Life is a Gift Essay

Life is a gift. It is an honor; a spark; an excitement. We all have a world of our own. A wise author, Albert Camus, once stated, â€Å"you will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life† (Albert Camus). Life is about living to your fullest abilities; why waste our time looking for the meaning of each breath we take? Each person is a part of life. Each life has a world of its own. I believe that the meaning of life, defined by Victor E. Frankl, is to find meaning in our own life. Each and every person on this planet has a meaning to his own life, and is a unique and independent individual. And so, the question comes along, â€Å"Who am I? † The answer is I. I am who I am, and not one person can ever change that. My life is exceedingly meaningful, and is made up of a series of rituals, experiences, a plentiful amount of mistakes, and many various emotions. According to the article, The Rite of Passage, a ritual â€Å"help[s] us understand the changes in our lives and give meaning to experiences† we undergo. Rituals express who we are today, as well as the sum total of our actions, feelings, and thoughts that makes each person in this world, a single, individual person. An example of a major ritual and life-changing event in the Odyssey is the trial of the bow. During this scene, a disguised Odysseus surpassed a difficult task, as he without effort strung the challenging bow. Odysseus, after laying the arrow on the arch, shot the mighty bow â€Å"with careful aim, not miss[ing] an axe’s ring from first to last† (Homer 2011). This scene makes a change in not only Odysseus’s life, but also his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope. The trial of the bow is an important Rite of Passage, offering significance to each one of their lives. Just like Odysseus, I have progressed through a numerous amount of rituals, along with experiences, mistakes, truths and actions, all leading up to the fourteen year old girl I am today. Although each person has a different opinion on what surrounds us, I believe the nature of the universe is full of the unknown. The world is a scary place to be in, it encloses us in, with nothing but mystery. It is a frightening thing, to move on with your life not knowing what will happen in the next few moments, but that is what life is all about; the unknown. We surround ourselves with questions that can never be answered; yet we need to learn to live life in the present, not thinking about the future with every step we take. No one in this world is fearless, in fact, according to H. L. Mencken, â€Å"The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear – fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety† (H.L. Mencken). In agreement to Mencken, nothing in this world is safe; we waste seconds; minutes; hours; even days worrying about our fears. Worrying about our fears of the unknown. I believe we can’t relate to this unknown universe, however, we can live with it. Instead of waking up each day wondering what the unknown is, we need to wake up everyday focusing on what we do know, and interpreting that information into what we understand. In order to find the meaning in our lives, we each need control over our lives. I control my life one hundred percent. I make me own decisions, choose my individual actions, and control my responses. We have complete control over our own lives. However, the one think we do not have control over is other people’s actions and decisions. Although we have the power in our individual lives, others may influence our judgments, choices, and conclusions. All of these factors affect whom we are, along with the fact that we can’t control others reactions, which may cause poor influence on us. For example, in the novel, The Odyssey, Odysseus sails a long journey home, facing many distractions, challenges, and adventures. He encounters many different monsters that stop him in his path, including Cyclops, The Sirens, and Poseidon. Although Odysseus can control his actions, and the way he fights, he has a weakness when it comes to his opponents. Just like Odysseus, we can control our actions and responses, but when it comes to having others involves, we have no control over how they can act and make their choices. Living life freely, with no regrets, and accomplishing all of our goals. That is a satisfying life. Taking risks, without worrying, loving ourselves, being happy with our achievements, and experiencing all different emotions is what life is all about. A variety of different feelings occur throughout our lives; we need happiness, excitement, fears, anger, and even tears to lead a fulfilling life. In the independent reading novel, entitled Speak; Melinda Sordino writes about emotions and feelings, â€Å"When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time† (Anderson 58). Melinda believes the reasons people need to express themselves is because everyone needs to experience all kinds of emotions in order to interact and stay alive. In the Odyssey, Both Odysseus and Telemachus are involved by an overwhelming amount of emotions. Without the emphasis of their feelings without the novel, the story would have much less meaning and would not be as dramatic. Emotions add to our everyday conversations and feelings towards each other. We need them to live a satisfying, enjoyable life. I believe, in order to find the meaning of my life, I need to sit back, relax, and let the question answer itself. In order to survive, and live for as long as possible, I have to enjoy my life in the present. Not be thinking about the future, and where life is going to take me; but live life as it is brought to me, rather then bringing myself to my life. By being patient and letting my life come to me as time goes on, I am sure to survive for a longer, happier, and more exciting period of time. Yet, at the conclusion to each person’s life, the certainty of death must strike. Getting ourselves ready for this unpredictable day is very easy, as long as we’ve accomplished everything that we have set out to achieve, death may appear whenever it feels the need to. It is a misfortunate thing, though, as some deaths develop so quickly and suddenly, we do not have time to say our goodbyes. Nor do the victims have time to achieve their goals, and pass on wishes. An example of a sudden death is in the novel entitles Lost for Words, by Alice Kuipers. In the story, Sophie’s older sister died traumatically in a sudden train bombing. Due to the death, it ripped Sophie’s family apart. They stopped talking to each other, and everything became awkward between her and her mother. Because of the unpredictable death at such a young age, her sister was, sorrowfully, not ready for her time to come. She may have not achieved her goals in life, and got to take as many risks as life leads her too, making it an even bigger tragedy for Sophie and her family. There were a number of dreadful deaths in the Odyssey as well. These included Odysseus’ crew, Odysseus’ mother, and many suitors. From reading all of these disastrous scenes and stories about death, I have learned that in order to reconcile myself for the inevitability of death, I need to start living my life with many risks, and no regrets. By living my life without any doubts, and enjoying my life in the present, I can be sure to live a long, satisfying life, ready for the fate of death for whenever it decides to doom on me. I believe the meaning of life, is to find meaning in our own, individual lives. By waiting for life to come to me, and enjoying the present in a way of happiness, enjoyment, and risks, I can be sure to eventually come to a full understanding of why I am here, living today. Each life has a world of its own, and each person his own life. Each person in this world will have a different story to share, and a different meaning and impact on our world today.

Marketing †product, pricing &description Essay

Initial Product: The Company plans to pursue vigorously and at an accelerated rate the development, production and marketing of artificial lumbar disc . The goal would be apart from being superior to other products it should affordable for the masses in Canada keeping in mind that very few people rely on medical insurances and pay from their own pocket.. Emphasis would be on improving the reliability of the device, and also incorporating digital circuitry or sensors to monitor the position of the device after it has been implanted on to the patient. The company would also like to pay for any revision surgeries for the patients if required. We would also manufacture associated devices/instrumentation required for surgical procedures. Short term Product: In the second year of business the Spinal Dynamics would try to pursue development of a cervical (upper back) artificial disc based on the previous design but much smaller in size. Long Term Product: Plan would be to improve the lumbar artificial disc and come up with better device material, in order to make it more durable and wear resistant. We would also try to incorporate digital circuitry in order to monitor the position of the device post surgically. DESIGN PROTOTYPE The design would be similar to the current Charite disc by Depuy Spine . A polymer sliding core at the middle with two cobalt chrome end plate would be the basic construct design. KEY FEATURES & BENEFITS The strategic product benefit of Prime disc would be its being minimally invasive, ability to alleviate pain and capability to restore normal range of motion. The main benefit would be that the device would be manufactured in Canada, and thus would be first of its kind. Spinal Dynamics would also file for patent protection . It would be economically priced, in order to make it more affordable for the masses in Canada. PRICING PLANS The current market price for an artificial disc implant is approximately 5000USD-10,000USD. The aim of Spinal Dynamics is to minimize the cost of the implant, by manufacturing the implant in Canada at half of the existing price. The price per device would be approximately 1000USD. COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT Companies Differentiators Medtronic De-puy Synthes Spine. Core Competency brand name Huge range of products Backed by Johnson&Johnson Established brand name Technology/Innovation Highly innovative Highly innovative Specialized in spinal areas Unique distribution NO NO NO PART C: OPERATIONS LOCATION & FACILITIES Spinal Dynamics would be renting a 1500 sq feet area for our office space in Toronto, Canada. The space would be divided into 10 cubicles, with two cabins for the presidents and the senior scientist. 15 Dell Inspiron Desktops would be bought and housed in each cubicle and cabins. An annual license from Abaqus and CATIA would be purchased, which could be renewed from time to time. Apart from these a high speed internet connection, an office LAN would be required. A back up system would be put in place to secure the data files every week. External hard disks and other data storage devices would be bought for this purpose Also a Plotter and two HP Laser printer would be bought. On a parallel level a small office place would be leased in U. S at Toledo, Ohio from where few team members would be working. This group would be dealing with testing and development of experimental protocol for the device. Both the groups would be communicating via emails , phone calls etc. This model would enable Spinal dynamics to save some cost on procuring expensive equipments for testing , and also they can work with various universities in and around Toledo. Apart from this there would be direct communication with experts like Dr Vijay Goel and Lisa Ferrara who all belong to the Advisory committee and currently reside in U. S. R&D Plans: Spinal Dynamics will produce artificial disc implants with the strategic product benefits of being minimally invasive, will alleviate pain and would restore normal range of motion. Spinal Dynamic’s unique product design is based upon extensive market research. Though some reverse engineering concepts would be applied to the pre-existing products in the market, the idea would be to incorporate the best features from all of them. CATIA CAD software in synchronization with ABAQUS an FEA tool would be used for design development. After the design concept is fully developed a prototype will be manufactured. The design team will comprise of 5 team members who will be proficient in CAD/FEA area, this team will be headed by The R&D head Dr Ahmad Faizan. 1) All initial manufacturing work would be done by S&S manufacturing a 3rd party prototype manufacturing company. 2) The design’s functionality would be tested by various experiments, namely using MTS simulator and other biomechanical-cadaveric studies. The protocols would be developed accordingly and approved by the management. The testing could be done at various universities at a much cheaper cost than buying costly equipments initially. 3) Clinical trials would be undertaken through hospitals under the guidance of physicians and patients who would be willing to participate in this trial. Legal aspects would be taken care of, in case the design does not work. The patient’s suitability to the trial would be selected based on the physician’s decision. 4) After the first four stages a pilot manufacturing would be undertaken, and 100 devices would be produced. 5) The device’s testing results would be submitted for FDA and other approvals and accordingly vigorous testing would be undertaken if the need be. 6) After formal approval we would plan to set up a state of art manufacturing shop floor, where the devices would be manufactured and sterile packed. Title Description Start Date Finish Date Remarks Priority/ Sequence Facility development Construction June 2008 Oct 2008 Very important/ First priority Product development Design & prototype June 2009 Should be started as soon as the facility is set up Testing Clinical Trial-short term and long term September 2010 Approvals Obtaining approvals October 2010 Pilot Test Initial Pilot test November 2010 Production Full fledged production.

