical method irregular words can only be read correctly whereas by using non lexical strategy non words can be read correctly. The capability of lexical and non lexical routes are proved when a person will be able read accurately proportions of irregular words. According to dual route theory, both the lexical and non lexical route can process regular words and therefore the accuracy of reading can be predicted (Rapcsak, Henry, Teague, Carnahan Beeson. 2007. p.2519-2524) A study conducted by John marshal, another renowned psychologist in the year 1984 clearly emphasised that the fact that the method of skilled reading can be used, particularly the dual route model, for interpreting acquired dyslexia as well as developmental dyslexia. This claim became controversial and many other researchers argued that the dual model is quite in appropriate in the way to understand development in reading and developmental disorders in reading. However further research in this area by psychologists Castles, Bates Coltheart revealed that John Marshals claim was true (Castles, Bates Coltheart. 2006. pp. 871-892 (22)). Many researches have been undertaken for checking the effectiveness of dual route model. The dual route cognitive models of reading assume that the lexical and sub lexical routes are functionally different processes. Researchers Joubert, Beauregard and others have tested this hypothesis by using three experimental conditions. One of them was lexical and the other two were sub lexical. Frequent words represented the lexical condition whereas in the first sub lexical condition was represented by non words made of low frequency sub lexical units. These words did not resemble real words. Rare and regular words consist of the second condition. Comparisons were made between these reading tasks with a baseline condition which consisted of consonant string viewing. Moreover silent pronunciation of one or two of these consonants was also done along with this process. By analysing the results of this experiment it was found that the lexical condition which consisted of regular words generates many different peaks of activations in the border area of the left super marginal region. Whereas the other two sub lexical tasks were engaged always in the area of the left prefrontal inferior cortex (Joubert, Beauregard, Walter, Bourgouin, Beaudoin, Leroux, et al. 2004. p. 9-20). Renowned psychologists Hanley and Gard advocated that developmental surface dyslexia appears in adults. They took reading and spelling tests on two adult students and the results varied. Both these adults were affected significantly by spelling regularity. The psychologists arrived at the conclusion that the irregular words are harder to study that difficult ones, therefore a person is forced on to depend on lexical strategy during the course of reading (Funnel. 2000. P.138). The dual route models have always come under attack in recent years the theories framed by dual route experts are not always effective in adults. Most of the criticisms in the dual route model have come in the field of adult readings. As a result of criticisms levelled against dual route models, connectionists models were developed (Treiman. 1993. p.34) Studies made on languages which were opaque suggested that the lexical and non lexical processing consists of independent routes. Where as in the case of transparent languages, there is no strong evidence for independent routes. The dual route in transparent languages like in opaque languages has created an arena for discussion. By studying the neurologically damaged patients who are unable to read unknown words or non words, the existence of these routes can be seen clearly (Plasencia, Dorado Serrano. 2008. p. 48 -54). According to a study conducted by two well known psychologists, Castles and Coltheart, process deficit models of disability became popular due to the developmental problems associated with reading disability associated with brain damages. The reasons for the popularity of the process models is because of the simplicity of its framework moreover the approach of a process deficit model gives a basis for a logic of instructions stuck by the strength and weakness of the readers. But unfortunately many researches have failed to provide evidences that support process models. The fact stated in the process model that disabled readers can be categorized into distinct types and the diagnosing task of distinguishing disabled readers from the poor readers has no supportive evidence (New Directions in Research, 2006). In another experiment by Bertelson, two hypotheses were tested with relation to the development of access towards lexical meaning. They were initial indirect access and initial direct access. Conclusive proof relating to the testing pointed out that these hypotheses were not strongly supported. And it also recommended that the direct and indirect access could be used for early reading. The involvement of these procedures always changed during its course of development. The previous assumption about standard dual model was that both accesses assumed the basic theoretical tests, went wrong. Based on evidence derived from these tests, the standard dual route model was always criticised. Instead of the standard dual model, a single model was found suitable (Bertelson, 1987. p.113). The dual route cascaded model is a computational model related to visual word recognition and loud reading. It is the only computational model that is used to perform the two tasks i.e., lexical reading and aloud reading. The DRC model has its own limitations. A common claim attributed to this model is that it can explain everything. But this claim becomes false as far as the case of reading aloud and visual lexical decision is concerned. With various paradigms that are masked, facts suggest that phonological properties of very temporarily presented stimuli can influence performance in reading aloud and lexical decision tasks. The dual route cascading model or the DRC model is used for pronunciation computing from print through lexical and non lexical procedures. Non words cannot be read correctly under the lexical procedure because they are not present in the lexicons. (World Recognition Process in Reading. 2005). Many studies have been undertaken to prove the effectiveness of the dual models. In one study done by psychologists Basso, Burgio and Prandoni, of the neurological clinic, Milan University, a group consisting of 21 people were selected having specific disorders and treated with a dual route model. Another group consisting of 23 persons were treated with methods using single route models. By comparing the treated patients from both the groups, it was found that the first group treated with the dual method showed significant improvement than the second group in many areas. But the benefits received from reading of isolated words, homophones etc did not improve the reading of passages. This suggested that treatments using dual models should include exercises containing passages or sentences (Tressoldi. 2000). In another test, persons who did not have previous knowledge about French were asked to learn 12 French words. After getting their representations, they were given pictures and were asked to write the baseline. This experiment was repeated for three times. After 10 minutes these pictures were presented again and were asked to write words. After a week, these participants were again requested to do the same exercise. The results showed significant difference. The out come was that when irregular orthographic representations are acquired, it is supported by knowledge of orthographic representations (BASSO, BURGIO, PRANDONI. 