REMEDIAL WRITING PROGRAMME FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

REMEDIAL WRITING PROGRAMME FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS The purpose of this study programme is to determine if students from the elementary level of Hin Hua High School (Chinese Independent School) improved in their ability to write in English after having studied specifically developed curriculum. The 7-hour remedial programme is to be conducted once the academic department releases the final assessment grades. Fifteen students with the lowest score were selected using the criterion method to undergo the remedial programme. the importance of all six major aspects of writing measured in the English Test which comprises mainly punctuation, grammar and usage, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style. It is believed by attending the remedial programme selected students would be able to show the ability to make and articulate judgments by taking position on an issue or problem. Besides sustaining a position by focusing on the topic throughout the writing. They are alson expected to develop a position by presenting support or evidence using specific details and make inferences based on support or evidence. Most importantly, they should be able to organize and present ideas in a logical way by logically grouping and sequencing ideas. Hence communicate clearly by using language effectively and by observing the conventions of standard written English INTRODUCTION As a language teacher, I often select writing tasks from language textbooks to help students improve their writing ability. Behaviorists, communicative, cognitive, and discourse theories could influence writing approaches in language textbooks. Each theoretical framework has provided us with a better understanding of the multiple dimensions and purposes of teaching writing. A review of the developments in writing pedagogy leads us to conclude that we could teach writing as a means to improve linguistic, rhetorical and communicative competence or as a discovery and cognitive process. The writing tasks that we select from language textbooks and assign to students could reflect one or some of these pedagogical purposes. As teachers, we need to question and understand the pedagogical assumptions of textbook writing tasks so that we can select tasks that will help our students become confident writers and independent thinkers. Primary students entering the secondary school level (high School) are challenged not only to learn new content in the disciplines but also to communicate this. A significant number of students will not have adequate academic literacy levels to be able to do this successfully (Jones and Bonanno, 1995 (1). Atlhough traditionally students were expected to develop academic literacy skills without any explicit teaching of these skills, schools now recognize the increasingly diverse backgrounds of their student populations and have put in place mechanisms for helping students develop their academic literacy. These have included the establishment of literacy and learning units as well as the requirement for school curricula to address the teaching of writing skills including communication skills. English Learning Centre of Hin Hua High School Klang, like other literacy and learning units, has been involved in a number of collaborative projects with teachers involved in teaching Junior One to integrate the teaching of communication skills into the curriculum (Webb et al, 1995, Taylor and Drury, 1996). These initiatives have resulted in the development of new teaching materials and approaches as well as new practices of assessment and feedback. However, as subject area curricula are being adapted to computer-based forms of learning, it is also necessary to consider how the teaching of communication skills can be integrated into these programs or how the teaching of communication skills can be contextualized within the learning of subject area knowledge. With the current demand for propheciuency in English Language great importance has been given to developing programs to instill good writing modes to the elementary learners which aims to help students become successful editors of their own writing. 1.1 LITERATURE REVIEW Writing skills have been identified as to improve students thinking. Moffett and a few others have developed cognitively sequenced curricula for elementary and secondary writing, college composition, when it is sequenced at all, tends to rely on structural or rhetorical arrangements, which are neither sequential nor cumulative. Progressions from word to sentence to paragraph to theme confuse quantitative with qualitative growth, while rhetorical sequences confront students with cognitive problems of different but equal complexity. In short, from a cognitive perspective, most writing instruction in higher education is consistent with that in secondary education: what Stephen Judy described as Advanced Hodgepodge in high school gives way to Arrogant Hodgepodge in college. A large and growing body of research, however, shows that cognitive development follows a hierarchical sequence of stages and suggests that a curriculum can be sequentially organized to promote cognitive development. Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives provides some essential connections between the cognitive abilities we expect of college students and a curriculum that can stimulate those abilities Blooms Taxonomy is one solution to the cognitive hodgepodge of the writing curriculum. It allows us to sequence instruction and assignments in ways that speak directly to students developmental needs. From least to most complex, For writing instruction the taxonomy provides a flexible model of what happens cognitively in the learning process Bloom described a six stage sequence: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation. (See Figure 1) Figure 1.0 The flow chart of Blooms Taxonomy At each new level, thought processes build on and encompass previous levels. Implicit in this structure is the assumption of an ascending scale of difficulty and comprehensiveness. Thinking at the comprehension level is more demanding than at the knowledge level; cognitive problems requiring synthesis or evaluation encompass all the preceding levels. A review of Blooms definitions for each taxonomic level suggests what such a cognitively-based writing course might entail. Although the focus of each level is cognitive, rhetorical issues of audience and purpose are equally appropriate and can be specified for any assignment. Most of all, the taxonomy allows us to contemplate the value and feasibility of a cognition-based curriculum in writing. Such a curriculum would reflect the hierarchical relations of the various thought processes and would help to control for cognitive complexity in writing and thinking about distorting natural discourse. In this form, writing or writing-intensive courses would systematically develop students thinking skills rather than leaving them to chance or, worse, blunting the writers still-developing ability to explore and express ideas. In short, a cognition-based curriculum ensures that students participate fully in using writing as a mode of learning. 2.0 INTENDED PURPOSE The remedial programme is targeted for the elementary learners who are in the process of upgrading their writing skills to the pre -intermediate level. A total of 15 students are selected from the age group of 13 years old based on the final semester examination results. The examination basically structured in accordance to the textbook currently used in the school curriculum ,New Opportunities (Pearson Longman-Cambridge). Basically the (Stiggins to highlight achievement differences between and among students to produce a , 1994). School systems might want to classify students in this way so that they can be enhance their competency level even further. The major reason for using a norm-referenced test (NRT) is to classify students. NRTs are designed on dependable rank order of students across a continuum of achievement from high achievers to low achievers be properly placed in remedial or gifted programs. These types of tests are also used to help teachers select students for differe nt ability level reading or mathematics instructional groups. As the selected students fall under the below average group in Paper 1(Writing Assessment) whereby there are two parts that the had to complete here: SECTION A Notes Expansion and SECTION B Continuous Writing (Choose one topic out of five given) From the academic analysis it was found that majority students failed in Section B where it consists of 25% of the total marks of 40% of the Writing paper. Thus they are required to attend a 7 hour remedial programme to improve their writing skills by at least 85%. 