Critical reflection edited draft

After 12 weeks of lessons, I feel that great improvements have been made in terms of my grammar competency. For instance, I now understand the difference between “will” and “would”, where one has a higher probability of happening in the future, as compared to another. In my previous essays, I misused the word “would” without realizing that it is used for hypothetical sentences and my essays were often filled with “would”. However, after going through consultations and attempting online grammar exercises, I am able to understand the differences better and I can use it more appropriately.

One area of improvement is writing essays more academically. In the previous essays, my writing style was too informal and the vocabulary used was inappropriate for an academic writing. For instance, the sentence structures were poor, leading to a disorganised and informal essay. Therefore to improve, more writing practice is needed to familiarize myself with the structure and style of an academic essay. Furthermore, raising questions in class allows me to clear my doubts regarding any issues and allows me to learn from my mistakes. Hence, this module has improved my grammar to a large extent and would prevent me from committing similar mistakes in the future.

Critical reflection draft

After 12 weeks of lessons, I felt that great improvements have been made in terms of my grammar competency. For instance, I now understand the difference between “will” and “would”, where one has a higher probability of happening in the future, as compared to another. In my previous essays, I misused the word “would” without realizing that it is used for hypothetical sentences and my essays were often filled with “would”. However, after going through consultations and attempting online grammar exercises, I am able to understand the difference better and able to use it appropriately.

One area of improvement is writing more academic essays. In the previous essays, my writing style was too informal and the vocabulary used is inappropriate for an academic writing. For instance, the sentence structures were poor, leading to a disorganised and informal essay.  Therefore to improve, more writing practices are needed to familiarize myself with the structure and style of an academic essay. Furthermore, raising questions in class allows me to clear my doubts regarding any issues and allows me to learn from my mistakes. Hence, this module has improved my grammar to a large extent and has prevented me from committing similar mistakes in the future.

Edited essay draft: widening of income gap

Globalization has caused the widening of the income gap in several countries such as Singapore and the United States (OECD, 2011), and some of the solutions to reduce this gap are through education and redistribution of incomes. As the world is becoming more interconnected due to international trade (BBC, 2013), globalization has impacted several countries positively in terms of their economic growth (Kohut & Wike, 2008). However, globalization does not benefit every country the same way. In this essay, the issue on widening of income gaps will be discussed and the solutions to reduce the gap will be examined.

The increase in income inequality may have huge impacts on a country’s social stability and cohesiveness (Chan, 2012). The income gap is often caused by the concentration of income for the people who are rich (Hoeller, as cited in OECD, 2012). While the rich get richer, the poor are unable to progress due to the lack of education and the high standard of living. Hence, the widening of the income gap poses a great challenge for several countries and governments.

One solution to bridge the income gap is to focus on education, as people from the lower income groups will be able to acquire better qualifications and find higher-paying jobs (Tan, 2013). It was found that policies that promote equality in education reduce the income gap as it helps to decrease income dispersion. In addition, equal distribution of education opportunities also resulted in a more equal distribution of income (OECD, 2012). With equal education, people have a fair chance to acquire higher qualifications and secure a high-paying job. Hence, to effectively reduce the income gap, countries can provide early childhood education for children to start school early (OECD, 2012). However, even though the best way to be out of a poverty cycle is through education, children from the low-income families have a higher risk of dropping out of school, as compared to children from better income (Wal, 1999). Therefore, besides focusing on the children’s education, the governments should also encourage working adults to remain employable and achieve better paying jobs through upgrading and training (Ministry of Manpower, 2013). Therefore, with higher qualifications and salary, the income gap will be reduced as the lower income group can enjoy upward mobility.

