Longitudinal analysis of 10-year follow-up data on objectified body consciousness, body esteem, weight-related attitudes and behaviors, and psychological well-being in 74 middle-aged and 72 young women tested hypotheses developed from age-related change and cohort differences models of body experience. Young women's body surveillance and body…

Research on the cultural constructs of race, gender and class among 44 full-time faculty women from the Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad campuses of the University of the West Indies suggest that that racial identity does separate women. However, their gendered identity establishes a common ground that allows them to share a socially constructed…

This study examined the problems of bilingualism among 28 Iranian students in Swedish schools, focusing on sociocultural influences of the majority culture on the minority group and their effects on the students' perceptions and educational outcomes. The students and 35 native-language teachers were observed and interviewed in their work contexts…

A collection of papers concerning cultural studies within college and university second language programs, particularly for foreign students, includes program descriptions from a variety of countries and discussions of cultural education and cultural conflict. Themes include the nature of cultural teaching, cultural education as a discipline,…

This paper reports on one aspect of a study examining activities, partners, and settings of 20 preschoolers ranging in age from 28 to 45 months. The children were drawn from two cultural communities (both white): in one community parents worked in professional occupations; in the second group, parents were in non-professional, working class…

The practicum reported was designed to improve listening and speaking skills of 30 (grades 7-11) learners of Arabic as a second language. The teacher/researcher used these classroom instructional strategies: introducing carefully selected dialectal vocabulary and language forms; concentrating only on oral skills; avoiding heavy introduction of…

Sociocultural theory has challenged existing notions of cognitive development by suggesting that psychological functioning is specific to its social context and is dependent on the mastery of culturally defined modes of speaking, thinking, and acting. This book provides a representative sample of work on the social and cultural foundations of…

This paper is of the opinion that multicultural education and citizenship education must resolve the tensions within as well as between them and work closer together, merge if possible, for the good of society. The paper contends this can be accomplished if both movements would commit to an overarching goal that clearly is to the benefit of all…

This brief focuses on assessment issues for American Indian and Alaska Native (collectively referred to as "Native") students, as well as other pedagogical issues related to improved teaching and educational outcomes. Although traditional Native educational strategies emphasize cooperation, experiential learning, and reflection, Native students…

This book contains the following papers from a European research seminar examining the history and theory of cross-cultural communication in adult education: "Introduction: Encounters and Identities in European Adult Education since 1890" (Barry J. Hake, Stuart Marriott); "The University Extension Movement (1892-1914) in Ghent,…

Those involved in early childhood development must recognize that many of their most cherished beliefs about what is best for children are cultural constructions. This book focuses on quality in large-scale programs for disadvantaged young children in a variety of cultural settings. Chapter 1, "Changing Childhoods," discusses issues…

Based on an ongoing study of rural and urban Appalachian adolescent girls, this paper examines ways in which culture, class, ethnicity, and place influence girls' developing sense of self and beliefs about their lives, schooling, and futures. The 65 girls in the study are participants in "Rural and Urban Images: Voices of Girls in Science,…

The study reported here had three major objectives: (1) assessment of average vocabulary and comprehension levels of Japanese college students studying English as a second language (ESL) and comparison of the effectiveness of several formats for teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension; (2) comparison of three media…

The narrative records events leading to, during, and following an English language literacy event for older First Nations, Metis, and other Canadian older women, which took place in Saskatchewan in January 1996 under the supervision of Intergenerational Grandmothers Uniting, formally known as the Cross Cultural Intergenerational Pilot Project, an…

The use of freewriting in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction as a means of promoting communicative competence is examined, particularly as it may improve high-school-level ESL instruction in Japan. First, the educational environment of Japanese high schools is described, and some problems with the teaching of ESL writing are outlined.…