Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School

Using Talk for Learning in the Primary School Historically, talk was discouraged in a classroom.  It was a place for the teacher to give instructions and the class simply to  listen. However, the use of talk for learning has been studied in recent years, indicating that it can in fact be constructive. In this study, I explored how talk could be used for two particular purposes. Firstly, as a tool to optimise childrens learning in a classroom environment; secondly, for a teacher to assess the childrens understanding by listening to the childrens talk in return. Alexander (2008: p.93) states, If children need talk in order to learn about the world, teachers need talk in order to learn about children.   My theory was that talk is not the obstruction to learning that it was considered in the past, but rather a powerful tool in the classroom. I believed that teachers could use talk constructively in order for children to gain a deeper understanding of the material presented to them. To investigate how to use talk in the classroom effectively, I looked at past research and conducted my own observations and investigations during a four week placement. This will help me to develop my own teaching techniques in the future. I conducted this study at a Grade 2 Leicester city school with nearly 400 children on roll, aged from 4 to 11. The pupils within the school were mostly from minority ethnic backgrounds, predominantly Asian and Asian British and speaking English as a second language (Ofsted, 2009).   I was based with 27 children in one of two Year 3 classes. Literature Review It is only during the last 40 years or so that the quantity and quality of talk in the classroom has been studied and evaluated. A key concern is that constructive talk in the classroom is still underused (Alexander, 2008: p.92). The Primary National Strategy which was introduced in 2003 barely touches upon talk at all (DfES, 2003a cited in Cambridge Primary Review, 2009: p.15) and as a result teachers are left with little advice on how to use talk effectively for learning. This isnt the case elsewhere in Europe. Alexander (2008: p.99) reported that in France dialogue has a much greater emphasis in the classroom. He noted that good skills in speech, reasoning and the ability to argue would identify an educated person in France, whereas in Britain good readers and writers are valued higher in society. Despite this emphasis on reading and writing skills in Britain, the Confederation of British Industry reported in 2006 that spelling and grammar skills are of a low standard (Alexander, 2008: p.99). The National Curriculum requires children to read from age five, but Sage (2000: p.135) thinks that children are sometimes being required to read before they have developed the necessary language and communication skills to read with comprehension. The National Strategies argue that talk is an acquired skill rather than one that can be taught (Alexander, 2008: p.100), but this does not mean that the teacher cannot support childrens talk development. Language can be modelled and encouraged in the classroom and this would particularly benefit children with English as a second language, where it may not be spoken or supported effectively at home. Alexander (2008), cited in Mercer and Hodgkinson (2008: p.105), gave five principles to outline the key features of dialogic teaching, all of which can encourage classroom talk and increase these language and communication skills. The first three principles were teaching must be collective, reciprocal and cumulative. To achieve this, the teachers and children must learn together as a group, share ideas and build on the ideas of their peers as well as their own. The fourth principle was the teachers plan must be purposeful with particular learning objectives, a matter that is now generally used in every lesson. Finally, Alexander (2008: p.185) emphasised the importance of a supportive learning environment; children should be able to express ideas without the worry of being embarrassed if they give what the teacher sees as an unsatisfactory response. Alexander (2003, 2004b), cited in Alexander (2008: pp. 115-116), found that following a period of dialogic teaching, children answered questions with more clarity and confidence, listened better, thought aloud more and were more helpful and respectful to their peers. Furthermore, following the increase in talk, the childrens skills in reading and writing showed improvement, especially the less able. This supports Sages theory that language is essential for literacy. However, Smith et al. (2004 cited in Alexander, 2008: p.108) found that, in the classes they studied, childrens answers only lasted an average of five seconds and in 70% of occasions were limited to a maximum of three words. This indicates that dialogic teaching is not being widely used. Question-answer methods are more commonly used, aiming to develop understanding, improve recall and encourage imagination (Sage, 2000: p.64). Questions encourage children to verbalise their thoughts (Van Ments, 1990: p.77), which can provide the vital link between language, reading and writing. Questioning techniques are popular because they enable the teacher not only to control the use and context of talk, but to also gauge the childrens level of understanding, knowledge and creativity. Questions allow for another perspective to be added and misconceptions to be corrected immediately, making them more accessible than