(1993). Developing Multicultural Awareness through Children's Literature: A Guide for Teachers and Librarians, Grades K-8. This book provides some helpful tools that will allow teachers to use children's literature as a vehicle for modifying cultural stereotypes. The sections contain short summaries of 239 carefully selected children's books, each of which features main characters who contribute to an understanding of one's cultural heritage and ways to modify a cultural stereotype. The characters in the books present a point of view to combat stereotyping. Summaries identify characters from different cultural backgrounds, their problems, and the resolutions. The summaries also indicate the grade level(s) (kindergarten through grade 3, and grade 4 through grade 8) for which each book would be most appropriate and are divided into the following subsections: (1) African American Heritage; (2) Asian American Heritage; (3) European American Heritage; (4) Latino American Heritage; and (5) Native American Heritage. The sections of the bibliography contain entries with examples of realistic/contemporary…
(1995). Building Cross-Cultural Competence: A Handbook for Teachers. The handbook presents guidelines for cross-cultural understanding and communication to assist teachers in culturally and linguistically diverse classes. The guidelines are presented in the form of suggestions in ten areas: (1) become familiar with basic concepts in anthropology, sociology, and related disciplines, and use the knowledge to build an intellectual framework for organizing and interpreting cultural information; (2) study the culture and history of ethnic groups represented in the school and community; (3) understand differences between the cultures of the school and home and bridge the distance by building on student strengths; (4) learn to recognize and remedy equity problems; (5) realize how one's own perceptions, thoughts, and behavior are conditioned by cultural context, and remain positively but critically identified within one's own cultural group; (6) approach other cultures with interest, respect, and a sense of shared humanity; (7) hold the belief that students… [PDF]
(1991). Project Family. A Reference Manual. This manual is designed to provide information to those interested in developing family literacy projects. Part I contains information on the design and operations of Project Family, a program to empower parents to be better role models, foster supportive environments, and express positive attitudes about education. Other topics include implementation, recruitment, and community support. Examples of effective materials are provided. Part II focuses on curriculum and instruction. An outline of steps of instruction used to structure classes is presented. These parents' curriculum materials are provided: parents' and adult core curricula on family reading and examples of how parenting and survival skills were integrated with adult basic skills development using children's stories. These children's curriculum materials are included: information on "Reading Rainbow," core curriculum, and examples of the curriculum used to implement the children's class sessions. Other contents… [PDF]
(1992). Racism in Children's Lives: A Study of Mainly-White Primary Schools. This study of how race emerges for young children as a plausible explanatory framework for incidents in their everyday lives is based on a school term of observation in each of 3 British urban elementary schools, with over 150 hours of interviews with students, ages 10 and 11 years, in their last 2 years of primary (elementary) schooling. All three schools have minority populations, largely Asian and Afro-Caribbean, from 12 to 25 percent. Nine case studies illustrate responses of individual children. The study reveals that race and racism are significant features of the cultures of children in predominantly White schools, with the most common expression being racist name calling. Differences in overt racism among the schools seem to be the consequence of the effectiveness of the stance that educators and staff take toward racist incidents. Within children's cultures, it is primarily interactional ideologies that animate racist ideologies and translate them into social practice….
(1992). Social Studies Review, Numbers 1-12, 1989-1992. Social Studies Review, n1-12 Spr 1989 – Fall. This documents consists of 12 issues of a journal that seeks to provide information and reviews concerning social studies textbooks; each issue consists of 16 pages. Contents in the 12 issues include: (1) California control over textbook content; (2) "skills" teaching in elementary-level social studies texts; (3) readability formulas; review of "Democracy's Half-Told Story"; (4) review of California's leading social studies textbooks for fourth graders; (5) a review of three leading American history textbooks for less able high school students; (6) review of "Magruder's American Government"; (7) religion in textbooks; (8) a discussion of how textbooks treat Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; (9) the Holocaust and the textbooks; (10) a review of two social studies series for elementary schools published by Macmillan and Houghton Mifflin; (10) social studies in the primary grades; (11) an article by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. on multiculturalism; (12)… [PDF]
(1988). The Education and Lifestyle of the Chinese Literati. Lesson Plan. This teaching package describes the education and lifestyle of the Chinese literati, popular from the Ming to the Qing dynasties (1368-1911). It consists of four lesson plans and a teacher's guide to a slide set. The latter illustrates painting formats popular during the late Ming period (1573-1644), hanging scrolls, handscrolls, the album leaf, and the fan. The tools used to create these works are also on slides and their functions are described. The lesson plan section provides background information on Chinese literati education including: who was educated; the importance of education; the curriculum and teaching methods; and the lifestyles of the students when preparing for the civil service examinations. The curriculum consisted of five Chinese classics, four books that provided the moral rationale for an educated elite, and a set of personal values that at the same time justified the political system. One lesson describes the lifestyles of the literati after they passed the… [PDF]
(1982). Community Education and Multiculturalism. Immigrant/Refugee Needs and Cultural Awareness. Because it is based on the premise that learning is a lifelong process and that citizen participation is essential to neighborhood problem solving, community education is particularly attuned to the current needs of cities and can be an effective means for meeting the resettlement needs of immigrants and refugees, as well as for expanding local cultural awareness. Community education is especially well suited for addressing the following priority issues affecting local immigrants: language training in English as a second language (ESL), job training, acculturation, community tensions, cultural awareness, health services, and housing. Among those cities which are currently offering such programs to deal with refugee concerns are St. Paul, Minnesota; Duluth, Minnesota; Hialeah, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts; Houston, Texas; Elizabeth, New Jersey; Chula Vista, California; and St. Louis Park, Minnesota. (This issue paper contains descriptions of the community education programs in each… [PDF]
(1985). Taking the Bad Out of Different: The Case for Cultural Universals. Several central concerns of Canadian multiculturalism: promotion of the principles of equality, individual acceptance, and understanding and respect for diversity are quite common to the social studies area in particular. The paper examines the quest to avoid emphases on human differences and instead to stress commonalities. This rethinking of human relations, social outlook, and ideas of personal self-esteem is probed, as well as classroom activities to foster effective positive self-images. The apparent causes for the lack of appreciation for cultural diversity is outlined from a historical perspective. Both the role of the educator in dealing with these facts and the search for alternative approaches to achieving cultural pluralism present many difficulties, but the renewed campaign of social science for a recognition of the predispositions universal to all forms of society provides a useful focus. Six recommendations to aid teachers in the theme of universalism are presented….
