Are Premium Plugins Worth Buying When You Should Open Your Wallet

With over 55,000 free plugins at WordPress.org alone, its not surprising that many WordPress users wonder, are premium plugins worth buying?In this article, were going to try to answer that question by discussing the different pricing options most plugin developers use, and then posing some questions for you to answer to help you decide whether or not you should open your wallet and start looking for premium plugins. FreePremiumFreemiumThe main benefit of free plugins is right there in the name – they wont cost you a thing.Premium plugins, on the other hand, will cost you a fee to use. However, this provides them with the scope to offer dedicated support options. Additionally, they often provide more targeted, niche functionality than free plugins do (because charging a free lets them target a smaller market). You can find these plugins in many places online, such as  CodeCanyon  and  our own directory.WP Product Review is an example of a premium plugin that offers a lot of targeted features.Finally, freemium plugins offer a core free version, and then either:Sell a single pro versionSell multiple add-ons with specific premium featuresThe free tier will contain some basic functionality, and will be sufficient for many sites. The premium version, on the other hand, will include additional features and more support.Youll often encounter free and premium (or freemium) plugins that do the largely the same things. If youre looking for a plugin to back up your site, for example, you could go with UpdraftPlus or Duplicator, both of which are free in the WordPress Plugin Directory. Alternately, you could purchase BackupBuddy, which will cost you $80 per year.So, are premium plugins worth buying? Now that you understand what options are out there, let’s explore the answer to that question in more detail.Are premium plugins worth buying? Answer these 5 key questionsDeciding whether a premium plugin is worth the cost isn’t always simple. To help you out, here are five key questions to consider before settling on a plugin for your site.1. How flexible is your budget?The first thing you’ll need to consider is the most basic difference between free and premium plugins – cost. If youre operating on a shoestring budget, it makes sense to try and find a way to make free plugins work for your site.It might not always be ideal, but even if you cant find a free option that does exactly what you want, you can usually find one that gets  close. And if money is tight, that might be enoughat least to get started.2. Are you looking for specific or niche features?Once you’ve checked your budget, it’s time to consider what you’re actually looking for. While it’s easiest to simply start searching through the various plugin options available, it can be smarter to make a ‘shopping list’ beforehand. In other words, decide on the exact features and functionality you need,  then go look ing for tools that will do the job.This approach can make your ultimate choice a lot simpler. Sometimes, you’ll find both free and premium plugins that offer all the features on your list. In that scenario, the free plugin will have an advantage. However, this won’t always be the case. So when are premium plugins worth buying?While not an absolute, free plugins tend to focus on more general functionality – basic features that most sites need, such as improved security and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you’re looking for more niche features, on the other hand, free plugins can come up short. This means that if your site is a little off the beaten path, or you require very specific functionality, you may only find what you need in premium plugins.3. Do you need more functionality than the free versions of freemium plugins can provide?So far, we’ve been focusing largely on free and premium plugins. However, it’s important not to forget a bout the third pricing structure. Many of the best WordPress plugins work on a freemium model, and theyre as easy to find as strictly free and premium tools. A lot of them are located in the WordPress Plugin Directory, along with descriptions of how their various tiers differ:Choosing a freemium plugin can be a very smart decision. You can get a feel for how it works by trying out the free version first, rather than paying for a premium plugin you might not actually need. What’s more, it will quickly become obvious whether the features offered by the free version are enough. If you do decide you need more comprehensive or targeted functionality, you can upgrade immediately to one of the plugins premium tiers without any inconvenience or loss of data.4. Do the premium options have better ratings and reviews?It can be easy to assume that premium plugins are inherently ‘better’ than free plugins. In reality, however, this is far from the truth. You can find a lot of free plugins that are well reviewed, secure, and reliable. Similarly, just because a plugin costs money doesn’t guarantee that its a quality offering.At the same time, ratings and reviews can be a helpful way to choose the best tool for your site. If you’ve found both free and premium plugins that do what you need, take a look at how well other users have rated them, how popular they are, and how recently they’ve been updated. You can also read through reviews, and check to see if the developer of each plugin has an upstanding reputation.If the results of this research are similar for each class of plugin, you may be safe sticking with a free solution. If a premium option has superior reviews and comes from a more reputable source, however, it may be worth the cost.5. Are you looking for access to 24/7 support?It isn’t uncommon to find free and premium plugins that have essentially the same features, and are equally well-reviewed. This can lead you to wo nder: When are premium plugins worth buying, if you can get the same functionality for free?Often, the answer comes down to support. While many free plugins have dedicated forums and communities, getting support directly from the developers can be challenging. One of the primary perks of premium plugins is that they almost always come with a year’s worth of support bundled in. Typically, this means you’ll be able to get deeper, and more responsive, support. You may also get access to a members-only forum, live chat, or other exclusive resources.Therefore, premium plugins can be smart investments if you want to make sure you can always get help when you need it. This is particularity relevant when the plugin you’re interested in involves a lot of complex functionality, or when your site is going to rely heavily on its features. Just keep in mind that in most cases, you’ll need to renew your license each year to retain access to support.ConclusionAre premiu m plugins worth buying? After all, it seems wasteful to pay for something you could get for free. On the other hand, you may wonder whether free plugins can really do everything their premium counterparts can. The truth is that both types of plugins have their place, and are worth your consideration.To recap, here are some of the questions youll want to ask yourself when choosing between free and premium plugins:Is there room in your budget for a premium solution?Are you looking for specific or niche features?Do you need more functionality than the free versions of freemium plugins can provide?Do the premium options have better ratings and reviews?Are you looking for access to 24/7 support?What do you think: Are premium plugins worth buying? Share your thoughts in the comments section below! Are premium #WordPress #plugins worth paying for? Answer these questions to find out

Interpreter of Maladies

Interpreter of Maladies The short story Interpreter of Maladies written by Jhumpa Lahiri explores a variety of themes. One of them is the need for intimacy. In particular, the author shows that this need can be partly explained by our willingness to speak openly to a person who will not be judgmental of our behavior, values, or morality.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Interpreter of Maladies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Secondly, this novella suggests that the desire for intimacy can sometimes arise because people want to find a companion who will feel compassion for them and probably raise their self-esteem. Jhumpa Lahiri explores this issue by focusing on the relations between such characters as Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi. Overall, Jhumpa Lahiri creates a situation when intimacy is driven mostly by selfishness, rather then love or affection. This paper will show how the writer communicates this idea to the readers. The writer employs several literary elements in order to convey this message to the reader. First of all, one has to speak about character development. Lahiri does not present a direct evaluation of Mrs. Das or Mr. Kapasi. Yet, practically in every passage of this novella, Lahiri gives some minor descriptions which can tell us a lot about the inner world of these people. For example, she tells that â€Å"Mr. and Mrs. Das bickered about who should take Tina (their daughter) to the toilet† (Lahiri 2005, p. 185). Secondly, she refuses to help her daughter with her manicure and asks Tina to â€Å"leave her alone†. These details suggest that she might be unhappy in her marriage. One can surely say that Mrs. Das feels alienated from her husband and children. Yet, at the beginning we do not why she behaves in such a way. Similarly, the author shows us that Mr. Kapasi views his job as an interpreter as a â€Å"thankless occupation† which does not allow him to fulfill his potentia l (Lahiri 2005, p. 191).Advertising Looking for critical writing on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These people are gravitated toward one another for different reasons. Ms. Das believes that she is the person to whom she can confess that she was unfaithful to her husband without having to justify or acquit herself. In his turn, Mr. Kapasi feels closeness to her because she expressed some interest in him and his work. Character development is the main literary element that demonstrates that their alleged intimacy can be more attributed to egoism instead of affection. Therefore, it is not surprising that these people fail to develop any form of relationship. The conflict presented in this short story has two dimensions. The main characters have to choose between their self-interests or self-esteem and the necessity to accept or tell the truth. For instance, Mr. Kapasi does not want to accept the i dea that his career and his life are not as successful as he wants them to be. This is the reason why he is attracted to Mrs. Das who finds him â€Å"romantic† (Lahiri 2005, p. 191). Nonetheless, he does not want to do anything that can improve the quality of his life. Similarly, Mrs. Das is not willing to acknowledge the fact that her marriage proved to be a complete failure, and she can be partly blamed for this outcome. The main issue is that these people do not even consider telling the truth to others or to themselves. Instead, they strive to find an imaginary friend able to console them. This is one of the reasons why they are unhappy and discontent with themselves and others. Other important literary elements that should not be overlooked are the voice of the author and the narrative mode. Jhumpa Lahiri tells the story from the third-person point of view. The writer enables the reader to better understand the feelings and emotions of different characters. One can also say that she feels some form of empathy for them. She explains why they feel so alienated from their families, and why they are longing for intimacy. Moreover, it is possible to assume that the narrator is the only one who understands the feelings and sentiments of Mrs. Das, or Mr. Kapasi. Other characters lack this capacity.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Interpreter of Maladies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, those people, who surround Mrs. Das, or Mr. Kapasi, do not know why they feel frustrated. Thus, one can argue that the narrative mode and the voice really help the author show that the main protagonists strive for compassion and sincerity. Other people do not even try to find out the cause of their depression or discontent. They may not even notice that something is wrong with them. There are various peculiarities of the plot which play instrumental role in revealing the personal qualities of characters. First, one can notice that Jhumpa Lahiri prefers non-linear plot which is full of flashbacks or recollections. These flashbacks are aimed at explaining the reasons why Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das can be drawn to each other. For example, Lahiri tells us about Kapasi’s relations with his wife who blamed him for his inability to avert the death of their son (2005, p. 192). Additionally, the flashbacks inserted into the story describe the circumstances that prompted Mrs. Das to commit adultery. The writer does not attempt to justify them; more likely, she tries to better illustrate their need for intimacy. This non-linear structure of the plot is essential for portraying the inner world of characters. Additionally, if we speak about the plot of the story, we should focus primarily on the climax. At this point, Mrs. Das tells she wants to speak to someone who can alleviate her suffering. She says, â€Å"I’ve been in pain eight years. I was hoping you c ould help me feel better† (Lahiri 2005, p. 201). Her confession disappoints his expectations because he clearly wanted to establish romantic relations with her. He did not want to be a counselor. At this point, both of them realize that they have nothing in common with one another. During the final scene, Mrs. Das throws away the note on which the address of her companion is written. This moment symbolizes the rupture of their relations. Jhumpa Lahiri skillfully employs to communicate her message to the readers.Advertising Looking for critical writing on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overall, such a novella as Interpreter of Maladies can identifies several reasons why people look for intimacy. On the one hand, we can speak about with people’s willingness to communicate with someone who will not condemn them and accuse them of immorality. This is particularly important for Mrs. Das. The second reason is self-esteem. Mr. Kapasi feels intimacy toward this woman because he believes that she finds him romantic and interesting rather than commonplace. The author shows that the intimacy and relations that are driven by selfishness are more likely to be fruitless. Reference List Lahiri, J. (2005). Interpreter of Maladies. In, P. Shreve B, Nguyen, (Ed.), 30/30:  thirty American stories from the last thirty years (pp. 185- 203). New York: Pearson Longman.