1999.p.405-412). Arguments against dual route model theories. Connectionist modelling techniques have spawned the debate between single and dual route accounts of the cognitive process. The necessity of dual route processing accounts in the psychology of the language has been questioned by connectionists models. Some psychologists have also suggested that a single route model is enough for the learning of past tense formations and idiosyncratic formations which are rule based. It is also sufficient to learn rule based method of pronunciations and idiosyncratic pronunciations. Basically there are two types of criticisms that are levelled against the dual route models. The first one is that morphology is the rule which directs association of the bilinguals lexical representations. It is argued that morphology can alone produce clear effects of independence in a sole undifferentiated structure. The second criticisms said about the dual model are that the word recognition in one language may be assisted if it is similar to a word in another language. Connectionist modelling techniques have spawned the debate between single and dual route accounts of the cognitive process. The necessity of dual route processing accounts in the psychology of the language has been questioned by connectionists models. Some psychologists have also suggested that a single route model is enough for the learning of past tense formations and idiosyncratic formations which are rule based is also sufficient to learn rule based method of pronunciations and idiosyncratic pronunciations. There are also other types of criticisms that are levelled against the dual route models. The first one is that morphology is the rule which directs association of the bilinguals lexical representations. It is argued that morphology can alone produce clear effects of independence in a sole undifferentiated structure. The second criticism said about the dual model is that when motivations show some kind of resemblance between two languages, the necessity of word recognition arises. Moreover cross language meddling is found even though there is clear proof for independence of lexical presentations (Thomas, Bilingualism and the Single route). Conclusions Connectionists theories have originated as a result of the debate between single and dual route models in the area of language processing. The debate between single route and dual route has often arisen when the necessity of postulation of a rule based processing mechanism that would motivate aspects of cognition. The fundamental problem here is that all rules have exceptions and all processors based on rules should have an exception mechanism to accompany it. The other side of this debate between dual and single model is that whether there is necessity to postulate one or two realistic processing mechanisms to motivate a given cognitive ability. Dual routes are not effective in all areas, particularly in the field of bilingual word recognition. To those areas where dual theories are insignificant, it is wise to work with connectionists models which are regarded as an exiting prospect. Single route models when compared with dual route models should overcome many hurdles to get accepted. However they can be used in situations where dual route models fail to produce results. The single route models always characterise stimulus response compatibility effects to the difficulty of transaction from stimulus to response whereas dual route models suggest that compatibility effects reveal in part an extra direct or routine creation route. In consistency is one of the major drawbacks suffered by these models. Form the outcomes of studies undertaken; it is evident that the DRC model can stimulate the reading aloud task as well as the lexical decision task. The stimulation given by the DRC model to these tasks cannot be matched by any other models. Therefore the DRC model is regarded as the most successful computational model discovered so far in the field of reading behaviors. Nowadays word recognition models are constructed on the basis of dual route as well as connectionist models. Dual route has its own advantages and limitations in adult reading. In cases where dual method is not effective, connectionists models can be used. Or a combined format can be used. Combination of these two models will always give satisfactory results in word reading. (Shinoda. 2005). References BASSO, A. , BURGIO, F. PRANDONI, P. 1999. Acquisition of output irregular orthographic representations in normal adults: An experimental study. Retrieved from http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=0B6AC8EC3378DCD2C42DFE0963CBF5B3.tomcat1?fromPage=onlineaid=49571 on August 23, 2008. Bertelson, P. 1987. The Onset of Literacy. Cambridge: MIT Press. Castles, A.,Bates, T., Coltheart, M. 2006. John Marshall and the developmental dyslexias. Aphasiology, Volume 20, Numbers 9-11, -11 pp. 871-892(22). Retrieved from http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psych/paph/2006/00000020/F0030009/art00004;jsessionid=kldvo0vfe03v.alice?format=print on August 22, 2008. Funnel, E. 2000. Case Studies in the Neuropsychology of Reading. London: Psychology Press. Joubert, S., Beauregard, M., Walter, N., Bourgouin, P., Beaudoin, G., Leroux, J.M. et al. 2004. Brain and Language . Vol. 89 9-20. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com Knight R.A. Language History and Use Psycholinguistics. Retrieved from http://www.rachaelanne.co.uk/teaching/psych/reading_03_HO.doc on August 22, 2008. New Directions in Research. A Transactional Perspective on Reading Difficulties and Response to Intervention. 2006. Retrieved from http://www.reading.org/Library/Retrieve.cfm?D=10.1598/RRQ.41.1.7F=RRQ-41-1-McEneaney_2.html on August 23, 2008. Pennington, B.F. 2002.The Development of Psychopathology. New York. Guliford Press. Plasencia, P.M., Dorado, J.I. Serrano, J.M. 2008. Evidence for Linguistic Deficit in Nonlexical Processing in Reading. A Study of a Spanish-Speaking Patient. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, Vol.11, No.1, 48 -54. Retrieved from http://www.ucm.es/info/Psi/docs/journal/v11_n1_2008/art48.pdf on August 23, 2008. Rapcsak S.Z, Henry M.L, Teague,S.L., Carnahan,S.D. Beeson,P.M. June 18, 2007. Do Dual- Route Models Accurately Predict Reading and Spelling Performance in Individuals with Acquired Alexia and Agraphia? Neuropsychologia Vol. 45(11): 2519-2524. Retrieved from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1988783 on August 21, 2008. Shinoda, K.2005. Speaker adaptation techniques for speech recognition using probabilistic models. Retrieved from http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/110546421/abstract on August 23, 2008. Thomas, M.S.C. Bilingualism and the Single route / Dual route debate. Retrieved from http://www.psyc.bbk.ac.uk/people/academic/thomas_m/Thomas_Cogsci98.doc on August 22, 2008. Treiman, R. 1993. Beginning to Spell. Washington, DC: Oxford University Press, US Tressoldi, P.E. 2000. Treatment of Specific Developmental Reading Disorders, Derived from Single- and Dual-Route Models. Retrieved from http://ldx.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/33/3/278 on August 23, 2008. World Recognition Process in Reading. 2005. Retrieved from http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/BPL_Images/Content_store/Sample_chapter/9781405114882/Snowling_sample_chapter1.pdf on August 23, 2008.

