To study graphic representation in different cultures, 1,279 children, adolescents, and university students from English, Hebrew, and Arabic language cultures produced graphic representations of spatial, temporal, quantitative, and preference relations in three experiments. Findings are discussed in relation to subjects' age and language culture.…

Observations of an elementary school in Florence (Italy) show the strengths and weaknesses of the Italian school system and its implications for education in the United States. The homogeneity of values and culture that characterize the Italian classroom are in marked contrast to the classroom of a U.S. city. (SLD)

Discusses methodological issues in cross-cultural studies of diverse communities, including language problems, data collection and analysis, sample size, and dissemination of findings. A study of the information-seeking behavior of ethnolinguistic gatekeepers in several communities in California is described. Suggestions are given for public…

Addresses challenges of enrolling and retaining racial and ethnic minority students in higher education. Issues of human resource development needs, the underrepresentation of minorities, and participation of minorities in the skilled labor force are related to institution-level attrition research. Intervention should be based on recognizing…

Describes programs and services available to students of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in secondary schools in California, where almost a quarter of a million LEP students of diverse backgrounds are enrolled. The grim reality is that these students are tracked and provided with inadequate materials and poorly prepared teachers. (SLD)

Authors of these books spend little energy on defending multiculturalism and instead focus on specific programs, strategies, and outcomes of multicultural teaching practices in higher education. Two of the books focus on the challenges of teacher education in the face of growing diversity; the third concerns multicultural teaching at the…

Describes and discusses three explanations of academic achievement: (1) cultural deprivation theory; (2) cultural difference theory; and (3) postmodern discourse-practice. Applies these theories to multicultural education. Argues that social studies teachers must transform their thinking and create classrooms that promote democratic ideals. (CFR)

Reviews the debate concerning the impact of Afrocentric education and multicultural education on U.S. history instruction and course content. Responds to criticisms of Afrocentric education by historians Diane Ravitch and Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. Contends that multicultural education can help recognize divisions in U.S. society and show a…

Offers 3 teaching designs developed for 12- to 16-year-old pupils taking into account personal differences in gender, culture, knowledge, and use of calculators. The designs concern the representation of three-dimensional objects in the plane, directions and great circles on the sphere, and exploration of the integrating calculator. (Contains 31…

Provides a series of five classroom activities designed to teach about the interaction of culture and law in India. Explains that the tension between constitutional democracy and ancient traditions represents a serious challenge to India. Includes a map, four student readings, and a list of eight resources. (CFR)

Describes the second-language and native language maintenance programs of Brunswick North Primary School (Australia), a school that offers its students opportunities to learn Turkish, Italian, Greek, or Arabic. An integrated curriculum ensures that students acquire or maintain a language other than English. (SLD)

Reviews many aspects of contemporary preservice-teacher-education programs in the U.S., describing the following: the evolution of programs in education; teacher-preparation programs (curriculum, conceptual orientations, program structure, and providers); teacher credentialing and licensure; and current issues in teacher education (education as a…

An ethnographic case study of Somali children in Canadian schools examines the relationship between literacies, school, and community cultures by exploring literacy events as they unfold for Somali children in an elementary school. Field notes and interviews involving Somali and school-community members are analyzed based on the view that…

Describes a group of participants in a highly productive, nonformal learning environment that exemplifies the practices of a collaborative community. Diverse elementary students and university undergraduates participate in entertaining educational activities within an after-school computer club. The club focuses on hybrid literacy practices and…

Provides illustrations of the ways in which cultural differences in parents' beliefs and practices may affect children's adjustment to early childhood settings. Makes suggestions for working with young children who bridge two cultures as they make the transition between home and the early childhood classroom. (TJQ)