Most of our laws penalize those who do not conform to the ideal of the intact monogamous nuclear family. Should we prosecute people for violations that reflect norms that are archaic or are held only by a minority? What is the effect of such regulation on social change? (Author)

Examines early Afro-American fiction to demonstrate that the authors used the medium of art to expose the Afro-American condition to a larger society and to foster black prestige despite restrictions on literacy and learning for blacks. (PS)

Characterizes the past 40 years in South Korea as a time of modernization, industrialization, urbanization, and internationalization. Discusses Korean religion and social values; family, kinship, and social life; education; housing, food, and clothing; leisure and sports; and the maintenance of national identity. Examines the Korean synthesis of…

Drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems were studied in 164 Anglo and 149 Mexican-American male regular drinkers. A combination of acculturation and generational status measures indicated the heaviest drinking patterns and the highest prevalence of both alcohol-related problems and escape drinking motives among the least acculturated…

Demonstrates typical concerns and problems associated with administering and maintaining a rural community Head Start center as exemplified by the Carbon County Child Development Program in Rawlins, Wyoming. Emphasizes the poverty of families served, lack of federal financial support, enrollment trends, and educational benefits of the Head Start…

Considers nature and extent of child abuse by examining the cultural context within which abuse takes place; the different forms of abuse and effects on the family; the extent of the problem, particularly among different social classes; and the role of the teacher. (DST)

Examines communicative competence in transplanted varieties of English used in various non-Western sociocultural contexts in the world. The examples presented show that native speakers' judgements of the deviations in such Englishes are based on both attitudinal factors and on genuine expectations in the context of verbal interaction. (Author/SED)

Examines factors causing some U.S. library schools to take a broader view of their mission (economic recession, technological advancements); changes that have taken place in Nordic library school curricula since 1972; and similarities and differences between American and Nordic library schools, and extent to which UNESCO harmonization concept is…

Patterns of instructional television use in elementary and secondary school classrooms in Japan indicate heavy use in elementary schools and diminished use in secondary schools. Factors that contribute to this phenomenon are discussed, including school environment, sociocultural patterns, educational philosophy, and teacher training. (MBR)

Discusses several conditions that hamper the application of distance education in Kenya and describes three distance education programs that have been planned and executed since 1980 to illustrate what is presently being achieved. Programs include an inservice course for primary school teachers, a foundation course for adult literacy, and a…

Three factors central to the development of modern attitudes toward childhood are awareness that children and adults differ, the definition of women's primary role as maternal, and the increasingly complex demands made on adults. The combined pressures of feminism and the accessibility of broadcast media are changing these factors significantly.…

Compares two Rockefeller Foundation efforts to further the advanced professional education of prospective faculty members of Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, and National University, Zaire. Emphasizes the contrasts between the two efforts and the diversity among developing nations. Notes the effects of the sociopolitical-cultural environment…

This article asserts that psychology has corrupted the teacher education process and that teacher education must emphasize the cultural and sociological aspects of schools. Suggestions for renewing schools as sites for pre- and in-service education and professional development are discussed. (DF)

Compares the performance of Black, Hispanic, and Anglo students on a story unscrambling task to determine if sociocultural differences in story schemata affect reading comprehension. Shows some effects suggesting that the three groups have somewhat different strategies for choosing initial and final sentences and for making narratives coherent.…

The purpose of this presentation is to encourage college teachers of writing, inside and outside Appalachia, to look at dialect-based errors in a more expansive way even as they help students to make better choices about standard usage. The discussion, which is presented within the context of a socio-cultural perspective on bias in perceptions of…