3.0 PURPOSE OF REMEDIAL WRITING PROGRAMME The reasons for the remedial program to be initiated is to better the learners in their writing skills and strengthen it so that they have all capabilities to be promoted to the next level but due to certain minute factors they fail to adhere to the standards of the pre-intermediate level. Thus these students are carefully selected using the criterion method to undergo the 7 hour remedial programme. In order to drill and motivate these students in the remedial programme an enriching lesson plan is formulated to create a positive outcome at the end of the the 7 hour remedial programme. The purposes for emphasizing writing skills are to produce who can comprehend teaching and learning in a positive mental attributes. There is a wide body of research suggesting that assessing students written performance is a valuable undertaking. Not only is an instructor able to help a students progress, but also the instructor can facilitate the learning process and the learning outcomes by being aware of student performance throughout the academic session. Figure 2.0: The Purpose for Teaching Writing Undeniably, 3R skills are important and necessary in daily living. They are also needed to support the development of a knowledge-based economy. Recognizing these needs, the school has initiated and implemented programmes to identify students who have not mastered the 3Rs. These programmes are designed to specifically address and overcome the inability of students to master the 3Rs. This is in line with the essentialism which instills students with academic knowledge and character development. Among the programmes that have been implemented in schools are the Early Inter ­vention Reading and Writing Class, Basic Skills for Reading, Writing and Counting Programme and the Literacy and Numeracy Programme at Level One. 3.1 Sub-skills of Writing Besides drilling and enriching the remedial learners with the core writing skills , there are also exposed to the importance of sub-skills in their learning such as: I Manipulating the script of the language: handwriting, spelling and punctuation. II Expressing grammatical [syntactic and morphological] relationships at the sentence level III Expressing information or knowledge in writing: explicitly implicitly IV Enrichment of Vocabulary PART B 4.0 Objectives of the 7-hour remedial programme The main aim in introducing and implementing the remedial programme particularly in the aspect of writing skills is to mainly: to develop competencies in writing skills among learners to move from a teacher-centered didactic model to a student-centered constructivist model to acquire the ability to write in a more clear, concise and acceptable manner 5.0 Instructional Design : Using the ADDIE Model to Build Writing Competency Among Remedial Learners Table 2.0 ADDIEs Model 5.1 Framework The generic term for the five-phase instructional design model consisting of Analysis,Design,Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Each step has an outcome that feeds into the next step in the sequence. There are probably over 100+ different variations of the generic ADDIE model. Instructional design aim for a learner -centered rather than a traditional teacher-centered approach to instruction, so that effective learning can take place. This means that every component of the instruction is governed by the learning outcomes, which have been determined after a thorough analysis of the learners needs. This phases sometimes overlap and can be interrelated; however they provide a dynamic, flexible guideline for developing effective and efficient instruction. Figure 3.0 Instructional Design: Using the ADDIE Model 5.2 ADDIES Theory The ADDIE instruction model for this desin is outlined by Smith and Ragan(1995) in their book entitiled Instructional design. The focus is n 5 points Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. From this theory the analysis has proved that there was a need to conduct remedial programme for the elementary low scorers where an opportunty was given to learn and develop basic essay writing skills. 6.0 Remedial Education Programme In Malaysia, the importance of remedial education gained attention in the 1960s. Results of a pilot project in nine schools between 1967 and 1970 showed a need for remedial education, especially for pupils in rural areas. This paved the way for remedial education programmes in primary schools. The pioneers in the field attended a two-year intensive course on remedial education in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, a national series of seminars and workshops on remedial teaching were organized. With the exception of small schools or under-enrolled schools, every school is allocated one remedial education teacher. At the school level, a Remedial Education Committee is formed, comprising the headmaster, remedial education teacher, class teacher, subject teacher, resource centre coordinator, and other teachers as members. The introduction of a new curriculum for primary schools in 1983 implied a return to the basics in education. The ultimate goal was to ensure that no pupil is illiterate by the year 2000. The implementation of the remedial education programme for children in Primary 1-3 is to ensure that they master the 3Rs. Children who have been recommended for remedial education are required to attend remedial classes. As of 1999, 54,000 primary school children have undergone the intervention programme. In addition to improving and enhancing teacher development, the Malaysian government also works towards improving the curriculum at school to meet the changing needs of the economy. During the Fourth Malaysia Plan, the primary school curriculum was revised with the aim of providing and establishing a firm education in reading, writing, and arithmetic. This led to the development of a new curriculum emphasizing the 3Rs. Studies looking at the returns to education in Malaysia have found positive results in those who have had some form of formal education, thereby providing support to the government guidelines on the primary curriculum which emphasizes the acquisition of basic skills.Education in Malaysia , changing very rapidly responding to the emerging focus of lifelong learning; the growing emphasis on learning; as opposed to reaching and the development of the new delivery systems 6.1 The Educational, Philosophical and Psychological foundation Elementary education shall aim to develop the spiritual, moral, mental and physical capabilities of the child, provide him with experiences in the democratic way of life, and inculcate ideas and attitude necessary for enlightened, patriotic, upright and useful citizenship. To achieve these objectives, elementary education curriculum shall provide for the: inculcation of spiritual and civic values and the development of a good citizen based on an abiding faith in God and genuine love of country; training of the young citizen in his rights, duties and responsibilities in a democratic society for active participation, in a progressive and productive home and community life; development of basic understanding about Malaysian culture, the desirable tradition and virtues of our people as essential requisites in attaining national consciousness and solidarity; teaching of basic health knowledge and the formation of desirable health habits and practices; development of functional literacy in English as basic tools for further learning; and acquisition of fundamental knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills in science, civics, culture, history, geography, mathematics, arts, and home economics and livelihood education and their intelligent application in appropriate life situations. The Elementary Basic Education Curriculum focuses on the tool learning areas for an adequate development of competencies for learning how to learn. The goal of Instructional design is to support the cognitive processes that result in learning (McGriff). The expected outcome of instructional design is to provide knowledge and skills to people. The three major learning theories are Constructivism, Behaviorism, and Cognitive. Instructional Design is based on constructivist principles. Instructional design is associated with instructional systems development (Leshin et al, 1992). An Instructional System is the arrangement of resources and procedures to promote learning (Berger and Kam). 