Musical Education and The Laws by Plato

Musical Education and The Laws by Plato This essay will open with several important quotes from The Laws by Plato, for example: â€Å"It is least acceptable when someone asserts that music should be judged by pleasure. If there should exist somewhere such a music, it should be sought as the least acceptable; what should be sought as serious is music that contains a resemblance to the imitation of the beautiful1†.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Musical Education and The Laws by Plato specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is another very interesting quote related to the definition of good music, namely, the Athenian stranger points out that the best music is the one that â€Å"pleases the man who is distinguished in virtue and education†2. These passages represent some of the Plato’s views on music, its evaluation, as well as importance for the city. Moreover, they can give us a good idea about Plato’s understanding of musical e ducation. First, one should say that this philosophical dialogue places emphasis on the importance of music for the development of a person. The Athenian stranger acknowledges that a person, â€Å"who is finely educated will be able to sing and dance†3. These skills have to be among the attributes of a person. Nonetheless, the main function of musical education is to channel or control the passions of an individual who must act a responsible citizen of the state. This is one of the reasons this text frequently makes connections between music and virtue. This discussion presented by Plato focuses on the effects of music on an individual, rather then skills. Furthermore, this philosophical work does not accept purely aesthetical view on art, and pleasure, which a person derives from it, is not the main criterion. Musical education must not focus only on performing skills; more likely, its purpose is to teach people to understand harmony and subsequently become harmonious. In th is context, such term as harmony can be interpreted as the agreement of opinion, action, and feeling. Hence, one can argue that music cannot be separated from moral education. This is one of the most important claims made in this dialogue. Nevertheless, this text does not identify the specific strategies of achieving the goals set by the author.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, such utilitarian interpretation of music may not be accepted by modern educators and musicians. Certainly, Plato’s dialogue does not focus only the music; however, this art occupies a very important place in this work. The second important aspect is the selection of music which is suitable for young people. The first quote presented in this essay can tell us much about the Plato’s views on musical education. This statement implies that the educators have to develop methods of a ssessing this art and decide what kind of music can be accepted or rejected. Judging from this dialogue, the selection of musical pieces must be entrusted to more or less elderly people who have achieved a significant status in the community and whose moral reputation cannot be questioned. This argument has very significant implications for musical education since it implies that not every kind of music is appropriate for educational purposes. The dialogue does not explain how these assessors of music will be trained and selected. Although, it is not explicitly stated by the author, this dialogue suggests musical education has to be under control of the state. This claim can certainly be disputed by contemporary readers of The Laws. The main issue is that this work does not explain who will educate the educators. This drawback can undermine Plato’s approach to musical or any other education. It should also be noted that at the time this dialogue was written musical education was closely tied to poetry4. This is one of the reasons why the discussion in the Laws often focuses on chorus singing. Thus, the educators must carefully choose the songs and verses that are suitable for the chorus. The Athenian stranger argues that these songs must be imitation of â€Å"noble†5 and good things. Again, this argument indicates that musical education must not be separated from morality and citizenship.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Musical Education and The Laws by Plato specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to this dialogue, the music has to represent a â€Å"close imitation of the beautiful†6. This statement suggests that there are some criteria for judging the aesthetic value of music. Yet, they are not properly specified. Therefore, modern day teachers can surely disagree with some Plato’s views on musical education. The key issue is that there are not strictly defined criteria distinguishing good music from bad music. Overall, the ultimate goal of musical education is to raise a person who is able to tame his/her passions and who always strives to rely on reason and arguments, rather than force or violence. Any form of aesthetic education must be subjected to the needs of the state and welfare of the citizens. This philosophical work tells us very little about the needs of an individual, and his/her emotional life. It is quite likely that The Laws will be criticized in the modern age of individualism. Admittedly, the ideas expressed in this treatise can surely be disputed by modern educators and musicians. There are several reasons for possible criticism. First of all, the author does not identify the specific criteria according to which one can evaluate music in terms of its appropriateness for educational purposes. For instance, one can point out that it is difficult to determine what kind of instrumental music can be appropriate for a young p erson. Secondly, the critics of Plato’s approach can argue that the evaluation suggested in The Laws is entirely subjective. Furthermore, modern composers and performers do not always reject purely aesthetic perspective of music. This work that we have discussed is aimed at connecting musical and moral education. It strives to single out the social roles played by music. This issue still remains interesting to modern musicologists and educators. Despite the fact that many arguments put forward in The Laws cannot be accepted nowadays, the questions raised by the author are still of great importance to educators. First, one still has to determine the goal of musical education, especially if we are speaking about children or adolescents. More importantly, many critics and performers still debate about the selection and evaluation of musical pieces, especially it is necessary to decide whether they are suitable for educational purposes.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To some extent, this debate can be traced to this work by Plato. Finally, we need to mention the main claim advanced in this philosophical treatise, namely the importance of musical education of the life of the community and virtuous behavior. Bibliography Lippman, E. A History of Western Musical Aesthetics. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994. Plato. The Laws. Translated by Thomas Pangle. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1988. Footnotes 1 Plato, The Laws, trans. Thomas Pangle. (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1988), 50 2 Ibid, 39 3 Ibid, 34 4 Lippman, E. A History of Western Musical Aesthetics. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994), 10. 5 Plato, The Laws, 53 6 Plato, The Laws, p 50