Factors, Symptoms and Treatment of Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzhei

Alzheimer Disease 1 Alzheimer Disease Introduction This research paper will examine factors, signs of symptoms, treatment, when to visit a doctor and how to care for a love one with Alzheimer disease. In the early stages of the disease, scientists have estimated that 500,000 people in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s that have Alzheimer disease or a related dementia. Younger individuals may have problems with memory, thinking and concentration. The form of dementia is a term for the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities that interferes with their daily life. There’s serve types of dementia such as vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia. Those individuals with a parent, brother, sister or a child with Alzheimer’s are most likely to develop the illness. A great risk increases if more than one family member has the disease. Alzheimer disease is a brain disorder that will get worse over time, and it is fatal. It destroys memory, thinking and behavior that will affect their work, and hobbies or social life. The brain has 100 billion cells (neurons). Each nerve cell communicates with many others to form networks. Nerve cells networks have special jobs. Some are involved in thinking, learning and remembering, help us to see, hear, smell and others to tell our muscles when to move. Individuals who stay socially engaged in activities that stimulate the mind and body can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. As people get older, our brain ma... ... Changing the person’s environment to Alzheimer Disease 4 understand the cause, resolve challenges, obstacles to comfort and security. Everyone who develops behavioral symptoms should receive a thorough medical exam, especially if symptoms appear suddenly. An exam may reveal treatable conditions that are contributing to the behavior. The treatable drug can cause side effects to many people with Alzheimer’s who is taking the prescription medications for other health problems. The drug for Alzheimer’s can cause side effect or interaction between drugs that can sometimes affect the behavior. As the disease gets worse, those with Alzheimer’s have difficulty communicating about their experience.

Belonging speech Essay

It is with a kind of fear that I begin to write the story of my life. I have, as it were, a superstitious hesitation in lifting the veil that clings about my childhood like a golden mist. The task of writing an autobiography is a difficult one. When I try to classify my earliest impressions, I find that a fact and fancy look alike across the years that link the past with the present. A few impressions stand out vividly from the first few years from my life but â€Å"the shadows of disappointments and getting hurt are on the rest†. Besides, many of the joys and sorrows of childhood have lost their poignancy; and many incidents of vital importance have been forgotten in the excitement of great memories. In order, therefore, not to be tedious I shall try to present in a series of sketches only the episodes that seem to me the most interesting and important. I was born on June 2, 2000, at the San Juan De Dios Hospital, a hospital in the town of Pasay. The family on my father’s side are natives of China, who settled in the Philippines. My grandfather, Roberto arrived at the shores of Leyte and finally settled there. I have been told that he visited his brother to trade goods twice a year, and my grandmother has in her possession many of the letters to his family, which gave charming and vivid accounts of these trips. My father, Alvin , is a chef in Sydney, and my mother, Norilyn , was of the same age. Her family has lived in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, for many years. I lived, up to the time my mother and father started having issues, in a cosy two-storey house consisting of two big bedrooms and a moderately- sized one in which the maids slept. We also had a garden at the front porch which consisted of orchids, sampaguitas and ylang-ylang. The beginning of my life was simple and much like every other little life. I came, I saw, I conquered, as the first baby in the family always does. There was the usual amount of discussion as to a name for me. My father suggested the name Korina Sanchez, the name of news reporter he idolized, not everyone agreed to his suggestion. My mother solved the problem by finding a name for me in the university graduates catalogue from the newspaper, Celine. To make up to my father, she decided to give me a second name, Kaye, my paternal grandmother’s name. I am told that while I was still a toddler I showed many signs of an eager and confident nature. Everything that I saw other people do I insisted upon imitating. At six months I could say, â€Å"Mama, Papa† and one day I attracted everyone’s attention by saying â€Å"Te, Te, Te† which probably meant Ate (Big Sister). They tell me I walked the day I was a year old. My mother had just taken me out of the bath-tub and was holding me in her lap, when I was suddenly attracted by the flickeri ng shadows of leaves that danced in the sunlight on the smooth floor. I slipped from my mother’s lap and almost ran toward them. The urge gone, I fell down and cried for her to take me up in her arms. These happy days did not last long. One summer season, rich in fruit and orchids, sped by and left their gifts on the feet of an eager child; the rainy season has finally come. One rainy evening, I turned as white as sheet and as cold as ice. My parents soon rushed me to the hospital. The doctor diagnosed me of pneumonia and asthma. They thought I would not live, but with extensive care and the help of antibiotics I fought through it. I fancy I still have confused recollections of that illness. I especially remember the tenderness with which my mother tried to soothe me in my waking hours of fret and pain, and the agony and the bewilderment with which I awoke after tossing and turning in my sleep. Gradually, the pain faded away and I got better. During the first few years of my life, I had caught glimpses of people,a luminous sky, trees, flowers and my neighbourhood. If we have once seen, â€Å"the day is ours, and what the day has shown.