6.2 Programme Design: ADDIE Model ADDIE is a general-purpose model, which can be used to create instructional products and program design. ADDIE is the acronym for Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate and summarizes the five steps in the Instructional Design process. The instructional designer makes decisions critical to ensuring the effectiveness of the educational experience in each phase of the process. In accordance with the process improvement model, the five phases are a loop, with the improvement of learning outcomes as the goal. Dick and Carey and Kemp (Kemp, et .al, 1998) expanded the ADDIE Model into nine elements. The Dick and Carey Model uses a Reductionist approach in breaking instruction down into smaller segments targeting sub skills. The learner is required to master of sub skills, which are aggregated to achieve overall skill mastery and learned behavior. It provides a systematic approach to curriculum and program design. Teaching is essentially a philosophical endeavor and therefore educational activity can be conceived within the context of a philosophy or worldview. The curricukum refelects the art and craft of teaching. Educational technology can provide diversity of thinking regarding curriculum and instruction which would be curriculum theorizing. 6.2.1 Analysis Basically the nature of the students whom the remedial programme to be conducted are students who learn English Language as a second language. They are originally from Chinese speaking families with a minimum exposure to English Language. Due to the expectation of the school and the educational needs in adhering English as one of the core subjects in school these students are required to have in depth knowledge and skill in it. All of them have been educated in the Chinese primary school education system. Based on the final semester examination results 15 students are selected to undergo remedial programme as they fall in the border line cases .The students acquire poor writing skills, while being able to construct sentences fairly well, they seem to have great difficulty in organizing and developing their ideas into the form of an essay that has an introduction, body and conclusion. In order to promote these students to the next level that is the pre-intermediate phase from their origin elementary level the English Language Department found it vital for them to attend a 7-hour remedial programme in order to find solution to this situation. All of them need to further develop their writing skills in term of cohesion and coherence; time and practice. 6.2.2 Design The main design goal for our programme would be on the cognitive strategies of being able to develop an idea for writing since all of them com e from a very similar background and have basic sentence writing skills. Besides the development of language in the mechanics of sentence construction such as syntax, grammar, structure, etc given priority. R.Gagne(1965) divided learning into 5 categories: Verbal or declarative knowledge, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, attitudes and psychomotor skills. The learning goals are also in connection to these categories to try to put educational value behind our goals. At the same time the goal also reflects competences outlines by Benjamin Bloom (Bloom,1956). These include: Knowledge, Conprehension , Application, Analysis, Synthesis an Evaluation. These give our goals validity whereby competencies are incorporated in bringing about concrete task for learners that we assign in order to achieve their goals. Hence in the evaluation phase, we can use this aspect to find out the validity and the accomplishment of the learners in implementing the programme. Learning Goals and Type of Learning OBJECTIVE STANDARD GAGNES DOMAIN BLOOMS TAXANOMY Learners will identify an essay topic and 3 sub-topics Criteria established by Hin Hua High School, English Language Department Cognitive strategies Synthesis Learners will be able to write a 3 paragraph essay with an introduction, 2 sub topics to include their opinions, ideas and conclusion Criteria established by Hin Hua High School, English Language Department Declaration Knowledge Intellectual Skills Synthesis Evaluation Application Learners will be able to use the library and Handouts to research printed information on their topics Criteria established by Hin Hua High School, English Language Department Procedural knowledge (declaration knowledge) Knowledge Learners will be able to use proper mechanics of grammar syntax Criteria established by Hin Hua High School, English Language Department Intellectual Skills Application Learners will be able to present their topics in class Criteria established by Hin Hua High School, English Language Department Declaration knowledge Comprehension Table 3.0 Learning Goals and Type of Learning 6.2.3 Development In order to establish a approachable remedial programme for the elementary learners , we English teachers have developed a remedial programme which will undertake a 7 hour learning process. The teachers from the same level have brainstormed and come up with a course content for the 7-hour teaching and learning programme. The teachers from the same teaching level are the best person to create the lesson as they deal with the same competency level of students all the time and are considered experts in their area. Besides this, they will be able to make he printed and computer materials and added step of getting the right content for the level. On top of that since they have already been teaching in the same scope so they will be undoubtedly familiar in the process of teaching and guiding the learners in order to make the remedial programme a success. 6.2.3.(1) Procedure The remedial programme would be in the English medium since the main objective is to improve writing skills among elementary learners. The programme consists of 6 regular sessions and followed by a review and a test day. Each hour is scheduled to be conducted for 60 minutes ***Details on the whole programme given on Part D 6.2.4 Implementation Further to the development to the development the teachers would be equipped with intact course content for he programme. The module would be prepared in balance with the time frame allotted for the programme. Any teacher who is selected for this task should be ready to undertake the teaching process based on the scheme that has been prepared. Al l 15 students will be instructed to attend the programme for 7 hours. These are the various aspect of implementation emphasized in the learning process: Table 4.0 Learning Process Implementation 6.2.5 Evaluation The evaluation phase consists of two parts: formative and summative. Formative evaluation is present in each stage of the ADDIE process. Summative evaluation consists of tests designed for domain specific criterion-related referenced items and providing opportunities for feedback from the users. Primarily the evaluation is done in two parts. The first phase will be the evaluation of student work based on the objectives in the Learning goals and type of learning listed above. Students will be rated by their teacher based on the A,B,C,F criteria set by the English Department. An A is excellent work, B is average, and C will mean student needs improvement. An F would mean that