domingo, 16 de noviembre de 2008

Blog importance




To do this blog was so important and interesting for me since I could practice my English skills and acquiring more knowledge in different topics.

To do the blog help students in many aspects like:
• To improve four skills listening, speaking, reading and writing
• To learn regarding to different topics
• To acquire new vocabulary and improve grammar
• To realized that doing blog and attending to classes one is learning English which is going to be useful for professional and personal development.

TOELF article

Take the test

Overseas students looking to gain entry to a UK university need to show their English is of a good standard. The TOEFL® test is one way to do thisADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
If you are an overseas student who wants to attend university in the UK, you might be wondering, alongside your academic achievements, what you can do to increase your chances of gaining admission. If you speak English as a foreign language, you will need to take a test to prove your language skills and then submit your score with your application. This test should ensure that you can communicate in English effectively when you attend college or university.

One such test is the TOEFL® test (Test of English as a Foreign Language™), which is administered by the Educational Testing Service. The TOEFL test is recognised by 135 universities in the UK, including Oxford and Cambridge. Worldwide, it is accepted at more than 6,000 universities in 134 countries - more than any other English-language exam - and has more than 4,300 testing centres around the globe.

The test is flexible - it has been approved by the Government for assessing eligibility for immigration under the UK’s new points-based immigration system. This means that the TOEFL test can be used to certify the language skills of highly skilled migrants, particularly those in medicine, science and business.

Taking the TOEFL test can help to boost your chances of admission to UK universities as well as other universities across the world where English is spoken. The TOEFL test measures how well you read, listen, speak and write in English, and how you might use these skills in the university classroom. For example, you might read a passage or listen to a lecture, and then write or speak about what you learnt. Obviously, you will need to be able to listen to lectures, read textbooks and course materials, write essays, and talk to your fellow students and professors using the English language.

Often called the TOEFL iBT™ (internet-based Test) because it is administered and scored online, the test has been designed to measure how well you can integrate all four language skills when you are immersed in a real-life English speaking academic setting. The test measures reading, listening, and writing. During the speaking section, you wear headphones and speak into a microphone and your responses are recorded and assessed. Just like in a real academic setting, note taking is allowed. The TOEFL iBT test takes about four hours, and you can view your score online 15 working days after the test, or choose to receive the results by mail.

Preparing for the test can help to boost your English skills as it is based on passages from text books and course materials. You can also take a few practice tests online with real, previously used TOEFL tests. You will get scores and feedback on all four skills the TOEFL test measures — reading, writing, listening and speaking. If you register for TOEFL® Practice Online, you can keep practising until you are ready to take the test. There are also free tips for preparing for the test on toeflgoanywhere.org, including the types of questions that are asked and how the test is scored.

If you take the TOEFL test and decide not to apply straight away to university, it doesn’t matter - your score is valid for two years after the test date.

Taken from:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/commercial/take_the_test/article5154343.ece

To Sum:

This article talks about TOEFL test and describes how this test is important at time to apply an UK university. Futhermore this test is recognized around the world in more that 6000 universities.
TOEFL measures four skills, listening, reading, speaking and writing and determines how these skills are at moment to face a class within a whatever organization or university.

Article about IELTS "More than 2,000 U.S. Academic Institutions Now Accept IELTS"

More than 2,000 U.S. Academic Institutions Now Accept IELTS

California State University System, Dartmouth are the Newest Schools to Recognize the Leading English Language Test
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) today announced that more than 2,000 U.S. academic faculties, colleges and universities accept its English language proficiency test. Most recently Dartmouth College undergraduate admissions and the 23-campus California State University graduate school system recognized the test further proving its efficacy.
"Prospective students and determined international professionals now have an even greater opportunity to gain successful admission to any of these prestigious schools," said Beryl E. Meiron, U.S. Executive Director for IELTS International. "By choosing IELTS students are one step closer to studying in the U.S. because it proves they've got the necessary language skills to help them succeed in their studies and make the most of the exciting opportunities available on campus and in their new communities."
Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, now accepts IELTS for undergraduate admissions and is accepting IELTS test scores for the 2009-2010 school year. It has joined other Ivy League schools that already accept the test at either the undergraduate, graduate or professional school levels including Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale.
Additionally, international students wishing to apply for admission to one of the California State University graduate schools can now use IELTS as an indicator of their English language skills. A minimum band score of 6 in the Academic Module of IELTS is needed for meeting the English language requirement for post-baccalaureate admission to the university. Prospective students should check with the department and the campus where they want to apply for specific band score requirements.
"Access to international education is dependent upon being able to offer institutions an impeccable application. As more and more institutions recognize IELTS, students will have greater options and variety in U.S. undergraduate and graduate level education," said Meiron.
Candidates can take the IELTS exam at more than 500 test centers worldwide and use their test scores at 6,000 institutions around the world. Admission requirements vary between schools. Students should check with each of their prospective schools to determine at which level -- undergraduate or graduate -- the IELTS test is accepted. Prospective candidates can find out more at www.ielts.org.
Notes to editors
About IELTS International
1. IELTS was one of the pioneers of four skills English language testing more than 17 years ago, and continues to set the standard for English language testing today.
2. Nearly 6,000 organizations and more than 1,000,000 test takers around the world trust and recognize IELTS as a secure, valid and reliable indicator of true to life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation.
3. IELTS is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) through more than 500 locations in 120 countries.
Taken from: http://sev.prnewswire.com/education/20081022/NY4060022102008-1.html