† The Start of my Journey to the Outside World During the years that I grew up, things gradually changed. I grew and learned more about my life, seeing the world in a whole new perspective. My mother taught me everything that I know of. My hands felt every object, communicated with other people and observed every motion, and in this way I learned to know many things. A shake of the head meant â€Å"No† and a nod â€Å"Yes†, a pull meant â€Å"Come† and a push â€Å"Go†. I also learned new words such as bread, ice cream and book. My mother, moreover, succeeded in making me understand a great deal. I always knew when she wished me to bring her something, and I would run upstairs or anywhere else she indicated. Many accidents of those early years are fixed in my memory, isolated, but clear and distinct, making the sense of that silent, aimless daily life more intense. One day, I was staying at my grandmother’s house. We were eating lunch at that time, rice and chicken adobo with a glass of Coca Cola, whilst eating, I accidentally spilled my cup. To teach me a lesson, my grandmother didn’t give any more servings of the soft drink. At that time, the Coca Cola bottles were still made of glass. After we finished, she stood up and went to wash the dishes. Being the mischievous little girl I was, I quickly tiptoed to the refrigerator and took the bottle out. At that moment, a thought overcame me and I began to furiously shake the bottle up and down with my chubby little hands. Due to the little water droplets that covered the bottle, it slipped from my grasp. Glass shards flew everywhere and I was bombarded with cuts and my grandmother’s sermon. That accident is still vivid in my memory and it also made a scar that I still carry as of this day. When I was about five years old, we moved from the two-storey house to a town house consisting of three floors where I stayed from preschool up until Year5. The family consisted of my mother, my father and me. My earliest recollection of my father is making m way through great drifts of newspapers to his side and finding him alone, holding a sheet of paper before his face. I was greatly puzzled to know what he was doing. I imitated this action, even wearing his reading glasses, thinking they might help solve the mystery. But I did not find out the secret for several years. Then I learned what those papers were, and that my father was looking for jobs to go to another country. My father was most loving and indulgent, devoted to his home, seldom leaving us. Alas, certain circumstances happen that calls for desperate measures. My father was accepted to become a chef in either the U.S.A. or Australia. After much consideration, he left us to start a new career. I’ve never seen him all throughout the rest of my childhood and school years. He called us, me and my mum, at least once a month. I missed him dearly hoping he would be there every time I get something right or make my mum proud. Early Education and an unforgettable trip Meanwhile the desire to express myself grew. The words and body language I’ve learned became less and less adequate, and my failures taught me not to make the same mistakes all over again. My mother taught me more to quench my thirst for knowledge and even gave me my first book. After that occurrence, I gradually became a bookworm. On my birthdays, I received books as gifts from my relatives. At that moment, things changed. I grew to love books more than playing like my peers. I grew up in a town house neighbourhood. There weren’t any children in my neighbourhood, hence my independence. It was lonely at first but my books and my grandma kept me company. To help me, my mom started to teach me the alphabet. At first, it was hard but practice makes perfect. Every afternoon, she would then ask me to recite the whole alphabet and after a few weeks, until I finally perfected it. My mother is a very persistent and studious woman. She has always persuaded me to study ever since my second birthday. I still remember those days when I didn’t study enough or was too lazy to say it orally; I would be locked out of the house until I learn it. Ever since that day, I strive to be the best I can be. Then, one day, things took a turn for the better. My uncle, Eduardo Lim, who was currently residing in Johannesburg, South Africa, gave my mom a job opportunity. Things went and papers were filed soon after. A couple of months later we were on board the Qatar Airlines and zooming to get my first glimpse of my new home. Upon arrival, we were escorted to big mansion where my uncle lived. It was lavish and with high security. There were also three canine dogs. After the introductions and formalities, my uncle doted on me and soon after enrolled me to a preschool. My mom used to tell me that when I was a toddler, I used to greet people all the time. And if I get the chan ce, maybe, steal a peck on the cheek or a hug; as a child, I was a cheeky little monkey and was always getting into trouble. There was the time when I made a peanut butter sandwich without anyone’s knowledge and ate it with the dogs that were taller than me. It was all fun then, but everything comes to an end. After two summers, my mother decided to go back to the Philippines to start my education. In the Philippines, school starts at June and ends in March. Our holidays consisted of Christmas , New Year, The Day of the Dead and the two- month long one(March-June). Upon our arrival on May 2005, my mom perused me even more to study harder and so I did. My mom enrolled me to St. Stephen’s High school to start my education. It is a Christian Chinese School. I managed to get top marks on my entrance exam. There was a disadvantage though, the school was really far. To remedy this problem, I need to wake up at 4:00 am. It was really tiring but it was worth the effort. I met new friends, learned new stuff and boosted my stamina to a whole new level. In this school, everyone is competitive to rise above the rest. Rivalries and Competitions are normal in this school, especially with mothers. Here, there are no top