(1991). MACOS and the Global Perspective. The contributions that the elementary curriculum, "Man: A Course of Study" (MACOS), has made to global education are examined in this essay. It is contended that MACOS, which incorporates ecology, biology, anthropology, and the humanities, has fostered several goals of global education. These goals include: understanding cultures through an in-depth study of them; developing a vocabulary of thought for dealing with cross-cultural similarities and differences; and attaining a non-judgmental framework for dealing with issues of value. In short, MACOS is committed to helping students to grasp the interconnectedness of the world. (DB)…
(1992). Africa in the "New World Order": Old Assumptions, Myths, and Reality. Old stereotypes and prejudices about Africa and Africans are addressed in this paper on globalizing the business curriculum and internationalizing the training of professionals. It is noted that Africa continues to suffer from a tradition of neglect that includes a historical, systematic exclusion from the rest of the world. Examples from the works of Western scholars and the media are cited that perpetuate the stereotypes and misunderstandings. Themes and objectives are presented that should underlie any teaching about Africa. They include the following: the distinction between myth and fact; all peoples have a significant past; all peoples must deal with similar basic problems; the importance of family and kinship in shaping a society's structure and character; characteristics of a society that are related to the physical environment; differing cultural patterns; and patterns of acceptable individual and group behavior and means for their enforcement. Instructional units are… [PDF]
(1993). Destination: Cameroon. Study Guide. Designed to allow teachers and students to take a pro-active approach to learning about Cameroon, the guide is a starting point for research and discussion with information that enables students to identify patterns of culture and geography. In the first section, details on Africa and Cameroon provide information that can be personalized for each class depending on ages, other subjects being studied, and students' abilities and interests. The second section utilizes questions to encourage students to look beyond the differences in Cameroonian society and culture and focus on the similarities with their own communities. Produced and available from the World Wise School Office, a videotape, "Destination: Cameroon," compliments this section and offers additional instructional material. The third section includes 11 activities and 9 worksheets to give students an opportunity to learn more about Cameroon through research, by working in teams, and by problem solving. The final… [PDF]
(1994). Becoming Multicultural: Helping Students Develop Intercultural Competence. A series of strategies and techniques for helping elementary and secondary students develop a multicultural outlook within the school environment are outlined. It is argued that because of the culture-specific knowledge individuals possess, we draw inferences that influence the way we perceive other people and interpret their actions, resulting in cultural misunderstandings. These inferences are based on our linguistic, speech act, discourse, sociocultural, context, and global knowledge. Strategies for bypassing inappropriate inferences focus on metacognitive skills of monitoring, evaluating, and reformulating inferences and interpretations. Once a conflict or potential conflict is identified, the individual most commonly addresses it by a variety of strategies, including: substituting another inference; questioning the earliest of multiple interpretations; shifting focus; case analysis; distorting information to fit the default interpretation; seeking more information; or…
(1989). Multiculturalism in the Curriculum. This document contrasts the concept of multiculturalism as it appears in the proposed New York State curriculum guide, "A Curriculum of Inclusion," and as it appears in the California State history/social sciences curriculum. California uses the following approaches to reflect the multiracial, multicultural nature of American society: (1) expanding the study of world history to include the development of non-Western civilizations; (2) encouraging the use of the literature and art of diverse cultures; (3) recognizing the central role of Blacks in reshaping American political institutions; (4) recognizing the importance of ethnic groups in building the nation; (5) emphasizing civic values, democratic behaviors, and human rights; and (6) balancing the concept of pluralism with the sense of unity. However, the New York proposal disparages common elements in American society in the following ways: (1) overstating the inherent racism of the existing curriculum; (2) focusing only… [PDF]
