In Northern Ireland, 127 adults, largely unemployed and with negative past schooling experiences, participated in a personal and social development program. A six-month follow-up found the learner-centered methodology effective in enhancing self-esteem, motivation, social skills, community involvement, and participation in further education and…

Discusses the importance of mentoring programs for children, particularly for especially creative gifted children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It describes characteristics for a successful mentor relationship and ways mentors can help in the expression and development of positive creativity in children. (CR)

In study 1, 34 Upward Bound students slightly enhanced career decision-making self-efficacy after 10 hours of career exploration. In study 2, 22 Upward Bound summer institute participants who received 5 weeks of career exploration had higher self-efficacy than 26 participants who did not. No differences in the number of occupations considered were…

Findings of an analysis of National Adult Literacy Survey data do not entirely support differences in cognitive skills as explanations for minorities' lower earnings and employment, nor occupational preferences as explanations for women's lower earnings and employment. Labor market discrimination and residential segregation also play a substantial…

Two preschool children, both of whom had displayed susceptibility to lures, were taught to prevent opportunities for abduction. Both children learned and demonstrated appropriate responses to lures in school and community settings, and follow-up measures at 64 weeks showed high levels of maintenance, although some retraining was required to…

Addresses the conflicting pressures facing plurilingual societies, focusing on (1) geopolitical changes such as language decline, international languages, and the pressures of globalization and the dominance of English; (2) access to or surrender of power; and (3) the choice of which language policy to pursue. (CMK)

Analyzes a student-loans scheme in Thailand to increase access of poor students, for example, to upper-secondary and postsecondary education. Finds average repayment ratio of loans is 10 percent or less. Recommends conversion of upper-secondary loans to grants and reforms in postsecondary loan procedures to improve repayment and recovery ratios.…

Examines the advantages and disadvantages of specialist schools in England. Concludes that specialist schools attain higher levels of student achievement at the cost of socioeconomic diversity, especially when these schools set their own admission criteria. Suggests ways for specialist schools to increase student diversity. (Contains 23…

Roberta Guaspari-Tzavoras teaches 125 young violinists in 2 East Harlem elementary schools. Students are chosen by lottery. The only prerequisite is a willingness to do the hard work of practicing and learning. Her success in coaching inner-city students to a performance in Carnegie hall is the subject of a documentary and a feature film. (MLF)

Presents the characteristics and needs of adolescent students who are underrepresented in gifted programs. Addresses the specific populations of young women, students with learning disabilities, and students living in poverty. Presents the academic and social-emotional needs of students from underrepresented populations, followed by strategies…

Describes how in one of Miami's toughest neighborhoods, a survivor of those streets came back to help others because "kids' lives are at stake." Explores Principal Gallon's efforts to offer education as an option beyond poverty and prison. (EV)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the processes of care, organizational attributes, cost of care, staffing level, and staff mix in a sample of Missouri homes with good, average, and poor resident outcomes. Design and Methods: A three-group exploratory study design was used, with 92 nursing homes randomly selected from all nursing…

Attrition statistics for first-year students in many tertiary environments suggest that students face a wide variety of obstacles. Students in developmental education programmes usually have one additional obstacle: They have a history of failure in academic settings. Therefore there are emotional and psychological barriers in addition to academic…

Young children in poor communities are spending more hours in nonparental care because of policy reforms and expansion of early childhood programs. Studies show positive effects of high-quality center-based care on children's cognitive growth. Yet, little is known about the effects of center care typically available in poor communities or the…

The current study examined how individual differences in children's temperament and motivation relate to attention skills in children from economically disadvantaged families. A total of 73 motherchild dyads participated in this study. Children were between the ages of 3 and 5, and all attended a Head Start program. Using multiple hierarchical…