Optimal Economic Uncertainty Index Test

Optimal Economic Uncertainty Index Test CHAPTER 4 METHODOLOGY AND EMPERICAL RESULT OFÂ  OPTIMAL ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY INDEX 4.0 Introduction This chapter discussed about the methodology, data analysis and the results obtained from different tests for Optimal Economic Uncertainty Index. The generalized method of moments (GMM) parameter is using to estimate the benchmark parameters for the small structural model following by the grid search method. Lastly this chapter will closing by a conclusion. 4.1 Model Specification of OEUI The optimal economic uncertainty index is using the small structural model which is described by Svensson (2000 as the basic idea of contemporaneous model of the economic uncertainty. The equations of small structural model is written in logarithmic form which are represent the inputs for the small structural model except the real interest rate gap, the inflation gap and the economic uncertainty index. All of the variables in this model are presenting in gap form by using potential value or equilibrium value as a benchmark to calculated the deviations of the actual value from the potential values. is the real output gap, is the inflation gap, is the real exchange rate gap, is the real interest rate gap. The equations can be written as below: (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Equation 2 is an IS curve which is explain the relationship of aggregates output, real interest rate and real exchange rate and the Equation 3 is presenting an open economy Phillips curve which is explain the relation of unemployment and inflation to derive the aggregate supply curve. Following equation 4 is a reduced form of the exchange rate which is determines the real exchange rate gap and captures the concept that a higher real interest rate gap. And Equation 5 is a monetary policy reaction function. Equation 6 is a contemporaneous economic uncertainty function. This function assumes describes the relation of economic uncertainty with the shocks of macro variables and policy variables which is output gap, inflation gap, exchange rate gap and interest rate gap. The positive signs on and indicate that the output gap mitigation and the inflation reduction could reduce economic uncertainty. However the negative signs on and indicate that the central bank increasing the exchange rate and the interest rate to reduce economic uncertainty. The origin of the theoretic model of the optimal economic uncertainty index assumes that the central bank minimize the discounted expected loss subject to the small structural model by using a set of inflation, output gap and interest rate values. Below is the model of central bank’s period loss function which is assumed to be quadratic for the inflation gap, the output gap and the interest rate gap. (7) , and stand for the weights attached to the stabilization of the real output gap, the inflation gap and the real interest rate gap. In addition, as the discount factor ÃŽ ² of the loss function of structural Eq.1 approaches unity, it can be shown that the loss becomes proportional to the expected unconditional value of the period loss function as below where is and represent the unconditional variance of the real output gap and the inflation gap, respectively. (8) The variance in the monetary policy instrument is often put in the loss function of the central bank. The unconditional variance of the real interest rate gap ( ) is mainly to prevent an unrealistic situation of high interest rate volatility. , and are the weights attributed to the stabilization of the real output gap, the inflation gap and the real interest rate gap, respectively. 4.2 Data Description This study are using the quarterly from quarter one 1994 to quarter four 2012 taken from a variety of sources which is discusses in chapter 3. The gap form data series is generated by: The real output gap (): the difference between the logged time series of the current real output and the potential real outputs, which is then multiplied by 100. The real interest rate gap (): the difference between the current real interest rate and the potential real interest rates The real exchange rate gap ( ): the differences between the logged time series of the current REER and the potential REER The inflation gap (): the difference between the current inflation rate and the potential inflation rates. The potential real output, desired inflation, real interest rate at the potential output and real exchange rate at potential output is generated by using The Hodrick–Prescott (HP) filter with a smoothing parameter (ÃŽ ») 1600. 