Ethics, Abolition of Man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics, Abolition of Man - Essay Example e related to the traditional morality when in fact when new values are established, the person himself influencing such values is a product of the tradition morality from which he had been nurtured. One then cannot deny the relationship to one’s traditional values. This can be attributed to the fact that when one establishes values, there is only one way of classification, that is being traditional or the established one. Thus, complete rejection of tradition values is required for the new ones to be accepted, which can be considered a great challenge specifically when values are also related to the actions of the social surroundings. One cannot separate himself from his community. For that matter, in the determination of values and ethics, the social interaction is one of the important factors (p. 27-30). The main point discussed in the second chapter is the real nature of values. It is a common notion that values and ethics can be related to the actions and obligations of a person for the good of the many. For that matter, doing a good deed for example can be perceived as an act that can benefit a larger portion of the population. In times wherein there is conflict between the good of the community and the good of a person, the person needs to sacrifice himself. This can be in general one of the utility of the person in the community, to save it or sacrifice for it. Basically, this is one of the notions for which morality can be achieved. This can be attributed to the fact that people commonly seek self preservation. The traditional values then can be viewed to have been established on the basis of the need of the people during the corresponding time and became values through practice and through the development of norms (p. 27-52). Lewis argues that utility though cannot be a source of ethical obligation since the said concepts are distinct. Utilitarianism is on self preservation and viewing the events and elements of the surroundings as a tool

Radio Wave Propagation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Radio Wave Propagation - Essay Example So waves lose strength rapidly. [1] Radio waves travel very fast but only in a straight line. Thus the curvature of the earth should limit the distance between transmitter and receiver, a distance of about 60 miles 100 km). However, the earth's atmosphere has properties that allow enhanced propagation. The atmosphere is layered, and these layers have important effects on waves that are propagated on the earth's surface. The layer called the troposphere is a heavy, oxygen filled layer that extends from the surface to about 30 miles (50 km) altitude. From 30m (50 km) to 260m (416 km) is a highly charged layer called the ionosphere. The ionosphere affects radio signals in different ways depending on their frequencies. [2] The frequencies used for radio propagation range from 30 kHz to 3 GHz. Frequencies are continuous but are defined in bands according to their properties and uses. Higher frequencies have shorter wave lengths and more energy: LF waves are propagated as ground waves which, as the name implies, travel along the ground. Because the ground and its terrain interfere with ground waves, transmission requires lots of power. LF waves are used mainly in maritime communications over the sea and the navigational system called LORAN. [4] Sometimes ground waves suffer from a reflecting wave off the ionosphere that can return to earth out of phase near the receiver and interfere with the direct reception. MF wave frequencies are used for AM radio broadcasting. They are also ground waves and during the daylight hours are limited to a range of about 60 miles (100 km). But radio waves can be bent or refracted by changes in the earth's atmosphere particularly by weather patterns and by the ionosphere. The Ionosphere consists of the "D" (30-60 miles [50-100 km]), "E" (60-100 miles [100-160 km]), F1 (90-160 miles [144-256 km]), and the F2 (160-250 miles [256-400 km]) layers. At night, the "E" layer disappears and the F1 and F2 layers combine to form the "F" layer (somewhere between 90 and 250 miles [144-400 km]). Since the "E" layer disappears at night, the lower frequency Sky Waves (MF) travel further up into the atmosphere, where they are REFRACTED by the "F" layer[ up to 300m]. That's why at night, your radio often picks up many more AM broadcast stations! [4] HF waves have enough energy to reach the ionosphere during the day and are refracted by its various layers. Thus short-wave can travelled much further than the curvature of the earth would normally allow. This Sky Wave propagation depends strongly on the ionosphere which is in constant flux. The ionosphere is affected by many astronomical events like meteor showers and solar flares; it is also affected by seasons. Because the ionosphere changes so much, short-wave is considered unreliable for important commercial use. However, some of the effects on radio transmission are positive. These so-called anomalous propagations are of

Directly and completely answer the following questions. Include Essay

Directly and completely answer the following questions. Include specific examples from the story in your answer, and if you use secondary sources, be sure to include the correct documentation - Essay Example It forces him to value and prize personal closeness of life at home and the willingness of enduring hardship because of his beliefs. Even though he is afraid, the narrator makes a decision of going back home so that he can reclaim his identity, an identity he lost at the time he left his home. In his attitude towards civilization, it is apparent that the narrator is rejecting the white dominated civilization. It is entirely because of the personal, unhurried, aesthetic, and the passive values of his home, in combination with the profound sense of identification with the home environment as a physical place. It is clear that the narrator feels he does not fit the white society since he is a Native American. It is through this discontent with the present environment combined with his present place in society that creates the conflict of his attitudes. In the story, the major antagonist is the set of values created by the white culture, while another antagonist may include a cold weather and the sadistic threat of Denver Bob. The statement means that the narrator is alone, but not so lonely as compared to when he was back at school. Even though he might still be lonely, he is not as lonely as compared to the time he was at school. The quote comes at a time when the narrator was nearing the end of his journey (Tarver et al. 57). As he is walking along the train tracks that are leading him back home, he recognizes how lonely he was. The loneliness bases on the sense of being separated from the beliefs, the people, and the attitudes of his Indian upbringing while he was at school. Now that he is walking by himself, alone, but he is no longer lonely. In this essence, the author has no physical companion, but the world of animals and plants help keep him company as he is finishing his return home. Blue winds refer to the society

Random house Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Random house - Assignment Example On their part, publishers can exercise their bargaining powers by becoming the largest players in the industry through, for example, mergers and acquisitions (Bickert et al 4). Competitive rivalry is manifested by the presence of numerous publishers offering diverse products. Consolidation in book publishing affords a publisher more presence in both local and international markets, enabling them to reach a wider and more diverse market. For example, following consolidation with a publisher that focuses on a particular language or of area of interest, the parent company will be able to bring the market targeted by its new merger or acquisition into its profitable operations (Bickert et al 5). Based on the operations, for example, of a publisher that targets a Spanish-speaking market, the benefits can be considerably large, since the Spanish-speaking market is wide-spread. Another example of a large benefit would be consolidation with a publisher that targets the Chinese market, where 51 percent of citizens in China live in cities with stable consumption of education in the form of published books. Random House’s five elements of strategy included digitalization; internationalization; mergers and acquisitions; strengthening of the core business; and responding to the shifting consumption of media (Bickert et al 5). Digitalization would ensure that they conform to the emerging trend of online reading and, hence remain relevant in the industry. Internationalization was meant to reach a wider, global market while mergers and acquisitions would facilitate the internationalization strategy. Strengthening of the core business meant that the existing assets for example the 20-meter high warehouse, would continue being in use while responding to shifting media use meant the publisher would serve emerging markets as well. The main benefits Random House draws from being part of a corporate parent like Bertelsmann is that it operates

Dietary Quality and Eating Competence Term Paper

Dietary Quality and Eating Competence - Term Paper Example The supposition is that people will deliberately choose foods that add to their long-term physical well-being by decreasing their threat of chronic disease. There is a slight doubt that a diet well-suited to human biological requirements is necessary to the existence of the species (Clifford, & Keeler, 2002). Satter is a model developed by Ellyn Satter, and that is based on her clinical observations of how people do well with eating. Essentially, eating competence explains how normal people eat. It is descriptive in that sense, and rigid only for that group who are not comfortable with their current eating or who are concerned about their diet and health, and seek to make a dietary transformation. Still, Weight Watchers, which a lot of people hype as the finest of the diet centers because of its dependence on real, unmarked food and flexible menu options, does not help people in understanding and knowledge about the inner competence on eating. This comes down to the issue of trust against control, according to the nutritionist Ellyn Satter†¦who takes care of ‘dieting casualties’ in her practice. She trusts that people require learning to believe that they will get filled, even on the food they think as highly desirable, and recognize that they can reliably control their own food intake, instead of depending on exterior rules to control those choices. â€Å"Weight Watchers is good at easing up food choices, teaching people how to eat carefully, and encouraging them to add to the diversity of food in their diet,† states Satter. â€Å"But it is still essentially a control stance they apply† (Satte, 2007, p. 56). When people rely on exterior rules, ranges, and diet cops to control their eating, their association with food remains delicate.

