Focused Scenario Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Focused Scenario - Case Study Example Since the patient complaints of pain, history of present illness (HPI) should include the severity, onset and duration of the pain as well as aggravating and relieving factors. Any change in testicular size, irregular lumps, soreness or heaviness of the testes should also be asked. Any medication/s taken by the patient for the pain such as analgesics or antibiotics is also important. Past medical history (PMHx) should include any history of STD's, single or multiple infections, treatment and residual problems, if applicable as well as concomitant diseases like Diabetes Mellitus or for any neurologic or vascular impairment (Seidel, et.al, 2006). Relevant to ask in the Family History are infertilities in siblings, history of penile, prostate and testicular cancer and hernias (Siedel, et.al, 2006). Information as to the social history should also include past or present use of alcohol, drugs and cigarette. Since the patient rides a bike everyday and engages in physical sports (softball) , the use of protective gear on his genital area should be asked. The patient's sexual history should include the number of sexual partners, condom usage, sexual lifestyle (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual) and questions as to any change in the frequency of sexual desire or activity and change in sexual response (e.g.

Factors That Influence Exchange Rates Essay Example for Free

Factors That Influence Exchange Rates Essay Aside from factors such as interest rates and inflation, the exchange rate is one of the most important determinants of a countrys relative level of economic health. Exchange rates play a vital role in a countrys level of trade, which is critical to most every free market economy in the world. For this reason, exchange rates are among the most watched, analyzed and governmentally manipulated economic measures. But exchange rates matter on a smaller scale as well: they impact the real return of an investors portfolio. Here we look at some of the major forces behind exchange rate movements. A higher currency makes a countrys exports more expensive and imports cheaper in foreign markets; a lower currency makes a countrys exports cheaper and its imports more expensive in foreign markets. A higher exchange rate can be expected to lower the countrys balance of trade, while a lower exchange rate would increase it. Determinants of Exchange Rates Numerous factors determine exchange rates, and all are related to the trading relationship between two countries. Remember, exchange rates are relative, and are expressed as a comparison of the currencies of two countries. The following are some of the principal determinants of the exchange rate between two countries. Note that these factors are in no particular order; like many aspects of economics, the relative importance of these factors is subject to much debate. 1. Differentials in Inflation;-As a general rule, a country with a consistently lower inflation rate exhibits a rising currency value, as its purchasing power increases relative to other currencies. During the last half of the twentieth century, the countries with low inflation included Japan, Germany and Switzerland, while the U.S. and Canada achieved low inflation only later. Those countries with higher inflation typically see depreciation in their currency in relation to the currencies of their trading partners. This is also usually accompanied by higher interest rates. 2. Differentials in Interest Rates;-Interest rates, inflation and exchange rates are all highly correlated. By manipulating interest rates, central banks exert influence over both inflation and exchange rates, and changing interest rates impact inflation and currency values. Higher interest rates offer lenders in an economy a higher return relative to other countries. Therefore, higher interest rates attract foreign capital and cause the exchange rate to rise. The impact of higher interest rates is mitigated, however, if inflation in the country is much higher than in others, or if additional factors serve to drive the currency down. The opposite relationship exists for decreasing interest rates that is, lower interest rates tend to decrease exchange rates. 3. Current-Account Deficits;-The current account is the balance of trade between a country and its trading partners, reflecting all payments between countries for goods, services, interest and dividends. A deficit in the current account shows the country is spending more on foreign trade than it is earning, and that it is borrowing capital from foreign sources to make up the deficit. In other words, the country requires more foreign currency than it receives through sales of exports, and it supplies more of its own currency than foreigners demand for its products. The excess demand for foreign currency lowers the countrys exchange rate until domestic goods and services are cheap enough for foreigners, and foreign assets are too expensive to generate sales for domestic interests. 4. Public Debt;-Countries will engage in large-scale deficit financing to pay for public sector projects and governmental funding. While such activity stimulates the domestic economy, nations with large public deficits and debts are less attractive to foreign investors. The reason? A large debt encourages inflation, and if inflation is high, the debt will be serviced and ultimately paid off with cheaper real dollars in the future. In the worst case scenario, a government may print money to pay part of a large debt, but increasing the money supply inevitably causes inflation. Moreover, if a government is not able to service its deficit through domestic means (selling domestic bonds, increasing the money supply), then it must increase the supply of securities for sale to foreigners, thereby lowering their prices. Finally, a large debt may prove worrisome to foreigners if they believe the country risks defaulting on its obligations. Foreigners will be less willing to own securities denominated in that currency if the risk of default is great. For this reason, the countrys debt rating (as determined by Moodys or Standard Poors, for example) is a crucial determinant of its exchange rate. 5. Terms of Trade;-A ratio comparing export prices to import prices, the terms of trade is related to current accounts and the balance of payments. If the price of a countrys exports rises by a greater rate than that of its imports, its terms of trade have favorably improved. Increasing terms of trade shows greater demand for the countrys exports. This, in turn, results in rising revenues from exports, which provides increased demand for the countrys currency (and an increase in the currencys value). If the price of exports rises by a smaller rate than that of its imports, the currencys value will decrease in relation to its trading partners. 6. Political Stability and Economic Performance;-Foreign investors inevitably seek out stable countries with strong economic performance in which to invest their capital. A country with such positive attributes will draw investment funds away from other countries perceived to have more political and economic risk. Political turmoil, for example, can cause a loss of confidence in a currency and a movement of capital to the currencies of more stable countries. Conclusion The exchange rate of the currency in which a portfolio holds the bulk of its investments determines that portfolios real return. A declining exchange rate obviously decreases the purchasing power of income and capital gains derived from any returns. Moreover, the exchange rate influences other income factors such as interest rates, inflation and even capital gains from domestic securities. While exchange rates are determined by numerous complex factors that often leave even the most experienced economists flummoxed, investors should still have some understanding of how currency values and exchange rates play an important role in the rate of return on their investments.

