(1996). Imaginary Migration Exercise in Multicultural Geography. Journal of Geography, v95 n2 p81-85 Mar-Apr. Describes a writing assignment designed to educate students about an ethnic group different than their own. Students first wrote a factual account of how their family arrived at the local region. They then wrote an account from the perspective of a fictional student from a different ethnic group. (MJP)…
(2001). Listen to Their Teachers' Voices: Effective Reading Instruction for Fourth Grade African American Students. Reading Horizons, v41 n4 p239-55. Identifies effective teaching methods that can enhance the reading skills of fourth grade African American students. Notes that the teachers identified independent reading and writing, phonics and vocabulary, teacher modeling, the use of multicultural materials, engagement of parental involvement, incorporating prior knowledge, and cooperative learning as the methods they believed were most effective with the group. (SG)…
(2004). How Future Goals Enhance Motivation and Learning in Multicultural Classrooms. Educational Psychology Review, v16 n1 p59-89 Mar. This review examines the impact of future goals on motivation and learning in multicultural classrooms. Across cultures, schooling is a future-oriented investment. Studies of minority students' school achievement have advanced future goals as a crucial protective factor in the face of frequent school failure. At the same time, cultural discontinuities and limited opportunities in minority students' school careers may weaken the motivational force of the future. Our review of the seemingly contradictory evidence on the role of the future in minority students' school achievement calls for a more fine-grained motivational theory of the future. Specifically, converging findings support conceptual distinctions (a) between positive and negative perceptions of the instrumentality of school tasks for future goals, and (b) between internal and external regulation of classroom behaviour by future goals. Thus, \positive\ instrumentality and \internal\ regulation enhance intrinsic motivation and… [Direct]
(2003). University-School Connection: A Reading Circle for Teachers. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, v77 n2 p44-49 Nov-Dec. The authors describe the creation of their monthly reading circle, in which teachers can discuss new books for their classroom, and get credit for doing so. They claim that after three years, the reading circle has become a passionate community of lifelong learners and educators striving to expand their own learning and ways of teaching. Details about the teacher reading circle and its impact on teachers are discussed…. [Direct]
(2002). Implementing Intercultural Foreign Language Education. Belgian, Danish and British Teachers' Professional Self-Concepts and Teaching Practices Compared. Evaluation and Research in Education, v16 n3 p150-165. In foreign language education, new professional demands are made on teachers. Foreign language teaching can no longer be regarded as a mainly linguistic task. Teachers are now required to teach intercultural communicative competence. Internationally, the assumption seems to be that teachers are already moving in the advocated direction and are willing to support the new objectives put forward. The observation that this belief remains largely intuitive with little rigorous evidence to support it, constituted the rationale for the research we report on here. The study's aim was to inquire into how Flemish English, French and German teachers' current professional self-concepts and teaching practices relate to the envisaged profile of the intercultural foreign language teacher, and to compare these findings to those obtained with respect to Danish and British teachers in an earlier study. Our findings inspire optimism that progress is being made and that teachers in the different… [Direct]
(1994). From Practice to Theory: Strategies for Encouraging Analytic Learning about Concrete Internship Experience. This paper describes strategies developed in the urban studies internship program at San Francisco State University (California). Interns are encouraged to relate practice to theory in their own concrete experience, using their own academic coursework. The strategies involve both structured writing assignments and regular seminar discussion to evoke reflection on a variety of issues and how they relate to the interns' experiences. The paper addresses: (1) a brief description of the context of the course, the students, and academic programs it serves; (2) the central goals of the internship course and how they relate to the students; (3) the general approach, underlying rationale, and specific strategies for the course; and (4) the effectiveness of the strategies and suggestions for improvement still to be done. Appendices list internship placements for 1993-94 and journal supplements for the writing section of the course. (EH)… [PDF]
(1996). Teaching Social Studies in Middle and Secondary Schools. Second Edition. This revised text adds chapters to address the urgent issues surrounding how to prepare students to live in a global and culturally diverse world, as well as keep pace with rapid developments in emerging microprocessor based technologies. The book is divided into 3 major parts with 13 chapters. Part 1 examines the origins and evolving state of social studies and citizenship education across the United States. Part 2 focuses on the art, science, and craft of social studies teaching against the backdrop of engaging students in knowledge construction. Part 3 examines approaches to analyzing and improving social studies instruction, while incorporating emerging technologies. Several special features are designed to enhance readability and facilitate learning. Each chapter opens with a detailed outline to serve as an advance organizer. At the end of each chapter, group and individual activities are suggested to extend discussions. Field-tested lessons and activities from a variety of…
(1990). Destination: Poland. Video Guide. This video guide was developed for teachers and students participating in the Peace Corps World Wise Schools program. The primary purpose of the study/video series is to enhance each class's correspondence with its Peace Corps Volunteer and help students gain a greater understanding of regions and cultures different from their own. The specific purpose of this video guide on Poland is to provide teachers and students with a structured approach to learning about people and places in Poland. The specific goals for this guide are to present basic information on the geography of Poland; to present basic information on the political and economic changes currently taking place in Poland; and to introduce two aspects of Polish culture: history and symbols. Activities have been designed for three grade levels: A (grades 3-5), B (grades 6-9), and C (grades 10-12). For ease of selection the activities have been categorized first by grade level and then by topic. The guide concludes with a…
