Friday, September 20, 2019
Functions of Human Resources in Organisations
Functions of Human Resources in Organisations Executive Summary In this assignment, discuss about the functions of the Human Resource Department in an organization. As per case study, Reed Boardall is a typical company. It has 700 plus employees. This company does not have a HR department. In this assignment there are four sections: 1st section is the introduction of the Human Resource Department. HR department is a department to settle personnel problem of an organization. HR department is the bridge of management and employees. In 2nd section, regarding the study case, Reed Boardall decided not have HR department in his company, so there are advantage and disadvantage of his decision. For advantage of Chief Executive Keith Boardallââ¬â¢s decision, not having HR department, can save up the money to pay the HR department staff, aim for cost saving. Simplified the management level, prevent unnecessary bureaucracy. Without HR Department, save up time to solve conflict. If some conflicts occur between employees, line manager can solve immediately, no need to pass through the HR department and analysis or investigate. For disadvantage of Chief Executive Keith Boardallââ¬â¢s decision, not having HR department, will occur some problem regarding on employee relation, employment development and hiring process. In 3rd ections discuss of function HR department. They plan the manpower the organization. HR department arrange the training for employee and the development plan for the employees, determined wages of the employees. Arrange performance appraisal once or twice a year to analysis and offer a promotion to good employees. Establish the organization policy and implement into the organization to all employees. At 4th section, that is the last section, to conclude the whole assignment. HR department is important for the bigger organization. It is advisable to having a HR department if the organization having more than 50 plus employee.HR department is to handle the personnel stuff in the organization. Regarding the hiring process, training, wages for employees, company policy, all handle by HR department. So that, line managers can focus on their work scope. Every department can perform well in their own work scope. 1.0à Introduction The Researcher shows (Aminuddin.2009, p.2) human resource management is the development and implementation of systems in an organization designed to attract, develop and retain a high-performing workforce. HR responsibilities are recruit suitable employees, Arrange the suitable training course to employees, plan the appraisal to the employees, state the compensation and reward policy to match with the employment laws. Keeping the employeesââ¬â¢ disciplinary record update also is the HR department job scope. There are some suggestions and details of HR Department function explain to Chief Executive Keith Boardall for persuade him to having HR Department in company better future. 2.0à Introduction As per case study, Reed Boardall company is a typical company, 700 plus staff working in the company at different department, include finance, marketing, PR. There are no Human Resource Department in company Reed Boardall. Below are the advantage and disadvantage of company Reed Boardall not to have HR Department. 2.1à Advantage of Reed Boardallââ¬â¢s decision 2.1.1 Cost Company need to spend large amount of money to HR department as wage of employees, if the organization does not have HR department, the money can be re-invest on the company business. 2.1.2 Simplified Management If there is no HR Department, the organization can reduce the unnecessary layers bureaucracy. If having HR department, more employee to watch over, and more procedure need to follow. It will causes business owner or manager less authorities to make a decision, and due to the process take long time to settle. The organization not having an HR department will simplifies the management process. 2.13 Time For Solving Problem As per Keith said, if any conflict happened, line manager should do the personnel function and knew the incident clearly, so the line manager can solve the conflict efficiency. 2.2 Disadvantage of Reed Boardallââ¬â¢s decision 2.2.1 Employee Relation Without HR department employee in an organisation may difficult to developing and maintain a good relationship between one and each other. Human resources is the middle person between the owner or management person and the employees. HR Department is a place let employee to say out their unsatisfied regard their work. HR Department will understand the employee. It decreases the gaps between company management and employees and offers employees the opportunity to release their unhappy about the company. If your company does not have human resource department, it must develop a plan to effectively communicate with employeesââ¬â¢ concern. 2.2.2à Employee Development Another advantage of human resource planning involves employee development. As the human resource department identifies potential employees to promote them to management positions, send them to training, upgrade their skill and promote them.. HR department review employeesââ¬â¢ appraisal report, and arrange the promotion. 2.2.3 Simplified Hiring Process When there is lack of manpower in an organizational, managers or owner will be responsible for the recruitment, searching the applicant qualification, select the right candidates for the position. If there is Human resource department, owners and managers can focus on their daily tasks rather than searching for candidates, interviewing them and performing background checks. They can just give the work to the human resources department to focus on the hiring process. 