written comments, which can easily be ignored. However, Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: p.6) noted the difficulty in teachers gaining a full understanding of a childs thinking by relying on short answers to questions. Thus, although questioning provides an immediate way of informally assessing the children and giving feedback, it can be a vague and narrow minded approach to assessing a childs ability, so it should be used alongside other methods. In England, open questions are generally thought of as preferable; children think through the answers themselves rather than merely repeating a teachers pre-determined answer. However, teachers still tend to ask a large proportion of closed questions (Barnes et al, 1986, Alexander, 1992; both cited in Myhill and Dunkin, 2005: p.416). Myhill et al. (2006: p.72) used a complex model, creating four categories of questions; process, procedural, factual and speculative. We may generally think of factual questions as closed and speculative as open. They found that the majority (60%) of questions asked by teachers were factual. Sometimes closed questions are preferable. Sullivan (1992) found that using open questions to teach mathematics had no advantage. This may be due to the extremely factual nature of mathematics, with a right or wrong answer which is not negotiable. Open questions are more effective when the child can use their personal experiences and ideas to extend their understanding. Barnes (1976/1992, cited in Barnes 2008: pp.5-7) constructivist approach divides talk into exploratory and presentational. Exploratory talk defines the child verbalising ideas, taking others contributions into account and ordering these to develop their own understanding. Open questions can encourage children to use exploratory talk. Presentational talk takes the audience into account and happens frequently when children recall information, allowing the teacher to assess their knowledge (Barnes, 2008: p.6), thus the teacher can ask closed questions to encourage presentational talk. Barnes believed a child should have the opportunity to order their ideas through exploratory talk before being asked to present them through presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). In the classroom both talk types are vital, but teachers must use them appropriately by being aware of the benefits of both; many teachers dont give children enough time to grasp new ideas through exploratory talk before using presentational talk (Barnes, 2008: p.7). Children need time to talk, develop and share before they can gain a firm understanding (Barnes, 2008: p.2). Piaget understood the importance of exploratory talk. He believed that a childs intelligence is based on their interactions with their environment and their commitment to develop their own understanding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007: p.8-9). Piaget believed that every child has a schema an understanding of the world around them. Exploratory talk supports new knowledge and experiences to be either assimilated if they fit a childs existing schema, or accommodated if the schema must be changed corresponding to the new information (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969). Piaget labelled the teacher simply as the assessor and provider to give children these facilities to learn actively (Moore, 2000: p.13). Group work provides children with this opportunity, since it allows the children to self-discover and share their ideas with one another. Piaget believed that children worked most efficiently when grouped into similar stages of development. Children are less likely to be intimidated if placed with others of a similar ability, encouraging them to talk through their ideas together. Vygotskys theory contradicts this. He named the bridge between a childs current level of knowledge and their potential level the Zone of Proximal Development and described the support given to reach this potential level as scaffolding (Mercer and Littleton, 2007; pp.14-15). Due to the structured and guided nature of scaffolding, Vygotsky believed that dialogue worked best when children were guided by an adult or a child of a higher level of knowledge. Methods and Procedure My investigation was based on two science tasks on floating and sinking, a topic in which the children had very little prior knowledge. The same four children attended two twenty minute sessions and my aim was to develop their knowledge on why objects float or sink (see Appendices A and B for lesson plans). I planned the tasks after observing the teacher and children in a wide range of subjects (Appendices C and D) to gain an understanding of the teachers practices and record how talk was used in the classroom. I particularly observed the types of questions the teacher used, the use of exploratory and presentational talk, how the children were grouped together and the use of dialogic teaching, to see their influence on the childrens learning and the teachers assessment opportunities. Reflecting upon the effectiveness of these methods influenced my own lessons within the class (Appendix E). I used a lot of talk within these lessons, so the post-lesson evaluations (Appendix F) allowed me to observe which talk methods were the most effective, which in turn influenced my science task plans. My TE1 partner observed and took notes of the discussion and activities during these tasks (Appendix G). Worksheets also allowed me to record the childrens ideas (Appendices H and I). The first science task