From my point of view:

This article talks about the importance of IELTS it tells that IELTS increasingly is becoming more popular due to people who present this test have many opportunities to entry to high recognized universties.
By the other hand IELTS is one of the test which measure english level that a persona has with more security.

English as a global language video

IELTS video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9GgdlAp_E

In this web site I watched a video in which talked about the importance of IELTS.Moreover it said that IELTS is a requisite to entry high educational institutions, also it is used to different purposes like migration issues, to look the efficiency in english at time to get a job and others.

IELTS divide into two ways: Academic IELTS which is focuse on people who need a professional recognization and general training IELTS which is used for Residencial appliances or migration ones.

IELTS bases on four skill, listening, speaking, reading and writing.
People who like present it should prepare all previously skills and improve their weaknesses supported on IELTS books or IELTS preparation courses on the internet.

English as a global language argumentative essay



English as a global language


Most of the time when people think about personal and professional development they think about the amount of languages that they know taking more importance English language, this issue due to the fact that every time in this current globalized world this language is taken more significance.
Nevertheless there some people who believe that this fact has changed and now it is not important to learn this language as it is to learn Mandarin since the latter has become the language of business.
Points of view like previously have generating a controversial situation and it would be interesting to define who has or do not have the reason.

First of all English has taken the level of importance since 449 AD due to in the world began to form British isles and this empire start to expand around the world.
Other fact that strengthened it was when United States became as superpower after it won the second war since it accelerated the adoption process of English as a main language across the world.

In addition, English has became at present society an indispensable requisite for all people in order to get the right to degree from university, even from school due to student must to present and pass an exam like IELTS (British exam) or TOFEL (American exam), the differences between them are IELTS are required from British universities so that people who applied for these ones and they do not have English as native language and TOFEL has been more popular within communities that have to present an international exam and its purpose is to evaluate the abilities to understand American English.

Picking up again the importance of English for our society one can say that it became an important tool within this competitive world because it helps to achieve a better’s professional well-being and to take advantage of new opportunities.
In spite of these advantages that person who knows English can accede to, people should realize that world has changed and labor field increasingly requires people with more knowledge and the abilities two speak more that two languages within these Mandarin has taken a lot of strong since China, country which is native mandarin is been decisive for global growth.

To conclude both English, Mandarin and others languages are important to attain professional success and gaining competitive advantage within these globalized world.
I consider that English due to the numbers of speakers that this language has and the number of countries where this one is spoken have supported for English been a main language in the world, nonetheless we should not adjust know only to it, we always should look for improving our knowledge and it merely we can attain if we worry about acquire more abilities, study more, related to other cultures and learn more from them.

Adapted from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language
http://www.iia.edu.au/spanish/faq_sp.html
http://www.universia.net.co/secciones-home/destacado/validar-mi-ingles-ielts.html

Learning meaning



Learning:

Learning has many meanings depending on the point of view that one watch it, nevertheless one of most representative meaning is the following:

“Learning is one of the most important mental functions of humans, animals and artificial cognitive systems. It relies on the acquisition of different types of knowledge supported by perceived information. It leads to the development of new capacities, skills, values, understanding, and preferences.”