Coping With School Failure and School Achievement

Coping With School Failure and School Achievement DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS OF SCHOOL FAILURE Tony JREIGE Abstract (100 to 150 words) he present study examined the relationship between goal orientation, coping with school failure and school achievement. Two questionnaires, Goal Orientation (Niemivirta, 1996a) and The School Failure Coping Scale (Rijavec Brdar, 1997), were administered to 1057 high school students (aged from 15 to 17 years). The first goal of this study was to explore whether students can be classified in groups according to their goal orientation. The results identified four clusters of students with different achievement profiles: learning oriented, work-avoidance oriented, both performance and learning oriented and both performance and work-avoidance oriented group. Learning oriented group used emotion-focused coping the least frequently while students with combined performance and work avoidanc orientation used this kind of coping the most frequently. The second goal was to test the relationship between goal orientation patterns and the adoption of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, and academic achievement. It was hypothesized that goal orientation could predict school achievement directly and indirectly through coping strategies. Coping strategies were considered as mediators between goal orientation and school achievement. Path analysis demonstrated that direct effects of goal orientation on school achievement were not significant. The relationship between goal orientation and school achievement was mediated by coping strategies. Key Words: School failure, Depression, Anxiety, Coping. The problem of school failure is of great importance, as it affects students’ lives and future. In some cases, it leads to marginalization, rejection, alienation and exclusion; hence, the risk of a variety of other problems such as psychological and behavioral may emerge. Patterson and his colleagues (1989) point to an anti-social behavior as a consequence of such marginalization. We say that students who are marginalized and cannot easily adjust tend to drop out school. Although the importance of this topic, unfortunately, literature on the phenomenon of school failure of normally intelligent children and adolescents is still poor. There is a shortage of research that might offer an understanding of school failure in terms of psychological disorders. As a response to this fact, the main objective of this study is to look deep for emotional and psychological disorders accused to be guilty of this failure and, consequently, remove the stigma of being failure and irresponsible from students who lie behind their classmates. The main question we ask is: Do children and adolescents, who fail at school, really suffer from any psychological disorder, particularly depressive and anxiety disorders? And yet, another question emerges: Are females more susceptible to these disorders than males? As potential answers the above formulated questions, the following hypotheses were set up for the study: Children and adolescents who fail at school suffer from depressive disorders Children and adolescents who fail at school show evidence of anxiety disorders There is a gender significant difference in depressive disorders There is a gender significant difference in anxiety disorders LITERATURE REVIEW School failure The term â€Å"school failure† is difficult to define clearly; for some, it would include any kind of failure, repetition or delay in finishing school which usually leads the student to disqualification, and even to being stigmatized, especially because of the segregation between high and low achievers (Bourdieu,1994). On the other hand, researchers advanced several approaches to elucidate school failure, among these approaches we mention: Intelligence based on IQ scores. Supporters of this theory blame low IQs for school failure. Socio-economic status with children’s academic achievement: Supporters of this theory blame the poverty for school failure (Herbert, 1996; Turkheimer et al., 2003; Thomson Harris, 2004; Berliner, 2006, 2009). Interaction theory: Keddie (1973) and many others reproach the teacher for school failure. For them, teachers have a pre-defined opinion of how a student should talk and react and accordingly students are evaluated. Although all the above mentioned approaches, school failure may occur among students of high socio-economic status, beloved by their teachers, and have the ability and intelligence to succeed. Thus, these children get is a stigma of being a failure, a worthless, stupid and irresponsible person, while hidden emotional psychologicaldisorders are often the roots of their inability to meet the school’s standards. For us, several factors may lead to school failure, among these factors we mention depression and anxiety and the incapacity of using appropriate coping strategies. Depression Depression in children and adolescents is often a recurrent and very serious public health problem, it can occur with comorbid behavioral problems, suicidal risk, and psychiatric disorders, touching their whole life by impairing their social, emotional and physical health as well as their learning. Depression in children and adolescents may be expressed differently from that in adults, with manifest behavioral disorders (e.g. irritability, verbal aggression and misconduct), substance abuse and/or comorbid psychiatric disorders. In children aged between 6 and 12 years, the most common signs are classified into are school difficulties, somatic disorders (e.g. Recurrent abdominal pain, headaches), fatigue, apathy, eating disorders, lack of motivation, loss of concentration, irritability, restlessness which often lead professionals to misdiagnose the child with ADHD instead of depression (Melnyk et al.,2003). As for adolescents, the most common signs and symptoms are mood swings, social isolation, hypersomnia, feeling of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and drug or alcohol abuse (Richardson et al., 1996). Risk factors for suicide in young people are: previous suicide attempts; a close family member who has committed suicide; past psychiatric hospitalization; recent loss of a significant figure (through death, divorce or separation); social isolation; drug or alcohol abuse; exposure to violence in the home or the social environment; and handguns in the home. Early warnings for suicide are talking about it, preoccupation with death and dying, giving away special possessions, and making arrangements to take care of unfinished business. Williams (2009), offers a description to identifying depressed adolescents, such as: Somatic symptoms with features of anxiety. Sometimes poor functioning at school, socially, or at home. Bad behavior, particularly in boys. Rapid mood swings often occur. The fact that children are able to enjoy some aspects of their life shouldnt preclude the diagnosis of depression. Anxiety Anxiety is a normal part of living, it’s a biological reaction. Anxiety keeps us away from harm and prepares us to act quickly when facing a danger; it is a normal reaction to a stressful situation, thus it can help us cope with it. Yet we may find it sometimes in the core of the development of psychological disorders especially when anxiety becomes an excessive irrational worry of everyday situations, and a disabling condition severe enough to interfere with a persons ability to focus and concentrate where it becomes a disorder. Helfinstein (2009) believes that â€Å"anxiety refers to the brain response to danger, stimuli that an organism will actively attempt to avoid. This brain response is a basic emotion already present in infancy and childhood, with expressions falling on a continuum from mild to severe. Anxiety is not typically pathological as it is adaptive in many scenarios when it facilitates avoidance of danger. Strong cross-species parallels—both in organisms’ responses to danger and in the underlying brain circuitry engaged by threats—likely reflect these adaptive aspects of anxiety†. Half a century ago, Grinker (1959, p.56) believed that normal anxiety could be objective and real when we face natural situations that generate anxiety, e.g. child before his exams, parents in front of their child’s illness. Almost a century ago, in his â€Å"A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis† (1920), Freud believed that anxiety was used â€Å"in connection with a condition regardless of any objective†, it’s â€Å"a subjective condition, caused by the perception that an â€Å"evolution of fear† has been consummated†. †¦ Nowadays, for the American Psychologists Association (2013) describe Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder among the anxiety disorders include where METHOD Sample The sample of this study comprised of 187 children and young adolescents (Males = 122 and Females = 65) aged between 10 and 15 years suffering of school failure and enrolled in the fourth to the eighth grades, randomly drawn from 10 schools located in Mount Lebanon Caza (5 governmental and 5 private). Tools Anxiety The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) developed by Speilberger in 1970 was used. It consists of two 20-item scales that measure state and trait anxiety