(1990). Asia Wise, Issues One-Ten, 1990 [and] Asia Wise, Teachers' Section, Issues One-Ten 1990. Asia Wise, n1-10. Student volumes and teacher guides for 10 issues of an Australian magazine devoted to the study of Asia comprise this document. The subjects of the ten issues are: (1) Trading for Our Future; (2) Korea: Two Nations–One People; (3) Women in Asia–A Confusing Picture; (4) Australia–Indonesia: A Developing Relationship; (5) The Land on the Roof of the World; (6) Japan Facing the Future; (7) Into India; (8) A China Beyond Politics; (9) The Malaysian Experience; and (10) Looking to the Future. The student sections present a variety of informative articles about each of the 10 subjects. The teacher guides provide background information, how to integrate the topics into the curriculum, maps, and additional resource materials. (DB)…
(1991). Educating Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Preschoolers: Moving the Agenda. Despite growing interest in children's policy and in research regarding childhood bilingualism and language acquisition, the early care and education of linguistically and culturally diverse preschoolers remains a matter of much concern. Relative inattention at the level of policy to the needs and interests of such children is due to several causes, including widely and tenaciously held personal beliefs, political ideologies, misperceptions regarding the lack of a demographic imperative, and disciplinary fragmentation among academics. Four fundamental isssues must be addressed if policy and practice in this domain are to improve. The issues are: (1) socialization, resocialization, and the family/child relationship; (2) modalities of instruction; (3) contextually discontinuous strategies; and (4) sub-system creation versus system reform. Each issue is discussed. Action principles and leadership strategies are presented in hopes of moving an action agenda to ensure that linguistically… [PDF]
(1989). Facilitating Social Interaction between Asian and Non-Asian Students: A Resource Booklet. This resource guide provides teachers at all grade levels in the Fort Lee (New Jersey) School District with programs, activities, procedures, and resources to promote mutual understanding and improve inter-group relations between Asian and non-Asian students. Section I, "Outline of Classroom, All-School, and After-School Activities for Elementary, Middle, and High School Levels and the P.T.A.," suggests activities for use by elementary schools, middle and high schools, and the Parent Teacher Association. Each activity is cross-referenced to appropriate classroom projects, detailed plans, and resources listed in the other sections. Section II, "Specific Subject Matter Activities for Curriculum Infusion," outlines activities for the following subject areas and includes cross-references to detailed plans and resources listed in the other sections: (1) Social Studies; (2) Language Arts; (3) Mathematics; (4) Science; and (5) Art, Music, and Physical Education. Section…
(1990). Foreign Students in Japan. NIER Occasional Paper 03/90. As Japan takes a place as one of the world's technologically and economically advanced nations, the number of foreign students seeking to study in Japan has increased rapidly, as has the number of foreigners expressing interest in studying Japanese culture and the Japanese language. The Japanese government's program of international student exchange is still in a developmental stage and is rapidly changing in size and quality. Japan is at an important crossroads as it attempts to establish a system of foreign exchange study that will meet its goals. This paper discusses the current status of foreign student programs in Japan. The following nine areas are examined: (1) selection of university; (2) immigration and residential qualifications; (3) Japanese language study and pre-college education; (4) application and selection procedures; (5) scholarships; (6) tuition, fees, and exemption programs; (7) housing and medical care; (8) jobs and community relations; and (9) after-service for…
(1987). Some Educational Implications of the Canadian Private Sponsorship Program for Southeast Asian Refugees. This paper addresses the educational implications of a unique Canadian program of refugee immigrant support and integration–private sponsorship. Individual Southeast Asian refugees and their families are financially supported by groups of five or more private individuals. Many such groups are affiliated with Christian church congregations. The workings of the program are briefly described, and it is argued that private sponsorship was not appreciably more effective than government sponsorship in addressing psychological needs, in introducing refugees to Canadian culture and economy, in developing cross-ethnic reference groups, or in orienting refugees toward formal Canadian education. Several studies are cited to support this argument, and structural weaknesses regarding the relationship between sponsors and refugees are examined. These include the nonprovision of effective tools to bridge cultural gulfs, the dependency of the refugee on the sponsor (producing a weak bond between…
