The primary focus of this book is the Lao, the principal ethnic group of Laos, who form about one-half of the population of that country. Chapter 1 of the book outlines the recent history of Laos and the Laotians. Chapter 2 describes education in Laos up to 1975, schooling in Thai refugee camps, and problems encountered by Lao refugees in American…

This study attempts to determine the degree of economic self-sufficiency achieved by Southeast Asian refugees who have arrived in the United States since October 1978. Three groups of refugees (Vietnamese, Chinese from Vietnam, and lowland Lao) were interviewed in five sites across the country. The two particular aspects of economic…

California's Family Day Care Training Program was designed to recruit and train, in 7 weeks, Lao, Vietnamese, and Chinese refugees to establish their own state-licensed, family day care homes. Topics in the program's curriculum include an introduction to family day care, state licenses for family day care, state licensing requirements for family…

The study reported here is an analysis of discourse in conversations with a Laotian woman who has lived in the United States with her husband and children since 1986. Analysis focuses on the nature of women's agency in Lao and U.S. cultures, highlighting the woman's perception of her changing identities as wife and mother. Excerpts of the…

The experiences of a Hmong man from Laos who has spent 15 years in the United States illustrate the possibilities of being both Hmong and American and demonstrate the acculturation process even as they show what it means to become American. The three values of resourcefulness, relationship, and respect are an integral part of the identity of Shou…

This book introduces students to the people and country of Laos. The historic "Land of a Million Elephants" (Lan Xang) is filled with diversity and wonder. This book provides background information and suggested topics for an intensive study of the country. The seven chapters are entitled: (1) "Land and People"; (2)…

This study was conducted to determine the effects of the influx of 56,000 Indochinese refugees into Orange County, California between 1975 and 1982 and to make recommendations for integrating these people into the local labor force. In order to identify employer needs, characteristics of the refugee population, and the perceptions of both the…

Papers presented at a 1984 conference on research on the Hmong in the United States are collected in this book. The 24 papers are organized around four central themes (Hmong culture and change, adaptation to a new society, language and literacy, and health care issues). Titles and authors are: (1) "Stages of Hmong Cultural Adaptation"…

This paper reviews the concepts of acculturation and adaptation to provide a framework for understanding the highly variable relationship between acculturation and mental health in refugee populations. It begins with an extended definition and discussion of the concepts of acculturation and adaptation. The characteristics of acculturating groups…

California's Family Day Care Training Program was designed to recruit and train in 7 weeks, Lao, Vietnamese, and Chinese refugees to establish their own state-licensed, family day care homes. Topics in the program's curriculum include an introduction to family day care, state licenses for family day care, state licensing requirements for family…

Among the many factors that influence the level and quality of Southeast Asian parents' involvement with schools are parents' literacy level, prearrival education, and strong cultural beliefs. Provides implications for principals and selected resources. (13 references) (MLF)

The Texas Refugee Study was initiated to collect valid and reliable information to better direct refugee policy, improve services to refugees, give service providers information to help them become more competitive in seeking federal and private dollars, and help refugees better understand their own communities. The targeted groups, Vietnamese,…

This booklet of individual handouts was prepared to assist Minneapolis mainstream school teachers to work with limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Topics discussed include current research on how LEP students best learn in mainstream classes, social versus academic English, and adapting instructional procedures for and integrating LEP…

This publication provides autobiographical essays by students originally from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, all of whom arrived in the United States as refugees between 1975 and 1982. Following an introduction is an initial essay, "Becoming a Refugee, Being a Refugee, Ceasing To Be a Refugee," by L. Nguyen-Hong-Nhiem. The student essays are…

This document comprises three booklets that serve as a foundation for understanding the cultural diversity and values of Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese students. Each booklet reviews the country's history and geography. "Introduction to Cambodian Culture" (S. Chhim) discusses the following topics: (1) the Khmer concept of individual…