2.3 Conclusion In the conclusion, there have advantage and disadvantage of Executive Keithââ¬â¢s decision to not having HR department. The researcher show (Hill, 2001, p225) if an organisational having less than 50 employees, the organisational should not have an HR Department because it will increase the cost. But in other side, if the organisational having more than 50 employees, the organizational are advisable to have an HR department to manage the employee in the company. If the Organizational have an HR department, the line manger can more concentrate in their work scope, it may lead to the line manager have a better performance in their position. 3.0à Introduction Function of HR Department are recruit suitable employees for the organisation, send the suitable employee to the suitable training, arrange the appraisal programs, establish compensation and reward system, concern for safety and health of the employees, establish the organization policy with implementing the employment laws, improving employeesââ¬â¢ productivity, and keep the employeesââ¬â¢ record up to date. (Hill, 2001) There are some suggestions and details of HR Departmentââ¬â¢s functions explain to Chief Executive Keith Boardall for persuade him to having HR Department in company to had better future. 3.1 Function of HR Department 3.1.1 Manpower Planning It involves the process of recruit the right candidates for the suitable position for the organization. Beside this, HR Department must plan how many should recruit for each department. HR manager must know the strength and the weakness of the employees; HR manager will design them in the position which employee can perform more productive. Prepare of Contract of employment also is the responsibilities of HR Department. 3.1.2 Training and development HR department need to observe the product knowledge of the employeesââ¬â¢, if employee lack of the knowledge, they would not perform well. HR Manager will send the employee to the course training to improve their knowledge, so that they will improve the skill and will performance well and become more productivity. 3.1.3 Determining wages and salaries HR Department will analyst and surveys of the wages for different positions in an organization. HR department will review employeeââ¬â¢s qualification, experience, and some family member details. The decision for employeesââ¬â¢ wage will be consultaion with finance department also. 3.1.4 Performance Appraisal and promotion Once the employees are recruited, the HR Department has to review their performance on a regular period, to make sure they are improving, keeping employeesââ¬â¢ records update. Performance appraisal is the process of observe, analyse and recording information about the work perform of an employee. If the employee is potential to the better position, HR Department will make arrange of training and promotion. 3.1.5à Implementing Organizational Policies HR Department has to coordinate with line manager and see that the organizational policies are being apply to all employees. If there are employees against the company policy, or not following the organizational rules and regulation, disciplinary action for them. HR department will implement and conceive all the actions. 3.2 Conclusion In conclusion, HR department have so many functions, and according Hill stated that if an organization having more than 50 employees, are advice to have an HR Department. Hence Company Reed Boardall having 700 plus staff, it consider are big organization. It should have an HR department to management the employee personnel problem. Although line manager know their staff well, but if these let HR department settle will be better put the effort on their 4.0 Conclusion and Recommendations In the conclusion, HR department may adding unnecessary bureaucracy, but in a bigger organization, it prefer have HR department. HR department is the bridge between management and employees. HR department also is a department which supporting the organization to become better. HR department will retain the good employees or productivity in the organization and training them to work for the organization. By process, HR department will keep an eye on those probation employees, record their performance. Some employee will stay the same bad behavior after received warning, so the HR department will take discipline action on these types of employee. Whereas, employees whose not suitable will determined, if they are not work hard. So that, make sure the organization are upgrading and become better and strong. At last, for bigger organization prefer to have HR department. HR department can describe as repair department, because it repairs all the staff to become better and stay at the organization.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Charlies Regret of Past Behaviors in Fitzgeralds Babylon Revisited :: Babylon Revisited Essays
Charlie's Regret of Past Behaviors in Fitzgerald's Babylon Revisited Charlie Wale's character seemed to get the raw end of the deal throughout the entire story. He was trying to redeem himself as a good father and a good citizen. He had many regrets of his past actions and behavior, especially those regarding his deceased wife, Helen. The events that occured during his visit to Paris, however, were detrimental to his intentions. His desire to have his daughter, Honoria, return with him to Prague, was sincere, and as a reader, I could almost feel his pain and disappointment at the disastorous end results. Marion's decision to not allow Honoria to return was merely based on Charlie's "past". Once his old acquaintances, Duncan Schaffer and Lorranine Quarrles, surfaced at the home of Linclon and Marion Peters, there was almost no chance of redemption. Marion could only see the "old" Charlie, and not the man who longed to care and provide for his daughter. Marion also seemed to hold a grudge against Charlie for the death of her sister, Helen. Charlie had begun many preparations to bring Honoria home with him. The hiring of a governess and the lease on a new apartment are just two examples of his attempt at trying to convince Marion and Licoln of his seriousness of resuming the responsibilty of being a parent. To be a father to Honoria, would also entail being a mother to her in some ways, due to the fact that Helen's death had been a part of the past Charlie was trying so hard to recover from.. Charlie's personal strentgh is shown by only having one drink a day, compared to the noted many drinks, and possibly other paraphernalia he may have encountered in his colorful past. At this point in his life, he