(1987). Culture Specific Materials: Stories My Kokum and Mushoom Tell. The use of folklore in education contributes to children's normal psychological development, but children of minority cultures have difficulty in understanding and relating to European myths and legends. All folklore reflects universal social and psychological conflicts, but Native and European myths differ in the particular symbols or codes used to embody the message. There is an historical lack of respect for Native culture and literature in Canadian education, and the non-Native teacher may be unfamiliar with the content and structure of Native folk material. Such teachers find that Indian children lack the skills to predict events in Western stories, to recognize story scheme, and to compose structurally "good" stories, although these children may be quite competent in the context of their traditional narratives. Indian children are often bewildered by the white man's stories, particularly by the violence in Western fairy tales, and Indian adults, remembering these…
(1984). Pupils. This chapter, which reports on decisions made by federal and state courts in 1983 concerning the treatment of pupils, notes that for the first time in five years the number of such cases did not increase. Important decisions were handed down regarding student expression and concerning the payment of fees and damages in litigation affecting the placement and treatment of handicapped students. The number of desegregation cases is declining, though a trend is discernible toward "second generation" discriminatnion cases within formerly dual districts where systemwide desegregation has officially been achieved. Among other topics addressed are tuition, placement, the right to education, and discipline in cases involving handicapped and exceptional children; testing, placement, tuition, attendance, and transportation issues in public schools; bilingual and bicultural programs; state involvement with private and parochial schools; athletic association rules and sex discrimination…
(1980). Hispanics and Desegregation: Analysis and Interpretation of a National Study. An analysis and interpretation of a five-volume study by Aspira, Inc., which examined Hispanic segregation in U.S. schools, presents an overview of the study, general findings, and a summary and conclusions, including recommendations for further study and analysis and general policy recommendations. Segregation trends for Hispanics are discussed in terms of the relationship between segregation and school practices, bilingual education and desegregation, language instruction, special education, discipline, grade retention, staffing, and a comparison of Hispanic and Black segregation trends. The findings of two ethnographic studies are: school desegregation plans should distinguish the needs of Blacks and other minorities from those of Hispanics; desegregation plans should adhere to existing guidelines for bilingual education; desegregation requires a larger Hispanic staff; different socio-economic sectors of the Hispanic community respond in varying ways to desegregation; and many… [PDF]
(1980). Los Angeles School Desegregation: Legal, Administrative, Community and Anthropological Perspectives. A Symposium Report. This report presents an anthropological perspective on the legal, demographic and community issues involved in school desegregation in Los Angeles. Views on the desegregation process expressed by lawyers, school administrators, community members, educators, and anthropologists who attended a 1978 symposium are summarized. An historical and legal review of desegregation issues in California from 1963 to 1978 is provided. Several issues pertinent to desegregation efforts in any large city are raised, including: (1) the status of minority multiethnic and multilingual groups other than blacks in desegregation remedies; (2) inclusion or exclusion of racially isolated schools in desegregation plans; (3) the definition of a desegregated school in districts where whites are the minority; and (4) problems of citizen involvement. The benefits of desegregation to different racial and ethnic groups are discussed. Also included are suggestions regarding the contributions anthropologists can make…
(1972). Educacion Bilingue: Una Declaraccion del Plan y Accion que Proponen los Regentes de la Universidad del Estado de Nueva York. Bilingual Education: A Statement of Policy and Proposed Action by the Regents of the University of the State of New York. Position Paper No. 16. Large numbers of Puerto Rican and other non-English-speaking students live in school districts throughout New York State. To enable these students to function in an English-speaking society while retaining their own culture, a policy to promote bilingual program planning was established by the Board of Regents of New York State in 1972. In this statement of that policy, communities are advised regarding strategies for determining local needs and identifying resources, within a framework of flexible program possibilities. The state's commitment to meeting the educational needs of minority citizens is reviewed through a summary of policy statements and programs sponsored by the Board of Regents. Priorities for action to implement the policy emphasize: (1) increased allocation of resources to bilingual education, (2) improvements in teacher training and teaching methods, and (3) state assistance to localities that bear the burden of program development. Appendices present data on: (1)…
(1987). ERIC/RCS Report: Foreign Affairs: Contact Literature in English. English Journal, v76 n7 p45-48 Nov. Discusses the use of non-native English literature in the American English classroom. Views the transformation of English by non-English sensibilities as a source of vitality in the language. Concludes that contact literature helps students appreciate language change and stimulates reader response. Provides bibliographies of works by international writers and articles on contact literature. (JG)…
(1988). Instructional Effectiveness: English-Only for Speakers of Other Languages?. Education and Urban Society, v2 n4 p341-62 Aug. Argues that limited English speaking minority students can succeed in a classroom where only English is spoken. Presents strategies for effective culturally based instruction designed to reduce the effects of culture conflict and improve opportunities for academic success. (FMW)…