Every AP Literature Practice Test Available Free and Official

Every AP Literature Practice Test Available Free and Official SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you’re studying for your AP Literature Exam, you’re going to want to use practice tests and questions to hone your skills. But where can you find AP literature practice tests? And are all practice exams equally useful for you? The real exam has 55 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions, but there are practice tests with every conceivable number and combination of question types. In this article, you’ll learn where to find every official College Board AP English Literature and Composition practice exam, free unofficial tests, and paid practice test resources. You’ll also find out which tests are high-quality and how you can best use different practice exams to fulfill your studying needs. Official Free AP Literature Practice Tests The gold standard of AP English Literature practice tests and AP English Literature practice exam questions are College Board released materials. That’s because the College Board administers the AP exams, so their practice questions are most like the actual AP questions you’ll see on the test. There are three different kinds of resources offered by the College Board: complete released exams from past years, released free-response questions from past years, and sample questions from the â€Å"AP Course And Exam Description.† Official Released College Board Exams There are three official released College Board Exams. However, only the most recent one (from 2012) is complete. The 1999 and 1987 exams have the standard 55 multiple-choice questions, but both are missing parts of the three question free-response section. You can still use them as complete exams if you supplement them with released free-response questions from past years which we recommend since official multiple-choice problems are hard to come by. 2012 AP English Literature and Composition Exam This is the best AP Lit practice test available. It's the most recent exam released by the College Board, and it follows the format of the current test with 55 multiple-choice questions and three free-response questions. Definitely make use of this test! 1999 AP English Literature and Composition Exam This test excludes the poetry and prose analysis questions of the free-response section and only has the student choice question.So, to take itas a complete exam, you’d need to supplement it with questions 1 and 2 from the released free-response questions below. You can actually getquestion 2for the 1999 test from the official free-response questions bank, but the excerpt for question 1 can’t be reprinted, so you’ll need to supplement with another poetry analysis question. 1987 AP English Literature and Composition ExamFor reasons that are not totally clear, this exam excludes the third essay question, the poetry analysis. If you want to take this as â€Å"complete† exam practice, use a free-response poetry analysis prompt from the bank of free response questions linked to below. Or supplement with this tree-poem. Official Free-Response Questions There may not be very many complete released exams, but there are tons of free-response questions available from previous administrations of the test. These are great practice, not just for practicing complete essays, but for practicing writing thesis statements, outlines, and so on. What’s also great about these is that most of them come with sample response and scoring guidelines, so you’ll be able to see exactly what makes a high-quality AP essay by College Board standards.Be aware, though, that some of the prose and poetry excerpts can’t be reprinted due to copyright concerns. Below isthe link to all the free-response questions available.The questions go all the way back to 1999, and since there haven't been many changes to the free-response part of the exam, all of these questions can be useful during your studying. AP English Lit Free Response Questions 1999-2019 Sample Questions From the Course and Exam Description The AP English Literature Course and Exam Description has practice multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. They don’t add up to a complete testthere are only 46 multiple-choice questions and a whopping six free response (enough for two tests!)but they are great for simple practice. Your Teacher Your AP teacher may have access to copies of old AP exams that you can use for practice. She probably can’t let you take them out of the classroom, but she may be allowed to loan them to you in a supervised setting. This is because teachers can purchase resources directly from the College Board that students can’t. Asking your teacher may not bear fruit, but it’s worth a try. Why are you asking me for AP lit practice tests? I'm your econ teacher! Free Unofficial AP Literature Practice Tests In addition to the free College Board resources, there are also several places online where you can get free, unofficial practice tests. Be aware that, because these resources aren’t College-Board created or approved, they are of variable quality. For each of these resources I’ll describe what’s offered and how it compares to official College Board tests. Barron’s Books Free Practice Test Barron’s, those distinguished makers of review books, also offer a complete free practice test with multiple choice and free response.They provide the author and name of the work, but not the date. All of these free resources probably credit the authors for copyright reasons, but you won’t have this information on the actual exam. You can take the test timed or in â€Å"practice† mode.While answers are provided for the multiple-choice questions, no scoring guidelines are provided for the free-response prompts. This isn’t an official resource, but the questions are high quality and a good option when you’ve run out of official material. If you combined the multiple-choice questions with some official released free-response questions (with scoring guidelines and sample essays) you could geta pretty good approximation of a complete practice test. Varsity Tutors AP Literature Practice Tests This site has practice multiple-choice quizzes divided by conceptthings like â€Å"interpreting the passage,† â€Å"claims and argument,† and â€Å"interpreting excerpts.