According to Gordon and Bridglall, the ability to learn is more of a developed human capacity than a fixed aptitude with which one is born. They argue that the emergence of academic ability is associated with exposure to specialized cultures that privilege the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that schools reward. Children who are born to and…

This handbook provides an integrated discussion of key issues in second language acquisition (SLA). The 24 chapters include the following: (1) "The Scope of Inquiry and the Goals of SLA" (Catherine J. Doughty and Michael H. Long); (2) "On the Nature of Interlanguage Representation: Universal Grammar in the Second Language"…

This research assumes a relatively stable lifeworld for young people. For example, it assumes that the meaning of volunteering or service is sufficiently similar across multiple contexts to remain a valid and stable indicator. By extension, it also assumes that the lifeworld of young people today is not undergoing a period of rapid, and perhaps…

Noting that sociocultural approaches to cognitive development provide valuable insights into the influences on learning of relationship and cultural variables, this book discusses recent theory and research on the social context of cognitive development. The book takes the view that the social settings in which children live and grow provide both…

Drawing from research on fear of failure and anecdotes from personal experience with the first women's expedition to ski to the South Pole, this discussion centers on how fear of failure affects women. Fear of failure leads to procrastination and performance well below one's ability. Women generally express more fear of failure than do men, partly…

This study examined the critical thinking skills of resident and commuter students during the freshmen year, controlled for precollege background and ability. Differences in commuter and resident students' experience, particularly aspects of academic and social integration were also considered. The study sample was a subset taken from a national…

This study attempted to evaluate H. J. Eysenck's antisocial behavior (ASB) hypothesis that proposes there is an antisocial temperament which, in interaction with socialization, intelligence, and achievement, puts an individual at significant risk for developing antisocial behavior. Evaluation of Eysenck's ASB hypothesis was conducted with 107…

Managing antisocial behavior is a critical issue facing those who work with young children, as the presence of early socialization problems is the single greatest predictor of adolescent and adult antisocial behavior. This booklet highlights the effectiveness of behavior management strategies that introduce and reinforce positive behaviors, rather…

How can schoolyard bullies be stopped? How can sensitive children become more resilient? How can teachers and parents help youngsters deal with teasing and taunting? This guide--for teachers and parents of children in grades K-12--helps to answers these questions and others like them. It uses the "frames-and-scripts" approach, a method based on…

Virtual learning environments (VLEs) are often perceived by education establishments as an opportunity to widen access without traditional overheads. An integral part of most VLEs is asynchronous computer conferencing and on-line moderators must help students migrate quickly to the new virtual environment to minimize learning disruption. This…

Research supported by grant no. MH-02238 from the National Institute of Mental Health, and partially supported by NIH grant FR-00222 and FR-05537, general research support grant.

The argument that liberal education leads people to substitute intellectual tolerance or ambiguity for righteous indignation is criticized, with reference to Harriet Beecher Stowe's portrayal of Thomas Jefferson, his liberalism, and democratic manners. (MSE)

Education is seen as the key to making minority students insiders in American society. Some existing programs and their features (e.g., CETA, EXCEL, TRIO programs) are examined. Strategies for making support programs more effective by considering the forces of home, school, and work are suggested. (Author/MSE)

Israeli parents and high school students and teachers attach more importance to instrumental values (idealized modes of conduct such as achievement and decency) than to terminal values (human ideals such as freedom and Jewish/Arab consciousness). They believe that instrumental values are cultivated in schools to a greater extent than terminal…

Linguistic and sociocultural issues in the concept of nationality and identification with a community in French and Arab circles are compared, with references to other European national groups. Among the concepts explored and diagrammed are father, mother, land, fatherland, people, nation, state, homeland, national community, and local community.…