Thursday, October 31, 2019

ISO 14000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

ISO 14000 - Essay Example Industrial waste is the largest contributor to the environmental pollution; it is an unwanted by-product of the raw materials. It is the utmost responsibility of the corporate to dispose of this materials that the contamination to the nature i.e. air, water and soil to the least levels. Recycling is also regarded as the most preferred â€Å"waste management strategy† (Cheremisinoff,2001). Along with it local and community based initiatives should be taken to control the emission of toxics from the waste. Researchers suggest that prevention from the pollution, by the usage of less pollution producing products, helps the organization to increase the efficiency, this also boosts the financial stability of the company (Maystre and Spiegel, 2011). In order to make the corporate to put in the right amount of efforts the consumers as well as the government also needs to play in their role and should force the corporations to take the right

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Creative Treatment of Actuality Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Creative Treatment of Actuality - Term Paper Example The traditional cinema gained hold around the world at the turn of the 20th Century. Many communities around the world built different niches within which motion picture was developed and enhanced in order to promote this art form  (Benson, 2013). Primarily, the main role of the motion picture was to entertain viewers  (Benson, 2013). However, with time, the use of television and other forms of the motion picture to educate people was enhanced and promoted throughout communities around the world. One of the earliest views of documentaries was the concept of creative treatment of actuality. This was presented by John Grierson who viewed it as a system of using some degree of creativity to present factual and non-fictional storylines in a way and manner that maintained the originality of the cinema and also educated viewers of the matter that needed to be discussed. The concept of the creative treatment of actuality is about observing life in an art form that brings out the natural aspects of society and this is done through factual films presented in a dramatic form (De Jong, 2013). The creative treatment of actuality was first propounded by John Grierson who viewed it as a form of journalism, presented through the media process. Later on, this concept played a role in defining the actual role and processes of documentaries. â€Å"Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt in one fashion or the other to ‘document’ real ity† (Killborn & Izod, 2013, p. 29). In John Grierson's pioneering work, he sought to document the life of a Polynesian girl and her family in 1926. This was done through the use of words, music, images and sound effects that were meant to create an aesthetic and factual appeal (Killborn & Izod, 2013). This is meant to present a lively view of a given situation in order to present a message in a strong way and manner and bring about a high degree of realism to the documentary. However, this includes some creative components that will work together to attain specific objectives and end.  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Romeo and Juliet True Love Essay

Romeo and Juliet True Love Essay Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, has many techniques such as iambic pentameter and sonnets to show the how strong love can be between two young people; caught in between a family feud which kept them from truly experiencing free will to love who they desired. Although the play is about the love affair of Romeo and Juliet, there are many other parts which show the two lovers being tied into other relationships like Juliet with Paris; where there is a traditional arranged marriage for more power and allies. Also lusting over somebody else, like Romeo with Roseline, this can be seen as more physical love and attraction. Both these key elements play a crucial part in the meeting between Romeo and Juliet. The prologue is imperative as it introduces the themes; love, trust, power and social status, to the audience. These all are shown through a sonnet which shows the love within the play; traditionally in the Elizabethan era, men would try to win the respect of the woman they desired, by either fighting for her or romantically proposing gifts, like sonnets, and publically demonstrating his desire. Within the prologue, the scene of the play is established; the audience become familiar with the ancient grudge of the Montagues and Capulets- there were so many problems that even the servants and grounds keepers would have disputes with each other. There are many types of love which can be seen throughout the play, of which include; sexual love, unrequited love, courtly love true love and love at first sight. The sexual love can be directly seen from Mercutio, he talks about experiences with women and what he assumes Romeo should be taking part in at his age. Mercutio uses crude and coarse language to describe women O Romeo that she were, O that she were/An open-arse, thou a poprin pear! which shows he does not take love seriously; it also suggests that he could have had a painful relationship. This has an impact on Romeo as he looks up to Mercutio as a role model, and therefore takes in his pain, this reflects upon his views about relationships. The nurse has the same views on love as Mercutio; she thinks of it as mostly physical- describing the physical features that are meant to attract Juliet to Paris. She talks about sexual innuendo with Juliet, about Paris, in a very forward way lady, such a man / As all the world Why, h es a man of wax. This shows that the nurse thinks of Paris as perfect wax suggests he can be made to suit all of Juliets needs as a husband, but also providing allies with the same dignity as the Capulets. Juliet and Paris relationship is unrequited and courtly love; its true from his side but not from hers. At first, before she has the meeting with Romeo and, Juliet was content with marrying Paris although she was still very young. As the only daughter of a powerful family Juliet would have been kept under supervision at all times, except for when she visited the church for confession- because of this meeting people her own age would be limited. The head of the family- her father- would have been in control of her future; selecting who she married and for the reasons she married- courtly love. Paris love for Juliet is very strong; he admires her from afar and proposes to her father about the marriage many times before he accepts for his daughter. Juliet probably would have married Paris if she had not have met Romeo at the Capulets masquerade ball; which Mercutio had convinced Romeo to attend secretly with him- he allowed Romeo to think that Roseline would be impressed with this gestu re of breaking rules for her. The connection between Romeo and Roseline is also unrequited love- he thinks that he loves her when in fact, the way he talks about her shows he is