Fast food vs homemade food Essay

Homemade food is better than fast food because it’s healthy, cheaper, and you control what’s in your food. Food is the most important thing that keeps us alive so we have to choose wisely on what we eat. But some people choose to eat meals that are giving to you in less than five minutes than a meal that takes thirty or more minutes. Fast food and homemade food also have their similarities because you could choose what you want to eat and when you want it. Fast food attracts people because its ready to go anytime of the day and many people don’t have that time to actually make a meal. Many people rely on fast food because it’s convenient to them and you could find a fast food place at almost any corner in a town. Everyone is busy you’re a college student, you work a lot, or your kids are keeping you busy so you are always in a rush so you don’t have the time to make a actual meal but that doesn’t mean your eating habits have to be a rush. When you’re making food at home you have control of the ingredients going in and what’s not going in. When eating fast food you don’t know if its health because you don’t know what is being put in the food you’re eating. For example, you could go to McDonalds and get a hamburger from the dollar menu or make your own at home, they both look the same and are probably going to be the same size but the differences between them are the calories in the hamburger and the tastes. By making your own you know what kind of percent of fat is in the meat. Almost all fast food restaurants look for deals so they would buy meat that has more percent of fat because it’s cheaper than meat that has less percent of fat. People keep feeding their kids fast food but what they don’t think about is it could lead their children to obesity in the future. By feeding them home made food you will have more control of their weight and they will have more energy throughout the day. Cooking at home dose take time out of your day but you also save much more money than eating out because when you cook at home you could cook one meal and that meal could last you all day or you could save the food for the next day. For example you could buy a five pound bag of chicken breast and use it for different types of meals for the week. Also, cooking at home could bring you family together and make the preparation go by faster. Both fast food and homemade food have differences and similarities. Fast food is more convenient and takes less time were as homemade food is healthier and saves you money.

Lincoln Douglas Outline Essay

Before you begin your speech briefly thank the judge and your opponent for providing the opportunity for this important debate. I. Engage With an Attention-Getter. The attention-getter is designed to intrigue the audience members and to motivate them to listen attentively for the next several minutes. There are infinite possibilities for attention-getting devices. Some of the more common devices include using a story, a surprising statistic, or a quotation. Whichever you choose, be sure that your attention-getter makes sense to the case and that it is explained. See more: argument essay format II. Provide a Resolutional Analysis. Say the precise wording of the topic so your judge knows exactly what is being debated. Explain what the resolution is asking – most require that you choose between two values (ex. â€Å"Resolved: Individuality should be valued above community†), other topics have implied values which require a little more explanation. III. Offer Definitions. Clearly define the vital words/phrases in the resolution and cite the dictionary or encyclopedia you used. Make sure the definitions you choose support what you are arguing – definitions matter – sometimes they decide who wins and loses the debate! IV. Propose a Value. A value is an ideal held by individuals, societies, or governments that serves as the highest goal to be protected/achieved. In general, the debater will establish a value which focuses the central questions of the resolution and will serve as a foundation for argumentation. Explain how the value relates to the topic. V. Offer a Criterion. You should present a criterion (a standard) which should be used to: ââ€" ªExplain how the value should be protected, respected, maximized, or achieved. ââ€" ªMeasure whether a given side or argument protects, respects, maximizes, or achieves the value. The relationship between the value and the criterion should be clearly stated. VI. Present Contention 1. Provide a â€Å"tagline† or brief title to the argument. Introduce the claim or argument you are making (ex. â€Å"Capital punishment deters crime†). Introduce your warrant – the reason your claim is true. Offer valid evidence that supports your claim (ex. â€Å"According to the Attorney General, states that have the death penalty have less violent crime†). Explain the impact of your argument on the debate. Be sure to relate your argument back to the resolution and explain how this argument helps to uphold the value (ex. â€Å"Because capital punishment decreases crime it upholds Justice, which is the most important value in today’s round†). VII. Present Contention 2. Is the claim clear? Is valid evidence offered? Is the warrant clear? (Is the piece of evidence explained, how does it apply to the resolution?) Is enough evidence offered to prove the claim? Does the case explain how this piece of evidence helps to uphold the value? VIII. Present Contention 3. Same as Contention 1 and 2 above! IX. End the Speech with a Solid Conclusion. Review the main points of the case, especially the value. Use the criterion to â€Å"weigh the case† (or prove how your arguments best support the value). Provide a final thought that refers back to the attention-getter. Ask for the win (ex. â€Å"For all these reasons I can see nothing but an affirmative ballot†).

Quick warm Essay

Station 1:  Here, I will be doing a quick warm up which means I will start jogging for about 30 seconds so that my muscles can start to work slowly doing this will help me to have an easier time while doing my stretches in the next stage because if I suddenly stretch a muscle that I haven’t worked on then I will have to have my P.E. kit and my trainers on which means from now on till the end of the circuit I will have to apply the safety rules to my circuit and I also have to have all the equipment needed to complete the circuit. (2 minutes break after this>>the 2 minutes of break is not included in the real exercise time) Station 2:  This is more important then the first one because this is where I will be doing my stretches. There are many stretch types that I can do but firstly I have to start the stretching from my neck down to my legs which means I will firstly stretch my neck I can do this by doing some movements such like if you turn your head from right to left or if you face up and then face down then you will start working your muscles. Your neck should be stretched because in badminton the shuttlecock usually goes up high and you will need to make a sudden move with your neck muscles to see where it is going so that you can hit it back to the opposition. After this there is another important body part that needs to be stretched and that’s my arms. Stretching of my arms will take 20 seconds so it is 10 seconds for each arm after this I will start to stretch my legs and that will take 30 seconds so its 15 seconds for each leg. These two parts are important because these are the only parts that badminton is played with and the reason of stretching these is because if I hurt any muscles in these parts I cannot play badminton till I recover and recovery depends on how bad it is. (2 minutes break time) Station 3:  In this part of the circuit the exercise that I will do is running because if I improve my speed I will be able to act quickly and this will allow me to run around the court faster so that I can reach the shuttlecock straight away. This will also increase my stamina if I do it often. In this same section I can also stretch my arm muscles while running because my leg muscles will already be stretching when I am running because I will be working them a lot. (2 minutes break time) Station 4:  Here, I will practise with free weights for around 2 minutes and that is 1 minute for each arm. This will help my muscles to get better and stronger. If I get stronger I can hit the shuttlecock faster which means it will help me to win the game that I am playing and I can see the difference by doing another exercise after this and that exercise can be taking some shots. And if I can do it faster, then this means using free weights is a good way of warming up. Station 5:  In this one I will be standing against a wall or a friend and will be practising overhead shots so that this skill can also get better. This skill is always needed in a badminton game where you hold the racquet over your head and you watch or chase the shuttlecock as it comes down and you hit it very fast from above your head to above your opponents head. It usually goes over them and you get the points but sometimes opponents can not chase the shuttlecock that good and they just miss it and lose a point. This happened to me twice and it is also the other reason for me to practise these shots. Station 6:  Here I will be practising the most important thing in badminton. Serving. Serving is a very hard thing and can lose you a lot of points if you don’t know how to do it. For a serve you will have to keep the racquet below your waist and work your way up as you leave the shuttlecock that you will be holding in your other hand. Practising this will get you many points in the game because if you serve really good the opponents sometimes misses to hit the shuttlecock back to you. Station 7:  Here I will be taking shot from one side of the court to the hoops that are on the other side of the court. This will help me to measure the speed that I should be hitting the shuttlecock with and by doing this I will be able find out where the shuttlecock goes when I hit it from one place or another.  Station 8:  From here I will start jogging as I have finished the warming up so this means that I can also take a few shots and keep on jogging till I feel that my muscles are back to normal or as relaxed as they can be. Station 9:  This is where I will be picking up all the equipment and putting them back to its place. Here I will also tell my teacher that I have completed my circuit and that it went fine (or if there was any problems, then they should be told to the teacher). Evaluation:  In this coursework I did everything that I was asked to do and my graphs also gave me good and accurate results which have proved my circuit right. There could have been better things in this coursework but my illness made me lose 3 double PE lessons where it was talked about the coursework and the lack of time we had really made it poor. Even though the coursework was a disaster I made a very good effort in putting everything together. I am hoping that this will be a good essay.

Analysis of Offshoring Jobs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Offshoring Jobs - Research Paper Example India has become one of the dominant players in the field of offshoring; this has taken place mostly in works related to software. There are several factors that have aided the evolution of offshoring in India and its spread to other countries. The first factor includes the regulations put by the Indian government during the 1970s; these regulations allowed all foreign ventures to have ownership of majority Indians. Another factor that contributed to offshoring included the advent of the internet as well as telecommunications technology. This enabled the doing of computer-based work anywhere in the world. As a result, the phenomenon of offshoring spread to countries all over the world.Offshoring witnessed immense changes during the early years of the 1990s. The CEOs and CIOs of large corporations realized the need to reduce budgets of information technology. The significant and rapid development of web-based communication made information technology become an essential part of carryi ng out business, thus leading to the revolutionization of the corporate world. To curb the costs of maintaining processes, Chief Information Officers and Chief Executive Officers changed their strategies and began outsourcing the development and maintenance of IT systems. This set the trend for other support and administrative functions being outsourced.According to Gupta (2008), there are several jobs that are offshored all over the world; these jobs tend to be more affected by outsourcing than any other jobs.

