Helping Children Master the Basic Facts Essay Example for Free

Helping Children Master the Basic Facts Essay The chapter â€Å"Strategies for Multiplication Facts† provides detailed overview of strategies used for mastering and enlarging multiplication facts. It is suggested that basic facts may be improved due to relating existing knowledge to new facts. The author outlines five group strategies stating that the first four are easier and they cover 75% of multiplication facts. Nevertheless, it is noted the offered strategies are simply suggestions, not the rules to follow. Actually, these strategies help students think of various facts easily. The special attention in the chapter is paid to doubles, zeroes and ones, helping facts, division facts and ‘near facts’, etc. It is noted that fact remediation should be used in case when students are unable to master basic facts mentioned above. Such students need new approach to comprehend basic facts. Therefore, fact remediation is of great importance, because it aims at providing hope for students having problems with mathematics. Often students experiencing difficulties with getting facts, start thinking they are unable to learn facts at all. The author recommends to â€Å"let these children know that you will help them and that you will provide some new ideas that will help them as well†. (184) It is admitted in the chapter that students who comprehend the basic multiplication facts doesn’t reason better that student who find it difficult to get the idea of basic facts. The author states that nowadays the goal of mathematics isn’t simply to learn how to count, instead it aims at learning how to reason, how to make the sense of things around. What is more important, mathematics develops the skills of critical thinking and punctuality. Mathematics teaches students to solve problems and, therefore, students experiencing difficulties with mastering basic facts shouldn’t be excluded from mathematical experiences. Summing up, the author claims that all students should be involved in â€Å"exciting and meaningful experiences, they have real motivation to learn facts and real opportunities to develop relationships that can aid in that endeavor†. (185) References Van De Walle, John. (2003). Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally. USA: Allyn Bacon.

Mass School Shootings in America :: Mass Shootings, School Shootings Essays

School shootings have been occurring all over the country. All of these school incidents are leading to one or more deaths. Many people think that it will never happen to them, but it could. After a school shooting occurs it may seem like everything is different, and has changed. This is the reason why many students are afraid to go to school and is so concerned about their safety. Many of these schools shooting are happening in suburban areas where many people think it is safe but while the school districts are focusing on keeping the violates out of city schools they forgot about the rest. School shootings have had a political impact on the society; bring some people to press for stricter gun control laws. The National Rifle Association is opposed to such laws, and some groups have called for fewer gun control laws citing cases of armed students ending shootings and halting further loss of an innocent person life. One such example is the Mercaz HaRav Massacre which happened on March 6, 2008 where the attacker was not stopped by police but by a student, who stopped the attacker by shooting him with his personal firearm that was in his car which he lawfully carried concealed. Bullying is a problem that can provoke a shooting at a school. Studies have found that children who bully are more likely to come from homes with certain characteristics like: A lack of supervision by parents; Harsh, physical discipline; and Bullying incidences inside the home. Many bullies are most likely to carry a weapon and start drinking alcohol at a young age. Detecting if somebody is being bullied can be difficult and helping to resolve that issue can be worst. Children that are being bullied have tendencies to have unexplained cuts, bruises, and scratches; has few with whom he or she spends time with; takes a long unreasonable route when walking to or from school. Trying to resolve the issue can be worst because you don’t want to embarrass your child so the easiest thing to do is to let your child know they are not alone and believe everything they tell you. Parents that show up to the school all the time shouldn’t because showing up a will give the other students something else to bully your child about. Ways to prevent school shootings are still being discussed with-in the school systems but here are some ways like metal detectors in all schools will help because it will help detect any illegal weapons like guns and knives.

