Apush Midterm Review Essay Example for Free

Apush Midterm Review Essay A. All classes will have the Causes and Effects of the Mexican War, which has been discussed in class. B. All classes will have 2 choices for their second essay. 1. One possibility for Essay #2 is Causes and Effects of the French and Indian War. This essay should be structured in 4 paragraphs. The first paragraph includes background info leading up to the conflict and your thesis statement. Paragraphs 2 and 3 discuss the causes and effects and paragraph 4 is your conclusion- what happens next (Revolutionary War). It is a good idea to reiterate your thesis statement as well. 2. Another possibility is the Causes and Effects of the Revolutionary War. This essay should be structured in four paragraphs as well. The first paragraph should include background info (such as French and Indian War, end of Salutary Neglect) and your thesis statement. One paragraph should discuss causes and one effects. Your fourth paragraph is your conclusion what happens next. 3. Another possibility is the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Paragraph one should discuss what happened briefly before the A of C and your thesis statement. Paragraph two, the strengths (3 that we discussed: brought the country together for the first time, negotiated the end of the Revolutionary War, and the Land Ordinances) and Paragraph 3 the weaknesses (among many- the lack of power to tax, only one branch etc.). Paragraph 4, your conclusion and what happens next (Constitutional Convention). 4. Another possibility is Causes and Effects of the War of 1812. First paragraph is background info and thesis statement. Paragraph 2 is the Causes (impressment, arming Native Americans in the Old Northwest etc.) and Paragraph 3, the Effects (huge surge of nationalism, National anthem written etc.). Paragraph 4 is your conclusion and what happens next. 5. Another possibility is to discuss the reforms that came out of the Second Great Awakening. This essay can be 4 or 5 paragraphs depending upon how you discuss the reforms. Your first paragraph will discuss background info and thesis statement. The next 2 or 3 paragraphs should discuss the 5 major reforms: abolition of slavery, educational reforms, mental health reform, temperance, and woman’s rights. These paragraphs should include reforms made and the people involved (for instance- Dorothea Dix with mental health). Also discuss whether the reforms actually were realized or just set up change for the future. Last paragraph should be your conclusion and what happens next. 6. The last possibility is to discuss the Marshall Court and the Taney Court. The first paragraph should have background information; such as John Jay was first Chief Justice, and your thesis statement. Paragraphs 2 and 3 should discuss the Marshall Court and the Taney Court: how they ruled (strong central government for Marshall, state’s rights for Taney etc.), examples of court cases (Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott decision- give a minimum of 3 cases for Marshall and 2 for Taney). Paragraph 4 should be your conclusion and what happens next. Your essays need to give specific factual information and be well structured to get full credit. Stay on topic- show your knowledge of the time period right before the question at hand and what happens as a result of the events discussed. You will not be penalized for spelling errors since this is an in -class writing, but essays should make sense and flow.

The Causes Of The Revolutions History Essay

The Causes Of The Revolutions History Essay Described as the year of the avalanche, the events of 1989 proved to be some of the most surprising and cataclysmic of the twentieth century. In early 1989, few would have dared to predict the unprecedented events which were to occur. In the space of a matter of months, the communist regimes across the Eastern Bloc began to crumble as the Soviet grip on the states lessened. However, the fact that the communist regimes in Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania all fell with such quick succession can lead to the misconception that the revolutions shared the same causes. However, the conventional tendency to assess the causes of the fall of communism collectively is particularly unhelpful; this essay will argue that, despite sharing the same fundamental long-term causes, the salience of these causes, as well as a number of other short term factors, did in fact vary. In making this assertion, the essay will adopt a thematic approach, assessing a range of fact ors which contributed to the events of 1989. Whilst acknowledging that everything was interconnected, each factor will be evaluated with regard to the six East European countries previously mentioned.  [2]  Thus, economic failure, regime problems, outside influences and popular protest will all be considered. It is important to note that the factors which caused the revolutions across Eastern Europe can be divided into both long and short term factors. Crucially, economic stagnation and underdevelopment proved to be central to the revolutions which occurred Eastern Europe. After all, as noted by Brown, economic failure stimulated and consolidated societal opposition in most Eastern European countries.  [3]  This view is supported by Chirot who asserts that economic stagnation and crisis was the most visible reason for the collapse of communism.  [4]  However, it is at this point that it is necessary to distinguish between the various Eastern European countries. Chirot describes how, although not impoverished on the scale of nations, such as Ethiopia, Romania and Poland were headed in that direction, while countries, such as Czechoslovakia, Hungary and East Germany were economically failing when compared to countries in Western Europe.  [5]  However, all of the six nations stru ggled with economic inefficiency and production inadequacies and were, thus, unable to act as competitive rivals to the capitalist economies of Western Europe. Economic stagnation affected the population significantly as there was a shortage of consumer goods, while the commitment to full employment and low food prices further damaged the economies of Eastern Europe.  [6]   However, the failing economy in these countries was arguably linked to regime problems; economic decisions were taken with primary consideration for the maintenance of party rule and the current system, not what was best for the economy. As a result, decisions were largely based on political will, rather than economic necessity.  [7]  Thus, a strong case can be made to suggest that inherent problems with the regimes hindered economic progress. For instance, rather than using foreign loans to invest in new technology or improvements to infrastructure, the communist regimes in Poland and Hungary instead used foreign loans to purchase consumer goods to make people happy, [an attempt to] shore up the crumbling legitimacy of [their] regimes.  [8]  As a result, it is clear that that the economic problems which gripped Eastern Europe arguably exacerbated the problems faced by the communist regimes regarding their fundamental à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ illegitimacy.  [9]  Overall, it is cle ar that the countries of Eastern Europe all experienced varying degrees of economic difficulties and, thus, the economy acted as a contributing factor to the revolutions. However, the key word here is varying. The most severe economic problems were experienced in Bulgaria, Romania and Poland, while the state of the economy was arguably a less significant cause of the revolutions in East Germany and Czechoslovakia as they were more prosperous than their communist neighbours. Furthermore, arguably one of the most crucial long term factors which contributed to the events of 1989 were regime problems and failings. Fundamentally, a strong case can be made to support the assertion that the communist regimes lacked legitimacy and it was this which ultimately rendered revolution a certainty rather than a possibility.  [10]  Crucially, the communist regimes made a fatal error in confusing authority and legitimacy. It was the misguided belief that authority delivered legitimacy which proved ultimately disastrous.  [11]  After over four decades of communist rule, by 1989, citizens arguably began to realise that, not only did the regimes lack legitimacy, but that the authority which they had previously exerted was open to challenge. Thus, it is evident that the illegitimacy of the communist regimes in all of the Eastern European countries directly contributed to the rise in opposition towards communist rule. Moreover, a strong case can be made to support the assertion that this was underpinned by an increasing realisation that the communist party could no longer use force to maintain control. After all, what little legitimacy the regimes initially had gradually eroded over time; the years of repression, terror and misery of life à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ created a general malaise.  [12]  For instance, in East Germany, Honecker utilised repression as a tool for maintaining control; once repressive tactics had been abandoned, however, the system collapsed in a few weeks.  [13]  Therefore, this highlights how, once fear had been removed, the illegitimacy of the regimes were exposed and their future was thus limited. Significantly, however, it is possible to assert that attempts to reform and negotiate with the opposition, as occurred in Poland throughout 1989, were an attempt at re-legitimising the communist regimes in order to preserve their power. After all, there was notable success for Ja ruzelski in Poland following the total amnesty he announced in the mid-1980s. Describing the effect of this, Brown asserts that, while the regime gained ground, the opposition seemed to be in disarray.  [14]   In addition, the communist regimes across Eastern Europe faced even greater problems than their illegitimacy. Notably, communist leaders had to find a balance between what was best for their country as well as avoiding disapproval from the Soviet Union. However, this was arguably extremely different; each Soviet leader pursued different policies towards Eastern Europe, with significant contrast between the approach adopted by leaders, such as Khrushchev and Brezhnev, and leaders, such as Gorbachev, for example.  [15]  This highlights the interdependence of the factors which combined to cause the revolutions in 1989; in this sense, regime problems were also dependent upon outside influences, namely the role of the Soviet Union. What is more, elderly leaders, who were increasingly out of touch with the needs of their people, also proved problematic.  [16]  This was arguably the case for Ceausescu, the communist leader of Romania. At the time of his fall from power, Ceausescu wa s 71 years-old and had been in office for 22 years.  [17]  Thus, a logical case can be made to draw links between his age and length of tenure and his uncompromising response to opposition and inability to sense the mood of the country, resulting in a rebellion which cost him his life.  [18]  Overall, a strong case can be made to support the assertion that regime problems and failings played a key role in all of the revolutions across Eastern Europe. However, whilst all of the European states shared this fundamental long term cause of unrest, the salience of the short term factors varied greatly between countries. What is more, another factor which arguably contributed to the revolutions of 1989 can be collectively referred to as outside factors. This is a reference to the range of short term factors which were outside the control of the communist regimes, including geographical issues, the role of Gorbachev, the significance of the domino effect and also the increased awareness of life in the West. In terms of geography, it is important to consider the location of the East European countries as a strong case can be made to suggest that this had a bearing on the events of 1989. For instance, East Germany was a front-line state due to its position bordering the capitalist West Germany.  [19]  Moreover, the population was also more western, with many citizens being able to remember a time when Germany was still unified. Thus, East Germany had a stronger permeation of Western culture than many of the other countries in Eastern Europe.  [20]  What is more, as the European continent has few natural borders, it is clear that events occurring in one country are likely to have a knock-on effect in neighbouring countries. For instance, following the opening of the Hungarian border with Austria, East Germany was severely affected; the opening of the border triggered an emigration crisis, with hundreds of thousands of East Germans attempting to escape due to their demoralisation and disgust with the regime.  [21]  This proved highly damaging for the East German regime; the exposure of the illegitimacy of the regime proved fatal. Thus, this highlights not only the importance of the increased awareness of life in the West, but also the significant role played by geography in terms of exposure to images of both life in the West as well as western media. However, these factors are clearly more important in explaining the causes of the revolutions in those countries which were geographically close to West Europe than those which were closer to the Soviet Union. Moreover, the role of the domino effect was arguably crucial, acting as a catalyst and thus explaining the spread of the revolution. Whilst the effect that images from the West had on frontline states was significant, a convincing case can be made to suggest that it was in fact images of life in the Soviet Union and, later, in neighbouring states which proved to be the ultimate short-term cause of the revolutions across Eastern Europe. The effect of such images arguably served to undermine the regimes in the eyes of the dissenting minority and, crucially, also the loyal minority.  [22]  The notion that the revolutions were in some way contagious is highly significant.  [23]  After all, the fall of communism in Poland paved the way for the overthrow of the communist regimes in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and, finally, Romania. Whilst the argument that the revolutions were contagious is somewhat oversimplifying the intricacies and distinctiveness of the circ umstances which occurred in each of the states, it is still a useful analysis as it emphasises the importance of the spread of ideas and confidence.  [24]  For instance, the successful non-violent overthrow of the communist regime in Poland arguably led to a growth of confidence throughout the Eastern Bloc as a precedent had effectively been established. The effect of such newfound confidence cannot be overestimated, with the contemporary example of the Arab Spring bearing similarities with events in Eastern Europe, for example. Thus, overall, it is clear that the domino effect played a crucial role in all of the countries following the precedent which was established in Poland. However, it is important not to overstate the role of the domino effect; had there not been numerous problems and rising discontent in the states, the revolutions would undoubtedly have been seen as isolated rather than contagious. Furthermore, an additional outside factor which arguably played a key role in the events of 1989 was the attitude and policies pursued by the Soviet leader, Gorbachev. In fact, Brown goes as far as asserting that the revolutions could not have happened without Gorbachev.  [25]  Gorbachevs policy of lessening the Soviet grip on the Eastern Bloc and effectively removing the Soviet rod which had previously reinforced the communist regimes of Eastern Europe arguably had a galvanising effect.  [26]  Not only did it bring together opposition groups and politically-minded youths, but, in Poland and Hungary in particular, it also served to stimulate reformers within the regimes themselves.  [27]  Gorbachevs policy of non-intervention arguably exposed the illegitimacy of the regimes as even their authority was now in question. This was particularly the case in countries, such as Czechoslovakia, where the communist regime did not wish to reform as, if Gorbachev was seen to be corre ct, it effectively validated the attempted rebellion in 1968. Moreover, a further result of Gorbachevs policy was that it increased the evaporation of fear amongst the population, thus explaining the rise in the number and vociferousness of public protest and opposition movements.  [28]  However, whilst Gorbachevs policy had a direct effect on those countries, such as Czechoslovakia and East Germany which had close ties to the Soviet Union, countries, such as Romania were not affected as much due to Romanias remoteness from the Soviet Union. However, despite clear variations in the importance of the role of Gorbachev in contributing to the revolutions, a convincing case can be made to support the assertion that, overall, Gorbachev played a key role. After all, previous attempts at rebellion in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, for example, had been crushed by the Soviet Union. With this threat removed, surely it was only a matter of time before the unpopular regimes fa ced a challenge. Finally, popular protest and organised opposition was arguably the short term catalyst for the events of 1989. The long term factors previously discussed, including regime problems, economic failure and outside influences all combined, thus leading to an increase in opposition. However, despite the significance of popular protest, it is important not to overstate how widespread such protest was; regimes were undermined by the active opposition of a minority, not by the masses.  [29]  For instance, demonstrations were by no means universal, mainly attracting the younger generation who were more akin to western culture and also had less to lose than older generations. Crucially, the role played by protest and organised opposition varies between countries. In Poland, for example, organised opposition was strong in the form of the Solidarity Movement. Moreover, whilst signs of protest in Hungary initially suggest that there was visible opposition to the regime, most of the protests w hich occurred were focussed on non-regime issues, such as ecological problems, for instance.  [30]  In contrast to Poland, Chirot notes how there was little organised opposition in Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria except for seemingly isolated intellectuals [who] had no followers.  [31]  What is more, in East Germany there was only a small peace movement, but the regime had never been directly threatened, while in Romania, although there had been a riot in Brasov in 1987, intellectual protest was muted.  [32]  Thus, it is clear that popular protest played a more crucial role in contributing towards the revolutions in countries where the regimes refused to initiate reform or negotiate with opposition. Overall, it is clear that the revolutions in the countries of Eastern Europe all shared the same fundamental causes. What differed, however, was the significance of each factor, thus dispelling the conventional wisdom that a combination of popular protest and the domino effect provides for a definitive understanding of the causes of the revolutions. However, although this essay has offered a discussion of both the common causes of the revolutions as well as national differentiation, it is also important to question why 1989 was the year in which these revolutions took place. Arguably, 1989 proved to be the tipping point following the accumulation of decades of rot in the foundations of the communist system.  [33]  Ultimately, however, Gorbachev proved to be the catalyst, render[ing] the revolutions in Eastern Europe both inevitable and successful.  [34]  After all, the tinder was already there but it needed Gorbachev to light it.  [35]  