Re engineer a garage car services through contemporary technologies Essay

Re engineer a garage car services through contemporary technologies Ismail - Essay Example It has been designed to also act as a guideline to a wide range of business oriented people. The overriding aim of this business plan is to gather information on how to successfully start and manage an auto mobile garage. The description of the business, the marketing strategy, the operation, and the financial requirements are among the things dealt with in this plan. This project shows the most crucial aspects of having a successful business. It shows that ATG is a viable business that has the potential of expanding and performing well in terms of profits. very good- comment addressed AlArif Tech Garage ATG is an automobile garage that aims at giving its customers services through unique technologies that will help customers in many ways. Nowadays, we are using technology everywhere, and for that we need more services through it. ATG aims at delivering car services through its experienced staff and new technology. Also, the company aims at prioritizing the comfort of its customers. For that the organization is willing to deliver the highest standard of vehicle services without requiring the customers to be available at the workshop, they can stay at home or at work and their vehicles are being fixed. The service industry, including vehicle services, is considered to be one of the fastest growing businesses of the economy. ATG aims at capitalizing on the fact that people in the UAE do not have time to take care of their vehicles. This is evident by the statistics which shows that among the top ten causes of accidents in Dubai is negligence and inattention to car maintenance (Emirates 24/7 News, 2013). For that we will offer some fabulous services especially for these kinds of people who don’t have time for their cars. The Mission of ATG company is to become a premier provider of quality services to its customers to make

Pets Rights in Hawaii Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pets Rights in Hawaii - Annotated Bibliography Example The purpose of the research is to find out the level of the abuse of pets in Hawaii. This information will help in determining the best way towards protecting the rights of animals in the state. Many cases of the violation of pets' rights in Hawaii have been reported, and this research will come up with recommendations on how best to address issues of violation of pets' rights. There have been different discussions about the rights of pets in the US, but this research will offer solutions on how to reduce the cases of violation of the rights of pets. The research will rely on journal articles, news articles, documentary films and interviews to gather information about the rights of pets in Hawaii and other places. Many people have written scholarly articles that discuss the cruelty that animals have been exposed to and how their rights are being addressed in modern days. News articles and documentaries will offer current information concerning cases of mistreatment of animals and how animal activists have pushed for laws to protect animals. The researcher will interview 3 animals' activists in Hawaii and 2 others in other US states to give their views about animals' rights in the US.  The issue of the rights of animals has caught the attention of many people and authorities around the world. The research will try to find out some of these laws and groups that agitate for the rights of pets and the level of abuse of pets' rights in Hawaii and other states in the US.  

People v Ceballos Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People v Ceballos - Research Paper Example Thus, he set up a gun trap and unfortunately it killed a neighborhood kid who tried to gain entry. The defendant wanted to prove that the physical evidence he discovered about somebody breaking into his garage could be life threatening. Thus, in order to ward off probable mishaps on his part, it was his justification to protect himself beforehand by setting up a gun to substantially provide him a certain level of security. In the first place, it would be much harder on his part to defend himself, if things might be too late, and especially he did not have any idea on the whole motive or intention of the culprit. Describe how justification and excuse play a role in the case. As stated, the defendant used the defense of justification on the crime he committed against a neighborhood child. As the defendant wanted to justify that he did not commit any crime, but a self-defense instead, defense is very crucial in his case. In as much as possible, the defendant should give substantial or m eaningful justifications in order to maximize its defense. The defendant’s excuse is very important in this case. For example, its excuse could be the basis if it could be essentially covered under the ruling of the law regarding the defense of justification. ... In the case of People v Ceballos case, the defendant was not at home when the incident happened. Thus, under technical definition of the proper use of self-defense in the law, what the defendant initiated as a way to protect himself was unacceptable. He was not at home when the assault happened, and so there was no need to apply self-defense at some point. Tennessee v Garner Explain the nature and types of defenses used in the case and what evidence was used to demonstrate the defense. In the case of Tennessee v Garner, the police officers tried to defend themselves by telling the court they have substantial probable cause to believe that the suspect’s escape could further cause potential harm to others (Casebriefs LLC, 2012). They used the required standard operating procedure, prior to the use of force, a gun that ended up the life of a suspected felon as a final resort. The evidence presented by the officers could prove that they were summoned to arrest a suspected felon. T he man did not have any weapon so the police officers commanded him to stop. However, the culprit wanted to escape so the police officers pulled the trigger of the gun, and killed the suspected felon. This case was between the Tennessee police officers and the Garner, the late suspected felon’s family. Describe how justification and excuse play a role in the case. The Tennessee v Garner case is very important because the issue behind it includes whether law enforcement officials have the right to use deadly force in order to prevent unarmed culprit or suspect from escaping (Casebriefs LLC, 2012). Justification is indeed important in this issue in order to fit it within the rule of law: if suspect poses threat of serious

The Problem of Animal Consciousness Essay Example for Free

The Problem of Animal Consciousness Essay Do Horses Gallop in Their Sleep? By Matt Cartmill Let me propose a thought experiment. Imagine, if you will, that theres a certain clump of nerve cells in the brain thats essential for conscious awareness. Now suppose that a certain drug suppresses neural activity in just this nucleus, with no effect on the rest of the brain. Subjects who take this drug do things as usual, but they experience nothing. The drug converts them into sleepwalkers. Finally, imagine that Ive developed a new form of this drug, which has permanent effects. It abolishes consciousness forever, with no effect on behavior. I want to test it on you. How much will you charge to take it? I think the question answers itself. Spending your life as a sleepwalker is equivalent to being dead, and so you will charge me whatever price you would charge to commit suicide. I offer this thought experiment to dispel the notion that conscious awareness is too metaphysical and subjective a phenomenon for science to concern itself with. The phenomenon of consciousness is the source of all value in our lives. As such, it should be at the top of the scientiï ¬ c agenda. Yet despite its fundamental importance, consciousness is a subject that most scientists are reluctant to deal with. We know practically nothing about either its mechanisms or its evolution. In fact, many distinguished scientists and philosophers believe that consciousness has no evolutionary history, because they think that human beings are the only creatures that have it. Although most scientists will admit in private that our close animal relatives probably have mental lives something like ours (because, after all, they have bodies and brains and behavior that resemble ours), a lot of scientists are reluctant to say so plainly and publicly; and those who do can count on being accused of sentimentality and anthropomorphism. If you have a dog, you have probably had the experience of seeing your dog search out a favorite toy and bring it to you in hopes of getting you to play with him. Its hard even to describe these familiar experiences without saying things like, The dog was trying to ï ¬ nd his ball, or The dog wanted me to play with him. But scientists arent supposed to say things like that, at least when we have our lab coats on. If we discuss such things at all, we prefer to do so in some way that doesnt involve attributing intentions or any other mental states to the dog. There are at least two ways we can do this. First, we can use clumsy behavioral circumlocutions for mental language. Instead of saying, The dog looked for his ball until he found it, we can say something like, The dog exhibited repeated bouts of investigative behavior, which ceased after he contacted the ball. This somehow manages to suggest that the dog wasnt thinking about the ball while he was looking for it, and that he didnt perceive anything when he got it in his mouth. Second, if we ï ¬ nd these circumlocutions silly and tedious, we can adopt some variant of what is sometimes called logical behaviorism, in which the mental words are still used but they are redeï ¬ ned in terms of the probabilities of certain behaviors. In this view, a dogs intentions and desires and beliefs turn out, when properly understood, not to be something inside the dog, but theoretical constructs pinned on the dog by a human observer. Therefore, the human observer can know whether the dog has intentions and desires and beliefs, but the dog cant.

