Compared Comorian and Algerian 10- and 11-year-old immigrants' attitudes toward school, friendship nominations, and friendship quality. Found that ethnic origin was a factor in choosing friends; positive friendship quality associated with better attitudes toward school; and in-group friendships were more common and of higher quality than those…

A study of 489 African American first-, fourth-, and seventh-grade students examined children's knowledge of gangs. Findings indicated that students are well aware of gang activities in their neighborhoods and can readily name the groups present in their inner-city environment. Students' awareness of gangs increases with age and may represent a…

Reprints an April 17, 1989 NEWSWEEK cover story, "How Kids Learn," which maintains that young children learn best in developmentally appropriate programs that promote cognitive, social, and language development; physical activities; feelings of competence and self-esteem; individual rates of growth; parent involvement; and teacher…

Changes in traditional social work graduate students who take six instructional quarters to complete their degree were compared with changes in extended degree students who take eight instructional quarters (a combination part-time/full-time work/study arrangement). Fourteen self-measures of personality, values and helping skills were assessed.…

Investigates the extent to which adolescents are willing to extend basic human rights to their least-liked sociopolitical groups. Suggests that it is critical that teachers refer to specific groups especially those that are viewed negatively in discussing political tolerance. (KO)

Explores aspects of successful foreign language teaching and learning that could be pertinent to the design of school policies; defines the current conception of "communicative competence"; discusses how cultural studies can be related to foreign language instruction; and describes a model policy developed during case studies across various…

Discusses a survey administered to 306 students at a New York community college that investigated loneliness, communication apprehension, communication competence, and locus of control as predictors of persistence in telecourses. Analysis found withdrawal and withdrawal/failure in telecourses were not significantly related to the variables. (52…

Urban elementary school teachers completed a checklist designed to determine a profile of the most significant factors that caused students to be at risk. Results indicated there were eight important factors: academic risk, behavior and coping skills, social withdrawal, family income, parenting, language development, retention, and attendance. (SM)

Examination of the impact of gender and academic-risk behavior on the career maturity and competence of 110 rural youth revealed that females were more involved and independent in their career development and that high-risk students were less able to solve career-related problems. Addresses implications for rural career education and vocational…

Defines electronic information services and the competencies required for librarians providing them. Highlights include personal characteristics; basic skills, including computer use, navigation, and word processing; general knowledge, including information storage and retrieval, copyright, and ethics; and education, including formal education,…

Discusses the importance of linguistic accuracy in proficiency-orientated foreign language programs, focusing on the experiences of college students in a summer intensive Chinese program. Linguistic inaccuracy is often the result of teachers focusing on form and meaning at the same time, fossilization, overuse of communicative strategies, lack of…

Reports on a simulation used in intercultural communication in an English-as-a-Second-Language/English-as-a-Foreign-Language teacher education program. The simulation created an uncomfortable cultural atmosphere, similar to that in a foreign environment, and focused on helping the teachers in training recognize themselves as cultural beings whose…

Examined the reactions of 60 Taiwanese graduate students studying English as a Second Language in a business writing course to traditional and communicative language teaching (CLT) activities. Most students favored a combination of traditional, grammar-based instruction and CLT, although many questioned the value of peer editing and student…

Asserts that interest has increased in social skills training with children and adolescents. Reviews research literature on this topic and concludes that, although social skills training may be a necessary component in bringing about real life changes for children lacking in social competence, it may not always be sufficient. (CFR)

A peer intervention program to improve communicative interaction and social integration of preschoolers with moderate developmental disabilities is described. Children without disabilities are taught facilitative strategies which are not particularly intrusive and do not obligate responses by the disabled child. The facilitative strategies…