Discuss the challenges that global warming presents to both Essay

Discuss the challenges that global warming presents to both governments and business - Essay Example Lord Stern further pointed out that the increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other toxic chemicals into our atmosphere seems to represent a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude which does not bode well for our environment. He calculates that every ton of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere implies a $30 charge for the social cost and if not stopped, about 1-2% of our global GDP per year would be reduced. Our industries would also have to suffer the higher cost of climate change through adjustments in their carbon emissions (Meister, 2008). The tourist industry would also likely be impacted by global warming because businesses would incur losses or closures caused by waves, hurricanes, floods, and storms. These weather disturbances would likely reduce â€Å"international outbound and inbound tourist traffic† (Meister, 2008). Many heritage sites which are top tourist draws are also often damaged by these weather disturbances. In the end, these areas will lose the ir attractiveness; and as a result fewer tourists would visit these places (Meister, 2008). The challenge for the tourist industry would now be on how to stay economically viable despite global warming conditions. This would likely prompt these businesses to either find alternative sources of business or to help maintain such tourist spots and prevent them from deteriorating. The areas which would likely be impacted significantly by the global warming phenomenon are the third world nations like Bangladesh and areas like Mumbai in India and Indonesia; these areas have low coastlines and would likely be affected the most by global warming (Webber, 2002). The floods caused by monsoon rains as well as the droughts in some parts of the world are just some of the occurrences which are likely to be seen with more frequency in the coming years. The challenge for businesses in these areas would be on how to stay afloat amidst these weather disturbances which may destroy their crops and disru pt their supply chains. Insurers have a major share in companies, including those in the oil industry. The challenge for them is on the pressure they can exert on these companies in order to prompt them to recover their losses amidst natural disasters and also how these insurance companies can still gain profits (Webber, 2002). The challenge for businesses is on the switch to fuels which they have to implement in order to help reduce the emissions of toxic chemicals. The challenge is for them to use alternative sources of fuel which would create less greenhouse gases. Fuel switching would be a costly venture for most businesses because these sources of fuel are limited sources and would require more than the usual processing (Webber, 2002). Moreover, these alternative sources of fuel would cost millions to structure in to the industries. In the end, these financial costs are often passed to the consumers – consumers who are already undergoing various economic difficulties in recent years. Economists also point out that for companies who are located in areas which are often visited by droughts or floods, insurance companies may eventually find them uninsurable (Hagen, 2007). Many farmers would also likely invest in new areas which may be

What are the factors that influence consumer behavior towards choosing Essay

What are the factors that influence consumer behavior towards choosing mobile phone brands - Essay Example A mobile phone is an electronic device which is used in two way communication. To make use of a mobile phone, connection to a cellular network is required which is an interconnection of base stations through which signals are transmitted, hence the mobile uses those signals to forge and maintain connection. A user using a mobile phone can make or receive telephone calls to and from other cellular networks and also fixed line phones worldwide. Each mobile phone holds a subscription with a cellular network which then connects it to a mobile network operator and thus let’s communication to flow freely. With the influx of countless models of mobiles in the UK market, with minor or significant differences in features, generally they are categorized into two groups. We have feature phones, which are normally characterized as low end mobile phones having less functions, whereas at the other extreme we have Smartphone which are high end phones with sophisticated, computing capabilities. Hence the focus of this report is to discuss a Market Research Study with the aim of providing readers with a comprehensive insight into the factors that influence the consumer behavior when it comes to choosing mobile phones, particularly for UK market. Once the factors have been determined, this report will further shed light on the market research objectives as well as the main purpose and procedure for this proposed market research study. In addition to the aforementioned topics in this report you will also find ample information regarding how to conduct a qualitative and quantitative market research study explaining the finer points in detail. Also a proposed reporting research schedule and timing, fees and credentials will be a part of this report. The report’s prime focus will be on the consumer influences because it is these factors that aid the consumer in making a rational choice when given several alternatives to choose from. The

Human Trafficking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Trafficking - Assignment Example Under the federal rule, coerced work is a harsh outline of trafficking people. Most victims of human trafficking are taken for labor purposes. For example, some could be recruited to run errands in construction sites. Others, especially children could be taken for home servitude, sexual use or labor. Human trafficking for sexual purpose is common and most children, close to 70% are trafficked for sexual exploitation (Gozdziak & Bump, 2008, 6). The stern types of trafficking individuals are distinct. One, sex trafficking: in this case a profitable sex act is induced by power, coercion and fraud in which the individual is pressurized to perform such act. The other form human trafficking is through the recruitment, transportation, provision, or getting the person for work via the use of fraud or pressure with the aim of subjecting him to involuntary servitude. In addition, a person is also subjected to peonage or slavery (Armaline et al. 2013). However, human trafficking can also happen in work circumstances such as home servitude, immigrant farming and labor in a person-like plant. Whether an action falls in the description of trafficking is based on the kind of labor for the victim and the use of force and coercion to get or retain the work. The exception is that the human trafficking covers the utilization of small children for profitable sexual actions even when there is no fraud or force (Armaline et al. 2013). Human trafficking also involves individuals who are detained against their will to pay off arrears. A victim’s original accord to tour or do the work does not permit the boss later limit the individual’s liberty. In addition, the agreement should not also let the employer restrict the worker’s liberty by use of threats or force to get refunds. In the United States, the full measurements of the challenge of human trafficking are hard to gauge. However, it is clear that human trafficking is a key basis

Goldman Sachs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Goldman Sachs - Essay Example Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and securities firm which engage in financial services like investment banking, securities, investment management etc. Founded in 1869 and headquartered in the Lower Manhattan area of New York City, Goldman Sachs has a lot of international offices across the world. Apart from financial services, it provides mergers and acquisitions advice, asset management and prime brokerage to its clients. Its clients include corporations, governments, and individuals. Goldman Sachs has recently caught the attention of the investment world because of the innovative risk management strategies implemented by them. According to J.P. Morgan analysts Kian Abouhossein and Delphine Lee, â€Å"Goldman Sachs' risk management was "best in class" and could act "as a benchmark for investment banking peers† (Kennedy). This paper briefly analyses Goldman Sachs' risk management strategy, its advantages and the risks faced by Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs' have used different measures of risk for a long period and the competitors were able to adopt such techniques only recently. In conclusion, Goldman Sachs was able to escape from the recent financial crisis because of their highly innovative risk management strategies. They were able to implement risk management strategies which other may not even think of. When most of the financial institutions struggled to survive because of the recent financial crisis, Goldman Sachs was able to improve its market position because of their well-defined risk management strategies.

Homosexuality and Religion Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Homosexuality and Religion - Term Paper Example Human beings have inherent rights that States – and the Church – have the responsibility to protect. These rights are innate in them from the time they are born and no state can deprive them of such fundamental rights (Yecies 790). The question is: Is being gay or homosexual a fundamental and inherent right that States or the Church has to protect? This is a question for many theologians and scientists to debate. If being gay or homosexual is an inherent right then the Church must protect homosexuals and permit same-sex marriage. But as they say, it is open for debate. One thing is certain though – homosexuals are human beings and they have the right to be a part of the church as homosexuals. The UDHR espoused â€Å"a Kantian right to equality and moral autonomy for every human person into the circle of the family†, and according to this notion of human rights, there is equality in power and responsibility between the family’s adult members no matte r the sexual orientation. â€Å"In the human rights scheme, gender hierarchy is anathema† (Raday 211). ... Homosexual or heterosexual is not defined in the Bible as we are all members of humanity saved by the cross of Christ. In Christ, we become perfect and fully human but Christ’s work has yet to be completed. In other words, the term homosexual or heterosexual has a religious connotation. Homosexuals and heterosexuals do not defined themselves on the basis of their biological make up, or cultural orientation. To be homosexual or heterosexual is itself a conduct which is the result of factors beyond our control. A homosexual, that includes gay or lesbian, has sexual thoughts towards persons of the same sexual orientation (Bradshaw 120). Main Body Laws on homosexuality have traditionally been governed by promoting traditional morals. Gays have been considered â€Å"other† (Kershaw 559). This means gays are not considered the same with women, the disabled, or racial minority, or they are different. In the United States, even if federal laws prohibit discrimination on the bas is of race and gender, there is no law that explicitly protects homosexuals (qtd. in Kershaw 559). On the question of homosexual’s fundamental right, there are pros and cons to the argument that being gay is a fundamental right but sometimes it depends on what country you belong, i.e. according to the cultural orientation of that country. The UN encourages States to protect their citizens of fundamental rights. What is clear is that it cannot force a State to protect homosexuals of their â€Å"fundamental right†. What does the church, the Catholic Church in particular and other Protestant denominations, say about it? They can be divided about the issue. True, the Catholic Church and other monotheistic religions have condemned homosexuality,

Respond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Respond - Essay Example The narrator spins the story around several occurrences at the office. These range from the worsening situation of the company caused by leaving of the clients which subsequently leads to the firing of the employees; to personal issues faced by the employees such as Amber’s unexpected pregnancy, speculation about personal life, death, illness, fear of work place violence, Benny’s totem-pole dilemma, Carl’s depression and pharmaceutical abuse as well as the disintegration by Chris over his chair issues. The story culminates with the discovery that the cool-headed Lynn is dying of cancer. I feel that the ‘we’ connotation used by the narrator is questionable to some extent. This is because even though the narrator uses the plural pronoun ‘we’ to narrate the story and insinuate a sense of solidarity at the workplace, this is far from the truth as the coworkers know every little about each other and are unable to maintain genuine long-term relationships at the

Too long to write adding it in a word document Essay

Too long to write adding it in a word document - Essay Example John Sanford, a case the Court had decided 16 years earlier.1 The two cases seem to have little in common. Dred Scott addressed certain controversial issues about race, including that slaves and their descendents could never be U.S. citizens. It had nothing to do with Louisiana or meatpacking, nor at the time of the ruling had the 13th and 14th Amendments yet been proposed, much less adopted. So the circumstances of the two cases seem unconnected.2 But scholars such as Hiroshi Fukurai note that the Slaughterhouse Court was able to connect the two cases â€Å"due to the passage of the 14th Amendment.†3 That Amendment had been adopted in 1868, 11 years after the 1857 Dred Scott ruling and five years before Slaughterhouse, but the Supreme Court had not yet had an opportunity to interpret its meaning. Slaughterhouse presented the first opportunity, and thereby also created a path for the Court to revisit Dred Scott. The result was the Slaughterhouse Court declared Dred Scott to have been overruled five years earlier by the first clause in the 14th Amendment, which â€Å"declared [the negro] to be a citizen of the United States.†4 As summarized by Donald Lively, â€Å"Five years after the [14th] amendment’s adoption, the Supreme Court seized an opportunity [in Slaughterhouse] to pass its own judgment on the extent to which state power and interests had been federalized.†5 In short, although it took several years, the Court in Slaughterhouse finally could return to Dred Scott via the path created by the 14th Amendment and, in so doing, substantially overturned it.6 During the U.S. Senate hearings on John Roberts’s nomination to be Chief Justice, he was asked what the Court should consider before overturning a prior case. Roberts replied that â€Å"it is a jolt to the legal system to overrule a precedent† and listed several cautionary considerations. Nevertheless, he had earlier characterized Dred Scott as