Theories of Communicatiion in Health and Social Care

Theories of Communicatiion in Health and Social Care Introduction In the context of health and social care settings, it is very important to have good communication between service users and staff (Gambrill, 2012). As Hepworth et al. (2010) comment, it is vital that care staff develop good communication skills so that they have effective communication with service users and can explain treatment needs to the latter. In addition, care staff must learn professional communication techniques (and know how to apply them) to create a better health care environment (Cournoyer, 2013). There are many different forms of communication, including, for instance, verbal and non-verbal forms. There are also many approaches through which good communication relationships can be fostered (or hampered) and it is imperative, therefore, that care staff learn from best practice so as to ensure that they maximise the potential for the development of a meaningful relationship (Reeves et al., 2011). Good communication and interpersonal skills are, quite simply, essential t o the practice of effective health and social care (Greenhalgh, 2008). Such skills are not merely limited to day-to-day communications with clients. In communicating with others, the practitioner needs to be able to use a variety of strategies to ensure that professional practice meets health and social care needs and facilitates a positive working relationship. Indeed, as Reeves et al. (2010) suggest, there are different approaches for communication and it is imperative that the individual practitioner tailors his or her use of these to the individual needs of the individual patient. Accordingly, expertise, or at least a sound working knowledge of all of the following approaches – humanistic, behavioural, cognitive, psychoanalytical and social (to name but five) – is vital. These theories are, as alluded to, applicable to developing certain techniques in the sector of health and social care. For example, as Gitterman and Germain (2013) comment, humanistic theory is applicable in situations where people are involved in aspects of self-actu alisation, self-conception, self-esteem, honour, and dignity. This approach reflects on the perspective that every human being has the potential to be good, to enjoy life, to contribute positively, and to be a loving and lovable member of society. Thus, as Healy (2014) suggests, this is an approach that aims to maximise critical thinking and analytical optimism. In the health and social care sector, service providers such as doctors, nurses, home care managers, and social workers are, as Ife (2012) contends, offered appropriate training in order to care for service users in the most humanistic manner by implementing or practising modes of communication relevant to the appropriate situation and/or individuals. Theoretical foundations Social theory, as Howe (2009) explains, is the use of theoretical frameworks to study and interpret social phenomena within a particular school of thought. It is an essential tool used by social scientists, and the theory relates to historical debates over the most valid and reliable methodologies that should be used in the analysis and evaluation of needs and how such analysis can be transformed into ‘real-life’ action (Parrott and Madoc-Jones, 2009). Certain social theories attempt to remain strictly scientific, descriptive, or objective, whereas, as Healy (2014) postulates, conflict theories present ostensibly normative positions, and often critique the ideological aspects inherent in conventional, traditional thought. It is important to recognise the differences between such models so as to ensure that the right model is used with the right service user to maximise an understanding of their care needs. At all times, the needs of the client must come first (Hughes, Ba mford and May, 2008). In commenting further upon the individual theories it should be noted that, as Weitz (2009) remarks, cognitive theory is a theory which is recognised to be implemented instantly. Social cognition is, therefore, the encoding, storage, retrieval, and processing of data in the brain (Parrott and Madoc-Jones, 2008). Widely used across psychology and cognitive neuroscience, it is particularly useful when assessing various social abilities and how these can be disrupted by persons suffering from autism and other disorders. Thus, it is clear that the utilisation of this theory in treatment assessment should be tailored to those individual patients who exhibit the systems of the neurological problems noted – and not just used as a ‘catch all’ for all patients (Miles and Mezzich, 2011). It is the requirement of all care settings to accept, follow and implement effective strategies to provide the right source of communication to all the staff, service users and visitors (Krauss and Fussell, 2014). The appropriate and applicable training on verbal techniques must be given to care staff and other professionals. Furthermore, all employees should be made aware of new developments and techniques through further training and educational courses during the course of their employment. This level of career professional development is important because, as Zarconi, Pethtel and Missimi (2008) comment, it is vital to modernise employees’ knowledge and skills to help them to deal with the demands of changing communication and technology, as well as the changing aspirations and demands of clients. For the betterment of any care settings, research always plays a vital role (Bourgeault, Dingwall and de Vries, 2010). There is a number of techniques that have been followed and brought into daily-use in a health care context. These are now considered to be everyday techniques, but when they were introduced they were ground breaking and radical – which shows how keeping abreast of new developments and integrating new techniques into daily working patterns can result in longer term benefits, not just for individual benefits but also the wider profession as a whole (Greenhalgh, 2008). Some of those techniques include the special needs of communication for those with autism, dementia and all of those who have sensual impairment, and it is to such issues that this assignment now turns. The application of relevant theories of communication to health and social care contexts Any health and social care department consists of different types of service users. As a care provider, it is imperative that professionals implement several types of communication techniques through knowledge, experience and skills, as advised by Krauss and Fussell (2014). In accordance with the views proffered by Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum (2011), who have advanced the cause of using multitudinous approaches to communication, the role of positivism can be seen as critically important. Indeed, many theorists such as Carl Roger, Abraham Maslow, and B.F Skinner, have made life-time studies of how this approach can be beneficial to patient care (Weitz, 2009). In a similar manner, through an evaluation of characteristics based on a humanistic behavioural analysis of actions, people can also be monitored and their health care provision improved, as noted by Burks and Kobus (2012), by treating all people with respect through being gentle and kind. This helps to build mutually benefici al relationships between patient and carer and between different health care professionals. To recognise and understand the behaviour of separate individuals, and to understand how care provision needs to be tailored to meet their individual needs and circumstances, a range of case studies was undertaken by the author. In so doing, cognitive behaviour theory was applied; a summary of the individuals assessed and how their treatment needs were developed is given below. So as to ensure that this assignment conforms to best practice with regards to ethical research, the names of all people have been changed so that there are no personal identifiers. As a consequence, this section of the research not only complies fully with the ethical research protocols of the university but also those advanced by Bourgeault, Dingwall and de Vries (2010). Case Studies Case Study One Estrella is a lady of about 65 years of age. She has been diagnosed with dementia and has lived with this condition for a number of years. She is physically very fit and enjoys walking, making a habit of walking every afternoon after a siesta. Estrella was interviewed at home. The following is a transcription of the interview that took place. It is useful in research to take a transcription because as Speziale, Streubert and Carpenter (2011) contend, it enables the researcher to check facts and return to the data whilst they are analysing and interpreting it. â€Å"Hello Estrella. May I come in please?† I asked. â€Å"Yes, dear, you can come in.† The beaming smile from Estrella suggested that as soon as she saw me she felt happy and she was very welcoming. She showed me into the lounge room and I then asked her â€Å"How was your siesta, Estrella? Did you have a good sleep?† She replied, â€Å"Yes, dear, but I had a weird dream.† Concerned, I questioned, â€Å"What kind of weird dream did you have, Estrella?† â€Å"I just forgot it, dear!† she replied. I asked Estrella kindly and politely if she would like me to help her get changed before she embarked upon her walk. â€Å"Yes, dear, otherwise we will stay here forever,† she answered, whilst looking at me with a sweet smile. In the above situation, as a care worker, I applied humanistic theory. This is shown by my engaging with Estrella in a manner that nourished individual respect. The benefits of this approach are clearly evident through the polite and efficient conversation that took place. The needs of Estrella were quickly identified and, accordingly, a high level of care was delivered. Case Study Two Norah is a 75-year old widow. She has been diagnosed with dementia. If she is awake she tends to stay in her bedroom and, as soon as she is awake, she asks for her breakfast to be brought into her room. From the reading of case notes, which is, as Beresford, Croft and Adshead (2008) suggest, a useful way to gain prior information on a new client, I realised that Norah preferred having her breakfast in her bed and that her breakfast must be warm: neither hot nor cold. I also realised that she likes to have a glass of milk with her breakfast and that she appreciates having the curtains opened so that she can enjoy the outside view. Having already let myself into Norah’s house on the morning of the interview, I asked her, â€Å"May I come in, Norah?†, and explained that I had brought her breakfast in the manner that she likes. She replied, â€Å"Oh, thank you, pet; thats very kind of you. I didnt have to ask for it and you already brought it And it is just the way I like it.† Having deposited the tray on her lap, I opened the curtains. Norah smiled and said, â€Å"Thank you very much, pet.† Once she had finished her breakfast, I took away the tray and let myself out. In this case study it can be seen that, in accordance with the approach advanced by Greenhalgh (2008), cognitive behaviour theory was applied. Norah’s needs were recognised before she had given voice to them. Therefore, in my role as carer, I applied my knowledge and precipitated her needs. Case Study Three Aelfric, a former steelworker, is 78 years old, and has been diagnosed with dementia. He is a very shy patient and finds it very difficult to socialise with other service users. Indeed, such is his shyness that he prefers to stay in his room most of the time, as Aelfric feels that no one likes his company. This, he has suggested, in reflecting upon himself, may be due to his attitude, behaviour and language. Mindful of this plethora of problems, I decided to integrate Aelfric in a bingo day with the rest of the service users once a week. â€Å"Good morning, Aelfric! How was your day?† I asked. He rarely answered, and on this occasion he did not. â€Å"I have good news for you today; have you ever played bingo before?† I queried. Finally Aelfric answered, â€Å"Well, I used to, but am I not the right age to play that kind of game.† I responded, â€Å"Oh! That is wonderful, because I have booked a day out for you to play bingo with the rest of the patients and you are coming as well.† At the beginning, Aelfric did not like the idea of going and being part of the team. As a result, at the start of the bingo session he did not participate and just sat in the corner. However, he later participated and even won a game. As the weeks passed, Aelfric never wanted to miss a week, and began making friends as well. In the case of Aelfric, social theory was applied in accordance with the recommendations advanced by Healy (2014). By the end of several months, Aelfric had become positively friendly with me, which shows how analysing a person using this theory can be beneficial to treatment needs. Case Study Four Minka is a 30-year old lady with learning difficulties and limited speech skills. In the middle of a normal shift, whilst a colleague and I were bathing her, she suddenly started screaming and crying. We did not know what we had done wrong, so I asked her politely, â€Å"What have we done wrong?† Minka seemed to be expressing that the shampoo we had used on her was not nice, and that it smelled bad, and that it had gone into her eyes. Conscious of the discomfort we had caused Minka, I apologised and asked her, â€Å"What shampoo would you like me to use?† Minka pointed to the other shampoo. This shampoo was then applied to her scalp and, as a result, she stopped screaming and let us do our job. When we had finished washing her hair, Minka indicated that she was very happy and asked us to smell her hair. In this case my colleague and I had applied psychoanalytic theory in accordance with the approaches advanced by Weitz (2009). We understood Minka’s needs better as a consequence of so doing. Communication skills in health and social care contexts The Department of Health has, as Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum (2011) note, been updating all kinds of communication techniques in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the health care sector. Many new technologies have been gradually implemented with the aim of ensuring that the service operates in a professional and effective manner. With regards to the contribution to service users, professionals and staff have been introduced to the latest technologies and have adopted them into their daily working lives in order to ensure that they are following best practice (Sarangi, 2010). This has been achieved through, for instance, the attendance of relevant training sessions and courses which are specifically tailored to update knowledge and skills. As Miles and Mezzich (2011) further observe in commenting more generally upon such improvements to health care, modern equipment and communication aids are being used to monitor the effectiveness of care service provision. It is within this arena that it is vital that professionals use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to deal with service users and colleagues. It is good practice in the health service to ensure that there is an effective handover between professionals and generally, as Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum (2011) advise, there is a hand-over during each shift. A hand-over is essential for it updates carers on the progress of service users. A hand-over normally reviews the service user’s health and emotional condition and usually the nurse in charge of the morning shift discusses with the afternoon staff the progress of a client. Training is mandatory in the National Health Service. There are many types of training and staff are encouraged to attend training opportunities as it benefits the health sector and ultimately provides a better service to the clients (Zarconi, Pethtel and Missimi, 2008). Through using such techniques, best practice is filtered down between colleagues which helps raise the overall