Theories of literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Theories of literacy - Essay Example In addition, literacy is seen as the ability to read or write words. Literacy can also mean the ability to comprehend the different forms of correspondences. There are different forms of communication. The forms include body language, sign language, and video, pictures, listening, and speaking. In our modern world, literacy means the ability to read complex math or number systems (adding, subtracting multiplying, etc.) and complex words. Literacy levels vary from one community to another. Literacy in one country or community may be different from the literacy in another country or community. For example, an American resident would not understand (illiterate) the Japanese immigrant’s Japanese language. Peter Molnar (1997) states Piaget discussed how 60 day old child, Laurent, was able to shake a hanging rattle and attached with a string to the child’s arm. Peter Molnar (1997) insists â€Å"Smiling and cooing, Laurent repeated these movements several times and with short er and shorter intervals: "Laurent naturally shook the balls by chance and looked at them at once (the rattle inside them made a noise (p.109). When the rattle’s shaking was frequently repeated Laurent arched his body, waved both his legs as well as his arms short. He showed in increase in pleasure and continued to retain the interesting result. In addition, Henry Sussman (1989) mentions â€Å"It is now possible to complete the semiological definition of myth in a bourgeois society: myth is depoliticized speech. One must understand politics as describing human relations in their real, social structure, in their power of making the world (p. 3.)† The quote clearly shows that there are many facets of political life. Each individual or learner has a different critical view of the government. Some approve of the government’s political decisions. Other political decisions generally affect all the members of society. The average person or organization seeks government support Literacy is an activity that continues during the life of the individual. The literacy process begins with the ability to read words, numbers, figures, pictures, graphs, and other information. To accomplish the reading aspect of sentences, the individual must first learn how to read and understand each letter, number, figure, picture and the like. The literacy process ends with the words enter the head of the information receiver. Marc Miyashiro (1996) opines communication plays a vital part in the improvement of the organization. Communication within an organization is geared towards achieving established goals and objectives (p. 45). In addition, reading development includes a wide

Urban Space Development Project in Bayraklı

Urban Space Development Project in BayraklÄ ± Within this framework, I will be observing the development path of an emerging subcentre through pin-pointing the development of BayraklÄ ±, in relation to the perception of sustainability, enquiring whether urban redevelopment is regarded as a strategic term or a contextual element that has been embedded in architectural planning and in urban forms. Recently, urban development projects have taken a central dominance over the production of urban spaces within the metropolitan cities. With the implementation of such developments, regenerated urban areas, newly developing business sectors, tourism-orientated facilities, malls and many other amenities have risen. This document critiques the sustainability tendencies within a regeneration programme and their building clusters situated in emerging recent subcentres of metropolitan areas. Through this context, this document will observe and interrogate whether or not sustainable buildings are utilized as a means of strategic branding, enticing such firms, or as an essential design element wherein satisfies the social, political and environmental concerns within architectural integrity, the design of the buildings and their association within the urban context of the newly developing region of Izmir. The significance in examining the ideologies in all contexts are essential as the effect of these mega-scale developments, will form long-term impacts on the urban landscape ecologically, socially, and physically. BayraklÄ ± is regarded as a district with a high seismic rate within Turkey. Whilst the devastations are associated with damage and loss, the destructive outcomes are exacerbated by the capacity of non-compliant buildings, poor infrastructure and workmanship. As a large scale redevelopment, Izmir has recently embarked upon a challenge of reinforcing high-risk surroundings within the region of BayraklÄ ±. The historical, yet strategic significance of the district is evident and is critical for the future urban development of the city. Based on this supposition the site has a central location along the coast, enclosing the Izmir Cove with a surface area of 35km2, and is regarded as a high-rise development zone by the local government. Sustainability embraces the environmental limits of living; in a broader term, a healthy society. Increasing public green spaces both within and around the clusters of high-rise, managing air and waste pollution, BayraklÄ ± has been listed in such ratings to obtain international certifications from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology), amongst many others. The site, accommodates, residential and commercial facilities such as leisure and offices amongst a six-storey high mixed-use tower. With a complete floor area of 150,000m2, the project was entitled to two 40-storey mixed-use towers, erected on a six-storey horizontal shopping mall. The wind resistant, curvilinear form of the Folkart towers, have enabled penetration from the sea breeze into its adjacent urban area, a field designated as a green belt. With a high coverage ratio of 90%, the design of the public green area connects the neighbourhood to the axis that reaches the shore. The development of the public green spaces between the Folkart Towers, (so called the Twin Towers) have enhanced such opportunities; outdoor sports and recreation, visual amenity and biodiversity, amid the improvement of a derelict land. The available green space amongst the twin towers have attracted more visitors than expected in Summer 2016], as the Republic of Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism have announced. The facilities were mainly introduced to locals of BayraklÄ ±, though has experienced a high desire from such citizens neighbouring from nearby districts and even those who have willed to travel from further distances. The landscaping, as opposed to the modern street lighting, street furnishings, outdoor and indoor sports facilities