Another possible solution to reduce the income gap would be the redistribution of income, where people from the higher income contribute more to help the poor and support their living (Stiglitz, 2013). This can be done through tax, whereby people from the upper and middle class pay more tax to support the lower class (Fischl, 2013). By doing so, the lower income group will be able to keep more of their salaries eventually (SparkNotes, 2013). However, this solution has its limitations as people from the middle income group might be over-burdened and may find it hard to cope (Chan, 2012). In addition, as the salary of the lower income group continues to be stagnant, the poor are unable to move up the socio-economic ladder (Chan, 2012). Hence, to further improve this solution, countries can consider adopting Singapore’s means testing systems in hospitals, whereby it is used to determine who qualifies for more benefits and ensure that resources are fairly distributed (Phua, 2008). As healthcare is costly is Singapore, this policy helps to protect the interest of the poor and it is helpful towards the middle income. Therefore, redistribution of income can be effective in terms of means-testing as the poor receives more help.  

In conclusion, globalization has resulted in the widening of the income gap within countries such as Singapore and the United States. Even though there are several solutions to curb this problem, not all solutions are suitable, effective and sustainable in the long run. Therefore, it is crucial for governments to pay attention to the poor and not focus solely on economic development. They are encouraged to put emphasis on education and be actively involved through policy making to ensure that the poor will not be disadvantaged.

References

BBC. (2013). What is globalisation? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation/globalisation_rev1.shtml

Chan, R. (2012, September 1). Tackling income inequality. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.singapolitics.sg/fast-facts/tackling-income-inequality

Fischl, J. (2013). Income Inequality in America: What We Should Be Doing About It. Retrieved from http://www.policymic.com/debates/26805/income-inequality-in-america-what-we-should-be-doing-about-it

Kohut, A. & Wike, R. (2008). Assessing globalization-Benefits and drawbacks of trade and integration. Harvard International Review, p. 70-74.

Ministry of Manpower. (2013). Continuing Education and Training. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/skills-training-and-development/adult-and-continuing-education/cet-masterplan/Pages/default.aspx

OECD. (2011). An Overview of Growing Income Inequalities in OECD Countries: Main Findings. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/els/soc/49499779.pdf

OECD. (2012). Reducing income inequality while boosting economic growth- Can it be done?Economic Policy Reforms, 181-202. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/eco/labour/49421421.pdf

Phua, K. H. (2008, January 8). Means Testing A Guide, Not Cure-all: Its Aim Is To Make Medical Care Fair, Accessible to All. TODAY. Retrieved from http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/news/0801/PDF/MEANS-today-8Jan-p8.pdf

SparkNotes. (2013). Income Distribution. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/economics/micro/incomedistribution/section2.rhtml

Stiglitz, J. E. (2013, March 18). Singapore’s Lessons for an Unequal America [The Opinion Pages]. Retrieved from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/singapores-lessons-for-an-unequal-america/?_r=0

Tan, K. B. (2013, March 8). New hope for closing income gap. TODAY. Retrieved from http://www.todayonline.com/commentary/new-hope-closing-income-gap

Wal, S. (1999). International Encyclopaedia of Child Development: Priorities for 21^stCentury. New Delhi: Satup & Sons 

Essay draft: widening of income gap

Globalization has caused the widening of income gap in several countries such as Singapore and United States (OECD, 2011), and some of the solutions to reduce this gap are through education and redistribution of incomes.  As the world is becoming more interconnected due to international trades (BBC, 2013), globalization has impacted several countries positively in terms of its economic growth (Kohut & Wike, 2008). However, globalization does not benefit every country the same way. In this essay, the problem of widening of income gap will be discussed and the effectiveness of two solutions to reduce the gap will be examined.

The increase in income inequality may have huge impacts on a country’s social stability and cohesiveness (Chan, 2012). Income gap is often caused by the concentration of income for the people who are rich (Hoeller, as cited in OECD, 2012). While the rich get richer, the poor are unable to progress due to the lack of education and the high standards of living. Hence, the widening of income gap poses a great challenge for several countries and governments.

