Developing Oral Language Summary Essay Example for Free

Developing Oral Language Summary Essay Oral language and written language are essential skills that are needed for comprehension. Comprehension is defined as an understanding of oral and written language. In order for a child to comprehend what they are reading, several factors must come into play. Reading and decoding the words effortlessly without errors is the main step toward comprehension. When a child is reading text, they are experiencing phonemic awareness by sounding out the words in their mind. Writing is the next step toward comprehension. Writing goes hand in hand with reading. When a child is writing, they are also sounding out the words in their mind. Adults play a huge role in how children develop oral language skills. Automatic language is part of our everyday routines and children learn by â€Å"listening and speaking, phonological awareness and alphabetic knowledge, print awareness, comprehension, and writing† (Virginia.gov, n.d.). When students are learning to read and write, they do so simultaneously. It used to be thought that students should learn how to read first and then learn how to write. However, research has shown that learning to write while learning to read is important and vital in the development of reading (Pearson, D. 2007). A student needs to be able to read and write fluently in order to comprehend the material. In order to comprehend academic language, which is what students will use in school, there are certain concepts that a student must learn. Students need to learn syntax which is how words are formed to be able to create sentences void of errors. Students need to semantics which is defined as the meaning of language. Students should be able to cognitively understand and think about what they are reading. They also need to know how to use the language which is known as pragmatics. Through the use of various resources, students build up their vocabulary and strengthen their abilities to read fluently. â€Å"†¦the larger the reader’s vocabulary (either oral or print), the easier it is to make sense of the text† (National Institute,.n.d.). At this point, they will learn text structure and how sentences are strewn together. Of course, this all depends on what genre of text they are attempting to read and how complex the text in regards to the grade specific text they are reading. Being able to comprehend what one is reading all depends on what mood the student is in at the time. The student should be motivated and interested in the reading material. They need to understand the purpose of the reading; is it for enjoyment or for a school assignment? All of these are key factors that lead to comprehension. Another element of comprehension is cognitive targets. Cognitive targets are defined as the way a person comprehends or thinks about what is being read. The targets are locate and recall, integrate and interpret, and critique and evaluate. Locate and recall refers to locating or recalling something specific, such as the main idea, about the text they have read. Integrate and interpret refers to how a student can explain or compare what they have read. Critique and evaluate refers to how a student exams the text or evaluates certain parts of the text. Students practice these cognitive targets in both literary and informational texts. Examples of literary text include poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. â€Å"Informational texts include three broad categories: exposition; argumentation and persuasive text; and procedural text and documents texts† (NAEP). There are specific forms of instruction to improve comprehension and are most effective when taught together if possible. Comprehension monitoring is when a person is aware that they understand what is being read. Cooperative learning is when a group of students learn to read together. Graphic and semantic organizers are tools that readers use to represent material so that it is easier to comprehend. Question generation and question answering is when a reader asks themselves questions about the text and answers questions from the teacher. Story structure is when students are able to remember the main part of the story and answer questions about the story. Summarization is when a student reads text material and is able to generalize the entire text into a shorter passage. According to the article, Writing to Read, â€Å"instructional recommendations have shown clear results for improving students’ reading† (Graham S., Hebert. M., 2010). When these are other instructional methods are implemented into the reading process, comprehension can be very effective. This is especially true if these methods are built on top of an already developed language, strong background knowledge, and a high vocabulary. When teaching students comprehension through oral language and writing, teachers need to incorporate English