CRM Capabilities and the Customer Life Cycle Essay

Customer acquisition consists of the business processes in the CLC leading up to the customer moment, when consumers become customers . . . or not. This includes awareness generation, knowledge transfer, consideration, pre-sales, and evaluation. Capabilities include consumer surveys in business operations, tracking enterprise-wide customer interactions in business management, and market basket analysis in business intelligence. The enterprise clearly requires customer acquisition to maintain and expand revenues and profits. A business without nev. customer acquisition will shrink and eventually fail. But compared to customer retention amf expanding â€Å"share of customer†, customer acquisition can be expensive. I Expanding the â€Å"share of customer† is gaining the largest portion of acquisitions made by each individual customer in the global marketplace. The proportion of a customer’s move, that goes to a particular enterprise is known as the share of customer. Example capabilities include delivery of new information to a customer through business operations as the custome-, re-enters the CLC, taking advantage of cross-sell opportunities using business managerne7- capabilities, and identifying cross-sell opportunities through business intelligence capabilitie&. The benefits of expanding â€Å"share of customer† are similar to customer retention—additional sales without the cost of acquiring a new customer. However, expanding the share of customer is as valuable as customer retention. Most companies find that their most profitable customer-, are the ones that spend the largest percentages of their budgets with the enterprise. For example, one bank recently identified that every one of their most profitable customers (the top 20 per cent) gave their business to the bank, while none of the least profitable custome7,: (the bottom 20 per cent) gave their business to the bank. What is new is the customer-cents_~ nature of applications, which means organizing CRM processes around the customer rath—, than marketing, sales, or any other internal function. Measurements and feedback from the customer enable improvements in the CRM process. The customer’s viewpoint becomes aF integral part of the process, allowing it to change with the customer’s needs. In other words. companies base their actions not on the priorities of functional fiefdoms, but on the over†72 corporate objective of providing customer satisfaction. However, before aggressively deploying CRM applications, managers might have to restructure customer-interaction processes. Functional and organizational structurei tend to compartmentalize the various activities that go into serving the customer. Such fragmentation prevents customer information from being dispersed far enough within the organization to be useful; in fact, it often stands in the way of efforts to build a relationship As a result, customized service is difficult and consequently, organizations tend to treat all customers the same – a damning impediment to building closer relationships. To counter fragmentation, leading-edge companies strive to take a more customer centred approach to CRM. There is a growing trend towards managing all the activities that ientify, attract, and retain customers in an integrated fashion, that is, managing them as a process that cuts across functional departments. By addressing these activities as a set of CRM processes, organizations can create end-to-end communications and performance accountability for entire sets of activities. In short, a CRM infrastructure is really a portfolio of process competencies.

World Religion Judaism, Hinduism, And Islam Essay

World Religion At first glance and hearing about, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam these five religions-look and sound a lot alike. Each one was founded and developed by mankind, follow a list of religious principles and directives to live by, and they all share the same consciousness of wrong doings being reconciled. Because anyone can strike up a new religion at any time, however, religion cannot be judged on how it looks or sounds. As a comparison we will see just how different these religions are. The first difference between the five religions is how they began, each one experienced some type of outside influence for its beginning. Judaism’s founding father was Abraham, who talked to God and was told by an angel that he would birth a promise son that would spring forth great nations and kings. Who was commanded by God to go to a land that he promised to give Abraham descendants. Judaism was developed from Abraham’s faith in God (Whiston p.34). Hinduism has n o single founder (namb.net), but played off the Aryan’s society caste system. â€Å"A caste is a social unit into which individuals are born and which dictates most aspects of daily life† (Adler/Pouwell p.50, 51). Buddhism founder and developer was Siddhartha Gautama, the son of an Indian royal family. Who went out in search of the outcome of fate, being revealed to him under the Bodhi tree, after a long night of meditation was enlighten with wisdom. (Adler/Pouwell p.54).Show MoreRelatedChristianity, Hinduism, And Islam1054 Words   |  5 PagesEvery religion has its own goal, and their own believes, however there are also many similarities in their believes. Although the followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam may see things differently, they basically hold the same values and codes. To Islam, the Prophet Mohammad’s teaching is a â€Å"complete and final revelation†. On the other hand, according to the bible, Christianity believes that Jesus Chris t is the true lord and savior will grant you the access to heaven in the afterlife. JudaismRead MoreWorld Religion: Christianity the Most Widespread Religion in The World1473 Words   |  6 PagesAll over the world, there are many people who believe in something or someone of a higher power. There are about five billion people who believe in a higher power (Tiemann 526). There are six world religions that have followers all around the world. The six world religions