student failed the writing assessment with below 60% of mark. Students will be evaluated at each stage of the course. The department will use this evaluation in order to find out how they might need to modify the programme in the future. A summative evaluation will be conducted as outlined by Smith and Ragan(1999,p.352). Those authors explain that in order to evaluate the effectiveness, appeal, and efficiency of instruction, a collection, analysis and summary of data on students ia essential. In our designed programme an exam is built to access students of their mastery on the abilities taught during the programme.Students are to show their capabilities in their understanding and knowledge taught to them by completing the set of homework targeted to them. Students will be graded on from 1 to 5 for their abilities in each of the following sections: Student name Student able to choose a topic n sub-topics Student able to use handouts information Student able to complete the essay Score dated from 1 to 5 1 : poor 2 : Able to understand the writing concept with some guidance 3 : Able to complete the task with help and support 4 : Able to understand the concept and complete the task individually A pre-test and post-test can measure how well learners achieved the learning objectives. However, it usually takes more time and effort to measure things such as whether the learners will use their training. This evaluation phase can extend for months. Upon completion of the programme the students feedback will be collected to further gauge the success of the programme. Questions are also answered on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 is low and 5 is high. The standard questions constructed are as below: Were you satisfied with the content of this course? Were you able to understand the teachers explanation? Were you able to put into practice elements that you learnt? Did you fond the course interesting? On a scale of 1 to 5, what is your general feeling about the course? PART C 7.0 REVIEWERS COMMENTS Below is the summary of the feedback received from two of the Senior Teachers from the English Language Department of Hin Hua High School regarding the 7hour remedial programme on writing skills. Reviewer 1: Mdm Annaletchumy Reviewer 2: Ms Sastina The strengths and weaknesses of the newly developed Remedial Programme for Elementary Students Strengths 1. Learning by actively participating in group discussion 2. Encouraging students to construct their own ideas and knowledge of the topic 3. Student-centered rather than teacher or subject-centered 4. Teaching aid contributed to students visualization on the topic given 5. Suitable to students development level 6. Group work enables students to self express, to be self-confident and self- awareness 7. Encourage teacher to develop students creative thinking abilities 8. Emphasizing the concept of group work and peer evaluation where no student Is left behind 9. Encouraging the co-operation among students and teacher positively 10. Enables student to have a positive mindset in creative writing Weaknesses 1. Unsuitability of activities for crowded room 2. Lack of materials used as aid for pre-writing task 3. Lack of teachers evaluation on the first phase of writing 4. Certain task may take more time than the planned time 5. Peer evaluation on writing inappropriate approach for elementary learners 8.0 Summary of Review Summarized below are some of the accomplishments and challenges I personally went through in construction the remedial programme: 8.1 Strengths 8.1.1 Improved students attitude and motivation Students are mentally prepared to participate in the programme because students agree to a particular pace, workload, and learning environment from the beginning. 8.1.2 Creating Learning Communities: Classes function as teach communities both teacher and their students benefit in both social and academic areas from working with each other over a entire programme. 8.1.3 Eliminating Stigma of Dependency: The concept group work and peer evaluation removed the stigma of being too dependent on the teacher Writing materials. 8.2 Weaknesses 8.2.1 Students participation Some learners will not contribute in due to the lack of interest or proficiency 8.2.2 Stipulated Time The period allotted might not be sufficient for certain task. Thus this will delay or sometimes interrupt the whole programme structure. 8.2.3 Genuinely in peer marking Some learners will not adhere by the rules set in peer marking when it comes to assessment. Favoritisms and self -centered will influence the observation 9.0 Conclusion It is expected that by attending this model of English remedial instruction it will be beneficial to low English achievers. Students will gain substantially in grammar and vocabulary and they will also gradually improve in their overall English competence. Based on the comments from the reviewers it can be concluded that learners will be effectively improve their English writing skills through the prepared course module for the remedial programme. A well-designed course will definitely give them encouragement and support to elevate their English proficiency and be prepared for the next level , pre=intermediate. 10.0 PART D 7 HOUR LESSON PLAN REMEDIAL PROGRAMME ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEVEL: ELEMENTARY LENGTH:420m LESSON TYPE: WRITING SKILLS Aim: by the end of my lesson, students will be able to write a full-length essay on Endangered Species and improve their approach of writing strategies. Subsidiary aim: students will be able to improve their use of linking words in controlled and less controlled writing activities on Endangered Species Evidence: (How will I know I have achieved the aim?) Students will be able to complete gist and short writing strat

Blue People of Troublesome Creek :: essays research papers

The Blue people of Troublesome Creek, sounds like a title of fiction novel, but the Blue Fugates were no fictional characters, but they were real humans that lived not too far from where we are today. The Blue Fugates were a very close family live on the banks of eastern Kentucky's Troublesome Creek. Martin Fugate, a French orphan settled in Troublesome Creek and astonishingly Martin somehow managed to find a woman who carried the same, very rare disease. The disease, later discovered, was methemoglobinemia, a very rare heredity blood disorder caused by an inheritance of a gene as a simple recessive allele. What one wonders after hearing ?blue people? is if they were actually really blue in color? Well the answer is yes and no. Some of these people were, in fact, blue, but they were not completely covered with bright blue skin from head to toe. Although there were some cases though where most of an individual?s skin was blue, but for the most of them it was usually just their extremities and/or lips and parts of their face. Their color wasn?t completely blue but had more of just a bluish tint. It was not a bright blue like you are used to seeing but more or less of an ashen grayish that was mildly bluish in appearance but nevertheless they were ?blue,? some more than others. Since methemoglobinemia is a disease caused by a gene inherited as a recessive allele. To get the disease, one would have to inherit two genes, meaning one from each parent. Some of the Fugates children had just that and they had the disease while some were just carriers of the disease. Methemoglobinemia cases were significant among Alaskan Eskimos and Native Americans. The Eskimos and Native Americans were both inclusive groups that didn?t interact much with what was outside their worlds. The Blue People fit that category well because they were a very small community and since they all lived close together in small area, most of them isolated themselves from the outer world. That in turn, often led to interbreeding, where Fugates would marry other Fugates, or their neighbors, which could and very well may have been their cousins. The interbreeding kept the disease alive and spread it throughout the small community. Methemoglobinemia has no serious, life threatening effects and an individual who has the disease can live a normal healthy life.