indeed, just lusting Is the day so young? / Ay me, sad hours seem long the tone of his expression when saying this can be perceived as a sad teenage boy who takes a liking to the popular girl who he knows he cannot have- In addition this sets a comparison for later in the play. Roseline plans on becoming a nun, which means she cannot have a relationship with a man; this still doesnt stop Romeo from being fond of her and loving her from afar; he says things like Aye me sad hours seem long, In sadness, cousin, I love a woman. The expression of this can be seen as sad because he states he has nothing better to do then wait for her; additionally this can be pictured as pathetic as he never informs Roseline of his infatuation for her. In act one scene one Romeo uses paradoxes to describe his feelings for Roseline O brawling love, O loving hate O heavy lightness which shows he is indecisive about his feelings for her; this illustrates to the audience how he is not truly in love with her as he cannot make his mind up. We may never know what the ancient feud is about between the Capulets and Montagues; whether it be a political difference or an eventful marriage between the two families before this generation; consequently the love connecting Romeo and Juliet is stronger, more powerful and- to an extent- purer. Under any other circumstances: Romeo not lusting for Roseline, Juliet not preparing to marry Paris and Mercutio not only thinking about physical love- the two lovers would have never have met. This is evident to the audience as the youth of the Montagues approach the Capulet household; Mercutio is struggling to break the love sickness of Romeo If love be rough with you, be rough with love rough implies if Romeo isnt receiving love from Roseline, he should seek out ways to make her love him, even though this wouldnt be true- as love in all respects isnt meant to be rough but soft. As we now know about the other relationships the young lovers are tied into; Shakespeare introduces the new relationship between Romeo and Juliet themselves to the audience. In act one scene five Shakespeare uses hyperbole to demonstrate the difference of feelings compared to earlier in the play- Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! Romeo is shown here metaphorically lifting Juliet up at first glance; he insinuates his true sincerity by using such words as beauty in comparison to talking about Roseline- who he has completely forgotten about by this point. This shows he could not have been truly in love with her. At the same time, Juliet captures the image of Romeo standing across the room looking at her; this causes her to lose her breath in surprise which could be seen as love at first sight. The fact that Romeo mirrors Juliets movements as she moves around the room, reveals that hes taking her lead- he does not know how to approach the situation as he has not experienced th is before. Shakespeare does this to show the innocence of the two characters- making it evident that this is a special, one in a lifetime experience. Had the feelings between them just been lust they would have not been so eager to find each other. At the point where Romeo is no longer visible, it is evident in Juliets face that the hope is lost; Shakespeare uses this expression to his advantage, by showing the audience the contrast between her facial appearance when Romeo is hidden and when he caresses her hand softly. This contrast shows true feelings she has- from hope to a feeling of loss and self hate for not finding him in time. The first thing Romeo says to Juliet is If I profane with my unworthiest hand- unworthiest reveals he does not think he is valuable for her; he is putting himself down to elevate her status, as with holy shrine and saints which are biblical references. During the Elizabethan times, religion played a significant part in everyday life- Shakespeare uses religious imagery and language to show Romeos true feelings for Juliet and the sincerity of them. Romeo refers to himself as a pilgrim which is inferior to his actual status; this confirms that he believes Juliet is too valuable and worthy for himself . So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows Shakespeare uses oxymorons to compare Juliet with the other females in the room; he refers to her as a dove among the crows, stating she is pure and beautiful this shows his genuine appreciation for her appearance. Romeo questions the love he thought he had for Roseline and love itself- did my heart love till now? this shows he is maturing and questioning what he feels truly; heart suggests that he didnt love Roseline with this in the first place as it could be a different feeling. Shakespeare also uses iambic pentameter as Romeo speaks about Juliet to show his desire and sincerity of words- this establishes trust in his feelings from the audience. Comparing the way Romeo talks about his love for Juliet, and how the nurse talks about love- in free verse- Shakespeare builds trust from the audience in Romeos judgements about his feelings of lust towards Roseline, and the true love he feels for Juliet, thus constructing the audiences perspectives that the feelings are genuine. Deeper into the play Romeo is seen devoting his ever growing love for Juliet-Act Two Scene Two is set on the Capulets land in their orchard behind Juliets quarters. Shakespeare chose this location to show the extent of the love Romeo has for Juliet, as this is exceedingly risky for an foe to be doing. O blessed, blessed night I am feared, being in the night, all this is but a dream Romeo knows it is reality, but still he refers to it as a dream- he continuously believes Juliet is a goddess; too good for him. Juliet is willing to give up everything for Romeo Deny thy father and refuse thy name she is even prepared to give up her family name and her family itself for him. Shakespeare uses things which the audience can relate to; family and the bloodline of the family were exceptionally important in the Elizabethan era, so Juliet declaring she would not be reluctant to leave her family and the comforts of her home to run away proves how much she cares for Romeo. Tis but thy name that is my enemy- Juliet refers to her own name to be her enemy and her curse- she questions why he has to be a Montague and proposes he changes his name. She also states that if he will not change his name, he should marry her; meaning she would change hers so that they no longer be feuding by name. Juliet worries about Romeo as he devotes his love to her; she contemplates what might happen if the Capulets guards find him- she is more practical within her love for him. Shakespeare uses soliloquy to show the audience Juliets true feelings for Romeo when on the balcony; the language used is that of a teenage girl writing in her diary- she talks about marrying him like in a fairytale, where everybody lives happily ever after even though she understands that this will never be the case. Half way through the couple devoting there love- by stating they will ignore the family names- the nurse calls for Juliet- the way the lovers pull back together and say how they love eac h