level of professionalism within the service. An analysis of strategies to support users of health and social care services with specific communication needs In order to allow service users to be fully involved in the decisions made that relate to their individual health care, it follows that effective communication must be used to enable the service users to understand what is proposed for them (Gitterman and Germain, 2013). In order to achieve this aim, and given the comments previously made within this assignment, it is imperative that the health and social care sector develops a range of strategies to meet this need. Every care setting is, as Krauss and Fussell (2014) confirm, required to adopt and implement the strategy of providing the right and proper sources of effective communication to staff. Through the use of verbal and non-verbal techniques, all care professionals and staff are made aware of this and they are also provided with training related to verbal and non-verbal techniques. There are different techniques to support vulnerable people in the health sector, such as reading lenses and voice recognition systems, and Braille . In addition, as Gitterman and Germain (2013) observe, the Picture Exchange Communication System is used as an aid for individuals who suffer from autism. This is an effective system that has now become, as Healy (2014) comments, part of mainstream treatment. An overview of how communication processes are influenced by values and cultural factors As a national health service, the NHS works with a divergent set of people across the nation as a whole. Reflecting upon modern day multicultural Britain, the NHS accordingly needs to be aware of an array of different cultures and sub-cultures within the UK (Greenhalgh, 2008). In addition, the NHS and wider social and health care sectors must be aware of cultural differences, religious tolerance, and language barriers. According to Sarangi (2010), and in line with the values of a tolerant society, everybody should be treated with respect and in accordance with their cultural and ethnic values. Care workers must, therefore, keep in mind cultural, religious, and linguistic differences so as to ensure, as Reamer (2013) notes, that service users do not feel that they have been treated in a way that is disrespectful, for it might lead to the creation of feelings of disappointment and shame. Such emotions would be counter-productive to the establishment of a professional and meaningful cli ent-professional working relationship. For example, a Muslim client may request a halal meal and the hospital or care facility should provide one so that it operates in a manner that is respectful of the needs of the client. Indeed, ensuring that such values are central to patient care may help patient recovery and will further show the patient that his or her individual needs are valued by the service. Whilst, within a British context, English is the main language, there are vast swathes of the population who do not speak the language, do not understand the language, or have no knowledge of the language (Beresford, Croft and Adshead, 2008). Thus, it is essential for the wellbeing of all citizens that English is not the only language in which heath care provision and needs are discussed. There have been major moves forward in this regard over the last thirty years throughout British society, with an increasing number of publications of an official nature being available in different languages. Thus, even the cultural sensitivities of the Welsh and Scottish are now addressed with regard to the publication of information. With reference to health care, service users who either do not speak English or have very little knowledge of it, may find communicating their health care needs difficult, as Beresford, Croft and Adshead (2008) assert. In order to treat such people with respect and d ignity, the health service must continue to act in a proactive way and employ translators so that those who do not speak the language can still have their health needs assessed. This is, Weitz (2009) notes, an arena of increasing importance within the UK as the country becomes evermore multicultural. The Department of Health ensures that when information is provided to clients and service users, leaflets are distributed in different languages. Such provision needs to be expanded so that all who use the NHS feel valued – regardless of the language in which they choose to communicate. Indeed, it has been suggested by Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum (2011) that all hospitals and surgeries should have a range of translators on call at all times; it is evident that were this provision to be widened to every care home and local authority responsible for the wider social needs of patients, further progress would be made. If such services are not provided, those who do not communicate in English may feel like second-class citizens and this would have a drastic impact on the extent to which the health sector could build a meaningful relationship with such clients; ineffective communication would lead to poor quality services. Policies and procedures are implemented so that different religious and cultural backgrounds, along with differences in socio-economic status, are not reacted to in a negative manner within a health and social care setting. The latter of these, socio-economic status, can often be overlooked but needs to be considered so that no member of the public feels discriminated against in the service that they receive (Weitz, 2009). Existing legislation provides fundamental guidance as to how health and care operatives should work and it is clear, from that legislation, as Ife (2012) notes, that issues of intolerance have no place in modern day social and health care. The same also applies to issues of sexual orientation – the ‘respect’ agenda is, therefore, an important component of daily life in social and health care settings. Existing legislation allows all people to have the right to be offered the facilities that they need to ensure that their health and well-being is maximised by the state and, within an increasingly multicultural society, techniques and strategies of communication have been successfully established to enable all to access the services that they need (Healy, 2014). Complacency is not, however, an option for the service; needs continue to develop on a daily basis and it is imperative therefore that the service as a whole, as well as staff on an individual basis, reflect critically upon their own actions to ensure that they work in a non-discriminatory manner (Burks and Kobus, 2012). How legislation, charters and codes of practice impact on the communication process in health and social care Good practice with regards to communication in the work place is achieved through the adoption of various techniques and methods. As Ife (2012) opines, the Data Protection Act is an important piece of legislation in the workplace and it ensures that personal data is secured and accessed in a controlled and responsible manner. Health care records are, by definition, very personal and many patients have concerns as to how such data is stored. By enforcing rigorous protocols and ensuring, through ongoing training and assessment, that all staff understand the importance of best practice in data protection, such fears can be allayed. It is also worthy of note that clients may also now seek copies of all data held about them. Accordingly, it is vital, as Reamer (2013) maintains, that data recorded about individual patients is always done in a mature and professional manner so as to ensure that no offence is caused. Further, the information contained within such records cannot be disclosed to a third party without the consent of the service user. The Data Protection Act can be seen, therefore, to promote good practice and, as such, helps to ensure that the health sector runs smoothly. Treating somebody as humanely as possible is therefore a fundamental aspect of health and social care and, if privacy and dignity are respected, it follows that the protection of human rights is also achieved (Ife, 2012). Allied to this are issues that relate to freedom of speech, choice and the rights of individual patients; it is clear, as noted within this essay, that by increasing the ability of patients to communicate effectively with health care professionals about their care, ‘patient’ voice is increased. The effectiveness of organisational systems and policies in promoting good practices in communication As Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum (2011) assert, good practice in communication within health and social care contributes to the efficiency of the service and builds confidence and trust in individuals. This is shown by the fact that staff and professionals are governed by a code of conduct (Hepworth et al., 2010). In addition, the use of computers has revolutionised the National Health Service and, within the confines of this essay, an example of the effectiveness that increased computerisation has brought is described. For example, a case that was reviewed in the unit referred to a gentleman picked up by the police, as he was wandering the streets. This middle-aged man had been shouting and responding to voices in his head and it appeared that he was unwell. The police rang the Mental Health Assessment Unit and asked for more information about the patient, including whether or not he was known to the service. As a result of the computerisation of records, a simple search on the bro wser indicated that he was known and provided details of previous care. This, therefore, allowed paramedics to respond to his needs more quickly because they were aware of his preconditions. Such efficiency within the service would not have been possible with the computerisation of records. However, such systems do bring into question issues of data protection and it is imperative that, as Cournoyer (2013) states, computer records are held in a secure manner and that information is kept confidential, so no third party can access it without the consent of a senior manager. Ways of improving the communication process in a health and social care setting The National Health Service has implemented a system whereby a patients record and daily progress are being saved on RiO. On this system a patients file can be retrieved and updated. In most hospitals, RiO is used and it has proved to be effective (Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum, 2011). The main drawback of this method is that all staff members – whether junior or senior – have to have access to RiO, creating additional budgetary pressures on training. An individual patients health is monitored on RiO and any staff member can delete information, such as a care plan, from the details stored. This could cause problems if a staff member accidentally deletes something. This again illustrates why increasing training budgets is essential to improve communication processes (Sarangi, 2010). In addition, on some of the wards, the verbal and written commands of staff are very poor. This can be particularly evident where nurses do not have a very solid grasp of English (Krauss and Fussell, 2014). Whilst it is important not to discriminate, there is a need for a robust process of recruitment to ensure that all medical professionals can communicate with each other in a clear manner (Reeves et al., 2011). In order to minimise this problem, staff should only be recruited on the basis of the qualifications that they possess. Indeed, it is now widely argued by academics, including Miles and Mezzich (2011) and Greenhalgh (2008) that a minimum qualification level should apply to all health care professionals – perhaps at a level equivalent to an NVQ level 2 qualification. The National Care Standards Act (2000) makes provisions for the standard of care to be delivered and in so doing sets out 42 standards of care that need to be implemented. Within the documentation there is not much emphasis on the implementation of modern systems of communication that can contribute in the provision of information about the care services as well as service users and staff. So far the standards of care have been monitored on a humanistic basis, but the communication systems need to be improved (Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum, 2011). This could once again be achieved through further training. In addition the Care Quality Commission has the power to inspect and assess the performance care homes and to make recommendations in areas where an improvement in the level of services being delivered is needed Standard ICT packages to support work in health and social care With continuous progress in the field of information technology and the medical and healthcare sectors, the use of the software packages for dealing with reports such as writing, printing, storing, retrieving, updating, and referring have become very important. Indeed, as Reeves et al. (2011) suggest, computer literacy is a basic requirement for all health care professionals. Older staff and those who may not have benefitted from recent school-based educational opportunities may once more benefit from the availability of tailored courses. Further, as systems develop, there is clear evidence to suggest that all staff should undertake refresher courses, especially with regards to data protection law (Thompson, Parrott and Nussbaum, 2011). Prior to recent IT developments, all patient records were recorded on paper. This was not only cumbersome but made searching for specific records more difficult. Further, the records could only be readily accessed on site. These deficiencies in the pa per-based approach have been rectified by the adoption of multi-layered computer systems, which also enable remote access and the sharing of information between agencies. As Parrott and Madoc-Jones (2008) claim, critical to this revolution in the keeping, making, and recall of paperwork has been the development of both the internet and the intranet. However, this has also brought an array of potential problems, including issues relating to third party access and security. With reference to my own workplace (as a means of providing a practical example), the use of computers has developed to such an extent that it has cut down on all paper work. Daily progress notes are entered on a sophisticated package and day-to-day care of the clients is inputted on the system. Benefits of ICT in health and social care for users of services, care workers, and care organisations If a service user is discharged from the health services and thereafter returns to see his local general practitioner or attend an accident and emergency unit, an advantage of computer-based records is that his details can be retrieved from the system. Such information that was not readily transferrable using paper-based systems helps multi-disciplinary teams achieve continuity of care and, as a result, the client is treated better. In addition, as Parrott and Madoc-Jones (2008) notes, social workers find it easier to go on the internet and find places for service users in different catchment areas quickly. Detailed information about the services offered is displayed and the service user is updated; processing times are quicker – and treatment is again improved. IT also helps with training – both in delivery and record keeping. Indeed, as has been evident through my own experience, most training in mental health trusts is done online. Conclusion This assignment has, through case studies, personal experience, and the assimilation of data from existing studies, provided a thorough overview of a range of communication techniques used in the NHS and associated social care settings. In addition, comment has been made on the individual needs of patients and how these can best be assessed using a range of different theories. Further, the role of ICT has been discussed and examples given as to how its incorporation into health and social care sectors has transformed working practices. Through addressing