Discuss nature vs. nurture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discuss nature vs. nurture - Essay Example The ‘nature versus nurture’ debate for instance is one of the binaries that offer certain perspectives explaining human attitudes and behavior. Socialization as one of the factors influencing human behavior (Berger and Luckmann 42-50) was primarily introduced by sociologists to emphasize the role of the environment and society in the formation of their self-concept and identity. In the field of psychology, behaviorism on the basis of human instincts and stimulus-response was considered to be one of the major theories that explain human nature. In analysis, in contrast with psychological theories, sociological explanations of human behavior are leaning toward the ‘nurture’ side of the debate; thus, placing psychology on the ‘nature’ side. However, through further studies and exploration of the subject, integrative theories about human behavior are also introduced. Social behaviorism pioneered by George Herbert Mead (1913) and psycho-social develo pment introduced by Erik Erikson (1950) are examples of the integrative works. In this paper, an exploration of ‘nature-nurture’ debate will be presented by examining the basis and foundations of both perspectives. The discussion about the importance of socialization in human thinking and behavior will also be analyzed. Moreover, other factors influencing and explaining human nature will be discussed to see how such matters contribute to the development of human behavior. In the process of human development, many contributing factors are regarded to be influential in one’s growth. In an extreme theoretical position, human experiences are considered to be the primary factor affecting behavior (see Schutz 32). Socialization through interaction with others influences an individual’s way of thinking about his or her reality. More importantly, interaction affects one’s idea of the self as he or she tries to situate him or herself within the context of so cial categories. In Mead’s The Social Self, he explained how interactions with individuals help us develop our self-consciousness. Socialization with others helps us realize the existence of ‘the other’ and thus, the existence of oneself (Mead 374). Through interaction, the recognition of the ‘I’ becomes possible. Through self-consciousness and the recognition of others around an individual, language becomes a necessary tool to further identify oneself. In here, communication through language is given importance as such eventually explains more about human nature; that is, explaining our uniqueness in contrast with the non-speaking animals. In Mead’s theory, the concept of ‘the social self’ (374-380) ultimately emphasizes the relation of the self to others in the social world. Though the theory is seemingly grounded on abstract concepts, Mead was able to explain his theory objectively with reference to behaviorism. Apparently, Mea d’s mature social psychology offered an example of how ideas coming from opposing arenas can be integrated in a single work (see Cook 67). To further explain human behavior, we can also observe how scholars attributes it to human ‘instincts’ and the biological and psychological state of a person. In this perspective, ‘nature’ was considered to be the primary cause of human behavior. In the field of psychology, most established theories are based on this assumption reflecting the preferred ‘objective’

Vision statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Vision statement - Essay Example I will advance my knowledge and skills in human resource management and use that information in offering solution involving employees in the company I will be working with (Alexander, 2007). I will build rapport with other employees and my senior in the company in order to ensure smooth running of the activities not only in my department, but in all other departments. I will devote all my energy towards my work by working six days a week to maximize my contribution to the company and at the same time make more money. I believe in work commitment and I will dedicate my time to work and spare some of my resources to help others who may need my assistance in one or another (Norton, 2013). In conclusion, I will use all resources available for me in order to get an opportunity to as senior human resource personnel in a competent organization where I will be able to earn money and take care of my family and

Sociological Inquiry Asignment 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociological Inquiry Asignment 1 - Essay Example There are many details of the problem which are rather unknown to general public: donors or wealthy sponsors themselves decide important questions related to school budgeting, types of testing, number of school’s personnel, etc. 3. The author of the article is religion reporter for The New York Times newspaper. He works for this newspaper not for so long since 2008. Vitello covers predominantly religion news from local perspective, New York City. Earlier the reporter used to work for such newspapers as Long Island’s Newsday, Kansas City Star, Knickerbocker News and some others. Paul Vitello has veteran experience as a reporter. He has written numerous articles on religious issues, for instance, â€Å"Clergy Urge Efforts to Lower the City’s Abortion Rate†, â€Å"Hepatitis Scare Hits Nassau Church after Wafers’ Exposure at Christmas Masses†, â€Å"N.Y. Parochial Schools Downcast After Archdiocesan Warning†, â€Å"Bitterness Follows End of a School† to name a few among many others. I believe that the author has enough experience and appropriate qualification to write about issues related to religion (church) and education like in the article under the analysis in this paper. 4. Vitello’s article presents a clear analysis of the issue. However, the author covers only schools and churches of New York City and nearby area.

Effect of Citizenship Education on Values

Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Rationale Can a concept of citizenship based on equal rights and a shared sense of belonging moderate, transcend or displace identity politics and concepts of nationality? (Smith (2003), cited in Maitles, 2005:49) The above statement was the building block for this dissertation and highlights the challenge that educators face if education for citizenship is to become a success. Citizenship is at the core of A Curriculum for Excellence, it permeates all subject areas with its values of wisdom, compassion, integrity and justice (Scottish Government, 2011b). The Scottish Government, claim that education for citizenship enables children to address issues such as peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (ibid). Whilst Scotland is a diverse country, diversity itself, it seems, breeds intolerance and inequality (Willems et al, 2010). Whilst it is claimed that education for citizenship can overcome these inequalities, (LTS, 2002) critics argue that there are limits to what can be done in terms of the contribution that school policies per se can make to eradicating these inequalities? (Maitles, 2005:16) Citizenship, and its potential has been a personal matter of interest since I began my initial teacher training. Whilst I have always appreciated the purpose and necessity of education for citizenship, I have also been mindful of the hypocrisy of teaching citizenship values to children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have never experienced these values themselves. I have found this unsettling, and my initial research has demonstrated that I am not alone in this issue (Maitles, 2005; LTS, 2002). Being born and raised in the West of Scotland and I am acutely aware that sectarianism is a term associated with this particular area. For my own part, religion played no part in my home environment but was respected and a source of interest. However, I routinely heard sectarian language being casually thrown around the playground at my non-denominational school. My initial reading has demonstrated that there is a vast contrast in opinion regarding sectarianism, from Steve Bruce et al (2005), who suggests that sectarianism is a myth, to government opinion which state that Scotland is scarred by sectarianism (J. McConnell (2006), cited in Scottish Executive, 2006) On paper, citizenship is the key to a tolerant, compassionate, inter-cultural nation. However, can it eradicate and overcome the root causes of sectarianism within Scotland? (384 words) Introduction and Method Section The purpose of this review of literature is to ascertain if teaching education for citizenship in Scottish primary schools can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. There are four main key areas which need to be addressed throughout the course of this research and each of them will be expanded further upon; The first section shall focus on citizenship itself; the history, philosophy and Scotlands position regarding citizenship. Secondly, this dissertation will address Education for Citizenship, with the focus on; current policy, A Curriculum for Excellence, and possible areas of concern. The penultimate section aims to scrutinize sectarianism itself; its history and relevance to Scotland, its causes/roots, the Scottish Governments stance and the Churchs perspective. The fourth and final section shall explore using citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarianism from Scotland; current initiatives, examples of good practice promoting anti-sectarianism and ways of implementing citizenship skills. On concluding all four sections of the review, only then will this dissertation attempt to draw satisfactory conclusions determining if, through teaching citizenship in Scottish primary schools, sectarianism can be consigned to Scottish history. Research has so far shown that education for citizenship is a contemporary trend, currently being addressed by both academics and the government. Sectarianism research appears to have peaked from 1999-2005, with little literature on the subject being, so far, uncovered. However, in order to address this dissertation question fittingly, and produce a thorough review of literature a range of resources and methods have been utilized: The University of the West of Scotland and the University of Glasgow have both been utilised to source: Books: initially found through topic searches, subsequently found through using bibliographies and reference lists to find further relevant material. Inter-library loans. Academic Journals: accessed via the library catalogue and additional databases (e.g. ERIC, Taylor and Frances, Google Scholar) focusing on key words, particularly citizenship and sectarianism but also Scottish Primary Schools and intolerance. Learning and Teaching Scotland website, alongside the Scottish Government website have been used to gain access to relevant documentation. Policy documents and reports; mainly Scottish but English policies/reports have been used to create a relevant context. The internet was used to source relevant information, again focusing on key words (as stated above) Anti-sectarian charity, Nil By Mouth Church of Scotland Roman Catholic Church of Scotland For the purpose of this paper, it has been decided to focus primarily on literature written within a timeline of the last ten years (2000-2010), with the exception of literature which provides relevant historical information. It has been determined that literature of a more recent date will provide this dissertation with more precise, relevant conclusions in order to determine if education for citizenship can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. (469 words) Literature Review Citizenship History and Philosophy of Citizenship The concept of citizenship is the foundation of this research, therefore it shall briefly ascertain what citizenship is. Citizenship is by no means a modern concept, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece and the then city-state of Athens, where citizens overcame their own differences for the greater good of their city (Miller, 2000). However, even from its historical roots, there is evidence of the great philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, attempting