have been an attraction point for those who have less experience and access to such spaces within their boroughs. The coastal development encourages a range of such outdoor facilities; wider and efficient bicycle lanes, public fitness parks, children play centres, amongst many isolated pathways for joggers, sprinters and those whom enjoy their slow pace walks. A zone is specially dedicated for picnic activities, including fire places, seating areas, manageable recycling bins, and parking lots for attendances with vehicles. There is a substantial, indication of benefits the district has aroused; a major increase on health care within the last decade. These benefits include better self-rated health, lower body mass index, a decrease in overweight levels; a substantial improvement of mental health and an increased longevity. By increasing the access to available public spaces, BayraklÄ ± has tackled the notion of community cohesion and reduced social isolation. Through the regeneration projects, industrial heritages have been maintained within the district and derelict areas have been implemented with modern, contemporary architecture. However the design of the district had been challenging for the urban planners in embracing the zonal division between the shore and situated inner settlements. As a critique of the area, I believe the problem of transportation should be withheld and considered. The historic AltÄ ±yol Highway connecting the districts of Alsancak to BayraklÄ ±, in conjunction with the contemporary subway transportation Izban, running parallel to the highway, shapes a barrier, disabling the physical connection between the pedestrians to the shore. Yet, there is access for an insufficient single pedestrian bridge directed above the highway. CONCLUSION Urban transformation specifies a combination of multilateral, integrated, and extensive actions that have been intended to problem solving and relating to a citys living spaces, in the context of spatial, economic and social aspects. Consequently, the aim of such development, is not restricted to spatial improvement. Though, it is vital that the concepts are identified from diverse perspectives with urban renewal, preservation, improvement and revitalisation. Sustainable towers have been amid the debated matters of contemporary high-rise building designs in Turkey. Urban development has had a matter of significant dispute within Izmir, as newly constructed urban projects have been experiencing protests against the redevelopment of traditional settlements or rezoning of farmland for new constructions. Whilst, the re-shaping of BayraklÄ ± is still in progress, the urban morphology of this region has started to take form by the high-rise and mixed- use developments that are currently under construction, already in use and many still in the initial design stages. The redevelopment within the area, together with the high-rises, are aimed for the upper-classed residents. With the majority of citizens from a middle-classed background, the programme is certainly improving BayraklÄ ±s economy, and the style of living with luxury condos, office spaces, residents and high-end malls shaping the district. Though, debates have aroused as to whether t he district could experience a social division within classes, as oppose to its physical division between the districts and the coast. Accordingly, social sustainability, in regards to the social interaction, the function of public green areas and access to possible public transportation routes are issues for BayraklÄ ± to consider as oppose to the environmental concerns related to large-scale developments. It is noteworthy to take a look at the past few decades of the region, with no collaboration between the local authorities and contractors regarding the sustainability-related concerns. Since the public realm foundations of private sectors are typically directed by land development codes and conditions for construction permissions, such collaborations are essential for the future of the developing metropolitan.

The Basis of Medical Practice Essay -- Ethical Issues, Physicians

Overall, medical practice is carried out when physicians identify health concerns, e.g., diseases, mental disorders, and physical injuries, and provide treatments for patients in order to properly cure them of their maladies. Medical practice should be based on science—specifically, scientific research focused on discovering medical treatments—, ethical considerations regarding the wellbeing of patients that limit science, and intuition. However, because science is limited by ethical considerations and scientific evidence is sometimes unavailable, then the most important basis should be physicians’ intuition influenced by their past medical experience. On the whole, science plays a major role in the realm of medicine, as it is the foundation for the creation of new treatments and advancement of the medical field’s healing capability. Science is defined as field of knowledge based on discovering the truth about nature through formulating hypotheses and conducting research in an objective manner (Ehrenreich 19-20). The aspect of scientific research is significant because as more diseases and other medical conditions are identified, scientists need to determine possible cures and develop medicine in order for physicians to treat their patients. For example, neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran recounts how patients with â€Å"reflex sympathetic dystrophy† participated in a scientific experiment that tested if there was a way to cure the unremitting pain associated with the syndrome (17). As a result of scientific research, a new and effective treatment for those with RSD was discovered when patients’ pain disappeared and mobility returned to limbs after undergoing a procedure that employed mirrors (18). Through the powers of science, variou... ...ck competence, sincerity, or diligence, but because they must make decisions about tremendously complex problems with very little solid evidence available to back them up† (Kumar and Nash 82-83). Though intuitive errors may be made, some of these are due to how the discovery of new ailments is continuous, and how humankind still does not understand everything about how illnesses and biological systems function. The treatment of medical conditions has still not been perfected and is the reason why the field of medicine is still attempting to discover new, innovative ways to cure diseases and other medical conditions. Though there may be certain issues regarding the individual doctors and their anomalous choices, overall the appropriate foundation for medical practice is a combination of the three facets of science, ethical considerations, and informed intuition.

