While environmental problems are urgent in modern society, they are especially difficult to tackle because of their normative and politically controversial nature. Universities may choose different theoretical paradigms for the teaching of environmental problems. However, limited theoretical and/or practical analysis has been undertaken of the…

Families and teachers spend countless hours supporting preschoolers and primary age children in the development of mental tools like focus, memory, and other problem-solving skills that help children think better, pay attention, and remember what they have experienced. Children use these tools to succeed in reading, writing, math, science, and…

Teaching for economic justice can be challenging for upper elementary and middle school teachers. Many teachers may feel uncomfortable with the subject matter and thus avoid addressing sensitive social issues related to economic/financial inequities. This article describes how selected songs and works of visual art, expressions of social protest…

This article discusses why it has become considerably more difficult for the rising generations to enter the system of social and civic relations in today's Kazakh society. This situation is due to the transition from the Soviet model of socialization (which was unitary in terms of its normative character, with equal starting social opportunities…

All students struggle with interpersonal based problems, be it a troublesome roommate, problems with a partner, conflict with a significant other, or relational issues with parents or children. The interpersonal communication classroom can be enhanced by discussing these problems and experiences. This article presents an activity that aims to (1)…

To extend children's understandings about economic disadvantage, some early primary teachers choose a critical literacy curriculum. In such a curriculum, teachers often introduce realistic children's literature to foster sustained and meaningful conversations with children about issues affecting the society. This article looks at four first-person…

Children with only months of life experience and brain development are just beginning to learn social problem solving. No wonder young children frequently make mistakes! Teachers tend to complain about tattling more than any other behavior. To many teachers, tattling is irksome, but there is more to this behavior than meets the eye. In this…

Describes a child-based intervention focused on skills of social entry, maintaining interactions, and solving problems for five boys with attention-deficit disorder. Parents were taught skills of debriefing, problem solving, and goal setting. Behavioral changes were considered socially valid, and all parents and child subjects viewed social skills…

Drama is a means to develop imagination and empathy. Simulated experiences can affect profoundly one's judgment and understanding, adding insights and expanding the frame of reference. The name game is a good beginning exercise, especially if participants do not know one another. Each player states his or her name and a favorite object that begins…

This paper explores the social dimension of lifelong learning from the perspective of demographics, with particular focus on the issue of the birth of fewer children, which has become one of the most important current social issues in Japanese society. When considering the relationship between lifelong learning and demographics, the issues arising…

It is essential to help foster students' social awareness in addition to their academic skills. Through discussions of stories that emphasize social issues such as racism and prejudice, students have the opportunity to develop and explore their own beliefs. But what do they really learn, and how? In this article, the authors document their efforts…

Successful school reentry following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is critical to recovery. Physical, cognitive, behavioral, academic, and social problems can affect a child's school performance after a TBI. However, early intervention has the potential to improve child academic outcomes and promote effective coping with any persistent changes in…

The overall issue of assessment during early childhood, and its relation to school readiness and other decisions, is currently widely debated. Expanding early childhood education and child care enrollments, better scientific knowledge about early childhood development, and decisions about public spending, necessitate careful consideration of which…

Discusses the value of role-play in developing interpersonal skills and presents a 10-step model to help performance technologists design effective role-plays. Highlights include training objectives; designing assessment instruments; task analysis; generality and demonstration; designing social-communicative problems for the content; practice; and…

Describes Positive Peer Culture (PPC), a school-based program for teaching social skills to adolescents, especially those in foster care or juvenile justice residential settings. Outlines problem types, discusses formal and informal group meetings and benefits of PPC (critical thinking, participatory democracy, real-world literacy, business…