are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Many of these religions are monotheistic, which is the belief of only one god or one higher power. There are also polytheistic believers, which is the beliefRead MoreClassification of Religions1509 Words   |  7 PagesCLASSIFICATION ESSAY ON RELIGION Name : Reg. No. : Course Submitted to : RELIGION: Religion is a set of beliefs, cultural system and worldviews that establish symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and to moral values. It defines who you are, what you are and your views about the world. It gives its followers guidelines which frames their actions, attitudes, cultures and belief. TYPES OF RELIGIONS: There are more than four thousand religions in this world, however, most of them areRead MoreBuddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism And Monotheistic Religions1108 Words   |  5 PagesIn life, one will undertake a spiritual journey in which you will uncover the meaning of the self. Many religions, including Hinduism, Confucianism and monotheistic religions, have developed philosophies placing importance of the â€Å"self.† Emphasis on morality, virtues, honest contribute to the development of the inner self. In religions such as, Islam and Judaism the importance of conducts and worship will lead you to paradise in the after as promised by Allah or Yahweh. The teachings of proper behaviorRead MoreHinduism And The Middle East894 Words   |  4 Pagesfilled by some type of religion. In order to develop a thorough understanding of the world’s major religions, it is important to look closely at the history, beliefs, and practices of each. There are five major religions that are practiced in the world today. Hinduism developed first, then Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and finally Islam. Hinduism and Buddhism are considered Eastern religions while Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered Western. Both Eastern religions began in India, althoughRead MoreChristianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, And Judaism1644 Words   |  7 Pages The following religions Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism are among the top religions when evaluating the number of followers they encompass worldwide (Henderson, 2005, p.1). Through assessing these major belief systems and their views, diversity between them is apparent. These multiplicities range from Hindus who acknowledge multitudes of gods to Muslims who believe in one God, Allah. Although the variety of beliefs and practices exist their remains some central concepts suchRead More Appreciating other Religions Essay684 Words   |  3 PagesAppreciating other Religions Religion is a set of practices and beliefs that allow human beings to search for the meaning of life and the purpose of their existence. These common practices set the foundation for such beliefs to have validity. Every individual must wonder why he/she exists on earth. Questioning about the purpose in one’s life and whether or not there is meaning allows an individual to seek a supernatural, Supreme Being or some form of deity. Technically, religion is essentially theRead MoreThe Religion Of The Holy Trinity1665 Words   |  7 Pagesfree, ridiculous blessing from God. Effortlessness is a partaking in the celestial; the motivation to do God s will. Catholics recognize the unity of body and soul for human. So the entire religion relies or centers on reality that mankind remains between the two universes of matter and soul. The physical world is considered some portion of God s creation and is, in this manner, naturally great until an individual abuses it.The Bible is the rous ed, mistake free, and uncovered expression of God. Read MoreInfluence Of Religion On International Trade Essay1394 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Today’s world economy is changing drastically and as a result trade between countries is emerging. International business is constantly growing. Culture has proven to have a huge influence on trade. Religion can be defined as a system of shared beliefs and rituals that are concerned with the realm of the sacred. Religion is a system that guides people’s behaviors and influence them in the way they interact with other people and the world. Religion is one important source of a societyRead MoreMajor Religions and their Effects on Society1299 Words   |  6 Pagesimmortality. Where there is God, there is religion. There are many types of religions for example, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­, and Greeks. Religion is the glue that keeps people intact with their sanity. Having religion is a good aspect to have and causes beneficial outcomes for oneself and the community. Also, primary the reason for people to preform good deeds and to becom e interactive with their community is due to religion. Also, the reason behind why people decide

Motivation Students With Learning Disabilities - 886 Words

Motivation in Students with Learning Disabilities Rizka Puspitarani (3490616) What is Learning Disability? Learning disabilities (LD), or in some clinical cases called specific learning disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder which the individual is experiencing difficulties in learning and using academic skills (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Person with LD usually shows at least one difficulty in literacy (i.e.: inaccurate or slow and takes effort to read, difficult to understand the meaning of what he/she reads, difficult to spell words, or difficult with written expression) or in numerical reasoning (i.e.: number sense, calculation, or mathematical reasoning). Dyslexia and dyscalculia are the examples of specific cases in LD. The prevalence of school-age children with LD is 5%-15% of the population across different language and cultures with males have higher risk than females (2:1 to 3:1); while the prevalence of adults with LD is approximately 4%. The prognostic factors of LD might because of genetic factors or environmental factors (i.e.: premature, low birth weight, o r nicotine exposure during prenatal). How is motivation in