To explore the complexities of communication with Asian and Pacific Islander (API) children and their families, this digest describes the overt and covert dimensions of the various API cultures, and discusses API's socioeconomic background and the life experiences that affect their communication behavior. The general ethnic groups in the API…

Many theories of career development are derived from theories of personality; however, broader perspectives on career development are being built on emerging research focused on gender, race, ethnicity, and social class. The main career development theories are as follows: trait and factor theories (which assumes the possibility of matching…

This digest reviews scientific and methodological problems in special education research related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. The first section of the digest discusses the various definitions of race, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic status. The problems with current race classification and the difficulties in determining the…

This digest summarizes what is known about scholastic achievement in general education at the college level, and is based on a study using the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (College BASE), a criterion-referenced achievement test of general education skills and competencies. College BASE assesses achievement in four subject areas:…

This digest focuses on meeting the educational needs of recent Asian Pacific American (APA) immigrants. Newcomers usually have various levels of English proficiency, and many find school rules incomprehensible because they differ so widely from their previous experiences. In addition, American teachers expect children to be interactive, creative,…

This ERIC Digest delineates problems posed by the increasing number of language-minority children in schools and offers suggestions for teaching children from different cultures. It is maintained that a group's language reflects its culture, and the uses to which that language is put are culturally determined. When children and adults do not share…

This paper discusses teaching with a multicultural perspective in early childhood education. It is emphasized that a major goal of multicultural education is to help children become accustomed to the idea that there are many lifestyles, languages, cultures, and points of view. Other topics include negative stereotypes and the influence that early…

The ERIC digest examines the paradox posed to social studies educators by the new wave of immigrants and increasing ethnic diversity: namely, how do educators depict accurately and fairly the rich ethnic diversity of the United States and also teach core values of a common American heritage? With the underlying theme being the promotion of both…

This digest discusses how race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and area of residence, whether urban, suburban, or rural, impact girls' sports experiences. The social context of girls' lives shapes their sports choices and opportunities, with financial restraints often restricting African American girls' opportunities. When access to sports is…

This information sheet summarizes challenges and strategies for identifying and serving gifted children who are recent immigrants. Both challenges and strategies are identified for linguistic, cultural, economic, attitudinal, sociocultural, peer, cross-cultural, intergenerational, and school system aspects. A total of 28 strategies are offered,…

This digest analyzes information from two recently completed national surveys to determine the extent to which various vocational education programs improve employment opportunities in the United States. The impact of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate on workers' wages is also analyzed. Data are from the 1992 National Adult…

Libraries nationwide are serving increasingly diverse communities as the changing face of America is reflected in the changing information needs of diverse patrons. A key issue in serving the multicultural community is adopting a revised version of collection development. Materials in the native languages of ethnic and language minorities,…

Some 15 to 20 percent of U.S. school children speak a foreign language at home, and the number is increasing rapidly. However, all limited-English proficient (LEP) students are not alike, and their differences must be understood in assessing their performance. It is vital to understand the role of culture and how the cultural background influences…