classes or anything of that matter. Everyone and I mean every single student has at least one tutor. My tutoring sessions lasted for 5 hours a day during my stay there. Finally the year has finished, and I reaped my rewards. I stayed under their tutelage for two years, striving to be the best. Hence my schools motto, â€Å"We are the best, among the rest†. For the first year, I received awards for being the fourth place in my entire year. For the second though, through excessive studying and my mother’s perusal, I finally managed to grasp the concept of being at the top. Due to certain circumstances, I moved schools. I cried with my best friend that day, when I received the news. She was the closest friend I ever had at that time, and it breaks my heart to part with her. Alas, life goes on I recall many eve nts that happened soon after. I did nothing but explore and learn the name of every object that I saw; and the more I handled things and learned their names and uses, the more joyous and confident grew my sense of kinship with the rest of the world. When the time came for my first day of grade school, I had my first lessons in Science and History. I learned how the sun and the rain make to grow out of the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, how birds build their nest, my country’s past, how the deer, the lion, the squirrel and every other creature finds food and shelter. As my knowledge of things grew I felt more and more the delight of the world I was in. Moving on & still going strong Being a new girl in a whole new different school has been a scary concept for me. My mother opted for a new approach to my schooling. She enrolled me to Malate Catholic School where I had been studying for about a third of my life. The concept of being a new girl is that you tend to be at the bottom class. Hence, my first day wasbeing at the bottom class. The very next day, though, I was immediately told to collect my things because I was moving to the top class due to some sort of intellectual reason. I studied long and hard, maybe trying to prove myself. In this school, they calculate your ranking by term. In the first quarter, I rose to be the fourth placer, being the demise of some people who had Malate Catholic School as their Alma Mater from the start. The commencement of grade school has always one-of-a-kind experience for me. It started a series of events that I will forever treasure. Year II The start of Year II started pretty much like nay year. I studied hard, vied for top marks and gave the teachers incentive. I managed to ace every single subject, my teacher told me to go to the Department of Education to get acceleration. I received top marks for the end of the year test just as I hoped and went to get the acceleration test soon after. After much anticipation, I received my marks and it said that I am able to move up to Year4 or Year5. My mother chose the Year 4 option after much consideration. The following year changed my whole life. Year IV I met new friends, teachers and classmates. My whole class were pretty much older than me by a year. One day, my friends started teasing me that I wouldn’t be able to beat their top one from Year 3 but I studied long and hard with my mother’s guidance to prove them wrong. In the end of the school year, I became the top one, president of three clubs (maths, science and GSP), won all the academic competitions in flying colours. My inspiration for that year was my teacher’s quote, â€Å"I doesn’t matter how much you learn from this year. What matters are the lessons you learn from your mistakes.† Year V At the start of the school year, my teacher opted to choose me for presidency in the Student Council Board Members. I had to campaign this year to commence the election for the following year. My team gave out chocolates and other incentives to secure our place in the election. It was a really fun experience but in the end it was all for naught. It was then that my father went back to the Philippines. Ha came bringing with him the tidings of the past and his plan for a better future. We were to migrate to Australia the month I finished Year 5. At first I was devastated, everything that I worked so hard for; my academics, competitions and clubs; all for the grand finale of a graduation; gone down the drain of broken dreams. I had always dreamed of having my dad beside me on my graduation day, filled with pride for all of my achievements and I was most certainly not expecting this. It was all a turn for the worst, my worst nightmare came true, my hopes on getting a scholarship crushed before my eyes. It was all too much to bear, but things took an unexpected turn. My mother found out that she was pregnant with my brother. There was a lot of rejoicing for the impending wait for the first male child. Gradually, the time came for her to give birth. The Big Surprise At precisely 4 am on the 29th of January, my brother, Samuel, was born. He was a cute little bugger with two dimples that were to die for. Everyone fawned over him and being an only child for more than a decade, I felt left out. Gradually, I became more and more distant from my mother because she spent her undivided attention to my brother. It triggered my jealousy then and there. I grew to love and hate him at the same time till the most awaited day arrived.. Finally, after much anticipation, I am finally leaving the past I worked so hard to create with the help of my mother and start on a new slate. I packed my bags, went to the airport with my mother and boarded the plane in time for a long flight. At approximately 10:00 pm, 4th of April 2012, we arrived at the Sydney International Airport. My father came and escorted us to my new home. We drove off and I watched the change of scenery as it passed me by. I observed a quiet and vast landscape with trees and pigeons hovering above m head. It was a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle in my old neighbourhood. My First Day of High School The commencement of a new chapter of my life began that day. I was a naive little girl and a nervous wreck that day. I was going to be introduced to a foreign environment with no idea of what to expect whatsoever. I did my morning duties and went to school. My mother assured me that I need not to be afraid and so with an eager feeling I had my first glimpse of my new school, Canterbury Girl’s High school. At first, I felt left out because most of my classmates have already settled in and being a new girl I was pretty much a loner. To solve the problem, Mr. Anderson introduced me to Minh Doan who eventually became my friend. The concept of rollcall gave me a lot of confusion because it was the first time I have heard of the term. I finally settled in with high spirits for the following day. Friendships & Alliances â€Å"Friends may come and friends may leave but they are our friends and we will love them forever.