Retells the story of Rosa Parks and the Montgomery (Alabama) bus boycott to reflect more accurately the cultural and historical background of the boycott and the conscious decision made by Mrs. Parks. Accurate examination of the story actually enhances a child's ability to identify with the issues and the protagonists. (SLD)

Efforts must be made from inside the teacher education classroom to retain minority students and increase their success in completing credential programs. After explaining why there is a shortage of minority teacher education students, the paper presents five essential skills for preparing and retaining minority teacher candidates. (SM)

Uses survey data from a study of adolescents in Miami (Florida) to study cultural mistrust and racial awareness for 946 African Americans, 196 Haitians, and 186 Black Caribbean Islanders. Data suggest important differences between African-American adolescents and Black students from other national and cultural backgrounds. (SLD)

Maintains that if students are to make informed and prudent judgments about the international role of the United States and its foreign policy they need to understand the major elements of international relations and how world affairs affect them. Connects this goal to the National Standards for Civics and Government. (MJP)

Describes various studies and projects on computer-mediated communication for enhancing second language learning and culture education, examining their impact on participating elementary, secondary, and college students. Results indicate that e-mail and teleconferencing provide authentic communication and foster awareness of languages and…

Reports a study that tested the possibility of language instruction in a MOO (Multiple-User Domain, Object-Oriented). The experiment consisted of two groups: adult evening-school participants in Germany learning English-as-a-Second-Language and American college students in their fourth semester of college German. Partnerships were formed with one…

Linguists working with endangered American Indian languages must realize that fieldwork is a cooperative venture, requiring that control be relinguished to the community. The relationship with the tribe must be negotiated, and linguists must return something concrete to the community in terms of language revival. Working in language teams that…

Describes a model program to prepare teachers from midwestern liberal arts colleges for urban teaching careers. Student teachers come to Chicago and live together, student teaching in local urban schools and completing regular professional development and cultural diversity activities. Pre- and post-program interviews and essays indicate that the…

Presents examples of how computer-mediated communication (CMC) affects language learning, describing a successful CMC project involving a Minnesota middle school and a school in France. Students exchanged electronic mail over two years and eventually produced a student-written, bilingual, multicultural play. Though students differed in age and…

A teacher of English as a Second Language in an inner-city adult education program describes techniques to make both the language learned and the learning experience more relevant to the largely female, linguistically and culturally diverse student population. The approach used is to familiarize students with varying ideas of culture and language,…

Reviews research and current trends and issues related to family involvement in children's education. Discusses the need for diverse approaches to involving culturally diverse parents; growing awareness of the importance of fathers' involvement; factors that promote or impede parent participation; achievement-related factors that parents can…

Discusses a conceptual model for understanding the participation of families from culturally diverse backgrounds in the Individualized Education Program/Individualized Family Service Plan process. Predisposing family factors, perceptions of disability, enabling factors, family-professional collaboration, and systemic support are explored, and…

A qualitative study examined the experiences of 10 mostly inexperienced, female teachers working in two isolated Native communities in northern Ontario. Findings focus on teachers' uncertainties about appropriate pedagogical goals, the relationship of teachers to First Nations communities, living in the North, cross-cultural and multicultural…

Observes that the focus and special quality of art education can sometimes be diluted in an interdisciplinary setting. Provides several examples and suggests creative and cooperative responses. Includes guidelines for maintaining quality art instruction in an interdisciplinary context. (MJP)

Argues that the media portrayal of Africa remains highly selective, focusing almost solely on negative and violent stories. Positive stories (local initiatives, political reform) go unreported as does much of the Western powers involvement in famine and destruction. Includes a list of sources on African current affairs. (MJP)