Achievement gap in k

Achievement gap in k In academic institutions the level of learners’ performance varies, with some learners being average, others above average, and others falling below the average level. The variation in the performance of the pupils could occur in some class or category like gender, race, disabilities, religion, and culture. Moreover, the difference in the academic performance of students in schools among these categories is what is referred to as achievement gap. Several factors can lead to underachievement in schools. Some are community related factors while others are factors within the learning institutions (Snell, 2003). One of the problems that cause the achievement gap is lack of enough funds. For instance, pupils from very humble background often do not perform well compared to their financially able counterparts. They often lack supplementary learning materials that may not be provided in schools, and their general education is surrounded by debts. Another problem is poor education pol icies. Educational policies adopted within a particular nation may cause the achievement gap. If there is no standard national curriculum, then the students progressing into k-12 level from different middle level schools may have difference in performance.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Achievement gap in k-12 education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The religion and culture of an ethnic community can also be a factor contributing to achievement gap. Culture would have influenced the educational level of parents, further influencing their perception on education. In other words, some students come from communities that are in the process of civilization. Racial, gender, or tribal discrimination, which eventually leads to inequitable access to educational facilities, is also a cause for achievement gap. Racial discrimination has been witnessed in several parts of the world, for instance, discrimination between the White and African American. Pupils subjected to different environments will definitely perform differently even if their abilities were the same. Disability among students can also lead to a gap in the performance. If the appropriate aid were not given to physically or psychologically impaired students, then they would not be able to cope up and meet the required standards. The quest to narrow the achievement gap among the students is a collective responsibility that calls for the co-operation of all education stakeholders. To solve the problem, stakeholders should note that all students in a school could achieve the academic standards that are set if only the factors leading to the underachievement were identified and proper measures taken. Teachers are the immediate stakeholders who can blow the whistle on the occurrence and causes of the gap. The first step in dealing with the gap is for teachers to â€Å"commit themselves to engaging in deep inquiry into the nature of the prob lem and its root causes† (Snell 2003). They need to accept that narrowing the achievement gap is their responsibility; thus, they take initiative both within the school and outside the school to correct the situation. Teachers at all levels should ensure that they adhere to the provision of the national curriculum. They should ensure that students with special needs are given the necessary incentives to enable them to have equal learning opportunities. In addition, they should advocate for a similar and conducive learning environment, as well as cultivate the spirit of unity and group-work among the students.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Finally, even though there is very little that teacher can do in relation to cultural and economic factors emanating from families, enlightening parents on educational matters could help. Some parents are just attitudinally poor; ho wever, a slight motivation could enlighten them. Nevertheless, community culture like preferring to educating boys over girls should be highly challenged by teachers in the parent-teacher forum. Reference Snell, J. (2003). Who is Responsible for Closing the Achievement Gap? The Role of School Leaders in Acknowledging and Accepting the Challenge. New Horizons for Learning. Web.

Definition and Examples of Abbreviations in English

Definition and Examples of Abbreviations in English An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, such as Jan. for January. The abbreviated form of the word abbreviation is  abbr. - or, less commonly, abbrv. or abbrev. In American English, many abbreviations are followed by a period (Dr., Ms.). In contrast, British usage generally favors omitting the period (or full stop) in abbreviations that include the first and last letters of a single word (Dr, Ms). When an abbreviation appears at the end of a sentence, a single period serves both to mark the abbreviation and to close the sentence. Linguist David Crystal notes that abbreviations are a major component of the English writing system, not a marginal feature. The largest dictionaries of abbreviations contain well over half a million entries, and their number is increasing all the time (Spell It Out, 2014). Here are some common examples of variousl types of abbreviations: AcronymBackronymCommonly Confused Latin Abbreviations in EnglishCommon Revision Symbols and AbbreviationsCommon Scholarly AbbreviationsE.g. and I.e.Etc. and Et al.InitialeseInitialismLogograph Etymology Abbreviation comes from the Latin word brevis meaning short. Examples and Observations In general, spell out the names of government bureaus and agencies, well-known organizations, companies, etc., on first reference. In later references, use short forms like the agency or the company when possible because handfuls of initials make for mottled typography and choppy prose.Abbreviations may be ironic, humorous, or whimsical: for example, the rail link between the town of Bedford and the London station of St. Pancras is locally known as the Bedpan Line; a comparable link for Boston, New York, and Washington is the Bosnywash circuit. Comments on life may be telescoped into such sardonic packages as: BOGSAT a Bunch Of Guys Sitting Around a Table (making decisions about other people); GOMER Get Out of My Emergency Room (said by physicians to hypochondriacs); MMMBA Miles and Miles of Bloody Africa (an in-group term among people who have to travel those miles); TGIF Thank God Its Friday (after a particularly hard working week).AbbrevesToday, the fave (for favorite’) abb reves are obvi (a shortening of Thank you, Captain Obvious’) and belig (a clipping of belligerent, retaining the soft g). Nobody in the young-barflies crowd orders the usual’; it’s the yoozh. My grandnephew Jesse concludes sentences with whatev, which is probs (for probably’) whatever. In this cacophony of abbreves, word endings are scattered all over the floor. Go fig. Totes include for at,  Ã‚ £ for pound, % for per cent, and for plus. The ampersand, , is one of the oldest. It is a collapsed version of the Latin word et, and: the bottom circle is whats left of the e, and the rising tail on the right is whats left of the t. Numerals are another kind that we read as 1, 2, 3, etc. as one, two, three... And it is part of the business of learning to read and write to know when we should write words in their logographic form and when to spell them out. Sources A. Siegal,  The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, 1999 Tom McArthur,  The Oxford Companion to the English Language, 1992 William Safire, Abbreve  That Template.  The New York Times Magazine, May 21, 2009 Jeff Guo, The Totes  Amazesh  Way Millennials Are Changing the English Language.  The Washington Post, January 13, 2016 David Crystal,  Spell It Out. Picador, 2014