One solution to bridge the income gap is to focus on the educational aspect. It was found that policies that promote equality in education reduce the income gap as it decreases income dispersion, and equal distribution of education opportunities also resulted in a more equal distribution of income (OECD, 2012). With education, people have the chance to acquire higher qualifications and secure a high-paying job. Hence, to effectively reduce income gap, countries can provide early childhood education and basic school for children to start receiving education from young (OECD, 2012). However, even though this solution is effective and sustainable, it takes years to see the effects. For instance, children in England have to be in schools till the age of 17 (Department of Education, 2013) before they enter the workforce. Instead of focusing on young children, the governments should focus on children at-risk of dropping out of school and encourage them to stay in school. This is especially crucial for children from low-income families, as it was found that they have a higher risk of dropping out, as compared to children from better income families (Wal, 1999). In addition, the governments can also encourage working adults to remain employable through upgrading and trainings (Ministry of Manpower, 2013), so that they can enjoy upward mobility. Therefore, with education and qualifications, the income gap will be reduced.

Another possible solution to reduce the income gap would be the redistribution of income, where people from the higher income contribute more to help the poor and support their living (Stiglitz, 2013). This can be done through tax paying, whereby people from the upper and middle class pay more tax to support the lower class (Fischl, 2013). By doing so, the lower income group will be able to keep more of their incomes at the end of the day (SparkNotes, 2013). However, this solution has its limitations as people from the middle income might be over-burdened and may find it hard to cope (Chan, 2012). In addition, as the salary of the lower income continues to be stagnant, the poor are unable to move up the socio-economic ladder (Chan, 2012). Hence, to further improve on this solution, countries can consider adopting Singapore’s means testing systems in hospitals, whereby it is used to determine who qualifies for more benefits and ensure that resources are fairly distributed to the lower-income group (Phua, 2008). This policy helps to protect the interest of the lower income group and it is helpful towards the middle income. Therefore, redistribution of income can be effective in terms of means-testing as the poor receives more help.  

In conclusion, globalization has resulted in the widening of income gap within countries such as Singapore and the United States. Even though there are several solutions to curb this problem, not all solutions are suitable, effective and sustainable in the long run. It is crucial for governments to pay attention to the poor and not focus solely on economic development. Therefore, governments are encouraged to put emphasis on education and be actively involved through policy making to ensure that the poor will not be disadvantaged.

References

BBC. (2013). What is globalisation? Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation/globalisation_rev1.shtml

Chan, R. (2012, September 1). Tackling income inequality. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.singapolitics.sg/fast-facts/tackling-income-inequality

Department of Education. (2013). Raising the participation age (RPA). Retrieved from http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/rpa

Fischl, J. (2013). Income Inequality in America: What We Should Be Doing About It. Retrieved from http://www.policymic.com/debates/26805/income-inequality-in-america-what-we-should-be-doing-about-it

Kohut, A. & Wike, R. (2008). Assessing globalization-Benefits and drawbacks of trade and integration. Harvard International Review, p. 70-74.

Ministry of Manpower. (2013). Continuing Education and Training. Retrieved from http://www.mom.gov.sg/skills-training-and-development/adult-and-continuing-education/cet-masterplan/Pages/default.aspx

OECD. (2011). An Overview of Growing Income Inequalities in OECD Countries: Main Findings. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/els/soc/49499779.pdf

OECD. (2012). Reducing income inequality while boosting economic growth- Can it be done? Economic Policy Reforms, 181-202. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/eco/labour/49421421.pdf

Phua, K. H. (2008, January 8). Means Testing A Guide, Not Cure-all: Its Aim Is To Make Medical Care Fair, Accessible to All. TODAY. Retrieved from http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/news/0801/PDF/MEANS-today-8Jan-p8.pdf

SparkNotes. (2013). Income Distribution. Retrieved from http://www.sparknotes.com/economics/micro/incomedistribution/section2.rhtml

Stiglitz, J. E. (2013, March 18). Singapore’s Lessons for an Unequal America [The Opinion Pages]. Retrieved from http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/singapores-lessons-for-an-unequal-america/?_r=0

Wal, S. (1999). International Encyclopaedia of Child Development: Priorities for 21^st Century. New Delhi: Satup & Sons 

Reader response

Traditions and cultures are slowly being eroded away as globalization impacts developing countries negatively. In the article “Assessing Globalization’, Kohut and Wike (2008) explored several benefits and drawbacks of globalization, especially in terms of trade and integration. While globalization has brought about significant economic growth in developing countries, it has negative consequences in terms of cultures, environment and society.

