The Okanagan spirit is expressed through the enow'kin, a democratic process where everyone listens, engages, and gives strength to each other, and derives enjoyment from communing with each other. The Okanagan educational process teaches ways to engage in those processes, whereas mass public education dictates a type of education that is…

Examines the connection between an English-in-the-workplace (EWP) class and the linguistic behavior of immigrant women garment factory employees. Results suggest that newly acquired English skills may be reinforcing linguistic behavior that reconstitutes traditional relations between workers and management. However, EWP does not appear to empower…

Describes a study that attempted to quantify and model how teachers' perceptions of educational policy influenced their classroom practice. Investigated the interrelationships among theorized factors--such as perceptions of preservice education, class size, and university entrance exams--believed to influence teachers' approval of communicative…

Explored the relation between types of peer behavior in young children to children's level of intention understanding. Found level of intention understanding predicted types of overtures made, types of objects offered, monitoring of partner responses, partner compliance, and types of speech acts addressed to partners. (Author/DLH)

Discusses teaching English to second-language students. Suggests using learners' spontaneous expressions of ideas to recognize students' potential for understanding ideas in English. Recommends teachers help children see how their ideas affect the class; respond to unanticipated expressions of thinking; and extend the discussion with an array of…

Strategies to implement partnership teaching in the classroom include considering unsuccessful attempts at negotiating social situations as mistakes rather than misbehavior, introducing Gandhi's concept of truthful love, and using nonviolent communication in conflict resolution. A partnership school council involves all students in school…

Examines a common misconception among English learners and teachers at high schools in Japan about what it means to teach and learn English pronunciation. Discusses what has caused this misconception, describes it in light of a recent trend in English education, and focuses on what needs to be done to put a new concept of teaching pronunciation…

A study investigated the prevalence of different disabilities in 780 students found eligible for special education in Norway. Almost all had more than one disability, with the most common disabilities being psychosocial problems, intellectual disability, and communication disorders. One-third were reported to have attention deficit disorder or…

Outcome data from the 21st Annual Report to Congress and the National Longitudinal Transition Study for youths with visual impairments indicate that postsecondary education does not lead to increased employment opportunities. Recommendations are offered concerning agency collaboration, vocational assessment and training, social skills training,…

In a rural Ontario high school, students can spend a semester in the Environmental Studies Program, which features holistic outdoor experiences and high school students teaching elementary students outdoors. Post-course surveys revealed positive student attitudes toward the course and major themes of experiential learning, interpersonal skills…

Young children develop social and emotional competence through interactions with others in the two major contexts in which they spend time: home and preschool. This study examined whether parenting stress in the home context is related to the children's behaviour while in preschool. Previous research has suggested that parenting stress negatively…

The paper focuses on the question of how to advance collaboration through the Web and support lifelong learning. First, the theoretical framework and architecture of a new web-based tool, the "IQ Team," is introduced. IQ Team is an interactive online assessment and support system to learn social skills needed in cooperative work, and…

The purpose of this study was to explore the interrelationship of social and adaptive skills in adults with bipolar disorder and severe or profound intellectual disability. A bipolar group (N=14), a severe psychopathology group without bipolar disorder (N=14), and a control group with no DSM-IV Axis I diagnosis (N=14) were compared on the…

A survey examined the perceptions of 404 mothers on the availability and importance of various resources for their children (ages 4-17) with Asperger syndrome or nonverbal learning disorder. A significant number (20-30%) reported that pragmatics training, social skills training, smaller classes, or a trained aide were not made available. (Contains…

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine early childhood student teachers' perceptions of their confidence and competence in the subject areas of the New Zealand Curriculum Framework (NZCF). The preliminary findings are presented from an analysis of questionnaires, testing and focus group interviews. Study design and methods of collecting…