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Physics of Caterpillar Tracks :: physics tank tracks
Every time you see one of the CATs clearing the hill at university of the snow, you probably don't see anything amazing about it. However, caterpillar tracks used on it are just ingenious and its invention is comparable to the invention of the wheel. History First vehicles powered by the steam engine started to appear in the early 1800s. Various machines started slowly replace horses. It was especially true for the jobs that required a lot of power. Transportation, of course, was the first and the most beneficial adopter. Goods could be carried across large distances with relative ease. No wonder that farmers were also eager to adopt engines. By that time most of the work was done using horses and basic tools. Problems Steam powered harvesters and tractors were introduced by the end of 19th century. It started to gradually replace horses. However in some regions they created new problems as well. Vehicles proved to be too heavy for soft soils and often stuck and even sunk. Experiments with various sizes of wheels didn't produce good results. Increasing size of wheels just made vehicles heavier and more difficult to operate. Benjamin Holt of Holt Manufacturing figured that using an old trick of pouting planks before the wheel would improve cross-country ability. By doing so, it provides solid plane for better traction and lower pressure on the ground since size of the plank is larger then of the wheel. Basics The main advantage of the track over the wheels is that it can distribute a very large force over a large area. That means that instead of applying all the force on little area where wheels touch the ground, it applies it over the whole area of the track. In physics terms it can be expressed as P = F / A where P is pressure, F is force and A is area. Less force applied to every square meter means that it's harder for the heavy vehicle to sink into the ground. Another benefit of the tracks is that large area of contact allows to have a very good traction with the ground. That is why tracks are used for mission critical jobs, including military use and high cost operations, such as excavations and space rocket movements. Drawbacks Even though caterpillar tracks provide very good cross-country ability, they have its drawbacks. Because of the weight and the construction of tracks speed of the vehicle is limited in comparison to the wheeled machines.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
The 1996 Margin of Victory for U.S. House Incumbents :: Politics Political Election Government Essays
The 1996 Margin of Victory for U.S. House Incumbents In 1996, the American public reelected 357 members to the United States House of Representatives; of those running for reelection, 95% succeeded. Several congressmen received a large margin of victory over their political opponents, similar to election results of the past. Trends in American politics have been the overwhelming reelection rates of House incumbents as well as large margins of victory over challengers. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors influencing incumbentsââ¬â¢ margin of victory in the 1996 Congressional elections. Literature Review Most recent research concentrates on the increasing trend at all levels of American government toward high reelection success. Paul Jacob explains that today, challengers have an exceedingly difficult time trying to defeat an incumbent. For example, incumbents who sought reelection in the 1988 general election had a 96% success rate and 98% in 1990. Though the percentage decreased in 1992 because of House scandals, the general election rate for incumbents still remained high at 93% (Jacob, 1994: 30). This is not a new phenomenon as approximately 92% of all incumbent representatives have been reelected since World War II. Even in a year with a lower percentage such as 1992, Davidson and Oleszek emphasize that "turnover [in the House] resulted more from retirements (many involuntary) than from electoral defeats" (Davidson, 1994: 63). Drawing upon existing literature, Alford and Brady in Congress Reconsidered have suggested four main reasons for this reelection phenomenon. The reasons are as follows: (1) congressional district lines drawn to favor incumbents; (2) increase resources of incumbent members; (3) weak congressional challengers; and (4) weak party identification of voters (150 and 151). The latter three explanations are supported by current research; however, the first theory is not. By examining similar trends in the Senate, which does not use district lines, researchers have concluded that congressional district lines do not favor incumbents and are not an explanation for high incumbency reelection rates (151). However, much research has demonstrated that incumbents are usually rewarded on election days because of numerous factors. These factors include congressional perquisites such as campaign funding, franking privileges, and extensive media coverage. As a result, they often face weaker challengers because of such effective use of these perquisites (Erikson and Wright, 1993: 99, 101). Finally, American voters do not strongly identify with one party as in the past. More people are declaring themselves independent, and consequently, they are voting for the individual rather than for the party with whom they identify.