students with LD? Number of studies had examined motivation in students with LD. The results show that motivation score is lower in children with LD (Grolnick Ryan, 1990; Lincoln Chazan, 1979). In Grolnick and Ryan study (1990), both teacher and students themselves reported significantly less autonomous and less motivated thanShow MoreRelatedPersonal Statement : Special Education1432 Words   |  6 Pages Motivation in special education students Abdulelah Alqahtani EDUC 5501 December 2th, 2015 Dr. Dunham Author: Abdulelah Alqahtani Department of education, Shawnee State University alqahtania@mymail.shawnee.edu Abstract This paper provides a brief summary of special education services and explains how special education teachers can motivate their students in many different ways. In fact, this paper indicates the benefits of motivations in the special education process for both teachersRead MoreMotivating Student Motivation For Students1620 Words   |  7 PagesMotivating students in the classroom can be challenging, especially for Special Education students in an inclusion classroom. Due to the gap between a special education student’s independence level and current grade level, it is difficult for special education students to retain motivation throughout instruction. In efforts to determine how student motivation can be continuous, additional technology support was created to be implemented in an inclusion classroom. The purpose of this action researchRead MoreInstructional Strategies And Intrinsic Motivation Are Keys For Adjunct Faculty1274 Words   |  6 Pagesself-regulation techniq ues can be available for teachers to consider when teaching students know how to control their behaviours. The teacher’s role will be to help students through the problem-solving process, to develop self-regulation plans, to reinforce students for implementing their plans and to work with students to evaluate the effectiveness of their plans. Second strategy: Instructional strategies and intrinsic motivation are keys for adjunct faculty. Recent studies revealed that the majority ofRead MoreStudent Students With Learning Disabilities784 Words   |  4 PagesDiscussion Expected Findings Students with learning disabilities often experience more motivational problems than their peers, and by teaching goal setting, students will have access to a strategy they can use to achieve greater motivation and success. The researcher expects the participants to experience increased motivation and self-efficacy, and improved performance in the areas of reading, math, and behavior after learning how to set short-term goals for themselves. If the goal setting strategyRead MoreWhat Are Some Obstacles You May Face as a Teacher ?1411 Words   |  6 Pagesrather it the ability to overcome challenges in a positive manner that impacts on learning. Some of the many obstacles a teacher may face are; engaging unmotivated children in the classroom, promoting positive conditioning and reinforcement and accommodating those with development disabilities (Symonds, 1941). Keeping students motivated in the classroom and out is an obstacle many teachers will face. Unmotivated students tend to have negative attitudes, a general dislike for school, give up easilyRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s All Summer1476 Words   |  6 Pagesco-teaching (ICT) class, and an ESL class in a widely culturally diverse school in Queens. In the last two years I also taught honors classes. I notice that the biggest challenge facing students from all my classes was reading comprehension. It was evident very early on in my teaching career that many struggling students who can technically read quite well don’t understand what they are reading. Their ability to decode words is far greater than their ability to make sense of the words. Without meaningRead MoreLearning And Teaching Of The 21st Century1289 Words   |  6 PagesLearning and teaching in the 21st century is evolving. The 21st century society is calling for different skills and capabilities of its members. Creativity, problem solving, and high level critical thinking skills are requirements employers are seeking as technology modifies the job environment. Schools must also adapt to this cultural shift. To help students become productive and competent members of a digital age, schools need to be informed of technological terminology, uses, and benefitsRead MoreThe Target Student With Ebd And Ld889 Words   |  4 PagesThe target student with EBD and LD was working with his classmate and playing bingo. The student was reviewing the multiplication facts. The target student was seated at the back of the classroom, so that he will not distract the entire class. The learning support teacher was standing next to him, encouraging him to play. With her support, the student participated very well during the activity and stayed on task longer with less misbehavior. Unfortunately, when she was absent for a brief time, theRead MoreThe Theory Of Self Determination851 Words   |  4 Pagesinsight on what drives/motivates us as individuals. Using the theory of self-determination we are able to see how this form of motivation provide the skills a person needs such as competence, relatedness, and autonomy to thrive, especially in regards to students with disabilities. Keywords: self-determination, competence, relatedness, autonomy, and student with disabilities In psychology there has been great discussion on human potential and whether it is inherited based on a person’s surroundingsRead MoreTheory Analysis And Skill Training852 Words   |  4 Pagesmethod does not value personal knowledge or individuality. It does not focus on the process of learning or students motivation for learning. 3. Can you cite any professional examples of mechanistic practice that you ve encountered? (or if you are currently teaching, you may describe what you do that may exemplify mechanistic practice) I have encountered mechanistic practice in my experience learning as a student. This method was used in a few of my math classes in high school and I believe is associated

Alzheimer s Disease And Its Effects On The Lives Of...