language learners into their curriculum. English language learners may have linguistic issues and cultural background issues that are not only preventing comprehension, but also preventing reading and writing to begin with. As a teacher, it is crucial to first assess the ELL’s reading status to find out exactly where they are in the reading process. If so, what strategies can be implemented to better teacher the ELL’s. Also, a teacher needs to assess whether the student’s cultural background is preventing them from understanding the language. If this is the case, the teacher needs to learn the student’s background in order to assess where they are coming from academically. Not unlike native English learners, socioeconomic background can have an effect on how an ELL student is doing in school. According to the article, Cultural and Linguistic Impact, Patricia C. Salazar explains, â€Å"A student who comes from an educated middle-class family will have a different approach to learning than one who comes from a war-torn region of the world where food is scarce, and tragedy and trauma are daily occurrences† (Salazar, PC. 2009). Teaching an ELL student how to develop oral and written language will come from a successful assessment of the student. In order for a student to be successful at comprehension, oral language and written language skills must be mastered first. Reading is enhanced by written language and writing is enhanced by oral language. To facilitate a child’s learning, parents and teachers should provide as many resources as possible to accomplish this. In order to comprehend oral and written language, the student needs to be motivated and be reading grade specific text in order for the student to retain what they are reading. Cognitive targets are useful in facilitating comprehension and used regularly. Teachers also use different forms of instruction when teaching students how to build oral and written language. Finally, when teaching English language learners how to develop oral and written language, it is imperative that the teacher first learn of any linguistic or background issues and adjust their curriculum accordingly. It is crucial that educators teach students how to develop oral and written language in order to be successful academically. References Graham, S. Hebert, M. (2010). Writing to Read: Evidence for how Writing can Improve Reading. Vanderbilt University. Carnegie Corporation, NY. Retrieved from: http://carnegie.org/fileadmin/Media/Publications/WritingToRead_01.pdf Language Development. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://languagedevelopment.tripod.com/id11.html Language and Literacy Language. (n.d.). Retrieved from: and Literacy http://www.dss.virginia.gov/files/division/cc/provider_training_development/intro_page/publications/milestones/milestones_individually/05.pdf National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Retrieved from: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/reading/whatmeasure.asp National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). What Works in Comprehension Instruction. Retrieved from: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/105/ Pearson, D.P. (2007). Reading Researcher Advocates Strengthening Literacy Programs Through Reading-Writing Synergy. Retrieved from: https://portal.flsouthern.edu/ICS/icsfs/reading_writing_synergy.pdf?target=7fde5bd4-34ca-4c2a-9b7b-3cf7f64718b8

Responses to the Boasian School of Anthropology Essay Example for Free

Responses to the Boasian School of Anthropology Essay The Boasian school of anthropology, headed by Franz Boas, was among those that pioneered modern concepts in anthropology. The Boasian school was critical of overgeneralizing perspectives or theories in the sciences, including the cultural evolutionary school in anthropology, choosing instead to adopt rigorous empiricism in its approach. The Boasian school believed in the world having distinct cultures and that cross-cultural generalizing often made in the natural sciences are not possible in anthropology. The school today uses the four field approach that divides the field into socio-cultural, biological, linguistic and prehistoric anthropology. While Leslie White was educated in the Boasian school of anthropology, he later began to question the anti-evolutionary views of his early education. He developed and advocated an anthropological, ethical and political view of the world almost targeted against the Boasian school. Leslie White embraced two contradictory models of culture: the sut generts conceptions from his Boasian education and the materialist-utilitarian framework developed out of his concern with cultural evolutionism. White never reconciled the two but he definitely gave stress to the Boasian-based sut generts in case of conflicts. White feared that the Boasian schools concept of cultural determinism represented an emasculation of anthropology and instead