Monday, September 16, 2019
Proposal for Family Life Education Essay
Studies show that the national average for an adolescentââ¬â¢s first sexual intercourse encounter is seventeen years old. Despite this number being very close to the average age in other industrialized countries, the United States holds a higher percentage of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) contraction than those countries (Harper et al, 2010, p. 125). Itââ¬â¢s becoming evident that while a majority of the nationââ¬â¢s youth is sexually active, they are not doing so with the appropriate knowledge to keep themselves and others healthy. Itââ¬â¢s been proven that if parents were to educate students about sex education, healthy sexual behaviors might increase. Many parents, however, refuse to do this because they feel that talking about sex with youth will make them have sex, ignoring the fact that whether the youth are talked to or not, they are having sex. It has even been stated that some teens prefer to get the information from their parents, as opposed to other educators (Zamboni & Silver, 2009, p. 58 ââ¬â 59). Unfortunately, if the parents refuse to talk to the students about sex, they become sexually active without this crucial information. As the rates of STDs and teenage pregnancies rise in our country, youths between the ages of 12 and 20 years old could definitely benefit from the introduction of a family life education program focused on teaching the difference between healthy and unhealthy sexual behaviors. A program known as Youth Understanding Sexual Health (YUSH) would be the perfect venue for doing just this. A program developed for teens in middle and/or high school, YUSH is a seven week program that seeks to ensure that these youths realize the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviors, the consequences and results of participating in both, and how to make sure that they avoid negative, harmful, and otherwise unhealthy sexual behaviors. By instilling this information into the children at early ages before or soon after they have begun to participate in sexual behaviors, the program will meet several crucial goals. First, it will get these students in to a routine of practicing healthy sexual behaviors that they can take with them well into adulthood. Not only will this maintain their own sexual health, but it will protect their other potential sex partners. Second, the new knowledge that the teens will gain from the program will allow them to pass on information to their peers that may not be allowed to participate in the program, be too embarrassed or shy to seek information, or been unable to attend the program sessions for any other reason. Other aspects of society reach popularity in similar manners, including music, movies, video games, dances, or slang, so this information can be expected to spread in a very similar manner. According to Powell & Cassidy (2007), when developing an effective family life education program, its important make sure that they needs of the audience are appropriately addressed (p. 79 ââ¬â 80). Of the three needs, felt, ascribed, and future needs, both felt and ascribed needs can be determined before the program has started. In order to effectively determine these needs, the appropriate assessments must be taken. Prior to the start of the program, certified family life educators (CFLEs) will conduct an assessment by using focus groups and questionnaires from potential program attendees within the target audience. Since the target audience is composed of students that attend local middle and high schools, the CFLEs will send home two things to the parents of all of the potential students: a letter requesting permission for the teens to participate in the program, which details the material that will be discussed and the extent of the programs, along with a questionnaire for the student and parent to complete together which addresses the information that both parties feel should be addressed in such a program. In order protect confidentiality; the questionnaire will be a two part survey with one aspect for parents and one aspect for the students to fill out. Using the questionnaires from the parents and information from the schools and community, CFLEs will be able to determine the ascribed needs of the program. The information obtained from the studentsââ¬â¢ surveys will reveal the felt needs of the program. The final category of needs, future needs, will be addressed throughout the duration of the program and will be met through a combination of student comprehension and effective facilitation by CFLEs. If YUSH seeks success, another thing that Powell & Cassidy (2007) suggest is well trained and effective educators. CFLEs will undergo extensive training in which they will learn to fully accept their roles as facilitators, exhibit effective listening skills and communication skills, and how to encourage the youth to participate in the programââ¬â¢s discussions and activities (p. 92 ââ¬â 112). The National Council of Family Relations (NCFR) (2011) explains that there are certain requirements necessary