4.3 Empirical Result The grid search method calibrates the small structural model using the generalized method of moments (GMM) parameter estimation for the benchmark parameters. The GMM method has been commonly applied to estimate small-scale macroeconomic models (Clarida et al. 1988; Gali and Gertler1999; Smets 2003). The parameters estimated from the small structural model using the GMM method are reported in Table 1. Table 1 GMM estimation of the standard macroeconomic reaction function Dependent variable Independent variable(s) Parameter China Indonesia Selected Asian countries 0.908***(0.037) 0.504***(0.056) -0.219***(0.041) -0.640***(0.074) -0.084***(0.016) -0.106***(0.029) 0.074*(0.041) 0.313***(0.031) 0.403***(0.101) 0.285***(0.078) -0.047**(0.023) -0.098***(0.018) 1.223***(0.309) 1.370***(0.500) 0.575***(0.109) 0.144*(0.085) 0.373*(0.214) 1.188***(0.101) -0.141**(0.071) -0.081***(0.030) Table 2 continued Dependent variable Independent variable(s) Parameter Thailand Selected Asian countries 0.760***(0.047) -1.185***(0.231) -0.197***(0.069) 0.077***(0.015) 0.335***(0.113) -0.023***(0.007) 1.344***(0.410) 0.107***(0.037) 0.656***(0.103) -0.112**(0.050) Source Author’s calculations using EViews software Standard errors are in parentheses. *, **, and *** denote statistical significance at the 10%, 5%and 1%levels, respectively. The list of instrumental variables for the estimates above includes lagged values of the real output gap, the inflation gap, the real interest rate gap and the real exchange rate gap. Following Table 3 shows the estimated optimal coefficients of economic uncertainty in the benchmark setting. These coefficients are globally optimal because they depend on all of the state variables. Specifically, optimized economic uncertainties are optimal only in the sense that they represent solutions to the specified constrained optimization problem. Table 3 Optimal coefficients, unconditional variances of goal variables, losses (result depend on , and ) and optimized economic uncertainty index for selected Asian countries Preference Selected Asian countries , , China Indonesia Thailand 2.95 2.95 2.50 0.25 0.40 0.10 0.40 1.45 1.45 1.90 2.95 2.95 1.584 1.141 1.220 1.190 1.116 1.109 2.460 1.800 1.726 3.389 2.708 2.760 : selected Asian countries China Indonesia Thailand Source Author’s calculations using RATS econometrics software ais . b is the contemporaneous optimal economic uncertainty index; The estimated optimal coefficients of the optimal economic uncertainty index enable to derive the optimal economic uncertainty index over the sample period. This specification includes all related endogenous variables at the optimal level, specifically the real output gap, inflation gap, real exchange rate gap and real interest rate gap. These variables are then weighted using the estimated optimal coefficients and aggregated to find the optimal economic uncertainty index. To find out the validity of the derived indexes as measures of economic uncertainty, four significant economic upheavals that garnered global notoriety are selected as benchmarks for discussion: the Asian financial crisis (July, 1997), the dot-com bubble (March, 2000), the subprime crisis (Quarter 4, 2007) and the global financial crisis (September, 2008). The computed time series of the optimal economic uncertainty index for all of the selected countries are stationary. Figure 4.1 Optimal economic uncertainty index for China The notations (a, b, c and d) represent four economic upheavals that garnered global notoriety which is a stated for the Asian financial crisis (July, 1997), b stated for the dot-com bubble (March, 2000), c stated for the subprime crisis (Quarter 4, 2007), and d stated for the global financial crisis (September, 2008). The global recession periods (the shaded areas) described by the IMF are 1998, 2001–2003 and 2008–2009. (Source Author’s calculations) Optimal economic uncertainty index (OEUI) in China has been through different phases of development during the year 1994 to 2012. A higher positive value of OEUI was shown on the Asian crisis and the dot-com bubble. Afterward, a higher MCI higher positive value of OEUI also shown between the subprime crisis and the global financial crisis on year 2008. Figure 4.2 Optimal economic uncertainty index for Indonesia The notations (a, b, c and d) represent four economic upheavals that garnered global notoriety which is a stated for the Asian financial crisis (July, 1997), b stated for the dot-com bubble (March, 2000), c stated for the subprime crisis (Quarter 4, 2007), and d stated for the global financial crisis (September, 2008). The global recession periods (the shaded areas) described by the IMF are 1998, 2001–2003 and 2008–2009. (Source Author’s calculations) Figure 4.2 shows the optimal economic uncertainty index (OEUI) for Indonesia. According to figure 4.2, Optimal economic uncertainty index (OEUI) in Indonesia has been through different phases of development during the year 1994 to 2012. It was a sharply drop of MCI during the Asian crisis. Thereafter, a higher OEUI was shown on the dot-com bubble during the year 2000. Anyway, OEUI of Indonesia merely stable during the subprime crisis and the global financial crisis. Figure 4.3 Optimal economic uncertainty index for Thailand The notations (a, b, c and d) represent four economic upheavals that garnered global notoriety which is a stated for the Asian financial crisis (July, 1997), b stated for the dot-com bubble (March, 2000), c stated for the subprime crisis (Quarter 4, 2007), and d stated for the global financial crisis (September, 2008). The global recession periods (the shaded areas) described by the IMF are 1998, 2001–2003 and 2008–2009. (Source Author’s calculations) Figure 4.3 shows the optimal economic uncertainty index (OEUI) for Thailand. According to figure 4.3, Optimal economic uncertainty index (OEUI) in Thailand has been through different phases of development during the year 1994 to 2012. It was a rose of OEUI during the Asian crisis. Thereafter, a negatif value of OEUI was shown on the dot-com bubble during the year 2000, the subprime crisis and the global financial crisis.