† The questions aren’t worded exactly the same way as AP test questions, but they are still okay for testing your passage-interpretation skills. Basically, the questions test for similar skills, but don’t necessarily mimic AP test questions in style. Also, the site provides the date, title, and author of each work, which is not something you’ll receive on the AP exam.You can make a free account at the site to track your scores, but it’s not necessary to be able to take the tests. Kittens not included with free practice tests, unfortunately. Albert AP English Literature Quizzes Albert offers multiple-choice quizzes divided into prose, poetry, and drama categories. You are given the title, date, and author of the workwhich you will not receive on the real AP exam. Like the Varsity Tutors quizzes, Albert offers questions that test similar skills as the AP exam, but the questions are worded differently. High School Test Prep Tests This site offers three short multiple-choice practice tests. You’re given the title and author of the work. The questions for these tests are fairly surface-level, so I would only use these if you are working on your reading comprehension skills. CrackAP English Literature Quizzes CrackAP has over 40 short AP Lit quizzes. Each quiz gives a passage then has 15 multiple-choice questions on it. The questions are somewhat easier than you'll find on the real AP exam, but if you need some quick practice, this can do the trick. Practice Quiz AP English Literature This site offers a 20-question multiple-choice quiz on two passagesone poetry, and one prose. The passages are extremely basic, however, so again, I would only use this resource if you are working on your reading comprehension skills. 4Tests AP English Lit Test This site offers 35 multiple-choice questions. However, there are lots of ads, the questions are poorly written and vague, the interface is clunky, and the passages are very long. Overall, I do not recommend this site. College Board SAT Literature Materials While they aren’t identical by any means, you can definitely use SAT Literature Subject Test practice questions to hone your skill in answering multiple-choice questions about passages. The SAT Subject Test in Literature focuses a little more on the meaning of words and phrases in context and less on making inferences and describing the author’s purpose, but they can still be a useful resource simply for reading and answering high-level, in-depth questions on prose and poetry. You can get sample SAT Literature questions online hereor in the â€Å"The SAT Subject Tests Student Guide† booklet released by the College Board. The queens of AP Lit practice give you their blessing. Paid Unofficial Practice Tests There are also several paid resources that offer unofficial practice questions. Shmoop This is a subscription service with questions for tons of different testsSAT, ACT, AP exams.They also have videos and other review resources. I can’t really speak to the quality of the questions because the entire service is behind a paywall of about $25 a month. Review Books Most, if not all, review books contain practice tests and questions. These will vary in quality depending on the quality of the review book, so be sure to look for reviews online of any book before you buy it. In general, Barron’s and the Princeton Review are fairly reliable review book sources. I definitely advise paying for all of these resources with whatever loose foreign change you have lying around. How to Use AP Literature Practice Tests How to use a given practice test depends somewhat on the resource itself. I’ll offer some recommendations here on how to best use different resources. Complete Official Released Tests The best way to use a complete official practice test is to do a practice-run for the exam. So find a quiet room, bring a timer or watch so you can time sections, and get to work! This will help you get familiar with the exam experience so you’ll feel more comfortable on exam day! Since there are two complete AP Lit practice tests, it makes sense to take one early on in your studying time, and one later. You can get a parent, tutor or teacher to grade the exams. The early test will help you figure out what you need to work on, and the later test will show you how you’ve improved! Since the AP English Literature test is more skills-heavy than content-heavy, you shouldn’t feel totally lost taking a practice test even in the middle of the school year. Official Released Free-Response and Sample Questions Official resources that aren’t complete tests are best for practicing individual sections of the test. The sample multiple-choice questions in the â€Å"Course and Exam Description† make for great AP English Literature multiple-choice practicethey’ll help you get familiar with the style of the questions and practice close-reading. The wealth of released free-response questions are great resources for building your timed essay-writing skills. You can practice complete essays ordevelop essay outlines. Unofficial Practice Tests and Resources Since unofficial practice tests aren’t going to be quite as similar to the real AP exam as official College Board materials, they won’t be quite as useful for preparing for the format of the exam or its questions. However, they can be very valuable close-reading practice. And since that’s a critical skill for the exam, it’s still worth it to use unofficial resources. Be very quiet. She's close-reading. Key Takeaways Practice tests and questions are a hugely important resource as you prep for the AP Lit exam. The gold standard of practice resources are those that come from the College Board, but there are many other places where you can get practice questions that will help you hone your close-reading skills for the exam.Most of the resources listed in this article are free, but a few are paid. When you’ve assembled a stable of practice resources, you might not be quite sure how to use them. Official College Board practice tests are best for simulating the exam experience. College Board questions are good for focused preparation for individual sections of the examespecially the essays. Unofficial resources are best for further honing your close-reading skills. Now that you know where to find these resources,you’ll have even more time to prep for the AP Literature exam by completing practice questions! What's Next? Wondering what you should be reading for AP Lit? Check out our list of 127 great books to help you prepare for the AP Literature exam. Need more study guidance for your APs? See my five-step AP prep plan.Or see our guide on when to start studying for your APs. If you're looking for practice tests for other AP exams, see our assembled practice tests for AP US History, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP World History, and AP Psychology. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Learning Theories and Learning Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Learning Theories and Learning Styles - Essay Example Learning theories and learning styles Learning theories are described as frameworks that explain modes and ways in which information is processed, absorbed and retained when tutoring or receiving information. Before generating a learning theory, Brown & Ryoo (2008) argue that environmental cognitive and emotional influences should be effectively considered. The authors also point out that past experiences in a learner’s life should also be considered. All these factors are impactful when understanding the way in which views and understanding are changed or acquired as well enabling one to know the ways in which knowledge can be retained (Radin, 2009). When developing learning theories, De Jong (2010) argues that it is more advantageous to study the fluctuating factors in the learner than studying the environment. Additionally, the author sensitizes on the need to study the complexities in the human memory to generate effective and appropriate learning theories. Compare different learning styles Development of lear ning styles is based on the ability and preferences of different individuals. According to Keefe & Jenkins (2008) development of learning styles became a need since different learners displayed different forms in the way they understood and retained information. The authors further argue that the mode and way of teaching cannot be generalized to fit the preferences of all students. For this reason, educators and educational institutions have come up with learning curriculums that incorporate different learning styles. ... This enables learners to have a range of preferences from which they can choose what makes their educational experiences interesting and fruitful. There are 7 learning styles. They comprise of: Visual This particular learning style incorporates tangible tools in its learning systems. Learners preferring this style understand information when using pictures, images and spatial information. For instance, when teaching on the formation of landscapes, a tutor is advised to use images to explain the phenomenon. Jackson (2008) also gives an example on the application of the learning style by arguing that calculating the size of shapes and objects a tutor must use images and objects for a learner to effectively relate to the information. Aural This learning style incorporates the use of music and sound as learning tools. Aural learning styles are mostly used in educational institutions for the visually challenged (Radin, 2009). The tutor in this case makes a recording of a particular subjec ts or information. In some cases the tutor may use music to pass pieces of information to the learners. Verbal This style is also known as linguistics. In this case, the learner prefers the use of words either written or in speech. This is the most commonly used learning styles as many learners prefer the style due to its efficiency in understanding and record keeping abilities. Physical It is also known as kinesthetic. This particular learning system uses the sense of touch and the body to pass information. The style is most a preference to students who are visually and verbally impaired. Radin (2009) points out that the learning system mostly incorporates the use of hands. Logical (Mathematical) The learning system is

Innvovation and Sustainability Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Innvovation and Sustainability - Research Paper Example population is multiplied by (A) which is the consumption per individual then multiplied by (T) which is the technology that drives and services consumption. The product of these factors including P, A, T and I represent a rough estimate of the much humanity degrades the ecosystem services that it depends upon. Hence, the impact of the population on the environment is determined by the number of people involved as well as the used technologies and relative levels of affluence and material consumed (Ehrlich, 1995). One of the factors affecting the consumption habits is overpopulation. The population of the earth is around 6.5 billion today. In the recent decades, environmental scientists and ecologists have fixated on the factor of P, population as the number of human in the 1900 was two billion to almost a figure of seven 2010. The high number of individuals translates to a high environmental degradation. Much of the greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. If this number is opting for driving as a means of transport rather than riding, consumption of this much petroleum will be damaging to the environment. The factor of overpopulation has led to the collapse of human societies. The addition of population causes more damage to humanity’s life-support systems that are critical (Turk & Bensel, 2011). For instance, when the population of the farmers living in well fertile lands goes up, the additional people would move to the ever poorer lands, deeply drill the wells and then spend farm fields, homes and factories. The concerns on the growing population are focused on developing countries that are poorer, though IPAT and footprint analysis have both shown that the high rates of consumption in the developed countries are also significant impacts of the environment (Turk & Bensel, 2011). Technology encompasses the need for alternative fossil fuel energy. It involves switching to the ultra-light and cars that will provide for a short-term advantage that are

Abraham Lincoln, Adelicia Acklen and Harriet Tubman Essay -- articles

The time of the American Revolution was the birth of America. During this period of time the Revolutionary war was fought and America gained its independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1976 giving the 13 colonies freedom to govern themselves and shortly thereafter in 1781, the Articles of Confederation were ratified. These articles empowered the federal government to conduct foreign affairs, make treaties, and declare war, which had been essential in the struggle for independence. In 1787, The Constitution of the United States further strengthened our laws. During the next 100 years Americans continued to build communities and wealth based on the principles and laws contained within these documents. During colonial America and the period leading to the Civil War slavery was the foundation of the socioeconomic system. This topic created an ongoing debate between the north, south and free states. The Declaration of Independence declares, â₠¬Å"That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Foner, 2013, A-18).† Abraham Lincoln President of the United States of America, Adelicia Acklen plantation owner, and Harriet Tubman, abolitionist define what these unalienable rights meant to them in the 19th century, the period that created an opportunity for change and a rebirth for America. Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. He had two siblings, sister Sarah who was older than him and younger brother Thomas, who died during infancy. The family was eventually forced to move out of Kentucky to seek other opp... ..., 692-696. OBAMA, B. (2013). Proclamation 8943--establishment of the Harriet Tubman underground railroad national monument. Daily Compilation Of Presidential Documents, 1. Ranney, J. A. (2010). In praise of whig lawyering: a commentary on Abraham Lincoln as lawyer and politician. Marquette Law Review, 93(4), 1325-1331. Rowland, T. Rowland, E. (2013). Maryland memorializes: Harriet Tubman.history. The reference center. 26(3), ISSN: 1046-2899, Scott, K. & Collins, S. (2010). Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln on black equity in the civil war: a historical-rhetorical perspective. Black History Bulletin, 73(2), 8-15. The Belmont Mansion. (2014). Retrieved from thebelmontmansion.com The Examiner. (2011). Woman play dramatic, if unheralded roles in the civil war. Retrieved from www.examiner.com/.../adelicia-acklen-belmont-mansion-and-women-

