(1974). Asian Pacific Perspectives. This multicultural guide contains classroom activities that have been prepared for use in the primary grades. The guide is divided into five sections: (1) multicultural, (2) phonology, (3) syntax, (4) comprehension, and (5) resources. The multicultural unit discusses twenty activities from Asian countries, some involving arts and crafts and some involving classroom discussion. The phonology unit is designed to help Asian American students improve their oral/aural discrimination skills in English. Each of the 30 lesson units represents a pronunciation problem for three or more of the five Asian language groups. The syntax unit is designed to give Asian American students a better understanding of English sentence structure as well as knowledge of the American culture. The comprehension unit is developed to assist students who are learning English as a second language to express themselves orally in English. The resources unit contains three bibliographies: (1) "Asian American…
(1977). Communicating and Working with Parents in the Multicultural Classroom. This guide is designed to help teachers communicate more effectively with parents and to encourage parent participation in the multicultural classroom. Twelve group activities are divided into seven sessions. Session I activities focus on goals, expectations, current methods of communication with parents, communication problems, and a communication survey. Session II is designed to increase the teacher's awareness of what influences communication. Activities are three variations of the block exercise in which participants sit back-to-back while one instructs the other to build a structure with blocks. Session III is concerned with nonverbal communication as culturally influenced. Activities include role playing, observing and interpreting nonverbal communication, and analyzing conflicting messages at the verbal and nonverbal levels. Session IV presents techniques for effective communication with parents. The value of listening skills, an examination of irrelevant responses, factors…
(1985). A New Professional Educational Experience. Education Canada, v25 n1 p35-39 Spr. Describes an interprovincial visitation program for school trustees and administrators from British Columbia and Ontario designed to help them deal more effectively with educational issues produced by multicultural societies. Discusses visitation programs as cost-effective means to broaden the knowledge and thereby increase the effectiveness of educational leaders. (JHZ)…
(2001). International Programs at Community Colleges. AACC Research Brief. The American Association of Community Colleges conducted a year 2000 survey that was designed to determine the involvement of U.S. community colleges in international programs and services. The survey was a follow-up to a 1995 survey in the same areas. International services and programs, for the purposes of the study, are defined as programs and activities designed to increase global awareness in the college community and to support the process by which students prepare for successful integration into a multicultural and interdependent world. The survey was sent to 1,171 community colleges, with 307 colleges responding, for a response rate of 26%. Because of this low response rate, readers are advised against applying the findings nationally. Highlights of the 2000 survey results include: (1) 82% of the responding colleges reported having international components in their courses, compared with 40% in 1995; (2) the number of colleges with international business programs grew from…
(2002). Educating Limited-English-Proficient Students in Washington State: Annual Report of the State Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program. Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction This report provides information on the program for students with limited English proficiency (LEP) in school year 2000-2001 as well as historical information. Specifically, this report discusses the following topics: (1) staffing patterns and instruction to implement the program; (2) enrollment patterns of students who have participated in the program and how the patterns have changed over time; (3) the languages spoken by students in the program; (4) the amount of time students spent in the program; and (5) academic performance of LEP students served by the program. To address these topics, the authors examined data obtained from all 187 districts that had an approved state program for LEP students in school year 2000-2001. The data were provided on the district annual reports. The authors also used data reported by districts in previous years. The district reports were checked for consistency, and districts were contacted when discrepancies were found. Since school- level data… [PDF]
(1997). An Investigation of the Multicultural Perceptions of Selected Secondary Social Studies Student Teachers. The multicultural perceptions and attitudinal shifts, if any, during student teaching of selected social studies student teachers at Mississippi State University were studied through a case study methodology that used observations, interviews, and document analyses, including scores on the Mississippi Teacher Assessment Instrument. The three student teachers from a class with the lowest scores on the Multicultural Perceptions Inventory and the three with the highest scores were selected. Perceptions and attitudes were assessed throughout the semester for these students and seven supervising teachers. Five of the six student teachers did not demonstrate the knowledge and skills deemed necessary according to the literature to provide the opportunity for the successful academic performance of culturally diverse students. Four of the six had positive attitudes toward culturally diverse students, but only one had the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be successful in teaching… [PDF]