Ancient Roman Meals :: essays research papers

Ancient Roman Meals   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ancient Romans were similar to todays generations in their eating habits but never ate three hearty meals a day. Ientaculum and prandium were merely appetizers that filled their stomachs unitl the large cena, the event they look forward to since awakening. They had names for their meals similar to ours, breakfast (ientaculum), lunch (prandium), and dinner (cena).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Breakfast, ientaculum was usually taken about nine o'clock and consisted of merely a few pieces of bread sprinkled in salt or dipped in wine, and with a few raisins and olives, and a little cheese added. The poorest Romans ate little other than wheat either crushed to make a porridge or ground into flour for bread.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lunch, or prandium was usually taken at noon. It was usually nothing more than a piece of bread accompanied by cold meat, vegetables, and fruit washed down with a glass of wine. Both ientaculum and prandium were so short there was no need to set the table or wash ones hands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only serious meal was the evening dinner or cena. Dinner time was practically the same for all Romans due to the lack of artificial light. Dinner was after the bath at the end of the eigth hour in winter and at the ninth in summer. The food is mostly cold,-breads, salads, olives, cheeses, and meats remaing from last nights dinner. Occasionally, hot dishes such as ham and pig's heads are feasted upon. Some wealthy Romans would have as many as seven courses to feed on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trimalchio, a wealthy Roman would have a bronzed donkey with appetizer dishes of olives, stuffed dormice rolled in honey and poppy seed, hot sausages were laid on a silver grill next to pomegranate and damson seeds. The guests were still busy with the hors d'oeuvres when a tray would be brought in with a basket on it, in which there was a wooden hen spreading her wings. Under the straw were Peahen eggs that would base passed out. Each egg contained a fat becafico rolled up in spiced egg yolkf. There were plates with the twelve signs of Zodiac on them that had food matas ching the symbol, ram, bull, crab, figs, lion, etc. Some hosts would heat a wfshole pig and then entertain his guests by having skilled swordmen carve the pa fig like he was killing it. After eating, many guests would entertain each othed sfr in belching. It was considered polite to belch and release wind after a ni sce meal. Guests would simply snap their fingers and servants would come running with vases to contain urine.

Globalization & Culture

This report presents the findings from two interviews conducted on two subjects namely; Kyu Yong (Eric) Kim and another one known as Brian (Choi). The interview used semi-structured method to interview the two subjects. The aim of the interview was to investigate the effects globalisation has had on them. This was done with an aim of determining how cultural orientations are shaped or determined by globalization. Also the interview aimed at analyzing as well as presenting views on the topics from literature review available. The reason for settling on the two as suitable candidates for the problem under investigation was due to two reasons: First of all, the fact that both subjects have interacted with people from two or more cultures different from theirs. Secondly, both subjects have been subjected to different cultures mainly for reasons related to globalization in one way or the other. Finally, the interviewees were selected because of their accessibility to the interviewer as well as their willingness to participate in the interview. The findings of the interview are discussed below and effort is put in order to generalize the findings to the bigger population. Definations. Globalisation is the process of improved interactions of people from cultural countries, economic as well as social orientations afforded by the rapid growth of ICT transportation and advancement in technology such as ECD, internet, mobile phones and satellite communication. Culture can be defined as the way of life of a people mainly on how people relate and interact with the environment, their beliefs, their nutrition, their religion, their traditions as well as their aspirations. Culture is affected and shaped by many factors but of all of them, it is globalization that has had the greatest impact on culture. Results/findings for Brian Choi Brian represents two cultures, American culture and Korean culture. He is a represents blended culture. From the interview, when asked about what culture was and represented, his response was, â€Å"I believe culture is what shapes you and influences the way you act and think. Culture according to me represents beliefs which are so much intertwined in a person that it becomes very hard to change cultures or to forfeit ones culture†. From the above verbatim, Brian raises a critical point that culture is embedded in ones belief. According to(Robertson, 1992)belief plays an important role in shaping culture in that cultural practices such as songs, dances, worship, marriage as well as political systems are all unique to different cultures. As far as songs are concerned, songs from a particular group or community may reflect the beliefs of the particular community or group. This factor is necessary