Self Regulation Theory In Relation To Motivation Education Essay

Self Regulation Theory In Relation To Motivation Education Essay Learning and acquiring a second or foreign language can be difficult for some people and at the same time easy for others. Factors influencing this observation may be explained in terms of individual differences in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). These individuals differences may include personality, intelligence, language learning strategies, attitude, emotion and motivation. Some researchers believe that motivation may impact learners whole process of learning a second language (L2) (Gardner Lambert, 1972). One theory which has long been recognised in the field is called self-determination theory (e.g. Brown 1981, 1990), and it examines intrinsic/extrinsic motivation in L2 learning. However, there has also been a development of a more process-oriented theoretical approach namely the process model of L2 motivation by Dà ¶rnyei Ottà ³ (1998). They have highlighted the importance of developing self-regulatory strategies to manage, reinforce or sustain ones motivation during the course of learning. Accordingly, L2 self-regulation theory was later proposed by Dà ¶rnyei (2005), and the theory represents a major reformation of previous motivational thinking. This essay, therefore, will discuss the extent in which motivation plays a key role in second language learning. The focus of this essay is specifically on the linkage between self-regulation theory and second language learning, using the authors personal experience in Persian language learning as a case study. Research Objective The aim of this essay is to examine the authors experience in Persian language learning and analyse, based on self-regulation theory, to what extent motivation contributes to the learning of a second language. Methodology The essay employs a qualitative analysis based on theories and the authors personal experience in Persian language learning. First, definitions of the term motivation will be briefly demonstrated, and the most appropriate definition for this essay will be chosen. Second, theories and constructs of motivation in relation to self-regulation will be explored. Third, the role of motivation in the authors Persian Learning Experience will be evaluated based on self-regulation theory. Finally, a conclusion will be presented with a further discussion on future recommendations. CHAPTER TWO DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION Motivation is a broad concept, and definitions of motivation vary according to research and findings. The aim of this section is to explore several definitions of the term motivation and conclude on the most appropriate definition in second language (L2) learning which will contribute to this essay. To begin with, motivation comes from the Latin verb movere which means to move. It can be described as the driver inducing a person to take a certain action, make a decision, or invest efforts toward carrying out certain behaviours (Dà ¶rnyei Ushioda, 2011: 3). In a psychological perspective, motivation is often defined as the psychological quality that leads people to achieve a goal. For language learners, mastery of a language may be a goal. For others, communicative competence or even basic communication skills could be a goal. In a socio-educational framework, motivation to learn the second language is viewed as requiring three elements: effort, desire, and enjoyment. First, the motivated individual must expend an effort to learn the language. There must be a persistent and consistent strive to achieve success in learning such as by doing homework, practicing the language whenever there is an opportunity, etc. Second, the individual must demonstrate the desire to achieve the goal. Such individual will do all that is necessary to achieve the goal. Third, the motivated individual will enjoy the task of learning the language. Such an individual will say that it is fun, a challenge, and enjoyable, even though at times enthusiasm may be less than at other times. All three elements-effort, desire, and enjoyment-are necessary in order to differentiate individuals who are more motivated and those who are less motivated. However, each element, by itself, is seen as insufficient to reflect motivation. Some students may display effort, even though they have no strong desire to succeed, and may not find the experience particularly enjoyable. Others may want to learn the language, but may have other things that detract from their effort, etc. Motivation in Second Language Acquisition In the field of Second Language Acquisition research, motivation has been identified as one of the key factors which determines L2 achievement and attainment. Motivation initially serves as an impetus to generate learning and later as a sustaining force to ensure that the learner remains on-track with acquiring the target language (Cheng Dà ¶rnyei, 2007). According to Gardner (1985: 50), he posits that motivation in learning is based on four characteristics: a goal, effortful behaviour, a desire to attain the goal and favourable attitudes toward the activity in question. Dà ¶rnyei and Ottà ³s definition of L2 motivation (1998: 65) has a broader sense; they defined motivation as the dynamically changing cumulative arousal in a person that initiates, directs, coordinates, amplifies, terminates, and evaluates the cognitive and motor processes whereby initial wishes and desires are selected, prioritised, operationalised and (successfully or unsuccessfully) acted out. According to Dà ¶rnyei and Ushioda (2011: 4), the by far definition that most SLA research, including this essay, would agree on concerns the direction and magnitude of human behaviour, that is, motivation accounts for: why people decide to do something (choice), how long they are willing to sustain the activity (persistence), and how hard they are going to pursue it (effort). It is important to note that although choice, persistence, effort are the three key issues allowing learners to regulate their own motivation, Ushioda (2003: 99-100) further demonstrates that in order for motivation to grow in a positive way, it cannot be seen as a progressive attempts to regulate behaviour from outside. There needs to be supportive interpersonal processes which foster the development of autonomy and the growth and regulation of motivation from inside. Thus, with this in mind, this essay will consider the issue of motivation in relation to self-regulation in the following chapter. CHAPTER THREE REVIEW OF SELF-REGULATION THEORY IN RELATION TO MOTIVATION IN SLA It has been widely accepted that motivation plays an important role not only in general academic learning, but also in the process of achieving the goal in a second language learning. According to Dà ¶rnyei (2002), L2 motivation has been seen as a dynamic construct that directs and enhances learning behaviour. There are many theories that devoted to motivation in relation to autonomy and strategy use, and two most-cited theories are self-determination theory and self-regulation theory. The self-determination theory, which was developed from the education psychology approach, examines about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in relation to the learners behaviours and regulation. It denotes a sense of choice, personal responsibility, and self-initiation of behaviours. While the self-regulation theory, a more recent development within the field of SLA research, refers to self-generated thoughts, feelings, and actions that are planned and cyclically adapted to the attainment of personal goals. Other well-known related theories are Language Learning Strategies (LLS) and L2 Motivational Self System. LLS is another approach which relates to strategic behaviours and keys attribute of good language learners. This theory has been trying to establish a link between strategic behaviour and actual learning gains, to demonstrate that strategies are not culturally biased, and to explain why poor strategies user differs from good strategy users only in how they use strategies in context but not in the kinds or frequency of strategy they use (Ortega, 2009:214). Though self-regulation is a more recent alternative study that replacing the traditional emphasis on sheer frequency of strategy use. Its emphasis on the creativity of efforts employed to control ones learning processes is the main issue I would like to point out in this essay. L2 Motivational Self Systemis another important recent theory of L2 motivation proposed by Dornyei (2005). It concerns motivation especially in terms of the theory of possible selves and the self-discrepancy theory (Dornyei Ushioda, 2011). Drawing on theoretical paradigms from both motivational psychology and L2 motivational research, Dornyei (2005)s L2 Motivational Self System model has three main dimentions: the Ideal L2 self, the Ought-to L2 self, and the L2 Learning Experience. Rationale of this Essay: Self-regulation Theory in Relation to Motivation Despite the fact that there are many theories on motivation in the context of SLA, self-regulation theory seems to best fit this essay. The self-regulatory approach allows for the combined study of motivation and strategic behaviour, and of cognition and affect, under