Discriminatory assessment of minority students for possible handicap is virtually inevitable when the process ignores the societal context within which the students develop and schools educate. The psychologist or special educator should be an advocate for the student, not a legitimizer of existing role relationships. (DB)

California's policies on eligibility and placement of learning and behavior disordered children are discussed regarding their impact in determining which children are served under categories of mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional disturbance, as defined in 94-142. Major differences in growth or decrease in numbers of children…

Discusses the work of the bibliotherapeutic technique to treat physically and sexually abused children. The client's psychological stages in the process of bibliotherapy are summarized. Criteria are presented for selecting books and 10 appropriate books are synopsized. Limitations of the technique are discussed. (CB)

Discusses the role of social dancing in the lives and culture of working class Black Americans. Focuses specifically on four aspects of its meaning: identity (self-esteem), cultural integrity, ingroup-outgroup, and political resistance. Bases argument on sociological, biographical, and fictional works by and about Black culture. (KH)

Provides excerpts from personal accounts presented at a 1984 conference on the needs of children of interracial families: "Communicating is the Key" (Philip Spivey); "Growing Up with an Asian American Heritage" (Clarence L. Chen); "An Hispanic Perspective on Biracial, Bicultural Families" (Irma Garcia Rose); and…

Gives basic information to help educators identify sexually abused children and notify the appropriate social service agencies. Includes definitions, rates of occurrence, and characteristics of sexually abused children. Lists 10 specific suggestions for teachers working with abused students. (JHZ)

A selective list of interesting and successful collaboratives are presented. They are grouped under the following approaches: early identification and support, early instruction in the high schools, early instruction by the college, combining high school and college, working with teachers, and association activity. (MLW)

Describes the differences between identification procedures and placement procedures and discusses the implications of these differences for exceptional children, especially physically and/or mentally disabled children. Emphasizes the need for school psychologists, educators, and counselors to make educational decisions and to design educational…

Four competencies of superior teachers are seen as a basis for the ideal environment to nurture excellence. They are: a student-centered orientation, value for the learning process, a need to influence individual behavior, and a belief that they possess the power to produce a desired effect in the learner. (MLW)

Idiot savants are severely retarded persons who have some extraordinary ability. The musical abilities of several idiot savants are discussed. The identification and the direction to facilitate the growth of retarded students who are musically talented should be an important educational goal. (RM)

The Boder Test of Reading-Spelling Patterns acknowledges the complexity and importance of the reading process, and speaks of the vigorous research activity in reading; but it examines the reading process in a limited and unnatural fashion, and ignores some of the most potent research findings. (BW)

Investigated the effect of three formats of a rating scale on 11 teachers' effectiveness in identifying gifted students. Results suggested a behavior rating scale resulted in the greatest number of children being correctly identified. Nomination forms should be made sensitive to the specific population being screened. (JAC)

A psychologist who has helped gifted elementary and secondary students reverse cycles of underachievement defines the problem, identifies home origins of underachievement, and describes examples of parental interactions that foster underachievement. (MC)

Included are diagrams of 12 common plants with descriptions of their seed distribution mechanisms. (SL)

The relationship between participation in campus organizations and identity achievement is investigated. A study involving approximately 300 college women at a four-year, private, Eastern secular college revealed that degree of activity was related to identity achievement. A test of the relationship between type of housing and campus participation…