In elementary classrooms, teaching immigration often begins and ends at Ellis Island--without discussions of racist migration policies or engagement with current issues. Although contemporary immigration is rarely discussed with elementary students, the number of young people from immigrant and/or refugee backgrounds in the U.S. continues to rise.…

This article describes influences on intergenerational communication within refugee families about sociocultural trauma and explores how education may positively affect this communication process. Drawing on qualitative research and grounded theory through a larger study concerning intergenerational effects of and communication about trauma in…

This article discusses one aspect of a research study that explored the school experiences of Cambodian American students. Due to their invisibility in the school setting and also in the literature on school reform, these children from refugee families are often overlooked as schools attempt to "close the achievement gap." Through their…

This brief article tells the story of one young man's complicated history and background that was turned around for the better through his involvement with the YMCA Youth Institute and a camp providing team-building exercises, and in-depth instruction in digital arts skills, such as how to edit photos with Adobe Photoshop and create 3D animations…

After a brief description of the origins and languages of the three major groups of Indochinese refugees in the United States--Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians--and short references to subgroups, 20 observations on the general cultural traits of the Indochinese are given. These observations touch on the following: the importance of harmonious…

Discusses responses of the Catholic church to the special needs of Indochinese refugees in the United States. Reviews the influence of Catholicism in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and describes activities of itinerant ministries to Catholic refugee communities across the U.S. The church's mission must be openness and hospitality toward newcomers.…

Although the study of delinquency has previously focused on identifying individual, family, peer, and social risk and protective factors, little empirical research has studied cultural factors and their relations to delinquency. In a large community sample of 329 Chinese, Cambodian, Laotian/Mien, and Vietnamese youths, individualism was positively…

Describes three programs of school-community collaboration which have the following goals: (1) helping children develop a commitment to their communities; (2) helping refugees adapt to their new communities; and (3) helping schools deal with student discipline problems. (PS)

Based primarily on interviews with American sponsors of Khmer refugees, describes a cluster resettlement project conducted in Amherst, South Hadley, Northampton, and Easthampton, Massachusetts. Discusses services provided to refugees and considers sponsor-refugee relations. (GC)

The Santa Clara (CA) transition project is a collaborative effort between the county's Head Start program and a San Jose school district. The program provides teacher training, transition activities, developmentally appropriate practices, comprehensive family services, and parent involvement opportunities. During 1994-95, the project is working…

This book describes the immigration of tens of thousands of Cambodian refugees to the United States from their war-torn country in the early 1980s, highlighting the efforts of Khmer Americans to recreate the fabric of culture and identity in the aftermath of the Khmer holocaust. Based on long-term research among Cambodians residing in metropolitan…

Seattle's SafeFutures project focuses on intervention for children involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the juvenile-justice system, particularly Cambodian and Vietnamese youth; girls involved with gangs; and violent, chronic juvenile offenders. Project services include classes on social and cultural issues for Asian parents, tutoring…

This monograph analyzes the recruitment and retention of Asian Americans in University Affiliated Programs (UAP), which train personnel for the provision of health, education, and social services to people with developmental disabilities. It is designed to assist UAP faculty and staff at each UAP to develop a comprehensive plan to increase the…

Afterschool migrant education programs can support youths' multilingual and multimodal literacy practices by incorporating activities associated with the students' cultures, such as dancing, games, language practice, and crafts. These activities not only reflect diverse sign systems and modes of communication, but also display the important…

During the 1980s more than 100,000 refugees poured into the United States from Cambodia. This essay is intended to inform educators and others who work with Cambodian families about recent Cambodian history and traditional Cambodian culture and to create awareness of the social and psychological significance of these factors. The waves of refugees…