in order to understand why people believe in what they believe in. In the traditional Korean set up, songs were used in ceremonies as landmarks for special events. Up to date, there has been little influence on the Korean music/songs from other cultures such as western culture. This can be proved by the following comments made by Brain in the interview process. Asked about the role of songs in the Korean culture Brian replied that â€Å"in Korea songs are sacred, when a group of people and possibly any gathering is commenced with a song. In terms of cultural beliefs, is useful as a tool of communication and therefore handling down the treasured values of the Koreans. The fact that culture is fast being eroded by modernization and globalization was of central importance to the interview. According to Brian, globalization has affected the Korean culture in a number of ways including; ) Globalisation has led to penetration of foreign cultural practices in Korea. Specifically globalization through enhanced communication through mobile as well as internet has contributed to communication with various people in different parts of the world. This has in turn led to the contamination of the Korean culture in that more people than ever before are as a direct result of modern technology of communication, getting married to people outside their own c ultures. This has had impact on the Korean culture in that, whenever marriages outside cultural boundaries occur. The culture is assimilated fully in some cases while in others it is changed due to the integration. In cases where the two cultures may be incompatible total abandonment results and therefore one is forced to adopt a new culture. According to Brian, the leading cause on cultural deviation is marriage, in that more than ever before, more people are getting to interact and intermingle with different cultures and therefore becoming more open to change. This is supported by (Robertson, 1992) who notes that marriage is a powerful tool of taking people out of their ethnical tribal racial or religions cocoons. The claim is further supported by who notes that apart from the effect marriage has on culture, it too does affect peoples view and perception, of others and these is one of the self means of easing tensions between diverse groups communities or races historically penetration of discrimination or segregation of various forms of way perfected by proponents of such, discouraging and in some cases criminalizing, inter-tribal, or interracial marriages. A good case is in the apartheid Era, South Africa where Boers were not permitted to marry Africans and a move in contradiction to the above was punishable. This served best interests of apartheid supporters. Therefore globalization in the sense that it leads to more advances of cultural marriages has contributed to easing tensions in many groups or societies. Culture any conflict According to (Thomas, & Wilkin, 1997) culture difference, which in turn depends on myths, religion or history of a people is often a cause of personal conflict, religious conflict as well as political on that this culture has become a major force in many conflicts taking place in the modern times. Brian in this case is not affected by political conflict, but by a more subtle form of conflict, personal conflict which in turn translates into identity crisis. Identity crisis in relation to culture refers to a situation whereby an individual as a result of belonging to different cultures either naturally or by environmental related factors gets into a situation whereby he or she is face with unique challenges of which they must negotiate in order to progress peacefully in their cultures. In the case of Brian, his primary culture is Korea while his secondary culture is America. The fact that he likes identifying himself as American points to the fact that he is happy to belong to America. However, he likes travelling back to Korea for visits once or twice every fortnight. This connotes another attraction to Korea. Actually he is connected to the people of Korea and the visits cannot be dismissed as holidays but have a cultural bearing. On the other hand, the fact hat Brian does not deny belonging to any of the cultures points to the fact that he could easily pass for a person exhibiting and practising two cultures. Although Brian was silent on how religious practices in the two cultures, Korean and American have affected him, religion is known to play a crucial role in culture. There is evidence that most of the conflicts happening in the 21st century are directly caused by cultural differences rooted in diversity of religious beliefs (Teeple, 1995). For instance in Ireland, Catholics and Protestants have been known to regularly clash over cultural differences. Elsewhere, Muslims and Christians have on numerous occasions been involved in armed and prolonged conflicts all resulting to cultural differences. While as globalization is supposed to bring a solution to this dilemma, that has not been the case and globalization has to be utilized positively if much of the cultural tensions being experienced today are to be diluted. However, Brian owns up to being a victim of ideologized cultural conflict. To him, this has been manifested in the way he has to adapt to capitalistic tendencies commonly upheld by majority of the American while at the same reserving the more socialistic values learnt in Korean, and which is so much embedded in peoples’ everyday life activities. The other culture