Classroom Participation

Classroom participation is a condition in which all students take part in discussions that go on in the classroom, learning, and listening to others' ideas, comments, and questions (Wade, 1994).Lack of participation remains one of the challenges teachers face in Mathematics lessons in Namibia (Mbalu, 2004). According to Ministry of education (1994) since independence teaching mathematic has been a challenge, while lack of participation being an aspect of this challenge leading to the poor performance in the subject of Mathematics particularly at Upper Primary. Mathematics' Numeracy and literacy are core features of primary education, thus Mathematics and the languages are the most important subjects in the curriculum in this phase and participation is one of the fundamental requirements. Millar (2004) states that abstract ideas cannot simply be transferred from teacher to learner, the learner must play an active role in appropriating these ideas and making personal sense of them. Learners should learn mathematics by doing Mathematics and thus should experience inquiry in the Mathematics classrooms. According to NIED (2015) Learners learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process through a high degree of participation, contribution and production. According to Mwetulundila (2000) reports that leaners in Namibia especially girls do not fully participate in mathematics because of the following reason: The South African colonial education was inferior particularly With regard to Mathematics; the low participation of females is carried-over from secondary schools or high schools to tertiary level; the â€Å"hidden curriculum,† which not only lacks gender equality regarding what is taught, but also regarding how it is taught; socio-economic factors .This study focused more on higher grades not primary and also have left unanswered question on factors in the classroom that can lead to lack of participation in a mathematics lesson. The rationale for studying Mathematics involves observing, representing and investigating patterns and quantitative relationships in social and physical phenomena. These cannot be achieved if learners are not motivated to participate in Mathematics lessons (NIED, 2015). Wade (1994, p. 12) considered the â€Å"ideal class participation† as one in which all students take part in the discussions that go on in the classroom, learning, and listening to others' ideas, comments, and questions. Participating in classroom activities provides a critical occasion for learning new skills. Participation helps pupils make deep, meaningful connections in the mind that are important in learning (Bean and Peterson, 2003). Furthermore, the importance of learners' participation is also stressed by Jackson (2002) who maintain that participation provides the setting in which learners can construct and shape identities as members of the classroom. Moreover, research has shown that participation in classroom activities is important in learner centered curriculum for effective learning to take place, especially in Mathematics (Jeffrey & Adam, 2010). They further noted that participation increases the likelihood learners will study and have a sense of responsibility for their learning when they actively voice their opinions and thoughts in the classroom. Despite the benefits of participation in the classroom, lack of participation is a common phenomenon in grade4 mathematic lessons at the primary School. This problem (lack of participation) was identified by the researcher during School Based Studies Phase 3 at the primary School in Mathematic lessons, as one of the major problem contributing to high failure in Mathematics, when he was conducting his teaching practice. As observed, the majority of learners in this grades were not participating in the classroom during the Mathematics lesson presentations. Therefore, teachers are encouraged to derive strategies on how to motivate learners to participate in Mathematic lessons. This prompted the researcher to carry out a case study in order to find out more about factors contributing to lack of participation and find out strategies that could be used by Mathematic teachers to enhance learners' participation.Statement of the ProblemMore of literature have been written regarding the value and importance of learners' participation in classroom discussion but few, if any, teachers (particularly at school level in Namibian Mathematic classrooms) would dispute the position that learners who participate in class learn more(Petress, 2006) . However, actual evidence to support this hypothesis seems somewhat lacking. Despite the shift from teacher centered to the learner centered approach of teaching and learning there still seems to be very little freedom and autonomy amongst learners (Rocca, 2001).Vygotsky (1978) is of the opinion that to be autonomous, learners need to be able to have some choices as to why and how of the curriculum and, at the same time, they should feel responsible for their own learning and for the learning of those with whom they interact. In addition, it still gives educators question marks on why most of our learners refuse to participate in classrooms apart from the fact that we have a learner centered notion that in one way promotes learners freedom on the curriculum (Rocca, 2001). It really brings frustrations when teachers ask their learners whether they understood a topic or not, what is commonly observed is that learners in grade 4 at this primary School always tell their teachers that they understand the topic yet when it comes to the home works, tests, oral question or class works, they underperform. Deducing from observations, one of the reasons they say we do understand a topic even if they do not is probably fear and lack of freedom of expression, since the whole lesson they are passive. There is an absence of literature available that deals with