to define citizenship. There is a vast and varied opinion on what citizenship is. Ann Philips (2000:36) claims that citizenship divides people into those who belong and those who do not, whilst political scientist, Greer and Matzke state simply that citizenship is a set of rights that come from belonging to a community (2009:2). Perhaps more realistically, Hartley (2010:235) defines citizenship as being at heart a combative term, with a long history of bloodshed, struggle, resistance, hope, fear and terror caught up in its train. These diverse accounts of what citizenship is highlights that little has changed in the last 2500 years since Aristotle stated The nature of citizenshipis a question which is often disputed: there is no general agreement on a single definition (Aristotle, cited in Oliver and Heater, 1994:vii) English sociologist T.H.Marshall, defined citizenship as a status bestowed on those who are full members of the community (Marshall (1963), cited in Powell, 2009:25). During the 1950s, he proposed that citizenship could be divided into three elements, civil, political and social (Hartley, 2010; Greer and Matzke, 2009; Oliver and Heater, 1994; Pearce and Hallgarten, 2000). His vision was based on equality, that regardless of gender, race or religion, if you were a full member of the community, you were entitled to citizenship status. Marshalls model for citizenship has been criticised due to his three elements being defined by equalityyet in practice they operate in a context of social inequality (Greer and Matzke, 2009:5). This view is mirrored by Evans who reminds us to consider ways in which social disadvantage undermines citizenship by denying people full participation in society (Evans, cited in Maitles, 2005:2). However, it is nonetheless still held in high regard and used as a platform for other academics and governments to build on, as can be seen in Lord Goldsmiths Citizenship Review (2008). Scotlands Position Active citizenship is central to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. Their aim is that children will play a full and active part in society politically, socially, economically, environmentally and culturally (Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), 2011). In Scotland, as a result of devolution, citizenship is a key issue. The UK, is no longer one nation-state with a single social citizenship but is comprised of four countries, each with its own regional social citizenship (Jeffrey, 2009). Indeed, Greer (2009:198) states that a single, shared, social citizenship for the UK is today a contested political goal if it is not purely a myth. Some politicians have even gone as far as to suggest a European state, which would provide a whole new scope for social citizenship, and would require redefining of citizenship in the 21st century (Jeffrey, 2009). Scottish children must be provided with the knowledge, skills and values which allow them to appreciate the importance of citizenship and be able to not only scrutinise a concept which is based on equality but question what equality means and its implications for all of society. Only by children striving to find answers to these questions can the concept of citizenship adapt and progress effectively into the 21st century (Greer, 2009). Education is essential in ensuring that Scotlands children are exposed to these experiences because in terms of citizenship, an ignorant citizen is tantamount to a contradiction in terms (Oliver and Heater, 1994:20) Education for Citizenship Regarding what education for citizenship actually is, the general consensus appears to be that there is not much agreement about what it is, other than it is a good thing (Maitles, 2005:2). It is criticised as an indoctrine by some and considered the best route to global peace by others (Brown et al, 2009:73). Gundara, approaches the matter from a different perspective by considering not what it is but what it should do; The challenge for citizenship education is the moulding of the one out of the many and to construct appropriate educational responses to difference and diversity within British society (Gundara, 2000:16) Whilst preparing youth for participation in society has always been an educational goal (Willems et al, 2010:215), it is in the last ten to fifteen years that education for citizenship has gained momentum in Scotland (HMIe, 2006). The Government was concerned over the apparent lack of interest regarding democratic matters (Deuchar, 2003; Maitles, 2005), and in light of this, the then Lord Chancellor stated we should not, must not, dare not, be complacent about the health and future of British democracy and that unless we become a nation of engaged citizens, our democracy is not secure (Lord Chancellor, cited in Advisory Group on Citizenship, 1998:8). As a result of this, plans were put in motion to overturn this trend by including citizenship into the national curriculum. This process began in 1998, when the Advisory Group on Citizenship (AGC), produced a report advocating the necessity of education for citizenship (also known as the Crick Report). It echoed the Lord Chancellors comments and stated that citizenship was crucial to our nation to such an extent that education for citizenship would be compulsory. Acting upon this report, Scotland followed suit in 2002 with their report from the Advisory Council of LTS. Much of the report mirrors that of the Crick report, it reiterates the Lord Chancellors statement and both reports highlight the importance of imparting upon children key learning experiences, skills, values and knowledge and understanding. Of particular relevance to this research are those which refer to social issues and dilemmas (Scottish Government, 2002:12) and educating children on the diversity of identities within Scotlandand the need for mutual respect, tolerance and understanding (Scottish Government, 2002:36). Both reports (and Maitles, 2005) support educators tackling so called controversial issues, i.e. sectarianism, through education for citizenship by acknowledging that many controversial issues are relevant to children. Abdi and Shultz state that We should not underestimate the role of education in instilling in the minds of people core human rights values (2008:3) and tackling difficult issues in the classroom allows children to address those at the very core of humanity those that are addressed in the Human Rights Act 1998 (National Archives, 2011) (see Appendix I), the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 (Office of the United Nations, 2011) (see Appendix II) and allows children to address them in a manner which complies with the Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000, Section 2 (National Archives, 2011a) (see Appendix III). Some notable concerns are raised regarding education for citizenship. Maitles (2005) and Maylor (2010), indicate that some academics/educators believe that teaching controversial issues to primary age children is unsuitable. However, as this research has already highlighted, some young children deal with many controversial issues every day and in this era of technology and internet access children are seeing these issues (AGC, 1998:12). At primary school age children are picking up, whether from school, home or elsewhereof what social problems effect them (AGC, 1998:12; Davies, 2011). Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008), raise concerns over the possible hypocrisy of education for citizenship, with Maitles stating that inequalities in society, have a detrimental effect on the education for citizenship proposals (Maitles, 2005:16) By this they mean educators teaching children about rights and responsibilities and values such as equality and tolerance, to children who, whilst in the classro om may be equal, however, when they leave the classroom, vast social inequalities and intolerances may become visible. In addition, Dower (2008:47), bluntly states that To say we all enjoy rights is a mockery, given the realities of the world. Education for citizenship and its associated skills and values must be taught as children in Scotland are growing up in an increasingly diverse society (Scottish Executive, 2006) and This education is necessary if we are to live together appreciating and accepting our diversity and differences in a context of social justice, equity and democracy (James, 2008:109). If attitudes cannot be accepted or tolerated or challenged then people find they have increasingly less in common with each other which leads to at best segregation within communities, at worst, open hostility to each other (Willems et al, 2010), a perfect example being what happened in the West of Scotland between the Scottish Protestants and the Irish Catholics in the 18th/19th century. Intolerance has blighted our society in the past and children must learn from past mistakes, after all, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it (George Santanya, cited in Abdi and Shultz, 2009:1). Sectarianism Sectarianism: Denoting or concerning a sect or sects: the citys traditional sectarian divide. Adjective (of an action) carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect, denomination, or other group: sectarian killings Rigidly following the doctrines of a sect or other group. Noun: a member of a sect, a person who rigidly follows the doctrines of a sect or other group. (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010) The roots of sectarianism in Scotland can be traced back to the 16th century and the Reformation of the church. However, it was the influx of Irish Catholic immigrant workers to Scotland in the 19th century which infamously associated the west of Scotland with sectarianism. The Irish Catholic immigrants were an unknown entity to the Native Protestant Scots, who in their ignorance perceived them as savages (OHagan, 2000:32). The perception was that the Irish immigrants were going to take jobs and housing from the Scots and attempt to spread their dangerous religion. Bruce et al (2004) explains that the fear and hatred of each other stemmed mainly from the fact that in the 19th century, people wholeheartedly believed in their religion, and genuinely believed that the other religion was dangerously wrong. As a result, Irish Catholics were attacked from the pulpit and in the street, (LTS, 2011a), refused employment, or were kept at the bottom of the labour market by influence from the local church and Orange Lodge (an organisation created in 1795 to promote and protect the Protestant faith (Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, 2011)). In the 21st century, whilst it is accepted that sectarianism did exist, the general consensus appears to be that blatant discrimination of Catholics no longer exists (Bruce (2000); McCrone and Rosie (2000); Paterson (2000), cited in Williams and Walls, 2000). However, there is an acknowledgment that sectarianism in Scotland is a unique problem (Murray, 1984) and that sectarianism hides in a shadowy corner of our society and only shows itself in peoples attitudes and prejudices (McCrone and Rosie, 2000:200). OHagan is more blunt and simply states that Scotland is a divisive, bigoted society (2000:25) and Reilly, refers to the Sunday Times, which in 1999 described Scotland as A country which hosts Orange marches the year round while ceaselessly campaigning for the closure of Catholic schools (2000:29). The Scottish Government shared these views, and in 2003 under Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 2003, sectarianism became a criminal offence (Nil By Mouth, 2011). Sectarianism in 21st century Scotland is largely associated with football and schools (Lynch, 2000), with Celtic Football Club (CFC) and Rangers Football Club (RFC) being particularly linked with sectarianism. CFC was founded in 1888 by Brother Walfrid, initially a charity, it was set up by Irish immigrants, for Irish immigrants, whilst RFC was founded in 1872 by the McNeil family (Murray, 1984). In 1912, the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff arrived on the Clyde from Belfast and brought with them a workforce of Protestant/Orange workers who in defiance of Catholic Celtic, gave their support to Rangers and