Introduction Neurodegenerative diseases continue to affect the lives of millions Americans each year, with incidence and prevalence rates ever increasing. These diseases cause degeneration or death of nerve cells in the brain. These diseases can cause a financial and emotional burden on not only patients themselves, but also family members and care givers as well. Molecular mechanisms that underlie these diseases have remained relatively unclear, despite much research. Understanding the mechanisms of these diseases are facilitated by utilizing model organisms to study pathways involved in neurodegenerative diseases. One such model organism is the Caenorhabditis elegans nematode. The C. elegans roundworm has displayed usefulness as a template to study neurodegenerative diseases in humans, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. C. elegans has shown to be a useful model for the study of Alzheimer’s disease. Sydney Brenner first introduced the nematode as a model organism in 1963 (Brenner, 1974). The small, transparent roundworm is easy for manipulation, with a life cycle of 3 days from egg to adult at 25 degrees Celsius (Brenner, 1974). It is hermaphroditic and self-fertilizing allowing for rapid production of offspring. Its lifespan is between 2 to 3 weeks, which is another beneficial feature for scientific research due to its relatively short timeframe. The C. elegans genome was completed in 1998 and showed that about 38% of worm genes have humanShow MoreRelatedAlzheimer s Disease Is An Ongoing Condition That Destroys The Connection Of Cells1689 Words   |  7 PagesAlzheimer s disease is an ongoing condition that destroys the connection of cells in the brain. According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), it is estimated that as many as 5.1 million Americans have Alzheimer s dise ase today. Alzheimer s disease was discovered by a German physician named Alois Alzheimer. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer saw changes in the brain tissue of a woman who died from what he presumed to be a mental illness. He described her symptoms as memory loss, language complicationsRead MoreThe Graying Of Our Population879 Words   |  4 PagesThe Graying of our Population A country is considered to be graying when the average age of its citizens rises to the point at which the majority of the population is considered to be older. The largest generation of Americans were born between 1946 and 1964. The people that were born during the 18 year period are referred to as Baby Boomers. As of 2012, Baby Boomers made up nearly 25% of the total U.S. population of approximately 315,000,000 (CNN, 2014). The U.S. faces a huge challengeRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Progressive Disease925 Words   |  4 PagesAlzheimer s disease is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other vital mental functions. Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of dementia, a group of brain disorders that cause the loss of intellectual and social skills. AD can eventually render a person unable to function in society and to even care for themselves. Since the disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States constant research is being done to try to p revent it and to find a cure. Alzheimer s diseaseRead MoreA Brief Note On The Alzheimer s Disease1709 Words   |  7 PagesCamryn Pillar Alzheimer s Disease Northview High School  There is a lot of sickness in the world today. The most significant and progressive illnesses are due to malfunction in the brain. One of the most common and deadly disease is Alzheimer s disease. It’s a progressive brain disorder that damages and destroys brain cells. This leads to many health problems that have very deadly impacts, and is irriversital. Sixty one percent of patients, at the age of seventy, are expected not to make itRead MoreAlzheimer s Disease : A Degenerative Brain Disorder1050 Words   |  5 PagesAlzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder that is found in older adults. One of the most famous American painters, Norman Rockwell, yielded to Alzheimer’s after a long and illustrious career. Interestingly enough, Rockwell’s (cited) paintings are now used sometimes in dementia therapy because of the memories and nostalgia they elicit. Can you imagine that one day the very thing you loved to do, would be helping others remember th eir lost memories and that you succumbed to that very sameRead MoreAlzheimer s And Dementi A Psychological Disorder1330 Words   |  6 Pagesbecome more self-aware of these diseases. Dementia is a disease that can develop into other disorders such as Vascular Dementia or Parkinsons Disease; however, in most cases, it usually ends up as Alzhiemers. It s a typically seen in older people; about, sixty five and older, so of course one would automatically put themselves, and their family out of the picture, that is until one of you gets it. In most cases one primarily thinks of Alzheimer’s and Dementia as diseases that they, as well as anyoneRead MoreThe Disease Of Alzheimer s Disease1421 Words   |  6 Pagesmysterious disease. The neurons being cut off and destroyed by two