factors contributing to lack of participation in Mathematic in Namibian schools previous work has only focused on gender, social culture and social economy as key factor contributing to lack of participation in mathematics. It is against this background that a case study will be conducted to seek a deeper understanding on the factors contributing to lack of participation and find out strategies that could be used to enhance learners' participation in Mathematic lessons for grade 4 at a primary school.Research aims and objectivesThe primary purpose of this study was to examine the factors contributing to lack of participation in grade 4 Mathematic classroom. Secondly, it was to suggest strategies that could be used to enhance participation by teachers in Mathematic lessons at the primary School.Significance of the studyPeople who will benefit from this study will be educators, teachers and learners in Zambezi region as well a s all over country. The results of this study are important as they would inform the policy makers of the factors that inhibit teachers from engaging their learners in a meaningfully manner in Mathematics lessons Thus, they can come up with possible strategies to enhance learners' participation. Teachers will benefit as they would be aware of the different strategies to enhance their leaners participation in Mathematics lessons which will enrich the teaching and learning process.Limitations of studyThere are not many studies done in Namibia on participation of learners in Mathematics. This is a big limitation especially to get secondary data for the literature review. Second, the size, convenience, and homogeneity of the sample will limit the generalizability of this study. Limited time needed to carry out the study will be a limitation too.DelimitationsResearch participants was restricted to Mathematics teachers and learners at this School, in the Zambezi region. Other people were not directly involved in Mathematics classroom, for example; the principal and other teachers who do not teach Mathematics.Definition of TermsClassroom participation: Wade (1994) considered the â€Å"ideal class participation† as one in which all students take part: in discussions that go on in the classroom, learning, and listening to others' ideas, comments, and questions.Teaching strategies: Teaching strategies comprise the principles and methods used for instruction (Effective Teaching Strategies, 1994).Motivation: Donyei (1998) defines motivation in Second Language Learning as the dynamically changing cumulative arousal in a person that initiates, directs, coordinates, amplifies, terminates and evaluates the cognitive and motor processes.Phenomenon: refers to something which is observed to happen or exist, in this case learners' lack of participation in Mathematics lessons (Cambridge Online Dictionaries. 2016).Learner centered: â€Å"teaching means the student is at the center of learning. The student assumes the responsibility for learning while the instructor is responsible for facilitating the learning. Thus, the power in the classroom shifts to the student† (Jeffrey & Adam, 2010, p.135). Autonomy: is defined as the ability to make your decisions about what to do rather than being influenced by teachers (Cambridge Online Dictionaries, 2016).CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEWFACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO CONTRIBUTING TO LACK OF CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION No teacher will ever deny that active classroom participation plays an important role in the success of language learning (Tatar, 2005). As involvement and participation are essential for language acquisition, the more utterances the learners offer, the better their spoken language is and vice versa. This phenomenon is termed Matthew Effect that is â€Å"rich get richer, poor get poorer† (Chau, Fung-ming, 1996. P. 67).This context the rich get richer while the poor get poorer simply means that those that participate frequently in the Mathematic lessons improve their skills and while those that are always passive remain behind in terms of language development and subject content.LANGUAGE ANXIETYJones (2004) defines this phenomenon in language learning situation as a fear provoked when the learner is asked to speak in the second or the foreign language in public, with the risk of social embarrassment. Oxford (1990), Jones (2004), Von Worde (2003) concludes that anxiety has a negative effect in language learning. Fears, nervousness, timidity and lack of self-confidence are related to language anxiety. The experience of participating in Mathematics Lesson is both mentally and emotionally demanding for most learners (Timothy, 2007). Larkin and Pines (2003) emphasize that most second or foreign languages are learned in classrooms, where there is constant performance evaluation by the teachers and peers. This situation can be frightening for most learners, especially those who are shy, due to their desire for approval from others and fear of negative evaluation. In Mathematics class for instance, where English as a foreign language, especially a class that emphasizes speaking and listening, shy students seem to be at a great disadvantage since they do not draw attention to themselves, either by not volunteering to answer questions in class, or by avoiding opportunities for oral communication.LACK OF PREPARATIONAlso another cause of students ‘silence to participate in Mathematic class. The findings of a study conducted by Macro thinker Institute (2008) revealed that some learners felt nervous when speaking English without any preparation. Second language learners in most cases have to think in their mother tongue when asked a question in English so when they are caught offside it becomes difficult for them to participate (Miller, 1995; 1996; Larkin and Pines, 2003).FEAR OF VOLUN TEERING TO ASK OR ANSWER A QUESTION IN CLASSBeing afraid to speak in class for fear of making mistakes was of concern for learners. Liu and Littlewood, (1997) discovered that when learners were asked in a research on how they felt concerning asking and answering questions during class, most of them reported that they often felt afraid of asking a question to teachers during class.  