so the two clubs were defined in history. In recent years, the two clubs, in association with the Scottish Government have provided programmes to combat the sectarianism with which they are associated with (Nil By Mouth, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2006a). The current picture remains that Celtic and Rangers are still associated with their intolerant historic pasts which is passed down from one generation to the next. Youngsters, who have no interest in religion themselves, are encouraged to learn the sectarian stories and songs from their fathers and grandfathers and whilst not understanding the real meaning of the words, will enter the football stadiums and become 90 minute bigots (Deuchar, Holligan, 2008:12; Bruce, 2000) Catholic schools have been a stone of contention in Scotland since they were granted state-funding in the Scotland Education Act (1918) (Bruce et al, 2004). Although the schools originated in the same manner as Protestant schools (ibid), Catholics were condemned for wanting their own schools attached to their own churches. Those who claim that sectarianism is in decline claim that there is no need for Catholic schools and that they should be boarded up for the sake of social harmony, and those who claim that there is sectarianism in Scotland claim Catholic schools are responsible and should be boarded up (Reilly, 2000). Such negative perceptions of Catholic schools, yet there is no evidence that Catholic schools encourage or breed sectarianism (ibid). At the root of sectarianism, in its truest sense, is religion. In the 21st century, on the matter of sectarianism, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Reverend Bill Hewitt demanded that sectarianism be stamped out from Scotlandthe country must become more tolerant and inclusive or society would suffer (Scottish Christian, 2009) and one year later, these views were reiterated by the Rev Ian Galloway, (cited in Herald Scotland, 2010). Meanwhile, the Scottish Catholic Church claimed that sectarianism was still very much in abundance in Scotland. The director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office is quoted stating that: The bigotry, the bile, the sectarian undercurrents and innuendos must end. Such hateful attitudes have had their day. They poison the well of community life. They must be excised and cast out once and for all (Kearney, cited in Herald Glasgow, 2010). This section has focused primarily on the Catholic/Protestant take on sectarianism as it is this that Scotland is infamous for. However, it must be noted that sectarianism can apply to any religion. MacMillan, discusses the plight of the Muslim community in Glasgow who have been slated for wanting to open their own school with accusations that their display on difference are root causes of social division (2000:266). In order to prevent history repeating itself, the next generation must be educated in such a manner so that Scotland can put sectarian attitudes into dustbin of history and build a better society (J.McConnell, 2006). Education for Citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland The Scottish Government claim that Education for Citizenship has the potential to address the negative values and attitudes that feed sectarianism and stresses the importance that education plays in eradicating sectarianism in Scotland and claims that Curriculum for Excellence is itself a programme for tackling sectarianism (Salmond, 2005). This view is supported by Deuchar and Holligan, who after identifying that youngster received little input regarding sectarianism in schools stated that Curriculum for Excellence is the opportunity to teach controversial issues (2008). To support these claims, the Scottish Government created an educational resource for teachers called Dont Give it, Dont Take it, with the sole aim of supporting teachers to promote anti-discrimination (Scottish Government, 2005). Then, in 2007, HMIe, released Count Us In: Promoting understanding and combating sectarianism, which provided examples of initiatives which promote anti-sectarianism. They highlight the importance of addressing this issue with young children because the result of sectarianismcan be that young people develop limited ways of thinking which narrows their view of the world and damages their relationship with others (2007:1), therefore, we must teach our children to see beyond their own interests and commitment and take a wider, more impartial view of the world (Miller, 2000:29). Schools across Scotland have adopted a wide variety of approaches to anti-sectarian education which contribute to successful learning (HMIe, 2007:6) and the evidence gathered from school inspections indicate that primary school children have embraced these approaches positively (HMIe, 2007). One popular approach is twinning, where neighbouring schools, one denominational and one non-denominational come together to work collaboratively on an anti-sectarian project. Angie Kotler, Strategic Director of the Schools Linking Network, supports twinning as it creates opportunities to develop and deepen childrens knowledge and understanding of identity/ies, diversity, equality and community (2010:49). She also stresses the importance of addressing controversial issues in schools as we cannot assume that children will have other opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Education for citizenship is a means by which this can be achieved as it is a vessel for tackling controver sial issues such as human rights, peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (LTS, 2011b). Through these issues, sectarianism in Scotland can be addressed and hopefully, in time, the legacy of sectarianism in Scotland can be wiped out (Salmond, 2005). However, if initiatives such as twinning are to be done successfully then according to Dr Uvanney Maylor (Reader in Education, University of Bedfordshire), lessons promoting shared values and citizenship belonging would need to facilitate an appreciation of how difference is experienced outside school (2010:247), an opinion echoing that of one made earlier by Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008). Maylor states that children will only be able to understand and respect diversity if they have learnt to understand and respect their own identity, (2010). In schools this can be achieved by creating a positive school ethos which challenges sectarianism and religious prejudice whilst encouraging and promoting diversity, social inclusion, equality, equity and positive behaviour (LTS, 2011c). In 2003, Finn, stated that, with regards to sectarianism, educationhas much to contribute to an understanding of this conflict. So far it has failed to do so (2003:905). With the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence and supporting documents from HMIe, it appears that education is striving to overturn this perception and is sending a clear message that sectarianism will not be tolerated within Scottish primary schools (HMIe, 2007). Perhaps, in Scotland, with its unique relationship with sectarianism this entails, as a matter of urgency, a new and more inclusive definition of Scottishness if the nation is to be one and at peace with itselfthe Scotland of the future must contain no inner exiles (Reilly, 2000:39). 3083 words Appendix I Human Rights Act 1998 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 9 Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 14 Prohibition of discrimination The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. (National Archives, 2011) Appendix II Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 12 States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law. Article 13 The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the childs choice. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals. Article 14 States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. (Office of the United Nations, 2011) Appendix III Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000 Section 2: Duty of education authority in providing school education (1) Where school education is provided to a child or young person by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority it shall be the duty of the authority to secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential. (2) In carrying out their duty under this section, an education authority shall have due regard, so far as is reasonably practicable, to the views (if there is a wish to express them) of the child or young person in decisions that significantly affect that child or young person, taking account of the child or young persons age and maturity. (National Archives, 2011a) Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Effect of Citizenship Education on Values Rationale Can a concept of citizenship based on equal rights and a shared sense of belonging moderate, transcend or displace identity politics and concepts of nationality? (Smith (2003), cited in Maitles, 2005:49) The above statement was the building block for this dissertation and highlights the challenge that educators face if education for citizenship is to become a success. Citizenship is at the core of A Curriculum for Excellence, it permeates all subject areas with its values of wisdom, compassion, integrity and justice (Scottish Government, 2011b). The Scottish Government, claim that education for citizenship enables children to address issues such as peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (ibid). Whilst Scotland is a diverse country, diversity itself, it seems, breeds intolerance and inequality (Willems et al, 2010). Whilst it is claimed that education for citizenship can overcome these inequalities, (LTS, 2002) critics argue that there are limits to what can be done in terms of the contribution that school policies per se can make to eradicating these inequalities? (Maitles, 2005:16) Citizenship, and its potential has been a personal matter of interest since I began my initial teacher training. Whilst I have always appreciated the purpose and necessity of education for citizenship, I have also been mindful of the hypocrisy of teaching citizenship values to children who, due to circumstances beyond their control, have never experienced these values themselves. I have found this unsettling, and my initial research has demonstrated that I am not alone in this issue (Maitles, 2005; LTS, 2002). Being born and raised in the West of Scotland and I am acutely aware that sectarianism is a term associated with this particular area. For my own part, religion played no part in my home environment but was respected and a source of interest. However, I routinely heard sectarian language being casually thrown around the playground at my non-denominational school. My initial reading has demonstrated that there is a vast contrast in opinion regarding sectarianism, from Steve Bruce et al (2005), who suggests that sectarianism is a myth, to government opinion which state that Scotland is scarred by sectarianism (J. McConnell (2006), cited in Scottish Executive, 2006) On paper, citizenship is the key to a tolerant, compassionate, inter-cultural nation. However, can it eradicate and overcome the root causes of sectarianism within Scotland? (384 words) Introduction and Method Section The purpose of this review of literature is to ascertain if teaching education for citizenship in Scottish primary schools can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. There are four main key areas which need to be addressed throughout the course of this research and each of them will be expanded further upon; The first section shall focus on citizenship itself; the history, philosophy and Scotlands position regarding citizenship. Secondly, this dissertation will address Education for Citizenship, with the focus on; current policy, A Curriculum for Excellence, and possible areas of concern. The penultimate section aims to scrutinize sectarianism itself; its history and relevance to Scotland, its causes/roots, the Scottish Governments stance and the Churchs perspective. The fourth and final section shall explore using citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarianism from Scotland; current initiatives, examples