With this definition one can see that learning is one of the main mental functions. It is preset in animals and humans however in the last ones this concept developed more that the first ones.
Learning is based on the process to acquire knowledge and to understand concepts, generating new ideas and theories.
Taken from: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning

lunes, 13 de octubre de 2008

Leadership video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDOA6hrop8k

This video is about the business leader role, according to Jack Hayhow a man who talks in the video a leader is a person who encourage changing and knows how to manage it.
A excellent business leader is which one who is open minded and leaders are passinate to carring out change, he took into account Peter Drucker one of the most successful business thinking who considered "the essential role of the business leader is to lead change" with this idea Jack believe that a leader shoul manage changing so that change is the way to achieve growth and progress.
In addition a business leader thinks that status quote is not something to be maintainig by contrast he or she always looking for new ideas and they know how to face the change

Leardership role article

The Role of a Leader
By Brian Tracy
Your ability to negotiate, communicate, influence, and persuade others to do things is absolutely indispensable to everything you accomplish in life. The most effective men and women in every area are those who can quite competently organize the cooperation and assistance of other people toward the accomplishment of important goals and objectives.Of course, everyone you meet has different values, opinions, attitudes, beliefs, cultural values, work habits, goals, ambitions, and dreams. Because of this incredible diversity of human resources, it has never been more difficult and yet more necessary for diplomatic leaders to emerge and form these people into high-performing teams.Fortunately, leaders are made, not born. You learn to become a leader by doing what other excellent leaders have done before you. You become proficient in your job or skill, and then you become proficient at understanding the motivations and behaviors of other people. As a leader, you combine your personal competencies with the competencies of a variety of others into a smoothly functioning team that can out-play and out-perform all its competitors.When you become a team leader, even if your team only consists of one other person, you must immediately develop a whole new set of leadership skills. In order to determine what these skills are, you need to consider the genesis of high-performing teams.Teams generally go through four phases as they evolve toward high performance. These stages are called forming, storming, norming, and performing.The forming stage is very important, perhaps even critical, to the success of the team. Your ability to select the proper team members in order to accomplish a particular task-personal or business-is the mark of the superior leader.
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If you select the wrong people in the first place, it becomes almost impossible afterward to build a winning team, just as it would be impossible to win athletic championships with unskilled or ill-suited players.In the forming stage, the team members come together and begin to get a feeling for each other. There will be a good deal of discussion, argument, disagreement, personal expression of likes and dislikes, and the forming of friendly alliances between team members. This stage, especially the discussions and conversations that take place, may seem time consuming, but it is absolutely indispensable to the development of a unified group of people that you can lead. One of the most important qualities of a leader is that of patience. And patience is never more necessary than when you are going through the early stages of assembling your team.The second stage of team development is called storming. Storming is a shortened form of the word “brainstorming.” It is during this stage when the group, whose members are now comfortable with each other, begins the hard work of setting goals and deadlines, dividing up the tasks, and getting on with the job. During the storming phase, people learn about the contributions that each member can make to achieve the purposes of the team.The third stage of team development is called norming. This is where norms and standards are established among the team members so that everyone feels secure and confident in his or her place. All members know what is expected and how it is to be measured. And all members are aware of the responsibilities and obligations that they have, not only to the job, but to the each other as well. Your ability as a leader to promote the norming process is critical to the success of the team.
Click to Receive Daily Inspirational Quotes
The fourth stage of team development is performing. In the final analysis, your ability to get results is all that really matters. Your lifestyle, your rate of promotion and level of rewards, and your respect and esteem among your co-workers and bosses will all be determined by your ability to perform and to get others to perform. There are basically five qualities of the most productive work teams that you need to foster throughout the stages of team development. The degree to which you accomplish this before you start working will determine your success as a team leader and the success of the team as a whole.The first quality is the existence of shared values. You can foster this quality by asking the question, “What are our values?” or, “What do we stand for?” People will contribute the values they consider the most important. As they do, you or someone else can write them on a flipchart. The values will usually be something like: integrity, excellence, quality, caring about people, profitability, and harmony. The second quality of top teams is shared objectives. It is absolutely essential that everyone takes the time to discuss the actual reason for forming the team and the chief results that are expected of them.Leaders are those who can see the big picture. They are absolutely clear about what it is they want to accomplish and what it will look like. They have the ability to articulate this vision in the minds and hearts of others and to get everyone, no matter what their background or personality, working together in harmony toward the realization of that vision.People cannot hit a target they cannot see. Again, even though it may appear time consuming, everyone needs to have ample opportunity to discuss and agree on the ultimate goals desired before work begins. The more thorough the discussion on goals and objectives, the more effective the team will be when it begins working.The third quality of highly-productive teams is shared activities. Everyone knows what they are supposed to contribute to the achievement of the overall goals and objectives of the team. Everyone also knows what each of the other members is expected to do. All the work that has to be done is clearly divided up among the team members, and everyone knows their role in the process.The fourth quality of high-performing teams is that the head of the team leads the action. You become the role model for all of the others.
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You go out in front. You continually look for ways to make it easier for your team members to do their jobs. You accept complete responsibility for the achievement of the overall goal. You start a little earlier, you work a little harder, and you stay a little later. You set careful priorities on your time and you always work on your highest value tasks. You never ask anyone to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. You always put yourself out in front and go to bat for your people in every circumstance. You are a leader because you continually lead.The fifth and final quality of high-performing teams is that individually and as a group, they continually evaluate their progress toward their goals and values. The are always asking themselves, “How are we doing, and how can we do better?” When they manufacture or sell products in the marketplace, they ask their customers for ongoing feedback and evaluation. They set incredible standards of excellence and they are constantly striving to be better.Whenever they have problems, misunderstandings, or difficulties within the team, they reexamine their values, their goals, their activities, their assignments, and their responsibilities. They are more concerned with what’s right than with who’s right. They are more concerned with winning than with not losing. High-Performing teams run by excellent leaders, are determined to perform in an excellent fashion. All members know that their ability to work together in harmony and cooperation is the key to the success of every one of them.The wonderful thing about becoming a leader in your work and personal life is that you can practice the skills of influencing and persuading others toward a common objective. You can promote the principles of excellent teamwork by establishing your values and goals, determining your activities, and then leading the action. And you can improve yourself by continually evaluating your performance against your standards.One of the marks of excellent people is that they never compare themselves with others. They only compare themselves with themselves and with their past accomplishments and future potential. You can become an even more excellent person by constantly setting higher and higher standards for yourself and then by doing everything possible to live up to those standards. The more proficient you become at getting the results for which you were hired, the more opportunities you will have to get results through others. And your ability to put together a team and then to lead that team to high performance will enable you to accelerate your career and fulfill your goals faster than ever before.