SHYNESSShyness was another influencing factor which could affect students' participation. However, shyness, according to Anthony (2004), is a behavior that could be the result of any one oral combination of the following factors: social introversion, lacking confidence in subject matter, and/or communication apprehension.FEAR OF MAKING MISTAKES AND BEING LAUGHED ATFassinger, 1995; Krupnick, 1985; and Crombie, (2003) mentioned that fear of making errors is often cited as another cause of the perceived silence and passivity. This anxiety factor is also allegedly related to certain aspects of Eastern cultu re, such as the desire to be right and perfect and fear of losing face (Cheng, 2000). Melvin and Lord (2006) noted that anxiety of making mistakes reduce participation because they think their mistakes make them feel incompetent. Learners think making a mistake in Mathematics classroom will distort their image in front of their classmates.CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGYIn this chapter the study describes the methodology and different procedures used during data collection and analysis. In the first part research design is discussed. The second part will be on the instrument and procedures of data collection which consist of observation and interview. The third part relates to the data processing and analysis. The last part will be the ethical issues considerationRESEARCH DESIGNResearch design may be referred to as the plan of the study that will answer the research objectives. Research designs are the specific procedures involved in the research process which are; data collection, d ata analysis and report writing (Creswell, 2012: 20). In addition to that Yin (1994) explains a different way of thinking about research design that it is a â€Å"blueprint† of research, looking at four problems: what questions to study, what data are relevant, what data to collect and how to analyze the results. The purpose of research design is to help the researcher to organize his or her ideas in a way that the researcher will be in a good flow. The researcher chose case study design to work with in the research. Case study In this study the researcher employed a case study design to be able to answer the research questions. Stake (2004) gives the definition of a case study that is both a process of inquiry about the case and the product of that inquiry. Yin (2003: 18) argues that â€Å"case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real life context especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident†. Qualitative approach In order to find out the factors contributing to lack of participation amongst grade 4C-E learners in the Mathematics classroom at the school, qualitative approach was used. Qualitative approach allows researchers to get at the inner experiences of participants, to determine how meanings are formed through culture and to discover rather than test variables (Corbin & Straws, 2008: 5). Creswell (2012) stresses that, qualitative research is suitable in addressing a research problem which you do not know the variables and need to discover. The natural setting of this study was in a Mathematics classroom where teaching process occur. Teachers and learners were observed and interviewed on the factors contributing to lack of participation and strategies that they use in teaching to enhance participation in their classes POPULATION Population may be defined as certain group of people in which a researcher is interested in. Cresswell (2012) defines population as a group of individuals with some common defining characteristic that a researcher can identify and study. In this study the population was formed by two teachers and ten learners which involve four learners from 4C and three from 4D and 4E respectively. All the teachers and learners were purposeful selected from the Mathematics classes. SAMPLING AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE Susan (2012), Sampling says is a method of studying from a few selected items, instead of the entire big number of units. The small selection is called sample. Purposive sampling method will be used as the sampling procedure (Cohen &Manion, 1995). From the population 3 teachers will be selected and 10 learners from grade 4A-4D SAMPLING PROCEDURE Purposive sampling is when a researcher chooses specific people within the population to use for a particular study or research project unlike random studies, which deliberately include a diverse cross section of ages, backgrounds and cultures, the idea behind purposive sampling is to concentrate on people with particular characteristics who will better be able to assist with the relevant research (Cohen &Manion, 1995). In this study teachers to be interviewed will be purposively selected based on the subject they teach Mathematics in this case. Two Mathematic teachers will be interviewed in this study. Four learners from grade will be interviewed. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT During the examination on the factors contributing to lack of participation in Mathematics classroom interview and observation were used. Observation The observation was my main instrument of collecting data. Since the study was about the factors contributing to lack of participation amongst grade 5C–E learners in the Social studies classroom, therefore it was important to see what teachers do in the classroom. Maxwell (2005) argues that it is known that observation often provides a direct and influential way of learning about people's behavior and context in which this occurs. In line with this Gall et al (2007) says observation provide rich data sources that offer an in-depth explanation of the case. In this study the researcher observed factors contributing to lack of participation and teaching strategies which were used by the teachers during classroom instructions in Mathematics lessons grade The researcher also observed strategies that teachers use to enhance participation Mathematics classroom. The observation method may supplement what the oral interview may not suffice. I used non-participant observation. I believe that non-participant observation gave me a great chance to observe what the teachers are doing in an inclusive class. Advantages of observation Observation is very important among the data collection instruments. According to Marshal and Rossman (1995) the following are the advantages of observation. It is used to find out complex interactions in natural social settings. They also believe that even in depth interview studies, observation plays a significant role as the investigator notes body language and affects in addition to the person's worlds. Limitations of observation Limitations which are likely to occur during observation are closely related to the role of inquirer in observation. This may be because the researcher assumes the participant, nonparticipant, or middle-grounded position. Taking the field notes, recording quotes perfectly for inclusion and determining the good timing for moving from a nonparticipant to participant. Researchers sometime tend to disclose themselves to the participants, sharing relationships with other individuals and attempting to disengage from the site (Cresswell, 2007 p.139). Interview This study involved semi-structured interviews which are attached in appendix A and B. The interview involved open-ended questions that were asked to the interviewees. The questions were constructed from my knowledge gained from literature on classroom participation, my experience on Namibia's educational system, my educational background, and my personal interest.