of good practice promoting anti-sectarianism and ways of implementing citizenship skills. On concluding all four sections of the review, only then will this dissertation attempt to draw satisfactory conclusions determining if, through teaching citizenship in Scottish primary schools, sectarianism can be consigned to Scottish history. Research has so far shown that education for citizenship is a contemporary trend, currently being addressed by both academics and the government. Sectarianism research appears to have peaked from 1999-2005, with little literature on the subject being, so far, uncovered. However, in order to address this dissertation question fittingly, and produce a thorough review of literature a range of resources and methods have been utilized: The University of the West of Scotland and the University of Glasgow have both been utilised to source: Books: initially found through topic searches, subsequently found through using bibliographies and reference lists to find further relevant material. Inter-library loans. Academic Journals: accessed via the library catalogue and additional databases (e.g. ERIC, Taylor and Frances, Google Scholar) focusing on key words, particularly citizenship and sectarianism but also Scottish Primary Schools and intolerance. Learning and Teaching Scotland website, alongside the Scottish Government website have been used to gain access to relevant documentation. Policy documents and reports; mainly Scottish but English policies/reports have been used to create a relevant context. The internet was used to source relevant information, again focusing on key words (as stated above) Anti-sectarian charity, Nil By Mouth Church of Scotland Roman Catholic Church of Scotland For the purpose of this paper, it has been decided to focus primarily on literature written within a timeline of the last ten years (2000-2010), with the exception of literature which provides relevant historical information. It has been determined that literature of a more recent date will provide this dissertation with more precise, relevant conclusions in order to determine if education for citizenship can help to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland. (469 words) Literature Review Citizenship History and Philosophy of Citizenship The concept of citizenship is the foundation of this research, therefore it shall briefly ascertain what citizenship is. Citizenship is by no means a modern concept, its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece and the then city-state of Athens, where citizens overcame their own differences for the greater good of their city (Miller, 2000). However, even from its historical roots, there is evidence of the great philosophers, Aristotle and Plato, attempting to define citizenship. There is a vast and varied opinion on what citizenship is. Ann Philips (2000:36) claims that citizenship divides people into those who belong and those who do not, whilst political scientist, Greer and Matzke state simply that citizenship is a set of rights that come from belonging to a community (2009:2). Perhaps more realistically, Hartley (2010:235) defines citizenship as being at heart a combative term, with a long history of bloodshed, struggle, resistance, hope, fear and terror caught up in its train. These diverse accounts of what citizenship is highlights that little has changed in the last 2500 years since Aristotle stated The nature of citizenshipis a question which is often disputed: there is no general agreement on a single definition (Aristotle, cited in Oliver and Heater, 1994:vii) English sociologist T.H.Marshall, defined citizenship as a status bestowed on those who are full members of the community (Marshall (1963), cited in Powell, 2009:25). During the 1950s, he proposed that citizenship could be divided into three elements, civil, political and social (Hartley, 2010; Greer and Matzke, 2009; Oliver and Heater, 1994; Pearce and Hallgarten, 2000). His vision was based on equality, that regardless of gender, race or religion, if you were a full member of the community, you were entitled to citizenship status. Marshalls model for citizenship has been criticised due to his three elements being defined by equalityyet in practice they operate in a context of social inequality (Greer and Matzke, 2009:5). This view is mirrored by Evans who reminds us to consider ways in which social disadvantage undermines citizenship by denying people full participation in society (Evans, cited in Maitles, 2005:2). However, it is nonetheless still held in high regard and used as a platform for other academics and governments to build on, as can be seen in Lord Goldsmiths Citizenship Review (2008). Scotlands Position Active citizenship is central to the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence. Their aim is that children will play a full and active part in society politically, socially, economically, environmentally and culturally (Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS), 2011). In Scotland, as a result of devolution, citizenship is a key issue. The UK, is no longer one nation-state with a single social citizenship but is comprised of four countries, each with its own regional social citizenship (Jeffrey, 2009). Indeed, Greer (2009:198) states that a single, shared, social citizenship for the UK is today a contested political goal if it is not purely a myth. Some politicians have even gone as far as to suggest a European state, which would provide a whole new scope for social citizenship, and would require redefining of citizenship in the 21st century (Jeffrey, 2009). Scottish children must be provided with the knowledge, skills and values which allow them to appreciate the importance of citizenship and be able to not only scrutinise a concept which is based on equality but question what equality means and its implications for all of society. Only by children striving to find answers to these questions can the concept of citizenship adapt and progress effectively into the 21st century (Greer, 2009). Education is essential in ensuring that Scotlands children are exposed to these experiences because in terms of citizenship, an ignorant citizen is tantamount to a contradiction in terms (Oliver and Heater, 1994:20) Education for Citizenship Regarding what education for citizenship actually is, the general consensus appears to be that there is not much agreement about what it is, other than it is a good thing (Maitles, 2005:2). It is criticised as an indoctrine by some and considered the best route to global peace by others (Brown et al, 2009:73). Gundara, approaches the matter from a different perspective by considering not what it is but what it should do; The challenge for citizenship education is the moulding of the one out of the many and to construct appropriate educational responses to difference and diversity within British society (Gundara, 2000:16) Whilst preparing youth for participation in society has always been an educational goal (Willems et al, 2010:215), it is in the last ten to fifteen years that education for citizenship has gained momentum in Scotland (HMIe, 2006). The Government was concerned over the apparent lack of interest regarding democratic matters (Deuchar, 2003; Maitles, 2005), and in light of this, the then Lord Chancellor stated we should not, must not, dare not, be complacent about the health and future of British democracy and that unless we become a nation of engaged citizens, our democracy is not secure (Lord Chancellor, cited in Advisory Group on Citizenship, 1998:8). As a result of this, plans were put in motion to overturn this trend by including citizenship into the national curriculum. This process began in 1998, when the Advisory Group on Citizenship (AGC), produced a report advocating the necessity of education for citizenship (also known as the Crick Report). It echoed the Lord Chancellors comments and stated that citizenship was crucial to our nation to such an extent that education for citizenship would be compulsory. Acting upon this report, Scotland followed suit in 2002 with their report from the Advisory Council of LTS. Much of the report mirrors that of the Crick report, it reiterates the Lord Chancellors statement and both reports highlight the importance of imparting upon children key learning experiences, skills, values and knowledge and understanding. Of particular relevance to this research are those which refer to social issues and dilemmas (Scottish Government, 2002:12) and educating children on the diversity of identities within Scotlandand the need for mutual respect, tolerance and understanding (Scottish Government, 2002:36). Both reports (and Maitles, 2005) support educators tackling so called controversial issues, i.e. sectarianism, through education for citizenship by acknowledging that many controversial issues are relevant to children. Abdi and Shultz state that We should not underestimate the role of education in instilling in the minds of people core human rights values (2008:3) and tackling difficult issues in the classroom allows children to address those at the very core of humanity those that are addressed in the Human Rights Act 1998 (National Archives, 2011) (see Appendix I), the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 (Office of the United Nations, 2011) (see Appendix II) and allows children to address them in a manner which complies with the Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000, Section 2 (National Archives, 2011a) (see Appendix III). Some notable concerns are raised regarding education for citizenship. Maitles (2005) and Maylor (2010), indicate that some academics/educators believe that teaching controversial issues to primary age children is unsuitable. However, as this research has already highlighted, some young children deal with many controversial issues every day and in this era of technology and internet access children are seeing these issues (AGC, 1998:12). At primary school age children are picking up, whether from school, home or elsewhereof what social problems effect them (AGC, 1998:12; Davies, 2011). Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008), raise concerns over the possible hypocrisy of education for citizenship, with Maitles stating that inequalities in society, have a detrimental effect on the education for citizenship proposals (Maitles, 2005:16) By this they mean educators teaching children about rights and responsibilities and values such as equality and tolerance, to children who, whilst in the classro om may be equal, however, when they leave the classroom, vast social inequalities and intolerances may become visible. In addition, Dower (2008:47), bluntly states that To say we all enjoy rights is a mockery, given the realities of the world. Education for citizenship and its associated skills and values must be taught as children in Scotland are growing up in an increasingly diverse society (Scottish Executive, 2006) and This education is necessary if we are to live together appreciating and accepting our diversity and differences in a context of social justice, equity and democracy (James, 2008:109). If attitudes cannot be accepted or tolerated or challenged then people find they have increasingly less in common with each other which leads to at best segregation within communities, at worst, open hostility to each other (Willems et al, 2010), a perfect example being what happened in the West of Scotland between the Scottish Protestants and the Irish Catholics in the 18th/19th century. Intolerance has blighted our society in the past and children must learn from past mistakes, after all, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it (George Santanya, cited in Abdi and Shultz, 2009:1). Sectarianism Sectarianism: Denoting or concerning a sect or sects: the citys traditional sectarian divide. Adjective (of an action) carried out on the grounds of membership of a sect, denomination, or other group: sectarian killings Rigidly following the doctrines of a sect or other group. Noun: a member of a sect, a person who rigidly follows the doctrines of a sect or other group. (Oxford Dictionaries, 2010) The roots of sectarianism in Scotland can be traced back to the 16th