Source:http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com/leaderrole.html

From my point of view:

This article talk about the skills that a good leader should have he or she has the ability to manage a group and to work in group always thinking about common benefits.
He or she has the ability to cooperate, understanding people behaviors, values and customs.
He or she never compare a person with other, because a leader knows that every one is different ans he or she has the ability to make working together to attain a goal, moreover a leader always looking for setting new objetives and new goals to be achiving.
With this article urderstood that whoever person has the capacity to be a leader so that a leaders not born, leader are made.

¿What kind of leader are you ? article

What Kind of Leader are you?
You are a leader if someone is following you. This could be as simple as one person watching you and following your example and encouragement, to being a leader in your home, your community, your workplace or even your nation. Leadership can take many forms, but typically it often involves managing people- one of the most difficult of all tasks. It means coordinating and motivating the actions of others to achieve a common goal. A leader has to establish that goal, and gain the willing agreement of others to be governed by and work together towards that goal.
The style of leadership taken by any leader is usually predetermined by the personality and motivational values of that person.
They are who they are, as a personality, and that has a strong influence on the way they lead and communicate with others.
The study of personality traits has been on going for centuries, and there is a great deal of agreement in the conclusions and findings of personality characteristics. In this article I am going to refer to the different types of personality in color form, adopts the categories applied by Linda Berens and Don Lowry .
Every personality type has particular talents and skills that lend themselves to good leadership. Any form of leadership however, is greatly enriched and enhanced if it is able to draw on the strengths and characteristics of the other styles.
A leader who has a strong Gold personality type is personally committed and dedicated to the goal. They work hard, and expect their team to do the same. They lead from a place of belief that the work is important, and has to be done right. Gold leaders value tradition- the ways of the past are proven ways, and so do not take well to new ideas unless they are well proven to have potential.
Leaders with a strong Blue personality are motivated by their commitment to the people involved, and a strong sense of community. They have a democratic style of management, valuing the input of employees and team workers. Blue leaders tend to see the big picture, and have the ability to inspire others with the vision.
The strong Green leadership style also sees the big picture as well as the complexity of detail.
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Green leaders excel in strategy. They bring intellect, ingenuity and design into the leadership role. They research and analyze facts and concepts, constantly looking for improvements for working smarter rather than harder. Facts and information are all important to the Green leader, and they pay little attention to the value of feelings and relationships.
Action is the focus of the Orange leader. Administration and organization exist to make action possible. They are great trouble-shooters. The Orange leader leads by example, setting the standard to follow. Orange management style can be quite authoritarian and abrupt as they are impatient with opposition, and expect their directions to be followed. Above all Orange leaders welcome change believing that the old ways can always be improved on. A new project represents, adventure, a challenge and potential fun, all of which the Orange personality thrives on.
Every leader has a combination of all four personalities, but one will always be the stronger, more natural way to operate in. A leaders style may also be a blend of their main strength, combined with their second strongest style. A wise leader will understand the strengths and weaknesses of their personal leadership style and use those team members with different styles to bring balance and greater efficiency in meeting the shared goal.
Barbara White