The Fall Of The Western Roman Empire - 923 Words

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 C.E., centralized government in Western Europe began to collapse. As a result, central authority was unable to perform its duties and rule over the land. The people frantically looked for a political system to protect themselves, some form of security, especially after the split of Charlemagne’s empire and the invaders that threatened Europe from all directions. The result was the rise of feudalism, a system established on â€Å"oaths of loyalty† between lords, vassals and serfs. In short, feudalism became a â€Å"social hierarchy, a political system, and an economic system† for Europe after the loss of centralized government. It is believed that the feudal system has many roots from earlier Roman and Germanic practices. For instance, the feudal system fief was very similar to the Roman beneficium. The fief was the lord’s payment to the vassal (the person who gave homage), usually paid in the form of land. The Roman precarium was a â€Å"temporary grant of land that the grantor could revoke at any time† in exchange for services. In the late Roman Empire, the nobles were owners of a latifundium, a large estate, thus they needed help to manage their large plots of lands. The Roman precarium gave rise to the manorial system. The manorial system was â€Å"an economic and social system of medieval Europe.† The system involved the serfs, the peasants, working the land of the lord, who was the owner of the manor, in exchange for protection. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Fall Of The Western Roman Empire1352 Words   |  6 PagesAfter the fall of the Western Roman empire in 476 CE the European continent found itself dragged into a very chaotic period. This period known as the dark ages would see numerous kingdoms rise and fall. The constant shifting of territories and fealties made it very difficult for the culture and technologies of the roman age to remain intact. During this per iod survival of body over ruled the survival of the mind. In 742 CE a boy was born into the Frank kingdom located in what would become modernRead MoreThe Fall Of The Western Roman Empire833 Words   |  4 Pagesof North Africa, and areas of Asia. Its army is arguably the longest surviving and most effective fighting force in military history. Every empire has to terminate and Rome disassembled rather swiftly. The fall of the empire is mentioned in virtually every type of informative media including books and television networks. The fall of the Western Roman Empire was caused by the lack of monetary funds, the formation and following of a new religion, and an increasingly forlorn and debilitated army. Read MoreFall Of The Western Roman Empire2111 Words   |  9 PagesWill Calderone Professor Chiekova HIS 108 12/8/14 The Fall of the Western Roman Empire The fall of the Roman Empire in the west can be seen as one of the most significant events in historical narrative. This event traditionally marks the transition between the end of Classical Antiquity and the beginning of the European civilization beginning with the Middle Ages. This specific topic is often investigated and debated, and the question of â€Å"why† has certainly kept historians and audiences alike captivatedRead More The Fall of the Western Roman Empire 1269 Words   |  5 Pages The fall of the Western Roman Empire in the late fifth century plunged Europe into a long period of darkness and barbarism. This era until the dawn of the ‘age of discovery’ in the sixteenth century was later termed to be the ‘Middle Ages’. While this epoch of European history is labeled as ‘middle’ or even ‘dark’, it was during this time that many social, political and cultural developments took place. The obliteration of the great Roman Empire left Europe prey for disunity and continuous foreignRead MoreChristianity And The Fall Of The Western Roman Empire1349 Words   |  6 Pagesand the fall of the Western Roman Empire as it related to theatre but I was intrigued to learn more. It didn’t seem sensible that the fall of the Western Empire would be placed, even a little, on the rise of Christianity during that time. It didn’t seem sensible for two reasons. The first reason is that Jesus Christ, in whom the Christi ans believed, had been born, lived, and crucified over 400 years before the Empire fell. His lifetime spanned only until the second emperor of the Roman Empire, beforeRead MoreThe Fall Of The Roman Empire950 Words   |  4 PagesThe Roman Empire was undoubtedly the most powerful Empire the Mediterranean area had ever seen. However, the inevitable Roman Empire was destined to fall after the series of problems that made the once prominent empire fade away. Rome was easily the center of the world at its time and the idea that such an influential empire would eventually fall was unheard of. The Roman Empire was not built in a day; therefore it was not destroyed in one day. The powerful empire declined for many reasons, but theRead MoreEssay on The Fall of the Roman Empire1078 Words   |  5 PagesFall of the Roman Empire Name: Institution: â€Æ' Fall of the Roman Empire Introduction The Roman Empire faced many problems in the third century. Many of these problems came within the empire and other forces that were outside the empire. The only thing that seemed to aid in the holding of this great empire was drastic economic, political, and military reforms, which looked as essential elements that would prevent the collapse of the empire. Large groups of historians come to terms with the idea thatRead MoreFall of the Roman Empire1288 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pax Romana was a two hundred year time period where the Romans had peace and prosperity under Augustus. The Roman empire started to decline at the end of the prevail of the last five emperors, Marcus Aurelius in 161-180 A.D. The rulers in the next century had no idea how to deal with the problems the empire was having. There was many reasons to the fall of the Roman Empire but three stood out the most. The preliminary reason was the economy begins to decline. The alternative reasoning was RomeRead MoreThe Roman Empire: What Went Wrong?1253 Words   |  6 Pages300I The Roman Empire: What went wrong? Rome was founded as a small farming town in 753 BC. It grew to a vast empire that enveloped the whole Mediterranean Sea. It spanned from the western shores of what is now Portugal, to as far as the modern day Persian Gulf to the east. It remained as the world’s largest and most powerful empire in the ancient world for about 1100 years. But by 476 AD, the stress of war and the multiple sackings of Rome proved too much for the once mighty empire. There haveRead MoreFall of the Roman Empire758 Words   |  4 PagesHorsley HIS 126 3 March 2010 The fall of the Roman Empire Political, economic and social aspects were all involved in the fall of the Roman Empire. In 395 A.D., Rome was divided into two empires, with one capital in Rome and the other in Constantinople. During that time, the western Roman Empire was being invaded by barbarian tribes from the North. In 410, the Visigoth tribe succeeded in conquering the western capital in Rome. In 476, the western Emperor Romulus Augustulus was finally overthrown