was to assess the childrens initial understanding of floating and sinking. I documented the general misconceptions that were stated during this session (Appendix J). The second science task, influenced by these misconceptions, provided the children with experiences aimed to develop their understanding. Analysis and Interpretation of Evidence I analysed the areas of dialogic teaching, exploratory talk, questioning and ability grouping with relation to talk for learning and assessment. Dialogic Teaching Alexanders dialogic teaching principles were all present in an observed lesson (Appendix C). The children were sat on the carpet for the starter, sharing and developing their ideas. The teacher had a specific learning objective and used questions to structure the lesson and assess the childrens understanding. This technique was successful in forcing the children to think for themselves and vocalise their ideas aloud, so that their ideas could be shared and developed together. Using talk in the classroom allowed the children to gain a deeper understanding, as misconceptions could be discussed and good contributions verbally rewarded, which encouraged the children to carefully think through their answers. Dialogic talk kept the children engaged, whereas in lessons that did not include much dialogic talk, I observed that the children tended to lose interest sooner, suggesting that talk can aid concentration. Aspects of dialogic teaching were present in all lessons but not necessarily all five principles, supporting previous research which indicates that dialogic teaching is not widely used (Smith et al, 2004). The lessons always had a purposeful plan and usually incorporated a collective approach, for example via class discussions. However, the other three aspects (reciprocal, cumulative and a supportive environment) were not always present; children didnt always have the opportunity to share and develop ideas together and the teacher often expected a certain answer, which resulted in many children not being confident enough to answer in case they were wrong. Shy children and those of a lower ability struggled more in these lessons, possibly due to a lack of structured idea sharing. Appendix K shows the work of a less able child during a literacy lesson before and after dialogue; the improvement of her writing after using talk based on dialogic teaching is astounding. This supports Alexanders (2008) findings; the writing of less able children improved following dialogic teaching. Thus, Alexanders principles of dialogic teaching are all important and dictate how talk can be used constructively to create a positive learning environment. I included dialogic teaching myself within my tasks. I used talk to assess the childrens knowledge, develop their understanding and encourage them to share their ideas without being intimidating; the children had time to express and develop their ideas, or expand on their peers ideas. They gave long answers, such as I was surprised that the wooden cube floated because I thought it would sink because of its shape. This contradicts Smith et al.s (2004) research, which found that 70% of answers didnt exceed three words. The children added to each others ideas politely and seemed genuinely interested in the opinions of others. For example, when one child stated that wood sank, another pointed out that in a film they had recently watched as a class, the boat was made from wood and floated. The first child then admitted that this was true; this new insight allowed them to assimilate this new concept into their schema. Without conversation different perspectives like this, which can be the link to understanding, might be lost. Exploratory Talk Within the observed science lesson the teacher set up an experiment. A lot of exploratory talk was encouraged (Appendix C) before the children made their own predictions. During the follow up lesson, the experiment was completed; the children used presentational talk to explain the results. This allocation of talk types worked well, supporting Barness (2008: p.7) theory that giving children time for exploratory talk is favourable, allowing them to gather their ideas before expressing their conclusions using presentational talk. I found exploratory talk to be very beneficial in my second science task to encourage self-discovery. I found that the childrens talk didnt always flow fluently, but as Barnes (2008: p.4) observed, exploratory talk is hesitant and incomplete because it enables the speaker to try out ideas, to hear how they sound, to see what others make of them, to arrange information and ideas into different patterns. Using exploratory talk allowed the children to express opinions and consider everyones experiences, thus gaining a deep understanding of the topic. Questioning My findings extend the research of Barnes et al (1986), Alexander (1992) and Myhill at al (2006), who found closed questions were dominant in the classroom overall. I found that in numeracy and some foundation subjects, closed questions were dominant; they simply follow the facts, e.g. What is half of 50? According to Sullivan, although open questions are generally preferable, they have no advantage in numeracy. However, within literacy and science most questions were open, e.g. Why do you think the egg will disappear? (Appendix C). The children were encouraged to refer to their own experiences and ideas to construct their own predictions. Therefore, the dominant question type depended on the subject. I found open questions to