For Asian Americans, learning only the skills of verbal communication is not sufficient--they need to develop a sense of appreciation for eloquence, to understand the urgency of freedom of expression in a democratic society, and to internalize the value of speech as an instrument for self-enhancement. The remarkable differences between the East…

This paper explores the challenges to higher education and the academic community in light of increasing ethnic and cultural diversity. Knowledge is not objective, neutral and separate from the knower but knowers are all implicated in the ways they construe knowledge. Consequently a minority student shares her own story of immigrating to the…

This paper discusses differences between the Hmong culture and American culture and resulting implications for provision of special education services. The Hmong population in the Fresno County (California) area has consistently grown since 1977, reaching approximately 26,500 in 1990. The major reason that Hmong refugees settled in agricultural…

Based on the idea that there are universal beliefs that unite people from every part of the world, this collection illustrates common sayings, stories, proverbs, and quotations from students in English-as-a-Second-Language classrooms. During the classes, students talk about their families, countries, and customs, including traditional foods and…

This pamphlet examines the limitations of traditional identification strategies as they are applied to children from minority and nontraditional cultural backgrounds, and then suggests more effective alternatives. Conventional group tests are criticized for not providing a sufficient basis for addressing students' needs with regard to enrichment.…

A first grader of Vietnamese descent (recently arrived in Hawaii from China) participated in the class activities in a 6-week summer course that focused on language arts and mathematics but only found his "voice" and the acceptance of his peers through art activities. The course included many language arts activities such as silent…

This document discusses tribal governance as part of the "Native American Week" on Montana State University's Bozeman campus. The document contains a commissioned paper, a panel discussion, a speech, and a list of legal documents of tribal governments in Montana. The commissioned paper, "Federal Indian Policy: A Summary," by…

This study examined patterns of social interactions and play activities in Japanese day care settings. Fifty children between 6 and 36 months of age in five day care centers in Tokyo were observed over several prescribed time intervals. Variables measured during the observations included: (1) type of social interaction; (2) type of activity…

This study investigates cross-cultural differences in students' acceptance of their parents' values about education and social activities. It also examines the relation between acceptance of values and such factors as type of values, knowledge of parental values, mathematics achievement, and psychological well-being. Participants were over 3,000…

This document comprises four papers which were presented at the Advanced Professional Development Symposium on the Educational System of Korea. The papers discuss various topics on the education of Koreans both at home and in the United States including employment for U.S.-Trained Koreans in Korea, and linguistic, cultural and educational…

In 1983, a survey was conducted by the Church World Service (CWS) Immigration and Refugee Program to determine how well refugees recently resettled through this organization were adjusting to this country and the extent of their sponsors' contribution to the resettlement effort. A total of 1,666 sponsors and 523 refugees returned the…

This supplement to the Chicago public schools' science curriculum guide is for use with Vietnamese-speaking students and is designed to help students make the transition to science learning in English. English-Vietnamese vocabulary lists, independent learning activities (in Vietnamese), and teaching aids (cultural activities such as songs,…

Data from two studies highlighted the socioeconomic and psychological attributes of poverty in rural Mississippi. In the first study, county census data were analyzed to determine changes in the socioeconomic status of rural and urban poor between 1960 and 1970. In 1970, the poverty count in rural and urban areas differed by 16.6%, down 5.1% from…

This paper describes the Raran model, an analytical tool for examining "microstates" in small developing countries and relating a country's characteristics to curriculum needs in teacher education. It applies to countries which have limited land area and resources, a large population, and which are politically independent or internally…

It is possible to change negative or biased attitudes of American secondary and college students studying French by using "cognitive dissonance" to infuse conflicting ideas or cognitions into the curriculum and help students resolve the resulting anxiety. Students will then become aware of the diversity of ideas and cultural practices,…