Demographic studies indicate that the United States is becoming a richer mix of cultures, and that multicultural diversity is especially reflected among young children with special educational needs. Children of color are the most rapidly increasing population group and the largest group at risk for disabilities. Black and Hispanic American…

This special journal "Theme" issue presents a collection of papers reflecting the psychiatric practices and community treatment for persons with severe psychiatric disabilities in Asia, Africa, Australia, and India. Some of the papers were presented at the 1988 meeting of the World Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) in…

This volume consists of report summaries, literature reviews, and document annotations on the subject of education in Asia and the Pacific. The reviewed literature includes the following: "Reorientation and Reform of Secondary Education in the Asian and Pacific Region: A Status Report," edited by R.S. Adams; Unesco's "Primary…

The purpose of this guide is to enable a district or school to develop or select a comprehensive school health education curriculum that is educationally sound and based on research of effective programs. The criteria for a comprehensive school health education curriculum are organized into the following categories: (1) goals and objectives; (2)…

Russian culture is very much influenced by its huge land area, peculiar topography, and harsh climate. To understand Russian culture one must know how Russians perceive nature. This paper discusses how this concept may be conveyed to U.S. middle school students through poetry. Poems about nature can provide students an opportunity to understand…

The Japanese educational system is highly effective and is frequently pointed to as a potential model for reform of U.S. education. Although meaningful comparisons are difficult to make because the cultures are so different, educators in the United States can borrow and adopt many of the practices that make Japanese schools outstanding. According…

Designed for use in the New York City public secondary schools, this guide was developed to assist the teacher and supervisor in using a three semester, eight theme, global history course. This guide, which covers "Economic, Political, and Cultural Changes in the Post-War World Affect Our Lives Today" is divided into eight sub-themes: (1)…

A cross-cultural study was undertaken to examine levels of communication apprehension reported by five- to eleven-year-old subjects in the United States and Sweden. The approach was twofold: the examination of elementary age subjects and the use of their native language. The Personal Report of Communication Fear was administered to 186 males and…

In Japan, absolute social status and power relationships among people are clearer than in the United States. The Japanese language supports this social system with the use of a special polite language ("keigo"), structural use of which is the same as polite language in English. The differences lie in the degrees of familiarity used and…

Twenty-five freshman Hispanic girls at Bowen High School in Chicago were motivated and encouraged to continue their education and explore various career goals. Methodology involved a highly personal interaction with the program worker. Three groups were formed--two were conducted in English and one was conducted in Spanish. Project goals were to…

People of different cultures differ in the cognitive style they use. Research reports that Mexican American children indicate a preference for field-sensitive cognitive strategies that are spatial-holistic, and middle class children a preference for field-independent strategies that are verbal-analytic. Brain research in hemisphericity appears to…

While concerns grow regarding the possible "decline" of America's traditional work ethics, there is a growing interest in Japanese economic successes and work ethics. This study compares the work ethics of American and Japanese men. A questionnaire was designed to measure values related to America's "Protestant work ethics" and…

This investigative report analyzes 1978-83 enrollment data from two national studies, selected state studies (California, Florida, Massachusetts, and New Jersey) and local school district studies (New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago) in order to determine the prevalence of exceptional bilingual students, examine general trends, and report…

While desegregation is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for ensuring either equity or quality education for minorities, the evidence is convincing that it is "educationally more difficult" to improve student achievement in segregated schools. Desegregation offers the opportunity to enhance the quality of education, particularly when…

Reported at this symposium were investigations using the projective "Tree Drawing" test in (1) a case study of the impact of natural and cultural environments on Japanese children attending elementary and junior high schools in Singapore by Kimio Yoshikawa and K. Loganathan Mutharayan; (2) a study comparing cognitive processes of normal,…