advocated science and evolution, particularly 19th Boasian School 1 century theories. White regarded culture as superorganic made up of the technology, social organization and ideology levels. It should be noted, however, that White still held on to the Boasian-based sut generts and that he still tended to downgrade the impact made by the natural environment on culture and society. Julian Steward was a fellow evolutionist with Leslie White. Differing slightly from White, Julian stewards concepts of evolution and progress was not limited to 19th century concepts. Steward, who was a pluralist in terms of openness to other views, never sharply broke up with the Boasian school. But he did find anomalies in the historical particularism paradigm of the Boasian school. Steward viewed evolution as recurrent forms, processes, and functions, in opposition to Boasians repudiation of evolution and regularity in culture. He also perceived culture as superorganic, similar to a limited extent to Whites culturology. Steward’s multi-linear evolution aspect of his approach to anthropology differed from the extreme particularism of the Boasian school but without adopting the antithetically unilinear evolution concept of White. Boasian School 1 References (December 2006). The Paradoxical Anthropology of Leslie White. Retrieved from the American Anthropological Association Website http://www. aaanet. org/gad/history/088white2. pdf. Leslie White. (2006, July 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:16, December 4, 2006, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Leslie_Whiteoldid=65691607. (May 2006). ESP/ANT 133. University of California Davishttp://www. des. ucdavis. edu/ esp133/133-08l. htm.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Causes and Treatments

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Causes and Treatments Lucy Crawshaw Irritable Bowel Syndrome – What is IBS and what are the treatments? The aim of this report is to provide information on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and inform those diagnosed with IBS about the treatments available. IBS is a common condition of the small and large intestine, or ‘bowel’. It affects about 15% of the population and of those affected, about 9% are female and 6% are male. IBS is a functional condition, meaning that it disrupts bowel function but does not cause detectable abnormalities in the structure of bowel. This can lead to doctors and the public trivialising the condition, even though it affects patients’ quality of life by causing pain, problems associated with passing faeces and psychological issues such as depression. The Digestive System The body’s cells require many different molecules and ions to function; it is the digestive system (shown in Figure 1) which supplies these nutrients. The term ‘digestion’ encompasses ingestion, digestion (the breakdown of food into its component nutrients), absorption of nutrients and excretion of waste products. During ingestion, food is placed into the mouth, chewed and mixed with saliva to form a soft mass, or bolus. Saliva contains enzymes which catalyse, or speed up, the breakdown of food. After the bolus is swallowed, it travels down the oesophagus into the stomach, aided by peristalsis (muscular contractions which travel down the particular organ). In the stomach, gastric juices including hydrochloric acid and enzymes break down the bolus into a liquid called chyme. The chyme enters the small intestine along with pancreatic juices containing enzymes, and bile (which is produced by the liver and 269 words stored in the gall bladder), where it is fully digested. The nutrients released are absorbed through blood vessels in the small intestine. Peristalsis pushes the undigested matter, including fibre, resistant starch and bacteria into the large intestine (which is divided into the cecum, colon and rectum). Once in the colon, water is absorbed, turning the matter into faeces. The faeces moves into the rectum by peristalsis, after which it is excreted from the anus. What are the symptoms? The severity of IBS symptoms vary but are usually worse in the morning and after eating. Typical symptoms include painful abdominal cramps, which ease after passing faeces, abdominal bloating, flatulence, changes in the consistency of faeces (ranging from diarrhoea to constipation) and passing mucus with faeces. Sufferers may also feel the sudden need to empty their bowels or feel that their bowels are not empty despite having been to the toilet. Other symptoms can include feeling sick, back ache, lethargy, bladder problems including the urgent need to urinate, difficulty emptying the bladder and incontinence and dyspareunia, or pain during sex. IBS is unpredictable in that sufferers may experience no symptoms for months, then experience a ‘flare-up’ for no discernible reason. Symptoms may settle within 2 to 3 days or can take months to