Happiness in marriage Essay Example for Free

Happiness in marriage Essay Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance. With reference to marriages in Pride and Prejudice, to what extent is this statement true? Marriage is the key issue in Pride and Prejudice, and Austen uses class structure, manners and proper behaviour in society to embellish the topic. It is the overall picture given by these subjects that tell us about the happiness a woman could expect from entering the state of marriage, whether marrying for love and felicity, or, as seems the wise choice in the case of many of the characters, for money and financial security. Pride and Prejudice explores the situations that many young ladies found themselves put in, and whether or not it was possible to achieve fulfilment and happiness if you were to marry for the latter. In the Bennet household, particularly, marriage is a very poignant subject. For Mrs Bennet, she feels it is essential for her girls (and for herself) that they should marry well, as otherwise they stand to lose everything without a son to take over the estate. Her feelings are made clear at the beginning, once she has heard that a wealthy Mr Bingley has recently moved to the neighbourhood. Without any knowledge or regard for his character, she immediately jumps to the conclusion that it is a fine thing for our girls. This statement is made purely on the awareness of his handsome fortune, and of the happiness and fortune that it could bring her. She uses the word girls, and this shows that she doesnt care for individual happiness, but she does want one of them married to him, never mind which. Her own marriage is described as lacking in respect, esteem and confidence, and through Elizabeths eyes it is improper and unsuitable. Although their marriage was based chiefly on an attraction on Mr Bennets part, Jane Austen states that it had been an imprudent move, and that he had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection. The only happiness he seems to have from the marriage is his constant mocking of his wife for his own amusement, and marvelling at her ignorance. The marriage which exists is based on a fancy rather than the three qualities that Jane Austen, through Elizabeth, attributes to true marital happiness for both partners: respect, esteem and confidence, which is exactly what Mr and Mrs Bennet dont have for each other. Mrs Bennet, for her own daughters marriages, sees the purpose as a way of supporting themselves, and gaining some kind of financial security, and the bigger the fortune, the better the match. When Elizabeth turns down the heir to Longbourn, Mr Collins, she says to her daughter If you go on refusing every offer of marriage, you will never get a husband, and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is dead. This view is one shared by Charlotte, although she does not air her opinions so openly. Charlotte Lucas is a realist. Her role in the book is to represent the thoughts and intentions of many ladies in eighteenth century society. What numerous young women were doing, whether they were influenced by their mothers or not, was to make a cautious and prudent marriage. As a girl of twenty-seven, plain, and in danger of dying an old maid, she has taken on the view that happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance is a reference to the fact that women did pre-dominantly marry for money, not indeed love. She even goes as far as to advise Elizabeth on a match with Mr Darcy, although Elizabeths feelings are prejudiced towards him. She tells Elizabeth not to be a simpleton, and allow her fancy for Wickham make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of [Darcy] a man ten times his consequence. This shows her prudence, that although Elizabeth has admitted she has feelings for Wickham, she should keep herself open to anyone who pays her a compliment, and is wealthier. It is this theory that influences her own marriage with Mr Collins, for although there is no real affection on her side, he can offer her protection and a comfortable life. The practical nature of her marriage causes her to justify herself to her best friend, and she openly admits to her I am not a romantic, I never was. Immediately, this tells us that this marriage is not the result of a passionate affair, it is the conclusion that her chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. This statement is quite shocking, because it means the wedding takes place with no real affection on either side: it is done merely for self-gain. This view is also made clear when she comments on Jane and Bingleys relationship: When [Jane] is secure of him (i.e. a wedding or engagement has taken place), there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses. Although Mr Collins seems to be happy, when he tells Elizabeth that We (he and Charlotte) seem to have been designed for each other, we have to go back to the fact that Charlotte was his third choice. He had favoured Jane, before Mrs Bennet enlightened him with the information that she believed that she would soon be engaged to Bingley, and it was only afterwards, when Elizabeth had turned his offer of marriage down, that he showed any regard for Charlotte. He proposed twice in three days, and so it is clear that no real feelings of admiration on either part could have developed strongly. This marriage is established on the ground that Mr Collins wants to set an example to his parishioners, and, more importantly in his eyes, to please his wealthy patroness, Lady Catherine. Mr. Collins also remarks on Elizabeths situation, as his wife had done previously when he says that her portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of [her] loveliness and amiable qualifications. The Lucases are by no means wealthy, but Mr Collins is not looking for wealth, he is looking to add to his happiness by obtaining a companion. He came with the intention of returning home with a Bennet bride, but failing that he has an intelligent, practical woman, who has gone into a marriage with no pre-wedding romance, but to be content with her quite prosperous situation. As Elizabeth observes, Charlotte was disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen. In direct contrast to Charlottes carefully thought about match, Lydia rushes into a passionate and imprudent marriage. Society almost expected women to marry above their own wealth and station, to make a sensible union, but it was a disgrace to have an affair it was essential that a woman should keep her virtue. Lydia, however, did the latter but not the first. Inside these parameters, Lydia is a slur on her already tarnished family name. Herr quite insincere love caused her to follow her heart, and go against the foresight that was instilled in so many young women, essentially from birth. Her love can be described more as a fancy, because it holds none of the virtues so important to Elizabeth, and therefore Jane Austens eyes: respect, esteem and gratitude. However, the match between herself and Wickham gives them both happiness, and, although her family does not share their feelings, her decision, however misguided, does give her happiness. Prior to the marriage, she writes for there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel. This view is in opposition to Charlottes, that one must marry into good fortune, and then see what happiness may come of it, if any at all. Lydias perception of Wickham is unchanged when she writes again, once Elizabeth and Darcy are married. She says that If you love Mr Darcy half so well as I do my dear Wickham, you must be very happy. Although on initially embarking on her elopement, the marriage looked as though it was a flirtatious whim, especially on the part of Wickham, by the end, there is no real relationship development, except that they still love each other. From the circumstances surrounding both of their families, it is safe to say that Wickham is not marrying for wealth, it is for his apparent love for Lydia. Previously, he had been engaged to Mary King, a wealthy heiress of ten thousand pounds, and Elizabeth had said of the match a wise and desirable measure for both; handsome young men must have something to live on, as well as the plain. As Colonel Fitzwilliam said of men Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money. However, these same motives are not seen in his match with Lydia, although it is true to say that unless Darcy had intervened, they may not have married. Elizabeth also observes that his affections for Lydia were not equal to Lydias for him.that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love. She also wonders why he chose to elope with her at all, before coming to the conclusion that some financial gain must have been the reason, and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion. However, these reasons have not impaired Lydias enjoyment of married life, nor Wickhams, as she is constantly praising him he is always her dear, and he did everything the best in the world. Whether these observations are made due to Lydias ignorance, or her blindness in her fancy, she does not seem to have tired of him, as Mr Bennet had of Mrs Bennet soon after their wedding. Someone who has married for both money and affection is Jane. There is a mutual attraction between her and Mr Bingley, and this leads onto, we presume, matrimonial bliss. Their relationship is fixed firmly on a rational basis, and they both share an optimistic view of the world. Elizabeth, early on in the book, comments on the likelihood that Janes marriage would be for money, not love, but by the end, Jane and Bingleys equally happy manners and charming countenances mean that there is equality in their affections unlike Wickham and Lydia, where there is more fondness on her side. Their shared admiration for one another gives the foundation for equilibrium, that there will be a good balance of respect, esteem and confidence on both sides. Mr Bingley says that he could not conceive an angel more attractive, while Jane says of Bingley, albeit in private, that she never saw such happy manners. With these observations, this is a match will lead to domestic felicity that luck and chance will have no role in the marriage; it has been carefully thought out, and although it is practical, it is also a match which will bring happiness on both sides. Elizabeth describes him as violently in love, and goes on to say, at the request of her aunt, that he was wholly engrossed in her and his inattention to anyone else, meant that this was the very essence of love. Mr Bennet, immediately after the engagement had been announced tells his daughter that you will be a very happy womanI have no doubt of your doing very well together. These views are ones shared by all, because it is obvious from their first physical attraction, and also their same manner, that they were well suited, and that their pleasure is secured by such high regard. However, when Elizabeth announces her engagement, her father is not as convinced that she will be as happy as Jane is. Her knowledge of Darcys gallantry has grown, whereas her fathers has been stifled, and so he doubts her true happiness when he says: I know your true disposition, Lizzy. I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable unless you truly esteemed your husband. However, his understanding of her true feelings could not be further from the truth. Throughout the entire book, it seems Darcy and Elizabeths relationship is the only one that has grown in understanding and estimation of one another. Respect on both sides has grown, because as they have gained more knowledge, they have also gained more esteem. This is the one relationship where there is a true shift from almost hate to true love. The re-assessment of characters allows us to see the real feelings behind the relationship, and even with Jane and Bingleys, although they respect one another, their connection is based centrally around admiration, whereas Darcy and Elizabeth have had to conquer their own pride and prejudice to have a full understanding of each other. Throughout the novel, Austen dropped hints about Darcys interest into Elizabeths intriguing character, but Elizabeth showed no interest in Darcy, except to air her feelings of intolerance at his proud nature. Mrs Gardiner, whose marriage is a very good example of what a successful relationship should aim to achieve, is very motherly towards Elizabeth and gives her competent advice, rather than nonsensical schemes for marriage. She advises her on her fancy for Mr Wickham: affection for Wickham would be so very imprudent because of his want of fortune. The relationships in the book are mainly seen through the eyes of Elizabeth, and it is she who determines whether they are happy or not. She was full of scorn for Charlottes match with her fathers cousin, and when she advised Elizabeth that Jane should secure him and than fall in love, she made a witty and ironic comment, which tells us that she would only marry for a love that had been determined before a ceremony: Where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married; and if I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I should adopt it. In short, Lizzy represents Austens own view on marriage, that one should truly know, admire and respect a person before entering the state. Her mother complained to Mrs Gardiner, that had it not been for Lizzys perverseness she could have married Mr Collins. With views such as this, it is little wonder that the intelligent Elizabeth has such guarded opinion of marriage: she had always been aware of the impropriety of her own parents union, that this could put her off entering into marriage with someone she did not hold esteem for. It is this reasoning that allows her to fall in love with Darcy, and visa versa. Her unconventional views on what should be established prior to an engagement contrast with many of the motives for the marriages in the book. Lydia and Wickham, as well as Mr Bennet had all been headlong in their reasons, and these marriages, although they could bring happiness for at least some amount of time would not have been as morally successful as Elizabeth and Darcy, whose marriage is based on mutual esteem. Whereas Charlotte had thought about the espousal, and then agreed, much to the disdain of her friend, her happiness is impaired, because the marriage is not based on love, as Elizabeths is, it is principled on common gain, as were many matches in the society. Not only do Darcy and Elizabeth respect and gratify each other, they also share common interests, such as reading, as well as having the same elegant tastes. These qualities ensure happiness, unlike Mr and Mrs Bennet, where stimulation of the mind is essential to one, and stimulation of the tongue necessary for the other. Pride and Prejudice is a very good example of what different types of marriages can achieve: a good home and security, passion and fun or intelligent companionship. Marriage opens up different ways to different types of happiness, but true happiness can only be achieved on the grounds of honour and deference. Lydia, and to some extent Wickham, are happy, despite the different morals in their marriage, when compared to Charlotte and Mr Collins marriage. Darcy and Elizabeth are happy because they knew, appreciated and respected each other before entering matrimony, whereas Wickham and Lydia entered marriage with little but their fancy for each other to base their lives together on. In my opinion, Darcy and Elizabeths match is better, because their happiness is determined before marriage, not decided afterwards. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance is true to some marriages, but in a carefully calculated marriage, based on respect, esteem and confidence, the question of chance is indifferent.