other can be seen as the same as couples on the phone in modern times; you hang up this shows they do not feel able to be parted and jut want to hear each others voices longer. As the scene progresses the love between the young couple develops to true romantic love; this is evident as Shakespeare starts to use sincerer language and further fluent iambic pentameter. And Ill still stay, to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this Romeo refers to Juliets home as his home in iambic pentameter; this shows he believes with her he is home. A home is meant to be safe and comforting; somewhere a person can be themselves with nobody to impress- by saying this Romeo is stating he feels completely at ease with Juliet even after such a short period of time with her. During this era, marriages where three quarters of the time for money and power; the people involved would gradually, if at all love each other not truly but because they had. Shakespeare uses this to his advantage within the play, as some- if not most- people in the audience would have been involved in an arranged marriage. Shakespeare uses many ways of showing the sincerity of Romeo and Juliets true feelings for each other; the iambic pentameter plays a crucial role in showing the contrast in feelings they each feel each other and for Roseline and Paris and how different people view love, such as Mercutio and the nurse. They talk about love in free verse; they speak about the physical side of love rather than the emotional- which in comparison to the love Romeo and Juliet talks about; shows the sincerity of the love between them. The prologue informs the audience of the love between the two lovers before they even know each other exist, this shows that the relationship is what the play revolves around. The way Shakespeare has subtly used religion within the descriptions of Juliet from Romeos point of view assists in showing the pureness of his feeling towards her. The way enjambment has been used- when Romeo speaks about Juliet- shows how much he cares for her; he speaks as if it is a poem dedicated to her and its essential that he is able to convey all his thoughts and feelings before she stops listening.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Henry V :: Chorus

In Henry V, the Chorus informs us before each act what happens and where the action takes place, notifies us if the play skips over certain periods of time. However, one of his main goals is to compensate for what the staging is unable to achieve, ask the audience to use their imagination, and try to see what cannot be shown on stage. If we read this speech, we can observe that everything the Chorus tells us can actually be summarized in a few sentences (The English fleet sails from Southampton and the siege of Harfleur begins by the English army. The ambassador returns with an offer from the French King: the hand of his daughter Katharine, with some dukedoms of little importance. The offer is rejected, and the the siege goes on†¦). However, the importance of the speech lies in something different- the approach and literary techniques (language, style, tone†¦) that Chorus uses to arouse our attention, suspend our disbelief and stimulate us to use our imagination. The Chorus does so very intelligently in its use of verbs as in â€Å"Suppose† (Henry V, Act 3, scene 1, line 3), â€Å"Play† (7), â€Å"behold† (7), â€Å"Hear† (9), etc. Such phrasing gives enormous energy to the speech and we feel encouraged to take part in the play and make the most out of it. The styl e is adjectival, as in the following line: â€Å"With silken streamers the young Phoebus [fanning].† (6) ; Imaginative, as when the Chorus compares ships at sea to â€Å"A city on th’inconstant billows dancing† (15). The speech also contributes to the heroic tone of the work which is highly patriotic and celebratory, and which, together with a lot of hyperbolic words, leads to creating an epic, exaggerated and almost mythical view of the whole military operation: â€Å"Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege: behold the ordnance on their carriages, with fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur.† (25-27). The "ordnance" on the "carriages" are compared to "fatal mouths" that turn towards Harfleur as the English army starts its siege of this French city. The description of these mouths that "gape" at Harfleur certainly help to exaggerate the power of Henry's army. Henry's fleet is described as â€Å"majestical.† (16). The Chorus is keen to pr esent the fleet as being powerful and numerous so as to exaggerate the military power of Henry.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Bucket List Essay

Mc. Darell L. Janoras REFLICTION PAPER (BUCKET LIST) This movie is about two old men whom are medically ill and are given a few months to live. This movie can make you cry a little laugh a lot and realize tons of things. In the beginning of this movie, Edward, portrayed by jack Nicholson, is just a rich guy whom just feel happiness just thru money, he believed that having so much money can make you happy, he is just a happy go lucky man even thou he know he was sick, until he met Carter, portrayed by Morgan Freeman. in a cancer ward owned by him.Days have gone by and both of them go thru medical practices and then they both received the news that they are given a few months to live. Carter is a very intelligent man, whom once dreamed big but gave up his dreams because of financial problems, but as he grew old, he worked hard so that his kids won’t suffer what he went through and succeeded in it because he was able to make his children professionals. Edward and Carter stayed in the same room in the cancer ward, they soon became friends, and after receiving the bad news, Edward started to make a bucket list.A bucket list is a list of activities that you would want to fulfil before you die, those activities are set to make you happy and contented with your life, and so they broke out of the hospital and performed the activities in the bucket list. At first carter is not sure about doing it but then Edward pushed him into it. They had so much fun, added new activities and removed some in the process. Until one day Edward told carter the story of him and his daughter. Carter felt the urge to help his friend.Once when they were in Egypt carter asked Edward, have you found joy in your life and have you given joy to others life, and then Edward gave a vague answer. That was then carter realized that Edward wasn’t really happy with his life. When they went home to America, carter told Thomas, thou his real name was matthew Edward wants to call him that way , that he wants to bring Edward and his daughter together because carter believes that his friend will only find his true happiness when his daughter accepted him as her father.And so Edward got mad at carter for batting in with his life. Soon after carter got ill and was sent to the hospital, Edward heard the news and spring towards the whereabouts of carter, when Edward reached the hospital carter’s wife gave him a letter. The letter said that he was sorry for batting in Edwards life, and that