This introduction to sociolinguistics is presented in four parts. The first part gives an overview of this branch of language study, its scope and principles of inquiry, and its basic and key concepts. This portion is written for individuals with no prior knowledge or expertise in the subject. Topics covered in this section include: the nature of…

This collection examines many influences of biographical inquiry in education and discusses methodological issues from the perspectives of veteran and novice biographers. The section on qualitative research and educational biography contains the following chapters: "Musings on Life Writing: Biography and Case Studies in Teacher Education" (Robert…

An in-depth ethnographic study of an upstate New York Middle School in an ethnically polarized community investigated teacher and community response to multicultural literature initiatives. Most of the data for the study came from interviews with and observations of teachers in the school; it was collected mostly over the 1991-92 school year when…

People living in different parts of the world hold diverse beliefs about the nature and the nurturing of infants. Celebrating that diversity and based on the research of anthropologists, psychologists, and historians, this book presents information on child care from seven societies around the world, past and present, illustrating how the…

This report presents the fourth study conducted by the Massachusetts Early Childhood Advisory Council since its inception in 1985, an investigation focusing on how interagency collaboration occurs in local early childhood programs in Massachusetts and whether mandating interagency councils is effective in promoting collaboration. The report also…

If communicative competence is defined by and organized around culturally-framed and linguistically-patterned communicative plans and goals and the linguistic resources of interactive practices, then interaction in the classroom is employed to create social engagement in regularly occurring interactive practices where communicative learning can be…

An educational researcher describes and reflects on a qualitative research project she conducted, focusing on her positioning, neutrality, and objectivity throughout the research process and during subsequent data analysis. The research took place in a K-12 school in a remote rural New Zealand community inhabited by Maori, 1970s…

This study describes and analyzes the emerging literacy of kindergartners in one bilingual classroom, and focuses on three Spanish-dominant Puerto Rican children in that class. Using a qualitative approach, the study investigated emergent literacy in the classroom, home, and church contexts. The unit of analysis was the literacy event, any…

Uses ethnographic case-study data to examine affective interaction in two racially diverse urban elementary classrooms. Subjects are 56 fifth and sixth graders and their teachers. Results suggest that teachers can foster racial harmony in the classroom through small group work. (CM)

Reports the study of ritual verbal insults among Black men and among gay men. Gives examples of these insults and explains the situations in which such insulting takes place. (PMJ)

Study examining quality of life in three small rural Arizona communities found that, although residents recognized the lack of amenities and lack of youth opportunities in small towns, they continued to value the small size and remote location of their communities. Describes religious, social, and geographic community divisions and conflicts and…

Examines the conflicting conceptualizations concerning the status of high school honors chemistry and the actual importance of the class. Reveals that standards of behavior and learning are actually less in the honors class. Examines this phenomenon from a sociological and anthropological perspective. (MJP)

Presents data drawn from an ethnographic study of a kindergarten journal-writing activity. Discourse analysis of moment-to-moment talk and interaction reveals that activity participants assume a variety of roles available in the participation framework. The role of the participation framework is emphasized as a key factor in the distribution of…

Discusses two issues central to ethnographic research, representation of truth and confidentiality, and how they relate to art education research. Notes that in art education areas of expertise between researcher and subject often overlap. Concludes that ethical considerations are guided by compassion and understanding rather than formula. (MJP)

Focuses on the oral language that accompanies the writing process of Native American students. Finds that of all the oral language observed during composing, 90 percent of that language was related to the fact that writing was taking place. (MG)