in children between the ages of 8 and 14. The A-State scale examines the shorter-term state anxiety that is commonly specific to situations. It prompts respondents to indicate how they feel ‘right now’ (e.g. calm, upset) on a 3-point scale ranging from 1 to 3. Summing responses creates a total score that can range from 20 to 60. The A-Trait scale measures longer-term trait anxiety, which addresses how the child generally feels. It asks respondents to choose the best word that describes them in general (e.g. rarely, sometimes, and often) on a 3-point scale ranging from 1 to 3. Summing responses creates a total score that can range from 20 to 60. A separate score is produced for the State scale and the Trait scale to determine which type of anxiety is dominant and which type of treatment is the most appropriate. In 2001, we standardized this scale for the Lebanese children aged between 8 and 17; the cut points for normal children were: A-State scale: 33.36 The A-Trait scale: 37.26 The PROMIS Anxiety scale (AS) is the 13-item Short Form that assesses the pure domain of anxiety in children and adolescents. The PROMIS Anxiety scale was developed for and can be used with children ages 8–17. Each item asks the child receiving care to rate the severity of his or her anxiety during the past 7 days, and is rated on a 5-point scale (1=never; 2=almost never; 3=sometimes; 4=often; and 5=almost always) with a range in score from 13 to 65 with higher scores indicating greater severity of anxiety. The raw scores on the 13 items should be summed to obtain a total raw score. Next, the T-score table should be used to identify the T-score associated with the child’s total raw score and the information entered in the T-score row on the measure. The T-scores are interpreted as follows: Less than 55 = None to slight; 55.0—59.9 = Mild; 60.0—69.9 = Moderate; 70 and over = Severe Depression The Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), first published by Maria Kovacs in 1992, assesses the severity of symptoms related to depressionand/ordysthymicdisorder. The CDI is a 27-item self-rated and symptom-oriented scale suitable for childrenandadolescents aged between 7 and 17. It asks respondents to choose the best sentences that describe their state during the last two weeks,on a 3-point scale ranging from zero to 2. Summing responses creates a total score that can range from zero to 54. The cut-point of 19 is able to differentiate between normal and depressive children (Doerfler, 1998; Ø ¬ÃƒËœÃ‚ ±Ãƒâ„¢Ã…  ÃƒËœÃ‚ ¬, 2001) The PROMIS Depression scale (DS) is the 14-item Short Form that assesses the pure domain of depression in children and adolescents. The PROMIS Depression scale was developed for and can be used with children ages 8–17; however, it was tested only in children ages 11–17 in the DSM-5 Field Trials. Each item asks the child receiving care to rate the severity of his or her depression during the past 7 days, and is rated on a 5-point scale (1=never; 2=almost never; 3=sometimes; 4=often; and 5=almost always) with a range in score from 11 to 55 with higher scores indicating greater severity of depression. The raw scores on the 11 items should be summed to obtain a total raw score. Next, the T-score table should be used to identify the T-score associated with the total raw score and the information entered in the T-score row on the measure. The T-scores are interpreted as follows: Less than 55 = None to slight; 55.0—59.9 = Mild; 60.0—69.9 = Moderate; 70 and over = Severe RESULTS SPSS for Windows (Version 17) was used for all analyses. The One-Sample T-Test was used to compare our sample’s levels of anxiety and depression with the means of normal children and adolescents of their ages. The Independent-Samples T-Test was used to understand whether anxiety and depression differed based on gender. Overall, Table 1 illustrates a general view Means and standard deviations of our of the study’s participants for STAIC, Anxiety Scale, CDI and Depression Scale where we can notice high means in comparison with their cut-points. These findings are proved by the T-test (Table 2) where the One-Sample T-Test was run to determine whether our psychological variables scores in our participants were different to normal. Defined as a Astate cut-point of 33.36, mean score (38.11 ± 3.06) (see Table 1) was higher than the normal cut-point; a statistically significant difference of 4.75 (99% CI, 4.16 to 5.33),t(186) = 21.21, p= .000. As for the Atrait, mean score (42.08 ± 3.82) was higher than the normal cut-point (37.26); a statistically significant difference of 4.82 (99% CI, 4.09 to 5.55),t(186) = 17.24, p= .000. The Anxiety Scale where the cut-point is 55, mean score (60.23 ± 2.46) was higher; a statistically significant difference of 5.23 (99% CI, 4.76 to 5.70),t(186) = 28.99, p= .000. These result are also noticed in depression scales as the CDI cut-point is 33.36, while mean score (20.02 ± 2.23) was higher; a statistically significant difference of 1.02 (99% CI,0.59 to 1.44),t(186) = 6.24, p= .000. Nevertheless, results on the Depression Scale revealed a mean score (58.79 ± 2.27) higher than the normal cut-point (55); a statistically significant difference of 3.79 (99% CI, 3.36 to 4.22),t(186) = 22.82, p= .000. Table 1. Means and standard deviations for the participants on psychological variables Table 2. T-test for the participants on psychological variables On the other hand, this study found no statistically significant difference on the Astate Checklist between males (37.95  ± 2.98) and females (38.40  ± 3.22) (Table 3),t(185) = -0.956,p= 0.341 > 0.05 (Table 4). Nevertheless, male participants had statistically significantly lower mean (41.61  ± 4.10) than females’ (42.95  ± 3.07),t(185) = -2.308,p= 0.022 On the Anxiety Scale, both males (59.78  ± 2.73) and females (61.06  ± 1.58) differ significantly in their perception of anxiety, t(185) = -3.481,p= 0.001 The main effect was also significant for the CDI, male participants had statistically significantly lower mean (19.71  ± 2.25) than females’ (20.58  ± 2.09),t(185) = -2.586,p= 0.01. This result was also observed for the Depression Scale where males mean score was (58.43  ± 2.42) and females’ was (59.46  ± 1.79) , t(185) = -3.027,p= 0.003 Table 3. Gender differences on psychological variables Table 4. Independant Sample T Test by gender on psychological variables DISCUSSION CONCLUSION The study calls for a fundamental change of attitudes in educational development and policy making and a redefinition of school failure as a consequence not so much of the child’s unwillingness to study, but of his inability to perform well. As a school dropout explained his decision to drop out:

Essay --

The Sweet Spot is Pretty Sweet Everyone knows that the sweet spot is the best place to hit a ball on a bat, but what really makes this the best place? The sweet spot is a very important spot on the bat, and without it, the ball will barely leave the infield. When someone hits the ball on the sweet spot, it feels very different from hitting the ball on the end of the bat or by the hands. Hitting the ball on the sweet spot makes it so the batter does not even feel the collision. There will be no vibrations, so therefore no stinging, when the batter hits the right area on the bat. Batters also have a hard time trying to extend through the ball when they do not hit the sweet spot. It is easy to extend and push the ball farther when the ball is hit on the sweet spot. Also, when the ball hits the sweet spot, all of the energy will go with the ball, making it go faster and farther. When the ball hits somewhere else on the bat, the bat will take a lot of the energy away from the ball making the ball not go as far. The swe et spot has more behind it than one would think, it differs in various types of bats, and it is the best place to hit the ball on a bat. There are many different definitions for the sweet spot of a bat. Most people who do not know much about the sweet spot would define it as the place on the bat where the ball goes the farthest when it is hit. They could also define it as the location that produces hardly any vibrational sensation, or sting, in the batter’s hands. But there are many more scientific definitions that the majority of people will not fully understand. It can be defined as the center of percussion, as well as the region between the nodes of the first two vibrational modes on the bat. Lastly, it is defined as ... ...uding the players themselves can have their own meaning of what the sweet spot is. Also, the sweet spot is located in almost the same place for both aluminum and wood bats, and there are not many differences between the two’s sweet spots. There are many elements in the bat when a ball hits the sweet spot, but the major one is the bending modes. These modes are extremely important for a bat, because they create the nodes that make up the sweet spot. Another important definition of the sweet spot is that it is the center of percussion. Then lastly, the sweet spot is the best place to hit the ball on the bat. There is no vibration or pain, and the hitter is pretty much guaranteed a good hit if they hit the sweet spot. The next time a batter gets a perfect hit, think about all of the things going on inside and outside of the bat when the ball hits the sweet spot.