be an advantage in my science task; children were encouraged to provide and develop their own original ideas, e.g. Why did you think the cork will float? Soon the children offered developed ideas without encouragement, e.g. I think the cork will float because it is made from wood. Open questions allowed me to model responses until children expanded their answers naturally. Ability Grouping The groupings I saw generally supported Piagets approach of ability grouping, which is common practice across the UK. Numeracy consisted of two ability groups and lower ability children were often grouped together in literacy. I found this approach preferable to encourage peer talk within a familiar topic, since they were not intimidated to discuss their ideas. Vygotskys approach of putting a learner with someone of a higher level of knowledge was rarely used on a peer level. It concentrates on developing the skills of the lower ability child and is of little aid to the higher ability child. However, this scaffolding was present in adult-child teaching, for example an autistic child had a teaching assistant someone of higher ability who supported his development. It was a very effective method, but this level of personalised teaching is too time-consuming and impractical to use on every child. My science task consisted of both the children developing their ideas together (similar ability teaching) and myself aiding them (higher ability teaching). I found that when I wasnt controlling the discussion the children were very enthusiastic share ideas, but often presented inaccurate ideas to one another as facts. Therefore, I needed to step in to avoid the children sharing their misconceptions. The children were more relaxed by having no input from someone of a higher ability, but I found that this method did not work in this case. This may have been because it was a new topic; therefore the children had little experience to call upon. Validity I have based this study on a series of observations within a wide range of subjects to gain a thorough insight into talk for learning within a particular class. However, I concentrated on one teacher, one class and my science task was based on only four children. Therefore, my conclusions assume that other classes would act similarly. On the other hand, my findings are often supported by other studies which have used a larger test sample. These studies increase the validity of my own findings. Conclusion of Findings Dialogic Teaching Dialogic teaching is very effective when encouraging new and creative ideas. It builds confidence, as the children are encouraged not to rely too heavily on their teacher, but to be in charge of their own learning. Children can share ideas, develop their own, improve their communication skills and the teacher can assess the childrens talk content. I found that dialogic talk improved childrens imagination and understanding. My research supported Alexanders (2003, 2004b) findings that dialogic teaching encourages children to answer questions confidently and clearly and listen respectfully to their peers. Using dialogic teaching also allowed me to assess the children quickly and subtly. Children who needed extra help could be identified before the main activity if dialogic talk is used during the lesson starter. Exploratory Talk I found that it is good practice to give children time for exploratory talk when starting a new topic, to discuss and develop ideas in an informal setting. Only when children have personally ordered these ideas should presentational talk be introduced. Exploratory talk allows new concepts to be assimilated or accommodated into the childs existing schema. Questioning I think open questions are vital to encourage children to think for themselves, allowing the children to achieve a deeper understanding. However, closed questions are appropriate in factual based subjects such as maths, since there is not much room for opinion. Questioning can gauge the general understanding of the class and encourage the children to share and develop their ideas. Individual knowledge can be assessed and immediate feedback given. However, as Barnes (1976/1992) notes, it is difficult to gain a deep understanding of individuals knowledge, so questioning should be used alongside other methods. Ability Grouping Placing children with someone of a higher ability was preferable when developing a new concept, to avoid misconceptions being shared and amplified. However, ability grouping was best to encourage talk when the children were applying and developing their understanding, since the children could discuss their work at the same level and without being intimidated. Conclusion of Investigation Focusing on specific areas of classroom talk allowed me to produce a focused analysis. My study was carefully planned, based on my areas of focus and observations of existing practice to analyse the use of talk for learning. I compared my findings to those of existing studies, drawing links between my literature review and my own research to increase validity. The small test sizes within this investigation may have negatively affected my results. For example, I found dialogic teaching effective, stating that the children were comfortable in expressing their ideas. However, the small group size might have created a less intimidating environment and in fact be the cause to the effect, rather than dialogic teaching itself. My observations were based on the same class, so discrepancies in location, age and teaching will not have been picked up. Therefore, to improve the accuracy and validity of my results, I would have to look at a wider range of schools and age groups. Overall, by developing my investigation in a structured and focused manner, I gained a well rounded insight into the best ways of using talk for learning, which I will apply in my own teaching. (Word Count: 3500) Referencing Alexander, R. 2008: Essays on Pedagogy. London, UK: Routledge. Alexander, R. 2008: Culture, Dialogue and Learning: Notes on an Emerging Pedagogy. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.91-114. Barnes, D. 2008: Exploratory Talk for Learning. In Mercer N. and Hodgkinson S. (ed.). Exploring Talk in School. London, UK: Sage Publications, pp.1-15. Cambridge Primary Review. 2009: Towards a new Primary Curriculum. Accessed 27/10/10: www.primaryreview.org.uk/Downloads/Curriculum_report/CPR_Curric_rep_Pt1_Past_Present.pdf Mercer, N. and Littleton, K. 2007: Chapter 2 How Does Interaction Help Learning and Development? in Dialogue and the Development of Childrens Thinking: A Sociocultural Approach. London, UK: Routledge, pp.8-23. Myhill, D. and Dunkin, F. 2005: Questioning Learning. UK: University of Exeter, Vol. 19, No. 5, pp.415-428. Accessed 10/12/10: http://eric.exeter.ac.uk/exeter/bitstream/10036/15292/1/MyhillDunkinQuestioningLearning.pdf Myhill, D. et al. 2006: Chapter 4 Questioning and Learning in Talking, Listening, Learning: Effective Talk in the Primary Classroom. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp.68 -84. Ofsted (2009) Section 5 Inspection. Accessed 05/12/10: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk Sage, Rosemary. 2000: Class Talk: Successful Learning Through Effective Communication. Stafford, UK: Network Educational Press Ltd. Sullivan, P. 1992: Using Open Questions For Teaching: A Classroom Experiment. Victoria, Australia: Australian Catholic University. Accessed 17/11/10: www.merga.net.au/documents/RP_Sullivan_1992.pdf Van Ments, Morry. 1990: Active Talk: The Effective Use of Discussion in Learning. London, UK: Kogan Page Limited. Jones, P. 1988: Lipservice: The Story of Talk in School. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press. Sharp, E. 2005: Learning Through Talk in the Early Years Practical Activities for the Classroom. London, UK: Paul Chapman Publishing, A SAGE Publications Company. Moore, A. 2000: Teaching and learning: pedagogy, curriculum and culture. London, UK: RoutledgeFalmer.

Symbolism in the Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger obtain numerous symbols that persist in the book. The symbols I have chosen display Holden Caufield’s emotions, actions, and way of life. There are three symbols unparticular that are used most regularly in the novel. I’ve selected Holden’s red hunting hat, the Museum of Natural History, and the Ducks in Central Park Lagoon. All three of these symbols have great significance in this book.In the novel Holden says â€Å"I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my god dam voice, â€Å"Sleep tight, ya morons! † I'll bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor. Then I got the hell out. Some stupid guy had thrown peanut shells all over the stairs, and I damn near broke my crazy neck. † (Chapter 7, pg. 52) The red hunting hat is inseparable from the image of Holden Caufield, with good reason.It’s a symbol o f uniqueness and individuality as well. Holden also says in Chapter 16 â€Å"I took my old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked, and put it on. I knew I wouldn’t meet anyone that knew me, and it was pretty damp out. † The hat is eccentric and displays Holden’s desires to be diverse from everyone else around him, yet at the same time Holden is very self-conscious about the red hunting hat. He always mentions when he’s wearing it and he often doesn’t wear it if he is going to be around people he associates with.Therefore, the point that the author is trying to make is that the presence of the hat, mirrors the major conflict of the book which is Holden’s need for isolation versus his need for companionship. Another detail is that the hat’s color, red is the same color as Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair. Perhaps Holden interacts with it with the innocence and the purity he believes with these characters represents and wears it as a way to connect to them. Holden never comments on the hat’s significance other than to mention its unusual appearance.In the book, Holden explains the symbol meaning of the museum’s displays. One detail he says is â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move. . . . Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. † (Chapter 16, page 121) Holden also mentions that he is troubled by the fact that he has changed every time he returns to them. The museum represents the world Holden wishes he could live in, a world where everything is simple, understandable, and indefinite.I think the point the author is trying to make is that Holden is terrified about the unpredictable challenges of the world. He’s trying to get across that Holden hates conflict, he’s confused by Allie’s senseless death, and he fears interaction with other people. Holden’s curiosity about where the ducks go during winter shows a more genuine and youthful side to his character. I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park, down near Central Park South. â€Å"I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go?I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away. † (Chapter 12, pg. 81) The Ducks in