† Over time, I met people and friendships were created. Their personalities were all different but I trust & love them all the same. Chenhui is the organized and responsible one. You can rely on her when anything needs to be done or for advice when you need one. Stephanie is the logical one and sleepyhead. She tends to sleep due to sleep deprivation from previous nights but when it comes to answering a test she will be on a roll. There’s Linda the temperamental and idle one. She’s the most carefree one among the five of us because she doesn’t care that much about schoolwork and be sure not to be near her when she gets angry. Kezang is the patient thinker. She holds us together through and through with her patience and intellectual skills. In my outer circle, I also found people who I can have intellectual conversations, verbal sparring and enjoyment with. Anna is the one with mathematical skills and the strongest one. She solves mathematical problems with ease and never backs done a challenge when it comes to testing her strength. Nabila and Jill are the ones who I can have intellectual conversations with. They know and feel my passion for books especially if it is about Harry Potter. For every act of discipline comes a troublemaker, Tina Gavin. She breaks rules occasionally within her line of reason but amidst all her mischievous ways she has a soft side that she reveals to people she knows she can trust. She adds the spice and arguments that greatly entertains the class but has certain consequences much to the teacher’s chagrin. I love my friends and I would wish for nothing more. They have helped go through my hectic schedule, the stress of schoolwork and even helping me leave the shell of the person I used to be. My education started at Canterbury Girls’ High School on the year 2012 without knowing the adventures tha t will expand my knowledge of everyday life and how to â€Å"seize the day†. My own perspective of the way things are changed from that day onwards. I have learned about The Aboriginal perspective and their way of life. Mathematics became a form of innovation with complicated calculations involved. Events also happened among the staff of great importance. Ms.Salakas and Ms. Hunter were both betrothed in Year 7. Teachers came and went while imparting with me the most valuable treasure; knowledge, something that cannot be taken away from me. Mr. Sim, Ms.Moodie and Mr.Kazzi taught me maths in varying methods and for some reason they all seem to have a humorous flair that never ceased to make me laugh. Ms. Barry, Ms. Slattery and Ms.Magoffin widened my vocabulary and eventually made me verbose or eloquent; or so that is what my friends thought. Ms.Salakas taught me Incan history packed with fun-filled activities without any heavy burden but it was Mr. Robertson who pioneered my knowledge in Aboriginal History. He made every lesson fun and interesting. There was this one time where we had to improvise with aluminium foil for our topic about chivalry. We had a goodbye party for him to conclude the year and to thank him for all the memories and laughter forever etched in our hearts. I suppose there were also the times when some of my teachers get angry due the class’ antics but in the end it was all for our benefit. They all made me laugh once in a while imparting knowledge, skills and experiences that were invaluable. I could never thank them enough for teaching me and guiding me on things I do not understand. Another Twist in the story In the middle of Year 8, earth-shattering news came. My mother was pregnant for the second time. At precisely, 6:00 am, the 13th of September 2013 Elizabeth Nicole was introduced to this world. We were 13 years apart. It seemed ironic at that time because it she was also born on a Friday the 13th. She was the cutest little thing at 7 months. I took turns on taking care of her during the holidays, it was hard and being an amateur made it even more difficult. My babysitting schedule was both informative and interesting. I learned new life skills which can help me when I start my own family in the probable future. The start of Year 9 opened up a new door for possibilities and surprises. New Subjects such as History Elective and Work Education had been introduced. I had new teachers, some familiar and others unfamiliar. Year 9 has been stressful compared to the previous years with a huge amount of workload. Luckily, my family and friends support all the way. A Way to pass Time For as long as I could remember, I have alwaysbeen an indoor person. It was all because of my mother’s over protectiveness when I was still the only child. My love and passion for books started when I was nine years old. My cousin, Lirashen introduced me to the series of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It was a highly suspenseful and captivating series that bound me to read it over and over again. Over time, I have read the Artemis Fowl, The Nicholas Flamel series and much more. My love for volleyball started during the summer holiday of 2008 when my cousin from Canada visited us. She taught me the basic skills of volleyball and the gist of it. Jennifer was the most extraordinary player I have ever seen. She moves with easy grace combined with her exceptional skill. From that day onwards, I have shared her love and passion for the sport and plays volleyball to this day. My Hope for a Better Future â€Å"Our future can be determined by us and us alone. Ever since I