Development of Education in Kenya

1. 0 INTRODUCTION2 1. 1 Definition of terms3 1. 2 Background information4 1. 2. 1 Pre-colonial education4 1. 2. 2 Post colonial education in Kenya (Neocolonialism)4 1. 3 National Aims/Goals of Education in Kenya6 1. 4 Structure of education6 1. 4. 1 Early Childhood Development and Education7 1. 4. 2 Primary education8 1. 4. 3 Secondary education9 1. 4. 4 Teacher Education9 1. 4. 5 Tertiary Education10 1. 4. 6 University education11 1. 5 Administration system11 1. 5. 1 Permanent secretary11 1. 5. 2 Finance and administration Division12 1. 5. 3 Directorate of Education12 . 5. 4 Field Service Education Officers13 2. 0 CHALLENGES FACING THE FORMAL EDUCATION IN KENYA14 2. 1 Recommendations to the Challenge of Education in Kenya17 3. 0 Conclusion18 3. 1 References. 19 1. 0 INTRODUCTION The provision of education and training to all Kenyans is fundamental to the success of the Government’s overall development strategy. First, the long term objective of the Government is to provide ev ery Kenyan with basic quality education and training, including 2 years of pre-primary, 8 years of primary and 4 years of secondary/technical education. Education also aims at enhancing the ability of Kenyans to preserve and utilize the environment for productive gain and sustainable livelihoods. Second, development of quality human resource is central to the attainment of national goals for industrial development. Third, the realization of universal access to basic education and training ensures equitable access to education and training for all children, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Fourth, education is necessary for the development and protection of democratic institutions and human rights. Hence, this paper aims at describing the development of formal education in Kenya. It will first of all explore formal education in pre-colonial era. It will then show how different commissions have contributed to the development of formal education in post-colonial era. The paper will also shed light on the national goals of education, the structure of education and finance system in each level of education through government initiatives. Moreover, it will look into the administration of the education system and finally discuss the various challenges facing the education sector and their recommendations. 1. 1 Definition of terms Education According to Sifuna and Otiende (1992) education is the process of acquiring worthwhile accumulated knowledge, skills attitudes and values from one generation to the next. From this point of view therefore, education is meant to teach a student how to live his life by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. Formal as defined by Webster Dictionary is â€Å"relating to or involving the outward form, structure, relationships, or arrangement of elements rather than content†. It may also mean following or according with established form, custom or rule. Formal education A formal education program is the process of training and developing people in knowledge, skills, mind and character in a structured and certified program. The features of formal education include Classrooms, teachers, students, content and others (Sifuna and Otiende, 1992). 1. 2 Background information 1. . 1 Pre-colonial education Sifuna, Chege and Oanda (2006) observe that historical records reveal that Kenyans had access to education as far back as Johann Ludwing Krapf and Johannes Rebman. Formal education was introduced basically to promote evangelism but later on it become an instrument for production of skilled labour for the Europeans farms and clerical staff for colonial administration. The missionaries determi ned the type of education African had to have – they built schools, managed them determined the curriculum and influenced education policies. It all started in 1846 with the church missionary society (CMS) establishing a school at Rabai the Coast province and others across Kenya such as Friend school Kaimosi (1903), Maseno school (1906), Jamhuri high school (1906), Europeans girls, Kenya high school (1908), Mangu high school (1925) and others. During that time education in Africa, Kenyan included was stratified on racial lines in matters of system structure, curricula and resources. For example, the Europeans system had an pper hand resource, its curriculum was based on British traditions, Arabs and Asians system came second. Africans prepared youths to work on Europeans farms. 1. 2. 2 Post colonial education in Kenya (Neocolonialism) Sifuna and Otiende (1992) noted that racial segregation was abolished in 1960 as the country moved closer to independence. With the attainment of independence on 12th December, 1963;- a ministry of education was created. The school system in Kenya was brought under a localized standard curric ulum and public examinations. Since independence, the Government has addressed challenges facing the education sector through Commissions, Committees and Taskforces. The first Commission, after independence, came up with the Report of the Kenya Education Commission (The Ominde Report, 1964) that sought to reform the education system inherited from the colonial government to make it more responsive to the needs of independent Kenya. The Commission proposed an education system that would foster national unity and the creation of sufficient human capital for national development. Sessional Paper No: 10 of 1965 on African Socialism and its Application to Planning in Kenya formally adopted the Ominde Report as a basis for post-independence educational development. The Report of the National Committee on Educational Objectives and Policies (The Gachathi Report, 1976), focused on redefining Kenya’s educational policies and objectives, giving consideration to national unity, and economic, social and cultural aspirations of the people of Kenya. It resulted in Government support for ‘Harambee’ schools and also led to establishment of the National Centre for Early Childhood Education (NACECE) at the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE). The Report of the Presidential Working Party on the Second University in Kenya (The Mackay Report, 1981) led to the removal of the advanced (A) level of secondary education, and the expansion of other post-secondary training institutions. In addition to the establishment of Moi University, it also recommended the establishment of the 8:4:4 system of education and the Commission for Higher Education (CHE). It diversified the school curriculum with emphases on pre-vocational and technical skills (Republic of Kenya, 1981). The Report of the Presidential Working Party on Education and Manpower training (1988) focused on improving education financing, quality and relevance. This Manpower Training for the Next Decade and Beyond (The Kamunge Report) was at a time when the Government scheme for the provision of instructional materials through the National Textbook Scheme was inefficient and therefore adversely affected the quality of teaching and learning. From the recommendations of the Working Party in 1988, the Government produced Sessional Paper No 6 on Education and Training for the Next Decade and Beyond. This led to the policy of cost sharing between government, parents and communities. The Commission of Inquiry into the Education System of Kenya (The Koech Report, 2000) was mandated to recommend ways and means of enabling the education system to facilitate national unity, mutual social responsibility, accelerated industrial and technological development, life-long learning, and adaptation in response to changing circumstances. The Koech Report recommended Totally Integrated Quality Education and Training (TIQET). While the Government did not adopt the Report due to the cost implications some recommendations, such as curriculum rationalization have been adopted and implemented. Recent policy initiatives have focused on the attainment of education for all (EFA) and, in particular, Universal Primary Education (UPE). The key concerns are access, retention, equity, quality and relevance, and internal and external efficiencies within the education system. The effectiveness of the current 8-4-4 structure and system of education has also come under increasing scrutiny in light of the decline in enrolment and retention particularly at the primary and secondary school levels in the last decade. The Government is committed to the provision of quality education and training as a human right for all Kenyans in accordance with the Kenyan law and the international conventions, such as the EFA goal, and is developing strategies for moving the country towards the attainment of this goal. The implementation of Free Primary Education (FPE) is critical to the attainment of UPE as a key milestone towards the realization of the EFA goal (htt://www. virtualcampuses. eu/index. php/Kenya). 1. National Aims/Goals of Education in Kenya Aseey and Ayot (2009:6) state that: â€Å"in Kenya the fundamental goal of education is to prepare and equip the youth to be happy and useful citizens of the society. From this fundamental needs arise more aims of education†. In Kenya, there are seven specific goals of education, namely national unity, national development, individual development and social fulfillment, social equality, respect and development of cultural heritage and international con sciousness. 