the pond are symbolic in many ways, they prove that some vanishings are only temporary. Holden, traumatized and aware of the fragility of the life by his brother Allie’s death, Holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearances. The Ducks vanish every winter, but they return every spring.The point the authors trying to make is the pond itself becomes a minor metaphor for the world as Holden sees it, because it is â€Å"partly frozen† and â€Å"partly not frozen†. The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood. In conclusion, there are countless symbols in The Catcher in the Rye. I personally thought the red hunting hat, The Museum of Natural History, and The Ducks in the Central Park Lagoon were the most significant and came up regularly in the novel. Each symbol has a different effect on Holden Caufield’s Life, emotions, and actions.

The Good, the Bad and Social Problems Essay Topics

The Good, the Bad and Social Problems Essay Topics Social Problems Essay Topics - Dead or Alive? First of all, correct amount of basic education should be provided in families. The student from the upper-class community is going to have the very best possibility of succeeding. There are many problems, even on your own campus, that ought to be resolved. Therefore, it truly is important to place the issue of cyber bullying to the forefront and be sure that the government authorities together with the school councils do something about it. Top Social Problems Essay Topics Choices It's also just as important to maintain adequate degree of mutual trust so that children could find assistance from parents in case they've become victims of cyber-bullying. The demands of the students should be looked at in a pragmatic way and schemes have to be developed to serve them better. They face lots of relationship issues. The Supreme Approach for Social Problems Essay Topics Drugs have subse quent wellbeing and emotional issues through addiction and standard usage which then changes an individual's social behavior. Normally the illness lasts a couple of days. Social stress is one mental illness that maynot be cured with something as simple as a substance. More common problems for the fantastic depression. Details of Social Problems Essay Topics Various nations share similar social problems along with different ones. Opinions on the matter of illegal immigrants residing in america varies greatly. The variety of microcephaly cases in Brazil are increasing, particularly in the Northeast of the nation. The usa has a great deal of social troubles. The Number One Question You Must Ask for Social Problems Essay Topics Social issues transcend almost every facet of the society, and for that reason, given the undertaking of writing an essay on social issues, one is indirectly given the opportunity to select from the plethora of topics within the area. History is a subj ect that's compulsory for students of at just about any major. Let's take a quick glance at some of the most fascinating problem solution essay topics for students that will assist you in writing an essay. You can't begin writing an essay without a sharp clue about what things to write. It is possible to also cite the job on particular individuals or philanthropists, that are working with diverse methods than the ones which you proposed. One of the course of the past few weeks webmd experts and after that show the decrease chest area. The third component is the growth of adolescence as a distinct phase of the life cycle is the growth of the juvenile justice system. Furthermore, there are different joints which only draw in women or seem to get frequented by men only. Social Problems Essay Topics Can Be Fun for Everyone Choose the one that you liek to compose an ideal expository essay! It is crucial to remain objective when writing this kind of assignment and convince your audience on facts instead of opinions. You just need to ask the i deal questions! The social issues research papers may appear easy to write in comparison with different topics, but still it demands an extremely creative strategy, a tremendous quantity of curiosity and capability to think beyond the box and search info in unconventional sources. Top Social Problems Essay Topics Secrets Individual member is now able to play their role, pick the part they need to play and do it for the frequent goodness of their community. If only a few individuals are speaking out against it, then it isn't a social matter. After discovering our website, you will no longer will need to bother friends and family with these kinds of requests. In both nations, the strong existence of the government is very evident as the officials are making everything possible to attack the issue. Social Problems Essay Topics - the Story Avoiding social media can be quite hard. Social problems aren't universal to each society and have a tendency to change rapidly. They arise due to various factors. Difficulties with the environment are almost directly linked to poverty and issues with education. In some instances, people are attracted into buying certain kinds of products which they now define with that specific brand against their rivals through extreme advertising. There are several social problems that haunt the education system. As stated by the structural perspective, society is regarded as a complicated system of structures that interact to be able to execute various necessary functions. Data service social means it is also subject to lots of interpretations from various disciplines.