century and the Reformation of the church. However, it was the influx of Irish Catholic immigrant workers to Scotland in the 19th century which infamously associated the west of Scotland with sectarianism. The Irish Catholic immigrants were an unknown entity to the Native Protestant Scots, who in their ignorance perceived them as savages (OHagan, 2000:32). The perception was that the Irish immigrants were going to take jobs and housing from the Scots and attempt to spread their dangerous religion. Bruce et al (2004) explains that the fear and hatred of each other stemmed mainly from the fact that in the 19th century, people wholeheartedly believed in their religion, and genuinely believed that the other religion was dangerously wrong. As a result, Irish Catholics were attacked from the pulpit and in the street, (LTS, 2011a), refused employment, or were kept at the bottom of the labour market by influence from the local church and Orange Lodge (an organisation created in 1795 to promote and protect the Protestant faith (Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, 2011)). In the 21st century, whilst it is accepted that sectarianism did exist, the general consensus appears to be that blatant discrimination of Catholics no longer exists (Bruce (2000); McCrone and Rosie (2000); Paterson (2000), cited in Williams and Walls, 2000). However, there is an acknowledgment that sectarianism in Scotland is a unique problem (Murray, 1984) and that sectarianism hides in a shadowy corner of our society and only shows itself in peoples attitudes and prejudices (McCrone and Rosie, 2000:200). OHagan is more blunt and simply states that Scotland is a divisive, bigoted society (2000:25) and Reilly, refers to the Sunday Times, which in 1999 described Scotland as A country which hosts Orange marches the year round while ceaselessly campaigning for the closure of Catholic schools (2000:29). The Scottish Government shared these views, and in 2003 under Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act, 2003, sectarianism became a criminal offence (Nil By Mouth, 2011). Sectarianism in 21st century Scotland is largely associated with football and schools (Lynch, 2000), with Celtic Football Club (CFC) and Rangers Football Club (RFC) being particularly linked with sectarianism. CFC was founded in 1888 by Brother Walfrid, initially a charity, it was set up by Irish immigrants, for Irish immigrants, whilst RFC was founded in 1872 by the McNeil family (Murray, 1984). In 1912, the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff arrived on the Clyde from Belfast and brought with them a workforce of Protestant/Orange workers who in defiance of Catholic Celtic, gave their support to Rangers and so the two clubs were defined in history. In recent years, the two clubs, in association with the Scottish Government have provided programmes to combat the sectarianism with which they are associated with (Nil By Mouth, 2011; Scottish Executive, 2006a). The current picture remains that Celtic and Rangers are still associated with their intolerant historic pasts which is passed down from one generation to the next. Youngsters, who have no interest in religion themselves, are encouraged to learn the sectarian stories and songs from their fathers and grandfathers and whilst not understanding the real meaning of the words, will enter the football stadiums and become 90 minute bigots (Deuchar, Holligan, 2008:12; Bruce, 2000) Catholic schools have been a stone of contention in Scotland since they were granted state-funding in the Scotland Education Act (1918) (Bruce et al, 2004). Although the schools originated in the same manner as Protestant schools (ibid), Catholics were condemned for wanting their own schools attached to their own churches. Those who claim that sectarianism is in decline claim that there is no need for Catholic schools and that they should be boarded up for the sake of social harmony, and those who claim that there is sectarianism in Scotland claim Catholic schools are responsible and should be boarded up (Reilly, 2000). Such negative perceptions of Catholic schools, yet there is no evidence that Catholic schools encourage or breed sectarianism (ibid). At the root of sectarianism, in its truest sense, is religion. In the 21st century, on the matter of sectarianism, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Reverend Bill Hewitt demanded that sectarianism be stamped out from Scotlandthe country must become more tolerant and inclusive or society would suffer (Scottish Christian, 2009) and one year later, these views were reiterated by the Rev Ian Galloway, (cited in Herald Scotland, 2010). Meanwhile, the Scottish Catholic Church claimed that sectarianism was still very much in abundance in Scotland. The director of the Scottish Catholic Media Office is quoted stating that: The bigotry, the bile, the sectarian undercurrents and innuendos must end. Such hateful attitudes have had their day. They poison the well of community life. They must be excised and cast out once and for all (Kearney, cited in Herald Glasgow, 2010). This section has focused primarily on the Catholic/Protestant take on sectarianism as it is this that Scotland is infamous for. However, it must be noted that sectarianism can apply to any religion. MacMillan, discusses the plight of the Muslim community in Glasgow who have been slated for wanting to open their own school with accusations that their display on difference are root causes of social division (2000:266). In order to prevent history repeating itself, the next generation must be educated in such a manner so that Scotland can put sectarian attitudes into dustbin of history and build a better society (J.McConnell, 2006). Education for Citizenship as a means to eradicate sectarian values and attitudes from Scotland The Scottish Government claim that Education for Citizenship has the potential to address the negative values and attitudes that feed sectarianism and stresses the importance that education plays in eradicating sectarianism in Scotland and claims that Curriculum for Excellence is itself a programme for tackling sectarianism (Salmond, 2005). This view is supported by Deuchar and Holligan, who after identifying that youngster received little input regarding sectarianism in schools stated that Curriculum for Excellence is the opportunity to teach controversial issues (2008). To support these claims, the Scottish Government created an educational resource for teachers called Dont Give it, Dont Take it, with the sole aim of supporting teachers to promote anti-discrimination (Scottish Government, 2005). Then, in 2007, HMIe, released Count Us In: Promoting understanding and combating sectarianism, which provided examples of initiatives which promote anti-sectarianism. They highlight the importance of addressing this issue with young children because the result of sectarianismcan be that young people develop limited ways of thinking which narrows their view of the world and damages their relationship with others (2007:1), therefore, we must teach our children to see beyond their own interests and commitment and take a wider, more impartial view of the world (Miller, 2000:29). Schools across Scotland have adopted a wide variety of approaches to anti-sectarian education which contribute to successful learning (HMIe, 2007:6) and the evidence gathered from school inspections indicate that primary school children have embraced these approaches positively (HMIe, 2007). One popular approach is twinning, where neighbouring schools, one denominational and one non-denominational come together to work collaboratively on an anti-sectarian project. Angie Kotler, Strategic Director of the Schools Linking Network, supports twinning as it creates opportunities to develop and deepen childrens knowledge and understanding of identity/ies, diversity, equality and community (2010:49). She also stresses the importance of addressing controversial issues in schools as we cannot assume that children will have other opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Education for citizenship is a means by which this can be achieved as it is a vessel for tackling controver sial issues such as human rights, peace and conflict resolution, social equality and appreciation of diversity (LTS, 2011b). Through these issues, sectarianism in Scotland can be addressed and hopefully, in time, the legacy of sectarianism in Scotland can be wiped out (Salmond, 2005). However, if initiatives such as twinning are to be done successfully then according to Dr Uvanney Maylor (Reader in Education, University of Bedfordshire), lessons promoting shared values and citizenship belonging would need to facilitate an appreciation of how difference is experienced outside school (2010:247), an opinion echoing that of one made earlier by Maitles (2005) and Dower (2008). Maylor states that children will only be able to understand and respect diversity if they have learnt to understand and respect their own identity, (2010). In schools this can be achieved by creating a positive school ethos which challenges sectarianism and religious prejudice whilst encouraging and promoting diversity, social inclusion, equality, equity and positive behaviour (LTS, 2011c). In 2003, Finn, stated that, with regards to sectarianism, educationhas much to contribute to an understanding of this conflict. So far it has failed to do so (2003:905). With the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence and supporting documents from HMIe, it appears that education is striving to overturn this perception and is sending a clear message that sectarianism will not be tolerated within Scottish primary schools (HMIe, 2007). Perhaps, in Scotland, with its unique relationship with sectarianism this entails, as a matter of urgency, a new and more inclusive definition of Scottishness if the nation is to be one and at peace with itselfthe Scotland of the future must contain no inner exiles (Reilly, 2000:39). 3083 words Appendix I Human Rights Act 1998 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 9 Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 14 Prohibition of discrimination The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status. (National Archives, 2011) Appendix II Convention on the Rights of the Child 1990 Articles relevant to this review are: Article 12 States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law. Article 13 The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the childs choice. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals. Article 14 States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child. Freedom to manifest ones religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. (Office of the United Nations, 2011) Appendix III Standards in Scotlands Schools etc. Act 2000 Section 2: Duty of education authority in providing school education (1) Where school education is provided to a child or young person by, or by virtue of arrangements made, or entered into, by, an education authority it shall be the duty of the authority to secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person to their fullest potential. (2) In carrying out their duty under this section, an education authority shall have due regard, so far as is reasonably practicable, to the views (if there is a wish to express them) of the child or young person in decisions that significantly affect that child or young person, taking account of the child or young persons age and maturity. (National Archives, 2011a)

Ten Minute Time Sample Observation