Changes in the Marketing Environment Essay

In recent times, from an economic environment perspective, people are getting more affluent, even in third world countries like Vietnam, the younger generation are more interested in spending on the latest fashion and gadgets, like iPods. Phone marketers might want to include phone designs which allow for self-expression, hence catering to the younger people seeking to carve out their own identity. For example, young girls in Japan like to stick many shiny crystals on their phones as they see it as a form of beautiful art. Phone marketers can cash in on this growing trend by offering phones which have suitable surfaces for crystal gluing, and they might want to also consider having a tie-up with a suitable bead company in order to have a package selling the crystals together with the phones. An important marketing strategy in catering to the changing political environment would be cause-marketing. It is by cause-marketing that phone marketers can reassure the public that they are soc ially responsible, even in the midst of increasing unethical behaviour existing in society. Cause marketing might be the determining factor which might set a phone or a brand of phones apart, especially if customers have the same perception of 2 brands of phones and are undecided which to choose. Phone marketers can follow Motorola’s lead whereby they produced a red â€Å"razr† phone to promote awareness of aids, which was highly successful. Another important marketing strategy is for the marketer to observe the changing demographic forces and decide which target group they can focus on in order to make the most profits. Quite a few countries in the world are facing an aging population, like Japan, China and Singapore. This might be a good target market to go into, by manufacturing phones which are suited for older people like by having larger screens and more user-friendly buttons. Technological forces are constantly changing, and a good marketer would be able to foresee what kinds of functions people might want in their phones. Marketers might want to research about what form of entertainment is capturing people and cater to these needs. Sony Ericsson realised that music was slowly becoming an integral part of people’s lives, no matter what age and produced the walkman phone series which was highly popular. The path to success and its maintenance depends very much on a phone marketer’s resellers and suppliers, hence phone marketers should engage in tie-ups with them both. A phone marketer’s resellers normally consist of telecommunications companies.  Marketers can offer to sell their phones at a lower price to these companies, and in exchange, persuade them to offer more attractive or cheaper line subscription packages when customers purchase the phones of the marketers’. Marketers should constantly source for more efficient and cheaper suppliers and sign a long-term contract with them. Marketers might also want to consider suppliers based in China or India, as labour in such countries is known to be one of the cheapest, yet efficient, in the world. Lastly, marketers should always keep an eye out for competition and continually check on other phone marketers’ strategies and phone pricing. Marketers should also be aware that competition not only lies with other phone marketers, but in any company that has to do with providing entertainment or convenience to people. For example, Apple is not a phone manufacturer, but it is beginning to slowly capture the phone market due to its iPhone. Phone marketers might want to produce phones which have the capability to rival such phones, or if they are unable to do so run a major advertisement campaign to promote their phones against other rival phones, so as to hopefully mould the public’s thinking into their liking. Alternatively, phone marketers can also liaise with major entertainment companies like Apple or Creative to work together to produce quality phones or gadgets to capture a major share of the phone market.

Irish Family Law Essay

Discuss some of the key provisions and principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child. Include an example of Irish law or police that complies /does not comply with the States obligations under the convention. Introduction This essay will look at some of the key provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and discuss Ireland’s progress in fulfilling their obligation under the UNCRC. The author will reflect briefly on the history of children’s rights in Ireland. The essay will consider what measures the state has taken to develop strategies and policies to improve the wellbeing of the children. Recent government initiatives will be explored will be explored to assess whether the UN Convention has been implemented into National Policy. The author will also consider the legal framework to gauge if Irish legislation as it stands today complies with the states obligations under the convention. Historical Perspective Attitudes towards children and their rights have changed dramatically in recent years; these changes have been slow to come about. Historically children were deemed the property of their parents and had no rights. In the late 1800’s, events abroad began to have an impact on attitudes if Ireland. The 1908 children’s act Britain and Ireland remained the main piece of legislation safeguarding children’s rights for almost one hundred years until the Irish Child Care Act 1991. The United Nations was set up in 1945 after the Second World War to promote peace and human rights. In 1989, it was decided that children needed a separate set of rights to ensure that children worldwide were nurtured, protected and allowed to enjoy childhood. In 1990, Ireland signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratified it in September 1992 thereby committing the state to implementing the UNCRC. The UNCRC is based on four core principles, the best interest of the child, the right to life survival and development, respect for the views of the child and non-discrimination. Article 3.1 of UNCRC states ‘In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration’. Legislation The Child Care Act 1991 is the legislative framework in Ireland for promoting the welfare of the child. This legislation deals primarily with the protection of children in emergencies, or in care. The Childcare Act 1991 Part II, places a statutory onus the HSE to promote the welfare of children in need of care and protection. The 1991 Act also gave the HSE more power to provide childcare and family support services and while doing so must have regard to the following: ‘It is generally in the best interest of the child to be brought up in his or her own family. Having regard to the rights and duties of the parents, the welfare of the child is the first and paramount consideration and that as far as is practicable, the wishes of the child should be considered† (Childcare Act 1991). Part II of The childcare act implements the principle of the best interest of the child in law. The wording in part II of the childcare act would also appear to comply with Article 5 of the UNCRC requiring that ‘Governments respect the right of parents of provide for and care for their children’. Under the Irish Constitution, which is the fundamental law of the land, the family is based on the institution of marriage; only married parents have automatic rights to guardianship of their children. The rights of unmarried parents, in particular fathers are not considered under Irish law, consequently the rights of their children are being contravened. This is in contradiction with Article 18 of the UNCRC, which requires ‘State parties to recognise that both parties have equal responsibility for the care and development of their children. Article 7.1 states that the child †¦has the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents†, while Article 9 requires â€Å"state parties to ensure that a child will not be separated from his parents against the ir will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  UNCRC (1989). Irish law makes it impossible for many children to realise these rights. In the case of unmarried parents, only the mother has automatic right to guardianship. The father must have the consent of the mother or pursue his rights to guardianship through the courts. Article 41 and 42 of the Constitution provides protection for the family unit based on marriage; it does not give individual rights and is more about protecting the institution of marriage than the family. The children of unmarried parents are not afforded the same protection under Article 41 and 42. Under the Irish Constitution as it currently stands, Ireland is not compliant with the UN convention. The constitution, in many cases, denies children of unmarried parents the right to be cared for by both parents. Article 3 .3 of the UN Convention calls for all ‘services and facilities responsible for the care and protection of children to conform to the standards established by competent authorities’. UNCRC (1989) . In 2006 The Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 1996 were revised and replaced by the Child Care (pre-school Services) (No 2) Regulations. The 2006 regulations are more child centred and focus on the health, welfare and development of the child. These regulations are the regulatory framework within which all-early years services must operate in Ireland. Through a vigorous system of inspection, compliance with the pre-school regulations is monitored by the HSE to ensure that all Early Years services meet the minimum standards required by law. The Child Care (Pre School Services) Regulations implement the UN Convention in Irish Law. National Policy Since Ireland ratified the UN Convention in 1992 there have been numerous changes in policy, showing the Irish Government’s commitment to implementing the UNCRC. In 1999, Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of children was published by the Department of Health and Children. These guidelines highlight the importance of child welfare and are intended to provide a framework for all those who care for and work with children. Children