This paper examines universalism and particularism in the context of following traffic rules and cross-cultural communication in Taiwanese and U.S. adults. A universalist culture such as the United States emphasizes rules; the particularist culture of Taiwan emphasizes relationships. Universalists follow the rules no matter what; particularists…

A study examined the extent to which culture-specific traits persist or change in American and Japanese business people who interact in business. Data were drawn from 13 interviews with both Japanese and American employees of Japanese companies. Interviewees were asked about their perceptions or stereotypes of people from the other culture before…

Discusses gift-giving patterns in different cultures, particularly in relation to teacher-student interactions in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Situations in which gift-giving can raise ethical questions and how to teach culturally diverse students about this issue are highlighted. Script theory provides a theoretical basis for…

Subcultural differences existing among various Chinese immigrant groups are described, through examination of such cultural characteristics as languages, religions, philosophy, and family life. Two case studies reveal the difficulties inherent in conducting educational evaluations of Chinese children with special needs. (JDD)

Relates observations of the Japanese educational system by a U.S. high school history teacher. Finds the Japanese system impressive but argues that such a centralized and authoritarian system would not work in the United States. Educators should learn from Japanese schools, not copy them. Recommends U.S. educators seek agreement on educational…

A study investigated different cultural perceptions of the appropriateness of advice-giving in native speakers of English (NSs) and non-native speakers (NNSs). Using a questionnaire, 172 NNS college students and 31 NS college students were administered a questionnaire in which 16 everyday situations involving either social superiors or peers were…

Chinese students' reading strategies are shaped by their cultural assumptions and by the background information, or lack of it, that they bring to the material. Most important, their reading strategies are influenced by (1) traditional methods of reading that have led to investigating each word without always understanding the general concepts of…

This paper focuses on three activities for elementary students to develop the concept of diversity of peoples within the United States. Students are asked in each activity to select elements representative of their geographic area in the United States, while noting the differences within the common elements. A short booklist of titles about…

The article presents general information on the history, cultures, and languages of the major Asian/Pacific immigrant and refugee groups. Knowledge required to become a cross-cultural communicator is outlined, including professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes; knowledge of cultures, languages, and discourse styles; and knowledge of family…

In the "new," more culturally diverse university, traditional discourse and argument will be challenged. This is already occurring in feminist theories of rhetoric, in non-Western forms of discourse, and in competing approaches to expression within a discipline. The validity of nontraditional modes of thought and style must be reconsidered. (MSE)

A study of sociocultural and gender differences in Arab (n=209) and Jewish (n=184) first-year college students' perceptions of major sources of academic stress, and relationship with achievement, found cultural group background the most salient background predictor of success, followed by social class and gender, with noninteractive effects. A…

Reviews demographic and economic trends promoting cultural diversity in postsecondary education. Urges educators to support cultural diversity and respect cultural differences, rather than forcing students to reject their culture of origin and adopt the dominant culture. Discusses instructional implications of ethnic/racial differences,…

Considers two issues in teaching summary-writing skills to students of English for academic purposes (EAP): how the skill is handled in EAP textbooks, and how summarization practices differ across cultural groups. A central concern is the role of attribution, a textual device that creates distance between author and summarizer. Argues that…

Presents strategies for exploring the cultural content of feature foreign films in the language or culture and civilization classroom. Examples are taken from Francois Truffaut's "L'Argent de poche" and from Agnes Varga's "L'Une Chante, L'autre pas." (AM)

Provides six themes identified by historians and master teachers that should be the goal of any history study. Suggests ways to develop each theme and offers helpful appropriate resource materials. Stresses building historical understanding and empathy for past times and peoples in young learners. (CH)