(1992). Effective School Responses to Student Diversity: Challenges and Prospects. Some of the major barriers to progress in special education reform are highlighted, and critical issues for improving the prospects of achieving equity in schooling success for all of the children in U.S. schools are discussed. Vignettes illustrate what new programs and policies for helping students might actually mean for the students and their families. One of the most significant problems in special education is the way in which students are classified and placed in special education programs, with the related problems of labeling and stereotyping. Once placement has been made, students often suffer from inescapable isolation. Achieving success in special education reform requires progress on policy, administration, and programing. A first step should be eliminating the inherent disincentives in current funding. On an administrative level, it is crucial to empower building-level administrators and staff to assemble resources they need. From a programmatic point of view, special… [PDF]
(1976). Cultural Pluralism and Other Major Issues in American Education. Part I. Decentralized Project No. 4 (Special Activity). International Management Training for Educational Change (IMTEC). Most of the dilemmas, contradictions, and inconsistencies that beset the nation's schools relate either directly or indirectly to the ambiguous, overworked twin concepts of cultural pluralism and the great American melting pot. Examination of the ethnic history of the United States reveals that those minorities urging cultural pluralism were effectively excluded from the benefits of American society while less visible minorities were being assimilated. These excluded minorities are now trying a different route to equity, without realizing that the methods they are using have historically resulted in the dissolution of the cultural groups using them. The traditional American concern for equality that underlies efforts at cultural pluralism also underlies many other no less complex movements in education; those for equal opportunity, compensatory education, desegregation, bilingual and bicultural education, and affirmative action. The philosophical roots and likely outcomes of these…
(1978). Migrant Education Evaluation Report 1977-1978. Title I ESEA. Idaho State Department of Education. State Annual Evaluation Report. Nearly 8,700 migrant students (73% at the elementary level) participated in Idaho's 1978 migrant education program which emphasized oral language, reading, and math skills for all students, and career preparation (driver training, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, GED skills) for teenagers. Of the 33 participating school districts, 30 had sufficient migrant enrollment to require special educational programs during the regular term. Bilingual resource teachers and instructional aides used special materials and rooms to provide supplementary individualized instruction in a bilingual/bicultural environment. Nearly 90% of 5,600 mmigrant students gained an average of 1.5 grade levels in reading and math skills. In the summer program, which stressed oral language development, 80 to 90% of the elementary students achieved their individualized objectives. The staff benefitted from numerous curriculum and inservice workshops, some of which emphasized cultural awareness. Two Migrant…
(1980). Desegregation and Hispanic Students: A Community Perspective. A case study of the desegregation process in Milwaukee's Public Schools and the participation of the Hispanic community in that process through the efforts of a parent-community group to safeguard the rights of Hispanic students to equal educational opportunity examines in detail the ways a community has dealt and continues to deal with issues affecting cities with multiethnic populations. The case study focuses on the legal and political decision-making process involved when a major city prepares and implements a plan for school desegregation, and the demands made by Hispanics for their educational needs and legal rights within the context of court-ordered desegregation. Discussed are the issues related to a 1924 Wisconsin law which eliminated all but English from the public school language curriculum, desegregation efforts by Blacks, legal definitions (and their potentially negative impact on Hispanics) used by courts and desegregation planners, and Wisconsin state policies…
(1980). Indian Education: Selected Programs and Practices. On-site visits and surveys of parents and students, as well as tribal, education, and government officials were utilized to gather information regarding selected Indian education programs and practices in Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. Many local and federally funded programs existed to provide Indian students with a bilingual/bicultural atmosphere and aid in the mastery of basic skills. Bilingual programs were particularly numerous, but basic skills programs were less so. Although Indian education curriculum development varied greatly from state to state and locality to locality, many school districts made concerted efforts to provide counseling, tutoring, and retention programs to help Indian students. Indians, however, felt that Indian-operated programs and schools were more responsive than public schools to the needs of Indian children. Indians supported alternative programs (usually federally funded) such as alternative K-12 schools, experimental… [PDF]
(1977). Challenges in Leadership in Vocational Education. National EPD Leadership Development Seminar Proceedings (Atlantic City, New Jersey, December 2, 1977). Final Report. Current delivery systems for vocational education and their implications for the future is the topic of presentations included in this report of an EPDA (Educational Professions Development Act) leadership development seminar. Major contents are an evaluation summary, texts of the three major speeches, and outlines of afternoon interaction sessions designed for maximum involvement of EPDA awardees attending. Major speeches are "Present and Future Challenges in Leadership in Vocational Education," by Gene Bottoms; "Youth Employment Act," by Robert Taggart; and "What to Look for in a Good Graduate School," by Henry Brickell. Topics of the interactive sessions outlined include (1) eradication of sex bias and stereotyping in vocational education programs; (2) legislative impact on guidance and counseling; (3) sociological influences on vocational education; (4) emerging evaluation systems; (5) vocational education delivery systems of the future; (6)…
(1979). American Indian Language and Culture Education Act. Passed by the Minnesota legislature in 1977, the innovative American Indian Language and Culture Education Act provided for the establishment of American Indian language and culture education programs designed (1) to make the curriculum more relevant to the needs, interest, and cultural heritage of American Indian pupils, (2) to provide positive reinforcement of the self-image of American Indian pupils, and (3) to develop intercultural awareness among pupils, parents and staff. Major provisions implemented were a statewide needs assessment, development of an Indian language teacher licensing process and employment guidelines, and creation of a statewide advisory task force on American Indian Language and Culture Education. Appropriations totaling $600,000 funded 11 pilot projects. Seven of these projects focused on Ojibwe, Dakota, and Winnebago cultural, language, and art development programs. Several projects provided pre-school programs to develop sensory-motor and early reading…