1. Structure of education Kenya's education system is a three to four tier system. In 1985 Kenya introduced the current 8-4-4 system: ? Primary education: 8 years: age 6-13 (free and compulsory) ? Secondary education: 4 years: age 14-18(subsidized for students in Day Schools and the Government provides fees guidelines to all public schools) ? Higher education: 4 years: age 19-21 (subsidized for those selected through the Universities Joint Admission Board) 1. 4. 1 Early Childhood Development and Education The provision of ECDE as observed by republic of Kenya (1999) involves households, community and Government efforts in the integrated development of children from the time of conception. The structure of ECDE provision is divided into that for 0-3 year-old children and for 4-5 year-old children. For this sub-sector, the MOES policy is to focus on 4-5 year-old children with a view to providing a holistic and integrated programme that meets the child’s cognitive, social, moral, spiritual, emotional and physical needs. The Government is already implementing measures that seek to improve the performance of this sub-sector. These include: establishing guidelines and standards for the management, supervision and curriculum development for ECDE; establishment of NACECE and District Centres for Early Childhood Education (DICECE) for purposes of in-servicing teachers and training of trainers; mobilizing communities and parents through awareness creation, and providing community support grants to support marginalized/vulnerable communities in collaboration with other partners. Other measures, which are being implemented to enhance quality education at this level, include: implementing a 2-year in-service training programme for ECDE teachers; mounting a 9-month training of trainers’ course; developing guidelines and syllabuses for ECDE programmes; enhancing the capacity of supervisors and inspectors to ensure quality of ECDE programmes; and equipping NACECE and DICECEs to meet the needs of the programmes. Despite the above measures, access, equity and quality in this sub-sector remain constrained by various factors that include: limited teaching and learning materials, inadequate ECDE centres; inadequate community participation; lack of a clear policy on transition from pre-primary to primary school; inadequate nutrition and health services; lack of enough trained teachers; low and irregular salaries for ECDE teachers and lack of clear entry age guidelines (htt://www. virtualcampuses. eu/index. php/Kenya). 0 1. 4. 1. 1 Financing of pre- primary education The pre-primary education is basically controlled by private institution, religion and organization. It`s finance purely depend on the parents previously but currently the government has allocated some money to finance this level of education. 1. 4. 2 Primary education According to Ministry of Education (1987), this is the first phase of the national 8. 4. 4 system of education. The course last for eight years. Its aim is to ensure that functional and practical education that will meet the needs of the majority of children who terminate their formal education at standard eight. Financing of primary education in Kenya is universal, free and compulsory to all Kenyan citizens. The government through constituency development fund has constructed physical facilities, purchased teaching and learning materials and employing teachers. The primary school curriculum is uniform throughout the country. It is nationally developed at the Kenya institute of education by the subject experts. The government of Kenya recognizes that provision of universal primary education as an important milestone to economic and social development. In particular it has been established that by providing primary education to women, a society is able to hasten its development. The government, since January 2003 has managed to implement free primary school education programme that has seen a tremendous increase in the number of children attending school. The Government has also increased its budgetary allocation to education as well as introducing a Constituency Bursary Fund for efficient facilitation of education at the grassroots level. The implementation of the Universal Free Primary Education, as part of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), has earned Kenya the prestigious Education Award 1. 4. 2. 1 Certification Two certificates are awarded to students in primary school level these are; The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education awarded by the Kenya National examination council and the Kenya Primary Living Certificate issued with the authority of the Director of Education. 1. 4. 3 Secondary education The secondary education in Kenya comprises of 4 years of education in which an exam referred to as Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCES) is done to finish this level of education. It has three compulsory subjects English, Kiswahili and Mathematics, a science section where a student chooses all or two sciences among Chemistry, Physics and Biology. The last section of the structure comprises humanities in which a student must pick one subject and two at maximum, these subjects are Geography, History, C. R. E and Social Ethics. Lastly there is a category of subjects known as applied sciences and they are offered by limited school and a student is allowed to pick one subject in this category, they include Technical Drawing and Design, Woodwork, Metalwork, Art and Design, Electricity, Aviation and Power Mechanics. Students who obtain a grade of C+ and above are eligible for admission at Kenyan public Universities but due to limited positions the grade is shifted annually and can go as high as B+. There are two categories of secondary schools in Kenya, namely public and private schools (Bogonko,1992). 1. . 3. 1 Financing of secondary school education The public secondary schools are funded by the Government or communities and are managed through a Board of Governors and Parent Teacher Associations. Subsidized for students in Day Schools and the Government provide fees guidelines to all public schools. The private schools, on the other hand, are established and managed by private individuals or organizations an d the parents pay full fees for their children. 1. 4. 4 Teacher Education There are  five teacher education programmes in Kenya as observed by Republic of Kenya (1999). These are: The Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) teacher education programme in which teachers are trained through in-service courses in District Centres for Early Childhood Education (DICECEs). The National Centre for Early Childhood Education (NACECE) develops the curriculum, trains trainers and supervisors, and conducts monitoring and evaluation. The Secondary teacher education which is provided at the diploma and degree levels in diploma teacher training colleges and universities respectively. The Technical teacher education is offered at the Kenya Technical Teachers College in Nairobi which trains diploma level teachers for secondary schools, technical training institutes, primary teachers’ colleges, institutes of technology and vocational polytechnics. The Special needs education teacher education is provided to professionally qualified practicing teachers through a  two-year diploma programme at the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and finally the Primary teacher education (PTE) which is provided in 18 certificate level colleges through a two-year, residential programme. The entry criteria for primary teacher education require a candidate to have acquired a minimum grade of C (plain) in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). In addition, one must have obtained a minimum grade of D in Mathematics and C- in English. For the entry of a diploma programme for secondary teacher education requires a candidate to have acquired a minimum grade of C (plain) in KCSE and minimum grade of C in the two teaching subjects of his/her choice and a minimum grade of C+ for a degree course. To qualify for the award of the Primary Teacher Education Certificate, a student must pass all the practical teaching and obtain a pass in all eight subjects. The final grade – distinction, credit, pass, fail – is determined by passes in the six best performed subjects. 1. 4. 5 Tertiary Education These are middle colleges that offer certificates, diplomas and some undergraduate degrees. Their curriculum is supervised by the ministry of higher education. The source of finance is self sponsored and in some cases by the government through higher education loan board or subsidence free to the public institution (Ministry of Education, 1987). 1. 4. 6 University education In Kenya, they are both Public universities Private universities. The Public universities offer certificates, diplomas, degrees, masters and Ph. D. They are sponsored by the government by paying salaries to the staffs including lecturers, provision physical facilities. In addition, students who are selected by the government were given some financial support through Joint Admission board (J. A. B). The Private universities on the other hand, are self-sponsored and only support students to get some financial support from the government through Higher Education Loan Board (HELB). 1. 