carter already accepted that he is going to die. He also said in the letter that instead of crying, he wants Edward to go to his daughter and make up to his bad decisions that led them into those situations, and so he did.Soon after Edward realized that carter was right. No one can truly be happy when he or she is alone, you can only feel true happiness when you feel you are loved specially by your loved ones. In the end it turns out that carter saved edward’s life. He saved hi m in the arms of dying in vain and in sadness. Soon after Edward died too, but he did not die in vain he died happy because in his final months in this world he was able to get his happiness and was able to bring joy to others. And with that the movie ended.Soon after I asked myself the same 2 questions carter asked Edward. Have I found joy in life? And have I given joy to others life? That is when I started to realize that I should get started pursuing my happiness and that I should pursue mine first before giving happiness to others. I used the word pursue because as I’ve seen in the movie, happiness is something that you work for, it is not given to you in a silver platter but you have to work for it in order to enjoy it. And after watching that movie I can say that I have learned a lot in it.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Poverty, Hunger Prevent Filipino Kids From Getting Basic Education

Twelve-year-old Marian (not her real name) is one of the millions of Filipino children whose education has taken a backseat due to poverty. The fifth of eight children, she fled her home when she was 10 because she said her jobless parents hurt her. Marian is supposed to be in the sixth grade this year, but she’s currently enrolled as a Grade 1 pupil, learning basic language lessons and math skills in a public elementary school in Cainta, Rizal. A certain â€Å"Ate Rowena† took her in and convinced her to go back to school.Marian has to face challenges in school. â€Å"Marami pong nanlalait sa ‘kin dahil Grade 1 ako pero malaki ako†¦hindi ko pinapakinggan yun kasi ito na po yung simula para maipagpatuloy ko po yung pag-aaral ko at makatapos po ako (Other children tease me because I’m still in Grade 1†¦but I don’t mind them because this is my chance to continue and finish my studies),† she said. Despite the challenges, Marian is lucky compare to thousands of other Filipino children. 1 out of 6 kids not in schoolOne out of six school-age Filipino children is not enrolled, figures from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) revealed. The net enrollment ratio (NER) or participation rate at the elementary level for school year 2006-2007 was 83. 2 percent, down by 1. 2 percentage points from the previous school year and a far cry from school year 1999-2000’s 96. 95 percent. The NER is the ratio between the enrollment in the school-age range and the total population of that age range.That means that out of all Filipino children aged 6-11—which is the official age range for elementary pupils—17. 8 percent or almost one-fifth are out of school. DepEd figures also show that from 1999 to 2007 participation in elementary education decreased, save for a 0. 19-percentage point increase in 2002. The rate of participation in secondary education is even wo rse. From 2002 to 2007, almost half or 43. 7 of all Filipinos aged 12-15—the official age range for high school—failed to enroll. This is lower than the participation rate of 65. 43 percent in 1999-2000.With these figures the country is still far from achieving the Millennium Development Goal of providing basic education to all, the NSCB said in its report. The Philippines is also far from achieving its own Education for All 2015 Plan, which serves as the blueprint for the country’s basic education. Disparity among regions It is not just the overall figures that reflect that the country is unable to meet international and national goals for education. Government data show that there is a wide disparity in education figures among regions, with most of conflict-ridden Mindanao trailing behind urban centers.The National Economic and Development Authority in its 2006 Socioeconomic Report observed that despite a 0. 38 percent increase in the enrollment of children in 2006 compared to 2005, the figure is lower than expected. NEDA’s figures show that 12. 91 million of the 19. 25 million children enrolled in 2006 are elementary pupils while 6. 33 million were in high school. The overall figure is slightly higher than that of the previous year by only 72,969 children. â€Å"An assessment of the situation points to poverty as the main cause of thislower-than-expected increase. This is further exacerbated by the high cost of schooling-related expenditures. High school students seeking employment to augment family income also contributed to the low increase in enrollment,† the NEDA report stated. The Department of Education admitted that the country’s â€Å"volatile economic situation† is preventing children from going to school. Even with the â€Å"zero tuition† offer of the government, poor families are hindered by lack of employment, hunger and malnutrition, among other problems.â€Å"Time and again parents have complained of financial obstacles,† said Kenneth Tirado, communications officer of DepEd. Poverty to blame Poverty is one of the main causes of the country’s poor education record and has affected participation in education in more ways than one, according to â€Å"Education Watch Preliminary Report: Education Deprivation in the Philippines,† a study done by five advocacy groups including E-Net Philippines, Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education, Action for Economic Reforms, Popular Education for People’s Empowerment, and Oxfam.Citing data from the National Statistics Office 2003 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey, the study said the top reason of people aged 6-24 for not attending school is employment or â€Å"looking for work,† with almost one-third or 30. 5 percent citing that reason. Lack of personal interest came in second at 22 percent, while the high cost of education came in a close third at 19. 9 percent. Other rea sons include, among others, housekeeping, illness or disability, failure to cope with school work, and distance from school.â€Å"The lack of interest among school children indicates a weakness on the part of the school system to make education interesting for the students. This may be due to poor teaching quality, inadequate facilities and supplies and poor infrastructure. Poverty, social exclusion, school distance and poor health are, likewise, factors that weigh heavily on children and dampen their interest to pursue schooling,† said the report.