This study investigated learning vocabulary in group work at university in Vietnam. The students were studied in two kinds of group settings, "unassisted" and "assisted", the first consisting of five students from the same class level and the second of four from the same class and a student from a higher class. Differences were…

A study comparing the request strategies of native and non-native speakers of English and Spanish is reported. Subjects were 29 American and 78 European students with varied first languages, enrolled in English and Spanish courses at the University of the Basque Country (Spain). Data were obtained using a general background questionnaire and a…

The outgrowth of a conference intended to broaden the base of objective information about the Mexican American community, this collection of 13 papers examines the effects of immigration by people of Mexican origin on the economic, educational, social, political, and linguistic systems of the United States. Walker Connor's introduction puts the…

Discourse strategies used by status-unequal interlocutors expressing disagreement are discussed. The paper focuses on the influence of role relationships on semantic formulas. A comparative study of discourse strategies used by native speakers of Turkish and North American English in the same speech event is also reported. Data were gathered from…

A handbook for teachers, administrators, and bilingual education specialists who deal with limited-English-proficient, Japanese-speaking students is designed to assist this language minority to get the best educational opportunities. Chapters discuss the background of Japanese-speaking people in California, historical and sociocultural factors…

A comparative, interpretive analysis of the social organization of contrasting groups of rural youth from New Mexico ad Ohio was approached from an ethnomethodological perspective, relying on direct observation, intensive personal interviews, and key informants to produce a broader understanding of particular youth coping with their social…

The report interprets and explains the basis of Mexican American/Anglo disparity in the educational experience through the theoretical framework of "group conflict." Chapter One presents the group conflict model of society, outlining the manner in which groups form and compete for power, wealth, and prestige. Chapter Two focuses on the way in…

As one of the sequential units developed by the Latin American Curriculum Project, it expands further the material in the units covered at the lower grade levels. It is a two week unit which emphasized a comparison of the Anglo- and Latin American colonial systems. Broader perspectives and more meaningful understanding of both civilizations are…

Recognizing that cross-national information and analysis can contribute to the improvement of policy development related to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC), the Education Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) launched the Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in 1998.…

This article examines the literacy events of two Puerto Rican kindergartners and their interactions with siblings and cousins of similar age. This work is part of a broader study that analyzes and describes literacy events in bilingual classrooms, homes, and churches of Spanish-dominant Puerto Rican beginning readers. Using a qualitative approach,…

Examined long-term effects of family income and life events on math and reading achievement of 1,253 children. Found that low income and minority ethnic status are significant risk factors for children's achievement, although the impact on math achievement was different from impact on reading achievement. No systematic evidence was found for the…

Successful conduct of business in Saudi Arabia requires attitudes and skills significantly different from those needed in the United States. Distinct societal differences can turn winning practices in one culture into failures in another. Despite Saudi Arabia's recent emergence as a wealthy marketplace, traditional values and a unique lifestyle…

As the Suzuki method of music instruction has spread from Japan to other countries, its methods have been modified to adapt to the culture of those countries. In this paper the Japanese cultural background, and the principles and methods developed in Japan are discussed and compared with the adaptations made in the United States. The Suzuki method…

This report provides information on factors that are associated with children's progress through elementary school and high school. Children's rates of advancement through school were measured by comparing the grade attended in 1976 with the typical grades attended by children at each age. The grade in which most children of a given age were…

Twelve conference papers on cultural aspects of second language instruction include: "Towards True Multiculturalism: Ideas for Teachers" (Brian McVeigh); Comparing Cultures Through Critical Thinking: Development and Interpretations of Meaningful Observations" (Laurel D. Kamada); "Authority and Individualism in Japan and the…