Heritage and Narrative Style in Alice Walker’s Essay

Everyday Use (1973), one of legendary author Alice Walker’s most popular and often anthologized short stories, employs a unique narrative style that serves not as a device to indicate chronology of events, but for a more significant goal. The transitions between the different tenses—past, present and future—symbolize the conflict exposed in the story of a black woman and her two daughters, who are polar opposites of each other. Specifically, it tackles the discussion of the African-American heritage, used in the story as a stage for different interpretations coming from various points of knowledge. The voices changes represent debates of future vs. present, present vs. past, affirmation vs. negation, and family vs. heritage. The narrator is the woman, Mrs. Johnson, referred to by her daughters as â€Å"Mama†, who lives in rural American South presumably during the late 1960s or early 70s. She has two daughters—Dee, the prettier one who left home for the city to study; and Maggie, of the many burn scars from a fire that raged their first home, and is painfully shy and prefers to stay in the background. The events start with the arrival of Dee, after many years, with her mother and sister preparing for the moment. This is mainly the reason for the future tense used in the opening paragraphs, as Mrs. Johnson describes how the just-swept yard looks like, and how nervous Maggie seems. Anticipation for what they may witness upon the arrival of Dee is clearly communicated, as well as references to the world they live in, unchanged by time yet comfortable for its occupants. Here, the typical texture of rural black America is subtly depicted, as detailed by the hard clay yard and the presence of elm trees. The next parts suddenly shift to present tense, as Mr. Johnson describes herself, and her relationship with her daughters. and the personalities of the two girls. She reveals her farm life and background, and how this contrasts and echoes the resulting characters of Dee and Maggie. Introspection is used throughout, indicating the inner debate Mrs. Johnson has with herself and possibly to validate her failure or success in raising her daughters. She speaks of Maggie in the present tense, but later changes to the past when describing Dee—showing that her familiarity with her girl remains purely in her memory. She compares Dee’s life as a teenager with that of her own, defining the obvious differences in attitude, education, and opportunities received. Several mentions of how Dee refused to live in the old house and possibly in the new one, representative of backwoods life, are points of emphasis referring to her character and attitude. These two observations, both real and anticipated, are the first hints at Dee’s negation of their heritage. Mrs. Johnson’s narrative also tells of another symbolic scene, as their first house burned down—when Maggie was marked with the permanent burn scars. Dee, while it was happening, was a safe distance away as she watched the burning intently, oblivious to the danger and the harm it was causing her sister. This image serves as an illustration of Dee’s hatred of the culture and heritage they have come to know, and how it has scarred her sister and rendered her insecure and invisible. Dee, who lives by her own rules, ultimately emerges as the clear winner in this phase of their unspoken battle. See more: how to start a personal narrative essay examples The narration of Dee’s arrival again begins with the future tense, but is literally cut abruptly by her presence. The voice shifts back to present, as Mrs. Johnson describes in graphic detail the strangeness of her daughter’s appearance, with a decidedly humorous tone that connotes subtle sarcasm over the absurdity. Dee, who now wants to be called Wangero, is made to appear like a caricature; the same, if not worse, goes for her male companion, who introduces himself as the Muslim Asalamalakim. The action is shown through various details that indicate both insincerity and pretense, starting with Dee’s laughable affectations in using a Polaroid camera—a symbol of technology, and, in this context, a device used to separate herself with her old life—her stylized wardrobe, and Asalamalakim’s unreal claim of his religious preference. Dee’s appearance in supposedly native African garb can be best described as her own personal style, and not cultural; Mrs. Johnson confirms this by recalling a unique trait of her daughter, that she always knew what style was, and was never without her own. But when