Source: http://www.livingbeyondbetter.com/leadertype.html

This article is about leadership and the characteristics that a leader has depending on his or her personality.
According to this article there are four kinds of personality gold, blue, green and orange, each of them with different characteristics, for instance gold leaders are people who work hard and they like that the group tha they leader being or doing the same.
By the contrast people who belong to green personality think, they believe that the intelillence and the ability to design are the most important to be a good leader.
Although the variety of types of personality the main skill that a leader shoul have is the ability to manage a group and to convey confidence.
Futhermore and taking account the article as a support each person can be a leader depending the circuntances and the activities that one does, for example one can shoe leader abilities at his or her school, at university, at work even at home the most important is to have the capacity to face this role.

Leadership article


What Kind of Leader are you?
You are a leader if someone is following you. This could be as simple as one person watching you and following your example and encouragement, to being a leader in your home, your community, your workplace or even your nation. Leadership can take many forms, but typically it often involves managing people- one of the most difficult of all tasks. It means coordinating and motivating the actions of others to achieve a common goal. A leader has to establish that goal, and gain the willing agreement of others to be governed by and work together towards that goal.
The style of leadership taken by any leader is usually predetermined by the personality and motivational values of that person.
They are who they are, as a personality, and that has a strong influence on the way they lead and communicate with others.
The study of personality traits has been on going for centuries, and there is a great deal of agreement in the conclusions and findings of personality characteristics. In this article I am going to refer to the different types of personality in color form, adopts the categories applied by Linda Berens and Don Lowry .
Every personality type has particular talents and skills that lend themselves to good leadership. Any form of leadership however, is greatly enriched and enhanced if it is able to draw on the strengths and characteristics of the other styles.
A leader who has a strong Gold personality type is personally committed and dedicated to the goal. They work hard, and expect their team to do the same. They lead from a place of belief that the work is important, and has to be done right. Gold leaders value tradition- the ways of the past are proven ways, and so do not take well to new ideas unless they are well proven to have potential.
Leaders with a strong Blue personality are motivated by their commitment to the people involved, and a strong sense of community. They have a democratic style of management, valuing the input of employees and team workers. Blue leaders tend to see the big picture, and have the ability to inspire others with the vision.
The strong Green leadership style also sees the big picture as well as the complexity of detail.
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Green leaders excel in strategy. They bring intellect, ingenuity and design into the leadership role. They research and analyze facts and concepts, constantly looking for improvements for working smarter rather than harder. Facts and information are all important to the Green leader, and they pay little attention to the value of feelings and relationships.
Action is the focus of the Orange leader. Administration and organization exist to make action possible. They are great trouble-shooters. The Orange leader leads by example, setting the standard to follow. Orange management style can be quite authoritarian and abrupt as they are impatient with opposition, and expect their directions to be followed. Above all Orange leaders welcome change believing that the old ways can always be improved on. A new project represents, adventure, a challenge and potential fun, all of which the Orange personality thrives on.
Every leader has a combination of all four personalities, but one will always be the stronger, more natural way to operate in. A leaders style may also be a blend of their main strength, combined with their second strongest style. A wise leader will understand the strengths and weaknesses of their personal leadership style and use those team members with different styles to bring balance and greater efficiency in meeting the shared goal.
Barbara White




Summary:

This article talk about the leadership and the relation with different personalities ways.

According to this article a person can be a leader in different aspects and depending the context that he or she is involved, for instance at school, at home, within a group of friends, at work.

In additon this article gives us a perspective about four personalities gold, blue, green and orange.

Each person with different personality has different ways to be a leader with many characteristics, some of the are analytical and measure the goals according to the result. However there are people friendly and who think that the most important aspect that characterized a leader is

martes, 7 de octubre de 2008

Video linked to Leadership- motivation

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7h7kDQtLI

I watched this video call Motivation leadership change management: Patrick Dixon on leadership strategies, leadership styles and motivation tools, team motivation, war for talent and business strategy. 700 people.
It is about how people and organization can be leaders in every fiel and environment where they are.
A good experience to show our leadership skill is helping people not only giving money also spending our time with them.
Within organizations leadership is moving by the people`s values and characteristicts and the best way to encourage it, is that people feel align to organization vision, values, mission.

sábado, 4 de octubre de 2008

Leadership argumentative essay




Leadership relating to learning


Since people are children always they listen about leadership, a person who is leader and others connotations that everybody has learnt during the passing of their life.
One can know these concepts in the majority of activities that one does for instance in a group of friends, at school, at university, at work even at family.
Nevertheless, ¿Actually some of people who use these kinds of words understand what these words meaning?

