Interprets data collected from multi-modal sources (ethnographic interviewing and non-participant observation) using an analytic-inductive method to construct a new Layered Model of Problematic Intercultural Communication. Provides a holistic view of the ways the macro-context, individual (in)competencies, and dyadic communication behaviors…

Explored the forms and functions of ritual in structuring teaching in preschool settings. Found that rituals have both invariant qualities that stabilize the framework within the school system and variant qualities that foster personalized and flexible approaches to teaching. When teachers attend to rituals, rituals have a greater pedagogical…

Multiple observations of 27 high school classrooms (academic, vocational, special education academic, or integrated academic/vocational) were used to validate an instrument measuring features of integrated curricula. Integrated curricula or vocational classes could be differentiated from academic or special education using the instrument. (SK)

Examines the impact of violence on high school dropouts in their relationships with peers, family, teachers, and school structure. The resistance to school and violence in schools are seen as the result of schools' and society's resistance to dealing with diversity and the impact of various types of violence inherent in this resistance. (MMU)

Discusses the use of anecdotal records to document young children's school behavior and accomplishments. Considers the use of informal records to capture daily events and formal records to document milestone behaviors. (JPB)

Considers the question: During classroom observation, what phenomena should be focused on, and what will be the focal points of the "snapshots"? Uses observations from a mathematics classroom to illustrate the need to modify traditional focal points to include student primary activity(s), teacher and student "misbehaviors,"…

Examined (n=12) Year-12 students' awareness and application of learning strategies. Identified five possible reasons for students' failure to use appropriate learning strategies in mathematics. Without appropriate strategic learning behaviors students will be ill equipped to cope with the high cognitive demands of a constructivist learning…

Comparison of pre- and posttest scores in mathematics computation of 2 classes of (n=91) ninth-grade students, 1 class emphasizing drill and practice and the other focusing on learning concepts, found the mean grade equivalent score for computation of the concept class increased more than 2 years and these students attempted to answer more…

Describes a four-hour drama session, held one hour for each of four weeks, in which 15 girls and one boy ages six through eight participated with 17 college participant observers in a 1991 Children and Drama course, during which a drama teacher came to a "different" playmaking process, guiding children to direct their own dramas, without…

Linguistics research, including studies of classroom discourse and social patterns of language, seeks to identify the functions of language in learning situations. Future educational researchers need grounding in linguistics and other disciplines related to understanding the context of language use. (Author/SK)

This paper reports results from sixteen years spent investigating White racism among White people using naturalistic inquiry methods. More than 1,200 observations of Whites of diverse backgrounds and locations were made. Five psychological dispositions are identified which characterize the way White people cognitively, affectively, and…

Addresses the area of validating the match between intended and actual test-taker language with respect to a blueprint of language functions representing the construct of spoken language ability. Discusses an observation checklist designed for both a prioria and a posteriori analysis of speaking task output. (Author/VWL)

Differences in rate and quality of parent-child communication in parents of socially anxious and normal children 9-12 years old were examined. Socially anxious children, like the control group, tended to mirror verbalizations of parents. In contrast, socially anxious children did not show the same similarities in responsiveness. (BF)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the processes of care, organizational attributes, cost of care, staffing level, and staff mix in a sample of Missouri homes with good, average, and poor resident outcomes. Design and Methods: A three-group exploratory study design was used, with 92 nursing homes randomly selected from all nursing…

The purpose was to describe the beliefs and practices of general physical education (GPE) teachers at the high school level on inclusion and teaching students with severe disabilities. Participants were two experienced GPE teachers at separate suburban high schools. The research paradigm was descriptive using a combination of naturalistic…