Mrs. Johnson questions Dee, or Wangero, about her name change, her daughter simply and directly replies that Dee is dead. At this point, the narrative tense makes the most significant shift in the whole story—because this is the defining moment when Dee has become Wangero, and has finally revealed her decision to cut her African-American affinity, and consequently, her ties with her family. The concept of grief, which always alludes to the past, enters Mrs. Johnson’s narrative as a technique to contain the events as part of memory, and to point toward closure. As the story progresses, Wangero seems to take a curious interest in certain objects in the house, regular items that are used for their purpose yet pinpoint the kind of lifestyle its owners have. Wangero looks at them like souvenirs or decorative pieces that would be symbols of a life she has left, that solely serve as art. Her claim to the butter churn indicates her goal to showcase the object as a foreign memento, much like the Polaroid photos she took of her family and the house. However, while the churn was indeed a kitchen tool often used, its relevance to Mrs. Johnson and Maggie is closely-connected to their family’s history, because it was made by one of their relatives—coincidentally, the husband of the aunt Dee was named after. After a while, Wangero moves on to search for something that turns out to be the main reason for her visit: the set of quilts sewn by her grandmother, assisted by her mother and aunt. They were made from her grandmother’s dresses, and were all hand-stitched. For families like theirs, the quilts stand for values and relationships, and the time it took to create them also refer to togetherness and female bonding. Again, just like the churn, Wangero wanted the quilts for show—but on a larger scale. What have always been objects with purpose, meaning, and value in personal terms were about to be turned into conversation pieces and lonely wall decor; for this is exactly what Wangero had in mind. Mrs. Johnson informs her that she is reserving the quilts for when Maggie weds equally average John Thomas, but Wangero declares that Maggie would only put them to everyday use, and would eventually destroy such great pieces of art. The same ‘art’ that she had deemed old-fashioned when Mrs. Johnson offered her one went she went off to college. Maggie, as always, is willing to give up the quilts to her sister, but at this instance, her mother is overcome with her own realization—that the quilts deserved to stay with Maggie, possibly the one tangible representation of equality between her daughters. Wangero expresses her disgust over her family’s seeming ignorance and disrespect for their heritage, as she defined it, and for their lack of drive and objective. She departs by wearing oversized sunglasses, covering most of her face, yet another symbol of Wangero’s mindset to cover up and maintain a facade over her real identity. The last sentence of the story returns to present tense, as Mrs. Johnson relates how she and Maggie would just sit there, enjoying checkerberry snuff, unmindful of Wangero’s exit. Clearly, the narrator opts for this change to refer to actual change in their lives; she no longer had Wangero on a pedestal, and instead realized the value of the daughter who chose family over all else. Alice Walker made use of the innovative device of shifting tenses to communicate the reality of many black American families in the debate between heritage and empowerment. During this period, when racism and equality were still being discussed on a national scale, heritage exclusively referred to family and traditional values. The cultural identity and affirmation Wangero sought appeared shallow, for its sole meaning to her was for showcase, and was simply a rejection of all things familiar and valuable. The transposition of tenses shows Wangero’s superficial understanding of her newfound ideology, and the greater problem of her family’s acceptance if it. The device also plays out Mrs. Johnson’s predicament in making a wise choice, as established by the many questions she asked herself in the beginning of the story. Much of it was about her two girls, and which one she would choose—the smart, beautiful Dee, or the timid, deformed Maggie? Eventually, her decision, albeit unconsciously, was slowly and firmly made as she discovered how easy it had always been for Dee to turn her back on family and heritage. Because heritage for Dee or Wangero was one that was shown and remembered through photos and mementos, as detached from her self as old history books.