At present society these kinds of words are frequently use them, perhaps because people are living the globalization boom where the competitive advantage is the most important and to achieve this goal people in all aspects should be a leader both personally and professionally.
For the majority of companies a person who is leader is the person who has many skills such as innovation, creative, he or she has the ability to guide a group of people and he or she is able to influence people in order to achieve previous goals.
The word leaderships has many connotations depending on the point of view that one can see, for example in a group of friend a person who is leader is which one who is friendly, moreover he or she characterizes by be a positive, charismatic person.
Withing a company or at school a leader is who has structure ideas, knows the procedures, attains goals, makes a excellent decisions always looking for social welfare, effective and suitable performance of activities and tasks.
A person who is not a leader in one aspect can be achieve it in other aspect of his or her life, it is possible always taking account that a leader should be honest, modest, and able to manage a group toward right way.

Even thought unfortunately lately leadership has taken different associations, nowadays this idea is related to the level of power that a person can have, or the amount of money that one can have or material things.
For some people a person is leader when he or she afford to buy whatever they want even feelings.
By the contrast that leadership meanings, this word or characteristic is related to authority, knowledge and integrity.

Finally and taking the most outstanding facts leadership can be gained during the peoples life, supported by knowledge, skills, characteristics and moral values that a person has.
In spite of this concept has taken other connotation it is important that people focus on developing and getting stronger the leadership ability.

Information taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership

viernes, 12 de septiembre de 2008

My opinion regarding to culture shock articles

I read some articules which talked about culture shock one of them talked about this situation from at a London university, it describes how workshops help foreigns students to overcome homesick and some students tell their experiences.
The second one talked about that the most important impact is when students come back their native country everything for they look rare.

With reading and listening practices I could practice this abilities and I could improve in it.
Moreover I could learnt more about this topic, comparing theory with real experiences.

Culture shock articule "Old is new"

Old is new: Reverse culture shock
Scott Fabricant
Scene Reporter
Published: Monday, September 8, 2008
Updated: Monday, September 8, 2008
Correction Appended Below
Going abroad to a new country can be an eye-opening experience. A new town, a new school, new friends, a foreign culture, an unfamiliar language, the wrong side of the street. Adjustment can sometimes be difficult; it’s what is called culture shock. But sometimes, the return can be just as hard. Returning to an old school, old friends and an old way of life. It’s known as “reverse culture shock,” and being prepared for it can make the transition home far more peaceable. A fear that many students have about studying abroad is that their social landscape will change while they’re gone and that their friendships won’t be the same as when they left.“I always had the worry that people will forget about me or that it’ll be hard to resume being friends with those you weren’t really close with,” junior Kaity Li said. “Everything got put on hold [for me], but their lives were continuous. Where we left off may not be the same place now.”Another potential pitfall, perhaps a surprising one, is getting used to the “little things” again. The buses and trains, slang phrases, class attendance—as in, you have to go to class again. It takes some time to remember the old ways. “One thing I’m actually still getting used to more than two months after returning home is passing people on the right side [while] walking on the sidewalk, walking in aisles at stores, and walking up and down staircases,” senior Stefanie Klein said. “In Australia, people always pass on the left, and here it’s the opposite. I’ve walked into more than one person, because I forget what the social norm is here after spending six months in Australia.”Also, remember to watch your conversations. Professional study abroad guides warn returnees that talking about your experiences abroad can alienate your friends. They may not understand, they may be jealous and frankly, they probably won’t care. Much in the same way that asking “How are you?” is not an invite for a 10-minute whine about life, “How was your trip?” doesn’t mean they want to hear about bungee jumping in New Zealand. “It’s difficult to accept that when someone asks ‘How was Australia?’ all they really want to hear is ‘It was great,’ though I’d much rather sit them down for a few hours and ramble,” Klein said. “Months after my return, I find a way to incorporate Australia into every conversation I have, though usually I try to refrain from actually doing so. I force myself to be content with just thinking about it and not vocalizing it,” Klein said.Most people who had a good time abroad will be a little blue coming back, but in some cases, depression is a real possibility. Your time abroad can be an amazing, liberating experience. If you’re lucky, you can make fantastic friends, fulfill lifelong dreams, even recreate yourself from scratch, but coming home was a real crash. To this, I can speak from personal experience. My lifestyle of pure freedom was replaced by old routine, my social landscape had changed from its previous comfortable familiarity and worst of all, it was winter in America. Nasty case of reverse culture shock. Despite being glad to be reunited with friends, I was possessed by an all-consuming need to go back. For me, the cure was simply time, but the Universiy offers resources to help. For a truly severe case, Student Health Services offers counseling and psychiatry services. Uncle Joe’s Peer Counseling also offers their services. The Student Ambassador program run by the Overseas Programs Office is another useful resource.The office, usually encountered during the application process, also offers workshops on using your experience abroad to further your career, as well as social events such as the Returnee Reception, themed lunches and region reunion parties. For most, an experience abroad is a memory to cherish, and it provides stories to annoy your friends and impress strangers, but for some, experience abroad alters your lives in some way. Maybe it changes your outlook on life, or maybe it changes your activities (most study abroad ambassadors were returnees who loved their experiences and wanted to share them with others). However, for a rare few, it changes their futures. “When I returned from Fiji, I made a conscious effort to keep my experience alive,” 2008 alum Lieselot Whitback said. “I joined the study abroad ambassadors and began a personal tradition of Fijian Fridays. Even today I try to wear something Fijian every Friday; it brings color and fun to my life. I now plan to get a Masters [degree] in the field of intercultural communication or international education with the hope of someday being a study abroad administrator. It was such an important experience for me personally, I want to help bring the same sort of experience to other students.”Travel abroad—going somewhere new and out of your comfort zone—can and should be a life-altering experience. As Mark Twain said, travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. It’s also fun as hell, but it doesn’t come without its risks and problems. Life doesn’t stay static when you’re away, and neither do you. Knowing what to expect when you show up somewhere new, and knowing what to expect when you return, can make for more fun experiences and smoother transitions. Just remember why you’re going and what you’re coming home to.“I made some amazing friends while I was abroad and shared many experiences with them that people who weren’t there could never understand,” Klein said. “Still, I missed the friends from home I’ve grown up with and the friends from school I became so accustomed to living with and seeing daily.”
Source:http://www.studlife.com/scene/1.724169