(2000). Globalisation, Effectiveness and Improvement. This paper reports principally on two studies, prompted by research on school effectiveness in the United States and England, which indicate globalization is beginning to affect school improvement. The first study cites case studies of two schools–from working-class, multi-ethnic, poorly educated areas of Singapore and London–to determine if these schools can be validly compared, and if so, to point out how these schools can learn from each other. School improvement began when the school acquired a new, enthusiastic head teacher who believed everyone capable of learning, and who infused staff and students with this ideal. The second study questioned whether student groupings could make a difference in certain areas. Three separate groups of 15 schools were selected to determine any differences in student levels of self-esteem, staff attitudes to groups, and academic progress. It appears that ability groupings do not have a strong or uniform impact on pupil progress. (Contains 35… [PDF]
(2000). On-Line Multicultural Literature Discussions: How This Discourse Community Informs Teacher Educators. This study investigated the effects of computer-based technologies on literature discussions between preservice teachers and eighth graders. Most participating preservice teachers were preparing to work with students in literacy development. Over two semesters, eighth graders were paired with college students taking a young adults literature course. The pairs read and discussed multicultural short stories for teens, poetry, essays on multiculturalism, and novels. Electronic mail helped foster relationships between pairs. An electronic bulletin board allowed all participants to interact asynchronously with the entire group around various topics. Small groups met in virtual environments (MOOs) to conduct online literature circles. Data sources included surveys on technology needs; e-mail correspondence; process logs; interview transcripts from student focus groups; researchers' planning notes and logs; and teacher and student analyses of the MOOs. Results indicated that MOOs provided…
(1996). Religious Education in Christ with Culture from a Japanese Perspective. Religious Education, v91 n2 p222-37 Spr. Considers the situation of Japanese Christians living in Japan, a land where non-Christian religious customs and values are inextricably interwoven in the national culture. Advocates H. Richard Niebuhr's \Christ-with-culture\ approach that affirms multiple revelations of God in non-Christian religions. Discusses other aspects of Niebuhr's beliefs. (MJP)…
(1996). Multicultural Teaching Concerns: New Dimensions in the Area of Teacher Concerns Research?. Journal of Educational Research, v89 n6 p371-79 Jul-Aug. Describes development of the Multicultural Teaching Concerns Survey, a self-report survey designed to assess the intensity of teachers' concerns about teaching diverse students. Participants (N=146) were preservice and inservice teachers. Analysis revealed four multicultural teaching concern factors, two of which roughly supported related research. (SM)…
(1996). The Effects of a Professional Development Institute on Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Their Intercultural Knowledge and Sensitivity. Teacher Educator, v32 n1 p48-61 Sum. Describes the effects of a professional development institute to promote critical self-reflection on preservice teachers' attitudes and knowledge about diversity. Data analysis of 18 usable surveys indicated increased postinstitute confidence in abilities to plan for multicultural instruction and recognize student's learning needs. The confidence did not always translate into practice. (SM)…
(2002). Using Popular Films To Challenge Preservice Teachers' Beliefs about Teaching in Urban Schools. Urban Education, v37 n1 p77-95 Jan. Discusses myths about urban education and education in general that are illustrated in three popular films about inner city schools, focusing on myths about learning, specifically about questions and answers, authenticity, and motivation; teaching, specifically about the center of the learning process; relationships with students, parents, and the institution; and culture. Proceeds from a constructivist approach to learning. (SM)…
(1996). Deconstructing the Diversity-Disability Connection. Contemporary Education, v68 n1 p5-8 Fall. Examines connections between diversity and disability in special education, noting increasing tendencies to locate special education under the umbrella of diversity. The paper maintains that the assumptions underlying disability are dramatically different from those supporting diversity and suggests that special educators transform their traditional advocacy to a broad sociocultural framework. (SM)…
(1989). Effective Permeation of Race and Gender Issues in Teacher Education Courses. Gender and Education, v1 n3 p221-36. Examines the current debate about "permeation" of race, gender, and culture issues in teacher education in the United Kingdom. Explores the comprehensiveness of any strategy for effective permeation in teacher education, ranging from the nature of academic and professional elements to institutional backup to ensure more than a tokenistic approach. (Author/AF)…
(1994). The Role of Religious Education in Building a Nation in Multiethnic South Africa. Religious Education, v89 n3 p313-37 Sum. Discusses the role of religious education in the future planning and implementation of South Africa's education system. Reviews the role of religion before 1990, particularly the Dutch Reformed Church. Concludes that the future of religious education in South Africa depends on the future of religion. (CFR)…