settle. IBS has also been linked with psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. It has been estimated that 3 in 4 sufferers will develop depression and about 50% will develop Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). What are the causes? The exact cause of IBS is unknown although several theories have been proposed. Some experts believe that IBS is caused by a change in the speed at which chyme is processed through the bowel; slower processing allows the colon more time to absorb water, causing constipation by making faeces harder and more difficult to excrete. If processed more quickly, less water is absorbed, resulting in diarrhoea. A second theory is that IBS is caused by disruption to nerve signals between brain and bowel, increasing sensitivity to pain, so that mild indigestion to a non-sufferer may cause severe pain to IBS sufferer. Both of these changes may be linked to food poisoning or intolerance to certain foods. Another theory suggests that these changes may be caused by stress, anxiety or trauma during childhood (such as abuse or neglect), which decreases the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the body. Serotonin is produced by the brain and intestines, and is important in controlling mood and digestion. Reduced serotonin levels have been linked to depression and slow peristalsis in the bowel, leading to constipation. Higher levels of serotonin in the body can increase peristalsis, causing diarrhoea; this theory may help to explain the link between IBS and depression. IBS may also be related to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), where bacteria from the large intestine migrates to the small intestine and ferment the indigestible components of chyme, and giving off hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane gas. How is IBS diagnosed? As IBS causes no physical changes to the bowel, doctors must rely on patients describing their symptoms. A diagnosis can be made if the patient has been suffering from the typical symptoms for the previous 6 months. However, doctors may wish to carry out tests including blood tests and faeces tests, to rule out other conditions which cause similar symptoms, like inflammatory bowel disease, 1eliac disease or infections. What are the treatments? As yet, no cure has been found for IBS, however symptoms can be managed. One of the easiest treatments is modification of the diet. Dietary advice is best provided by healthcare professionals on an individual basis, based on the patient’s symptoms and reactions to certain foods. Recording a food diary detailing what is eaten and any ill-effects is an effective way of identifying the changes which are needed. Seeking dietary advice may also benefit other aspects of patient health, including ensuring a balanced diet, and weight management. Fibre, from components of plants like cellulose, lignin and pectin which are resistant to digestive enzymes, is an important factor in the diet. Soluble fibre dissolves in water, causing it to swell and form a gel, softening faeces and stimulating peristalsis. It is though that increasing soluble fibre and water in the diet can ease the symptoms of IBS. In contrast, insoluble fibre acts as an irritant to IBS sufferers as it remains intact during digestion, increasing the speed at which faeces travels through the bowel. Soluble fibre is found in foods like rice, pasta, oats, root vegetables and fruits including bananas and mangoes. Generally, foods which are stringy, have tough skin or contain seeds are high in insoluble fibre. Specific examples include cereals, wholegrain foods, nuts and seeds, salad and dried fruit. Insoluble fibre should not be completely excluded from the diet but should be consumed in small quantities alongside soluble fibre. Cooking, chopping and pureeing foods containing insoluble fibre may help to reduce their ill-effects. To reduce flatulence, a low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols) diet is recommended. FODMAPs are carbohydrates which are resistant to digestion and as a result, ferment in the bowel. Foods containing FODMAPs include processed wheat products, dairy products containing the sugar lactose, beans and some fruit and green vegetables, including peaches, nectarines, apples, cherries, cabbage, broccoli and peas. Other ‘trigger foods’ that should be avoided include red meat, dark poultry meat and skin, saturated fats (such as butter and lard), sulphur-rich foods including onions and garlic, acidic foods like vinegar and citrus fruits, fructose (fruit sugar) and artificial sweeteners. IBS sufferers are advised to eat regularly, avoid skipping meals and take their time whilst eating. Drinking about 2 litres of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic liquid per day is also recommended. It is though that probiotic products like yoghurts and capsules may ease IBS symptoms in some patients. It is currently