(1986). Elementary Social Studies Curriculum Guide (K-5). Written for grades K-5 from a multicultural perspective, the curriculum guide has a dual focus: intracultural and intercultural. Rationales for this focus include raising the sensitivity of students toward their own cultural groups and examining the commonalities across cultures for an awareness of what binds people together. Implementation of a multicultural curriculum is intended to achieve the following objectives: (1) to encourage in students self-definition as well as sensitive group interaction and participation; (2) to help everyone involved in the curriculum recognize that each cultural group has a special contribution to make to the educational experience of all students; and (3) to help everyone involved respond positively to the cultural identities of others. The guide's systematic approach is carried out through concepts, objectives, and activities that directly reflect major skills described within the guide and are supported by references to textbooks, materials,…
(1987). Determining Accuracy of Cultural Perceptions of Oriental Cultures. Do social studies textbooks used in U.S. schools provide an unbiased view of other cultures? This research study analyzes five social studies textbook series and 26 children's literature books used as supplementary materials for teaching about Oriental cultures. The instrument used was the Evaluation Coefficient Analysis (ECA) with the focus on value judgements used to describe Oriental cultures in the materials examined in the study. The criteria used were that the textbooks should be for the sixth grade level and that the children's literature should be used as supplementary materials. The results showed that of 94 textbook terms which were rated, 60 percent were viewed as favorable, 36 percent unfavorable, and 4 percent neutral. In the children's literature, 70 percent of the 17 terms evaluated were favorable and 30 percent were unfavorable, with 1 percent neutral. The findings suggested that selected social studies textbooks do not provide a negative stereotypical representation… [PDF]
(1984). Literature Review: Studies of the Impact of a Travel-Abroad Experience. Research Report #28. More than 8,000 secondary school students participated in the AFS International exchange programs in 1983, and this document examines some of the research that investigates the impact of travel abroad and intercultural experiences on personality development. Cigdem Kagitcibasi, in a study of the effects of a 10-month program on student participants from Turkey, found that world-mindedness among the students increased and that authoritarianism and religiosity decreased. Robert A. C. Stewart examined the changes in values between New Zealand students who went abroad and their best friends. A survey of more than 200 former participants found that the AFS-sponsored students not only showed a greater decrease in ethnocentrism than their friends but that they also became more conservative. Norman L. Kauffman, in his study of the Goshen College (Indiana) Trimester Program on the personality development of student participants, found greater change than in other college students in: (1) a…
(1987). The Constitution in Other Lands. Bill of Rights in Action, v3 n4 Spr. Designed for classroom teaching, this document contains articles on the new constitutions of Japan, South Korea, and the Philippine Islands which were modeled in part on the U.S. Constitution. These countries' experiences with constitutional government are examined, and whether or not the U.S. Constitution can be a suitable model for other countries with different cultures, histories, and political traditions is explored. After World War II ended, the United States had a series of decisions to make regarding a new Japanese government. General Douglas MacArthur asked the Japanese to write a new constitution and when it was not forthcoming, had a team of military officers on his staff trained in law and government prepare it. The result was the establishment of a successful democracy in Japan. South Korea has a constitutional government modeled on western democratic values but has not had peaceful and democratic elections since its adoption in 1948. Between 1972 and 1982 the… [PDF]
(1980). Teaching Multicultural Awareness and Understanding through the Language Arts–Creative Writing: Suggested Topics for Creative and Expository Writing Based on the Roots of the Cuban Culture for Use with Cuban Children and Others Who are Interested in Understanding Their Culture. Intended to help teachers in developing language arts curriculum materials for use with recent Cuban refugees to the United States, this paper contains 300 topics for creative and expository writing based on the roots of the Cuban culture. The topics cover a variety of subjects, including food preparation, memories of Cuba, experiences in a new country, Cuban contributions to American culture, Cuban artists, and political differences between Cuba and the United States. (FL)…