abnormal structures. First memory is affected gradually getting worse. Then one is unable to think properly, reason, and lacks of self control. Gaps are formed in the brain s ventricles, due to the amount of dead tissue. In the end, it will lead to death. All of this may sound like something from a science fiction movie but infact its very real. These are all known possible symptoms of a common disease that affects about millions of AmericansRead MoreThe National Alzheimer s Project Act1260 Words   |  6 PagesA major devastating and debilitating disease, Alzheimer s is a public health issue that affects not only the United States but also countries all around the world. In 2010, there were 35.6 million people living with Alzheimer’s. Researchers and medical personnel expect this number to triple by the year 2050. The disease is costing America an exorbitant amount of money and has become a burden on families, caregivers, medical personnel, the healthcare system, and the nation’s economy. If attentionRead MoreAlzheimer s A Type Of Dementia1660 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction: Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes complications with memory, thinking, and behavior. Long before any signs of memory loss, there a microscopic changes occurring in the brain, altering its functionality (Alzheimer s Association Organization, 2016). The brain has billions of nerve cells that work together, and when one portion of the brains neurons are malfunctioning it leads to breakdowns in other parts of the brain. The two most noted abnormal structures that are suspectedRead MoreSymptoms And Progression Of Alzheimer s Disease Essay2254 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract: Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type commonly referred to as Alzheimer’s disease, has a subtle onset and gradual progression. The features of dementia are multiple collected deficits that usually include memory impairment and at least one of the following experiences in the absence of delirium that might explain the deficit: aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, or a disturbance in executive funct ioning (the ability to think abstractly and to plan, initiate, sequence, monitor, and stop complex behavior)

Cross- Cultural Communication free essay sample

We didnt all come over on the same ship, but were all in the same boat. - Bernard Baruch Cross-cultural communication is the process of exchanging meaningful and unambiguous information across cultural boundaries, in a way that preserves mutual respect and minimizes antagonism, that is, it looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds endeavour to communicate. The study of cross-cultural communication was originally found within businesses and the government both seeking to expand globally.Communication is interactive, so an important influence on its effectiveness is our relationship with others. All communication is cultural it draws on ways we have learned to speak and give nonverbal messages. We do not always communicate the same way from day to day, since factors like context, individual personality, and mood interact with the variety of cultural influences we have internalized that influence our choices. The world today is characterized by an ever growing number of contacts resulting in communication between people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This communication takes place because of contacts within the areas of business, military cooperation, science, education, mass media, entertainment, tourism but also because of immigration brought about by labor shortage or political conflicts. In all these contacts, there is communication which needs to be as constructive as possible, without misunderstandings and breakdowns. It is our belief that research on the nature of linguistic and cultural similarities and differences here can play a positive and constructive role.The two factors that have raised the importance of Cross-Cultural Communication can be stated as follows- †¢ Improvements in communication and transportation technology have made it possible for previously stable cultures to meet in unstructured situations, e. g. the internet opens lines of communication without mediation, while budget airlines transplant ordinary citizens into unfamiliar milieux(the social and cultural environment in which a person or thing exists). Experience proves that merely crossing cultural boundaries can be considered threatening, while positive attempts to interact may provoke defensive responses.Misunderstanding may be compounded by either an exaggerated sensitivity to possible slights, or an exaggerated and over-protective fear of giving offence; †¢ Some groups believe that the phenomenon of globalization has reduced cultural diversity and so reduced the opportunity for misunderstandings, but characterizing people as a homogeneous market is simplistic. One product or brand only appeals to the material aspirations of one self-selecting group of buyers, and its sales performance will not affect the vast multiplicity of factors that may separate the cultures.Once the