Studied relations between parenting and school performance of fourth and fifth graders in 75 Asian-American, 109 Latino, and 91 European-American families. Ethnic differences emerged in parents' expectations for education attainment and grades, childrearing beliefs, perceptions of parental efficacy, and in relations between these beliefs and…

Discusses the nature of special education in Central America and the Caribbean, including policies, programs, definitions, and attitudes regarding disabilities. Also highlights factors in mainstream education that may be related to U.S. educators' perceptions of disabilities and offers recommendations for U.S. educators, especially…

This article discusses the complex belief systems and values affecting the perception of disability for families from culturally diverse backgrounds, including the influence of traditional and spiritual beliefs, beliefs about health and healing, religion, belief about folk medicine and folk healers, and expectations of a child's social roles.…

Discusses what the author has learned in her job at an elementary school in Northeast Mississippi as liaison between English-speaking school personnel and Spanish-speaking students and parents, most of whom are recent immigrants from Mexico. Discusses what the author learned, through extensive talking and questioning of students and parents, about…

Reviews competing explanations for disproportionate rates of school failure among poor, minority students, advancing a culture-centered framework that locates the problem in the complex interaction between nonmainstream students and mainstream schools. Chronic school-based inequalities exacerbate existing differences between poor and middle class…

Protective factors, needed for personal resilience, vary from culture to culture. Resilience in Native Americans is examined via an interview with a Native American social worker who quit her job over an ethical conflict. The interplay of self-concept, family, and culture in young people's development of protective factors is examined.…

The role of language and culture in the education of Europeans for a culturally diverse, global society is discussed. It is argued that a great deal must be done before education will prepare Europeans to deal with contradicting political, economic, social, linguistic, and cultural forces, particularly in the context of the European Union, in…

A study investigated the ethnocultural composition of the peer networks of 896 suburban high school students. Results indicated that gender mix, setting mix, and frequency of contact significantly differed across homogenous, integrated, and heterogeneous peer structures, demonstrating the mitigating impact of environmental factors on the interplay…

Surveys literature on adolescents with respect to the possible causes of the educational lag in Hispanic youth. Presents possible contributing factors to the education lag, including culture shock many young Hispanics experience upon entrance into school. Offers suggestions for strategies to improve attainment levels of Hispanic American Youth.…

This paper presents an autobiographical account of a course, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in the Elementary Classroom, with stories told by students in the class and by men from the film, "The Color of Fear." The paper focuses on how to use narrative to understand cultural diversity. (SM)

Examines the learning experiences of a five-year-old African American preschooler who was considered exceptionally literate in Sunday School, but socially illiterate in preschool. Explores ways in which these two settings enabled or disabled Joshua's attempt to become a reader. Discusses his parent's role in facilitating the process by explicitly…

Our national focus on school improvement and its relationship to employment is too narrow for American Indian education. School reform strategies must address the linguistic and sociocultural uniqueness of American Indian learners. Native communities and tribes must partner with schools, guiding education from an Indian perspective and creating a…

Describes the Bridging Cultures framework, a tool for understanding how the expectations for a student at school may conflict with the values of the student's family. The framework describes two contrasting value systems (individualism and collectivism) and helps teachers consider where differences may lie to head off potential conflict. (SM)

Discusses the United Kingdom's Race Relations Amendment Act, which is intended to ensure equal education for all, noting that it does not recognize the role of cultural diversity in race relations. Examines how local education authorities, schools, and colleges can ensure that their race equality policies do not repeat and perpetuate the gaps and…

Suggests reasons why online learning may not be appropriate for all situations. Discusses barriers for students, including self-discipline, initiative, and convenient access to computers and the Internet; barriers for teachers and administrators; suitability for course content; organizational and institutional barriers; cultural differences; and…