Ten minute child's observation Observer: someone Aim: To do a ten minute time sample observation of a child engaged in a play activity. Date of observation: 29 11 2011 Observation started: 9. 55 Observation completed: 10. 05 Child's Initials: AWDate of Birth or Age: 4 years 5 months Legend: Child observed = AWOther girl = ESG = small group P= pair of childrenSOL = alone Evaluation : During the observation I did, AW was engaged in play all the time. She was playing with other children most of time. She is confidently interacting with other children while playing. She speaks clearly, in simple sentences. Asks simple questions. In ten minutes time she used even five areas in the nursery; so she’s very confident in there. Also, she doesn’t like staying in one area for a long time and she engages in imaginative play. Interested in shapes while in gluing activity. From this observation, I can tell that she has a good social skills, but, also, that she likes to dominate and tell other children what to do. Plays very well with E, likes to spend time with her, but sometimes doesn’t want to take turns. Time Setting Language Social group Comments 9. 55 In a construction area, going to play hide and seek. AW Â ® E ‘see if you can find me. ‘ E Â ® AW ‘I'm sure I will' P AW is going to find some place where to hide, E is not looking. 9. 56 In construction area hiding under the table. None SOL AW is hiding and E is trying to find her looking in all the nursery areas. 9. 57 In house corner – AW is hiding in the wardrobe None SOL AW has changed area, E didn’t notice her. Finally E finds AW in the wardrobe. AW is very happy. 9. 58 Music area AW Â ® E ‘can you please turn the music o? ’ E Â ® AW ‘sure, I can’ P AW is in music corner together with E again. She has a suitcase full of things. She found a remote control and gave it to E. 9. 59 Music area Whispering to each other P AW and E are hiding behind the armchair and laughing silently. 10. 00 New experiences area AW: ‘I want to be a dog; I want to be a dog!!! ’ SG AW, E and to other girls are playing in new experiences area. AW finds a dog bed and she’s pretending that she is a dog lying in dog’s bed. 10. 01 New experiences area E Â ® AW ‘let me be a dog now? ’ AW: ‘no, I am a dog!!! ’ SG AW doesn’t allow E to be a dog, because she wants to be a dog and she is still lying in a dog’s bed. 10. 02 New experiences None SG AW is still in a bed, pretending sleeping. 10. 03 New experiences AW: ‘sssh, I am sleeping’ SG AW is telling other girls to be quite, because she is sleeping. Other girls are quite now. 10. 04 Gluing area None SG AW is taking some card boxes from the shelf, measuring them and comparing shapes. 10. 05 Gluing area None SG AW took some boxes from the shelf and she put some glue on it. Later she took decorations from the box and started to decorate her art. She plays silently

Issues faced by womans

The whole situation in todays women orld leads to some basic questions. Do women feel insecure, unhappy and dissatisfied more than their predecessors? Why are they confused about women's role and position in modern society? Is employment making women economically strong. but socially and emotionally broken? what can be done to empower women? Is there any mld-way, which could make women secure, aware, confident and happy without disturbing the familial peace and social harmony? 1 . Why women are relegated to secondary position? Women comprise of 50% of the world population.It is an anomaly that though they possess diverse capabilities and are of valuable service in various nation-building activities, they had been relegated to secondary posltlon till very recent past by the modern society. why? Is It because they belong to weaker sex? or they are Incapable or Incompetent? Nay, It Is not so. 2. It is apolnt to ponder why modern women Is still Insecure and unhappy, despite attaining so much success in almost every sphere of modern world. Women have played multiple roles in life and in each role their performance is par excellence. StillWomen-folk have to suffer innuendo physical and emotional problems despite of all the changes and developments happened In the modern women's world, The position of women In real life Is sull far from satisfactory. There Is still a deep entrenched discrimination against them almost in every walk of life. It crosses all the borders, age of region, caste, class or community. 3. Why is she confused about what her role should be in real-life? 4. women In Eastern world 5. The eastern world, especially nations in Asla are still struggling to give to Its women their rightful place.Problems of high female mortality rate, sexual arassment, deaths during childbirths still exist there. There are millions of women who have go through sexual harassment, domestic violence, discrimination, abuse or are denied ot pleasures ot lite because ot their gender. Their problems are deeply Ingrained In the history, laws and cultures of complex and sophisticated Aslan societies. Why Indian women feel insecure In general? Generally women suffer deprivation, discrimination, humiliation and denial of basic human rights in varying degrees at some point or the other.Discrimination against them is at every stage ot lite and every where. It may be a girl child, a married woman, a single woman, a working woman, refugees or women belonging to lower, middle or upper strata of society. In India, women In general form one of the most vulnerable sections of Indian Society. Women are at disadvantage due to: Class oppression due to poverty, Economic dependence on male counterpart, Caste oppression due to inter caste clashes social taboos and Gender oppression Increasing number of crimes.Reasons for sufferings/insecurity of women-folk are many like – Indifferent attitude – The male-dominated society and callous government usually turns a blind eye to the ender issues. Mr. P. A. Sebastian, Secretary of the Committee for People's Democratic Rights, says, â€Å"Women have to face an uphill task for taking women's issues as, firstly most people are indifferent to atrocities that do not affect them, it is only a microscopic minority, which reacts. Secondly, the administration and Judiciary are very slow in reaching and taking any kind of measure and sometimes even stall the proceedings. Strains on modern families – A modern woman, when in need, does not find enough support systems to fall back on, which usually her own family used to provide earlier. Due to fast-pace of modern life, busy life-style, lack of time and other constraints on modern families, it has become almost impossible to get earlier kind of emotional or physical support. Many surveys show that a significant number of women leave workforce when they start a family. Maternity is usually seen as a disruption in career.There is a dramatic decline in the share of women as they move up the hierarchy. Growing intolerance amongst youths – The tolerance level of people is continuously decreasing. Aspirations and ambitions have increased beyond limits. Everybody wishes to touch the sky with least effort and with no loss of time. Failure in achieving one's targets due to one reason or the other, make a person intolerant and angry. Liberal ‘divorce' laws – In metros and modern families, marriages are no more considered to be a lifelong commitment.Intolerance amongst youth is increasing. A woman can not be sure due to lack of mutual understanding, how long her marriage will last. It does not take much time or effort for both the couple to walk out. A little bit of intolerance or misunderstanding puts her married status in danger and compels her to cope up with all kinds of problems and difficult situations single- handedly. Adversities of life arising out of economic, social, psychological and environmental situatio ns hit women's world worst.During times of war, struggle, unstable economy, natural calamities and infghting amongst various sections of society or inter-group or intra-group clashes, women along-with children are the primary victims and are worst hit. At times in an attempt to safeguard/uphold their independence/authority within the family or at working place, some women become insensitive, narrow minded and sometimes ruthless. Too much of assertion of their independence or authority create complications in their own life and in others' lives s well, which ultimately develop insecurity in women' s minds.Government of India has made some draconion laws in favour of women with an intention to protect them from violence and discrimination. Instead of gaining the sympathy of society or the opposite sex, they have earned the wrath/ire of menfolk and the society. Such laws are being misused by some shrewd women to teach men/society a lesson. Male members or his relatives can not even rai se their voice against the misuse of such legislations. Government's inefficiency/failure to implement honestly and sincerely the laws passed to protect the interests of women.

ACT MathWord ProblemsThe Ultimate Guide

ACT MathWord ProblemsThe Ultimate Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Though the majority of ACT math problemsuse diagrams or simply ask you to solve given mathematical equations, you will also see approximately 15-18 word problems on any given ACT (between 25% and 30% of the total math section). This means that knowing how best to deal with word problems will help you significantly when taking the test. Though there are many different types of ACT word problems, most of them are not nearly as difficult or cumbersome as they may appear. This post will be your complete guide to ACT word problems:how to translate your word problems into equations and diagrams, the different types of word problems you’ll see on the test, and how best to go about solving your word problems for test day. What Are Word Problems? A word problem is any problem that is based mostly or entirely on written description and does not provide you with an equation, diagram, or graph. You must use your reading skills to translate the words of the question into a workable math problem and then solve for your information. Word problems will show up on the test for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, these types of questions act to test your reading and visualization skills, as well act as a medium to deliver questions that would otherwise be untestable. For instance, if you must determine the number of sides of an unknown polygon based on given information, a diagram would certainly give the game away! Translating Word Problems Into Equations or Drawings In order to translate your word problems into actionable math equations that you can solve, you’ll need to know and utilize some key math terms. Whenever you see these words, you can translate them into the proper action. For instance, the word â€Å"product† means â€Å"the value of two or more values that have been multiplied together,† so if you need to find â€Å"the product of a and b,† you’ll need to set up your equation with $a * b$. Key Terms Mathematical Action Sum, increased by, added to, total of + Difference, decreased by, subtracted from - Product, times * or x Divided by / or à · Equals, is, are, equivalent, same = Is less than Is greater than Is less than or equal to ≠¤ Is greater than or equal to ≠¥ Let's take a look at this in action with an example problem: We have two different cable companies that each have different rates for installation and different monthly fees. We are asked to find out how many months it will take for the cost for each company to be the "same," which means we must set the two rates equal. Uptown Cable charges120 dollars for installation plus 25 dollars a month. We do not know how many months we're working with, so we will have: $120 + 25x$ Downtown Cable charges 60 dollars for installation and 35 dollars per month. Again, we don't know how many months we're working with, but we know they will be the same, so we will have: $60 + 35x$ And, again, because we are finding the amount of months when the cost is the "same," we must set our rates equal. $120 + 25x = 60 + 35x$ From here, we can solve for $x$, since it is a single variable equation. [Note: the final answer is G, 6 months] Learning the language of ACT word problems will help you to unravel much of the mystery of these types of questions. Typical ACT Word Problems ACT word problems can be grouped into two major categories: word problems where you must simply set up an equation and word problems in which you must solve for a specific piece of information. Word Problem Type 1: Setting Up an Equation This is the less common type of word problem on the test, but you’ll generally see it at least once or twice. You'll also usually see this type of word problem first. For this type of question, you must use the given information toset up the equation, even though you don’t need to solve for the missing variable. Almost always, you’ll see this type of question in the first ten questions on the test, meaning that the ACT test-makers consider them fairly â€Å"easy.