before an individual can be a CFLE and this involves either graduating from an approved program or taking the CFLE exam. In addition to that certification, and in order to specialize in sexual health, YUSH facilitators will be trained to have a complete understanding of the material and how to appropriately present the information to the teens by means of seminars, training kits, and manuals. Qualified facilitators and understanding of the appropriate needs of the target audience are only two aspects of ensuring that YUSH is a successful program. A location and time for the programââ¬â¢s meeting must be established, as well as the frequency of meetings. When choosing a location, itââ¬â¢s important to make sure that there will be privacy, comfort, and no distractions. The location must be appropriate for the size of the group. With such a large target audience, it will be necessary to have several different groups. The groups can be separated by grade, with about 20 ââ¬â 25 students in each group. These groups would meet during their health classes during school hours, but without regular teachers and/or administrators in the rooms, so that the adolescents feel comfortable. The curriculum of the YUSH program takes place once a week for seven weeks, with approximately 1 ? hour sessions each week. Each week will have a different topic to focus on with the schedule as follows: Week 1: Introduction to Sexual Health, Opening Questions and Concerns Week 2: Sexual Myths Week 3: Decision-Making, Abstinence Week 4: Protecting Yourself/Contraceptives Week 5: Sexually Transmitted Diseases Week 6: Risky Sexual Behaviors, Sexual Violence Week 7: Re-Cap, Evaluations, Final Concerns During the first session, YUSH facilitators will lead the youth in icebreakers to introduce themselves to one another as well as complete opening surveys that address what each student expects to take away from the program. Also, within this session, there will be questions posed by students to be asked at that time or at the end of the program. Rules of the program will be explained, including maintaining respect for others and their privacy. Participation should be encouraged and questions welcomed (Powell & Cassidy, 2007, p. 103 ââ¬â 105). YUSH presenters will use a variety of presentation methods in each of the courses including a formal method or informal. Using Week 5ââ¬â¢s topic of STDs as an example, the formal method would involve a lecture format with handouts, notes and power point presentations. CFLE would have teens identify what they have learned through this information with quizzes and tests. The quizzes, which would be a combination of fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice answers, will address the different types of STDs, how to contract them, how they are spread, the symptoms of each and how to treat them. This method would also involve the distribution of pamphlets and brochures to sum up the weekââ¬â¢s discussion. An informal method of presenting the information involves using games and scenarios to enhance the teensââ¬â¢ understanding of STDs. A Jeopardy format in which youth match symptoms to disease might also be an effective means of presenting the information. YUSH facilitators would also have the option of using various scenarios and role play models to show the ways that STDs are spread, contracted and treated. The Department of Public Health of Seattle and King County (2011) suggests an interactive activity for showing the ways that STDs spread by using several small cups of water, one cup with a water/vinegar mixture, and several pH paper slips. During several different rounds, students will mix the contents of their cups with other students. At the end of the activity, students dip their test strips to see who might be potentially ââ¬Å"infected. â⬠After someone has interacted with the vinegar mixture, or someone else who has interacted with that mixture, they are more than likely infected. The activity shows that even though it may not be visibly noticeable (because the vinegar mixture is still clear like the water); itââ¬â¢s easily spread if no protection is used. The fact that some students may have noticed the vinegar smell shows that though sometimes the symptoms may be noticeable, they can still be overlooked by others (p. 2 ââ¬â 8). Another informal method of presenting the topics of the week would be via interactive methods such as projects, guest speakers, and field trips which exemplify that weekââ¬â¢s information. Guest speakers would be extremely effective during Week 4ââ¬â¢s discussion of protection and contraceptives. In this example, guest speakers would come from various family planning centers to show students the various contraceptives options that they can choose from and explain how to decide which ones best fit their lifestyles. Finally, the reasons for supporting and bringing this program to life will be evident in the evaluations of the programââ¬â¢s effectiveness, determined in the last week of YUSH and in the weeks afterwards. According to Powell & Cassidy (2007), the best way to determine the effectiveness