This articule talk about cultural shock that many people live and experience when they go to other country totally dofferet to him or her.

The author said that the most important impact that abroad students has it presents when their returns to their native culture, they feel that everything has changed even their friends.

He describes this situation as reverse culture shock.

Cultural shock articule "workshop helps with culture shock"

Workshop helps with culture shock
Alexandra Cioper
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section:
News

"Students from all different countries gathered together yesterday at the Photonics Center to learn about the most foreign culture of all -the culture at Boston University. More than 50 BU international students attended the second annual Culture Quest, a workshop sponsored by the International Students and Scholars Office. The workshop aims to create a network for the international students to feel more comfortable around school with a presentation and panel discussion, International Student Advisor Tana Ruegamer said. Ruegamer, who organized the workshop, said it is important for students to adapt to a new society without compromising their own values. "It is a negotiation process," she said. "You will be keeping parts of your identity and giving up parts of your identity."Students played icebreaker activities and had discussions to get to know each other and learn more about American values.A PowerPoint presentation explained the highs and lows of culture shock and provided tips on how to overcome it.Students hailed from Japan, Jordan, Korea and China, to name a few, and shared their feelings about how the United States is different from their home country. They also discussed the struggles and successes they have had adjusting life at BU.A student panel of three international students from China, Pakistan and Switzerland offered advice and answered questions from the audience. They urged the students to get involved in activities in school to create a support system and answered questions about how to cope with homesickness and adjust to the food differences.ISSO Associate Director James Leck said his office cut down the time of this year's workshop, made the presentation more streamlined and had better advertising, bringing in a larger turnout than the last year's Culture Quest. Leck said he hopes the workshop served as a sort of orientation for the international students to cater to their specific needs.

"I hope this starts you thinking about the cultural adjustment process and gives you some tools for your toolbox," he said.College of Arts and Sciences junior Arsla Jawaid, a panel member from Pakistan, said international students are not the only ones who must adjust, but everyone must do so."People around the world are the same," she said. CAS alumna Bansoa Sigam, a panel member from Switzerland, said patience is an important aspect of adjusting to a different culture. "The adjustment process is a rocky road, but it does happen at one point or another," she said.To maintain a support system from home, panelists suggested attendees use websites like Facebook and Skype as well and phone and email to keep in touch.CAS graduate student Dai Dai, who came to BU from China, said the panel discussion was her favorite part of the workshop because panelists voiced exactly what she has been experiencing, she said. "Now I know that the problems I am facing are because of the differences between my culture and the American culture, and now I can go about and try to fix them," Dai said. A second Culture Quest will address adjusting to the American classroom on Sept. 19."



