(1997). The Visibility of African-American Literature in the Middle. A study examined the visibility of African-American literature in middle schools. The move in middle schools of this region toward the use of authentic literature and teacher/student choice of what is read has made a dramatic impact on the reading methods courses at the local university. Two teachers sought recommendations from local librarians, their university students involved in the reading practicum, literature-based teachers in the middle schools, and available published lists of recommended titles. Over a period of 2 years, 421 middle school students were asked, through written surveys, if they had read specific titles by award winning Black authors. Results indicated that when presented with choices of themes they might want to read about, 39% said they would not want to read books in a thematic unit featuring Black authors. When surveying the 44 students in the university's reading practicum, 33 had not read any of the multicultural selections recommended and 11 of the…
(1996). Haitians: A People on the Move. Haitian Cultural Heritage Resource Guide. This cultural heritage resource guide has been prepared as a tool for teachers to help them understand the cultural heritage of their Haitian students, their families, and their communities in order to serve them better. Although Haiti became an independent country in 1804, the struggle of its people for justice and freedom has never ended. Many Haitians have left Haiti for political, social, and economic reasons, and many have come to the larger cities of the United States, particularly New York City. This guide contains the following sections: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Haiti at a Glance"; (3) "In Search of a Better Life"; (4) "Haitian History"; (5) "Haitian Culture"; (6) "Images of Haiti"; and (7) "Bibliography," a 23-item list of works for further reading. (SLD)… [PDF]
(1999). The View of the Yeti: Bringing up Children in the Spirit of Self-Awareness and Kindredship. Using the mythical creature of the Himalayas, the Yeti, as a symbol for the prejudices and assumptions that people prematurely make about each other, this book discusses bringing up children to accept and cherish diversity and helping them to thrive in an increasingly diverse world. Directed to educators and caregivers of toddlers and preschoolers, the book takes insights from Dutch-, French-, and English-language literature and provides practical examples based on European issues and context. Chapters 1 and 2 deal with facilitating identity development in a fragmented world. Chapters 3 and 4 examine self-image development and the image of the "other." Chapter 5 looks at an educational model based on the social and developmental psychology insights from previous chapters. Chapters 6 and 7 examine parental cooperation and suggest some ways that the educational model can be implemented at educational centers. Chapter 8 analyzes multilingualism. Chapter 9 examines how a group… [PDF]
(1996). Enhancing Multicultural Awareness through the Storybook Reading Experience. Journal of Research and Development in Education, v30 n1 p1-9 Fall. Reports a study that examined the effects of combining home and classroom reading of multicultural storybooks on middle class Caucasian elementary students' awareness of and attitudes toward other cultures. Surveys of students who did and did not participate in story reading indicated positive gains for story participants and negative change in control students. (SM)…
(1997). "On the Edges of the Map": A Study of Heritage Language Teachers in Toronto. Teaching and Teacher Education, v13 n1 p39-53. Presents the educational stories of elementary heritage language teachers in Toronto (Canada). Interviews explored the complexities of teaching in the heritage language program. Some issues identified were a communication gap between parents and children; and professionalization, certification, and integration into the educational mainstream. (SM)…
(1996). Getting All Students to Listen: Analyzing and Coping with Student Resistance. American Behavioral Scientist, v40 n2 p203-11 Nov-Dec. Discusses various teaching strategies for responding to students' resistance to multicultural and diversity issues. Describes three types of resistance: vocal, silent, and absent. Recommends establishing a classroom atmosphere that is safe for exploring issues of inequality, power, and privilege. Provides an appendix for further information. (MJP)…
(1989). Reforming History Curricula: Some Thoughts on Democracy and Western Civilization. OAH Magazine of History, v4 n1 p5-8 Win. Urges that the changes in the ethnic, religious, and cultural pluralism in the United States, as well as those in politics of the educational system, be taken into account when designing history curricula. Argues that world history should replace the western civilization course. (KO)…
(1988). Using Children's Literature in the History-Social Studies Curriculum. Social Studies Review, v28 n1 p53-63 Fall. Presents ideas for using children's literature to make social studies more engaging for students and to enhance student learning about people. Suggests that literature can be used thematically and offers several illustrations for different grade levels. (LS)…
(1994). What to Do until the Expert Comes: Dealing with Demands for Multicultural, International Information Now. Reference Librarian, n45-46 p119-35. Discusses ways in which academic and public librarians can provide help with multicultural and international topics in spite of unhelpful subject headings and weak collections, including an awareness of cultural bias; collection policies to support diversity; relearning the collections and access strategies; and restructuring reference searches. (Contains 16 references.) (LRW)…
(1995). Helping Students Learn to Get Along: Assessing the Effectiveness of a Multicultural Developmental Guidance Project. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, v30 n2 p143-54 Dec. Tested the effectiveness of a framework that linked developmental and multicultural counseling theories for use among elementary-school-age students (n=117). Designed to help students develop a variety of social and interpersonal skills that would increase their ability to resolve conflicts resulting from negative prejudices, the intervention was successful. Discusses limitations. (JBJ)…
(1995). History Standards and Culture Wars. Social Education, v59 n1 p5-7 Jan. Reports on the controversy about the National History Standards, released in 1994 as part of the Goals 2000 program. Argues that the standards encourage critical thinking skills, active learning, use of primary sources, and integration of art and literature into history. (CFR)…
(1995). Strength in Diversity: How Well-Managed Cultural Training Programs Can Turn Conflict into Profits. Hispanic, v8 n5 p60,62 Jun. The number of Hispanics entering the workforce between 1992 and 2005 will increase by 64 percent. Cultural diversity training can help companies produce and market products more effectively. It can reduce misperceptions due to differences in coworkers' communication styles and match services to consumer expectations. The possibility of antagonistic outcomes is also discussed. (JAT)…
(1991). Success for Second Language Learners. Learning, v20 n4 p50-52 Nov-Dec. An elementary school teacher describes her experiences with language minority students and presents her strategies for teaching the whole class effectively while meeting individual needs. The article offers five suggestions for adjusting teaching to reach all students at once. (SM)…
(1992). An Uncertain Trumpet: Welcoming Diverse Students. Liberal Education, v78 n4 p8-11 Sep-Oct. Creating a college culture that encourages cultural pluralism requires removal of barriers in the environment. Colleges must (1) not assume that students need to assimilate into their existing culture; (2) extend their geographic and social boundaries; (3) provide support systems; and (4) help faculty understand different culture-based student needs. (MSE)…
(1992). Written Worlds: Students Share Culture through Writing. Teaching Tolerance, v1 n2 p36-43 Fall. Describes the work of three teachers who are helping minority students share their worlds with others through writing. Describes California kindergartners' journal work, shows how American Indian students write and publish their work, and demonstrates how Hispanic American students in Texas published in a local journal. (JB)…