recommended that patients should use a product for 4 weeks before deciding whether it is beneficial. Other suggested ‘off-the-shelf’ products include remedies containing herbs like peppermint, fennel and acacia. Another effective way to manage IBS, whilst also benefiting other aspects of a patient’s health, like weight management and fitness, is to conduct about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (like cycling and walking). Exercise reduces stress by increasing serotonin levels and also pumps blood away from the bowel and towards other muscles, which may help to ease IBS symptoms both during exercise and in the long-term. Stress can also be reduced with relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and meditation and activities like yoga. Other methods to reduce stress or treat IBS-linked depression are counselling, hypnotherapy and Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which teaches people to alter their thinking and behaviour. Alternative treatments like acupuncture and reflexology are not recommended. When other treatments fail, doctors may recommend medication. While medication can ease the symptoms of IBS, it may also pose a risk to health due to possible side effects. Antispasmodics such as Mebeverine are prescribed to relax the bowel muscles thus reducing painful abdominal cramps. For patients with constipation, bulk-forming laxatives, like Normacol or Fybogel, can make bowel movements easier and more regular, due to the insoluble fibre contained within these drugs. In contrast, antimotility medicines such as Loperamine slow peristalsis allowing faeces time to solidify in the bowel, thus easing symptoms for patients with diarrhoea. Finally, irrespective of whether a patient is displaying psychological symptoms of IBS, antidepressants may be prescribed. Tri-Cyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), like Amitriptyline, interact with neurotransmitters (including serotonin) in the brain where they reduce anxiety and pain, and in the intestines where they slow peristalsis, making them effective for treating patients with diarrhoea. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), like Citalopram, increase serotonin levels in the body, proving them beneficial to patients with constipation. Is treatment effective? A study entitled ‘Effects of a health program comprising reassurance, diet management, probiotics administration and regular exercise on symptoms and quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome’ found that such treatment significantly eased the symptoms of 143 IBS patients who suffered from pain, diarrhoea-dominant IBS or constipation-dominant IBS (as shown in Figure 2). However, this study does not show the individual effect of each treatment. With regards to probiotics, the NHS argues that little evidence supports their use, however studies such as those cited by probiotic manufacturer OptiBac suggest that their products can be highly efficacious. There is also little evidence to support the use of herbal remedies. A review of previous studies entitled ‘Efficacy of antidepressants and psychological therapies in irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis’ found that antidepressants were 34% more effective than placebo drugs in reducing the symptoms of IBS, while psychological therapies reduced symptoms in 33% of patients. The conclusion stated that both treatments are ‘effective’. What are the implications treatment? The ease of availability of information about self-help treatments, (especially on the internet) could be considered unethical as patients may fail to seek professional medical help. The implication is that patients may receive inadequate treatment for their IBS or that other causes of their symptoms may not be diagnosed, which could prove fatal. The lack of conclusive evidence supporting the use of herbs and probiotics as self-help treatments raises questions as to the ethics of manufacturers promoting such products as they may give rise to ‘false hope’ of a cure. There are also questions as to the ethics of prescribing medication for a ‘functional’ condition. In addition, social stereotyping could lead to patients prescribed antidepressants being labelled as ‘crazy’ etcetera. Finally, the treatment of IBS has a significant economic impact on the UK; the National Institute of Health And Care Excellence (NICE) estimate that diagnosis and management of IBS cost the NHS  £7,879000 in 2008. Evaluation of reference materials Websites like ‘NHS Choices’ and ‘Patient’ provide a useful overview on IBS and cover a wide range of topics, however fail to fully explore many areas including how the different types of fibre affect IBS, why exercise is beneficial to sufferers and how certain drug treatments work. Despite the ethical issues related to selling untested remedies, of all the references cited, ‘Help for IBS’ provides the most practical advice on changing