Suggests that while health problems experienced by young people are largely the result of psychological and behavioral factors, peer-led initiatives can have a positive effect on several factors that influence their health. Reviews strengths of peer support, including effects on self-esteem, self-efficacy, and locus of control. Discusses practical…

Describes a study exploring the social dynamics within a typical preschool classroom that included a 3-year-old with severe visual impairments. Notes findings that this child was an active participant in shared social experiences with his peers, which contributed to his membership and acceptance. Discusses adult mediation and interpretation of the…

Uses data from an ethnographic exploration into children's gender and sexual identities during sixth grade to examine how dominant notions of heterosexuality underscore much of children's identity work and peer relationships, illustrating how boys and girls are subject to pressures of compulsory heterosexuality. Discusses the implications of…

Reports on a study of student-student interaction via computer-mediated communication (CMC) in an undergraduate course at a British university. Analysis focused on: (1) interaction patterns within groups; (2) the influence of the tutor's "virtual absence," and (3) students' and tutors' evaluation of the experience. Most students valued…

Studied 8- and 11-year-olds as evaluators of peer group entry and limited resources. Found older children evaluated peers more positively than did younger for limited resources conflicts. Found all children evaluated the focal peer's intentions during group entry more negatively than intentions during limited resources and evaluated peer responses…

Explores how African American and white college students and faculty can develop strong identities and healthy interpersonal relationships. Encourages faculty to engage students in dialogue about multicultural issues and adapt teaching practices to create a culturally responsive learning environment for students and faculty. (Author/DB)

Recounts experiences during a study tour of three preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Describes the environment, activities, and children's interactions at the Allende Infant-Toddler Center and the Neruda and the Diana Schools for 3- to 6-year-olds. Focuses on teachers' observational and pedagogical methods. Concludes that quality education…

Explores whether past experiences in mainstreamed classes exert a positive influence on present attitudes of typical secondary students and whether their attitudes differ according to their ages, the specific disabilities encountered, or activities involving disabled peers. Presents the findings and conclusions in detail. (CMK)

This article describes an Irish program linking mainstream pupils (n=30) and their counterparts with severe and profound learning difficulties (n=16) and assesses the social and educational benefits for all involved. The program had a positive impact on the emotional reactions of young people toward interacting with their peers with learning…

Discourse analysis of audiotapes of simulated telephone hotline conversations of adolescent dyads consisting of either one, two, or no adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) found that adolescents with and without LD were equally skilled at requesting advice, but adolescents with LD had significantly greater difficulty generating solutions to…

The contributions of peer acceptance, friendship, social status, and age relative to mixed-age classmates to children's' attitudes toward school and to achievement in ungraded primary school were studied with 323 ungraded elementary school students. Attitudes toward school were positively related to achievement scores. Predictive variables are…

Current research on students' experiences in encounters with their classmates in school is explored by using the narrative of a 25-year-old nursery school teacher in Sweden about her own experiences as a quiet and well-behaved student. Her story illustrates some of the built-in conflicts of the comprehensive school. (SLD)

Analyzes how social support helps explain variations in child and adolescent psychological distress at time of sexual-abuse discovery (N=154). Support from a parent was related to less psychological distress, whereas support from friends is related to increased adjustment difficulties. (Author/MKA)

Describes a kindergarten teacher's successful efforts to create more heterogeneous groupings and less animosity among students in her class. Discusses efforts to encourage after-school visiting among peers, classroom agreements about put-downs and exclusion during play, turn-taking, teacher-assigned grouping, conflict management, efforts to…

Contains four articles: (1) "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down: Including Children Who Are Differently Abled in Typical Early Childhood Educational Settings"; (2) "On Teasing, Taunting, and 'I Can Do It by Myself'"; (3) "A Teacher's Responsibility--To Be Enthusiastic about Teaching Fast and Slow Learners Alike"; (4) "A Child with Severe Hearing…