Exploring multilingualism as a complex, context-related, societal and individual phenomenon, this book centres around perspectives on how multiple languages are made (in)visible within educational settings in the Global North. The authors of each chapter compare and contrast findings across geographical contexts with the goal of understanding the…

The findings of epistemological beliefs studies in North America, Hong Kong and Taiwan were compared and interpreted in terms of the different cultural contexts and methodologies used in the research studies. Based on cross culture analysis a hypothesis for the structure of epistemological beliefs was proposed. Implications were also drawn for…

Research on playground design in Japan and England offers challenges to the logic behind how playgrounds in the United States are designed. This paper presents observations of outdoor environments for children and youth in Japan and England where the space is not only useful and safe but also contributes to learning and play that reflects the…

Noting that composition studies in the United States has devoted little attention to cross-national perspectives on student writing and its roles in wider cultural contexts, this book presents research studies from six nations (China, England, France, Germany, Kenya, and South Africa) on academic writing development in the dominant language of…

It is suggested that most students of English as a Second Language are more inclined toward video than print as a source of information and stimulation, and that to be successful, teaching methods must bridge this gap. An approach using comparison of different versions of one text, here Shakespeare's "Macbeth," is described. The 3-step…

This instructional package, consisting of a text and 15 transparencies, is designed for middle school classrooms. The four lessons in the package correlate to the study of world cultures (perspective taking and symbols), geography, and government. The materials in the package focus on national studies and state studies from a comparative United…

This unit of study, intended for intermediate grade students, focuses on comparing students from different cultures: Germany and the United States. The unit addresses National Social Studies Standards (NCSS) standards; presents an introduction, such as purpose/rationale; cites a recommended grade level; states objectives; provides a time…

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers, World Wise Schools (WWS) classroom teachers, and WWS staff members. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning…

A technique for teaching cultural awareness that uses comparisons of French films and American remakes is described. It is argued that the technique provides an appealing context for exploring cultural differences in terms of taboos regarding sex, death, and the body. (13 references) (Author/MSE)

An approach to organizational effectiveness in higher education developed in the United States was applied to institutions in the United Kingdom and Australia to establish a basis for policy and organizational analysis. Higher reliability was found for the United Kingdom than for Australia, apparently related to cultural differences regarding…

Compares efficacy of Bicultural Effectiveness Training (BET) and Structural Family Therapy (SFT) used with Cuban-American families in which adolescents manifested symptoms of conduct disorders and/or social maladjustment. Finds significant improvement as measured by family structure, acculturation/biculturalism levels, and adolescent behavior…

This lesson seeks to sensitize students to the similarities and difference between cultures by comparing the Shakespearean and the Bunraki/Kabuki dramas of Japan. In the lesson, the focus of this comparison is the complex nature of revenge explored in "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" and "Chusingura," or "The…

The continuing perceived complexity of educational systems and the current status of organizational and administrative theory suggest a renewed theory-building effort in the field of educational administration. It is in this sense that this paper presents a heuristic paradigm for the study of educational administration in the Americas, a…

A study investigated beliefs about language learning held by American adult students of Arabic studying in two programs, one in Morocco and one in Yemen, and compared them with beliefs held by the teachers. Subjects were 44 students and 10 teachers from the Morocco program and 27 students and 7 teachers from the Yemen program. Subjects were…

Two African American teachers teach English in the same inner-city high school. One teacher is successful--her students read, interact, and strive for success. The other teacher's students are frequently disruptive or are asleep. This book probes deep into the causes of classroom success and failure, as well as other issues that affect American…