Describes the demographic, social, and political variables influencing the development of young children; their relationship to the need for comprehensive services; and the need for early childhood educators who possess competencies to serve diverse groups of young children, including those dealing with poverty, violence, cultural diversity,…

The Urban Experience program at one British college provided a two-week residential experience involving daily placements in urban schools and in social service and other caring agencies so preservice teachers would have a broader picture of the social factors impacting students and an understanding of ethnic and cultural diversity. (SM)

Developmentally appropriate games in physical education provide ample learning time for all students, not just highly skilled students. The paper explains how to modify activities to be developmentally appropriate so students at all skill levels can succeed. (SM)

To determine whether either automation or changing demographics may have influenced professorial habits or attitudes in relation to library instruction, a 1982 survey of faculty with additional questions on computerized searching was replicated in 1990 on the same large campus. The survey results are summarized and discussed; the questionnaire is…

Examined the role of two psychosocial stressors, self-concept and alcohol-related attitudes, in mediating alcohol use among Hispanic junior high school students and explored the link between the two factors in early adolescence. Concluded that Hispanic adolescents with more positive self-concepts and attitudes are less likely to use alcohol or to…

This essay examines the development of individual differences in emotion regulation and the role that specific styles of emotion regulation and dysregulation play in affecting young children's interactive behavior with peers. It advances a general developmental pathway that conceptualizes individual variations in terms of both infant traits and…

Results of interviews with 24 minority undergraduate teacher education students on predominately white campuses, as well as reviews of documents and interviews with faculty, indicate that these students want to teach within their own ethnic communities and that the teacher education programs lack significant cultural relevance. (39 references)…

The seven chapters of this special issue identify research issues related to sex differences and mathematics achievement in an international context and consider some possible explanations, including neuropsychological differences, learning strategies, and attitudes. Recommendations are made for educational policy, curriculum development, and…

Results are presented of a national survey of state policies regarding identification of gifted students from special populations (culturally diverse families, economic disadvantagement, or gifted students with disabilities). Also considered is a followup study on the implementation of state policies in Ohio, Arkansas, and Texas. Future policy…

Examines the growing influx of English loan words in Japanese, describing the structural and semantic changes that English loans go through in their Japanization process and the roles that they are expected to play. The social factors that drive the influx are also examined. (seven references) (MDM)

Examined mother-child communication patterns in relation to mother's marital status, child gender, and play activity in light of contextual-ecological models. Suggests that the socialization of gender be viewed as a construction influenced directly by factors in the immediate interactive context and influenced indirectly by developed adaptations…

Explored the influences of teacher education on musical curriculum related to young children's responses to music. The findings showed that during a music activity, children attended to their teachers, that children's responses to music differed according to their age, and that teaching a music curriculum to early childhood caregivers does make a…

Examines the effects of persistent economic hardship on children. Both black and white children who experienced persistent family economic hardship demonstrated problems in peer relations, showed conduct problems at school, and reported low self-esteem. Connections between persistent economic hardship and psychosocial adjustment were more…

Reports on a study of 70 secondary female students in mathematics classes over a period of 7 weeks. Finds that self-efficacy was the best predictor of learning intentions. Recommends further research on the relationships between perceived learning environment, self-efficacy, and learning intentions. (CFR)

Maintains that elementary teachers acknowledge that the concept of a homogeneous classroom is a myth. Discusses key teacher behaviors for diverse classrooms. Presents a model lesson and extension activities designed to help students understand and appreciate cultural diversity. (CFR)