The Concept of a Wrong Language

The Concept of a Wrong Language Language and Society QXL-1113 Task 1 The figure tells me that there are a higher percentage of lower working class men using negative concord (75%) compared to women to that of lower working class women at 50%. In general, women of all classes use negative concord less compared to men of all classes. It appears that the isnt a percentage change of such variant between upper middle and lower middle class women. There are two independent variables; gender and class,   the dependant variable is the percentage negative concord. Task 2 As a native speaker, English is my first language and I have always lived in the North West of England with both parents coming from the same region. Therefore, the majority of my influences have come from these surroundings and family. Growing up near Chester I wouldnt say I have a heavy northern accent and is quite muted compared that of other northern regions. However, a city that has a had a great effect on my accent and dialect is Liverpool. With Liverpool, only being a 15 minute drive I come into contact with the scouse accent quite frequently with friends and family living and working there. In terms of linguistic features, lenition is one of the clearest phonological characteristics of modern northern/Liverpool English. This lenition process happens whereby underlying plosives are released as fricatives and affricatives and stop constants are weaker and softer. For example, it is common to hear lock sound like loch and particularly affects /t/. According to the literature of Honeybone (2001) this lenition is unique to Liverpool English and its neighbouring areas with no other English variety exhibiting such extensive process. Further suggested by Kortmann and Upton the /t/, /p/ and /k/ can be affricated in all positions and in final position may be realised as full fricatives (Kortmann and Schnieder,2004). These heavily aspirated phonemes result in words such work to sound [wɆºÃƒâ€¹Ã‚ kà Ã¢â‚¬ ¡]. This uniqueness could account for the lack of glottal forms which are found in almost every other urban area in the North of England (Hughes and Trudgill 1996:93) . Regarding vowels and diphthongs, another salient marker of the North/South divide is that Liverpool English/northern accent has a short /a/ bath and /ÊÅ  / in foot and strut. Corresponding with Kortmann et al these two features are highly recognisable to the northern accent and although throughout history the southern inventory to lengthen the short vowel /a/ in bath was stigmatised it has now reversed with the northern short /a/ described as a flat vowel. Whilst researching such topic it is obvious that this is the most often mentioned subject in terms of the northern dialect, and a stereotype for the north in general. Diphthongal pronunciations are typical of Merseyside. In words, such as face, the diphthongs are pronounced more like RP as well as the occasion /eÉ ª/ (Kortmann and Schnieder, 2004). There is a clear established contrast between the vowels in square and nurse across most English varieties however in Liverpool and within its surrounding areas these two sets are merged and can be pronounced either as [ɆºÃƒâ€¹Ã‚ ] or [ɜˠ]. Patrick Honeybone gives great insight into the pronunciation of square in saying that this is traditional of South Lancashire dialects and that the variants in the Liverpool-Lancashire mix are the most obvious explanation for the present-day lack of contrast in Liverpool English (New dialect formation in nineteenth Liverpool: a brief history of scouse, n.d.). In terms of my experience with the language findings promoted above, I do to a certain extent use two of these in my language. Regarding the lenition and aspiration of /t/ /p/ and /k/ although I do use such feature it is not as heavily noticeable in my accent partly due to it not being apparent in my parents accent so is naturally weakened but I do have slight undertones of the features which I believe is solely due to social and situational factors. With many friends from Liverpool I have engaged in many social occasions where this lenition is clearly noticeable and naturally Ive adapted to fit in to such surroundings.   When conversing with parents I can switch this off to speak more elegantly so one can debate whether this is imbedded into my accent or is mainly a social attribute. A definite feature I use is the use of short vowel in both bath and foot. This is a typical northern trait and one that applies for my area. The role of socialisation does however play a minor pa rt in this.   Particularly in my region if one was to pronounce bath the typical southern way of lengthening /a/ it could appear as snobby and so refrain from doing so to follow the social norm. Although I am not in disagreement with Honeybone that merging of square and nurse exists within Liverpool it is unjustified to say that this appears in its surrounding areas. This must must be restricted to Liverpool and distinct of the city as I have not heard this outside of this area and I do not have such linguistic feature. As I do not originate from Liverpool this is expected; from birth my influences came solely from my surroundings of Chester which is a lot subtler compared to that of scouse and it is was only as I grew up that I came into more frequent contact with Liverpool and changed the way I spoke. Not having a particular accent from birth, it is likely that I will not have every feature as this could be innate. There is definitely a desire within in my area to sound more scouse and this is becoming a lot more noticeable. Task 3 The idea of wrong language is an unclear and somewhat unambiguous concept. What defines a wrong language? This concept that is made up of different kinds of distinctions of what is a wrong language such as stylish-shabby, clean-dirty, ugly and beautiful. According to Mary Douglas these distinctions are based on the culture we live in; naturally, language adapts itself to the situation of use and reflects the social variation of the speaker, so therefore linguistic variation is ultimately inevitable. There is no right or wrong language, it is only wrong in the eyes of those evaluate the language (Andersson and Trudgill, 1990). To discuss this, one must consider the idea of descriptivism vs prescriptivism. Prescriptive grammarians would argue that language is a set of rules that should be taught and enforced to use language in the correct way. They follow the classic grammars of Greek and Latin and aim to preserve these early forms. By contrast, descriptive grammar highlights the language in current use, not saying how it should be used. There are arguments for either side, if we consider the prescriptive view we could argue that the language produced by its native speakers based on their inherent, subconscious rules is the correct way to produce language (Vakkilainen, 2015). Whereas descriptivists accept that there are no such rules and there is no wrong language; it is just a reflection of general trends of language use. For example, yous has become popular with English-speaking countries. There is a tendency for people to dislike such innovations, regarding them as incorrect (Andersson and Trudgill, 1990 ) however these communities have found it useful to create a distinct word for the plural you thus is justifiable. The ultimate question into this debate is who decides what is right or wrong? This has much to do with social standing, much of the condemned language comes from social groups other than the educated middle classesprofessional people (Finegan, 1980). Take the pronunciation of r for example, Janet Holmes expresses that even though there is nothing good or bad about r-pronouncing, in more middle-class communities it is regarded as humorous and evident of lack of education and in others is deemed good speech (Holmes, 2004). Although a standard language is useful in terms of print and literature, it is not right to say that the language of middle-class speakers is not better than the language of other social groups. Language references such as dictionaries are an example of language and should simply be referenced, not all social situations require a formal way of speaking and vice versa. Language is an expression of character and defines a person. You can gain great insight into an indi vidual from their use of language and should not be frowned upon because they arent using RP but instead this uniqueness should be celebrated. Ultimately, there isnt such a thing as a wrong language just a different way of using it.