First is based on the key principle that the best interest s of the child is paramount. These guidelines implement the best interest of the child and Article 19 of the UN Convention into National Policy. In 2006, the Committee on The Rights of The Child (CRC) recommended that Ireland review the Children First guidelines and consider putting them on a statutory basis CRC (2006). The guidelines were revised in 2011 to include new policy, legislation and organisation. at the time of the launch of the new guidelines in 2011, the government announced its intention to put the Children First Guidelines on statutory footing, it will then a legal requirement to report concerns regarding a threat a child’s welfare Nuig (2012). In 1997, the Irish Government made a commitment that a National Childcare Strategy would be developed and an expert working group on Childcare was charged with developing that strategy. Despite Ireland’s commitment to the UN Convention, prior to this there was no national policy on children. The National Children’s Strategy 2000-2010 set three National Goals: to listen to children, think more about what children need and act for children in a holistic sense National Children’s Strategy Our Children-Their Lives (2000). Finally, Ireland was moving towards implementing the UN Convention into National Policy. For the first time children were asked about what they thought they needed and what they would like see happen for them in the future in Ireland. This fulfilled the states obligation under Article 12 of the UN Convention, which requires that ‘State Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own view the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child’ UNCRC (1989). Two thousand five hundred children were involved in these consultations; their responses identified a need for more play and recreation opportunities National Children’s Strategy (2000). In response to these consultations and to honour the states commitment to the UN Convention Article 31 which requires state parties ‘to recognise the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child’ the government launched Ready, Steady, Play! A National Play Policy in 2004. The objectives of the National Play Policy were to give children a voice, to raise awareness of the importance of play and to improve and maximise the quality and safety of play areas particularly in disadvantaged areas National Play Policy (2004-2008). In 2009 Sà ­olta, the National Quality Framework and Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework were rolled out. Sà ­olta looks at quality provision and underpins the child’s right to have a voice, recommending that ‘each child has opportunities to make choices, is enabled to make decisions and has his /her choices and decisions respected’ CECDE (1999). Aistear promotes partnerships with parents and play NCCA (2009). Together with Regulation 5 of the Child Care (Pre School Services) (No.2) Regulations 2006 Sà ­olta and Aistear use the Whole Child Perspective to ensure the holistic development of the child while implementing the UN Convention into practice on a daily basis. It is evident that the Irish State is committed to implementing the UN Convention into Irish Law. The legislation introduced in recent years goes some way towards implementing children’s rights into law. In this authors opinion the main obstruction to Ireland’s compliance under the convention is the Irish constitution in its present form. All legislation is subject to the Constitution; therefore, any legislation introduced around child protection or welfare must be compatible with the Constitution. In 2006, the Committee on the rights of the child recommended that Ireland ‘takes further action to incorporate the Convention into domestic law’ CRC (2006). It is this author’s opinion that changes will have to be made to the constitution to separate the rights of the child from those of the family. Many of the policies such as The National Childcare Strategy, The National Play Policy and Children First all underpin the right of the child as outlined in UN Convention. However these policies take the form of guidelines or frameworks, they are not part of the legislation. Following the recommendations of the CRC (2006), it is hoped that the Children First Guidelines will be put on a statutory footing ensuring mandatory reporting of child neglect and abuse. This would help safeguard future generations of Irish children from neglect and abuse. Reference List †¢Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (2006) Sà ­olta The National framework for Quality in Early Childhood Care and Education. Dublin: Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education. †¢Child Care Act 1991 †¢Department of Children and Youth Affairs (2011) Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, Government Publication: Dublin Available at: http://WWW.dcya.gov.ie/documents/child_welfare_protection/children First.pdf †¢Ireland, Government of (1937) Bunreacht Na hÉireann, Constitution of Ireland. Dublin: Stationery Office. †¢Ireland, Government of (2000) National children’s Strategy, Dublin: The Stationery Office. †¢Ireland, Government of (2006) Child Care Pre-School Services NO 2 Regulations 2006 and child Care Pre-School Services No 2 Amendment Regulations 2006. Dublin: The Stationary Office. †¢National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, (2004) Aistear the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dublin: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. †¢National Play Policy (2004) Ready Steady Play! [Online]. Available at: http/www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/publications (Accessed 20 January 2012). †¢Nui Galway (2011) Quality Awareness in Early Learning, Galway: Nui Galway. †¢Nui Galway (2012) The Child and Family in Irish Law, Galway: Nui Galway. †¢UN committee on the rights of the Child (CRC) (2006) UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: Concluding Observations, Ireland, 29 September 2006, [Online] Available at: http:www.childrensrights.ie/resourcse.un-com (Accessed: 14 January 2012. †¢United Nations (1989) Convention of the Rights of the Child [Online].Available at: http//wwwcirp.org/library/ethics/UN-Convention/(Accessed: 17 January 2011)

Free Essays on Ella Minnow Pea

A Change In Time Culture gaps are inevitable within families, between parents and children, grandparents and children, even aunts and uncles. Every generation grows up with different values, different beliefs and a different outlook on what life should be like – that’s ‘normal’, as society and expectations on life change as time rolls by. The key to dealing with these cultural gaps is to understand and except one simple fact; Things change. In my small, but rather complicated family, the problem arises with my rather stubborn, and set-in-her-ways grandmother. Esmay, or grandma, as she is better known, grew up in England, already she was bound to be ‘a proper lady’. She comes from a wealthy family, whose value in women was about that of the servants they owned. Esmay was taught to worship her man, and that a woman’s place was in the house, doing kitchen duties and laundry, and having everything perfect for when the man of the house returns home from a horrendously troubling day at the office. Along came my mother†¦ Esmay never liked my mother, she called her a ‘wicked’ child, and told her that no man would ever want her. In Esmay’s eyes, my mother was the closest thing to the devil that walked this earth. She was outspoken, and wanted to do things for herself, rather than have a man to have to rely on, which was normal for those growing up in the 60’s. And, much to grandma’s surprise, my mother married, and had 3 children. But was later divorced, which delighted Esmay to bits, because her point was proven. In her eyes, mum had failed and that was entirely due to the fact that my mother was independent, and men don’t like that in women. And then there was me†¦ It’s kind of hard to describe yourself, but if I have to put me into one simple sentence, I would have to say this; I am my mother. I grew up taking in everything my mother taught me; Stand-up for what you believe in. Don’t ev... Free Essays on Ella Minnow Pea Free Essays on Ella Minnow Pea A Change In Time Culture gaps are inevitable within families, between parents and children, grandparents and children, even aunts and uncles. Every generation grows up with different values, different beliefs and a different outlook on what life should be like – that’s ‘normal’, as society and expectations on life change as time rolls by. The key to dealing with these cultural gaps is to understand and except one simple fact; Things change. In my small, but rather complicated family, the problem arises with my rather stubborn, and set-in-her-ways grandmother. Esmay, or grandma, as she is better known, grew up in England, already she was bound to be ‘a proper lady’. She comes from a wealthy family, whose value in women was about that of the servants they owned. Esmay was taught to worship her man, and that a woman’s place was in the house, doing kitchen duties and laundry, and having everything perfect for when the man of the house returns home from a horrendously troubling day at the office. Along came my mother†¦ Esmay never liked my mother, she called her a ‘wicked’ child, and told her that no man would ever want her. In Esmay’s eyes, my mother was the closest thing to the devil that walked this earth. She was outspoken, and wanted to do things for herself, rather than have a man to have to rely on, which was normal for those growing up in the 60’s. And, much to grandma’s surprise, my mother married, and had 3 children. But was later divorced, which delighted Esmay to bits, because her point was proven. In her eyes, mum had failed and that was entirely due to the fact that my mother was independent, and men don’t like that in women. And then there was me†¦ It’s kind of hard to describe yourself, but if I have to put me into one simple sentence, I would have to say this; I am my mother. I grew up taking in everything my mother taught me; Stand-up for what you believe in. Don’t ev...