foundations of cross cultural understa nding have been laid, the learner(s), either through continued training or experiences within the workplace, gradually attains a more acute appreciation of cultural differences. The different types of appreciation are cross cultural knowledge, cross cultural awareness, cross cultural sensitivity and cross cultural competence. Although all the terms may appear similar in meaning, subtle differences exist between them. Cross Cultural Knowledge is critical to basic cross cultural understanding. Without it cross cultural appreciation cannot take place.It refers to a surface level familiarization with cultural characteristics, values, beliefs and behaviors. Cross Cultural Awareness develops from cross cultural knowledge as the learner understands and appreciates a culture internally. This may also be accompanied by changes within the learners behavior and attitudes such as a greater flexibility and openness. Cross Cultural Sensitivity is a natural by-product of awareness and refers to an ability to read into situations, contexts and behaviors that are culturally rooted and be able to react to them appropriately. An suitable response necessitates that the actor no longer carries his/her own culturally determined interpretations of the situation or behavior (i. e. good/bad, right/wrong) which can only be nurtured through both cross cultural knowledge and awareness. Cross Cultural Competence is and should be the aim of all those dealing with multicultural clients, customers or colleagues. Competence is the final stage of cross cultural understanding and signifies the actors ability to work effectively across cultures.Cross cultural competency is beyond knowledge, awareness and sensitivity in that it is the digestion, integration and transformation of all the skills and information acquired through them, applied to create cultural synergy within the workplace. Following are the five cross cultural communication needs that will allow for improved lines of communication, better cross cultural awareness and more successful cross cultural relationships Cross Cultural Communication needs . Listening Skills Although emphasis usually lies on being a competent speaker, listening is a key skill that many business personnel do not exercise enough.For cross cultural communication, attentive listening is critical to be able to understand meanings, read between the lines and enable to empathize with the speaker. Cross Cultural Communication needs. Speaking Skills Listening and speaking must work in tandem for effective cross cultural communication. Speaking well is not about accent, use of grammar and vocabulary or having the gift of the gab. Rather, cross cultural communication is enhanced through positive speech such as encouragement, affirmation, recognition and phrasing requests clearly or expressing opinions sensitively. Cross Cultural Communication needs. Observation Large amounts of cross cultural information can be read in peoples dress, body language, interaction and behavior. Be aware of differences with your own culture and try to understand the roots of behaviors. Asking questions expands your cross cultural knowledge. Cross Cultural Communication needs. Patience Man has been created differently and we need to recognize and understand that sometimes cross cultural differences are annoying and frustrating. In these situations patience is definitely a virtue. Through patience respect is won and cross cultural understanding is enhanced. Cross Cultural Communication needs . Flexibility Flexibility, adaptability and open-mindedness are the route to successful cross cultural communication. Understanding, embracing and addressing cross cultural differences leads to the breaking of cultural barriers which results in better lines of communication, mutual trust and creative thinking Having a poor understanding of the influence of cross cultural differences in areas such as management, PR, advertising and negotiations can eventually lead to blunders that can have damaging consequences.It is crucial for todays business personnel to understand the impact of cross cultural differences on business, trade and internal company organization. The success or failure of a company, venture, merger or acquisition is essentially in the hands of people. If these people are not cross culturally aware then misunderstandings, offence and a break down in communication can occur. The need for greater cross cultural awareness is heightened in our global economies. Cross cultural differences in matters such as language, etiquette, non-verbal communication, norms and values can, do and will lead to cross cultural blunders.To illustrate this we have provided a few examples of cross cultural blunders that could have been avoided with appropriate cross cultural awareness training: *Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it whitens your teeth. They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth which they find attractive. * A company advertised eyeglasses in Thailand by featuring a variety of cute animals wearing glasses. The ad was a poor choice since animals are considered to