shock which Brian admits to having come face to face with is, the value attached to work in America is high compared to Korea, as far as work ethics is concerned, Brian equates the average American worker as very hard working and dedicated compared to an average worker, in Korea. According to him globalization has had an impact on work ethics in Korea in that, many American multinationals are opening up plants in Korea, employing local for semi skilled and unskilled labor. This in turn is inculcating American culture into the locals something which is shaping Koreans and in a way changing the status-quo. From his individual standpoint, Brian alluded to the fact in US, he is faced with many challenges especially when it comes to adjusting to organizational culture. The wide cultural differences are hard to adjust to and according him, many are the days that he experiences face-to face confrontations with his supervisor due to what he termed as irreconcilable cultural differences. Asked on his final word on globalization and culture he noted that, that people should share information, share resources, exchange goods and services in what is referred to as trade. All this can be achieved only through dissecting cultures and taking out the impediments to prosperity but retaining all the positives that enhance every human being’s fundamental rights and freedom. Eric Kyu Yong Eric though not as enthusiastic about the issue as Brian, yielded into very insightful information which clearly points to the roles importance, advantages, disadvantages as well as the shortcomings of globalization and the way it has been conceptualised in relation to cultural orientations. Eric points the fact that he has experienced directly both â€Å"worlds† that is, Korea and America. He confided this as something that has shaped his understating of the problem of globalization and culture. Having spent his childhood and part of his early teenage years in Korea and then proceeded to live in America. The fact that Eric was of age by the time he left Korea for the US made him a suitable subject for the interview in that he could yield to great insights on the problem. Asked about the merits and demerits of globalization on culture. Eric pointed to the following as the merits of globalization on culture. First of all, globalization has created an opening to cultural exposure. This has been occasioned by the booming tourism business which almost always undertakes to promote indigenous cultures, in places where it exists. According to Eric, when tourists from various parts of the world undertake foreign trips to different destinations, a cultural interaction results and two or multiple cultures almost always yield into great cultural impacts. This is made possible by globalization through efficient and reliable transport system. Although Eric was quick to point to the fact that his cultural experiences are not tourism related, he observed that what first hit his mind on arrival to America was his belief that people are culturally the same and the way they do things is the same no matter the origin. To his shock, Eric soon learnt that cultural orientation were very significant contributor to the way of life of a people. While in Korea people valued foods cooked traditionally and served in traditional cook-ware, in the US the society is very busy compared to Korea. People tended to work for long hours and lacked time for social life. Eric’s first time experience led him to believe for a very long time that his society back in Korea was simply no match for his new society. This was to change soon as he developed keen interest into understanding modern factors which influenced culture. According to him, over the past decade, he has observed so many similarities in the two cultures that he has begun to actually doubt whether any significant differences actually occur between the two cultures. This he attributes to globalization which he refers to have enabled instant communication, hence sharing and exchange of information. With the advent of telecommunication, people are able to communicate via satellite, consult over important international matters, as well as agitate for common stance on key issues. As far as culture is concerned, people have as a result of globalization been able to inter-marry and therefore aid minimizing the cultural gap that exist between different cultures. Eric confidently asserted that he had as a foregone conclusion decided to marry an American. This he said was aimed to allow him to further understand better the American culture, for which as he admitted, marks the epitome of cultural variations, co-existence and collaboration. According to him, these developments were unheard of in the 60’s but have been occasioned by the relatively rapid speed with which globalization has contributed to cultural changes. Eric noted that the greatest culture shock he experienced was as a result of noticing how the value attached to marriages so much differed in the two countries, that is Korea and America. According to him, the high divorce rates in America, and the de-emphasis on extended family was so much in contravention to the culture in Korea whereby the value-system is embedded in the extended families. According to him, this is evidenced by the way generations after generations share same names in what is believed as to be respect to the dead. This, Eric noted, has of late changed and more nuclear families are sprouting up. Eric added that this can be attributed to