            Focusing on the cultural aspect, globalization has caused the loss of traditional cultures and ways of living. This can be seen clearly in today’s society, where many young people are strongly influenced by foreign cultures, especially the American, and are unaware of their traditions. Many people in different countries are actively protecting their own cultures against foreign influences. Based on a survey done with 37 countries, it was found that half of the people agreed that the widespread of American culture and ideas would have an adverse impact on their own countries.  

Based on personal experiences, many people are engaged in American TV series and are adopting American's way of living. Many of my friends, including myself, are losing touch with our own traditions and cultures over the years. We only have little knowledge of our traditions, such as the dates and practices of certain important events.

Therefore, the widespread of American culture and ideas have negatively impacted other countries, causing the loss of several traditions. It is hence important to ensure that these traditions and practices will not be eroded and will be passed on to the next generation. 

Summary (final)

Globalization has several benefits and drawbacks that affect different countries. Some countries are embracing globalization as it brings about many benefits, while some are pessimistic about the negative impacts. Globalization has led to economic development around the world, mainly through international trade and multinational corporations. International trade has helped to boost the economic growth in several developing countries and it provides a variety of cheap products to the consumers in the developed countries. 

However, globalization also has its negative impacts. Globalization might not benefit everyone in the same way and the gaps between the rich and the poor continues to widen. Environmental problems such as global warming are significantly increasing and many economically driven countries are putting the environment as a priority. Furthermore, people are worried about the loss of cultures and traditions due to the widespread of American culture and ideas. People are also actively moving across borders to look for better education and jobs, which causes immigration anxieties among the citizens and they requested for tighter restrictions on immigration. Therefore, even though globalization has led to positive economic development, the social, environmental and cultural aspects are being affected negatively. 

Summary

Globalization has several benefits and drawbacks that affect different countries. Some countries are embracing globalization as they believe that it will bring about many benefits, while some are pessimistic about the negative impacts. In this essay, the positive development of economic growth and several drawbacks, namely the impact on economy, social, environment, cultures and integration will be discussed. 

Firstly, globalization has led to economic development around the world and one key component is international trades. It has helped to boost the economic growth in several developing countries such as Africa, where over 80% of the Africans surveyed have agreed that trade has a impacted their country positively. Furthermore, international trades have also provided a cheap variety of products to the consumers in the developed countries. Besides international trades, multinational corporations are also welcomed, especially in poorer nations around the world. However, for the wealthy nations such as America, surveys have shown that more and more Americans believe that trade is not exactly good. Therefore, globalization has mostly influenced the poorer countries positively as it helps them to develop economically.  

Besides economic impact of globalization, many developed countries are increasingly worried about the negative social impact. The economic growth through globalization might not benefit everyone in the same way. In many countries such as China and Indonesia, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is becoming a critical issue. Many have urged the government to play a part and take care of the less fortunate ones in the society who are incapable of helping themselves. Hence, one of the drawbacks of globalization is such that some people might not benefit and would still be lacking behind others.

Furthermore, globalization has led to negative impact on the environment. Global warming is one of the negative results of globalization. Such environmental problems are increasing significantly and causing danger to the world. Many economically driven countries have also come together and show concern regarding this issue, stating that they are willing to sacrifice economic growth for a better environment. Therefore, most countries agree that saving the environment is a crucial issue and should be the priority.