a single theoretical framework. As supported by Ortege (2009: 211) who demonstrates a clear relevance of self-regulation theory to SLA and individual differences when learning another language poses a high-anxiety and complex challenge that demands cognitive as well as affective self-regulation, and individuals differ in their capacity to self-regulate. There have been concerns about the clear-cut of LLS, as according to Dà ¶rnyei (2005: 162), there is a change of perspective that the LLS are immensely ambiguous phenomena and nothing is clear-cut about them. Furthermore, Dà ¶rnyei (2005: 190) stated that researchers started to accept that examining the LLS was not important as much as the fact that the good learners choose to put creative effort in their own learning and that they have the capacity to do so. Thus, because of learning strategies examine the outcome of these forces, I decided to draw self-regulation theory which is looking at the initial driving forces. The L2 Motivational Self System also does not fit in my context of describing a short language experience. It concerns more in terms of primary sources of the motivation to learn another language which are the Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, and L2 learning Experience. Review of Self-regulation Theory in Second Language Acquisition The starting point of self-regulation theory is that human endeavours are always goal-directed, intentional, effortful and voluntary (Boekaerts et al., 2006). In the face of multiple goals and ensuing environmental challenges, humans are capable of achieving the ends they choose to pursue because they are able to self-regulate their behaviour (Ortega, 2009: 211). In the context of SLA, L2 self-regulation is a process by which individuals direct their efforts, thoughts, and feelings toward the attainment of their personal goals, and self-regulation is neither a discrete mental ability nor an academic skill (Zimmerman, 2000). In other words, self-regulation involves processes, responses, and strategies that students initiate and regulate (Zimmerman, 1986) to activate and sustain both their behavioral conduct and their cognitive and affective functioning (Boekaerts, Pintrich, Zeidner, 2000; Zimmerman, 2001). Self-regulation theory became the recent developments in the field of L2 individual differences as there has been a need to reconceptualize the strategic behaviour into a theory over the past decades. The two main proponents for this urge are Dà ¶rnyei and Skehan (2003) who have pointed out that the L2 learning strategic behavior should not be limited to OMalley and Chamot (1990)s taxonomy of observed heuristic and reported mental process or Oxford (1990)s inventory of self-reported frequencies of strategy use. Then, in 2005, Dà ¶rnyei pushed forward the solution to theorizing learning strategies and claimed self-regulation theory as a framework for SLA research about strategic behaviour during L2 learning. Self-regulation Strategies Dà ¶rnyei has created a model of motivational strategies based on the psycholinguistic concept of selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ regulation which is intended to reà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ theorize language learning strategies by examining strategic learning in the paradigm of selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ regulation (see Dà ¶rnyei, 2005; Tseng et al., 2006). This taxonomy of strategic learning is based in the framework of motivation control strategies (Dà ¶rnyei, 2001) and consists of five categories. Dà ¶rnyei (2006) notes that his system was based on Kuhls (1987) and Corno and Kanfers (1993) taxonomy of action control strategies. The categories are defined below: 1. Commitment control strategies Commitment control strategies examine the students ability to set and reach goals in their learning. It helps to preserve or increase the learnersoriginal goal commitment. For example, students may keep in mind favourable expectations or positive incentives and rewards, or students may focus on what would happen if the original intention failed. 2. Metacognitive control strategies Metacognitive control strategies involve the monitoring and controlling of concentration, and the curtailing of any unnecessary procrastination e.g. identifying recurring distractions and developing defensive routines, and focusing on the first steps to take when getting down to an activity. 3. Satiation control strategies Satiation control refers to students capacity to control boredom and dissatisfaction in a learning task, and the ability to cope with these negative feelings (Dornyei, 2005). For example, students may add a twist to the task or using ones fantasy to liven up the task. These strategies can help to eliminate boredom and add extra attraction or interest to the task. 4. Emotion control strategies Emotional control strategies examine how learners cope with emotionally charged feeling such as stress, depression and disappointment that may hinder their language development. For example, students may use self-encouragement or using relaxation and meditation techniques. 5. Environment control strategies Environmental control strategies refer to how a student controls their learning environment in order to facilitate study. Learners with good environmental control are more aware of how their environment affects their learning and have strategies to curb these negative effects. For example, students may try to eliminate distractions or asking friends to help. Such activities will help in eliminating negative environmental influences and exploiting positive environmental influences by making the environment an ally in the pursuit of a difficult goal. CHAPTER FOUR PERSIAN LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Learning Context Persian Language Experience is part of the Second Language Teaching and Learning module. The aim of this language experience is not primarily for future use but to exemplify, and make more real, some of the issues connected with the language teaching and learning with which the modules deal. The instructor gives the reasons for choosing this language as follows: It is unlikely that any of the module students has learned it before. It is an Indo-Europeaen language, and so its grammatical categories, and some of its vocabulary, will be relatively familiar to students. The course runs eight weeks, covering the first six lessons of the textbook. The students will learn in romanised transcription not the Arabic script version as the purpose is to learn a limited amount of conversational Persian (Farsi), with associated grammar and vocabulary. There will be a review session at the end of each two-lesson section. (See Appendix 1 for more details) The class consists of about 30 students from various nationalities, mixed with females and males, aged approximately from 20 to 25, and all the lessons are taught in English. The instructor is the native speaker of the target language. I am a complete beginner-level learner as I have no previous knowledge in Persian language or culture. Though, I still show a great interest in learning a new language. I see this as a challenging task, and I am highly motivated by the thought of using the language as a mean of exploring Persian culture and people. Persian Language Learning Experience in Relation to Self-regulation Theory Personally, I aware that learning a second language is considered as a challenging task which requires time and effort. As I am highly motivated to use the language not just only for the purpose of the module, I developed my own goal to learn the language as much as I could within the time limit. In order to achieve the goal, keeping my learning on track is very important and the following strategies are how I regulate my Persian language learning in accordance to self-regulation theory: Commitment control strategies During the first two weeks, I was very interested to learn the language when the instructor began to introduce the lesson with an easy to remember greeting phrase. I became more motivated to learn Persian when the instructor presented about the tourist places and the culture. Hence, I made up my mind that I have to take this as an opportunity to learn the language as much as I could in order to travel to the area in the future. With this in my mind, I committed myself to buying a Persian textbook, so I would have to fully utilise the book and study thoroughly throughout the course. Metacognitive control strategies After the result of the first quiz, I became aware that maintaining my motivation through culture exploration was insufficient, and I needed to review more grammar and vocabularies periodically. In other words, I needed to structure my Persian learning by setting frequent goals. To illustrate clearly, I set mini-goals for myself to complete one or two exercises in the textbook per day. I also had a specific goal for each week that I must finish studying one chapter in the textbook before every Monday class. In the case that there were other deadlines from other courses and I could not finish one chapter by weekend, I told myself to devote a Sunday evening to complete the chapter. These mini goals provided me an opportunity to reflect and monitor my own progress each week and helped providing the motivation to focus on my tasks. Satiation control strategies During the course, I was always looking for a new inspiration or a new motivation in learning the language. I enhanced my interest by searching about tourist places or Persian culture online. I also recorded my own voice to overcome boredom while learning new vocabularies or practicing pronunciation. Emotion control strategies It was obvious that I experienced negative feelings such as