globalisation as this practice is highly attributable to the influence foreign cultures and especially western culture has had on the contemporary Korea society- specifically ICT and internet, were identified to have contributed to this development in that, these enables people to interact online through emails, on-line chatting, online friendships and in some cases, marriage. All the above have changed people and made them open up to change including accepting and borrowing some aspects of foreign cultures as on example, Eric pointed to the fact that, in Korea it was traditionally a taboo to divorce unless for some specific and well known reasons. Even under the above mentioned conditions, the situation involved a long and rigorous process which had to be sanctioned by some designated members of the society such as traditional elders. The other key contribution of globalization to culture according to Eric was clothing. In Korea, Eric noted that traditionally clothing is regulated. For women, the conditions and requirements are stringent and are supposed to be adhered to strictly unless one is ready to be termed as an ‘outcast’. Earning the term has its own negative effects in that one is virtually locked out into the benefits enjoyed by other members such as getting a bride or bridegroom, inheriting as well as education. However Eric pointed out that, globalization has significantly changed these perceptions. He noted that when his siblings including the sisters visit America, they enthusiastically shop and dress American and it is no longer a big issue. This he attributes also to globalization, according to him, upon coming to America he considered some dressing codes as totally unacceptable. His level of cultural tolerance was totally ‘amiss’ in his own words. However, he later learnt to accept and live with it especially on campus as members of the university were youngsters who were outgoing and hardly conservative. His experiences at the university contributed positively to his changed perceptions on cultures and he got to appreciate diversity and dynamism that so strongly shape culture. According to Eric though, no culture is superior to another but some culture so strongly influence others to the point of absorbing them completely. Although he down played the effect globalization has had on him particularly, he specifically mentioned that, his interaction with the America culture, largely occasioned by globalization has changed his life. Conclusion Globalisation has had major influence on culture, and it is not surprising that the cultures in two different countries that is America and Korea, as evidenced in the interview represent globalization influence on culture. From the evidence gathered from the interview with Brian and Eric, culture and globalization are intertwined and therefore influence each other. From the two interviewees, it was possible to deduce the factors which shape cultures. From the report, it can be recommended that, more research need to be carried out in order to determine how globalization can be shaped to avoid taking away from the achievements so far realized in integrating different cultures. On the same note, there is a need for efforts from governments and other key stakeholders to come up with policies which protect indigenous cultures from negative effects of globalization. This should be done with an aim of preventing erosion of positive aspects of cultures however small. Finally globalization should be encouraged in as far as it promotes development of cultural issues such as integrating of cultures which helps solve numerous challenges such as racial, tribal or ethnic tensions.

6 Strategies for Teaching Idioms in any Election

Politicians are always campaigning. They run  campaigns to get votes to win their political office or seat. They run campaigns to win votes to keep their political office or seats. It does not matter if the politician is running for local, state or federal office, a politician is always communicating with the voters, and much of that communication is in the language of campaigns.    In order to understand what a politician is saying, however, students might need to become familiar with campaign vocabulary. Explicit teaching of election terms important for all students, but particularly important with English language learners (ELs, ELLs, EFL, ESL). That is because campaign vocabulary is filled with idioms,  which means a word or phrase that is not taken  literally. Take for example, the idiomatic phrase to throw ones hat in the ring: Announce  ones  candidacy  or  enter  a  contest,  as  in The  governor  was  slow  to  throw  his  hat  in  the  ring  in  the  senatorial  race.This  term  comes  from  boxing,  where  throwing  a  hat  in  the  ringindicated  a  challenge;  today  the  idiom  nearly  always  refers  to  political  candidacy.  [c.  1900] (The Free Dictionary-Idioms) Six Strategies for Teaching Idioms Some of the political idioms would confuse any level of student, so using the following six strategies may be helpful: 1. Provide these election idioms in context:  Have students find examples of idioms in speeches or campaign materials. 2. Stress that idioms are in most often used in the spoken form, not written. Help students to understand that idioms are conversational, rather than formal.  Have students practice the idioms by creating  sample  conversations that they can share  to help them understand.   