This study used a Vygotskian perspective to compare child rearing values and beliefs of parents, especially in regard to self-directed activities of children, in the United States, Russia, and Estonia. Participating were 60 families, evenly divided by society and social class (middle or working class), each with a child between 28 and 45 months…

A study of social and cultural factors that affect the appropriateness of verbal expressions in different languages focuses on the comparative uses of three common expressions ("thank you, I'm sorry, excuse me" and their equivalents) in English and Chinese. First, the usage patterns of the three expressions are explained briefly, and the…

This handbook provides activities and methods that educators can use to encourage Indian and Metis parents to become more involved in the education of their children and in the provincial school system as a whole. Chapter 1 includes exercises and quizzes to help teachers understand their own views on cultural awareness, racism, and values. Chapter…

The United States today is a pluralistic society, and a multicultural curriculum is a necessary component of the overall school curriculum. Multicultural education should address the culturally and the linguistically diverse student. This paper considers problems with and strategies for incorporating multicultural curricula into the classroom, and…

This book presents the story of two teachers, one black and one white, who confronted the boundaries of race, describing their journey through distrust, anger, and fear as they grappled with race in classroom teaching. It explains how the white teacher, guided by her African American mentor, learned to effectively teach African American students.…

Screening and identification for gifted services is frequently dependent on the students displaying certain typical behaviors associated with gifted learners as well as strong test taking skills. Children with backgrounds that differ from the mainstream are not well-represented in gifted programs because they never even get to, much less through,…

This publication examines a study of cultural exchange within a fifth grade classroom, presenting case studies of three children and their families and the relationships they developed with the teacher, the ethnographer, and the school community. The study examined teachers, students, and families who drew lessons from interacting with one another…

High stakes assessments cannot reliably provide an accurate assessment of English language learners' (ELLs)' abilities in content areas. Cultural differences and limitations concerning opportunity to learn can lead to unfair interpretations of low test scores and assessment discrimination. ELLs cannot demonstrate content mastery without having…

Developmentally appropriate practice continuously evolves, as does the need of professionals to have resources to encourage and bolster developmentally appropriate practices. This book provides an annotated resource bibliography based on the recommendations of early childhood professionals. The book is organized into three parts. Part 1 includes…

English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers are often among the first people available to help refugees and other immigrants cope with a new cultural and linguistic environment. Although the identified role of the teacher is to teach English language skills, the teacher's role as cultural broker is also important. This digest focuses on how…

Three presentations are provided from Symposium 14, Workforce Diversity, of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD) 2000 Conference Proceedings. "Cross-Organizational vs. Localized Participation: A Case Study on Workplace Diversity Dialogues Implementation" (Martin B. Kormanik, Daniel A. Krieger, Timothy E. Tilghman) compares…

This monograph, the first in a series of three, on campus diversity issues is the result of a collaboration of scholars and evaluators who consulted on five campus diversity initiatives. It uses research findings that chart college and university efforts to move from the rhetoric of inclusion to the practice of equity, arguing that the current…

This article presents results from a survey involving 83 predominantly white, female, undergraduate and graduate preservice teachers at a small liberal arts college in Virginia. The preservice teachers were asked to complete a survey describing challenges they perceived they would encounter as future teachers required to work with culturally,…

Intended as a resource for mainstream teachers, this document summarizes current research on effective ways for teachers to meet the educational needs of American Indian students in public schools. The first section discusses the history of U.S. governmental intervention in American Indian education, which influences how some American Indians view…

This book provides a conceptual scaffolding and practical guide for educators and evaluators as they respond to the challenges of diversity in schools. It introduces ways to assess the capacities of various professional development programs, curriculum transformation projects, diversity initiatives, and study abroad opportunities to realize…