Publix Super Markets Macro Environment and Market Factors

Publix Super Markets Macro Environment and Market Factors Introduction Publix Super Markets macro environment include external and market factors in the domestic and global marketplace and market space that affect business operations and services delivery to customers.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Publix Super Markets Macro Environment and Market Factors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Considering the industry of Publix Super Markets industry, the macro environment factors that affect its operation include societal factors such as the subculture, demographic factors, economic factors, the natural or physical environment, political/legal and technological factors. On the other hand, market factors include collaboration, competition, suppliers and regulation. The current study focuses on the macro environment and market factors and their implications on Publix. Society/sub-cultural factors The Publix Supermarket operates in an environment with customers of different cultural backgrounds and subcultures. Varying market highlights the need to consider sub cultural factors in the placement of products, brand selection and service to customers. With approximately one million people served by the company on a daily basis, the people belong to organizations, groups, subcultures and communities that influence their shopping. Operating mainly in the United States, especially in Florida, Tennessee, Atlanta and South Carolina, and the global market, the people come from subcultures that have different choices and levels of convenience. Different choice and preferences mean Publix must conduct adequate research to understand different market preferences. Especially on the aspect of eating, the preferences among people vary significantly. In the current age of information technology and enhanced communication, customers are growingly informed about products, their quality and health, which have implications on decision making at Publix. Customers often che ck product labelling to see nutritional information, which compels the supermarkets to increase product labelling and level of nutrition (Weinstein, 2004).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Demographics Demographic factors such as the population, household patterns, age distribution, levels of income and employment status affect customers shopping in the supermarkets. Some places have a large student population and people in employment, which highlights the need for ready to eat foods. With operation in places where most people are in employment, it means people have enough cash to spend, which requires the company to focus more on product quality and effective customer service. Demographic factors change constantly with implications for Publix, which must move at the pace of change to remain relevant in the markets and improve profitability (Weinstein, 2004). T he people want to feel and identify with the company and to this effect, Publix should engage in community development activities. People involvement resulted in the company’s involvement in community support initiatives such as reusable bags and product sourcing among other things (Weinstein, 2004). Economic factors Trends in the global and domestic market have major implications on Publix’s operations. Economic factors such as the high rate of unemployment, declining conditions in the market and downsizing among others affect Publix’s business. This relates mainly to the customers’ purchase and spending decision making, as they have to balance between competing priorities. Furthermore, the company operates in an environment with high fuel prices, high tax and interest rates, which have implications on the spending power of consumers and consequently the supermarket revenue. Indeed, low spending power of customers affects the business negatively as the l evel of profitability goes down and limited funds available for improvement (USSEC, 2010). To realize profitability, grow revenue and remain competitive in the industry, Publix must manage the economic factors properly. As seen in previous performances characterized by increased earnings over the years, it means the company is on the right track in managing economic factors (USSEC, 2010). The natural/physical environment Publix Super Markets operate in a demanding market place with advocating for environmental sustainability. Sustainability requires the company to operate according to environmental regulations, support and participate in activities aimed at improving the environment and maintaining safety standards. Above everything, efficiency of resource is important especially the use of water, energy and fuel.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Publix Super Markets Macro Environment and Market Factors specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Company buildings should focus on reducing consumption and improving efficiency. For new buildings and facilities, efficiency should be a major consideration in the design process. To reduce water usage and improve water efficiency, Publix maintains the highest hygiene and health standards. Efficiency also requires the adoption of hybrid vehicles in the supply chain to minimize fuel usage. Similarly, environmental sustainability means the company employs and continues to research on alternatives for reducing, recycling and reusing materials (Publix, 2011). Political/legal factors The political aspect has major implication on the company operations. Political factors imply Publix should support politicians and political parties for business gain. With the influence of politicians, especially those in Congress in developing various industries, the company must support the ones who have interests in or support the grocery industry. Support for politics has been seen with the contribution of funds to support election bids for candidates across the political divide especially in the local House (Hamstra, 2008). Contributions to support politicians and political parties often come from the company, its employees, political action committee and employees’ families because of the common objectives. Politics relates to legal factors, as politicians develop laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels of governance, which have implications on Publix operations (Weinstein, 2004). It requires the company to continue complying with legal requirements to avoid legal proceedings. Technological factors With technological advancements and information technology, Publix operates in an environment that demands for process efficiency. Efficient operations require the company to adopt information technology in all business functions. Connection of business units is important in enhancing information sharing to improve processes and un derstand the market better. Consequently, investment in new technology is necessary to leverage on the latest platforms and expand company architecture. The company has different functions powered by IT such as stock replenishment, assortment planning and workforce management among others (Publix, 2011).