be a form of low life and no self respecting Thai would wear anything worn by animals. The soft drink Fresca was being promoted by a saleswoman in Mexico. She was surprised that her sales pitch was greeted with laughter, and later embarrassed when she learned that fresca is slang for lesbian. * Kellogg had to rename its Bran Buds cereal in Sweden when it discovered that the name roughly translated to burned farmer. * When PepsiCo advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with the ad Come Alive With Pepsi they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead. Thus poor cross cultural awareness has many consequences, some serious others comical. It is imperative that in the global economy cross cultural awareness is seen as a necessary investment to avoid such blunders as we have seen above. Cross cultural communication is not the sole reserve of the business world. In fact, all of us in one form or another come across situations that require some kind of cross cultural communication and understanding. One such situation is when communicating with foreigners. We all encounter people at work, on holiday or elsewhere who do not share the same language as us.Although we consider language the main means of communicating, language only represents 7% of what we communicate. There are many ways of overcoming the language barrier to allow for some cross cultural communication. When faced with a situation in which there is no common language these points may help you to get your message across: Say it without words: use hands, arms, legs, gestures, facial expressions and everything else your charades experience has taught you. Use  emotions: even in our own language and culture we do not always use language to express fright, frustration, anger or joy.Emotions transcend linguistic barriers. Try out words: sometimes we share common words and we do not know it. Additionally people from different cultures will have a passive knowledge of English gained through the media. Try saying the word slowly or with a different pronunciation. Draw it: if you really cannot explain milk to the Greek shop owner draw the cow, the udders and the milk. Pictures speak louder than words. Most cultures will be able to spot what you are getting at straight away. Ask for help: if there are others around you do not be shy to ask for their assistance.It is often possible to find a willing translator. Confirm meanings: if you are unsure whether the message has been understood confirm meanings. When doing so do not ask, Do you understand? as the answer will often be yes even if it is no. Try re-phrasing what you have agreed or discussed. Be patient: the key to overcoming the language barrier is to exercise patience. It is not your fault or the other persons that you cannot speak each others language. The above points will help you to overcome cross cultural communication problems and ensure you manage to get your message across in one form or another.Why Is Cross-Cultural Communication Important? Cross-cultural communication is arguably more important today than in any other period of human history. One major consequence of this trend is that future success in most careers will increasingly depend upon an individual’s ability to communicate effectively and appropriately across cultural boundaries. Cross-cultural communication is not limited to learning other languages, but also includes understanding how cultural patterns and core values impact the communication process—even when everyone is speaking English.Acquiring the skills necessary to work with both domestic multicultural groups and in international areas is no longer an option but a necessity. There are few settings where cross-cultural communication does not play a significant role in daily interactions with the public and co-workers. Businesses, social service agencies, health care providers, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and a thousand other occupational settings are all under pressure to recognize and appreciate the role that cross-cultural communication plays in achi eving their goals.Whether it is creating smoothly working project teams; sensitively responding to customers, clients, and markets; or just living and working in a world where everyone has something to say, learning how to communicate cross-culturally is a crucial component that can promote those processes. Realizing that individuals from different cultures will express their thoughts in vastly different ways is a good start. So is developing an awareness of why hearing words alone is not sufficient to discern meaning.Sometimes silence communicates far more than speech. Such things as touching, eye contact, and other kinds of â€Å"body language† need to be observed and correctly interpreted because nonverbal communication carries important clues about the message the individual is trying to convey. In this rapidly changing world, where cultures and people circulate and interact at dizzying speeds, those people who know how to communicate effectively across cultures, in both personal and professional contexts, will have a crucial advantage over those who do not.