The child's performance in school has to do with his own family background, essentially the educational characteristics of that background. (Author)

Six desegregated first grade classrooms in predominantly white working-class communities near a large Midwestern city were observed in order to explore ways in which black males' school experiences differ from those of other students. Twenty percent of the 139 students in the classrooms were black males. Of the six teachers, all of whom were…

This pilot study sought to determine what were the effects, if any, of having integrated and all-white kindergarten children view specially prepared video-taped television sequences. These sequences featured black and white children who were unknown to the viewers and who portrayed roles in which they demonstrated simple concepts. Data from this…

Classroom observation and a roster-and-rating sociometric technique were used to assess social interaction among Black and White third grade students who had attended integrated schools since kindergarten. Sex was a more significant factor in determining sociometric ratings for work and play than race. (GDC)

This study examines the effects of racial composition of a classroom on students' cross-race and same-race friendships. Two "theories" of interracial sociability are discussed. The first argues that interracial friendliness is affected primarily by the number of opportunities students have for cross-race interaction relative to same-race…

Peer relations in 36 interracial sixth-grade classrooms are examined. Methods of analysis include examination of variance, multiple regression, and case studies. Both dependent and independent variables are used, as are variables particular to the interracial situation, such as racial ratios, desegregation history, and busing. The authors conclude…

The effects of Teams-Games-Tournament (TG T), an instructional game employing biracial learning teams, on cross-racial friendships in integrated classes was examined in four experiments involving 558 students in grades 7-12. Sociometric measures and chi-square analyses indicated that TGT was an effective means of increasing cross-racial friendship…

The impact of a school desegregation plan on the social class structure of elementary classrooms (Grades 1-6) was studied within a large midwestern school system. Sociograms administered on a pre/post basis, over a two year period, to all classrooms with at least four minority students per room served as the data base. Initial analyses reveal…

This study examined developmental changes in children's own-race and cross-race sociometric ratings, using a longitudinal design. Subjects were 38 black and 116 white children. They were tested in third grade in 1973 and again in sixth grade in 1976. These children had experienced racially integrated education from kindergarten onward. In…

Three peer tutoring methods and two group investigation approaches are examined for effects on academic achievement, students' attitudes, and ethnic relations. The five methods are: Jigsaw classroom (Aronson), Teams-Games-Tournaments (DeVries), Student Teams and Academic Division (Slavin), cooperative learning approach (Johnson), and small-group…

Reports on an ethnographic study of peer relations among children in two kindergarten classrooms in a desegregated school. Analyzes the way that a teacher's method of organizing classroom events affects the extent to which children engage in cross-racial friendships. (Author/GC)

The effects of structured academic conflict, controversy, and debate were compared with individual study. Results indicated controversy promoted the most cross-ethnic verbal rehearsal and exchange of assigned material, concern that all students master assignments, active search for information, highest self-esteem, and accepting and supportive…

This ethnographic study of two kindergarten classes in a racially-mixed "magnet" school investigates three issues: (1) the extent to which teachers' definitions of appropriate behavior in an instructional context are shared by children in free play context, (2) whether or not classroom social structure differs when teachers have contrasting…

The goal of this study was to investigate the nature of classroom climates of acceptance in desegregated schools. Verbal initiations and student friendship choices across race and sex were examined in 41 seventh and eighth grade classrooms in Indianapolis, Indiana. Teachers were also interviewed and completed an attitudinal questionnaire. Factor…

Relationships were studied between classroom racial balance (the evenness with which minority group students are distributed over classes in a grade) and the interracial attitudes of grade 3 students. Students took three attitude tests designed to measure different components of children's interracial attitudes: the Sociometric Choice Measure, the…