Validity Of The Concept Of Codependency Sociology Essay

Validity Of The Concept Of Codependency Sociology Essay Early discourse regarding chemical dependency gave rise to the enigmatic concept of codependency. Codependency quickly became diagnosed in the form of a personality disorder, a disease and a family addiction. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting the concept of codependency as an official diagnosis. Feminist criticism has further contributed to the reduction in popularity of the disease model. The following literature review will provide an overview of the concept of codependency. It will outline various definitions of codependency found within the literature. These will then be compared with feminist alternatives to the concept of codependency such as connectedness and overresponsibility. Traditional codependency treatment is heavily influenced by proponents of the concept that alcoholism is a disease and this literature review aims to investigate those treatments. Central to the codependency debate is the lack of empirical evidence to support any one definition for the condition. This allows sceptics to question the validity of the concept of codependency. This review of codependency literature thoroughly explores the studies conducted in combination with any scholarly critiques of those studies. As the majority of studies were conducted during the 1990s, the inclusion criteria for this review are not constrained to contemporary literature. There is a remarkable lack of research into the link between same-sex relationships and codependency. For the purposes of this literature review, and in keeping with the studies conducted on heterosexual married relationships, the codependent will be referred to as she and the addicted partner will be referred to as he. Definitions of Codependency The codependency model construes characteristics associated most commonly with women, e.g. caring, nurturing, sustaining relationships, in an entirely pathological way and urges women to self-define on this basis. The search for an agreed definition of codependency is the subject of much disagreement, despite many definitions being proposed within the literature. According to a study by Dear, no one definition has been empirically derived (2002: 47). The definition of codependency depends on what situation is being described and on the motivation of the person using the term. In treatment terms, codependency is considered one of the most frequently diagnosed concepts despite inadequate research into the model. In 1991, a review of codependency literature for a core meaning of codependency found six different definitions (in Harkness and Cotrell, 1997: 473-474). An emotional, psychological, and behavioural condition; An obsession with interpersonal control; Learned self-defeating behaviours; Suffering connected with attending to others; An addictive disease; A preoccupation with others characterised by extreme dependency. According to Lyon and Greenberg, 96% of the general population in the United States has met the loose conditions for codependency at one time or another (1991: 436). It could be argued that everyone who is around an addicted person is considered a codependent. Below are a few definitions and symptoms derived from codependency literature. Codependency as a Relational and Behavioural Concept: This is an example of dependence on addictive behaviours and a need for approval from others to find safety, self-worth, and identity (Anderson, 1994: 678). The term represents any individual involved in a dysfunctional or abusive relationship (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). This definition applies when a person displays an excessive dependence on other people for approval and identity. Dear outlined other relational or behavioural codependent traits (2002: 47). These included the impulse to accommodate the needs of others ahead of ones individual needs; participation in self-destructive interpersonal behaviours such as care-taking (taking responsibility for controlling another persons conduct); and rescuing (taking responsibility for the consequences of another persons irresponsible actions). Codependency as a Diagnostic Entity: This perspective diagnoses codependency as a primary disease which manifests itself in every member of an addictive family. Codependency has been defined by scholars as pathological behaviour, and it is considered to be worse than the addicted persons disease of addiction (George et al: 1999: 39; Schaef, 1986). Within this perspective, codependency is a curable diagnostic entity comprised of a predictable beginning, course, and outcome. Proponents of the diagnostic entity concept claim that a learned predisposition to enter into addictive relationships develops in childhood. Cermak in Anderson (1994: 677) contends that codependency is eligible for addition as a personality disorder to the Axis II Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R). He further states that a dependent personality disorder illustrates many features of codependency. Codependency from a Family Systems Perspective: This is a pattern of coping which advances because of prolonged exposure to a dysfunctional family. Dysfunctional family rules cause difficulties in expressing thoughts and feelings openly (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). This perspective contends that enhanced family functioning needs the resolution of the addicts problem as well as treatment for the family members codependency (Dear, 2002: 47). The family systems approach reflects a pattern of chronic and pathological behaviour allegedly caused by having a parent or partner who suffers from addiction (George et al, 1999: 39). The term codependent originated in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. It was then extended to groups such as Al-Anon, CoDA and Al-Ateen. The word codependent interchanged with the terms co-alcoholic and co-addict to label a family member or anyone who is negatively entangled with an addicted person (Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 435). The Adult Children of Alcoholics movement adopted the concept of codependency in the 1980s. They extended the application of codependency to anyone who grew up in an alcoholic or dysfunctional family. Codependency from a Psychodynamic Perspective: From a psychodynamic perspective, codependency is construed to be a maladaptive way of relating to others. It is characterised by an intense certainty in individual powerlessness and the dominance of others, and a shortage of open expression of feelings. Other indications are extreme efforts to obtain a sense of purpose, identity and appreciation of self. Cullen and Carr expand this further by including a desire for fulfilment through engaging in personally destructive care-taking relationships (1999: 506) which involve high levels of denial, inflexibility, and numerous attempts to control the relationship (Zelvin, 1999: 14). Codependency from a Feminist Perspective: When the codependency concept first emerged, it described psychological, emotional, and behavioural problems displayed by the partners, and consequently the children, of alcoholics who unintentionally enabled continuance of the drinking problem rather than facilitating recovery. It replaced the less comprehensive terms co-alcoholic and enabler (Cullen and Carr: 1999: 505). On a socio-political level, feminist scholars regard codependency as yet another instrument in the oppression of women which fosters a denial of male responsibility (Anderson, 1994: 679). This position asserts that when men are noticeably impaired, their female partners must also be labelled sick or pathological to retain the balance of power in the relationship. Lyon and Greenberg highlight some of the symptoms located in codependency literature (1991: 436) which include: extreme and unbalanced interpersonal relationships; inability to endure being alone, combined with frantic efforts to avoid this; constant and chronic feelings of boredom and worthlessness; treating ones individual needs as subordinate to the needs of another; overpowering desire for approval and affection; external referencing; dishonesty and denial; low self-worth. Irrespective of whether one truly possesses the qualities of alleged codependency, self-labelling promotes that one take on the characteristics of the label. It encourages examination of ones own behaviour and experiences as suggestive of these traits, and to engage in conduct which is consistent with the label. George et al. proposed that legitimate psychological trauma or pathology may progress because of social stigmatisation and the negative stereotypes connected with the label of codependency (1999: 40-46). The codependency label tends to oversimplify multifaceted scenarios; it prevents change and growth; and it denies the uniqueness of a person. As individuals identify themselves with a label, they can assume that treatment centres know everything about their family, know about everything that is wrong with them, and know how to bring effective treatment. The codependent label is demoralising for the individual because it implants a fixed and negative understanding of the self and treatment. Krestan and Bepko claim that codependency should be renamed overresponsibility and recognised as a positive impulse gone awry (quoted in Anderson, 1994: 682). Overresponsibility for others combined with underresponsibility for the self characterises codependent behaviour. Zelvin contends that codependency must be reassessed as a sequence of problematic efforts to connect instead of a failure to separate (1999: 9). The feminist perspective thus offers alternatives to the traditional concept of codependency, and this literature review will discuss overresponsibility and connectedness with reference to the definitions of codependency outlined above. Extension of the Disease Concept of Alcoholism to Codependency The disease model concept has been intensely and cyclically debated for several hundred years. In the 1940s, the disease concept staged a comeback suggesting that alcohol itself was not responsible for any problematic drinking issues. The concept was rapidly adopted by the medical profession, popularised and then spread from America around the world. (Edwards, 2000: 96-98). Codependency was popularised in the same way with no scientific validation. Edwards summarised the effects of the alcoholic disease concept (2000: 101-102). If alcoholism is considered to be a disease, alcohol itself is not the problem. Instead, the unfortunate few were predisposed to contracting the disease. This concept initiated the two population theory which viewed alcoholism as an isolated disease which divided drinkers into two categories; alcoholics and social drinkers (Butler: 2002: 37). The disease concept legitimised medical and clinical treatment. Insurance companies would now pay claims if alcoholism was diagnosed as a disease. Once a funding system was put in place which ensured a constant flow of alcoholic patients, it can hardly be coincidence that hospitals became advocates of the disease concept. AA had become a common treatment method since its inception in the 1930s. This style of treatment then extended to codependency with groups such as Al-Anon being formed in the wake of the disease concept. The founder of AA, Bill Wilson, stated we did not wish to get in wrong with the medical profession by pronouncing alcoholism a disease entity. Therefore we always called it an illness or a malady (quoted in Kurtz, unpublished). The Oxford English Dictionary describes the term malady as a disease. Whether Wilsons comment aimed to intentionally mislead or not, it shows that AAs stance on the disease concept is as contentious as the disease concept itself. The disease concept ensured that alcoholics now became the good guys and could be welcomed back into society. Alcoholism was no longer considered a moral problem and alcoholics were no longer considered weak or deviant; it was not their fault an uncontrollable disease had engulfed them. In other words, the disease model excuses men from their alcoholism and their corresponding underresponsibility in a relationship. The disease concept of codependency reinforces this belief by claiming that women are sicker than men inflicted with the disease of alcoholism. Women are deemed pathological for reacting with the culturally conditioned feminine response of becoming the over-functioning person in a relationship with an under-functioning person. All of Jellineks data (the main proponent of the disease concept of alcoholism) was based on information obtained from a small group of AA members, of which he eliminated all questionnaires filled out by women because their responses differed immensely from the mens (Fingarette: 1988: 18-19). From a critical standpoint, Jellineks research was inadequate in proving the disease concept of alcoholism. In the 1970s, Edwards and Gross proposed the concept of an Alcohol Dependence Syndrome which resulted in a new worldwide Public Health Approach (1976: 1058). This has dismantled the disease concept of alcoholism. It is not a disease; rather, it is a development of severe dependence. Once the concept was dismantled, treatment for alcoholism changed from a predominantly clinical response to a social, community-based response. By disproving the disease concept of alcoholism, this casts doubt on the context in which the disease concept of codependency developed. Application of the Disease Concept to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder The codependency model is frequently used with families having one or more chemically dependent or otherwise addicted individuals (Cooper, 1995: 272). Cooper broadened the population and applied this model to families having one or more members with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and emphasised how families become enablers through no fault of their own. Cooper observed the detrimental impact codependency has on their lives, calling relational codependency a dysfunctional behaviour (1995: 272). Cooper notes that OCD, like chemical addictions, is all encompassing. Family members become inextricably bound to the suffering individuals illness; this manifests in divorce, separation, chemical abuse, and academic problems for younger family members. Family members demonstrate codependency of those with OCD in a myriad of ways, most often succumbing to the affected individuals requests for rituals. The rituals are often lengthy and time-consuming and significantly disrupt family life (Cooper, 1995: 272). For the purposes of her study, Cooper acknowledged that codependency was multidimensional, pathological, stress-induced, and, most significantly, a disease. The family dynamics of codependency are the neglect of personal needs, being out of touch with ones own experience, and having a high tolerance for extremely inappropriate behaviour (Cooper, 1995: 272). Additional elements of Coopers disease model are feelings of helplessness, shame, depression, and anger. Disease Model Versus Feminist Perspective of Overresponsibility Asserting that codependency is a disease removes the likelihood that the codependent woman will pursue other, potentially more empowering methods of remedying her situation (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 390). According to Anderson, the casual diagnosis of codependency as a disease is harmful to those with other, valid disorders, as they are likely to place all or most of their issues under the umbrella of codependency (1994: 678). The disease model articulated by Schaef