anxiety, frustration, and discouragement after the result of the quiz. I avoided interacting with the instructor in the following lesson. However, I understood that I could not keep avoiding the interactions, and it would be better if I had prepared for the lesson ahead. I tried to get rid of negative feelings and cheered myself up by reminding myself about the real aim of the course, which is to point out some issues in the teaching and learning of a second language, and that the quiz mark was simply a way to reflect on my L2 learning progress. Environment control strategies As the Persian lesson runs only one hour per week, learning in class would be insufficient to achieve my personnal goal. to complete the book. Therefore, I tried to have extra lessons and/or sought out additional sources of input and interactions. I look for a good environment that have easy access to time and place to avoid procrastination such as the internet; I practice Persian pronunciation through YouTube videos and study more about Persian grammar and vocabulary through free lessons online. Self-evaluation Due to the fact that I needed to reflect on my daily progress in order to incorporate received feedback on the prospective assignment, it helped me to monitor my progress and observe my strategies whether the way I self-regulate has been improving my learning or not. In terms of commitment control strategies, I had a high amount of motivation in the beginning that I wanted to learn as much as I could. I had a very high expectation of myself and even bought the textbook in hope to study further the requirement. Although, this might not be strong enough to keep myself commit to my goal, in fact it kept me engaged in the tasks for a short period. Part of this failure was due to the fact that I did not have a definite schedule of my Persian learning and that I was distracted by other subjects. Another part might due to high intrinsic motivation, I was too ambitious to learn and did not examine my ability thoroughly. However, even though my motivation was dropped after the quiz, when I later set up the mini goals for each week, my process of learn became more structure and sustain my motivation throughout the week. In other words, these strategies help me minimizing procrastination or distraction and maximizing concentration and keeping goals in focus. This can be said that metacognitive control strategies are essential to develop a learner autonomy. As Wenden (2001: 62) demonstrates that a recognition of the function of metacognitive knowledge in the self-regulation of learning should contribute to a clearer understanding of learner autonomy, especially how it can be developed and enhanced. Wendens findings on the role of metacognitive knowledge in self-regulatory process also corroborate Chamot and OMalleys (1994: 382) observation that explicit metacognitive knowledge about task characteristics and appropriate strategies for task solution is a major determiner of language learning effectiveness . In addition to my satiation control strategies, the way that I always look for inspiration from different sources for my own learning can keep my learning on process. In my opinion, this strategy should be a way to increase my motivation when I feel procrastinated or bored. However, I found myself spending too much time browsing on the internet about Persian culture and had less time to review the task. I should be careful that it would not take up too much time of my daily Persian learning otherwise it would not be effective. So, it seems that this strategy might not be helpful to me sometimes because I can use it as an excuse to procrastinate. My emotion control strategies, particularly to my positive self-talk is also mentioned in a study by Bown (2009) that this technique helped learners maintain perspective on their language learning. It alleviated feelings of frustration or anxiety. Bown divided that learners used self-talk for two primary purposes: (a) to remind themselves of their own motivation for learning the language and (b) to encourage themselves when they felt that they were not making enough progress. The use of this self-talk also served to help learners keep their expectations of themselves realistic, as informed by their beliefs about language learning. Learners would tell themselves that mistakes are part of learning or that it takes longer to learn Russian than other languages they may have studied previously (Bown, 2009). Though it is true that the use of this strategy became effective when I had a low quiz mark, in my case it must be combined with other strategies (such as metacognitive control strateg ies) at the same time in order to completely encouraging myself. I must have a definite plan (the mini goals) to support my positive self-talk. For my environment control strategies, Wolters (1998), citing research from Corno (1989, 1993), Corno and Kanfer (1993), and Kuhl (1984, 1992), pinpoints a self-regulation technique I employed: (1) environmental control, for example a student who decides to go to a quiet place conducive to studying (225). In my opinion, the way that I always try to turn my surrounding environment into a learning environment for me makes me sometimes enjoy learning by myself rather than studying in the classroom. It helps me complete the mini goal I set for myself in each day. In addition, this can be supported by the study from Bown (2009). The findings suggested that effective self-regulation depended on the learners sense of themselves as agents in the learning process. Learners who recognized their role as authors of their own learning transformed the learning environment to meet their individual needs (Bown, 2009). CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION It is believed that motivation is essential in learning a second language as it can be a driven force for the learners to start their second language acquistion and it can be a force that sustain the learning throughout the acquisition. However, motivation, according to Dornyei and Ushioda (2011), is a dynamic and complicate factor which concerns about the choice, persistence, and effort of the learners in regulating thier own motivation. From this, motivation can be seen as a factor that correlate to the learner behaviour which can contribute to the learner autonomy. There are many theories which were developed to examine about motivation in relation to L2 learner behaviour and strategy use. Self-determination theory (SDT) is one of the theories that has a broad framework for the study of human motivation and personality. It is concerned mainly with intrinsic motivation and the way to which the individual is self-motivated and self-determined.Language Learning Strategies (LLS) is another approach which examines the strategies that the good language learner employ. The L2 Motivational Self System is another recent approach in relation to L2 motivation and the self framework. It concerns three self dimensions: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, L2 Learning Experience. Self-regulation refers to the degree to which individuals are active participants in their own learning. It is a more dynamic concept than learning strategy, highlighting the learners own strategic efforts to manage their own achievement through specific beliefs and processes (Dà ¶rnyei, 2005). In the context in this essay, it is found that motivation became a critical factors on how the learner will choose the strategies to regulate his/herself and keep the learning process going in order to achieve goal of learning a second language. In other words, it can be argued that self-regulation of L2 learning is multidimensional, including cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and behavioral processes that learners can apply to enhance achievement. The deliberative, adaptive process of self-regulation enables learners to handle tasks effectively and prepares them to take responsibility for their learning (Wenden, 2001). In chapter 4, based on the Self-regulation theory, my Persian Learning Experience has been evaluated in relation to motivation. According to the four self-regulation strategies I employed, it is found that I depend much or less on motivation to regulate or control the four strategies. For instance, motivation became a crucial factor on how I use the metacognitive control strategies to change the way I learn the language. While motivation has been rarely concerned on how I chose the place to study as in the environment control strategies. Nevertheless, I could not agree more that both motivation and the four self-regulation strategies are the two essential factors that cannot be overlooked in learner autonomy and the development in the process to enhance individual learning in order to achieve the goal. Though the aim of the Persian Language Learning class was merely to experience the issues that can be raised in L2 learning and teaching, the fact that the class is conducted only one hour per week might not be enough to motivate some learners to engage during the lesson. In order to have a more effective class, the instructor could raise an awareness of using self-regulation strategies which I believe will be fruitful for the students themselves to have an opportunity to monitor their learning progress and develop their learning autonomy in L2 learning. As Hurd (2008) emphasises, awareness-raising of self-regulation in L2 learning is equally if not more important in independent learning setting (e.g. online environments and distance learning), where students lack the kind of social-affective support provided by regular interactions with other learners and the teacher, and typically may be engaging in language learning on top of full-time study and personal commitments.