5 Administration system Getao (1996:57) explains that: â€Å"The Kenya education system is centralized in the sense that administration, curriculum development and the formulation of policies are centralized. In Kenya, parliament makes the laws pertaining to education. Occasionally, the President makes decrees related to education. He appoints the ministers who preside over the interpretation and implementation of the educational policies. † The system of education in Kenya is administered from two separate ministries namely the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education each headed by the Minister and an assistant Minister . The Ministry of education is responsible for formal education from pre-primary education, special education, primary education, secondary education and Teachers education. The Ministry of higher education is responsible for higher education which include Technical and vocational training colleges, Tertiary colleges and universities. The administration departed of ministry of education is broadly based on functional units. These are: 1. 5. 1 Permanent secretary – Heshe is the head of departments in the ministry. – Heshe is the overall head of the ministry. – Heshe is the accounting officers. – He she is the formulator and implementer of government policies on education. 1. 5. 2 Finance and administration Division This is the wing of the administrative department of the ministry responsible for day to day administrative and financial management affairs of the ministry. It is headed by the Deputy Secretary (Finance and Administration) who is responsible to the permanent Secretary and takes action on all policy matters and cabinet decisions that involve the Ministry and prepares all Cabinet Memoranda for the Ministry. 1. 5. 3 Directorate of Education According to Ministry of Education (1987) the Directorate of Education is the chief professional officer of the ministry. Heshe is responsible for both the ministry and the permanent secretary on all professional matters to do with Education. The Functions of the Directorate of Education are to Formulate policies give directions and management of professional functions relating to education. He/she is to deal with welfare of the students, develop curricula for the ministry, initiate training programme, Inspect schools and teachers, promote teachers, give scholarship and award to students, give grants and grant-in-aids to school as well as to produce and supply educational materials and equipments. The Directorate has three divisions namely The Administration and Management of Programmes (AMP), The Education Policies and Programmes (EPP) and The Quality Assurance Officers (QAO). The Administration and Management of Programmes are in charge of registering the schools and institutions, following up audited reports, giving grants and grant-in- aid to schools, inspecting reports, Discipline of students, giving annual report and admission and transfer of students. The Education Policies and Programmes is in charge of the formulation of policies for the Pre-primary Education, Secondary Education, Technical Education, Special Education, Teacher Education, The Kenya Institute of Education (KIE), University Education and other forms of Tertiary Education, 8-4-4 System of Education and Scholarship Awards to Overseas Universities. The Quality Assurance Officers department is a section in the Ministry of Education that deals largely with the maintenance and improvement of standards of education in Kenyans school and colleges. It inspects the methods of teaching and the teaching and learning materials or resources. 1. 5. 4 Field Service Education Officers This is another part of administration in education in provincial level, District level, Division and village or vocational levels. They represent the government in their level of operations. They are; i) Provincial Director Education Officers (P. D. E O. ) ii) District Education Officers (D. E. O. ) iii) Education Officers (E. O) Other administration departments in the ministry of education include: i) Board of Governors (B. O. G) who represent the government in the school level. ii) Parent Teachers Association (P. T. A) that links the school and the community. iii) Kenya National Examination council. This is body of administration is used to supervise examinations and offer certificate in different levels of education in Kenya such as primary level, secondary level and teacher education. iv) Kenya Institute of Education (KIE). This body of administration is used in publishing the syllabus and drawing of curriculum in education system of Kenya. v) Teacher Service Commission (T. S. C. ) This is the body that recruits and employs teachers. It also sucks teachers who are not behaving well. Other education bodies that are used in administration include Jomo Kenyatta foundation, Kenya Education Staff Institute (K. E. S. I), Commission for Higher Education (CHE), Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), Public Universities Inspection Board which lists all sessional papers, parliament acts such as the Education Act, draft legislation, information on Kenya universities and tertiary institutions, reports, news †¦ Kenya National Examination Council(KNEC) which is the national body responsible for overseeing national examination in Kenya for primary and secondary education amongst others. 2. 0 CHALLENGES FACING THE FORMAL EDUCATION IN KENYA Although the Kenyan Government is putting effort in improving education in Kenya, there still many challenges that are facing the sector which need to be addressed. These Most of these challenges have been observed by Sifuna, Chege and Oanda (2006) in most of the African countries. They are as follows: There is inadequate funding to the education sector. The education sector requires sufficient funding for it to undertake its duties such as curriculum development education research and the implementation of educational policies, teacher payment of salaries and so on. The Kenya education sector receives its funding mainly from the Kenyan government through the Ministry of Finance and also from international donors. However, there is still minimal funding which may be attributed to the misappropriation of funds as well as poor funding of the education sector by its primary source; the Kenyan government. Consequently, the poor funding will result in the unsatisfactory enforcement of the education sectors mandate. There may be poor curriculum development and education research as well as the improper implementation of educational policies. The Shortage of trained teachers is another challenge in education sector. The education sector struggles to meet the demand of teacher to the sector due to the shortage of teachers. This may be attributed to trained teachers attrition in preference to other fields which offer better salaries and remuneration packages as opposed to what is offered by the teaching profession. There is also the ‘Brain drain ‘ where trained teachers go to teach in other countries where they believe there are better working conditions in terms of benefits salaries and remuneration packages as opposed to those offered here in Kenya. An acute shortage of trained teachers to the education sector results in the employment of untrained teachers to meet the supply deficit. The introduction of the free primary education and free secondary education initiatives in 2003 by the Narc Government in pursuit of education for all saw a sharp increase of student enrollments. At the time the government had not put in place adequate facilities and educational resources subsequently, there arose a strain on the already limited available resources for instance the overcrowding in schools where classroom were packed beyond capacity. Several recommendation were made afterwards which saw the subsidization of education in the place of free education which requires the government to pay for part of resources required while the guardians and parents in the programme meet the remaining expenses. Some parents were still unable to meet subsidized cost of educating their children which in turn saw the dropping out of school for children who lack school fees (http://www. /par. or. ke/documents/policy). In marginalized areas such as the nomadic communities in Northern Kenya student enrollment and classroom attendance is poor as a result of the influence by the nomadic culture which requires nomadic families to move with their livestock from place to place in search of food water. Seeing that the children cannot be left behind, they are left with no choice but discontinue the learning. Gender disparity as observed by Kibera and Kimokoti (1997) poses a challenge to formal education in Kenya in terms of the ratio of boys to girls enrolled to educational institution. In some communities, especially in rural areas where traditions are still followed, boys are mostly enrolled for an education while girls are left at home to take of the home and family. There is the belief in such communities, that educated girl would be of more benefit to her matrimonial home hence her paternal home would not be able to reap the benefits of having her educated. There are also limited alternative education programmes such as teenage mother programmes to cater for the education of those girls who drop out of school due to