asserts that codependency has a predictable onset, course, and outcome (1986: 7), but she offers insignificant empirical evidence to support this contention. The evidence that supports the disease model focuses on wives or partners of chemically dependent men. The social mechanisms of medicalisation, however, are inordinately harmful, effectively controlling women by framing the forms of female resilience as illness (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 391). More importantly, the disease model of codependency ignores the so-called codependent person as an individual, failing to acknowledge his or her personal and subjective experiences. There is a complex web of experiences, interpersonal processes, and psychological dynamics that inform womens self-perceptions as being partners of addicted men. In their qualitative study of women living with alcoholic partners, Peled and Sacks discovered certain dominant themes from the results. These were the strength shown by the women; the acknowledgement that their husbands issues were deviant and problematic; and their reluctance to display a victim mentality, even when they are consistently abused by their husbands (2008: 391). This suggests that women who are widely perceived as codependent have much more pressing issues than their codependency. They do not admit being victims of domestic violence. A common theme in the womens experiences was a normative upbringing, courtship, and marriage that evolved into a relationship with a problematic partner. Though the study did outwardly confirm the tendency for codependent women to feel overly responsible for others whilst taking comparatively less responsibility for their own health and wellness, the feminist critique of the overresponsible and underresponsible paradigm is largely confirmed by this study (Peled and Sacks, 2008: 392). The women were clearly socialised to value the needs of others over their own needs, feeling excessive guilt when investing time or energy in self-care. Given these social norms, women who are in a relationship with an ill or needy partner will inevitably fall into a codependent diagnosis. The disease model of codependency frames ignorance of self-care as automatic and unrecognised yet the results of this study were glaringly inconsistent with that assertion. The participants universally demonstrated awareness of their neglect of personal needs. The researchers recommended that the codependent diagnosis be dismantled. Noting that the participants too often believed they were merely an instrument in their husbands addiction, a belief facilitated by codependency theories, Peled and Sacks called for greater emphasis on personal experience and empowerment when counselling women living with alcoholic partners (2008: 395). The goal of treatment, the authors assert, should be geared toward helping women find other paths toward self-fulfilment, beyond the provision of service to others. Sharpe and Taylor conducted a study of how identity variables such as self-esteem and peer relations relate to intimacy issues such as love and codependency in college women who are or have been victims of domestic violence (1999: 165). The researchers acknowledge how socially constructed ideas of romance (and the feminine role within that romance) promote selfless devotion to the partner that can be considered codependent. The conditions fostered by a disparity between ones self-identity and the achievement of intimacy are also labelled codependent. Aligning closely with the Peled and Sacks study, these results demonstrate that strength and personal identity are dominant themes in socially embedded female personalities that could easily receive a codependent diagnosis. This counters the disease model of codependency that highlights the affected person as being unable to define themselves in the absence of their partner. Relational Concept of Codependency and the Feminist Application of Connectedness Gender roles are significantly influential in the relational model of codependency, though they are only modestly recognised in the empirical literature supporting the relational theories. Aside from feminist criticism of the relational model, studies have asserted that the relational model largely ignores the human need for connections (Townsend and McWhirter, 2005: 191). In short, when individuals do not meet their needs for lasting, functional, social connections, there is a negative impact on the health and wellness of these people, with their entire worldviews being shaped by an absence of interpersonal connection. The resulting separation results in a partial or total lack of social supports. This lack of social support produces numerous negative consequences for the disconnected individual. The relational model construes interpersonal connections as facilitators of codependency (Anderson, 1994: 677). Townsend and McWhirter conducted a thorough review of over five hundred studies dating after 1984 containing the word connections in an effort to discredit the notion that human beings aim ultimately to be independent, self-sufficient, and, by extension, socially disconnected (2005: 191). Thus, interdependence and communality are positive notions within human developmental literature but become less so during the young adult and later life stages. Townsend and McWhirter identified that crucial components of psychological health are the sense of well-being and safety that stems from interpersonal connections, motivation to operate within the boundaries of a relationship, an increased awareness of self-worth stemming from connections, and the desire for additional connections (2005: 192). From a cultural perspective, Western discourse places considerably more emphasis on individual autonomy, countering the notion that connectedness is integral to development after childhood. Townsend and McWhirter contend that by definition, codependency has been characterised as a risk factor for individuals and their network of relationships because it suggests that too much connection, or association, with others is psychologically damaging (2005: 192). The disease model and Cermaks attempt to include codependency in the DSM-III-R essentially links interpersonal connections to addictions (quoted in Anderson, 1994: 677). Codependency literature closely links connectedness with dysfunction. The loss of connectedness, however, is detrimental to psychological health, rendering relational constructs of codependency not only potentially invalid but also harmful. Significant research by Townsend and McWhirter (2005) indicates that those experiencing bereavement benefit from relational networks. Ironically, the codependent interpersonal connections facilitate healing. Connectedness is defined by a number of interlinked variables, including embeddedness, engagement, companionship, and attachment, all of which emerge to varying degrees in codependency literature. The most empirically valid definition of connectedness reflects active involvement with another person, group, or environment (Ibid: 195). This involvement, used positively, should promote comfort, well-being, and the reduction of anxiety. While codependency is rarely framed as positive, it remains that the active connection is the same in connectedness and codependency discourse. Gender Roles and the Feminist Application of Connectedness The manner in which the relational literature highlights codependent behaviours as addictions and disease is particularly problematic as these are the same behaviours that are assets in developing interpersonal connections (Townsend and McWhirter 2005: 193). Codependent behaviours are just that; they are behaviours more indicative of gender-related subordination roles in relationships than they are indicative of a disease. The ignorance of gender roles as a significant informant of codependent behaviours is one of the deepest flaws in the relational codependent literature, as most of the empirical evidence relates to male-female relationships, with the man being chemically dependent and the woman enabling his behaviour through codependent behaviours. The role played by power differentials in the relational literature is a significant one, with far too little credence afforded to the lack of power had by women in heterosexual relationships. Discussion of gender equality, patriarchy, and a long history of oppression are notably absent from the literature supporting codependency as relational and disease-related (Anderson, 1994: 681). The notion of the separate self is dominated by a Western male perspective, challenging the validity of connection-cultivating behaviours. There are fundamental differences in the way women and men engage in their interpersonal relationships. Townsend and McWhirter assert that the central principle in female socialisation is relational connections (2005: 195). This principle is comparatively minimal in influencing male socialisation. Conceivably, women tend to both be more connected to others and value that connection more so than men. Overresponsibility and Too Many Definitions of Codependency The overresponsibility and underresponsibility paradigm is significant with respect to connectedness as it frames flawed attempts at connection as the prime culprit in birthing codependency; this is in contrast to the literature that condemns over-connectedness as the foremost catalyst for codependency (Zelvin, 1999: 9). Using a sample of seventy-six male and female undergraduates, Cretser and Lombardo investigated the level of codependency between students having an alcoholic parent and those who did not (1999: 629). They hypothesised that children of alcoholics would have a notably higher level of codependency. This hypothesis was glaringly unconfirmed by the study. The participants who had alcoholic parents received lower codependency scores than those with non-alcoholic parents (Cretser and Lombardo 1999: 629). These findings are significant in that much of the codependency literature centres on the dysfunction of the relationships marked by the condition. Cretser and Lombardo acknowledged that codependency is thought to originate in dysfunctional families in which children overcompensate for parental inadequacies. They become overresponsible for others and underresponsible for themselves, and consequently develop an excessive sensitivity toward the needs of others (1999: 629). Their research findings parallel the previously reviewed literature that cites how a large percentage of the population meets the criteria for codependency (Cretser and Lombardo 1999: 629; Lyon and Greenberg, 1991: 436). In contrast to the feminist debate regarding codependency, the researchers found that there was no significant variation in codependency according to gender and age. While they use their findings to accuse college counsellors of recognising symptoms of codependency in all students, their findings could also warn of the over-diagnosis of codependency. Anderson, in her 1994 article entitled A Critical Analysis of the Concept of Codependency, contends that the sheer number of diagnoses of codependency precludes the integrity of the codependency diagnosis. The entire Irish nation could be accused of exhibiting codependent traits for being overresponsible in bailing out the underresponsible banks and thus eligible for codependency treatment. It is alarming that an entire nation should qualify for treatment on the basis of such contentious and over-inclusive symptoms. The Cretser and Lombardo study supports Andersons assertion that codependency is over-diagnosed to the point of invalidity, as even the children of alcoholics the population who comes only a close second to women in abusive relationships in terms of meeting codependency criteria do not demonstrate a significantly higher incidence of the condition. An alternative study focusing on the children of alcoholics highlighted how the codependency model, specifically the disease model, emphasises how children are developmentally impeded from achieving appropriate and normative social functioning due to their parents addiction (Sher, 1997: 247). Theoretically, the need to take care of parents during childhood fosters codependency later in life, manifesting most frequently as denial, depression, hyper vigilance, and other seemingly fragmented characteristics. Sher questions the validity of the concept of codependency and states that studies tend to have serious methodological limitations, examine only a narrow aspect of purported codependent characteristics, and fail to demonstrate whether the concept of codependency has additional explanatory value (1997: 247). Shers conclusions align closely with Andersons assertion that women who are deemed codependent are merely applying normative coping behaviours to their situation (1994: 680). Fischer and Wampler stress that children of alcoholics consistently emerge as strong individuals who are labelled resilient (1994: 469). This is merely a reflection of the limited knowledge regarding the range of forces influencing a childs socialisation and informing his or her experience. For instance, Ferrari and Olivette (1993: 963) studied the hypothesis of a link between authoritarian parenting styles and the onset of codependency during adulthood. They concluded that no such link existed. Asher and Brissett wrote the first research-based article on codependency in 1988. The researchers claimed to have proven a link between two common dimensions of codependency from the responses of women in their study namely notions of care-taking and pleasing others, and affliction by association with a chemically dependent person. Arguably, the behaviours of care-taking and pleasing others should be attributed to external causes, such as the patriarchal hierarchy that places women in the position of subordination. From this feminist perspective, their study does not prove conclusively that care-taking and pleasing others are symptoms of the codependency concept. The second common feature of codependency, namely the affliction by association with a chemically dependent person is simply a reflection of the sample used in the study. Contrary to how the researchers interpreted these results, this does not prove a link between codependency and partners of alcoholics. The women had to be married to an alcoholic for inclusion in this study, and meeting that criterion does not conclusively link the two. Undoubtedly, family systems are comprised of intertwined individuals through which one persons behaviour affects all other family members to a certain degree. The literature suggests, however, that countless factors influence the system. Simple predictions of codependency are insufficient in addressing all issues in families dealing with disorders, addictions, or any other source of obstacles to which the codependency definition is so quickly applied. By extension, the recovery process for codependent families presents a range of problems. Feminist Critique of Codependency as a Psychodynamic Concept The feminist perspective of codependency has become the most popular framework for highlighting the flaws in the codependency movement. Behaviours that are widely perceived as codependent are indicative of a subordinate role in a relationship (Herndon, 2001: 13). Women play the subordinate role most often in patriarchal cultures. Socially encouraged female conduct is then deemed codependent. Passivity, compliance, lack of initiative, and a fear of asserting oneself are all integral to the codependent disease model and characterise the individual playing the subordinate role in a relationship. The traditional, psy

