Social, cultural, economic, psychological, and interpersonal dimensions of cancer and cancer patient management were addressed in an elective course conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. Student attitudes toward the disease were tested before and after taking the course. Significant attitudinal shifts, new insights, and new skills resulted…

Certain characteristics of schools make them adequate to the task of primary prevention of behavior disorders. Current preventative efforts center on two strategies: modification of school environments and competence building. Implications for school psychologists are discussed. (Author/MH)

Student Team Learning is a teaching technique to encourage students to work in a structured setting to achieve goals and to get along with classmates through small learning teams competing against each other in studies designed in game form. The Washington County, Maryland, schools program is described. (MF)

The article discusses the provision of educational services for handicapped adolescents and young adults. Aspects covered include academic instruction personal-social development, daily living skills, prevocational and vocational instruction, and methods of student evaluation (applied performance vs knowledge testing, and product vs process…

Describes Developing Capable People, an elementary physical education discipline plan that facilitates positive change in how physical educators manage their gyms and students manage themselves. The premise is that decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and acceptance of personal responsibility for one's actions are better learned when…

Basic principles of developing and implementing an affective curriculum which promotes students' self-esteem and personal skills are offered. The article addresses: establishment of rules of affective group discussions, guidelines to help teachers and students maintain flexible and realistic expectations, the importance of teacher planning, and…

Discusses how teachers can offer an inclusive setting for personal and academic growth by orchestrating group work to engage and develop unique learners. The article emphasizes that a focused whole-group discussion of working preferences affirms the presence and validity of diverse styles and maximizes the climate for learning in the classroom.…

An adult literacy program at M'Chigeeng First Nation (Manitoulin Island, Ontario) helps learners become aware of themselves, their skills, family dynamics, and community involvement. The holistic approach uses the Seven Grandfathers' teachings of the Ojibway to develop mind, body, spirit, and emotions. The program is defining self-management and…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a relationship-focused intervention on the socioemotional well-being of 20 young children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder. Weekly intervention sessions encouraged parents to use a responsive teaching curriculum to promote children's socioemotional development. The intervention resulted…

Describes two elementary teachers' efforts to adapt and implement cooperative learning strategies to meet urban second graders' educational needs. The teachers divided students into groups and created jobs and a system of accountability. Students viewed videotapes of their group activities and evaluated themselves. (SM)

The RECEPTION GAME teaches conversation skills to adult foreign language learners with positions in international business and diplomacy. The design combines elements of simulation and experiential learning and takes into account conversation's rapport-building function, turn-taking mechanisms, open-ended structure, listening demands for following…

Annually assessed students' academic and social competence from grades 7 through 12. Found that school dropout rate was lower for at-risk students who earlier had, compared to those who had not, participated in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular involvement was only modestly related to early school dropout for students who had been judged…

Teacher, parent, peer, and self-ratings of social acceptance, academic and athletic competence, physical appearance, and conduct were obtained for 463 third graders and 434 sixth graders. The complexity of the relationships revealed among these variables has implications for the reflected self-appraisal process and for programs to enhance…

A study of 81 experienced teachers reports that to understand and survive classroom life, a knowledge of interpersonal politics was essential. The qualitative data set disclosed seven major categories of ineffective principal influences on teacher thinking and behavior: lack of participatory decision making, lack of support, favoritism,…

This article describes characteristics of Asperger syndrome (AS) and the syndrome's impact in the home, school, and community. Social, behavioral and emotional, cognitive, academic, sensory, and motor characteristics of students with AS are reviewed. The restricted range of interests students with AS have is discussed. (Contains references.)…