For example, take the following dialogue featuring the idiom â€Å"political hot potato† in school: Jack:  I have to write my top two issues that I would like to debate.For one of the issues, I am thinking of choosing Internet privacy. Some politicians see this issue as a political hot potato.Jane:  Mmmmm. I love hot potatoes. Is that whats on the menu for lunch?Jack:  No, Jane, a political hot potato is an issue that  can be so sensitive that those taking a stand on the issue could risk being embarrassed. 3. Be sure to explain how each word in an idiom may have a different meaning then what is meant in the whole idiomatic phrase. Take, for example, the term convention bounce: Convention means: a meeting or formal assembly, as of representatives or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concernBounce means: a  sudden  spring  or  leapThe term convention bounce does not mean that the one of the actions the representatives or the entire assembly performed was a spring or leap.   Instead convention bounce means the  surge of support that U.S. presidential candidates in the  Republican  or  Democratic  party typically enjoy after the televised  national convention  of their party. Teachers should be aware that some of the idiomatic  vocabulary is also  cross-disciplinary.  For example, personal appearance can refer to a persons wardrobe and demeanor, but in the context of an election, it means an event that a candidate attends in person.   4. Teach a few idioms at a time:   5-10 idioms at a time is ideal. Long lists will confuse students; not all idioms are necessary to understand the election process. 5. Encourage student collaborations in studying idioms, and use the following strategies: Ask students to discuss idioms with one another;Ask students to restate the meaning of each idiom in their own words;Ask students to compare their descriptions of an idiom;Have students explain to each other any new information they have learned about the idioms;Find any areas of disagreement or confusion and help clarify;Have students can make revisions to their own work. (NOTE:  Ã‚  let students whose primary existing knowledge base is still in their native language to write in it.) 6. Use idioms in teaching the election process:  Teachers can use specific examples  (exemplification)  Ã‚  with what students know in order to teach some of the vocabulary.   For example, the teacher may write on the board, â€Å"The candidate stands by his record.† Students may then say what they think the term means. The teacher can then discuss with the students the nature of a  candidates record  (something is written down or what a person says). This will help students understand how the context of the word  record  is more specific in an election: record: a list showing a candidates or elected officials voting history (often in relation to a specific issue) Once they understand the meaning of the word, students can research a particular candidates record in the news or on websites such as  Ontheissues.org. Supporting the C3 Frameworks by Teaching Idioms Teaching students the popular idioms used in political campaigns allows teachers the opportunity to incorporate  civics  into their curriculum. The new  Social Studies Frameworks for College, Career, and Civic Life  (C3s), outlines the requirements teachers must follow to prepare students to participate in a productive constitutional democracy: ....[student] civic engagement requires knowledge of the history, principles, and foundations of our American democracy, and the ability to participate in civic and democratic processes (31). Helping students understand the language of political campaigns- our democratic processes -makes them better-prepared citizens in the future when they exercise their right to vote. Vocabulary Software Program-Quizlet One way to help students become familiar with any election year vocabulary is to use the digital platform  Quizlet: This free software gives teachers and students a variety of modes: specialized learning mode, flashcards, randomly generated tests, and collaboration tools to study words. On Quizlet teachers can create, copy, and modify vocabulary lists to suit the needs of their students; not all words need to be included. 53 Political Election Idioms and Phrases The following list of idioms is also available on Quizlet: Political Election Idioms and Phrases-Grades 5-12. 1.Always a bridesmaid, never a bride:  used to talk about someone who is never the most important person in a situation. 2.A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush:  Something of some value that on already has; not risking what one has for (im)possibilities. 3.Bleeding Heart:  A term describing people whose hearts bleed with sympathy for the downtrodden; used to criticize liberals who favor government spending for social programs. 4.The buck stops here:  said by someone who is responsible for making decisions and who will be blamed if things go wrong. 5.Bully Pulpit:  The Presidency, when used by the President to inspire or moralize. Whenever the President seeks to rouse the American people, he is said to be speaking from the bully pulpit. When the term first came into use, bully was slang for first rate or admirable. 6.Caught between a rock and a hard place:  in a very difficult position; facing a hard decision. 7.A chain is only as strong as its weakest link:  A successful group or team relies on each member doing well. 8.Cheat/fool me once, shame on you. Cheat/fool me twice, shame on me!:  After being tricked once, one should be wary, so that the person cannot trick you again. 