early pregnancies. Most of these girls have to drop out of school for some time until the time they have their babies and even then they would have to stay at home take care of their babies, limiting their chances to go back to school and finish their education. Enrollment into adult education programmes is discouraging and a challenge to the education system. Many illiterate and semi-illiterate adult fears the stigma they may receive from their family, friends and society and this may beep from enrolling into such programs. Moreover, there are a few adult education programmes and institutions which is a great challenge to those adults seeking to receive such an education. Special education to cater for those students with intellectual and or physical disabilities is minimal with most guardiansparents choosing let their children with such disabilities to stay at home rather than enroll them in special schools thereby denying them an education all together. Moreover, such institutions receive minimal funding especially from the government which makes them unable to successfully deliver. Nevertheless, there are Social emergent issues which are effecting the education directly or indirectly. HIVAIDS Pandemic which both affects and affects both the teachers and students is one of the current issues in education sector. Teachers who are infected with the pandemic may be unable to or find it difficult to attend lessons due to acute symptoms of the disease as well as the side effects of its treatment. Moreover, they may be unable to face the classroom due to the stigma associated with being HIV positive. Death of teacher from HIVAIDS is also a challenge to formal education since it contributes to teacher shortage due to the loss of trained manpower to the education sector. As for the students who are infected they may have to drop out of school due to the stigma of being HIV positive as well as being of poor health to attend school. Moreover, students who are affected have to drop out of school to take care of their infected relatives. Drugs and alcohol abuse by teachers and students is another challenge. Teachers who abuse alcohol and or drugs perform poorly as teachers since they are unable to teach appropriately or disrupt the whole learning process. Moreover, students who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to be undisciplined there by contributing to arise of conflicts in the school. Such students eventually drop out of school or are kicked out all together. Students’ indiscipline such as strikes and riots which disrupt the learning process while causing damage to school educational resources like classrooms and dormitories are frequent cases in Kenya. Violence trauma that was caused by post election violence in 2007 is a reality to the Kenyan students today. In most schools, no counseling was provided for students when the institutions opened, after the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential election. Some students were victims of the violence, which was witnessed in many parts of the country between January and March 2008. Without adequate counseling at the right time, such students might have rioted and burnt down school property and projecting the effects of what is commonly referred to as delayed trauma (http://www. par. or. ke/documents/policy). 2. 1 Recommendations to the Challenge of Education in Kenya The Kenya government should increase funding to the education sector to facilitate the undertaking of its mandate such as curriculum development, education research and implementation of educational policies. The 20112012 Kenya budget saw the education sector receive a boost in funding; KSH 53. 2 billion was se t aside for tertiary education,KSH 8. 2 Billion for free primary education and KSH18. 5 billion for free day secondary education, and KSH 1. 67 billion for free school feeding programme. However, with the funding made available to education sector the government still needs to place some emphasis on the management of funds to avoid the mismanagementmisappropriation of the funds. The challenges of the shortage of should also be addressed. The government of Kenya should revise the salaries and remuneration packages in teaching profession. Better benefits, salaries and remuneration packages would also trained teachers staying with the teaching profession rather than applying their knowledge and skills in other profession. Also, there could a reduction of â€Å"brain drain† as teachers would stay in Kenya to teach. Subsequently, there would be a declined in the employment of untrained teachers thereby maintaining the quality standard of education. On the part of student enrollment, the government should strive to make education accessible as possible to all. For instance the government of Kenya should provide sponsorship programmes and bursaries for those students unable to pay school fees. Moreover, for students’ marginalized areas, the government could provide mobile schools or set up intensive programme for those students from nomadic communities. The government should also establish programme to for the needs of adult education as well as special education, while conducting sensitization efforts on the importance of adult literacy and special literacy respectively. 3. 0 Conclusion This paper has described the formal education in Kenya in pre-colonial and post- colonial era. It has also looked into the current education policies that have revealed the government efforts in improving education in order to achieve its objectives. Nevertheless, it has shed light on the challenges facing the education sector in its continued development and implementations of the government policies geared towards vision 2030. It is therefore necessary for the government to address these issues and to be practical in looking for their possible solutions, so that education can fully contribute to the development in all aspects. 3. 1 References Bogonko, S. N. (1992). A history of modern education in Kenya (1895-1991). Nairobi: Evans Brothers (Kenya) Ltd. Kibera, L. W. and Kimoti, A. (2007). Fundamentals of sociology of Education. Nairobi: University of Nairobi Press. Ministry of Education [1987], Education in Kenya Information Handbook. Nairobi: Jomo Kenyatta Foundation. Mwanje. J. I. , Akoten, J. Riechi, A. , Barasa, T. , Oyugi, L. , Omolo, J. , Junge, L. , Kimbwarata, J. and Mukasa, G. (2008). Radical Reform for Kenya’s Education Sector: Implementing Policies Responsive to Vision 2030. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from http://www. /par. or. ke/documents/policy Republic of Kenya (1964). Kenya Education Commission Report, part I. Nairobi : Government Press. Republic of Kenya (1981). Second university: Report of presidential working party (Mackey Report). Nairobi: Government Printer. Republic of Kenya (1976). The National Committee on Educational Objectives and Policies(Gathachi Report). Nairobi: Government Printer. Republic of Kenya (1999). Totally Integrated Quality Education and Training (TIQET): Koech Report. Nairobi: Government Printer. Sifuna, D. N. , Chege, F. N. and Oanda, I. O. (2006). Themes in the Study of the Foundations of Education. Nairobi: Jomo Kenyatta Foundation. [pic][pic]

Embarrassing Moments While Learning Spanish

Embarrassing Moments While Learning Spanish Making mistakes comes with the territory of learning a foreign language. Most mistakes are benign, but when you make those mistakes in a different country or culture, some of them can be downright embarrassing. A forum that used to be part of this site featured a discussion on embarrassing moments in learning the language. Here are a few of the responses. Arbolito: While living in Madrid while getting my Masters degree, I went to the mercado, specifically to where they sold poultry. I very politely asked for two pechos. I had learned that pechos was the word for breast. Little did I know that there was a different word for chicken breasts, pechuga. So there I was, asking the man for 2 human breasts! And I also used the word coger in Argentina, even though I have known forever that it is an obscenity there. But in other places, it is just a common way to say to take. So I asked someone where I could coger el autobà ºs! Apodemus: On a Spanish course in Salamanca I met a Belgian girl. I asked her, in Spanish of course, whether she spoke Dutch or French. Her response was: En la oficina, hablo holandà ©s, pero en la cama hablo francà ©s. Suddenly the whole room was looking at her, she went bright red and stuttered En la casa, dije en la casa!! Rocer: In Chile, cabrito young kid, but in Peru, cabrito gay (or is it the other way around?) A friend of mine from the U.S. was in Chile, and he learned the word cabrito. People called him cabrito because he was young. He liked the word cabrito, so he called himself cabrito. Then he traveled to Peru, and some people asked him why he didnt get married with a Peruvian girl, he said Es que yo soy muy cabrito (he wanted to say the thing is that Im very young, and he ended up saying the thing is that Im very gay). People just looked at him very weird, and laughed at him. Later on, he returned to Chile, where people laughed like crazy when he told them his story. Hermanito: Lo siguiente no me pasà ³ a mà ­ sino a una amiga mà ­a, quien apenas comenzaba a aprender espaà ±ol. Esta entro a una