Hemingways Hills Like White El :: essays research papers

“Hills Like White Elephants,'; by Ernest Hemingway   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,'; the two main characters, Jig and the unnamed American man, are at a train station in Spain trying to decide whether or not they (actually just Jig) should go through with an abortion. The first time I read the story it wasn’t very clear to me what type of an operation it was that they were talking about. Hemingway doesn’t really spell it out for the reader. After reading the questions at the end of the text and reading over the story again I realized that the operation they were talking about was in fact an abortion. Although Hemingway provides very little information about the character’s situation or their pasts, the use of symbolism in the character’s dialogue throughout the story makes it a whole lot easier to understand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only thing I really noticed the first time I read the story was the tension between the two main characters throughout the story. In the first dialogue, there seems to be some tension between Jig and the American man. They speak to each other in short sentences and Jig starts getting sarcastic with her male companion (Hemingway doesn’t state whether they are married) when he says that he’s never seen white elephants. At first impression, seems like the lady is the antagonist. For most of the beginning of the story all they talk about is drinks. At one point Jig says “That’s all we do, isn’t it—look at things and try new drinks?';(445) These people must have a pretty meaningless relationship if that’s all they do. Even after they’re done talking about having the operation on page 446, they go back to more drinking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The whole dialogue about the operation made me question the American man’s love for Jig. Was he sincere? At first he’s convincing her that the operation is simple and how “it'; is the only thing that has made them unhappy. One can tell that Jig doesn’t really want to go through with the operation by the way she talks. She asks him, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they used to be and you’ll love me?'; It sounds like she really doesn’t think that he’ll love her if she does have the kid. It also sounds like he isn’t really concerned about her safety either.

Essay --

CHALLENGES AND HOW TO OVERCOME THE ISSUE OF HALAL IN MALAYSIA Occasionally, the country's Muslim community was shocked by the product claims dubious legal status. They will be so anxious and be careful in making a purchase food or related products. There is also the blame on various parties entrusted with the enforcement of Halal. Given the Halal issue is an important issue especially for the Muslims, due to their having the right information about products Halal something good to eat, drink or use. Issues that often haunt Muslims now is the question of Halal that requires serious attention of all parties. Malaysia is a Muslim country but Muslims in the country is difficult to get a reliable kosher item as fully as food, personal care and more. With Islam as the official religion of the country, the Muslim sensitivities must be taken into account in this serious case. Among the issues debated constantly in Malaysia is like slaughtering chickens do not follow Islamic ways and there are also feeding the pig intestine to catfish and more. The use of food additives is a challenge to Muslims because the process and the source of additive itself may use illegal ingredients included in Halal food products although its use is permitted in the specified level. Which the question is whether it will invite harm to health, if continued to be used in foods consumed by humans every day? The other thing that raises the dilemma is that if the food additives derived from animals that are banned, making it illegal eaten by Muslims. What about the situation where sometimes during the manufacturing process of a food or beverage may be generated elements that are banned? Therefore, the involvement of researchers in studying the short and long term e... ...oday are very careful in searching and selecting a food and consumables in order not to fall into the valley disobedience. All parties, especially the government should seriously look at this aspect because it is a test of patience and integrity of Muslims. In fact, we also need to be a model for other developing Muslim countries, especially Malaysia is to be a Halal food hub in the region. Government should ensure that the key issue is Halal Muslims as this is no longer a big problem. Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) to ensure transparency in admission and distribution of all products are screened and go through a rigorous examination because they are the authority in certifying Halal or Haram products in the market. Users also need to be wise and careful when shopping to ensure Halal goods impacts of each product and not take things for granted.

The Dead Essay -- Essays Papers

The Dead 1) Symbolic meaning of snow†¦ a. Beginning when first enters Aunts house (warmth) he is out of the snow = coldness, isolation and inhumanity. But when enters the home he is surrounded with warmth and acceptance. Pages 10-11 b. Page 25 Gabriel was nervous about presenting his speech and sought comfort at a window. Looking outside at the falling snow, Gabriel he received a form of release, escape and feeling that he is unknown. c. At the end of the story, when Gabriel is with his wife Gretta, snow symbolizes a â€Å"new awareness†. He realizes that he looks too heavily upon himself and should look towards others and become more compassionate. 2) Characteristics of Gabriel†¦. a. Pages 12-13 When contemplating speech he considers changing it because he feels that nobody... The Dead Essay -- Essays Papers The Dead 1) Symbolic meaning of snow†¦ a. Beginning when first enters Aunts house (warmth) he is out of the snow = coldness, isolation and inhumanity. But when enters the home he is surrounded with warmth and acceptance. Pages 10-11 b. Page 25 Gabriel was nervous about presenting his speech and sought comfort at a window. Looking outside at the falling snow, Gabriel he received a form of release, escape and feeling that he is unknown. c. At the end of the story, when Gabriel is with his wife Gretta, snow symbolizes a â€Å"new awareness†. He realizes that he looks too heavily upon himself and should look towards others and become more compassionate. 2) Characteristics of Gabriel†¦. a. Pages 12-13 When contemplating speech he considers changing it because he feels that nobody...

Forms of Greatness Essay

In the comedic play of â€Å"Twelfth Night† by William Shakespeare, a phony letter supposedly written by Olivia (which is really Maria), left for Malvolio to find, which he reads it out loud. He read the quote: Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em, Act II, Scene V. The quote itself explains that although Malvolio is not born great, he can still become â€Å"great† by doing certain tasks, which makes him behave like a complete fool. Greatness happens when one have the act to live his and her life with dignity and pride and to love oneself and also, others. Greatness comes through birth, or determination, or maybe by luck. It is true that there are people who are born great, who are destine to do well but besides that, there are many ordinary people who achieves greatness by working hard, for example. However, there are also people who becomes great by having greatness thrust upon them, who are put in a situation and comes out great. Basically, everyone has greatness and people must be great for others, too. Achieving greatness is the most admirable form of greatness because everyone have the ability to accomplish greatness, although there are various paths to it. Anyone is capable of acquiring greatness but it requires enormous amount of inner strength. Being a great person does not mean he or she have to be known by the whole world, however, being an admirable person means being that somebody who can bring great presence for oneself and the surroundings. The least admirable form of greatness is being thrust upon them, because they did not seek nor expect greatness, but they found themselves in situations that requires them to do something unusual. The people who have greatness thrust upon ’em are put into a position where they have no choice but to do something to save people lives, like the American soldiers serving for their country, for example. The children of Will Smith named Jaden and Willow Smith can be consider great that have acquired as they grow up. Their parents are very known, famous Hollywood stars, which makes them being born great. They grow up with wealth and also, follows their father’s footstep on film and music industry, which makes them become popular. I can personally say that my mother have achieved greatness by her efforts and hard work to become a teacher. Although she is not considered great from birth, my mom have had a great potential as she grew up. As an example of someone who have greatness thrust upon others are the American troops and soldiers who serves for our country. Maybe some volunteered to represent America but most of the soldiers are placed on a daring situation where they are forced to save the country. Barack Obama, the President of the United States can be seen to achieved greatness through his own struggle because he was born into uncertainty. He is not a son of a king and heirs to the throne, he is one born as an ordinary person. It takes many years of study and hard work to get to the top: Obama is one of the brilliant people to win praises for their own success and he is a great example of one who achieves greatness.