Based on a survey done in 2007, many people are also worried that their culture and traditions would be lost due to the effects of globalization. The widespread of American culture and ideas, such as American movies and music, has led to the loss of many other cultures around the world. Hence, people are actively protecting their cultures against American’s influences.

Lastly, globalization has also led an increased in people moving across borders to different countries. People are leaving their own countries, primarily due to financial reasons, to look for better education and jobs that pay higher. This has caused immigration anxieties among the citizens as many believe that immigrants does not benefit their countries, and therefore want tighter restrictions on immigration. This has also caused many citizens to be unsatisfied and pessimistic about the countries’ future.

In conclusion, globalization has indeed impacted several developing countries positively in terms of their economy. However, there are also several drawbacks of globalization that can’t be ignored. Negative effects on social and environment are some of the important issues that the world needs to work on, if not, situations would go downhill. Therefore, depending on the country, globalization can have benefits and drawbacks.

Week 4: Summary on 'Scary Oil'

The global economy today faced several challenges, and one of the most challenging issues is the increase of oil prices, with its highest price at $125/barrel. The main reason of the rise is fear, as tension between Israel and Iran continues. The global recessions before 2008 were a result of geopolitical shock in the Middle East and the recent one, caused by financial crisis, also led to the increase in oil prices. Iran could response by raising the tension in the Gulf and latest attacks on Israeli embassies around the world appear to be a strategy to prevent Iran from creating nuclear weapons. However if this attempt is unsuccessful, the US and Israel would work together, using military force, to stop Iran. Such use of military force would cause a military conflict and that would likely cause a global growth slowdown and raise the oil prices even higher. 

EDITED//

The global economy today face several challenges, and one of the most challenging issues is the increase of oil prices, with its highest price at $125/barrel. The main reason to the rise is due to fear, as tension between Israel and Iran continues. The global recessions before 2008 were a result of geopolitical shock in the Middle East and the recent one, caused by a financial crisis, also led to the increase in oil prices. Iran could response by raising the tension in the Gulf and the latest attacks on Israeli embassies around the world appear to be a strategy to prevent Iran from creating nuclear weapons. However if this attempt is unsuccessful, the US and Israel will work together, using military force, to stop Iran. Such use of military force would cause a military conflict and that would likely cause a global growth slowdown and raise the oil prices even higher. 

Week 4 Tutorial (paraphrasing/summarizing)

Paraphrasing practice: 
Throughout the Roman Empire, Latin was an international language as it was more powerful.

Summarizing practice: 
A language can become a global language as powerful speakers are using it, not because of the number of people who speaks it.

Summarising Information Selectively Practice: 

Students who use Facebook suffered poorer grades in school due to the long hours spent online. 

"My English Language Learning Journey”

Write an analytically reflective post of 150-200 words on “My English Language Learning Journey”, “Living in a Globalized World: The Importance of English for Me” or an instructor-approved alternative. 

The first important point in my learning journey would be learning how to speak. Since I was young, my parents have been actively introducing new words and vocabulary for me to learn. I believe that language is not just about reading and writing, but also speaking and listening. Being able to speak and listen well is important as it shows that what is communicated is understandable. Therefore I feel that being able to speak fluently helps me to learn the language better.

The second important point in my learning journey would be learning how to spell words. In primary school days, English spelling was especially difficult for me as I speak mandarin at home mostly. However, being able to get a ‘pass’ or close to ‘full-marks” were the motivating factors. During the learning process, I also got to learn new words and understand their meanings. Hence, I feel that learning how to spell is also extremely important in order to fully understand the language.

The third important point would be writing academic essays. When I first went to Polytechnic, I thought that essays were similar to what we called ‘compositions’. Needless to say, I did badly in my first academic essay and I was confused about the differences. Thankfully, my lecturers were helpful and they helped me improve a lot. The skills of writing academic essays are important as it will help greatly in my university education and work in the future. Therefore, I believe that such skills acquired are useful even after I have completed my education.