Marketing Mix And Promotion Mix

Marketing Mix And Promotion Mix Ethics have been an important aspect of business activities across the world for a long time. Ethical considerations are always in inseparable elements of business activities, thus advertising cannot be ignored. So we can say that ethics play quite an important role in advertising. Some of the ethics in advertising are: There should be no offence to the generally accepted norms of decency. Claims and representations should be true and honest. There should not be careless use of advertising products which are harmful either to individuals or society. The principle of fair competition should be respected in case of comparative advertising. The dignity of the human person should be maintained. Manipulative techniques should not be used, that means those techniques that play on a customer emotions etc. Ethical considerations are different from legal considerations. Legal considerations are enforced by law, but in case of ethical considerations they can or cannot be enforced by law. Ethical consideration have more to do with responsibility of a person towards the society, while legal considerations are something that has been written, approved and then enforced by the Government. Different companies have different ethical considerations towards a particular product or services, but legal considerations will always remain same as the opposite will be against the law. If we take the case of cigarette advertisement, the writing which says that cigarette is injurious to health is legal consideration; they cannot sell it without that phrase. The non use of vulgarity or obscenity can be seen as an ethical consideration more than a legal consideration. Communication is quite important in business. Ineffective communication causes a huge amount of damage to the company. There are a lot of barriers to communication, which stops the message being transferred. So to ensure that the messages are not impeded barriers to communication should be taken to consideration. So barriers to marketing communication campaign are: Variation in tone or style: If the marketing communication being informal or friendly or if the letters written in the message is threatening, can be a barrier to marketing communication. Noise: Noise can be a barrier as it can cause disturbance and may lead to confusion. For example when talking to a customer faults in telephone line causing some noises could cause disturbances. Differing perceptions: We know that each person is different, so people can take things differently, so a message should always be loud and clear. For example let us consider the advertisement of green tea, if the message that it is green tea is not mentioned loud and clear people could think it as normal tea. Language: Most misunderstandings can happen due to the difference in spoken interpretation. As we know language is most important for communication. For example the usage of jargon can often distort a message, it is not necessary everyone understands it. Lengthy message: If the messages are long people may tend to not to read or hear it fully and the message may not be conveyed in the right way. For example the TV advertisements are mostly about 30 seconds to 45 seconds, if it is more than that most people tend to get annoyed and would not listen to carefully. Prejudices: Some people tend to hear what they tend to hear but not what is said, so it may create false assumptions. Overload: Too much information in the messages can cause problems and the targeted audience may get confused. For example the TV ads regarding toothpastes in which it says the ingredients of the toothpaste, if the names of all ingredients are said people would get confused. Inconsistency: If the messages received are conflicting or inconsistent people tends to ignore them. For example the ad regarding soap, in the ad the company claims some effects of the soap and if anyone who had used it before never got the result would tend to believe the message is false. Channel barrier: If the channel used to send the message is not proper the message may not be received. For example the advertisement have video scenes can only be communicated via TV or internet but not through newspaper. Physical distractions: For example if the message is communicated through E-mail and there are spelling or grammar mistakes, the person who receives it wonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be able to concentrate on the message. Electronic Medias have always played an important role in communication. The evolutions of technology have made communication far easier. The electronic media includes Television, Radio, Telephone, Computers, Internet, Fax, DVD, CD-ROMs etc. As we know there are advantages and disadvantages for everything. The advantages of electronic media in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s communication campaign are: Messages can be communicated quickly. For example an E-mail can be sent quickly to people. Messages can be communicated at a time to a large number of people. For example an ad on television is seen by a lot of people at the same time. Distance is no longer a problem. For example a message can be communicated to a person at a far distance through telephone, e-mail etc. Audio, video and text can be used in the same medium. For example take the case of advertisements on television, in an ad there is video, audio and also text. It can be recorded and can be stored for future use. For example a message can be stored DVDà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s and can be used for future use. Powerful impact on people. For example an advertisement on television can have a lasting and powerful impact on people. The disadvantages of electronic media in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s communication campaign are: They are less intimate. For example an e-mail message is not as close as communicating directly. The mechanism of feedback is slow. For example the response to a television advertisement cannot be known quickly. The medium is expensive. For example a computer is expensive to buy. To make programmes special trainings are required. For example trained people are required for the making of an advertisement which is aired on television. In rural areas the access is limited. For example in many rural areas in many countries the internet is not available so e-mails cannot be used as a medium of communication. They are not permanent. For example and advertisement cannot be aired permanently, they will be taken off air after a considerable time. 6. Marketing Communication objectives are derived from marketing objectives. The main objectives of marketing and marketing communication objectives are to increase brand awareness, increase sales, encourage action from the targeted audience, improve customer relations, establish themselves in the industry etc.

The Anatomy and Physiology of Lipids Essay -- Anatomy Physiology Lipid

The Anatomy and Physiology of Lipids Abstract When you get up each morning and look outside your window looking out at the beautiful plants and adorable little animals, have you ever wondered what makes all living things? Lipids are what help create all the living things we see everyday. Lipids are found in all membranes, mainly plasma membranes, meaning animals and plants contain lipids. In this paper I will display and explain the formation of micelles and bi-layers from lipid amphiphilicity. A variety of books were used to study different types of lipids; the three major components, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols, and their affects in the cellular and multicultural systems. 3 Lipids are structural components found in living cells that are either soluble in organic solvents or insoluble in water.1 These lipid membranes are demonstrated in Singer and Nicolson’s 1972 fluid mosaic model. Lipids are commonly recognized as fats, oils, wax, etc. There are three major different types of lipids that exist: glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols.2 Within each type there are a variety of subtypes. Glycerophospholipids are commonly referred to as plain phospholipids. Within itself it contains three components. First it is constructed with a phosphorylated head group, then a three carbon glycerol backbone, and finally a two hydrocarbon fatty acid chains. The phosphorylated head group is attached to one of the glycerol hydroxyls with addition to the two hydrocarbon fatty acid chains bonded to the other two glycerol hydroxyls.3 The purpose for glycerophospholipids is to construct and or maintain the cell membrane. In a microscopic view of the cell membrane we can observe that the glyceropho... ... Guardiola, Francesc, ed. Cholesterol and Phytosterol Oxidation Products : Analysis, Occurrence, and Biological Effects. New York: AOCS P, 2002. Hooper, Nigel, and David Hames. Instant Notes in Biochemistry. New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 2005. Kreuzer, F. and J.F.G. Slegers. Biomembranes Vol. 3 : Passive Permeability of Cell Membranes. New York; Plenum Press, 1972. "Lipid bilayer." Wikipedia. 24 July 2008 . "Micelle." Wikipedia. 26 July 2008 . Mukherjee, Kumar D. CRC Handbook of Chromotography Vol. 3 : Analysis of Lipidsseries. New York: CRC P, 1993. Perkins, Edward G. Analyses if Fats, Oils and Lipoproteins. Illinois: American Oil Chemists’ Society, 1991. Vance, Deenis E, and Jean E. Vance. Biochemistry of Lipids, Lipoproteins and Membranes. Amesterdam: Elsevier, 1991.

An Analysis of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken Essay -- Road Not Tak

An Analysis of Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken In "The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost, many questions arose about the meaning of the poem. One common interpretation of the poem about assertion of individualism, where the speaker is taking the road not traveled so that he can assert his individualism, is a nice interpretation. However, I believe that the speaker is really having a hard time making up his mind, and the poem is a conversation with himself trying to rationalize his decision. It seems as if both ways might lead to great occurrences, but only one way is the right way. There are four points in the poem that stick out where the speaker is either vague and unclear or contradictory in evaluating his choices. The first is in the first stanza where it says "And sorry I could not travel both"(2). The second point is contradictory and between lines seven through ten particularly, where the speaker is musing over which path to take. Another particularly interesting point is in line thirteen where it says, "Oh, I kept the first for another day!" And the final point to look at is in line sixteen where Frost writes the vague word "sigh," with no further explanation as to its connotation. "And sorry I could not travel both" (2). This seems to be a no-brainer observation, but also one that many struggle with. The choices that are made in day-to-day lives are ones that will stick with that person forever, and many times it can be frustrating not to at least explore what the other choice could have had in store. There are limitations to being human and finite, and one of those is the inability to look in the future and know what is the best possible decision will be. It is important to look at all possible outcome... ...as a happy and reflective sigh, as if to indicate satisfaction in the decision he made. Either way could completely change the tone of the poem, depending on the meaning of the simple word sigh. To eliminate the controversy hear, it could be important to think of a sigh as an audible release of breath, or as a contemplative sigh, as if Frost were simply thinking of the past. Frost is a brilliant poet who allows the reader to sink into the poetry so that the reader has an opportunity to view the poetry in his or her particular way. It is interesting to note some of the potentially confusing or sticking points in the poem that can cause some individual reflection. This allows the reader to have their own special connection to the poem, because a poem can conjure up many different thoughts in many different people. Frost was a poet who had that great ability.