† This is due to the fact that you only have to provide the set-up and not the execution. We consider a â€Å"profit† to be any money that is gained, so we must always subtract our costs from our earnings. We know that Jones had to invest 10 million starting capital, so he is only making a profit if he has earned more than 10 million dollars. This means we can eliminate answer choices C, D, and E, as they do not account for this 10 million. Now each boat costs Jones 7,000 dollars to make and he sells them for 20,000. This means that he earns a profit of: $20,000 - 7,000$ $13,000$ per boat. If $x$ represents our number of boats, then our final equation will be: $13,000x - 10,000,000$ Our final answer is A, $13,000x - 10,000,000$ Word Problem Type 2:Solving for Your Information Other than the few set-up word questions you’ll see, the rest of your ACT word problem questions will fall into this category. For these questions, you must both set up your equation and solve for a specific piece of information. Most (though not all) word problem questions of this type will be scenarios or stories covering all sorts of ACT math topics, including averages, single variable equations, and probabilities, among others. You almost always must have a solid understanding of the math topic in question in order to solve the word problem on the topic. This question is a rare example of a time in which not every piece of given information is needed to solve the problem. For most ACT word questions, all your given information will come into play at some point, but this is not the case here (though you can use all of your information, should you so choose). For example, we are told that 25% of a given set of jelly beans are red. 25% translates to $1/4$ because 25% is the same as $25/100$ (or $1/4$). If we are being asked to find how many jelly beans are NOT red, then we know it would be $3/4$ because 100% is the same as 1, and 1 - $1/4$ = $3/4$. So we didn’t need to know that there were 400 jellybeans to know that our final answer is H, $3/4$. Alternatively, we could use all of our given information and find 25% of 400 in order to find the remaining jelly beans. $400 * {1/4}$ or $400/4$ $100$ If 100 jellybeans are red, then 400 - 100 = 300 jelly beans are NOT red. This means that the not-red jelly beans make up, $300/400$ $3/4$ of the total number of jelly beans. Again, our final answer is H, $3/4$ You might also be given a geometry problem as a word problem, which may or may not be set up with a scenario as well. Geometry questions will be presented as word problems typically because the test-makers felt the problem would be too easy to solve had you been given a diagram. The test-makers didn’t give us a diagram, so let's makeourselves one and fill it in with what we know so far. We know from our studies of parallelogramsthat opposite side pairs will be equal, so we know that the opposite side of our given will also be 12. Now we can use this information to subtract from our total perimeter. $72 - 12 - 12$ $48$ Again, opposite sides will be equal and we know that the sum of the two remaining sides will be 48. This means that each remaining side will be: $48/2$ $24$ Now we have four sides in the pairings of 12 and 24. Our final answer is C, 12, 12, 24, 24. Now, how do we put our knowledge to its best effect? Let's take a look. ACT Math Strategies for Your Word Problems Though you’ll see word problems on amyriad of different types of ACT math topics, there are still a few techniques you can apply to solve your word problems as a whole. #1: Draw It Out Whether your problem is a geometry problem or an algebra problem, sometimes making a quick sketch of the scene can help you understand what, exactly, you're working with. For instance, let's look at how a picture can help you solve a ratio/division problem: Let's start by first drawing our sandwich and Jerome's portion of it. Now let's divvy off Kevin's portion and, by the remainder, Seth's as well. By seeing the problem visually, we can see that the ratio of Jerome's share, to Kevin's, to Seth'swill go in descending order of size. This let's us eliminate answer choices A, B, and C, and leaves us with answer choices D and E. Just by drawing it out and using process of elimination, and without knowing anything else about ratios, we have a 50-50 shot of guessing the right answer. And, again, without knowing anything else about fractions or ratios, we can make an educated guess between the two options. Since Jerome's share doesn't look twice as large as Kevin's, our answer is probably not E. This leaves us with our final answer D, 3:2:1. [Note: for a breakdown on how to solve this problem using fractions and ratios instead of using a diagram and educated guessing, check out our guide to ACT fractions and ratios.] As for geometry problems, remember- you’re often given a word problem as a word problem because it would be too simple to solve had you had a diagram to work with from the get-go. So take back the advantage and draw the picture yourself. Even a quick and dirty sketch can help you visualize the problem much easier than you can in your head and help keep all your information clear. #2:Memorize ImportantTerms If you’re not used to translating English words into mathematical equations, then ACT word problems cansound like so much nonsense and leave you floundering to set up the proper equation. Look to the chart and learn how to translate your keywords into their math equivalents. Doing sowill help you to understand exactly what the problem is asking you to find. There are free ACT math questions available online, so memorize your terms and then practice on real ACT word problems to make sure you’ve got your definitions down and can apply them to real problems. #3: Underline and Write Out theKey Information The key to solving a word problem is bringing together all the relevant pieces of given information and putting them in the right places. Make sure you write out all your givens on the diagram you’ve drawn (if the problem calls for a diagram) and that all your moving pieces are in order. One of the best ways to keep all your pieces straight is to underline them in the problem and then write them out yourself before you set up your equation, so take a moment to perform this step. #4: Pay Close Attention to ExactlyWhat Is Being Asked of You Little is more frustrating than solving for the wrong variable or writing in your given values in the wrong places. And yet this is entirely too easy to do when working with word problems. Make sure you pay strict attention to exactly what you’re meant to be solving for and exactly what pieces of information go where. Are you looking for the area or the perimeter? The value of $x$ or $x + y$? Better to make sure before you start what you’re supposed to find than realize two minutes down the line that you have to solve the problem all over again. #5: Brush Up on Any Specific Math Topic in Which You Feel Weak You are likely to see both diagram/equation problems and word problems for any given ACT math topic on the test. Many of the topics can swing either way, which is why there are so many different types of word problems and why you’ll need to know the ins and outs of any particular math topic in order to solve its corresponding word problem. For example, if you don’t know how to properly set up a system of equations problem, you will have a difficult time of it when presented with a word problem on the topic. So understand that solving a word problem is a two-step process: it requires you to both understand how word problems themselves work and to understand the math topic in question. If you have any areas of mathematical weakness, now is a good time to brush up on them, or else the word problem might be trickier than you were expecting. All set? Time to shine! Test Your Knowledge Now to put your word problem know-how to the test with real ACT mathproblems. 1) 2) 3) 4) Answers: K, C, A, E Answer Explanations: 1) First, let us make a sketch of what we have, just so we can keep our measurements straight. We know we have two triangles, one smaller than the other, and the hypotenuse of the smaller triangle is 5. Now our triangles are in a ratio of 2:5, so if the hypotenuse of the smaller triangle is 5, we can find the hypotenuse of the larger triangle by setting them up in a proportion. $2/5 = 5/x$ $2x = 25$ $x = 12.5$ Our final answer is K, 12.5. 2) Because we are dealing with a hypothetical number that is increasing and decreasing based on percentage, we can solve this problem in one of two waysby using algebra or by plugging in our own numbers. Solving Method 1: Algebra If we assign our hypothetical number as $x$, we can say that $x$ is increased by 25% by saying: $x + 0.25x$ Which gives us: $1.25x$ Now, we can decrease this value by 20% by saying: $1.25x - (1.25x * 0.2)$ $1.25x - 0.25x$ This leaves us with: $1x$ or 100% of our original number. Our final answer is C, 100%. Solving Method 2:Plugging in Numbers Alternatively, we can use the same basic process, but make it a little simpler by using numbers instead of variables. Let's say our original number is 100. (Why 100? Why not! Our number can literally be anything and 100 is an easy number to work with.) So if we need to increase 100 by 25%, we first need to find 25% of 100 and then add that to 100. $100 + (0.25)100$ $100 + 25$ $125$ Now we need to decrease this value by 20%, so we would say: $125 - (0.2)125$ $125 - 25$ $100$ We are left with the same number we started with, which means we are left with 100% of the number we started with. Again, our final answer is C, 100%. 3) Let's first begin by drawing a picture of our scene. We know that one vertex of the square is at (3, 0), so we can mark it on a coordinate plane. Now, we are told that each side of the square is 3 cm long. To make life simple, we can start by marking all the possible vertexes attached to our known vertex at (3, 0) straight up, down, and side to side. If no answers match, we can then look to vertexes at different angles. Our possible vertexes are: (0, 0), (6, 0), 3, 3) and (3, -3) One of our possible vertexes is at (6, 0 and this matches one of our answer choices, so we can stop here. Our final answer is A, (6, 0). 4) We are told that Ms. Lopez throws out the lowest test score and then averages the remaining scores. Because Victor's scores are already in ascending order, we can throw out the first score of 62. Now to find the average of the remaining 4 scores, let us add them together and then divide by the number of scores. $(78 + 83 + 84 + 93)/4$ $338/4$ $84.5$ Our final answer is E, 84.5. A round of applause to your success!Picture: John Morris/Flickr The Take-Aways Word problems comprise a significant portion of the ACT, so it’s a good idea to understand how they work and how to translate the words into a proper equation. But remember that translating your word problems is still only half the battle. You must also supplement this knowledge of how to solve word problems with a solid understanding of the math topic in question. For example, it won’t do a lot of good if you can translate a probability word problem if you don’t understand exactly how probabilities work. So be sure to not only learn how to approach your word problems, but also hone your focus on any math topicsyou feel you need to improve upon. You can find links to all of our ACT math topic guides here to help your studies. What’s Next? Want to brush up on any of your other math topics?Check out ourindividual math guidesto get the walk-through on each and everytopic on the ACT math test. Trying to stop procrastinating?Learnhow to get over your desire to procrastinateand make a well-balanced study plan. Running out of time on the ACT math section?We'll teach you how to beat the clock and maximize your ACT math score. Trying to get a perfect score?Check out ourguide to getting a perfect 36 on ACT math, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Courtney Montgomery About the Author Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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