was little I have always dreamed of being a doctor. My desire only grew when I went to grade school as my knowledge about the subject broadens.I am still unsure about my plans about the future but I have vague recollections of my plans from the previous years. My parents have been always telling to pursue a medical degree, and if possible an orthopaedic doctor. Now that I am in Year 9, I want to pursue a career in medicine. In my perspective, people cannot plan for an exact result; there would always be obstacles in the way no matter what. â€Å"Great Expectations lead to Disappointments†, my mother once told me. My father on the contrary told me that, it does not matter how great your expectations are as long as you persevere and have faith that you will go through every obstacle that comes in your way no matter what happens. My Life My life has been a series of winding paths and inevitable occurrences. Who would have thought that after a decade of waiting that there would still be a possibility of me having a sibling? Miracles have happened in my life in the most surprising circumstances and for that I am thankful. I have met people who helped me see the world in a whole new perspective. I made mistakes it h past but that is all part of growing up. I travelled across the world from Africa to Asia witnessing cultural perspectives unfolding before my eyes. Stereotypes were blurred as I discovered that every person is unique in their own way. Life can be relentless and cruel at times but in the end lessons are learnt. I don’t regret a single day of my life as I divulge trough hardships and laughter. I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul. My family helped through my ups and downs. They made life worth living for and I don’t know what I would do without them. Belonging, what is it? I believe belonging is when you can say that you are a part of something, when you have a group or a club or even a lifestyle that other people share. In short, I believe that a sense of belonging can be found in the things or people that have shared the same experiences, both good and bad, because we can identify ourselves in those people. Today we will be exploring this idea of belonging in two texts; one is the of poems â€Å"Feliks Skrzynecki† and â€Å"St Patrick’s College†, by Polish-born Australian poet, Peter Skrzynecki, and the other text is the 2012 movie â€Å"Wreck it Ralph†, directed by Rich Moore. The poems â€Å"St Patricks College† and â€Å"Feliks Skrzynecki† both deal with the notion of self-isolation and an inability to relate to the people that surround a persona. In both poems, we can assume that the persona is Peter Skrzynecki himself. In â€Å"Feliks Skrzynecki† he talks about how he could never relate to his father and his father’s friends when they would reminisce of their lives in Poland. He feels a sense of distance between himself and his parents’ culture that, as he says in the poem, he â€Å"inherited unknowingly†. In the poem â€Å"In the folk museum†, dissociation from a culture is also portrayed, but this time it is about the persona’s lack of connection to the Australian culture. The persona describes the things he sees in the museum as if they are foreign and unknown to him, so much so that he has to read the names of the objects to know what they are. A reason why the poet doesn’t feel he can relate may be because he doesn’t share the same experiences and doesn’t have the same traditions and customs that other people, both his Eastern European parents had and his Australian culture, would have shared. He can’t relate, or reminisce, or appreciate either of his two cultures, because he has never known enough about them to have an emotional attachment, and it is this lack of attachment that prevents him fr om feeling a sense of inclusion. The sense of exclusion from a group is also present in the film â€Å"Wreck It Ralph†. Ralph, who was the â€Å"bad guy† in an arcade game, was constantly ostracised from the rest of the characters in the game. He lived on a pile of bricks far away from everyone else. He, like Peter Skrzynecki, was often segregated from everyone else, except in the film, the exclusion was  intentional. In the same way Skrzynecki couldn’t help not being able to relate to his father, Ralph couldn’t help but break things, and the more he broke things, the more he would be distanced from the others in the game. He would have felt helpless and isolated, and his hunger to belong with everyone else is what made him escape his game in search of a medal to prove with worth. In one scene of the movie, Ralph is seen attending a â€Å"Bad-Anon†, a support group for the villains in the arcade games. Here he is able to communicate his ideas and feelings to people who feel the same and go through the same things. Ralph can identify himself in the support group because they all share the same experiences. This act of comradery indicates that Ralph does in fact know how to connect to others, but that his problem is that there is simply no-one for him to establish that friendship with. Another protagonist in the film, Vanellope, also suffers from isolation and exclusion. When she meets Ralph, she expects him to exclude her as other people do, but upon learning that he too is a rejected outcast, she reaches out to him and they become friends. This is a good example of how past experiences influence where we feel we belong. Their bond strengthens as the plot progresses, and as both Ralph and Vanellope grow closer and closer, their personalities grow and they develop trait that they didn’t have before they had friends. Vanellope gains a sense of assertiveness, and Ralph learns to respect and consider people’s feelings. The characters in both the poems and the film both show the concept of not belonging. It is a theme that appears in art and modern media constantly, and portrays the idea that our experiences, both good and bad, influence who or where we feel we belong. We all root for the ones that overcome obstacles and win battles despite having disadvantages. We all root for the underdog; because we, as an audience, identify ourselves in them; because we have all, at one point or another, felt the same.