A Critical Review of a Senco

A critical review on the role of the SENCO and dyslexia: how this role has been affected and impacted upon by recent legislation Introduction The BDA Dyslexia Friendly Schools Pack for Teachers (2009) provides an overall guide of what dyslexia is and how a dyslexia friendly school should be delivering education to the dyslexic learner. The writers begin with a definition of dyslexia stating that â€Å"dyslexia is a learning difference, a combination of strengths and weaknesses†.This is an informative definition as opposed to the recommendation of Norwich et al (2005) that exemplary schools should promote an inclusive school system whereby dyslexia is considered but not in isolation. The BDA (2009) state that importance ought to be placed on acknowledging dyslexia as â€Å" a specific learning difficulty† as a specific learning difference† so that teaching is inclusive and focuses on all learners rather than just the dyslexic learner who may already feel something is wrong with them.However, I stress that this general definition is simplistic and I agree with Reid that there should be a working/operational definition. Reid’s definition of dyslexia is more informative: There may be visual and phonological difficulties and there is usually some discrepancy in performances in different areas of learning. It is important that the individual differences and learning styles are acknowledged since these will affect outcomes of assessment and learning. (p. 4-5, Reid, 2003).The BDA (2009) conclude to achieve BDA Quality Mark status, LEAs and their associated schools must encourage and identify outstanding practice in following and improving access to education for all learners. I feel that planning a dyslexia friendly school has the effect of improving the learning of not just the dyslexic learner but other pupils as well. According to Snowling et al (2011), dyslexia is seen to be a â€Å"deficit in phonological skills which, in turn, compromi ses the ability to learn the grapheme–phoneme mappings that underpin competence in an alphabetic system†.Snowling et al’s (2011) research underpins the classic definition of dyslexia that it is a specific reading difficulty whereby literacy under achievement is apparent and falls below the accepted level given the intelligence of the learner. This study is important: it goes beyond recounting dyslexia at the behavioural level (i. e. incorrect spelling and reading) to taking into consideration weaknesses at the cognitive level that explicate the practical problems (Morton & Frith, 1995).Dyslexic learners have deficits in three linked but dissimilar areas of phonological processing: â€Å"phonological awareness (the ability to attend to and manipulate sounds in words); phonological memory (memory for speech-based information – also referred to as verbal memory); and naming (providing the spoken label for a visual referent)†. (Vellutino et al. , 2004). Consequently, recent definitions of dyslexia have discarded the need for literacy to be appreciably below general aptitude, and have taken a widely accepted view of dyslexia with â€Å"phonological processing as a core deficit† (Lyon, Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2003). ContextThe context in which I am employed is a small mainstream one-form entry Church of England voluntary aided primary school. The school is situated in a deprived inner city area in the London borough of Lewisham where 25% of the 225 children on roll from Nursery through to Year 6 are eligible for Free School Meals. This is significantly higher than 2006 national figures of 16% of all primary school children receiving Free School Meals (FSM). The number of children currently identified as having a Special Educational Need is 47, or 20. 8% of the total school population which is slightly higher than 2005 national figures of 18%.The figure of 1. 7% is the number of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) c hildren who have a Statement of Special Educational Need – lower than national figures of 3% – and the remainder of the SEND population comprises overwhelmingly of children on School Action Plus (78% – 67. 5% represented by boys and 32. 5% represented by girls) and approximately 8% of SEND children on School Action. The largest identified area of special need in the school falls under SLCN ( Speech, Language and Communication Need ) as set out in the SEN Code of Practice 2001 where 61% of SEND children have a medical diagnosis of receptive and/or xpressive language difficulty, followed by 21% of SEND children with a medical diagnosis of and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Other types of need are Down’s Syndrome ( 2%), Apert’s Syndrome (2%), Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties SEBD (6%), Dyslexia (2%) and more generally literacy difficulties which are under investigation for potential specific causes (6%). These needs are justifiable as t hey have been recognised and identified as such by relevantly qualified and external agencies or are in the process of being more specifically identified .A critical review of the role of the SENCO The role of the SENCo has developed through government policy and undergone significant changes in the past decade with the introduction of the statutory SEN Code of Practice 2001 which states that the role of the SENCo includes identifying and placing pupils in need of special educational provision on a graduated system, liaising with parents and other professionals in regards to children with SEND and advising and supporting other practitioners in the field amongst other responsibilities.This was largely interpreted as a co-ordinating role whereby Teaching Assistants ( in at least 36% of schools ) were employed in this capacity and contributed to disparities in provision nationally as well as a divergence of roles. In 2009 new government regulations and amendments to the SEN Code of Pra ctice 2001 required SENCos to be qualified teachers and for those teachers new to the role to undergo compulsory training in the form of the National Award of SEN Coordination.The 2006 House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee Report on SEN clearly defines the role of the SENCo as a strategic leader, and recommended that SENCos â€Å"should in all cases be qualified teachers and in a senior management position in the school as recommended in the SEN Code of Practice†. (Recommendation 84) Statutory and regulatory frameworks and relevant developments at national and local level The SEN Code of Practice 2001 remains the statutory legislation governing SEN practice and provision.The 2001 Code of Practice replaces the 1994 Code of Practice, although it retains much of the original guidance, but takes into account developments in education since 1994 and includes new obligations introduced by the SEN and Disability Act 2001. The 2001 Code of Practice promotes a more co nsistent approach to meeting the needs of children with SEN and focuses on preventative work and early identification as well as developing strong partnerships between parents, schools, local authorities, health and social services and voluntary organisations.The school Special Educational Needs and Disability policy is largely based on the SEN Code of Practice 2001 and incorporates elements of the statutory Disability Discrimination Act 2005, as well as local authority guidance of national policy, such as the Lewisham school action & school action plus guidance 2010. The school policy clearly states: â€Å"A child is deemed to have special educational needs when they are seen to have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of their age group, or have a disability which significantly hinders their use of educational facilities.When such difficulties or disabilities persistently demand the planning of educational provision different from that of the rest of th e class, the child is placed on the Special Needs and Disabilities Profile. This is a confidential list of children for whom extra support may be necessary and whose progress will be monitored by the class teacher and Inclusion Manager. † ( Rose & Lyle, 2011, p1) Some elements of the SEN Code of Practice 2001 framework are guidance, whilst others must be observed.This includes ensuring liaison with parents and other professional in respect to children with SEN, ensuring that Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are in place and that relevant information about individual children with SEN is collated, recorded and updated. The Code ensures that schools and local authorities must examine their practice and provision for children with SEN and that they are accountable by law – e. g. offering full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education.The Code of Practice emphasises the right of a child with SEN to access mainstream education through the development of provision i n such settings to meet â€Å"a wide spectrum of SEN† (COP 2001, 7:52-7:63) that may overlap in the categories of communication and interaction, cognition and learning, behaviour, emotional and social development and sensory and/or physical needs. The provision provided may involve well-differentiated Quality First teaching (Edwards 2010), intervention programmes including withdrawal from lass, specialist teaching or therapy or attendance ( full or part time ) at a specialist setting. Children are to be identified as early as possible and their needs met through a graduated approach within the school’s own resources ( School Action), additional support from external agencies ( School Action Plus ), or if progress is inadequate and further support from the Local authority is required, a Statement of Special Educational Needs may be issued.As I prepared this essay, I have identified a number of key tensions in my particular school: Whilst class teachers in my school acce pt, in accordance with the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement 1999, that they must respond to children’s diverse learning needs and overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils, including those with SEND, there has been a lack of clarity over the meaning of the term â€Å"inclusion† and with whom the overall responsibility of children on the SEND register lies.This is hardly surprising as there is little consensus on the precise meaning of ‘inclusion’ at national levels – OFSTED tend to view inclusion as minimising inequalities for groups of children – eg. including those with SEND, on FSM, gender, race or attainment – whilst teachers primarily regard inclusion chiefly in terms of individuals with SEND ( NASUWT Report 2008, p. 17 ) and their â€Å"right† to be included in a mainstream classroom and how to best achieve this.Increasingly, I favour a model which allows individual children – whether SEND, English as an Additional Language (EAL) or non-SEND – to access an education which best meets their needs based as much as possible within the mainstream classroom but through withdrawing children for specialist 1:1 or small group teaching depending on their needs and the gaps in their knowledge relative to their peers and age-related expectations.The non-statutory Removing Barriers for Achievement (2004) highlights that all teachers – not just the SENCO or Inclusion Manager – are responsible for teaching children with SEND. This also includes communicating the message to class teachers that they are often best placed to initially notice difficulties a child may be having and by making certain referral forms available to them, thereby actively engaging them in jointly taking responsibility for SEND or potential SEND children in their classes.The Every Child Matters (2004) agenda is currently not statutory and is now being re-draft ed as Every Child Achieves in a new White Paper, although the five original outcomes remain. The 5 outcomes are: to stay safe, to be healthy, to enjoy and achieve, to make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. The focus for schools not only has to be upon ensuring that all staff are aware of the 5 outcomes, but also on the impact and progress made towards the 5 outcomes by all pupils and individuals within vulnerable groups, such as children with Special Educational Needs.Such agendas which sit alongside other requirements on class teachers to also focus on group outcomes such as groups of children attaining age –related expectations hence creates pulls in opposing directions as to the levels of attainment a child is achieving and the best outcome for that child – or â€Å"competing rather than complementary agendas. There is a lack of clarity as to whether educational policy is concerned with ‘normalisation’ and conformity, or genuinel y values diversity and difference (NASUWT Report 2008, p. 18 ). This tension is a theme which continues in the form of ‘narrowing the gaps’ between groups and ‘accelerated progress’.In the case of children with Speech and Language difficulties or dyslexic tendencies, these terms appear contradictory and oxymoronic – as typically such children need reinforcement and over learning compared to their peers operating at age-related expectations. It is hard to see how such children can make the requisite amount of progress as measured by national age-related attainment standards ( and making a minimum of 2 sub levels progress a year ) as opposed to progress as measured against their individual areas of weakness and specific difficulties.Measured this latter way, their progress may well be excellent although a system of levels and sub-levels may fail to be sensitive enough to chart this progress. I am therefore examining ways such as building in pre- and po st intervention screening for relevant children and considering using Assessing Pupils’ Progress (APP) Speaking and Listening levels in addition to National Curriculum levels in Reading, Writing and Maths to more sensitively measure progress.The contribution of extended services, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Educational Psychology, Family Services, and Early Intervention Services to improve outcomes for children as set out in ECM(2004) is welcomed, although it is hard to measure the impact and the progress that this may have for a number of reasons: in changing times, it is at times difficult to keep abreast of developments and changes to services offered and their accessibility; various services may have a varying level of impact on different children and their families; not all parents are receptive – and some positively resistant – to accepting referrals to certain services; there can be a diffusion of responsibility once vario us agencies are involved. As a SENCo, one would encounter all of these barriers and find that developing good working, collaborative and supportive relationships with all representatives of extended services that a SENCo works closely with as well as parents is the best way forward and ensuring that communication channels are maintained.This has to be carefully weighed against issues of data protection and confidentiality by ensuring for example that Common Assessment Frameworks (CAFs) are raised before information is shared between agencies and that all sensitive information is stored in a safe location to which only a SENCo and the Headteacher have access. However, to enable class teachers to better understand the needs of children that a SENCo teaches on a daily basis, the SENCo would ensure that all class teachers are provided with relevant reports from external agencies and that these are used appropriately to inform planning and provision for a child within both a classroom an d wider school setting.High incidence of SEN and dyslexia – how they can affect pupils’ participation and learning and strategies to remove barriers to learning Baroness Warnock is quoted: â€Å"SEN has come to be the name of a single category, and the government uses it as if it is the same problem to include a child in a wheelchair and a child with Asperger’s, and that is conspicuously untrue† (The Guardian, Tuesday January 31, 2006). Indeed, the 2006 House of Commons Select Committee Report on Special Educational Needs acknowledges that â€Å"children exist on a broad continuum of needs and learning styles but do not fit into neat categories of different sorts of children – those with and without SEN.The category of â€Å"SEN† is an arbitrary distinction that leads to false classifications and, it can be argued that, this is what is causing the high levels of conflict and frustration with all those involved. † (p. 36) This has ofte n been my experience when discussing the progress of various pupils on the SEND register with senior leadership who frequently use the terminology â€Å"SEND† and â€Å"non-SEND†. I am of the opinion that this is a blanket term which does little to understand the true nature of individual children’s difficulties and how best to address these. OFSTED comparison of groups engenders such an approach and is not sensitive enough to the variation between individuals.In the case of my school, it appears that the group most at risk of underachieving is higher ability girls – with no SEN! With an emphasis on the social context of special educational needs, Removing Barriers to Achievement (2004, p. 8,) states: â€Å"Difficulties in learning often arise from an unsuitable environment – inappropriate grouping of pupils, inflexible teaching styles, or inaccessible curriculum – as much from individual children’s physical, sensory or cognitive imp airments. Children’ emotional and mental health needs may also have a significant impact on their ability to make the most of the opportunities in school, as may family circumstances. †These considerations, combined with evidence that there is a link between social deprivation and SEN nationally – as well as underachievement nationally and social deprivation, can make identification of SEN problematic in my school, especially at School Action Level – for example, is a child making poor progress in reading and writing because of difficulties such as potential dyslexia, or through poor parenting and a lack of exposure to books at home? Or both? Should the child be on the SEND register and is he/she underachieving? In such cases, assessment and targeted intervention at the specific area of weakness can help differentiate between a range of possible factors, but it may not always be so clear cut. What is clear is that these difficulties need to be addressed to minimise the longer term effects on such a child’s development and to help them succeed in the future.This can involve working very closely, and in partnership with parents in order to create a sustainable and longer term solution. The OFSTED Special Educational Needs and Disability Review 2010 found that the term ‘Special Educational Needs’ was too widely used with up 50% of schools visited using low attainment and slow progress as the key indicators of a special educational need, with in some cases, very little further assessment. According to the report, 50% of all pupils identified for School Action would not be identified as such if, â€Å"schools focussed on improving teaching and learning for all, with individual goals for improvement† (p. 3). This suggested a culture of underachievement due to low pupil expectations and poor mainstream teaching provision.It also found that pupils identified as having special educational needs were disproportionate ly from disadvantaged backgrounds and achieved less well than their peers in terms of attainment and progress over time. Parents were keen to have their children formally recognised as having special educational needs in order to ensure additional support for their child. The quality of the additional support from within or outside the school was not found to be good by inspectors. Provision was often not appropriate or of good enough quality and did not lead to better outcomes for the child. The review found that no one model or setting of special needs provision worked better than another.The key findings included improving the quality of assessment, improving teaching at an early stage to avoid additional provision at a later stage, ensuring that schools do not over-identify children as having special educational needs when better Quality First Teaching was required, ensuring that additional support was effective and developing specialist provision and services. A result of such findings and the implications for my school have been: 1. A reduction in the number of children placed on School Action – either by not being placed on the SEND register, or by being removed from it. In many cases, identified labels were â€Å"behavioural†.There is evidence that good class teacher behaviour management, combined with weekly visits from a pupil referral unit outreach worker, as well as a Learning Mentor, has helped to remove some emotional barriers to some children’s learning. However, definitions of ‘behavioural difficulty’ can still remain unclear as this can be a fluid and relative term dependent on the setting of a class and the nature and frequency of behavioural challenge – and hence vary nationally as well as within a school. Children remaining on school action are largely children with ongoing literacy difficulties, whose difficulties are being examined more specifically as suspected dyslexia. 2.Improved training for Te aching Assistants who are often the staff working closely with children identified with SEND. This has included in-house training and attendance on specific courses as well as reaching a minimum standard in Maths and English. Time factors and competing demands on Teaching Assistants’ time however are considerable constraints and hinder the impact that this training may have. The school now employs a NumbersCounts maths specialist. The impact of this specialist teaching needs greater time to develop to measure its effectiveness – although I do not feel that curriculum sub-levels may necessarily be the best way to measure this impact for certain children. 3.A focus on Quality First teaching so that all staff educate, share and promote practical and achievable ways for every class teacher to adopt strategies as a matter of daily routine that are inclusive to children with Speech and Language difficulties and dyslexic tendencies – to embed this in a culture of good general practice and reduce the potential for children to be classified as ‘SEN’ when underachievement is the issue and provide a good learning environment for all children – including those with SEN. The Code of Practice (2001) outlines four main areas of need – cognition and learning, behaviour, emotional and social development needs, communication and interaction and sensory and/or physical needs. Compared to national 2006 figures ( DfES Special Educational Needs in England, January 2006. SFR23/2006), our school has a far higher incidence of Speech and Language difficulties including dyslexia ( 61% of the SEND egister ) ASD ( 21%) than the national figures ( 14. 3% and 2. 4% respectively ) but a much lower incidence of BESD ( 6% to 26. 5% nationally ). Part of the reason may be recent school investment in enhanced Speech and Language Service from the NHS, where the school together with 4 other local schools, funds weekly Speech and Language therapist ti me. This has lead to a high rate of referrals, which has led to a higher rate of detection. This picture is not evenly spread however – the investment in Speech and Language, although justifiable as such difficulties impede access to many parts of the curriculum, comes at a cost to other categories of SEND as identified by the Code of Practice.Other children’s need are not always met quickly ( sometimes more than 2 terms ) despite early identification due to lengthy waiting times for assessments with ‘low level, high incidence’ learning difficulties such as dyslexia having low priority in the hierarchy of urgency . There are only 2 Specialist Teachers qualified to formally diagnose dyslexia provided by the Lewisham Inclusion Service to support the needs of children in mainstream settings whose time is shared between 92 schools in the borough. This means that specialist provision increasingly needs to be provided within the school setting and is dependent o f current staff levels of expertise.This can create variability in the quality of provision for children with SEN across schools in the same locality. In accordance with the Equalities Act 2010 and Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001), schools must make reasonable adjustments for children with SEN and disabilities to access testing that does not discriminate against them on the basis of their disability or special need. A learner with a Statement of Special Educational Needs automatically qualifies for up to 25% additional time in order to complete testing in Reading, Writing and Mathematics at the end of KS2 – however changes in the criteria for awarding Statements of SEN in Lewisham have amounted to fewer statements being issued and financial savings for the authority.A diagnosis of dyslexia would not however result in additional time if the learner does not have a Statement unless considerable additional documentation is provided. The use of a scribe, transc ript, technology such as a laptop or reader however for a dyslexic learner is discretionary upon a school’s assessment of the learner’s need in order to access the tests and can be easily arranged. It is at least reasonable for Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) guidelines to permit such measures as scribes or laptops to remove potential barriers to performance for children with certain types of need under formal examination conditions to access the knowledge held by children who may not best be able to demonstrate in written form.In conclusion, whilst various governmental policies have aimed to improve the outcomes for children with SEND, there are difficulties – some unforeseen – between the principles set out and the translation of these into practice, with gaps and variations on local and national levels. We await the forthcoming new legislation around SEND and the implications that this will have on the ever-developing role of th e SENCo forging a strategic path to best meet the needs – Special Educational and otherwise – of families and children within a tighter resource framework. References Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. DfEE 581/2001 November 2001 QCA Curriculum guidelines for learners with learning difficulty and special arrangements during Key Stage 2 tests – 2012Special Educational Needs and Disabilty Act 2001 What Equality law means for you as an education provider: schools. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2010 Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government’s Strategy for SEN. DfES/0118/2004. 2004 National Inclusion Statement, 1999 Every Child Matters: Change for children (2004) Special Educational Needs and Inclusion: Reflection and Renewal, NASUWT Report, 2008 House of Commons Select Committee Report on Special Educational Needs, HMSO, 2006 Inclusion Development Programme:Teaching and supporting pupils with dyslexia. www. nasentraining. org. uk/resou rces/dyslexia-idp-materials/ The Special Educational Needs and Disability Review.Ofsted, 2010 The SENCO survival guide: the nuts and bolts of everything you need to know Edwards, Sylvia; National Association for Special Educational Needs (Great Britain) E-boo, Routledge, 2010, 1st edition Inclusion: Does it matter where pupils are taught? Ofsted, 2006 Lewisham Local Education Authority publications: School Action/School Action Plus guidance criteria (2010) Inclusion debate treads new ground, The Guardian, Tuesday 31, 2006 Hallett, F & Hallett, G (2010). Transforming the Role of the SENCO: Achieving the National Award for SEN Coordination; Open University Press Special Educational Needs and Disability Policy, Rose and Lyle, 2011