Obtained peer and teacher ratings of social competence for 94 first and second graders. Also measured interpersonal problem-solving skills, intelligence, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status. Correlations between three problem-solving scores and social competence ratings ranged from .04 to .20. Intelligence, achievement and socioeconomic…

Studies Hong Kong bilingual education, suggesting low-income students less likely to learn in bilingual programs. Suggests learners from certain social groups may find themselves at a disadvantage when seeking equal education opportunities, since 90 percent of secondary education programs are bilingual. (Author/TES)

Comments on the ideas presented by Entwisle and Astone in this issue. Suggests that to produce sound measurements of children's socioeconomic background requires a substantial investment in coding, data collection, and management. Nevertheless, a standard set of racial-ethnic and socioeconomic variables, no matter how well measured, cannot serve…

An edited version of Prime Minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland's keynote address to the International Conference on Population and Development in September 1994. This address focuses on the role played by women in population growth and emphasizes the urgency of economic and political rights and education for women. (LZ)

Six routes to higher education in Scotland are analyzed in terms of student educational and family background, courses taken by students in the fifth and sixth years of secondary schooling, and the influence of secondary school courses on students' eventual destination. (KS)

Presents a portrait of adult literacy in Illinois based on the results of the State Adult Literacy Survey conducted in 1992 as part of the National Adult Literacy Survey. Highlights include age differences; foreign-born individuals; effects of education and training; employment, economic status, and civic responsibility; and language use.…

Comparison of 72 middle and 72 low socioeconomic status (SES) families of infants with developmental disabilities, on measures of maternal stress and infant development, found that regression analyses predicted 81% of the variance in later developmental level from initial Bayley Mental Age, initial Mental Development Index, SES, initial maternal…

Scores on cognitive abilities tests administered to students (n=80; grades 4-8) being considered for gifted placement were analyzed for differences between low socioeconomic status (SES) students and average or above average SES students. Analysis indicated that the primary reason low SES students did not meet criteria for gifted placement was low…

According to Herrnstein and Murray's "The Bell Curve" (1994), public education cannot alter the economic, social, or political stratification of American society. Intelligence is supposedly being combined and concentrated, and there is no inexpensive, reliable method to raise IQ. Actually, the book justifies the economic status quo and a…

Among youth aged 16-18 living at home in 1980, employment was proportionately higher among whites than blacks and among metropolitan compared to nonmetropolitan youth. Employment of white youth was linked more closely than that of black youth to family resources (income and occupational status) and local labor market characteristics. Discusses…

Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to explore the "social stigma of giftedness" as reported by 51 high school juniors enrolled in the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities. Results are analyzed in terms of self-perceptions, academic perceptions, social interactions, in-group/out-group perceptions, and…

This study of third-grade and fourth-grade children with (n=59) and without (n=57) learning disabilities found that LD students perceived themselves as less competent in the areas of intelligence, academic skills, behavior, and social acceptance. Contrary to expectations, subjects' self-perceptions were not affected by the choice of LD or general…

Parents of a national sample of 4,423 preschool children were asked about specific accomplishments and difficulties of their children. Family risk factors were also documented. Results indicated the need for innovated approaches in providing early education services for children from low-socioeconomic circumstances, and emphasized the value of a…

The national-service movement needs to grapple with two weaknesses. One is the underrepresentation of people of color and of young people of low socioeconomic status. The other is a failure to develop strategies that seek to solve problems caused by persistent poverty; current strategies tend to address only immediate needs. (SLD)

Explores the usefulness of the attachment relationship between children and parents for explaining differences in parent-preschooler reading in high- and low-socioeconomic-status families. Finds that less secure dyads read less frequently. Proposes a developmental model of interactive reading. Concludes that programs must create a safe base from…