Limited sunlight, low temperatures, and slow natural growth make the Arctic environment extremely vulnerable to pollution. Circumpolar nations formed the Arctic Council to cooperate in promoting sustainable development in the region. An integrated approach is required, encompassing social conditions, health, culture, education, and environmental…

A study of 140 first- and second-grade classrooms and 1,925 students in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Ceara examined teaching practices and teacher behaviors in the classroom and their effects on students' early literacy achievement, as well as the influences of student, home, teacher, and school characteristics on literacy scores. (SV)

Discusses the first plane of development in the context of language work of the age 3-6 classroom. Examines the connections between spoken and written language and explains how literary images reflected in prose and poetry all contribute to a child's development as a reader and a writer. (TJQ)

A study examined the role of different arenas of identity in the formation of overall social identities by Chicana/o students. Surveys and interviews with over 150 Chicana/o high school and college students showed that those areas in which social difference and a lack of power became apparent crystallized their identities. (TD)

Examined associations between parent language complexity and conversational style and child language use. Contrasted parents' story reading language style with their style for free play with toys and joint remembering of an event. Findings underscore the extent to which children's conversational ability is shaped by the demands of the social and…

Details delivery of Individual Education Program objectives to K-3 students with low-incidence disabilities. Presents data on which teachers were present in the classroom and who delivered the teaching opportunities, frequency of IEP instruction, and instructional context of the lesson. Discusses the low level of IEP-related instruction in terms…

Twenty interviews with school personnel, parents, business owners, and town officials in a rural western Minnesota town revealed an emerging new "rural literacy." This new way of "reading the world" reflected a belief that neoliberal school policies did not serve all residents well, and that rural values and traditions should…

The purpose of this study was to examine how various living conditions impact the context within which low-income African American women engage in a diverse range of high-risk behavior that increases their risk for HIV infection. The study, based on 2 years of ethnographic fieldwork, analyzed the living conditions of 45 African American women at…

This article presents the findings of a study that examined how teachers view parents and children of diverse cultural groups. The authors explored secondary preservice and inservice teachers perceptions of diverse cultural groups and the value these parents place on education. They selected pre-service and in-service teachers enrolled in courses…

The purpose of this article is to share a unique strategy (the cultural puzzle) used in graduate, undergraduate, and secondary education to assist students in examining and sharing their cultural heritage to: (1) raise their level of self-awareness, (2) increase cross-cultural communication, (3) improve authentic cross-cultural knowledge, and (4)…

Prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual students, faculty, and staff on college campuses is an important issue that demands attention. Intolerance for the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community is often intensified by a lack of knowledge and understanding between heterosexuals and the LGB community, a problem that could…

In the study reported on here, the authors used computer-based video instruction (CBVI) to teach 3 high school students with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities how to order in fast-food restaurants by using an augmentative, alternative communication device. The study employed a multiple probe design to institute CBVI as the only…

In physical education, playful teaching practices are essential to relationship building and creating "connections" for successful group dynamics. Perhaps most importantly, playful teachers develop positive attitudes in their students and help students understand that learning can be fun and joyful. Playful teaching practices also greatly enhance…

Permanency planning for infants with prenatal substance exposure is challenging due to characteristics of the infants and the ongoing substance use or relapse of the parents. Visitation is a primary mechanism through which child welfare workers determine and support permanency planning. Productive use of visitation for permanency planning for…

Measures of Chinese character recognition, vocabulary, and interest in reading were administered to 92 second grade children in Hong Kong, while questionnaires on parental literacy practices were administered to their parents. In a hierarchical regression equation, maternal education, children's age and vocabulary skill predicted 18% of the…