â€Å"The challenge, therefore, is how to make the school interesting and encouraging rather than intimidating; how to make it inclusive, non-discriminatory and poor-sensitive rather than exclusive and elite-oriented; and how to make it accommodating rather than restricting. Finally, the education content, process and experience should be made more meaningful to the children’s life experiences by ensuring appropriate, cultur e-sensitive and values-based interventions,† it added. Increase in budget does not helpGovernment figures show that the budget for education has increased over a 10-year period – from P90 billion in 1999 to P149 billion in 2008. It does not include the P4 billion acquired in 2007 from the private sector, a dramatic increase from 2003’s P400 million after Education Secretary Jesli Lapus re-launched the Adopt-A-School program in 2006. Despite the budget increase, government agencies observed a gradual decline in the net participation rate of students in the past nine years, especially in the regions.Luzon has the highest NER, followed by Visayas, with NERs on the opposite side of the spectrum, and Mindanao with the lowest percentage of school-age children going to school. The National Capital Region and Region IV alternately topped the NERs for elementary education, with the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, having the highest NER from 2004 to 2006. Even NCR’s relatively high figures—at least 92. 6 percent since 2002—have declined by about 0. 6 to 2. 2 percentage points, except in school year 2006-2007 when it increased by a meager .03 percent. Region IX or Western Mindanao posted the biggest NER decrease of 12. 1 percent, from 89. 7 percent in 2002 to 77. 6 percent in 2006. Surprisingly, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao placed 4th out of the 17 regions, with no less than 85. 8 percent net enrollment rate. Unfortunately the trend didn’t continue until high school, where ARMM ranks lowest, consistently placing 17th with only 23. 7 percent to 35. 6 percent when it peaked in school year 2005-2006. The figures went down by three percentage points the next year.In school year 2006-2007 alone 13 out of the 20 provinces with the lowest elementary NER were from Mindanao, while in secondary education 17 were from the area. â€Å"Various programs have been created to cater to the lagging prov inces in Mindanao. DepEd has been implementing these projects with assistance from the private sector and Official Development Assistance from the US Agency for International Development and the Australian Aid for International Development,† said DepEd’s Tirado.Tirado said AusAID’s Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao is seeking to improve the quality of and access to basic education, while USAID’s Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills focuses on targeting high illiteracy and drop-out rates. â€Å"These two projects have contributed to the success of DepEd’s education interventions in Mindanao,† Tirado said. Another project, the Strong Republic Distance Learning School, was established in 2003 â€Å"to provide disadvantaged, impoverished sectors access to formal and non-formal school systems.† Tirado said the 2008 General Appropriations Act has a special provision for the construction of classrooms and scho ol furniture and the hiring of teachers in the ARMM. Peace in Mindanao needed Education advocacy group E-Net Philippines pointed out that since poor education in Mindanao can be attributed to poverty and armed conflict, a long-term solution to address its declining enrollment would be to bring peace to the area. â€Å"During armed conflicts, schools are used as refugee centers, thus disrupting classes.At the same time, children and teachers suffer from trauma which prevents them from effectively learning – or teaching, as in the case of teachers,† said E-Net’s national coordinator, Cecilia Soriano, in an email interview with GMANews. TV. She also said that since there is a concentration of Muslim students in Mindanao, the curriculum â€Å"should be founded on the Muslim wisdom while incorporating the core competencies that will provide children and youth the necessary knowledge to ‘compete’ in the labor market. â€Å"The group is also calling for a budget allotment of P70 million for Learning Centers in indigenous communities in Davao del Sur, Agusan, and South Cotabato, where education is virtually inaccessible, as well as an allotment of P800 million for alternative learning services targeting out-of-school youth. The DepEd provided P420 million to ALS in 2006, according to its March 2008 Performance Report from July 1998 to March 2008. Hunger, malnutrition In a March 2008 report, the Education department said hunger and malnutrition are also barriers to participation in education.In 2007, DepEd improved its school feeding program, with 300 percent more beneficiaries compared to the previous year. Tirado said that to make the distribution more effective, the DepEd-Health and Nutrition Council implemented a â€Å"targeted scheme† that categorizes â€Å"priority provinces† according to the severity of lack of food and vulnerability to hunger. DepEd started implementing the Food for School Program under the Acce lerated Hunger Mitigation Plan during the last quarter of 2005. It was done with the Health, Social Welfare departments, the National Food Authority and local government units.A daily ration of a kilogram of fortified rice is given as subsidy to families through preschool and Grade 1 pupils. The program, which covered 6,304 public schools nationwide and benefited 111,584 preschool and Grade 1 children, distributed a total of 25,338 bags of rice. E-Net Philippines said the strategy is flawed. â€Å"As a motivation to go to school, it sends the wrong message to poor children: go to school to get one kilo of rice instead of the value of learning; it is also an added burden for children as poor parents encourage their children to attend classes to be able to avail of the daily ration,† said Soriano.Strategy for patronage Soriano said the scheme has become a strategy for patronage as local government units select the beneficiaries of the program. â€Å"In fact in 2007, in April, when there were no classes, and just before the elections, the DepEd released rice to preschool and elementary and high school students,† said Soriano. â€Å"There were also problems in implementing the [strategy] which were exposed during the 2007 budget deliberations, such as alleged overpricing of rice, deficiency in deliveries and low quality of rice,† she added. E-Net believes there are other strategies to keep poor children in school instead of giving rice.Addressing health and poverty situations that prevent access to education are among the group’s proposals. Aside from the Food for School program, DepEd has also proposed increased funding for interventions aimed at children aged 5-11. (DepEd claimed that there were significant boosts in budget allotment to certain programs in 2006. These include the Preschool Education Program, which went up to P2 billion from P250 million, the settlement of unpaid prior years of teachers’ benefits, PhilHealth and GSIS premiums, which were given P1. 