This paper focuses on assisting families who have been damaged by substance abuse and on constructive involvement of families to help all members cope. The four main topics are: (1) "Substance Abuse and Family Systems," including the effects of substance abuse on families and children; (2) "Theories and Approaches to Family…

Examines concepts of excellence from the viewpoint of individual habits of mind that foster it, the role of culture in promoting it, the relationship to technical mastery versus world class performance, and its controversial relationship to equity. Recommendations for promoting excellence in gifted students and all students are provided. (CR)

Discusses keys to successful toilet learning in child care settings. Includes tips from practitioners and a quiz to identify readiness for toilet learning. Examines cultural influences regarding toilet learning strategies and how to convince parents not to use pull-ups. Includes recommended books for adults and children. (KDFB)

Suggests that aspirations to de-school society and empower young people to be independent producers of culture are part of a wider debate. Notes that new partnerships between school and popular culture need to be developed at a number of different levels. (SG)

This document presents guidelines for planning and teaching a cross-cultural counseling course. Problems encountered in defining the culturally different are discussed. Ten minimum course objectives are presented and three ways that a professor may focus on the impact of culture on the counseling process and address the counseling relationship,…

Five articles address issues in family support systems for persons with disabilities. Peter Mittler, Hellie Mittler and Helen McConachie present a set of general principles designed to encourage the development of genuine partnerships between professionals and parents in "Working Together: Guidelines for Partnership between Professionals and…

The paper examines the definition of culture and its role in the interpretation of the language, history, ethnic and social differences of the Chamorro people. Also examined are stereotypes and misconceptions about the Chamorro culture that are the result of social prejudices and ignorance of the Chamorro language. The paper includes guidelines…

The effectiveness of visual aids in nonformal education depends on their relevance to the audience with which they are used, and this booklet provides a discussion of various factors for field workers to consider in designing and using simple visual aids in developing countries. Four specific types of visual aids are discussed in some…

Proposes a model for critically engaging technology in technical communication graduate curricula. Suggests that technical communicators have an ethical as well as intellectual responsibility to engage the interface between technology and culture. Describes one example, a graduate class in information architecture, as a model for engaging the…

Proposes a theoretical framework identifying how work group members' experience of time is created and sustained through task-related communication structures. Discusses how the model incorporates the complex interplay among cultural, environmental, and individual factors as well. Offers testable propositions intended to guide future research. (SG)

Situates reading within a broad perspective that integrates work on cognition, language, social interaction, society, and culture. Argues that reading and writing cannot be separated from speaking, listening, and interacting, on the one hand, or using language to think about and act on the world, on the other. Introduces "social languages" as a…

This idea offers tools and suggested processes to encourage parent participation in (IEP) Individualized Education Program team meetings. It considers aspects of team culture using three examples to illustrate how the meeting environment, culture, and language can discourage parent participation. Suggestions for changing team practices follow.…

The need for transition services for students with exceptionalities is apparent and critical for their success after high school. It is essential for school professionals, parents, and students to work collaboratively and consultively to determine each student's future goals and develop an effective plan to meet those goals successively. This book…

Rap, a popular music that emerged in the United States during the 1980s and 90s, is described as a creation of young African American culture. It belongs to a centuries old legacy of using language creatively in everyday life. The roots of the music are seen as part of the African-American oral and musical traditions that encompass the hidden…

The following articles on teaching English as a second language are included in this issue: (1) "ELI Tutorial" (about the tutorial program at the English Language Institute of the Church College of Hawaii) by Michael E. Foley; (2) "English-TESL Programs at the Church College of Hawaii" by Jay Fox; (3) "Developmental Speech…