Male Daughters Femals Husbands Essay

I chose the book Male daughters, female husbands by Ifi Amadiume. The reason I chose this book is because I have always been curious about the role of women in non western countries and why they were viewed as being subservient to men by their own as well as the western world. Ifi Amadiume, a Nigerian sociologist with a London University doctorate, conducted research in her own family area to study gender and sex in an African Society. Challenging the received orthodoxies of social anthropology, Ifi Amadiume argues that in precolonial society, sex and gender did not necessarily coincide. In the book she examines the structures that enable women to achieve power and shows that roles are neither rigidly masculine nor feminine. This study that was conducted relates to social anthropology. The study was conducted in Nnobi, a town in the only Igbo area which has not been studied in detail by any scientist or anthropologist. Fieldwork was conducted in Nnobi between 1980 and 1982 on the Igbo people. As a result of the 1976 local government reform which divided Nigeria into 19 states and 299 local governments, Nnobi became one of the towns in the Idemili local government. Most of the Igbo people were also separated between states. The 1963 population census put the total number of Igbo people at 7,209,716. The study is divided into three periods: pre-colonial, when the traditional systems operated: colonial, when the British ruled Nigeria: and post-colonial, when Nigeria became an independent nation. There were further divisions of these periods such as Gender and the economy, the ideology of gender, and the general beliefs about men and women in which we will look into further in the following paragraphs. First we will take a look at gender and the economy. This was part of the pre-colonial period. It is within this period that ideologies behind the Igbo and Nnobi , their sexual division of labor, and those governing the relations of production originated. As a result of ecological factors, agricultural production was not profit in Nnobi, hence the development of a sexual division of labor and gender ideology which gave women a central place in the subsistence economy, while men sought authority through ritual specialization and ritual control. The gender ideology governing economic production was that of female industriousness. The name of the town itself Nnobi reflects matrifocality in Nnobi culture or matricentric principle in household organization; mothers and children formed distinct, economically self-sufficient sub-compound units classified as female in relation to the male front section of the compound. There was a dual-sex organization principle behind the structure of the economy, which was supported by various gender ideologies. These principles and ideologies governed the economic activities of men and women. They also governed access to wealth, wives, achievement-based status and many other things within their community. Material wealth was converted into prestige and power through title-taking, the acquisition of more wives and more labor power, more material wealth. Wealth for men included possession of things like houses, many wives and daughters, livestock, and land. Wealth for women included things like livestock, fowls, dogs’, farm and garden crops, daughters and many wealthy and influential sons. Males and females symbols of wealth were very similar even though in principle they did not own the same things. One very important economic resource which women did not own was land. A flexible gender system mediated the dual-sex organizational principle. Nnobi society was based on strict sexual dualism, whereby women’s economic and political organizations were separate from those of men. Through manipulation of gender concepts and flexible gender construction in language, the dual-sex barrier is broken down or mediated. Ideology of gender guided the Igbo people, however it was possible for men and women to share attributes. The system of few linguistic distinctions between male and female gender also makes it possible for men and women to play some social roles in which, we ( the western world) carry rigid sex and gender association. The Igbo language in comparison with the English language, has not built up rigid associations between certain adjectives or attributes and gender subjects, nor certain objects and gender possessive pronouns. There is no usage of the word ‘man’ to represent both sexes, neither is there the option of saying ‘he or she’, ’him or her’ , or ‘his or her’. This of linguistic system of few gender distinctions makes it possible to conceptualize certain social roles as separate from sex and gender, hence the possibility for either sex to fill the role. This does not mean that there is no competition between the sexes, and situations in which a particular sex monopolize roles and positions. One example of a situation in which women played roles ideally occupied by men were ‘male daughters’ and ‘female husbands’; in either role, women acted as family head. The Igbo word for family head is genderless. In Nnobi society and culture, there was one head or master of a family at a time, and ‘male daughters’ and ‘female husbands’ were called by the same term, which translated into English would be ‘master’. The reverse applied to those in a wife relationship to others. The Igbo word for wife is a genderless expression meaning a person who belongs to the home of the master of the home. Although there were genderless words within this culture there were still general beliefs about men and women that set them apart. Men and women were talked of or judged according to the roles expected of them as full social adults. What was stressed about men was their duty to provide for and protect their families. This culture did not stereotype bad men. Unfortunately this was not the case with women. Similar to the society we live in today everyone in this culture knew the attributes of a bad woman. Bad women were those who failed in their wifely and maternal duties and sentiments. This type of woman usually did not take care of her husband, was bad tempered, and ate food without giving any to her husband. A bad woman also did not take very good care of the children. I found this to be very similar how we view ‘bad ‘women as well in our society. In contrast to a bad woman was the good woman. The good women were usually a good daughter, wife, and mother. She looked after her husband, never refused him food, and made sure things around the household were taken care of. If her husband was unable to provide for the family financially she was able to help him through her own efforts. She always protected her children from any form of danger, and if necessary she would even protect them from their father. The industriousness, which is what was meant by good character, was inculcated in a woman in her father’s house, and would pay dividends in her husband’s house. In conclusion this book really brought about some insight how the fact that biological sex did not always correspond to ideological gender. This meant that women could play roles usually monopolized by men, or be classified as ‘males’ in terms of power and authority over others. In contrast the Western culture and the Christian religion carried rigid gender ideologies. This gender system meant that roles are strictly masculine or feminine; breaking gender rules carries a sigma. In new gender realities, such women are still defined as females, however they are no longer involved in domestic female roles.