dietary fibre intake, including food preparation tips. In contrast, other websites like ‘NHS Choices’ purely state that changes should be made. ‘Help for IBS’ also includes information on other ‘trigger foods’, which was not available in the other resources. Bibliography SOANES, C., STEVENSON, A., (2009), Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford, OUP http://www.bsg.org.uk/clinical/commissioning-report/ibs/functional-symptoms.html  (12 Nov 2014) http://www.patient.co.uk/health/irritable-bowel-syndrome-leaflet (11 Nov 2014) http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Irritable-bowel-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx  (11 Nov 2014) http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/biology/animal_survival/the_need_for_ food/ revision/4/ (12 Nov 2014) PAUL, I., (2002), Digestive System: Biology, USA, Macmillan Reference Science Library http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232248.php (13 Nov 2014) http://ibs.about.com/od/medicationforibs/a/Antidepressants-For-IBS.htm  (13 Nov 2014) http://digestivehealthinstitute.org/2013/05/10/resistant-starch-friend-or-foe/  (14 Nov 2014) (2008), Diagnosis and management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in primary care, London, NICE http://www.co-operativepharmacy.co.uk/Pharmacy/Medicine-Chest/NHS-Articles/L/Laxatives/ (13 Nov 2014) http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-health-benefits-11/insoluble-soluble-fiber  (13 Nov 2014) http://www.helpforibs.com/diet/fiber2.asp (15 Nov 14) http://www.optibacprobiotics.co.uk/faq/which-probiotics-are-for-ibs (16 Nov 2014) http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=840 (13 Nov 2014) http://www.lef.org/protocols/gastrointestinal/constipation/page-04 (16 Nov 2014) (2008), National Costing Report: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, London, NICE EL-SALHY, M., LILLEBO, E., REINEMO, A., SALMELID, L., HAUSKEN., (2008), Effects of a health program comprising reassurance, diet management, probiotics administration and regular exercise on symptoms and quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, Gastroenterology Insights FORD, A.C., TALLEY, N.J., SCHOENFELD, P.S., QUIGLEY, E.M.M., MOAYYEDI, P., (2008), Efficacy of antidepressants and psychological therapies in irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis, Gut

Leadership Theories and the Bible Essay -- Papers Leading

Theories of Leadership Leadership is the ability of a person to influence people toward the attainment of a particular goal. Leadership is a people activity, not like administrative paper shuffling or problem solving. It is a dynamic force and involves the use of power. Out of the forces of leadership come four powerful characteristics: supportive, directive, participative, and achievement-oriented leadership. Although these types of characteristics are not considered ingrained personality traits, they reflect types of behavior every leader is able to adopt depending on the situation. The supportive leadership role involves showing concern for subordinates' well being and personal needs. This type of leadership behavior is open, friendly, and approachable. The person who has this type of leadership trait would be able to created a team climate and treats subordinates as equals. They move on a higher plain of trust. By seeking and finding support form his subordinates, the supportive leader shows his trustworthiness and integrity. He can be at times open to change. Supportive leaders have a high degree of emotional intelligence which means having a deep understanding of one?s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, needs and drives. The supportive leader will be able to recognize these traits in his subordinates because he possesses them as well. In the biblical sense, Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their hard work. "For if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up. But how will it be with just the one who falls when there is not another to raise him up," Eccesiastes 4:9-10. God wants us to show concern for each other and give support when needed. These two p... ...en in Israel like Moses, whom the lord knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt ? to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty powers or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.? This clearly shows that God does not want us to dwell on monetary rewards. He wants us to communicate and lead on a higher plan and not dwell on what?s in it for me. God should be our reward. Because if we live for God, we will surely be an outcast to others. All four types of leaderships have there own share of ups and downs. None of them are really clear-cut. There are drawbacks in any type of leadership. But if you put God first in everything that you do, you will have a greater chance for success, and possibly the respect you deserve.