Elizabeth Bishops Poem Filling Station Essays -- Elizabeth Bishop Fil

Elizabeth Bishop's Poem "Filling Station" In poetry many elements are used to bring life to a literary work. Some of these include style, structure, imagery, diction, and allusion. In Elizabeth Bishop's poem, Filling Station, the author uses them skillfully to create meaning in a story that otherwise would be banal. Her usage of expressive details supports the writing which helps the reader to imagine what the author is describing. Her style also appeals to the readers emotions and imagination to draw them into her harsh reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the elements that she uses to engage the reader is through the use of diction. In the first verse, the author opens by describing the setting as dirty. She further supports this in lines 3 - 5 by stating that the station is "oil-soaked", "oil-permeated", "over-all black translucency". These compound phrases gives the reader a clear image of the unpleasant environment that the author is portraying to the reader. In the second verse, the author introduces the father, a character who embodies his surrounding environment. Dressed in what the author describes as "a dirty, oil-soaked monkey suit" which does not even fit the character's stature, the reader can infer that the family is living under poor conditions. This is further confirmed when the author describes the son's appearance as "greasy" and "throughly dirty".   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the next verse, the author moves away from the disgusting scene of the gas station and uses vivid imagery...

Eaters Of The Dead Essay -- essays research papers

Applied Intelligence and Knowledge Conquers All In his novel, Eaters of the Dead, author Michael Crichton shows how the Volga Northmen were able to defeat their foes, the wendol, by using their intellect instead of their weapons. This is seen in four aspects. The theme of the novel is that physical courage is not enough to preserve your culture and lifestyle: intelligence and superior knowledge are absolutely essential. Conflict between the wendol and the Northmen shows which group has the intelligence to eliminate the other. Symbolism of wisdom, knowledge, and the lack of such things are used by Crichton to illustrate this moral. The juxtaposition of characters emphasizes the cleverness of the Volga Northmen compared to the Venden Northmen. The theme of the story is that applying intelligence and knowledge is essential in order to keep one’s culture alive. A good proof of this is the lack of knowledge of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, the narrator of the story. He is an Arab who "knows nothing of the ways of the world" (p. 77) because he has never truly experienced the world before that day, since he does not care for adventure. Having no experience with the world and having no knowledge, Ibn Fadlan slowly learns the Northmen’s way of life. In the end, felt he "had been born a Northman" (p. 152), having spent much time in their company and is no longer the coward he was when he started the trip. His lack of knowledge causes him to be a coward in battle, since he will be battling frightening, mysterious creatures. A better proof of this is that the wendol acts as if they are animals, which are unintelligent. The wendol makes "a low grunting sound, like the rooting of a pig" (p. 97), "h ave hair as long as a hairy dog" (p. 99), and wear the heads of dead animals as masks. They act as if they were brainless and cannot think of ways of attack on the Northmen. The only thing they can think of when they are losing is to retreat. Their ignorance to provide more guards at the second entrance to the thunder cave give the Northmen easy access to kill their leader from the lack of defenses. The best proof of this is that the Northmen are the ones who have the knowledge and intelligence to defeat the wendol. They learn about the second entrance to the cave of thunder, where the mother of the wendol lives, a... ... from Buliwyf. He builds his settlement on a cliff and "dares the gods to strike him down," (p. 77) putting his people in danger because of his vanity, another act that leads to his downfall. Buliwyf is called upon to help and save the settlement of Venden. He leads the people of Venden to build defences, which King Rothgar was unable to do, although he is the king and should have already done so. Buliwyf is the one with the intelligence that eventually drives away the wendol. The pairing of these characters show the stupidity of the Venden royals and nobleman, which causes them so much trouble and requires the help of the Volga Northmen, who are more intelligent. The Northmen arrive at Venden as a group of thirteen and only four remain. All nine who died lost their lives in the battles of physical strength. However, when it comes to the battle of the intelligence and knowledge, all the warriors survived. The lack of intelligence and knowledge of the Venden Northmen and the wendol leads them to a devastating end. From this, it is seen that the intelligence and knowledge one has is truly more important than physical strength, for without the mind, one is useless.