94 billion from nothing, and a P345 million boost in Alternative Learning Services.) E-Net’s Soriano, however, said there should be â€Å"more targeted education programs for child laborers, indigenous people, children and youth with disabilities and adult illiterates and other marginalized groups. † Despite the odds, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus is optimistic. â€Å"The key reforms and well-focused policy directions to improve basic education are slowly but surely bearing fruit,† he said, adding that the Education department â€Å"has been concentrating its human and financial resources on key performance indicators aimed at improving classroom instruction. â€Å"If it’s up to DepEd, the result of the National Achievement Results this year, where the mean percentage score increased from 59. 94 percent in 2007 to 64. 81 this year, the government’s Education project is a success. Whether this indicates that the country can inch its way toward achieving the 75 percent target MPS by 2010, or if the Education for All plan and the Millennium Development Goal can be met by 2015 is still to be seen. One thing is certain though, efforts at boosting education will only be futile if the poverty situation is not significantly, immediately improved.– GMANews. TV http://www. gmanetwork. com/news/story/111257/news/specialreports/poverty-hunger-prevent-filipino-kids-from-getting-basic-education Literacy is the ability to read and write. [1] The inability to do so is called illiteracy or analphabetism. Visual literacy includes in addition the ability to understand visual forms of communication such as body language,[2] pictures, maps, and video. Evolving definitions of literacy often include all the symbol systems relevant to a particular community.Literacy encompasses a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community developme nt. In a technological society, the concept of literacy is expanding to include the media and electronic text, in addition to alphabetic and number systems. These abilities vary in different social and cultural contexts according to need, demand and education. The primary sense of literacy still represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from a critical interpretation of the written or printed text.Key to all literacy is reading development, a progression of skills that begins with the ability to understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep understanding of text. Reading development involves a range of complex language underpinnings including awareness of speech sounds (phonology), spelling patterns (orthography), word meaning (semantics), grammar (syntax) and patterns of word formation (morphology), all of which provide a necessary platform for reading fluency and comprehension.Once these skills are acquired the reader can attai n full language literacy, which includes the abilities to approach printed material with critical analysis, inference and synthesis; to write with accuracy and coherence; and to use information and insights from text as the basis for informed decisions and creative thought. [3] The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines literacy as the â€Å"ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts.Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society. â€Å"[4] http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Literacy In the Philippines, it is assumed that before the Spanish colonization, the natives of the Philippine islands were universally literate that all can read and write in their own respective languages. During the Spanish colonization of the islands, reading materials were destroyed to a far much less extent compared to the Spanish colonization of the Americas.The Spaniards tried to rub literacy in the islands to prevent the islanders to unite. Education and literacy was introduced only to the Peninsulares and remained a privilege until the Americans came. The Americans introduced the public schools system to the country which drove literacy rates up. English became the lingua franca in the Philippines. It was only during a brief period in the Japanese occupation of the Philippines that the Japanese were able to teach their language in the Philippines and teach the children their written language. After World War II, the Philippines had the highest literacy rates in Asia.It nearly achieved universal literacy once again in 80s and 90s. Ever since then, the literacy rate has plummeted only to start regaining a few percentage years back. The DepEd, CHED, and other academic institutions encourage childr en to improve literacy skills and knowledge. The government has a program of literacy teaching starting in kindergarten. New reforms are being brought in shifting to a K-12 system which will teach children their regional languages before English, as opposed to the 10-years basic education program which teaches English and Filipino, the country's two official languages, from Grade 1.Literacy in the 21st century Main article: New literacies Young school girls in Paktia Province of Afghanistan Economic impact Many policy analysts consider literacy rates as a crucial measure of the value of a region's human capital. For example literate people can be more easily trained than illiterate people – and generally have a higher socio-economic status;[42] thus they enjoy better health and employment prospects. Literacy increases job opportunities and access to higher education.Korotayev and coauthors have revealed a rather significant correlation between the level of literacy in the ear ly 19th century and successful modernization and economic breakthroughs in the late 20th century, as ‘literate people could be characterized by a greater innovative-activity level, which provides opportunities for modernization, development, and economic growth' [43] In Kerala, India, for example, female and child mortality rates declined dramatically in the 1960s, when girls schooled according to the education reforms after 1948 began to raise families.In addition to the potential for literacy to increase wealth, wealth may promote literacy, through cultural norms and easier access to schools and tutoring services. [citation needed] In 2009, the National Adult Literacy agency (NALA) in Ireland commissioned a cost benefit analysis of adult literacy training. This concluded that there were economic gains for the individuals, the companies they worked for, and the Exchequer, as well as the economy and the country as a whole – for example, increased GDP.The annual income g ain per person per level increase on the Irish ten level National Qualifications Framework was â‚ ¬3,810 and the annual gain to the Exchequer, in terms of reduced social welfare transfers and increased tax payments, was â‚ ¬1,531. [44] Broader and complementary definitions Traditionally, literacy is ability to use written language actively and passively; one definition of literacy is the ability to â€Å"read, write, spell, listen, and speak. † Since the 1980s, some have argued that literacy is ideological, which means that literacy always exists in a context, in tandem with the values associated with that context.Prior work viewed literacy as existing autonomously. Some have argued that the definition of literacy should be expanded. For example, in the United States, the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association have added â€Å"visually representing†[clarification needed] to the traditional list of competencies. Similarly , in Scotland, literacy has been defined as: â€Å"The ability to read, write and use numeracy, to handle information, to express ideas and opinions, to make decisions and solve problems, as family members, workers, citizens and lifelong learners.