of a family life, more specifically sexual education program, is to witness the changes in behaviors and attitudes (p. 185). As rates of teenage pregnancy and STDs decrease in areas that will have adopted the YUSH program, it will be very apparent that the program has worked and that youth were paying attention in the courses. Furthermore, surveys and questionnaires will be distributed on the last day of the program which will seek to determine how participants and parents feel about the knowledge gained in the program. The last day of class will also be used to wrap up the course by answering questions that havenââ¬â¢t been answered thus far and taking suggestions about any necessary aspects of the program. As a follow-up to the program, CFLEs will send additional newsletters to participants as well as invite them back to be program assistants at the next session of YUSH. References Department of Public Health: Seattle & King County (2011, January 1). STD Risks. Family Life and Sexual Health. Retrieved April 3, 2011, from http://www. kingcounty. gov/healthservices/health/personal/famplan/educators/FLASH. aspx Harper, C. , Henderson, J. , Schalet, A. , Becker, D. , Stratton, L. , & Raine, T. (2010). Abstinence and Teenagers: Prevention Counseling Practices of Health Care Providers Serving High-Risk Patients in the United States. Perspectives on Sexual & Reproductive Health, 42(2), 125-132. Retrieved April 3, 2011, from the EBSCO database. National Council on Family Relations. (2011, January 2). CFLE Certification. NCFR. Retrieved April 3, 2011, from http://www. ncfr. org/ Powell, L. H. , & Cassidy, D. (2007).
Explain the impact of Jesus upon the world of his day and todayââ¬â¢s society. Essay
In the beginning of Johnââ¬â¢s gospel there is a description of Jesus as ââ¬ËThe Wordââ¬â¢. Verse 2 ââ¬ËHe was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him. ââ¬â¢ Later in the same chapter John says ââ¬ËThe Word became flesh and dwelt among us. ââ¬â¢ If that is true then Jesus was involved in the act of creation and so we must say that his impact is total. During his lifetime Jesusââ¬â¢ impact would have been relatively small ââ¬â no media circus to follow him about and publicize his words and actions. He met thousands in a relatively small area, rather than millions world wide, and then, as now, he made both a positive and a negative impact upon individuals. H e would have been less well known than some modern figures such as Gandhi or Winston Churchill. But in Matthew 28 verse 19 and 20 Jesus tells his disciples to go to all nations and make disciples. This order, known as the Great Commission , was carried out by his followers in the years that ensued and they took the gospel message all round the world. Today, according to Adherents Web site there are estimated to be 2. 1 billion people who claim the name Christian, 33% of the worldââ¬â¢s population, though it must be admitted that the title Christian means slightly different things to different groups, and has done throughout history. There are various calendars in operation in todayââ¬â¢s world. Islam and Judaism for instance count the years differently for religious purposes, but for business purposes as well as religious ones, most of the world counts the years from the approximate date of Jesusââ¬â¢ birth. I have not yet discussed the spiritual impact, but this has been tremendous. Because of Jesus missionaries have explored the world, children have been educated and lives have been changed. The impact hasnââ¬â¢t always been a positive one, as when there have been differences between religious groups, both within Christianity and between Christians and those of other groups. In some parts of the world the impact is lessening, but in others it rises rapidly. Jesus continues to make a difference.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Differentiated Instruction Paper
Differentiated Instruction Differentiated instruction is a process to approach teaching and learning for students with differing abilities in the same class. The intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each studentââ¬â¢s growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is assisting in the learning process (Polloway, Patton, and Serna, 2005). Itââ¬â¢s an individualized instructional method. It is used to help students with diverse needs learn using a general curriculum. There are several approaches to using differentiated instruction when teaching learners with cultural or special needs. Every student has different learning styles, behaviors, and interests. It is up to teachers to meet state and district standards when teaching different learners no matter their needs. There are several ways to make sure students meet these standards. Kapusnick and Hauslein (2001) list the most common instructional strategies as acceleration, curriculum compacting, independent study, flexible grouping, independent-learning centers, complex questions, tiered activities, and contracts. Students who show mastery of instructional material through preassessment can learn at their own pace, acceleration. Curriculum