Anne Sexton Essay -- Literary Analysis

Most of us accept the stories we were told as children were false, or at least romanticized. At some point, the illusion was shattered, and Santa, the Easter Bunny and Cinderella were characters we fondly remembered. But although we recognized these figures and legends as illusions, we held on to many of the sentiments the stories, without questioning their application to adult life. Anne Sexton often uses these innocent, childlike images juxtaposed with cynical but more realistic situations in order show that the lessons society teaches children, ones that children retain as adults, are illusions that do not properly illustrate the corrupt, violent world we actually live in. Sexton’s poem Cinderella, about rags to riches stories, clearly follows this pattern. First, the speaker tells four stories: one of a plumber who wins the lottery, one of a nursemaid who marries her boss’s son, a milkman who makes a fortune in real estate, and a charwoman who becomes rich after a bus she was on crashes, and she collects on insurance. The progression of these stories themselves lay cynicism into the form of the poem. The speaker starts with a story about a lottery winner, which is something lucky and could be taken as the universe helping a man struggling to take care of â€Å"the twelve children.† Next comes the nursemaid, who does have a romantic journey too, though not quite as incidental as this lucky plumber, because she â€Å"captures the oldest son’s heart.† The choice of the word â€Å"capture† could be viewed as merely an idiomatic happenstance, or more possibly an implication that the speaker feels the nursemaid had some ulterior motive to love in her interactions with the son. After the nursemaid is the milkman. The milkman still has a romantic ... ...ton’s issue is not with people on an individual level, but instead with the society that puts them in the situations that it does. This is significant because it shows Sexton’s goal is to illuminate society’s flaws and lies rather than those of people. Often, the reader cannot help but feel a bit disheartened after reading a collection of Anne Sexton’s poems. Sexton herself was disheartened with the prospect of life, killing herself at the age of 45 after years in and out of mental facilities. Her poems certainly take cynicism to an extreme, but they remain the type of extreme valuable to the literary canon. Her poetry leaves the reader questioning the world around him, now able to see stories and past experiences in a new light. And although in the case of Sexton this light may be a shadow, the new depth it adds highlights to us that which we hold truly pure.

HOW IMPORTANT ARE MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS IN COGNITIVE THEORIES :: essays research papers

HOW IMPORTANT ARE MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS IN COGNITIVE THEORIES? How the world around us is represented mentally is the corner stone of cognitive architectures. It facilitates understanding of information received and perceived from our environment. The storage and retrieval of knowledge would be impossible without mental representations. Mental representations are the way in which we create ‘copies’ of the real things around us, which we perceive. A description of a representation is a symbol, sign, image or a depiction that takes the place of a real object in the real world. . Representations were broadly categorised into three. The ‘analogue representation’ the ‘propositional representation’ and ‘procedural rules’. Analogue representations are those which have an image-like copy quality to them, whereas the propositional representation are based on language-like constructs. Since the arrival of connectionism another representation has been proposed that of sub-symbolic representation. Here mental representations, according to Eysenk and Keane (2002) are â€Å"distributed† patterns of activation in a connectivist network. Historically, mental representations have been interpreted by analogy with physical representations, i.e. descriptions and classifications devised for physical representations have been applied to mental representations (Paivio, 1986). Physical representations can be picture-like or language-like (see Table). Physical and mental representations physical representations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  picture-like  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  language-like examples  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  photographs drawings maps diagrams  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  human-language formal systems: maths, symbolic logic computer programs properties  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  analogue iconic continuous  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  non-analogue non-iconic digital/discrete Table: Types of physical representations (after Paivio, 1986) The representations need then to be categorised for storage in long -term memory. These ‘packages’ of knowledge are classed as being either procedural knowledge or declarative knowledge. Procedural knowledge is knowing how to do something or precisely what to do. It is sets of rules or procedures and skills like playing the piano. Declarative knowledge is about facts. Representations allow cognitive models to work as they are the ‘substance’ the models work on. The models for discussion share common features but are equally differentiated from each other at some level. Before looking at each of the theories mental representations it would be helpful to take a snapshot of the model structures and approaches to learning and processing to gain a fuller understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. The models compared here are Schema theory (Rummelhart and Norman 1983) ACT* Anderson) and PDP. Schema theory is said to offers a unified theory of cognition as it umbrellas all areas