â€Å"[52] A basic literacy standard in many places is the ability to read the newspaper. Increasingly, communication in commerce and in general requires the ability to use computers and other digital technologies. Since the 1990s, when the Internet came into wide use in the United States, some have asserted that the definition of literacy should include the ability to use tools such as web browsers, word processing programs, and text messages. Similar expanded skill sets have been called multimedia literacy, computer literacy, information literacy, and technological literacy.[53][54] Some scholars propose the idea multiliteracies which includes Functional Literacy, Critical Literacy, and Rhetorical Literacy. [55] â€Å"Arts literacyâ₠¬  programs exist in some places in the United States. [56] Other genres under study by academia include critical literacy, media literacy, ecological literacy and health literacy[57] With the increasing emphasis on evidence-based decision making, and the use of statistical graphics and information, statistical literacy is becoming a very important aspect of literacy in general.The International Statistical Literacy Project is dedicated to the promotion of statistical literacy among all members of society. It is argued that literacy includes the cultural, political, and historical contexts of the community in which communication takes place. [58] Given that a large part of the benefits of literacy can be obtained by having access to a literate person in the household, some recent literature in economics, starting with the work of Kaushik Basu and James Foster, distinguishes between a ‘proximate illiterate' and an ‘isolated illiterate'.The former refers to an illiterate person who lives in a household with literates and the latter to an illiterate who lives in a household of all illiterates. What is of concern is that many people in poor nations are not just illiterates but isolated illiterates. Greek and Roman were written languages long ago. Ancient Chinese tested candidates for government positions. German and English both became written languages in about 800 AD. Teaching literacy Main article: Learning to read Teaching English literacy in the United States is dominated by a focus on a set of discrete decoding skills.From this perspective, literacy — or, rather, reading — comprises a number of subskills that can be taught to students. These skill sets include phonological awareness, phonics (decoding), fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Mastering each of these subskills is necessary for students to become proficient readers. [59] From this same perspective, readers of alphabetic languages must understand the alphabetic princi ple to master basic reading skills. For this purpose a writing system is â€Å"alphabetic† if it uses symbols to represent individual language sounds,[60] though the degree of correspondence between letters andsounds varies between alphabetic languages. Syllabic writing systems (such as Japanese kana) use a symbol to represent a single syllable, and logographic writing systems (such as Chinese) use a symbol to represent a morpheme. [61] There are any number of approaches to teaching literacy; each is shaped by its informing assumptions about what literacy is[citation needed] and how it is best learned by students. Phonics instruction, for example, focuses on reading at the level of the word. [60] It teaches readers to observe and interpret the letters or groups of letters that make up words.A common method of teaching phonics is synthetic phonics, in which a novice reader pronounces each individual sound and â€Å"blends† them to pronounce the whole word. [60] Another approach is embedded phonics instruction, used more often in whole language reading instruction, in which novice readers learn about the individual letters in words on a just-in-time, just-in-place basis that is tailored to meet each student's reading and writing learning needs. [60] That is, teachers provide phonics instruction opportunistically, within the context of stories or student writing that feature many instances of a particular letter or group of letters.Embedded instruction combines letter-sound knowledge with the use of meaningful context to read new and difficult words. [62] Techniques such as directed listening and thinking activities can be used to aid children in learning how to read and reading comprehension. In a 2012 proposal, it has been claimed that reading can be acquired naturally if print is constantly available at an early age in the same manner as spoken language. [63] If an appropriate form of written text is made available before formal schooling begins, reading should be learned inductively, emerge naturally, and with no significant negative consequences.This proposal advances knowledge and understanding because it challenges the commonly held belief that written language requires formal instruction and schooling. Its success would change current views of literacy and schooling. Using developments in behavioral science and technology, an interactive system (Technology Assisted Reading Acquisition, TARA) would enable young pre-literate children to accurately perceive and learn properties of written language by simple exposure to the written form. The broader impacts of this possibility are far reaching.The inability to read is prevalent around the world and even in American society. The cost of illiteracy as well as the huge cost of formal literacy instruction is one of the major financial burdens on societies. [citation needed] In addition, many students who are considered literate still have difficulty in comprehension which may be related to making reading instruction contingent on spoken language. By embedding the child in written language, their learning to read becomes embodied in the same manner as learning spoken language.This innovative intervention would also help redirect financial resources where they will have the most impact. Although 90% of private and public education spending is on children between the ages of 6 and 19, 90% of brain growth occurs before age 6. [citation needed] Spending for nurturing children for literacy before age 6 will be a large market and will have the most impact in improving the quality of life, especially for children without internet access. Public library efforts to promote literacy The public library has long been a force promoting literacy in many countries.[64] In the United States, the release of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) report in 2005 revealed that approximately 14% of adults function at the lowest level of literacy; 29% of adults funct ion at the basic functional literacy level and cannot help their children with homework beyond the first few grades. [65] The lack of reading skills hinders adults from reaching their full potential. They might have difficulty getting and maintaining a job, providing for their families, or even reading a story to their children. For adults, the library might be the only source of a literacy program.