compacting condenses learning and allows students to move ahead of material already learned while staying on grade level. During independent study, students progress at their own pace until they master a task by a due date agreed upon by the teacher. Teachers use flexible grouping based on studentsââ¬â¢ needs, interests, and abilities to allow students with similar capabilities to work together. Independent-learning centers provide students with remediation opportunities by investigating a topic in depth. In a differentiated classroom, the teacher asks complex questions that are open-ended, appeal to higher-order thinking skills, allow adequate wait time for answers (more than the traditional 1-3 seconds), and provide opportunities for peer discussions and follow-up questions. Additionally, tiered activities are used to promote success because the student chooses his or her own level of accomplishment (Kapusnick and Hauslein, 2001). And contracts are used as an agreement that allows students to take responsibility for completing tasks. Kapusnick and Hauslein, in an inclusive nvironment, students at all levels of understanding can learn more effectively if teachers adjust instruction for individual learning style and needs (2001). Vygotsky and Gardnerââ¬â¢s theories of instructional practices are ways to assist teachers with presenting information to their learners. Howard Gardnerââ¬â¢s theory of multiple intelligences asserted that students learn better and more easily when teac hers use a variety of delivery methods, providing students with learning experiences that maximizes their strengths (Kapusnick and Hauslein, 2001). Vygotskyââ¬â¢s zone of proximal development supports the notion that effective education facilitates development by assisting the progression to each stage through student-teacher interactions and opportunities to discuss and share ideas (Kapusnick and Hauslein, 2001). This theory requires teachers to help students with special needs by making accommodations to meet their needs. Teachers assist them until they reach their comfort zone of completing tasks independently or with minimal assistance. Students are taught the using the same curriculum, with different methods. The variation of activities provided during instruction should reflect the needs of the students. During differentiated instruction, teachers help students make sense of learning. The steps to using differentiated instruction are content, process, and product. Content is what we teach, process includes how we teach and how students learn, and product is the way our students demonstrate what they have learned (Levy, 2008). In order to find out the studentsââ¬â¢ abilities, teachers must first assess their skills. This lets the teacher know what levels the students are on. Assessments are used for various reasons. They are used to monitor progress, review abilities, and evaluate studentsââ¬â¢ strengths and weaknesses. They are an essential part of the decision-making process of determining what a student needs remediation with. Assessment results compare students individually and show differences among other peers. They are used to classify students for ability, or flexible, grouping, which identifies them for placement in special programs and groups. Assessments allow teachers to plan and adjust lessons to accommodate all learners. Grouping students according to their abilities by noting their ability levels, learning styles, and interests are ways teachers can plan for their students. Ability level groups allow teachers to place all students who may need remediation together to receive additional help, or challenging work. Students interpret instruction by what they hear, see, what they can do, and what they say. Some students pay attention to what the teacher says or reads; auditory learners, while others focus on what the teacher writes on the chalkboard, overhead projector, or smart board. Other students must do something hands-on or discuss it using more detail in order for them to grasp an understanding of a lesson. Once a teacher knows the students in the classroom and their learning styles, flexible grouping can be implemented. Students are likely to cooperate and work together as they build upon information of new knowledge. Differentiated instruction provides students with an organized instruction system consisting of basic skills and instruction. Teachers may present whole-class conversations of content big ideas followed by small group or pair work. Thoroughly explaining, demonstrating, and providing student with different interactions are skills teachers use to reach the learners. Student groups may be taught from within or by the teacher to complete assigned tasks. In differentiated instruction, the grouping of students does not have to be permanent, and can vary based on the information or tasks presented, the project, and constant evaluations. Classroom management also plays a role in differentiated instruction. Teachers must be consistent with the expectations of all the students academically and behaviorally. Along with classroom