9.Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades:  Coming close but not succeeding is not good enough. 10.Closing the barn door after the horse escapes:If people try to fix something after the problem has occurred. 11.Convention Bounce:  Traditionally, after the official convention of the party of a US Presidential candidate during an election year, that partys nominee would see an increase in voter approval in polls. 12.Do not count your chickens before they hatch:  you should not count on something before it happens. 13.Do not make a mountain out of a molehill:  meaning its not that important. 14.Do not put all your eggs in one basket:  to make everything dependent on only one thing; to place all ones resources in one place, account, etc. 15.Do not put the horse before the cart:  Do not do things in the wrong order. (This can imply that the person you are addressing is impatient.) 16.The end justifies the means:  A good outcome excuses any wrongs committed to attaining it. 17.Fishing Expedition:  An investigation with no defined purpose, often by one party seeking damaging information about another. 18.Give him/her enough rope to hang him/herself: I f one gives someone enough freedom of action, they may destroy themselves by foolish actions. 19.Hang your hat:  to depend on or believe in something. 20.He who hesitates is lost:  One who cannot come to a decision will suffer for it. 21.Hindsight is 20/20:  A perfect understanding of an event after it has happened; a term usually used with sarcasm in response to criticism of ones decision. 22.If at first you do not succeed, try and try again:  Dont let a first-time failure stop further attempts. 23.If wishes were horses then beggars would ride:  If people could achieve their dreams simply by wishing for them, life would be very easy. 24.If you can not take the heat, stay out of the kitchen:  If the pressures of some situation are too much for you, you should leave that situation. (Somewhat insulting;implies that the person addressed cannot tolerate pressure.) 25.It is not whether you win or lose, it is how you play the game:Reaching a goal is less important than giving our best effort. 26.Jumping on the bandwagon:  to support something that is popular. 27.Kicking the Can down the Road:  a delaying of a difficult decision made by passing short and temporary measures or laws instead. 28.Lame Duck:  An officeholder whose term has expired or cannot be continued, who thus has lessened power. 29.The lesser of two evils:  The lesser of two evils is the principle that when faced with selecting from two unpleasant options, the one which is least harmful should be chosen. 30.Let us run it up the flagpole and see who salutes:  to tell people about an idea in order to see what they think of it. 31.Opportunity only knocks once:You will only have one chance to do something important or profitable. 32.A political football:  A problem that doesnt get solved because the politics of the issue get in the way, or the issue is very controversial. 33.A political hot potato:  Something potentially dangerous or embarrassing. 34.Politically correct/incorrect (PC):  To use or not use language that is offensive to some person or group - often shortened to PC. 35.Politics makes strange bedfellows:  Political interests can bring together people who otherwise have little in common. 36.Press the flesh: to shake hands. 37.Put my foot in my mouth:  to say something that you regret; to say something stupid, insulting, or hurtful. 38.Reach Across the Aisle:  A term for making an effort to negotiate with member(s) of the opposite party. 39.Skeletons in the closet:  a hidden and shocking secret. 40.The squeaky wheel gets the grease:  When people say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, they mean that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service. 41.Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never harm me:  Something in response to an insult which means that people cannot hurt you with bad things they say or write about you. 42.Straight as an arrow:  Honest, genuine qualities in a person. 43.Talking Points:  A set of notes or summaries on a particular topic that is recited, word for word, whenever the topic is discussed. 44.Throw in the towel:  to give up. 45.Throw your hat into the ring:  to announce your intention of entering a competition or election. 46.Toe the party line: to conform to the rules or standards of the political party. 47.To get on/off your soapbox:  To talk a lot about a subject you feel strongly about. 48.Vote with your feet:  To express ones dissatisfaction with something by leaving, especially by walking away. 49.Where there is smoke, there is fire:  If it looks like something is wrong, something probably is wrong. 50.Whistlestop: a brief appearance of a political candidate in a small town, traditionally on the observation platform of a train. 51.Witch Hunt:  A vindictive, often irrational, investigation that preys on public fears. Refers to witch hunts in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, where many innocent women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake or drowned. 52.You can lead a horse to water but you can not make it drink:  You can present someone with an opportunity, but you cannot force him or her to take advantage of it. 53.You can not judge a book by its cover:  something that you say which means you cannot judge the quality or character of someone or something just by looking at them.