Russian Media as a conveyer ideology and a tool of hegemony

Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, news regarding Russia’s economic and political state has been spread abroad to other countries through the work of the media. The ideas represented in the Russian media have been responsible for the perception that the acquisition of material goods is not only desirable but indispensable to life and normality. The influence of the media might be considered hegemony, which is represented by the control of one group (the media) over a larger population (the Russians). This control manifests itself in the perceptions of prosperity that are held by many Russians, largely because of the glamorization of Western culture as presented in the media. Because of the influence that this perception has had over the lives of many Russians, it is often thought on the one hand that all Russians currently live their lives in abject poverty. Because many cannot currently afford the expensive things they see Westerners enjoying, they consider themselves as living at a low standard, and this perception is also passed on to the West. On the other hand, it is also believed in some circles that the pomp that can be seen in the major Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg is an accurate measure of how all Russians live. This too has stemmed from the above-mentioned media hegemony and the perception of material wealth that is passed on to the public as â€Å"normal.† The media has, therefore, been responsible for bombarding consumers with such views that promote wealth and materialism as being indispensable to any successful economic society, and this has led to inaccurate perceptions of the Russian economic situation. During the Soviet Union era, Communist ideology acted as a barrier to the entrance of Western ideas and views into the minds of the Russian public. However, with the fall of Communism and the deregulation of the media, an ideological hegemony began to arise. This hegemony has been fueled by the media. As a result, Western ideas of capitalism and materialism began to mingle freely with Russian socio-economic ideology. This ideological change is evident in the attitude of Yegor Gaidar, Acting Prime Minister of Russia following the Soviet Union’s collapse. He said, â€Å"Our main goal [is] the construction in our country of a stable and, at the same time, dynamic and prosperous Western-type society† (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000, p. 14). This opinion was made public to the Russians through the media. Gaidar continued to explain that the main difference between the Russian and the Western civilizations at the time was the development of a market economy and the right of citizens to own property. At such a crucial period of change, this ideology held by the leader also found its way into the minds of the Russians via the media. Because of this, more and more Russians began to strive for the material possessions characteristic of the typical Western society (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000). It is by the hegemonic efforts of the media that these and other ideas have been placed in the minds of the Russians. The effectiveness of the media in effecting this change in the Russian perception of Western civilization has been demonstrated in public opinion polls taken by Russian citizens. The citizens of the West are generally considered by Russians to have such enviable qualities as wealth, inviolable rights to property, high compensation for labor, and talent for entrepreneurship (Diligensky & Chugrov, 2000). This can even more convincingly be attributed to the effect of the media as it has been noted by Russian thinkers that the order in which these qualities are valued by Russians does not represent the true hierarchy of value given to them by Westerners. Rather, it represents the extent to which these needs are perceived as unsatisfied within the lives of the Russians. The Russian media has played the role of portraying as indispensable those Western values that correspond with areas of Russian lack, and the media has made these values â€Å"especially visible against the background of impoverishment and economic hardships in Russia† (2000, p. 19-20). Because of the sheer visibility of the way Westerners live, which is made possible by the existence of the media in all its forms, Russians have perceived it as necessary to strive for these idealistic material values. In addition, their lack of material wealth has been perceived by those who look on as evidence that the Russians live in abject poverty. The media’s hegemonic control over the minds and perceptions of Russians and Westerners alike is evident in other ways. The ideas put forth to Russians via the press (as well as via media access to programming originating in the West) have led to what has been termed the capitalist revolution. With the West as its model, Russia has evolved into a society that contains a â€Å"business elite† (Lavelle, 2004). Within this society, the rise of the business elite has led to wealthy and propertied class that has become very visible in both the Russian and Western media. These persons, who are often celebrated by the media, are seen in such personalities as business tycoon Andrei Melnichenko. He has been publicized as the person who has had a large hand in the transformation of the Moscow MDM Group into a corporation that grosses three billion dollars a year (BusinessWeek, 2002). The media broadcasts the lifestyles of these extremely wealthy Russians who have a core of senior-level employees that also enjoy the fruits of capitalism. These persons live publicly in the very affluent and expensive areas—cities, such as Moscow and St. Petersburg. These cities now boast very high costs and standards of living in a country that had been widely perceived as being filled with persons who live below the poverty line, and this is shown to the world through the media. In fact, according to a worldwide cost of living survey, St. Petersburg ranks as having the 12th highest cost of living in the world. Moscow’s reputation is even more astounding as it ranks as the world’s most expensive city, (Mercer Consulting, 2006). Despite the general Western perception of Russia as having a struggling market economy, the media is now beginning to demonstrate that Russians have been able to afford the highest living standards and costs in the world. Two major implications derive from the fact that the two major Russian cities have been ranked among the most expensive in the world. One is that the perceptions of this country generally engendered by the media are to some extent quite erroneous. Many Russians are as able to afford material goods as their Western counterparts, and poverty is not the general state of all the persons who reside in the former Soviet Union. In fact, according to business reports, Russia’s general standard of living has been on the rise in recent years. This is demonstrated by the fact that its citizens have begun to feel a higher level of security in their economic situation (BusinessWeek, 2002). While in the early 1990’s inflation rates had been in triple digit numbers, by 2002 this had fallen to a mere 17 per cent. By that time too, the stock market index had risen by 27 per cent in the year, and Russians were being reported as â€Å"starting to trust Russia [because] money is coming back† (2002, p. 13). These views are now being over-represented in Western perceptions of Russia as a way of counteracting the previous media-created perception of the poverty of Russians. However, the fact that Moscow and St. Petersburg fall among the most expensive cities hides the fact that once one leaves these highly publicized cities, one is bombarded by a stark decrease in standard of living. What is not represented now in the Western media is this exaggeration of the capitalist gap (between the very rich and the very poor). The media largely demonstrates to the Westerners the wealthy side of Russia—perhaps as a means of de-emphasizing the prevalent idea of Russians as suffering in abject poverty. The media’s hegemonic influence urges Westerners to see the affluence of the large cities without giving a wider view of the whole country. This view would demonstrate the steep decline in living standards as one leaves these economic centers. The media represents a body that to a large extent controls Russians’ and Westerners’ perceptions of how Russia’s wealth compares to that of the rest of the world. This media hegemony carries out a two-fold deception, in which all Russians were once considered by Westerners as living in abject poverty, but that now is beginning to demonstrate all Russians as being wealthy. No balance appears to have been struck between the two views, as the media fails to present an accurately proportioned view of the situation. The media also demonstrates its hegemony in its ability to coerce Russians into viewing the property of Westerners the true measure of economic success. This fact is widely considered as a reason for the biased view of the Russian situation: Russians have been found to grasp for these material things, and these possessions often hide their true areas of lack. References BusinessWeek. (2002). â€Å"Russia’s new wealth.† Business Week Online. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on March 26, 2007 Diligensky, G. & S. Chugrov. (2000). â€Å"The West† in Russian mentality. North Atlantic Treaty   Ã‚   Organization. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 Lavelle, P. (2004). â€Å"Forbes’ Paul Klebnikov: a victim of political terrorism.† In the National   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Interest. July. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 Mercer Consulting. (2006). â€Å"Moscow is the world’s most expensive city while Leipzig is the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   cheapest one in Europe.† City Mayors Economics. Retrieved on March 26, 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.citymayors.com/features/cost_survey.html

Brain functions