The Greek Colony of Miletus

Miletus was one of the great Ionian cities in southwestern Asia Minor. Homer refers to the people of Miletus as Carians. They fought against the Achaeans (Greeks) in the Trojan War. Later traditions have Ionian settlers taking the land from the Carians. Miletus itself sent off settlers to the Black Sea area, as well as the Hellespont. In 499 Miletus led the Ionian revolt that was a contributing factor in the Persian Wars. Miletus was destroyed 5 years later. Then in 479, Miletus joined the Delian League, and in 412 Miletus revolted from Athenian control offering a naval base to the Spartans. Alexander the Great conquered Miletus in 334 B.C.; then in 129, Miletus became part of the Roman province of Asia. In the 3rd Century A.D., Goths attacked Miletus, but the city continued, waging an ongoing fight against the silting of its harbor. Early Inhabitants of Miletus The Minoans abandoned their colony in Miletus by 1400 BC. Mycenaean Miletus was a dependency or ally of Ahhiwaya though its population was mostly Carian. Shortly after 1300 BC, the settlement was destroyed by fire—probably at the instigation of the Hittites who knew the city as Millawanda. The Hittites fortified the city against possible naval attacks by the Greeks. Age of the Settlement at Miletus Miletus was regarded as the oldest of the Ionian settlements, though this claim was disputed by Ephesus. Unlike its near neighbors, Ephesus and Smyrna, Miletus was protected from landward assaults by a mountain range and developed early as a sea power. During the 6th century, Miletus contested (unsuccessfully) with Samos for possession of Priene. In addition to producing philosophers and historians, the city was famous for its purple dye, its furniture, and the quality of its wool. The Milesians made their own terms with Cyrus during his conquest of Ionia, though they joined in the rebellion of 499. The city did not fall to the Persians until 494 at which time the Ionian Revolt was considered to be well and truly over. Rule of Miletus Though Miletus was originally ruled by a king the monarchy was overthrown early on. Around 630 BCE a tyranny evolved from its elected (but oligarchic) chief magistracy the prytaneia. The most famous Milesian tyrant was Thrasybulus who bluffed Alyattes out of attacking his city. After the fall of Thrasybulus there came a period of bloody stasis and it was during this period that Anaximander formulated his theory of opposites. When the Persians finally sacked Miletus in 494 they enslaved most of the population and deported them to the Persian Gulf, but there were enough survivors to play a decisive part in the battle of Mycale in 479 (Cimons liberation of Ionia). The city itself, however, was completely razed. The Port of Miletus Miletus, though one of the most famous ports of antiquity is now marooned in an alluvial delta. By the middle of the 5th century, it had recovered from Xerxes attack and was a contributing member of the Delian League. The 5th-century city was designed by the architect Hippodamas, a native of Miletus, and some of the extant remains date from that period. The present form of the theater dates to 100 A.D., but it had existed in an earlier form. It seats 15,000 and faces what used to be the harbor. Source Sally Goetsch of Didaskalia provided notes for this article. Percy Neville Ure, John Manuel Cook, Susan Mary Sherwin-White, and Charlotte Rouechà © Miletus The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Simon Hornblower and Anthony Spawforth. Oxford University Press (2005).