The Pros And Cons Of Whistleblowing - 1901 Words

Whistleblowing is a rather controversial issue, as both sides of the political spectrum have reservations with it, depending on what is leaked and who is affected by it. One of the earliest cases of whistleblowing would be the release of the Pentagon Papers in the 1970s, which had many people in outrage. Some Americans were more angered by the fact that the media would dare to possess and publish material exposing the United States’ secret foreign affairs than they were about the fact that their government blatantly lied to them. Currently, whistleblowing is much more common, as it is much easier to leak documents through the Internet, and organizations, such as WikiLeaks, only make it more feasible and less dangerous for the leaker.†¦show more content†¦It is interesting to note that many people who argue that WikiLeaks is not a credible source are oftentimes the same people who claim that the organization should not be allowed to establish its credibility through ve rifying the documents received from hackers. Edits are not made to these documents unless it is necessary for context purposes as stated in an article in the Global Issues in Context Online Collection entitled â€Å"WikiLeaks.† This allows people to trust that there is no agenda in releasing the documents, since people are allowed to form their own opinions as there is no commentary telling them how the released information should be interpreted. Many people have issues with the fact that WikiLeaks refuses to offer commentary or edit documents to protect national security. According to Bruce E. Altschuler in a piece published in the Political Science Quarterly, some people argue that WikiLeaks is not a part of the press and should therefore not be protected by the First Amendment because it only releases information, unlike the mainstream media. However, the fact that the organization does not report as much as it informs is its goal. Julian Assange said, â€Å"If the press obeys considerations above informing the public, we are no longer talking about†¦an informed public† in his statement published on WikiLeaks regarding the 2016 United States’ election and WikiLeaks’ possibleShow MoreRelatedThe Darkside of Whistleblowing1021 Words   |  5 PagesClaims Act, Congress decided to give whistleblowers (or â€Å"relators†) a share of the recoveries that result from their lawsuits to encourage people to step forward and take the risks involved in reporting fraud (Qui Tam Team). An overall advantage of whistleblowing is that the welfare of customers and employees can be protected. Blowing the whistle can take a long time and therefore can be very stressful. Families, friends and especially colleagues might not understand the decision and lose patience andRead MoreAssignment # 3 Worldcom Accounting Scandal1486 Words   |  6 Pagescorporate culture at WorldCom and how it contributed to the accounting fraud, how the CEO’s desire to be the #1 stock on Wall Street contributed to the fraud, pressures on accountants to book and release accruals to meet expectations, pros and cons of whistleblowing, and the creditability of the accounting profession when corporate fraud is revealed. First, we must look at WorldCom as a business standpoint. The driving factor behind this fraud was the business strategy of WorldComs CEO, BernieRead MoreHow Does Ethical Leadership Influence Employees Whistleblowing Intention? Essay1208 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, in particular, the workforce, as employees from different cultural backgrounds comprise the make-up of worldwide companies. 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The firm shouldRead MorePros And Cons Of Having A Professional Code Of Ethics1683 Words   |  7 PagesPros and Cons of Having a Professional Code of Ethics Introduction A professional code of ethics acts as a guide concerning ethical conduct in a given profession. However, over time, it has been termed as an impediment to intellectual and moral developments. This way or another, there are advantages as well as disadvantages that emanate from applying the professional code of ethics depending on the context of practices. For this reason, this paper discusses both sides: positive and negative effectsRead MoreAudit Cases14211 Words   |  57 Pagesto the audit of payables? What are the pros and cons of each alternative? (a) Skip audit steps as Megan suggested, (b) â€Å"Eat time† as Scott suggested, (c) Do the job quickly, but do it right and record as many hours as it takes, regardless whether you come in under budget or not, (d) Go talk to John and express your concerns over the matter, (e) Go to John’s â€Å"mentor† or supervisor—the engagement manager or partner—to discuss the matter and seek advice. a) Pro: Ski pping audit steps will allow BrentRead MoreSocial Workers And The Rights Of Their Client2347 Words   |  10 Pagesavailable evidence (as cited by Greene and Latting, 2004, p.224). Once these factors have been assessed and the decision to speak out has been made there are further guidelines outlined by Green and Latting; assessing your own motivations for whistleblowing, assessing personal and professional consequences of speaking out, developing a plan for where when and to whom you will first divulge information. The advocate will have to ascertain if the inappropriate action is severe enough to warrant interventionRead MoreNurse And Health Care Worker Protection Act Of 2015 Essay3946 Words   |  16 Pageswill provide a background on the bill. Next, the bill will be summarized and analyzed using Malone’s (2005) framework. The paper will next discuss ethical considerations, mainly focusing on utilitarianism and nonmaleficence to highlight both the pros and cons of the po licy present by the house. A section is included on nurse support for the bill by the American Nurses Association, and finally a personal reflection. Background The Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection Act of 2015, or H.R. 4266, wasRead MoreHuman Resource Policies And Human Resources1831 Words   |  8 Pagesthe line with their policies as well and we all know word of mouth can have damaging effects. The bottom line is that if companies have ethical policies in place the likelihood of employees staying employed within the company is great. The pros out weight the cons so it is best to be on the right track from the beginning. â€Å"Toyota’s current predicament is a result of poorly designed practices and weak execution on the part of the human resource department!† I could not have said that any better andRead More1) Any work stoppage can affect the production and goals of the company. Imagine an automobile2800 Words   |  12 Pagesdirectly, indirectly, actively and passively. Each individual or group has the responsibility and moral obligation of reporting these cases to the proper authorities. Many individuals may be afraid of retaliation, but they are protected under the whistleblowing act. A company can be held accountable for any mistreatment of an employee who reports wrongdoings. Reference Department of Justice. (2013). Attorney General Eric Holder Delivers Remarks at the Annual Meeting of The American Bar Associations