management, continuous assessment of studentsââ¬â¢ progress and therapy should also be maintained. Classroom guidance is another source of providing differentiated instruction. Guidance and school counselors assist students by counseling them to find out their needs and interests. They also inform students about educational opportunities by providing them with information on transition strategies and techniques used for dealing with unwarranted behaviors of school peers. Just like classroom instruction, counselors can use group or individual counseling sessions to support students. Depending on the studentsââ¬â¢ needs, the counselors can hold sessions in their office or in the studentsââ¬â¢ classroom. Akos, Cockman, and Strickland (2007), said through the last century, school counseling evolved from a position, to a set of services, to a multifaceted developmental program where skills needed to facilitate classroom guidance encompass a wide range of abilities, and the curricular nature of classroom guidance requires planning and delivery skills similar to those demanded of teachers. Therefore, whether for academic or social developments, school counselors plan hands-on activities and carry out classroom guidance sessions. English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with special needs may need additional assistance when learning new material. Differentiated instruction with these learners may require certain strategies when addressing curriculum factors and teaching for cultural reasons. It is important for teachers to know the cultural proficiency of their learners when taking into account differentiated instruction. According to Hoover and Patton (2005), language function, acculturation, conceptual knowledge, thinking abilities, cultural values and norms, and teaching and learning styles are curricular factors for concern with ELLs. Language function can be the conversations and social development skills the student makes. The goal is to get ELLs to use elevated language by talking more with friends, family members, and anyone they have constant communication with. It will help student focus on interpreting meanings for unfamiliar words while developing fluency skills. Acculturation is the process where one cultural group assumes traits of another cultural group (Hoover and Patton, 2005). In acculturation, students may respond with signs of withdrawal due to lack of communication and understanding. Conceptual knowledge is the new information gained from prior knowledge. It provides students with connections to the content being taught. ELLs need to apply their thinking capabilities to interact and learn the new curriculum. This is using their higher-order thinking skills. Oneââ¬â¢s cultural values and norms are their experiences and lifestyles they bring to the classroom. Differentiated instruction provides adaptations so the students can be educated using the appropriate grade level curriculum. This is again where teaching and learning styles play a role in educational developments. It focuses on the conditions the students learn under. Students with special needs or disabilities, in all grade levels, may feel as if they donââ¬â¢t have the same skills as non-disabled students for obvious reasons. Students with disabilities, as do many other students, may require significant practice, application, and generalization of relevant skills and concepts (Mastropieri et al. 2006). As a future educator, I have learned that it is our responsibility to educate all learners. Differentiated instruction involves just this, to teach students in the best way they could learn. Teachers plan instruction based on the readiness levels, interests, and educational needs of their students. They use multiple content, process, and product methods to promote academic and b ehavioral skills. Once teachers become familiar with the learning styles of the students and comfortable with their teaching methods, learning opportunities for the students expand. References Akos, P. Cockman, C. , Strickland, C. (2007). Differentiating classroom guidance. Professional School Counseling, Vol. 10, No. 5, p. 455-463. Hoover, J. & Patton, J. (2005). Differentiating curriculum and instruction for English-language learners with special needs. Intervention in School and Clinic, Vol. 40, No. 4, p. 231-235. Kapusnick, R & Hauslein, C. (Summer, 2001). The ââ¬Ësilver cupââ¬â¢ of differentiated instruction. Kappa Delta Pi Record, p. 156-159. Levy, H. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: helping every child reach and exceed standards. The Clearing House Vol. 81, No. 4, p. 161-164. Mastropieri, M. , Scruggs, T. , Norland, J. , Berkeley, S. , McDuffie, K. , Tornquist, E. , & Connors, N. (2006). Differentiated curriculum enhancement in inclusive middle school science: effects on classroom and high-stakes tests. The Journal of Special Education Vol. 40, NO. 3, p. 130-137. Polloway, E. , Patton, J. , & Serna, L. (2005) Strategies for teaching learners with special needs (8th Ed). New Jersey: Pearson-Merrill Prentice Hall.
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