[66] United States Programs have been instituted in public libraries across the United States in an attempt to improve literacy rates. Some examples are listed below. READ/Orange County, initiated in 1992 by the Orange County Public Library in California, is an example of a flourishing community literacy program. The organization builds on what people have already learned through experience as well as education, rather than trying to make up for what has not been learned. The organization then provides the student with the skills to continue learning in the future.[66] The program operate s on the basis that an adult who learns to read creates a ripple effect in the community. An adult who learns to read impacts not just himself but the whole community: he becomes an example to his children and grandchildren, and can better serve his community. [66] The mission of READ/Orange County is to â€Å"create a more literate community by providing diversified services of the highest quality to all who seek them. † Potential tutors train during an extensive 23-hour tutor training workshop in which they learn the philosophy, techniques and tools they will need to work with adult learns.[66] After the training, the tutors invest at least 50 hours a year to tutoring their student. Another successful literacy effort is the BoulderReads! program in Boulder, Colorado. The program recognized the difficulty that students had in obtaining child care while attending tutoring sessions, and joined with the University of Colorado to provide reading buddies to the children of studen ts. Reading Buddies matches children of adult literacy students with college students who meet with them once a week throughout the semester for an hour and a half.The college students receive course credit, ensuring the quality and reliability of their time. [67] Each Reading Buddies session focuses primarily on the college student reading aloud with the child. This helps the child gain interest in books and feel comfortable reading aloud. Time is also spent on word games, writing letters, or searching for books in the library. Throughout the semester the pair work on writing and illustrating a book together. The college student’s grade is partly dependent on the completion of the book.Although Reading Buddies began primarily as an answer to the lack of child care for literacy students, it has evolved into another aspect of the program. [67] While the children are not participants in the tutoring program, they do show marked improvement in their reading and writing skills th roughout the semester, due in part to the admiration and respect they gain for their college reading buddy. The Hillsborough Literacy Council (HLC), operating under the Florida Literacy Coalition, a statewide organization, strives to improve the literacy ability of adults in Hillsborough County, Florida.Working since 1986, the HLC is â€Å"committed to improving literacy by empowering adults through education. â€Å"[68] The HLC also provides tutoring for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). Approximately 120,000 adults in Hillsborough County are considered illiterate or read below the fourth grade level. Through one-on-one tutoring, the organization works to help adult students reach at least the fifth grade level. 95,000 adults living in Hillsborough County do not speak English; volunteers in the organization typically work with small groups of non-English speaking students to help practice their English conversation skills at any time.http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/L iteracy#Philippines http://www. cea-ace. ca/education-canada/article/educated-parents-educated-children-toward-multiple-life-cycles-education-po http://rer. sagepub. com/content/78/4/880. abstract http://literacyencyclopedia. ca/index. php? fa=items. show&topicId=251 http://www. educationspace360. com/index. php/reading-writing-education-and-the-parents-influence-20458/ http://www. hfrp. org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/parent-involvement-and-early-literacy http://thekristafaith. blogspot. com/2012/09/social-issue-illiteracy-in-philippines.html http://education. blurtit. com/118279/what-are-the-causes-of-illiteracy http://countrystudies. us/philippines/53. htm http://www. indexmundi. com/philippines/literacy. html http://k-12. pisd. edu/currinst/pfl/home. htm http://www2. ed. gov/pubs/OR/ResearchRpts/parlit. html http://filipinofreethinkers. org/2012/05/04/underestimating-parental-involvement/ Parental Involvement in School In this complex world, it takes more than a good school to educate children. And it takes more than a good home. It takes these two major educational institutions working together.http://www. ncpie. org/WhatsHappening/researchJanuary2006. cfm All the above studies (plus many more) are summarized in A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family and Community Connections on Student Achievement, by Anne T. Henderson and Karen L. Mapp (Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 2002). http://www. edpsycinteractive. org/files/parinvol. html related literature Studies have indicated that children whose parents and/or other significant adults share in their formal education tend to do better in school.Some benefits that have been identified that measure parental involvement in education include: Higher grades and test scores Long term academic achievement Positive attitudes and behavior More successful programs More effective schools All parents want their children to become successful, caring adults. Simila rly, many parents want to be involved with the formal education of their children. Sometimes, however, they don't know where to start, when to find the time, or how to go about making positive connections with the school.At the most basic level, parents can begin encouraging the education of their children by showing that they truly value education themselves. Discussion Question â€Å"Can you think of some ways that parents and grandparents might show their children that they value education? † Answers might include: Enrolling in classes themselves Showing an interest in reading Taking part in study groups Talking about educational issues Paying attention to school matters Showing concern for child's progress Giving time to the school-classroom, PTA/PTO, or library.Parent involvement is linked to children's school readiness. Research shows that greater parent involvement in children's learning positively affects the child's school performance, including higher academic achie vement (McNeal, 1999; Scribner, Young, & Pedroza, 1999; Sui-Chu & Willms, 1996; Trusty, 1998; Yan & Lin, 2002) and greater social and emotional development (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997; Fantuzzo & McWayne, 2002). Simple interactions, such as reading to young children, may lead to greater reading knowledge and skills (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). And, children with richer home