Field research consisting of direct observation and interviews conducted at a computer-assembly plant in Germany examines use of English as a "lingua franca" between Japanese and Germans. The case study reported looks at several interesting aspects of translingual and intercultural communication among Germans and Japanese, citing…

Through interviews and direct observation, examined how 120 Toronto (Ontario) children understand and experience kindergarten in ten English first-language (L1) and ten French immersion second-language (L2) classes. Results indicate the similarities between the groups were greater than the differences, contradicting suggestions that L2 immersion…

Offers a detailed text analysis of written feedback given by two teachers of English-as-a-Second-Language students. Considers this feedback in terms of it functions as praise, criticism, and suggestions. Explores the motivations for these through teacher interviews and think-aloud protocols and examines cases where students failed to understand…

Discusses the findings of a four-year study of 10 United Kingdom secondary schools which evaluated school library services to students with disabilities. Interviews and observations focused on the relationship between school library staff and special education staff, and the effect this had on library provision and information skills acquisition…

Describes a qualitative study involving interviews with 12 women employees in academic libraries that investigated their views of computers and technology, methods for training effectiveness, learning styles, and views on serving patron's needs. Discusses training implications and makes suggestions for maximizing transfer of training. (LRW)

Qualitative methods were used to examine the dynamics underlying reported benefits and outcomes of parent education. Findings suggest that the program can lead to significant, transformative learning and enhanced personal empowerment. Group format can provide social support to isolated parents. Overall experience can result in deeper understanding…

The co-founders of the Sudbury Valley School (Massachusetts) discuss how the school's philosophy is based on giving children respect, freedom, and support to find their own self-motivation; how play is one of the best learning tools; and the sustained public relations effort that has been required to establish and maintain the school's…

A study examining postsecondary transition experiences interviewed 22 Navajos who were recent high school graduates. Prominent themes included family influence and pressures, discrepancy between high school and college learning environments, student-faculty relationships, vague educational and career plans, misconceptions about postsecondary…

This article examines the experiences of 19 women who self-identify as lesbian or bisexual as they pursue degrees in accredited master of social work educational programs located within the Southern United States. The pervasive discomfort and silence surrounding lesbian and bisexual issues, as well as the privileging of heterosexuality experienced…

In Nicaragua the rise of urban youth gangs has led the government to adopt a crime-control approach that focuses on containing adolescent violence. Yet efforts to foil youth gangs have been ineffectual, largely because the nature of gang membership is little understood. This article presents the results of a qualitative study of youth gang…

Many recent efforts in the field of community psychology have been dedicated to moving from values to action in incorporating diversity into our work. An essential aspect of this goal is designing research that provides opportunities for underrepresented perspectives to be heard. The voices of refugee women, in particular, are not typically…

This study examined the concept of relational aggression and its application to high-risk girls in treatment. Sixteen male practitioners from 9 different agencies serving young people were interviewed about their feelings and perceptions in working with female clients. The survey presents selected examples of manifestations of relational…

Learning what interests college-admissions committees drew this Homestead High School junior and 18 other teenagers to a 10-day College Admission Prep Camp run by Education Unlimited (EU) on the campus of Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts last July 2005. The program is among many such camps offered across the country this summer, by both…

Many educators are committed to multicultural education and are constantly seeking an inclusive curriculum voicing the diversity of the many cultural groups in the United States. The influential work of James Banks (1981, 1997, 2001) has encouraged a generation of educators to design a multicultural curriculum. Yet while this task remains an…

This study presents comparative case studies of preservice and first-year teachers' and expert teachers' conceptions of the concept of prior knowledge. Kelly's ("The Psychology of Personal Construct", New York: W. W. Norton, 1955) theory of personal constructs as discussed by Akerson, Flick, and Lederman ("Journal of Research in…