Bibliography: "Workshop helps with culture shock" 12th September 2008 <<http://www.dailyfreepress.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayregistrationprompt&requiredregistration=1&thereferer=http%3A//media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87>>



In this articule talk about culture shock at a university and the ways that they have to face it one their way is workshop, it is a kind of meeting where students from differet countries sahape their experiences from one another, in this disccussion there are people from Pakistan, China, Switzerland who give their point of view about this issue and give some alternatives to overcome it and to communicate with their family mainteinig contact withs their relatives, these ways are facebook, skype and phone.

This meeting help foreign people to feel more confortable in o




Video regarding to Cultural shock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQtzQn1Rvc8

Culture shock - International students in United States.
In this web site I could watch a video which talked about cultural shock in people from different countries who came to United States for different reasons.

This video broadcasts five cases of foreigns. First person is from Botswana, second from Puerto Rico, Third one form Montreal Canada and last one is a couple who are from Africa, They tell their experiences and they describe what is cultural shock for them.

For I was good watch this kind of video so that I could practice listening, moreover I could learnt more about culture shock and I could see some cases which ones helped to me to understand better this issue.

Cultural shock argumentative essay




Cultural shock


There are a lot of changes in people`s life that they have to face and they should adapt to them, some of these changes represent opportunities in order to a growth both personally and professionally. Among these life circumstances that bind them to change one can find shipments, business and studies trips, moving house and others situations which make people have to change their town, city, even their country. For people is difficult to assume these transformations however for some of them change is good for their life and they always are prepared to it. In these kinds of events it would be a good ask themselves ¿indeed are these kind of changes benefit a person or by contrast they can harm her or him and even a culture?

At present people are moving in a world where globalization has taken an important place, for that reason trips and cultural exchanges are important too. Moreover trips and living in another country have many advantages and sometimes these facts give a person a competitive advantage, for instance when one travels to other country, one can know other customs, another people, different landscapes and gain experience.

In addition when a person travels due to his or her professional responsibilities he or she can learn more in different things not merely in academic aspects besides of this sometimes in a foreign country may appear opportunities that a person should take advantage of them, opportunities in labor, professional or perhaps that person can improve his or her lifestyle.

In spite of these aspects previously appointed there is a fact that is indispensable to take into account as cultural shock, this is a feeling of anxiety that people experience when they arrive to whatever foreign country. A person should face a lot of strong issues and they have to be prepare to adapt to them, things like food, language, lifestyle, customs so on will influence on people behavior, for example when a Latin American goes to Asia particularly to China where Chinese people have different traditions and customs in many aspects like food, religious, governmental practices and polities these variety of issues are going to affect that abroad and in this situation that Latin American is going to feel a cultural shock.

To sum up and from my point of view I consider that traveling is a wonderful opportunity that anyone should take advantage of it, nonetheless when one is going to travel or a person has to live to a foreign country she or he must do a research about this country and it`s culture and trying to be prepared to manage change and adapted it.
Traveling and meeting new people always bring us more advantages than disadvantages and if opportunities appear in our life we have to take them and we cannot let to go them.

miércoles, 27 de agosto de 2008

Concepts

  • Cultural shock : it is the impact that foreigns have when they arrive to a new country at this moment a person begins to have a contact with a new culture, within it a variety values, customs, language and more things that might be completely different from her or him.

  • Success: For me it is the sensation that you feel when you get a goal moreover a person is successeful when work hard for achive something that she or he always has wanted and he or she is steady in his or her purposes.
  • Leadership: It is the skill that a person has to guide and to help a group of people to achive goals and meeting challenges. I consider that one is leader when has knowlegde, skills, capacities, not only because sometimes that person may have the power.
  • Lifestyle: It is the way how people live every day, it includes their culture, believes, traditions etc. Each person has a different lifestyle depending on how each one has been growth up, the place where lives, culture, values, believes and more aspects that influence upon people thinking and the way how they do their daily activities.

Concepts, cultural shock, success, leadership, lifestyle

  • Cultural shock : it is the impact that foreigns have when they arrive to a new country at this moment a person begins to have a contact with a new culture, within it a variety values, customs, language and more things that might be completely different from her or him.
  • Success: For me it is the sensation that you feel when you get a goal moreover a person is successeful when work hard for achive something that she or he always has wanted and he or she is steady in his or her purposes.

  • Leadership: It is the skill that a person has to guide and to help a group of people to achive goals and meeting challenges: I consider that one is leader when has knowlegde, skills, capacities, not only because sometimes that person may have the power.

  • Lifestyle: It is the way how people live every day, it includes their culture, believes, traditions etc. Each person has a different lifestyle depending on how each one has been growth up, the place where lives, culture, values, believes and more aspects that influence upon people thinking and the way how they do their daily activities.