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Market factors Market factors such as collaboration, competition, suppliers and regulation have implications on Public performance. The implications are because the market factors contribute to the development of strategies and new approaches of achieving sustainable growth. Collaboration requires Publix to work with manufacturers and suppliers to enhance future business development through innovative growth tactics. With collaboration, Publix and manufacturers work on the most effective approaches of meeting the changing market trends and consumer preferences. Meeting demands is possible through common tactics to loyalty programs, supply chain management, innovation, in-store execution as well as sales promotion among other approaches. Collaboration contributes to a better understanding of new technological, merchandizing, demographic and marketing trends in the retailing and manufacturing industries. Collaboration is an important aspect in problem solving and building relationship s among stakeholders for sustainable growth. Collaboration presents unique opportunities and interactive platform to obtain an understanding, tactics and tools for best practice as a recipe for business growth (Weinstein, 2004). Competition and industry regulation are major factors affecting the industry and Publix operations. Competition is intense in the industry as major companies such as K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Sears operate in the same market with significant potential to challenge Publix. Intense competition highlights the need for enhancing customer loyalty through competitive pricing, product and service quality. Failure to achieve customer satisfaction and retention may result in switching to competitors, which has detrimental implications on Publix (Weinstein, 2004). With the high level of competition in the industry, there are strict industry regulation. Regulation in the industry is mainly in areas of food standards, environment and legal requirements. Food safety is a majo r factor, as the company must comply with food safety standards or face product recall from the market (Weinstein, 2004). The environment is critical and all process must comply with sustainability provisions. Above all the federal, state and local governments develop strict policies and lays aimed at regulating the industry. Regulations in the industry affect stakeholder throughout the value chain with the focus on effective relationships and delivering value to customers through certainty, fairness and transparency between stakeholders. Strict regulations mean the company must ensure process effectiveness and compliance. The market factors of regulation, competition, suppliers and collaboration influence the consumer’s experience. Exceptional customer experience is the ultimate goal of business. Market factors enhance stakeholders’ engagement, information sharing, identification of new technologies and growth opportunities, and improve business functions in the compa ny (Weinstein, 2004). Conclusion and recommendation Publix Supermarkets Inc. Is a major player in the grocery and retailing industry with the macro environment and market factors having significant implications on its business operations. The current study examined various macro environmental factors such as social, demographic, economic, technological, political, legal, and environmental factors that affect the company. It also discussed market factors such as collaboration, competition, suppliers and regulatory influence on Publix. Overall these factors play a role in developing and implementing strategies for sustainable growth in the marketplace. References Publix (2011). Corporate Sustainability Statements. Web. USSEC, (2010). Publix Corporation, Form 10-k. Web. Weinstein, A. (2004). Superior Customer Value in the New Economy: Concepts and  Cases. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Why Conservatives Oppose Raising the Minimum Wage

Why Conservatives Oppose Raising the Minimum Wage A new Raise the Wage wave has been sweeping the country recently. In California, lawmakers passed a deal to increase the wage to $15/hour by 2022. Seattle passed a similar bill in 2015, and the evidence points to a possible negative impact of such a large increase. So, why do conservatives oppose artificially high minimum wages anyway? First, Who Gets Paid a Minimum Wage? The first assumption of those who want to raise the minimum wage is that these people need their minimum wages raised. But who are these jobs meant for? The week I turned sixteen I started my first job. It was a glorious job that involved walking outside of the largest retailer in the world, collecting buggies, and pushing them back inside. Occasionally, I would help people load items into their cars, too. In full disclosure, this retailer actually paid me 40 cents above minimum wage to start. I met a lot of other people my age here, too. Together, we all went to school during the day and worked at night or on the weekends. Oh, and my mother also had a part-time job at the same place just to make a little extra cash. At sixteen, I had no bills. Although times are changing if I believe MTV’s Teen Mom, I also had no family to support. That minimum wage job was meant for me. It was also meant for my mom who already worked one stressful job and wanted to make a little money on the side doing less-stressful cashier work a few hours a week. Minimum wage jobs are intended to be entry level. You start at the bottom, and then through hard work, start making more money. Minimum wage jobs are not intended to be lifetime careers. They most certainly are not intended to be able to support a full family. Yes, all situations are different. And in the current economy, even these jobs are hard to come by sometimes. Higher Minimum Wage, Fewer Minimum Wage Jobs The process-based and emotional plea of raising the minimum wage is easy to do. Oh, so you don’t think American workers deserve to be able to live comfortably if they are working full time?. Thats what they will say. But economics isn’t that easy. It isn’t as though the minimum wage is increased by 25% and nothing else changes. In fact, everything changes. For starters, jobs become fewer. Make something more costly and you get less of it. Welcome to Economics 101. Most minimum wage jobs are not essential jobs (say, pushing buggies from a parking lot) and making them more costly also makes them more expendable. Add to that the recent job-killer was known as Obamacare and pretty soon you won’t have to worry about minimum wage jobs because there will be very few left. Employers would rather pay one excellent employee $16/hr with benefits rather than pay two inexperienced entry-level workers $9 with benefits. The net result is fewer jobs as duties are consolidated into fewer and fewer positions. The anti-business policies that started in 2009 have proven this point as by 2013 there were 2 million fewer people working than four years earlier, with the highest unemployment rates being in the young adult/entry level age brackets. A federal minimum wage increase is also highly uneven as the cost of living in Mississippi is very different than that of New York City. A federal minimum wage increase would disproportionately hurt business in states where everything costs less, but now the cost of labor costs much more. This is why conservatives would prefer a state-based approach as one size does not fit all. Higher Costs Wipe Out Gains in Income Not only would raising the minimum wage to reduce the number of available jobs, but it probably would fail to make life â€Å"cheaper† for these workers in the long run anyway. Imagine that every retailer, small business, gas station, and fast food and pizza joint were forced to increase the pay of their heavily teen, college-aged, part-time, and second-job workforce by 25%. Do they just go â€Å"oh okay† and do nothing to make up for that? Of course, they don’t. They either reduce employee head count (likely not making their situations â€Å"better†) or increase the cost of their product or service. So while you boost the minimum wage of these workers (even assuming they are the working poor) it doesn’t matter much because the price of every product they plan to purchase from other retailers, fast food joints, and small business just skyrocketed to pay for the pay increases. At the end of the day, the value of the dollar is merely weakened and the ability to purchase more goods becomes more  expensive anyway. Middle-Class Hit Hardest The dominoes keep falling, and now they head toward the middle class. If the minimum wage is flat-out increased – even for teens and second jobbers and retirees who don’t need an increase- it does not mean that employers would raise the wages of their middle-class workers who are more likely to be in a career. But just as the purchasing power of the dollar is diminished by higher prices for minimum wage workers, it is also increased for the middle class who are purchasing the same goods and services. But unlike the lower wage workers, the middle class does not automatically get a 25% increase in pay in order to absorb the cost of higher prices. In the end, a feel-good policy could cause even further havoc on the middle class and small businesses, while doing almost nothing to help those who the law was intended to help.