tiendita mexicana y le preguntà ³ al dueà ±o si tenà ­a huevos, sin saber el sentido alternativo de la palabra. (The word huevos, which means eggs, is also a slang term for testicles.) El Tejano: In Mexico, ladies never order eggs - they always say blancos. Glenda: I have three stories. The first is from a friend here in San Miguel, who after eating a delicious meal, wanted to compliment the cook. She said, Compliments to the cocino. Cocino means a fat pig. She should have said compliments to the cocinero. Then, there is this story, from our local newspaper. A moderately experienced horsewoman comes to Mexico and is taking riding lessons from a Mexican male teacher. He doesnt realize how experienced she is, so he wants her to keep the horse roped. She is frustrated but complies and keeps a rope on the horse throughout her lesson. They are talking in Spanish about the next days lesson, making arrangements, and she finishes the conversation by saying, Sà ­, est bien ... pero maà ±ana, sin ropa. And finally, from my own experience. A local waiter in a restaurant we like is also an artist. My husband and I saw his work displayed in the restaurant and decided to buy it. He was overjoyed, and in return offered to pay for the slice of cake we had ordered for dessert - a very sweet gesture. At the end of the meal, I said, Gracias por la pastilla (the pill) instead of el pastel (the cake). I am sure that there have been many more embarrassing moments which I have caused ... but probably people here were so polite I never even knew. El Tejano: Twenty odd years ago, I was in a shoe store in Mexico buying a new pair of shoes. My Spanish was a lot worse than it is now and I couldnt remember the word for size. So I looked size up in my wimp dictionary (always a very risky practice) and the first entry was tamaà ±o. So I told the young lady that my tamaà ±o was 9. She was very young and I was about 50, and I heard her mutter, barely audibly under her breath, rabo verde. If you dont get it, Ill leave the details to someone else, otherwise youll be calling me rabo verde too. Heres another: Im a retired painting contractor from Houston and we had a big commercial job down in the Rio Grande Valley, which is indistinguishable from Mexico itself. A gringo painter on our crew wanted to ask an attractive chica who worked at the Wal-Mart in Carrizo Springs to have lunch with him. We told him to say, Seà ±orita, es posible que quisieras comer conmigo? But he got confused and substituted cojer for comer. The results were predictable! Spanish Expert:  One that comes to mind happened many years ago during a trip to Mexico when I needed to buy a razor. Not knowing the word for razor, I went in a small store and asked for algo para aceitar and got only strange looks. Sign language came in handy, and Im sure that they then figured out the word I meant. I had used the verb for to oil (aceitar) instead of the verb for to shave (afeitar). I didnt realize what I had said until later that evening. I traveled to Peru a few years ago with a then-teenage son, and he wanted to try using his minimal Spanish at an outdoor market. He decided to buy an alpaca blanket and asked how much it cost - quince soles was the answer, about $5 U.S. at the time. He thought that was a good deal, and promptly pulled cincuenta soles (about $18) from his wallet. He would have paid it if I hadnt caught his mistake. In order to save himself the embarrassment of handing the vendor way too much money, he decided the price was one he couldnt pass up and promptly decided to buy two instead. Donna B: We had cooked a turkey dinner for a Mexican exchange student, and my son, who was learning Spanish, told him we were having polvo for dinner instead of pavo. Our exchange student gave him a horrified look and refused to come down for dinner. We later realized he had told the exchange student we were having dust for dinner instead of turkey for dinner. TML: The first time I went to Madrid I was asked to go to the supermercado and buy some chicken (pollo). Well, I got a little tongue-tied and instead of asking the man for pollo, I asked for a specific part of his anatomy. Talk about an embarrassing moment! He finally figured out what I was asking for and I went home with some real chicken parts! The family I was staying with almost wet their pants laughing. I have since been back to Madrid 8 times and have learned a very important lesson ... We are the ones who put the burden on ourselves. Every person I met really wanted me to succeed, and they were extremely helpful. They didnt try to make me feel stupid - but were more touched by my desire to communicate with them - even in lieu of my grammatical errors. Lessons learned: If you are afraid to make mistakes, you will not learn. Years down the road you will have some funny and often wonderful memories of people you met and how you each helped one another out. Lily Su: I was looking up the word dulce in my excellent dictionary (which lists lots of ways to use words and phrases) wanting to see if it was used to say things like, oh thank you, that was sweet of you, etc., and not just that you preferred sweet desserts, for example. I was reading along and ran across the word boniato (sweet potato). I must not have been reading very carefully because I somehow got the idea that you could call someone a boniato as a term of endearment (maybe like we call someone sweetie). So I went around saying, hola, mi boniato to many of my Spanish friends, only one of which finally corrected me. It still cracks us all up when we remember that! Also heard about an American priest who commented at the Spanish mass that he loved los calzones bonitos (calzones is underpants) when he meant to say las canciones bonitas (the beautiful songs)! Patty: I was shopping for groceries in Los Angeles with a Spanish-speaking friend, and in attempt to help her choose her orange juice I asked her (in Spanish) if she wanted the one with pulp or without. It turned out to be one of those occasions that guessing at the word by adding an o at the end didnt work. Pulpo means octopus. Fortunately, I was close enough; the word is pulpa, so she was able to guess what I meant. AuPhinger: The phrase y pico was commonly used to mean and a little, or a little bit, as in ochenta pesos y pico for a little over eighty pesos. One of the fellows in my fathers office transferred to, if I remember correctly, Chile. He used the phrase - for a short while! Until one of the guys in the office pulled him aside and informed him that there, y pico meant a little bit of only one thing! Liza Joy: Once in a university night class I was teaching, a recently divorced middle-aged student decided to use the Spanish she learned in my class on a trip to Mexico. She wanted to get away from the tourist route and so went to a restaurant where no one appeared to speak English. She managed to order a delicious meal, but when it came time to ask for the bill, all she could think of to say was how much, which she translated literally as como mucho which means I eat a lot, instead of the correct cunto. This rather plump lady told me that she kept pointing at her dish and saying como mucho to the waiter, who looked embarrassed and kept saying, No, seà ±ora, usted no come mucho. Finally, she took out her credit card, and he suddenly understood. She didnt understand what the problem was until she got back to class after Easter break. Moral: Learn your question words! Russell: This didnt actually happen to me, but a colleague of mine told me this story that happened to her. She was working in South America with the Peace Corps. She was cleaning up some area among a group of a mixture of Peace Corps folks and natives. At some point, she looked around and found that everyone had left except one local man. Being friendly, she thought shed ask his name. She intended to say,  ¿Cà ³mo te llamas? but it came at comoteyamo, which meant he heard, Cà ³mo te amo (How I love you!). Not surprisingly, the man got a surprised look on his face and did the only logical thing. He ran away. Sierra Jenkins: I worked at an international center for Girl Scouts in Cuernavaca, Mexico, that hosted girls from around the world for two-week sessions. One of my co-workers was from England and didnt speak a lick of Spanish and was terribly worried about offending someone, but I finally talked her into trying out a bit. We went over to chat with a few girls from Argentina and my friend said, Id like to ask her how old she is. I told her to say,  ¿Cuntos aà ±os tienes? and she turned to the girl and said,  ¿Cuntos anos tienes? The girl busted a gut and replied, Solo uno,  ¡pero funciona muy bien! Needless to say, I never got my friend to speak Spanish again. Bamulum: When my wife (nicaragà ºense) and I (Tennesseean) married, we kept an English-Spanish dictionary between us at all times. It was only a short amount of time that I had learned just enough Spanish to get myself into trouble. I had been sick for a few days but had gotten a lot better. When asked by my mother-in-law how I was feeling, I responded by saying mucho mujeres instead of mucho mejor, and of course received quite a stern look from my suegra! Note: Most of the comments above have been edited for brevity, context and, in some cases, content, spelling or grammar. You can find the original discussion here.