(1994). Destination: Lithuania. Study Guide. This study guide was developed for teachers and students participating in the Peace Corps World Wise Schools program. The primary purpose of the study guide series is to enhance each class's correspondence with its Peace Corps Volunteer and to help students gain a greater understanding of regions and cultures different from their own. The specific purpose of the guide on Lithuania is to provide teachers and students with a structured approach to learning about people and places in Lithuania, one of the newly-independent countries of the former Soviet Union. Divided into three sections, part 1, "Information for Teachers," provides background information on Peace Corps, geography themes and an introduction to Lithuania. Part 2, "Activities," features supplemental activities grouped for three academic levels, grades 3-5, grades 6-9, and grades 10-12. Part 3, "Resources," provides a variety of resources including worksheets, maps and a 23-item bibliography…. [PDF]
(1991). Bievenidos: A Monthly Bilingual/Bicultural Teacher's Resource Guide to Mexico & Hispanic Culture. This resource guide, designed for elementary level students, presents activities focusing on the language and customs of Mexico. The material is organized in 12 chapters that correspond with the curriculum calendar. Whenever possible, the thematic topic presented in each chapter refers to calendar appropriate festivals or events. Following an introductory section, which gives useful teacher information and a selection of classroom games for incorporating Spanish language into the classroom, the chapter themes include: (1) August: The Aztecs; (2) September: New Spain Independence; (3) October: Day of the Dead; (4) November: Lady of Guadalupe; (5) December: Looking for the Inn; (6) January: The Legend of the China Poblana; (7) February: Celebration–Food; (8) March: Art–Sports; (9) April: The Mayans; (10) May: Cinco de Mayo Revolution–Music; (11) June: Holidays; and (12) July: Today–Famous Mexicans. Stories, songs, dances, art activities, recipes, reproducible student pages, and…
(1995). Black History: Kindergarten to Senior 4, A Bibliography. The materials listed in this bibliography of resources on black history are part of the collection of the Manitoba Education and Training Library. The materials on black history include both Canadian and U.S. listings in: (1) books (139 items); (2) multi-media kits (3 items); and (3) videos and films (9 items). The U.S. section also contains listings for compact discs (5 items). The citations for the books (nonfiction and fiction) contain the author, title, publisher, publication date, and the library call number. The citations for the videos and films and compact discs, contain the title, producer, distributor, production date, running time, a summary, and audience level. (EH)… [PDF]
(1994). Multiculturalism and Education: Diversity and Its Impact on Schools and Society. SUNY Series, Frontiers in Education. Although this book reviews pedagogical and curricular approaches to multiculturalism and addresses the issues of educating the student from different social and cultural backgrounds, it is not about how to teach multiculturalism in the classroom or how to ensure success for the student from a national minority population. Instead, it is an educational foundations text written for someone who wants to learn more about the issues surrounding multiculturalism in the United States and other selected countries. Ethnicity, race, class, and education are explored as they interact to integrate populations and affect group status and identity. In most societies, multiculturalism has a long history. The first two chapters introduce multiculturalism from historical and contemporary views. The second section, Chapters 3 and 4, discuss relationships among social class and cultural groups. Section 3 considers educational institutions, focusing first on patterns of interactive behavior and second…
(1987). The Lebanese in America. In America Series. The history of Lebanese immigrants to the United States is reviewed, and the contributions of this ethnic group to the American fabric are explored in this book which is part of a series for children. For at least 1,500 years Lebanon was a sort of haven for religious sects that would not have been allowed such freedom elsewhere. As a result, the country's population has been extremely diverse. Immigration to the United States was largely spurred by overcrowding and economic necessity. The first Lebanese immigrants arrived in the United States in the late 1870s. Education provided by Americans in Lebanon was a factor in influencing the choice of destination for many who came to the United States. In recent years, civil conflict in Lebanon has been a further impetus for immigration to the United States. One of the most striking features of Lebanese immigrants has been their conviction that education leads to success. Many Lebanese immigrants have made significant contributions to life…
(1992). Getting To Know You: Fiction as a Tool To Create a World of Mutual Understanding and Respect. The world has not previously experienced migration to the extent that it does today, and the situation is likely to intensify in the future. Millions of people leave their homes because of war, persecution, and other disasters, or simply in search of work. Migration often creates problems in the receiving areas, and ignorance often engenders hatred toward newcomers. The school and the school library have big responsibilities in neutralizing this hatred. Examples are provided of how fiction can be used as a preventive measure in working with such problems. Fiction is one of the most effective means of making children understand what is happening and making them respect other cultures and religions. Fiction is often superior to fact because facts often become abstract, while fiction, since it is about "real" people, makes the problems questions of human beings. Examples of children's fiction that can be used to promote understanding are given, drawing on Swedish culture and… [PDF]
(1998). The Schooling of Multiracial Students. ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 138. The purpose of this digest is to help educators develop a curriculum for multiracial students that fosters their ability to develop a positive identity and achieve academically. To this end, the digest briefly reviews identity formation in multiracial children and then presents schoolwide and classroom strategies that have been shown to be particularly effective with multiracial students and that also promote all children's understanding of racial issues. Multiracial identity development is a complex process that is only now being defined, as researchers have determined that models of minority identity development are not appropriate for multiracial individuals and that models based on deficits in development seriously shortchange multiracial individuals. A model recently developed by W. Poston (1990) provides a typology of stages through which some families progress as they help their children define themselves personally and develop connections to their heritages. It is important… [PDF]