of cognition. It is interactive and works on stored knowledge or long-term memory. It does not address any wider structural issues. Schema is about how our learning is influenced by our previous knowledge. HOW IMPORTANT ARE MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS IN COGNITIVE THEORIES :: essays research papers HOW IMPORTANT ARE MENTAL REPRESENTATIONS IN COGNITIVE THEORIES? How the world around us is represented mentally is the corner stone of cognitive architectures. It facilitates understanding of information received and perceived from our environment. The storage and retrieval of knowledge would be impossible without mental representations. Mental representations are the way in which we create ‘copies’ of the real things around us, which we perceive. A description of a representation is a symbol, sign, image or a depiction that takes the place of a real object in the real world. . Representations were broadly categorised into three. The ‘analogue representation’ the ‘propositional representation’ and ‘procedural rules’. Analogue representations are those which have an image-like copy quality to them, whereas the propositional representation are based on language-like constructs. Since the arrival of connectionism another representation has been proposed that of sub-symbolic representation. Here mental representations, according to Eysenk and Keane (2002) are â€Å"distributed† patterns of activation in a connectivist network. Historically, mental representations have been interpreted by analogy with physical representations, i.e. descriptions and classifications devised for physical representations have been applied to mental representations (Paivio, 1986). Physical representations can be picture-like or language-like (see Table). Physical and mental representations physical representations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  picture-like  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  language-like examples  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  photographs drawings maps diagrams  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  human-language formal systems: maths, symbolic logic computer programs properties  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  analogue iconic continuous  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  non-analogue non-iconic digital/discrete Table: Types of physical representations (after Paivio, 1986) The representations need then to be categorised for storage in long -term memory. These ‘packages’ of knowledge are classed as being either procedural knowledge or declarative knowledge. Procedural knowledge is knowing how to do something or precisely what to do. It is sets of rules or procedures and skills like playing the piano. Declarative knowledge is about facts. Representations allow cognitive models to work as they are the ‘substance’ the models work on. The models for discussion share common features but are equally differentiated from each other at some level. Before looking at each of the theories mental representations it would be helpful to take a snapshot of the model structures and approaches to learning and processing to gain a fuller understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. The models compared here are Schema theory (Rummelhart and Norman 1983) ACT* Anderson) and PDP. Schema theory is said to offers a unified theory of cognition as it umbrellas all areas of cognition. It is interactive and works on stored knowledge or long-term memory. It does not address any wider structural issues. Schema is about how our learning is influenced by our previous knowledge.

Animal Cruelty and Puppy Mills

Ashley Buenaflor Informative Speech Outline Puppy Mills I. What are puppy mills? A. aka â€Å"puppy farm† B. breeding factory for dogs C. moms breed until they are too weak or until they die D. Conditions 1. Overcrowded in old farms, shed, or chicken coop 2. wired, unsanitary cages to minimize waste cleaning (in winter and summer) 3. food infested with maggots and water is green with algae 4. underfed malnourished – leads to puppies eating one another 5. never let out to play, develop leg problems . video – end at :55 E. Sold to pet stores 1. â€Å"lucky puppies† loaded into a truck, many don’t make it 2. develop diseases – epilepsy, heart disease, kidney disease, blood disorders, eye problems, musculoskeletal disease 3. sometimes develop socialization problems due to lack of affection and being taken away from their mothers II. Toby A. story B. sick when we got him C. leg problems/present day leg problems D. could have saved a lot of money I II. Why aren’t they outlawed? A. animal cruelty is illegal, puppy mills are not B. any puppy mills are licensed by the USDA C. the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) – defines minimum requirement standard care for dogs D. standard is far from what people consider humane E. many puppy mills are on illegal and on private property F. there are many puppy mill rescues that go to shelters (Chrystal & Anti-Cruelty Society) IV. How to stop puppy mills A. don’t buy puppies or products from pet stores B. don’t buy online C. buy from breeders 1. look for reputable breeders 2. can show you legitimate background information on the puppiesWorks Cited â€Å"Puppy Mill Awareness Day. †Ã‚  Puppy Mill Awareness Day. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Puppy Mills : The Humane Society of the United States. †Ã‚  Puppy Mills : The Humane Society of the United States. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Puppy Mills Are Cruel. †Ã‚  Nopetstorepuppies. com . N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Puppy Mills. †Ã‚  ASPCA. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, n. d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. . â€Å"Shocking Conditions In Puppy Mills. †Ã‚  Shocking Conditions In Puppy Mills. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. .