Examines the politics of similarity within difference and "other" as expressed in actions and language of five female teachers in a largely minority urban California school. Observations and interviews illustrate how teachers use the similarity-within-difference and "other" theme to meet challenges of assimilating minority…

Reports results of a study investigating effects of social interaction on utilization of categorical concepts by upper and lower class children. Describes an experimental guessing game with individual subjects and pairs of subjects. Concludes that the experimental setup was beneficial for all subjects regardless of social background or kind of…

The attitudes of 16 exemplary African-American teachers (12 females and 4 males) on racial issues and the ways in which racism has shaped their teaching practice are explored. It is argued that these teachers understand the structural constraints of race better than they understand those of gender or class. (SLD)

Described are the difficulties encountered in a bicultural educational context by Australian Aboriginals. Theoretical perspectives, the social context for mathematics communication, and the use of educational software are discussed. Suggestions for overcoming social difficulties in mathematics are provided. (CW)

Two studies regarding beliefs about descriptive and prescriptive age norms for adults in developmental transitions were examined in a sample of 214 Australian university students ages 17 to 50. Discusses research methodology. The probable consequences for self-esteem, mental health, and life planning are discussed in the context of the research…

Identified predictors of normative, unconventional, and deviant identity orientations among youth in a nationally representative sample of 13,000 high school seniors. Found that frequency of community service substantially increased predictability of identity orientation above background characteristics and part-time work involvement. Most…

The developing body of literature on multicultural concerns in adult education, on feminist theory, and on critical and feminist pedagogies provides insights for adult educators grappling with the complex issues surrounding the creation of inclusive learning environments. Educators must be aware of the politics of knowledge production and…

This four-part guide is designed to help community college instructors understand and respond to individual differences in their students. First, the preface lays out a framework for an in-depth examination of individual learning differences by posing the following questions: (1) Is learning a single function or a composite of different types of…

A study examined (1) whether there is a significant difference between the inclusion needs of delinquent high school girls, high-achieving nondelinquent high school girls, and nondelinquent high school girls; (2) whether there is a difference between perceived inclusion by peers and teachers in these groups of females; and (3) whether there is a…

Despite the value placed on traditional culture in Old Order Amish society, these communities have experienced change recently. These changes include: use of legal means to regulate behavior, acceptance of technical medical services such as heart transplants, and diminished importance of farm work to the economy of the community. However, the Old…

In a study of academic attribution patterns, teachers were asked to suggest causes for the successes and failures of students whose backgrounds had been manipulated to provide various combinations of social class (middle, lower), race (White, Asian American), and gender. It was found that teachers cited causes internal to the student more often…

This article reports a study in which a sample of 89 White and 34 Spanish-language heritage children from ages 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 from the lower- and middle-classes responded to two cognitive measures (classification skill and gender knowledge), three verbal sex-typing measures (occupations, toys, and peer behaviors), and a behavioral sex-typing…

THE WORK PRESENTED IN THIS STUDY IS AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF LANGUAGE. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ENGLISH DIALECT SPOKEN IN NEW YORK CITY PARALLELS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE CITY'S CHANGING SOCIAL STRUCTURE. DATA GATHERED FROM THE LARGER SPEECH COMMUNITY SHOW THAT THE VARIATION IN INDIVIDUAL SPEECH PATTERNS IS REFLECTED IN A HIGHLY…

This paper examines the relationship of urban reform and school reform to class conflict and assesses the adequacy of a class conflict model for explaining school reform in Atlanta in 1897. A model which explains urban reform (including school reform in urban areas) in class conflict categories is based on an ideology protective of middle-class…

Interim results of a longitudinal study of the effects of socioeconomic segregation in six Swedish urban municipalities are reported in this document. The empirical work discussed includes interviews with school staffs and the collection of public data concerning schools and pupils in the Swedish cities. The studies focus on the student population…