(1996). Literacy and Language Diversity in the United States. Language in Education: Theory and Practice 87. This book was written for scholars, policymakers, and educators and provides both an introduction to issues in literacy and language diversity and compelling questions for those who work in the field. Based on national data, the extent of language diversity in the United States is explored; what is known about English literacy, native language literacy, and biliteracy is considered; and what is needed to make informed national policy decisions about this subject is discussed. This book is written from a pro-language diversity point of view and critiques policies and practices that view language diversity as a problem that must be remedied through education. It highlights recent positive developments in adult literacy that incorporate language diversity as a resource. Chapter titles include the following: "Common Myths and Stereotypes about Literacy and Language Diversity in the United States"; "Literacy and the Great Divide: Cognitive or Social?"; "Defining… [PDF]
(2000). Teacher Self-Evaluation of Renewal Efforts of Their Teaching Practices To Improve Student Achievement. This study evaluated how teachers perceived their efforts to improve their teaching practices by participating in the Jacksonville Urban Educational Partnership (JUEP), a Professional Development School (PDS). The JUEP was designed to create sustained, high quality, professional development systems for inservice educators in three PDSs. The study explored how teachers at the end of their third year of the project rated their development of seven professional norms: collegiality, experimentation and risk taking, reflectivity, multicultural sensitivity, decision making, ongoing inquiry, and commitment to teaching. The study also examined the climate of these schools and teachers' attitudes toward the project. The 150 participating teachers completed a climate scale, a professional norms scale, a series of demographic items, and one open-ended question which asked them to name ways that JUEP had impacted their classroom practice. Overall, teachers indicated that JUEP had a degree of… [PDF]
(1988). Introduction: Toward Cultural Pluralism: Redefining Integration in American Society. Urban Review, v20 n1 p3-7 Spr. Reviews the four articles in this special theme issue. Relates the articles to a broadened understanding of the concept of integration and its implications for education in the next century. (FMW)…
(1994). How Should Students' Progress and Achievements in Art Be Assessed? A Case for Assessment That Is Responsive to Diverse Students' Needs. Visual Arts Research, v20 n1 p29-35 Spr. Discusses issues related to standardized testing and a national art curriculum. Maintains that cultural diversity among students makes valid and fair assessment difficult. Argues that teachers should be trained in the use of authentic assessment methods. (CFR)…
(1994). Discover Brazil. A Unit of Study. These curriculum materials were designed to assist sixth grade teachers in the delivery of the world regions component of the grade six social studies. Activities engage students in thinking, analysis, and speculation with a blend of process and product exercises. The book is divided into five sections. "Introductory Activities" include: (1) "Brazil-in-a-Suitcase"; (2) "Preparing for the Trip"; (3) "Identifying Mental Baggage"; (4) "Planning the Trip"; (5) "Brazil–A Country Profile"; and (6) "Brazil through the Eyes of PC Globe." Section 2, "The Influence of Geography," contains: (1) "Brazil's Neighbors"; (2) "How Big is Big"; and (3) "Brasilia: Brazil's Capital City." Section 3, "The Cultural Setting," includes: (1) "A Racial Melting Pot"; (2) "Getting By in Portuguese"; (3) "A GE Indian Creation Myth"; (4) "Families in…
(1995). A National Study of States' Roles in Choosing Reading and Literature for Second Language Learning. Report Series 2.25. A national survey was undertaken in 1993 to discover what approaches and materials state agencies recommend in the teaching of reading and literature to students in elementary and secondary school bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs. The report summarizes the study methodology and findings in these areas: existence and content of a state curriculum guide of framework for bilingual/ESL programs; enrollments of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students; instructional support offered by the state in the form of teacher handbooks, materials addressing specific LEP populations; adherence to local control in bilingual/ESL instruction; alignment of bilingual/ESL programs with English language arts programs; use of multifunctional resource centers; workshop and conference offerings for bilingual/ESL teachers; use of core instructional materials lists; and common issues encountered by state ESL/bilingual program directors, including reorganization and reduced resources,… [PDF]
(1989). Language in Action: Theory and Practice. Dimension: Languages '88. Selected Papers from the Annual Meeting of the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (24th, Charleston, South Carolina, October 13-16, 1988). Eight papers from a conference on language teaching are presented in this publication. The conference brought together some 500 foreign language educators, and the papers contained in this volume were selected as representative of the variety of topics addressed at the conference and because they challenge readers to expand their frames of reference and begin to look for uncommon solutions to common problems. Papers and authors are as follows: "The Relationship between Personality and Success in the Study of a Second Language" (Richard W. Thames); "Music and the Teaching of Listening Comprehension" (David C. Alley); "Writing as Process or Back to Nature" (Tom Cooper); "Early Foreign Language Composition" (Douglas Magrath); "Culture Teaching: The Hidden Agenda" (Caryl L. Lloyd);"Cross-Cultural Activities in the Foreign Language Classroom" (Paula R. Heusinkveld); "Success Oriented Latin Instruction at the Junior High…
(1993). Partnerships in Internationalization: The Title VIa and Beacon Projects. In an effort to increase the effectiveness of international studies and to improve resource sharing among institutions, Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), in Michigan, has created a consortium for international studies and foreign languages among 15 Michigan community colleges and Michigan State University (MSU). The consortium was funded by the federal government to design, establish, and operate a regionally based, globally focused, "International Studies and Foreign Language Program Development Institute for Community Colleges." Over a 3-year period, the consortium will assist 21 other two-year colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan in establishing or expanding their international studies and foreign-language curricula. In the mid-1980s, KVCC added, as part of its core general education mission, the integration of international education into the college mainstream. Since then, the college's 54-member International Studies Group has infused… [PDF]