Brain provides wider function in terms of biological changes that take place in one person; it is the central nervous system thus, it is responsible to overall functional development of the body. Moreover, the brain serves as the indicator of all the responses made by man, and so, any behavioral and/or psychological development coincides with his mental development. Scientists have made a very significant study on brain functioning of adolescents. A teen’s brain develops more rapidly according to them than what most people thought.Through the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), they have found out that the human brain â€Å"undergoes changes after sensitive period,†1 and develop throughout adolescent. Brain continues to develop until the age of twenty, and this development is remarkable and must be given enough attention by concerned individual, for in this period lies the future of these teens. Many mental health experts believe that these changes that occur in on e’s brain to prepare them to adulthood.2 It is a crucial stage in the development of brain because, along the physiological changes that take place in the brain, the psychological and emotional functioning of an adolescent carries with it also. These health professional had commented that, â€Å"adolescence and young adulthood is a time of great potential for change and development – then policymakers need increasingly to focus in the opportunities for helping and influencing young adults that this crucial stage presents. †3 Biological Changes that Occur in an Adolescent BrainThe brain controls the overall function of the body: the basic instinct, immune system, sexuality, language capacity, and even abstract thinking. Not only has that, even a person’s behavior or responses depended largely on how his brain functions, specifically, his capacity to adapt to changes brought about by external forces. Adolescent period is the turning point in the life of any person to adulthood; many could observe how differently a person when he turns to this period. Not all can understand these changes, even the person himself.In the biological development of the brain, renowned Biologist and Psychologist Jean Piaget observed that â€Å"the developing child builds cognitive structure. †4 He meant the child develops mental ‘maps’ scheme, or network concept for â€Å"understanding and responding to physical experiences with in his or her environment. †5 Piaget confirmed that cognitive structure increases with development moving from instinctive baby responses to highly complex mental activities of adolescence. In his theory6, he identifies four development stages and processes by which children progress through them.These are: 1) the sensorimotor stage (birth – 2years old) is where the child first learns through physical interaction with his or her environment and forms a set of ideas about ‘reality and how it wo rks. 2) The preoperational stage (2-7 years old) is the stage that the child needs ‘concrete physical situation because he can not yet conceptualize abstractly. 3) The concrete operation (7-11 years old), at this ages, the child is able to conceptualize creating ‘logical structures’ that gives him idea of his or her physical experiences.4) The formal operations (11-12 years old), the child already develops cognitive structures like those of an adult which include conceptual reasoning. Piaget further explains that during all development stages, the child experiences his or her environment using whatever mental maps he or she has constructed. By this, he said that repeated experience easily fits or assimilated into child’s cognitive structure that maintains his or her mental equilibrium.But if it is a new experience, the child loses equilibrium and alters cognitive structure to â€Å"accommodate the new conditions. Through this, the child develops more and m ore concrete cognitive structures. †7 Men and women differ in many aspects not only in physical attributes and sexes. They also differ even in the way of solving intellectual problems. The differences accordingly are minimal and were merely consequence of â€Å"variations in experiences during development before and after adolescence.†8 They pointed out that recently, evidence suggests that the effect of sex hormones on brain organization occur so early in life that from the start, the environment is acting on differently wired brains in boys and girls. †9 These then, make evaluating the role of experience independent of physiological disposition which is a difficult task. The basis of biological sex differences in brain and behavior â€Å"have become much better known through increasing numbers of behavioral neurological endocrinological studies. 10 These studies also emphasized that observations show that males are more aggressive than females.Males engage in m ore rough play while females are more ‘nurturing. ’ It was also noted that males are better at a variety of spatial tasks. It concludes that male and female are better differentiated in the â€Å"level of exposure to various sex hormones early in life. †11 According to the studies conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Sowell, Assistant Professor of Neurology Laboratory of New Imaging, UCLA, â€Å"the discoveries particularly of post adolescent frontal lobe motivation provides new insight for interpreting occasionally trouble some behavior.She noted that â€Å"teens in typical western society are notorious for being poor planners, having difficulty interpreting potential consequences of their actions. 12 That these teens have difficulty controlling their emotions and having trouble inhibiting inappropriate behaviors. Dr. Sowell pointed out that â€Å"frontal lobes are responsible for planning, organization, and impulse control all functions typically underdeveloped during adolescence. †13 The result of the studies suggested that on-going changes in brain structure play a role.She said that â€Å"patterns of cortical maturation and degeneration between childhood and old age likely to reflect changing behavioral functions and cognitive abilities across the human life span. †14 The study used computerized brain image analyses to create three dimensional maps of gray matter change in the human cerebral cortex across a decades (7-87 years) involving 176 normal individuals and studies with MRI. Findings showed gray matter increase until about age 30. Whereas gray matter is also observed because of synaptic pruning, and continued myelination occurs during adolescent period.Both synaptic pruning and increased myelination are â€Å"cellular changes that result in a more fine tuned efficient brain. †15 It was also observed that pattern of gray matter loss were more rapid between 7 and 60 years old. Results of this study show that the †Å"trajectory of maturation aging effects vary considerably over the cortex with primary visual, auditory and limbic cortices known to myelinate relatively early in development showing a more linear pattern of aging. †16 Psychological Adjustment Due to Changes in BrainA group of health professionals explained some remarkable changes that take place in the behavior of a youth17 such as: sense of independence and exploration; formation of social bonds (they would choose to be with friends than with family members); they have powerful urges for sexual behavior; they have powerful emotional responses; they have greater tendency to acquire high-risk behavior because they cannot sustain with reason their impulsive behavior; youth are also vulnerable to addiction such as drugs and alcohol, their brain is sensitive with these elements; they also have inclination to materialism or consumerism; and in rare instances, some may experience mental illness or psychological disorder especially if the thinning of grey matter is greater, such as in the case of schizophrenia and bipolar. Conclusion Environment should not be blamed for what the behavior manifests in youth. Young people should not also be blamed for they themselves cannot comprehend what is going on inside them.At this crucial stage in their lives, they can experience different impulses and changes in their behavior. Sad to say, many of these youth have gone astray choosing a different path for them, which in turn, did not benefit them at all. Youth is the future of the nation, a country must invest on them, their energy and potential must be realized for greater benefit of all. But this could become possible if the government and the society must work hand in hand to meet the basic needs of the youth. As mental health professionals pointed out, services for these youth should be made available or else, we may never realize their full potential, they noted:18Commissioners need to consider the specific needs o f this age group when planning and commissioning services; failure to do so may contribute to the development of mental health service users being stuck in a cycle of hopelessness, unable to realize their full potential. Footnotes 1 â€Å"The Adolescent Brain. † http://www. sfn. org/index. cfm? pagename=brainBriefings_Adolescent _brain 2 â€Å"The Adolescent Brain. † http://www. sfn. org/index. cfm? pagename=brainBriefings_Adolescent _brain 3 â€Å"The Adolescent Brain. † http://www. sfn. org/index. cfm? pagename=brainBriefings_Adolescent _brain 4 Funderstanding. http://www. fundertanding. com/piaget. cfm5 Funderstanding. http://www. fundertanding. com/piaget. cfm 6 Funderstanding. http://www. fundertanding. com/piaget. cfm 7 Funderstanding. http://www. fundertanding. com/piaget. cfm 8Kimura, Doreen. â€Å"Sex Differences in the Brain. † SideBar. http://www. sciam. com/article. cfmID=00018E9D-1D06-8E49809EC588EEDF 9 Kimura, Doreen. â€Å"Sex Differences in the Brain. † SideBar. http://www. sciam. com/article. cfmID=00018E9D-1D06-8E49809EC588EEDF 10 Kimura, Doreen. â€Å"Sex Differences in the Brain. † SideBar. http://www. sciam. com/article. cfmID=00018E9D-1D06-8E49809EC588EEDF 11 Kimura, Doreen. â€Å"Sex Differences in the Brain. † SideBar. http://www. sciam. com/article.cfmID=00018E9D-1D06-8E49809EC588EEDF 12 Sowell, Elizabeth, Ph. D. â€Å"adolescent Brain Development. † http://www. loni. ucla. edu/-esowell/PBS. html 13 Sowell, Elizabeth, Ph. D. â€Å"adolescent Brain Development. † http://www. loni. ucla. edu/-esowell/PBS. html 14 Sowell, Elizabeth, Ph. D. â€Å"adolescent Brain Development. † http://www. loni. ucla. edu/-esowell/PBS. html 15 Sowell, Elizabeth, Ph. D. â€Å"adolescent Brain Development. † http://www. loni. ucla. edu/-esowell/PBS. html 16 Sowell, Elizabeth, Ph. D. â€Å"adolescent Brain Development. † http://www. loni. ucla. edu/-esowell/PBS. html 17  "The Adolescent Brain. † loc. cit. 18 â€Å"â€Å"A Work in Progress: loc. cit.