Disabled Children and Education Essay

A lot of disabled children nowadays are taking to American schools in the pursuit of quality education. Even if there is some semblance of community support, or even school-wide support, it is alarming to note that there is still much to be done. There is still a lack of good studies and research made on the unique needs of disabled children. Also, there is a continuous threat of non-school intervention in cases that sometimes warrant to the harassment of disabled children within school premises, and even the lack of school facilities that are specially created for the comfort and enjoyment of the school’s disabled student populace. Finally, even a recent study suggests that even given the support the disabled child has in the form of the alignment of IDEA and NCLB, they have to contend with the many changes it could bring to present attitudes, what they believe in, as well as what they hold dear in helping disabled students achieve the best in their educational lives. Introduction Students with physical disabilities – especially those who have opted to enroll themselves in institutions that are meant for â€Å"normal† students – have always been beset with a lot of challenges through every step of their educational process. see more:importance of school facilities to students From the choice of the school, to its environment, and available curricula, physically disabled students have always been limited to what they could choose that also basically suits them. Abend (2001) stresses the importance of the entire school experience for the disabled students and has reported about the current laws and regulations put in place that were meant to protect them. These include the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 that was later renamed as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act or IDEA in 1990, and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. IDEA is a â€Å"refitted† version of the Education For All Handicapped Children Act, which has made it possible for disabled children to get equal educational rights. It was more concerned with knowing more about disabled children and focused on making special education and other related services available for them. IDEA on the other hand, with its amendments in 1997, made it possible for disabled students to be able to study with non-disabled students, and championed the said cause. Abend also tells of the Americans With Disabilities Act or ADA of 1990 that then enforces laws that made schools safer and more accessible for disabled students. The ADA is put in place for schools to either follow ADA Accessibility Guidelines or ADAAG or the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards or UFAS. Unfortunately, the UFAS and the ADAAG are designed not with the disabled children in mind, especially the disabled students of school age. Giangreco, Dennis, Cloninger, Edelman and Schattman (1993) also noted the issue of teachers who are teaching disabled children as well. It is considered important because, aside from the school environment, disabled students would also have to deal with teachers who could or could not deal with them efficiently like their normal counterparts. As the concept of allowing the disabled children to join their non-disabled classmates in general education courses is supported by a lot of educators, some are rather still doubtful as to what extent should this inclusion would be. Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli and MacFarland (1997) have also reported about the use of instructional assistants that now serve to support the said implementation of allowing disabled children to be able to study together with their non-disabled counterparts on a classroom. As part of the new efforts of being able to actually complement the increase of disabled children to be accommodated, school administrators, teachers and instructional assistants alike are facing increasing pressure from the parents of such children to provide better care. Aside from making the school actually safe and its environment actually conducive to ensuring equal opportunities for education between disabled and non-disabled children, school administrators would also have to deal with the â€Å"hostility† of the normal students themselves, especially in taking to bullying disabled children in their own classes. Hergert (2004) has reported that bullying has been increasingly getting the nefarious attention that it deserves from the media as well as educational journals. The report does include other factors that lead to bullying aside from the children having been physically impaired in some way, such as being ethnically diverse, the children being bullied of different ages, and live in communities where a lot of the people who live there could single them out from being â€Å"different†, such as small or big cities, and even those living in suburban areas. In light of such problems, the National Council on Disability has taken measures in order to improve the educational opportunities of such disabled students. Frieden (2004) has presented a paper which details all the research that the NCD has undertaken, with the cooperation of several schools as well as integration with IDEA as well as the No Child Left Behind Act or NCLB, one of the most ambitious educational laws that were put in place that sought to enhance American education especially through reading and mathematics, measured by their own respective standardized tests. Statement Of The Issue To Be Investigated Students with physical disabilities are enrolling in public schools all across America at an increasing rate. As is already indicated by the recent studies, American lawmakers are striving to get a better grip of this problem and introduce laws which would enable disabled students to have an equal chance at education like their non-disabled counterparts. Frieden (2004) has created a report that shows how very determined the American educational system is in actually curbing that said issue. The issue in question, giving disabled students a clear chance at education, already has several laws to its credit, but as Frieden also already states, the recent study that they have has its many implications. On one side, a lot of educators and schools are very much concerned in providing better schools for these disabled children, but on another side, they are grappling with the fact that the problem is enormous, and schools and school administrators are still quite daunted by the fact that there simply isn’t enough understanding and readiness as of yet as to handle this unique problem. The schools themselves are also beset with other problems such as meeting the yearly â€Å"report card† on their annual performance, and the impact that it could cause on the students with disabilities if things did not go as planned. The report also focused on the teachers as well as the strategies that they would most likely employ, with respect and with the support of the school administrators in question. It also details current research that the NCD has with regards to how they are coping with the problem at the moment. Despite this however, even if disabled students are afforded opportunities for equal chances for good education right now, they are still beset with a lot of problems. The report entails the findings that they have to a certain point that which still needs to be addressed. Literature Review Abend (2001) reports the various laws that were put in place in order to assure that disabled students, especially children, have the same opportunities just like their non-disabled counterparts when it comes to quality education . These laws and guidelines he discussed included: †¢ Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142) †¢ Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) †¢ Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) †¢ Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) †¢ ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) There is also Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112) that worked in close tandem with that of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. Whereas the 1975 Act was more concerned with the services that are given to disabled children, Section 504 deals with whether or not the disabled children would have need of such services. However, as it was already discussed, the use of the UFAS or the ADAAG was more tailored to suit disabled adults more than it can be used for disabled students. Abend goes on to discuss one of the key factors of the success of an overall rehabilitation of the current stand on disabled students bid on education – how the school should be set up. Schools are considered as the second homes to students throughout most of their school lives, and it is important that disabled children should also be comfortable with how they would be willing to spend almost an entire day in such a facility. The school facilities in question should not only be the furniture that could be found inside a classroom – it also deals with the environment of the classroom (if it’s comfortable, too noisy, or too cramped), where the disabled students could go to after school hours (such as playgrounds and the school grounds), and the security of the school. Concerns about air quality are also aired because of the fact that disabled children are highly susceptible to fluctuation in air quality, especially if the child is to go to a general education school. Ensuring that disabled children could actually go around in a school that is also designed for their comfort actually helps a lot in the process of ensuring that they also get quality education. Other important factors that contribute to sound and quality education for disabled children include highly qualified teachers as well as highly qualified instructional assistants. Giangreco et al. (1993) and Giangreco et al. (1997) report on the many benefits that highly qualified teachers and instructional assistants could give to disabled children in the classroom setting. There are educators who feel strongly that disabled children should be able to join their non-disabled classmates in a normal classroom setting, but there are some who are still worried up to what extent should it be made possible. It is also the same with instructional assistants who serve as â€Å"extensions† of the teacher in a classroom, especially when coordinating with the teachers to also include them in class discussion and attending to the special needs of their â€Å"charges†. As they are tasked with the overall management of the classroom, they are also in charge of looking over what happens within that classroom, and sometimes it is more than just staying within the lessons. However, as Hergert (2004) relates, such disabled students’ incidents concerned with bullying by other children are traditionally a â€Å"hands-off† matter when it comes to school affairs. There are cases however that some schools also act upon complaints made by the students who are harassed. Hergert is concerned about, along with the problems of teachers and educational assistants of the best caliber to educate and attend to disabled students’ needs, how the school community still seems to deny the fact that bullying is such a huge problem and dismissing such complaints as overreactions from the students. However, with Frieden’s (2004) report, all such problems are then equated and are meticulously laid out, in response to such problems. Aside from ensuring sound school environments for disabled children to actually find themselves become part of the classroom experience itself, the report has also talks about what the schools can do in order to combat these problems. These are accomplished by strategies that are based upon what typically goes on in a school during their disabled children programs like counseling and the like. Common factors were discovered and goals were also set out, along with the best strategies that could help bring about it. Findings Frieden’s (2004) report has noted several findings on the educational crisis faced by America’s disabled children. Although there is enough reason to believe that disabled children nowadays have better opportunities in getting a better education, it still comes up short. Aside from the overwhelming responsibilities of implementing new and improved means of getting disabled children the education that they deserve, the NCD also has to look over problems of reducing the percentage of disabled children who drop out of schools, ensuring that there are more disabled children who graduate with high school diplomas, and look over available strategies that would ensure the success of a school’s disabled children educational program. Based on Abend and Hergert’s independent studies, the focus on the needs of disabled children through adequate school facilities and the bullying problem are either ill-fit for the children themselves or largely ignored by the school. There is still an inadequacy in trying to solve this problem, and is reflected in Frieden’s report. Also, the problem of finding the best educators for the disabled children themselves counts as another task that needs to be attended to. Lastly, the problem of implementing such improvements on a school-wide basis, mainly through following the guidelines set by the IDEA and NCLB alignment, also needs a lot of attention. Implementing such guidelines is an entirely different thing when it has to be maintained successfully, and this is what the Frieden report has sought to recommend for future studies and research on the matter. Discussion Getting quality education for disabled children is a daunting task. This is more so if the current stakes are too high. In correspondence with the integration of both IDEA and NCLB, the Public Schools of North Carolina (2005) has released guidelines and procedures that schools found statewide would have to implement with regards to the reauthorization of IDEA back in 2004. The guidelines include also the various responsibilities that the test coordinators would have to accomplish in order to disseminate information to North Carolina statewide schools with regards to documentation, job responsibilities, staff training, and other procedures and guidelines. As part of the results that came after the alignment of IDEA and NCLB, the guidelines are a clear sign of, in the given North Carolina example that American education is indeed in an upswing. However, NCLB has, at that time, not actually improved American education as a whole, but mostly benefited schools who were grappling with their own adequate yearly performance or AYP woes. Aside from this, Frieden also noted how it was difficult to keep up with all the assessments that are needed by the NCLB in order to correctly gauge their academic skills. Also, it was very difficult for school leaders to realign assessments as well as other requirements that would allow disabled children to fully become part of the classroom discussion and cope with their own academic performance. Strategies meant to complement disabled children education also come up a little short at that time, because of limited research. The studies that are available are either aimed at younger students not fit for other levels, the studies in themselves where done with limited student participation in numbers, the studies are only concentrated on one kind of disability, or there are no programs available that would help to alleviate the disabled student dropout rate. Also, even if some education programs are set in place, there is still a lot of concern in regards to a lack of support from administrators, the time and effort used in order to implement them, lack of materials, ill-fitting teaching styles, limited teacher understanding of the practice or even not remembering it at all, and ill-fit between what is considered as â€Å"safe† for implementing in a state with regards to their own local guidelines. Conclusion The scope of undertaking the problem of the quality education of disabled children is very different from what one could expect when tackling educational concerns of non-disabled children. This is not to say that one is clearly much more important than the other, but it means that what American education has for now for disabled children is still continuously undergoing a lot of transformation, and is still in serious need of continuous study and research. Frieden’s report basically sums up everything about the problems that disabled children education currently face, and leaves a daunting message that clearly states there is still a lot to be done yet. This concern is not just because of what schools must do in order to make the annual â€Å"report card grade† of their performance – it means that disabled students who are enrolled in their schools need to be attended to, and have different special needs than their non-disabled counterparts. Nurturing such students and giving them equal educational opportunities are the keys in which the school thrives and survives in situations that warrant what â€Å"best education† could be expected from schools. This, alongside with their commitment to bringing the best education and American child could possibly have, should serve as their goal. References Abend, A. C. (2001) Planning and Designing for Students with Disabilities. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from www. edfacilities. org/pubs/disabilities. pdf Frieden, L. (2004) Improving Educational Outcomes for Students With Disabilities. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from www. educationalpolicy. org/pdf/NCD. pdf Giangreco, M. F. , Dennis, R. , Cloninger, C. , Edelman, S. W. & Schattman, R. (1993) â€Å"Experiences of Teachers Educating Students With Disabilities† in Exceptional Children, vol. 5. Retrieved September 15, 2008 from www. uvm. edu/~mgiangre/EC9359(4)359-372. pdf