This report presents findings from ethnographic research that focused on factors which promote and impede educational opportunity for Punjabi Sikh immigrants in "Valleyside," an agricultural town in California. The report is divided into two parts. Part one considers the setting and the sociocultural context for schooling in…

Reviews of literature and administration of different types of measurement tools among various student groups in Wisconsin were conducted to explore black cognitive styles on five dimensions and to investigate whether social and cultural factors affect the knowledge acquisition process. Results revealed that: (1) blacks tend to be more field…

Demographic data on the Chicano in Utah and their position relative to various public agencies were gathered. Focus was on the number of Chicanos serving as staff in the agencies; to what degree the agencies served the Chicanos in meeting their needs for a self-sufficient life style; how the Spanish speaking perceived their needs and the ability…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether attitudes toward Mexican American students were associated with the ethnicity, age, and teaching experience of secondary school teachers in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. A 50 item cultural awareness questionnaire was used with a sample of 112 participants. The 6 significant factors studied were…

This document examines the importance of access to educational resources that are supplementary to what is available in school for all students. Supplementary education is the formal and informal learning and developmental enrichment opportunities provided for students outside of school and beyond the regular school day or year. While…

Urban and rural Aboriginal- and Anglo-Australian children were tested for reading and math achievement, for nonverbal psychometric test intelligence, and for three cognitive styles. Psychometric intelligence was clearly a more powerful predictor of the effects of culture and location on school achievement than was cognitive style. (Author/CMG)

Examines theories on which basic skills education for the minorities has been based, namely: (1) cultural deprivation; (2) integration; and (3) cultural difference/cultural pluralism. Discusses approaches for teaching English to students who speak other languages and suggests that the bilingual/bicultural approach provides the most benefits.…

Examines the effect of teacher expectations on differences in achievement between German-speaking and French-speaking ninth graders in English-speaking classrooms. Results suggest that teachers base their expectations on student intellectual abilities and previous performance rather than upon ethnicity or other characteristics. (AM)

Explores the attributional orientation of underachieving students in three countries (Japan, China, and the United States). Responses from 738 students reveal that Asian students perceived controllable causes, particularly effort, to play a greater role in performance outcomes than did their American peers. Implications are discussed regarding the…

Examines ethnic diversity and the emergence of differing value systems, noting their impact on educational processes. The article recommends separating educational achievement from cultural affirmation and acknowledging that many minorities do not learn because they are not expected to learn. Education must change to affirm and include students…

A critical issue facing U.S. schools and one with broad social implication is the persistent disparity in educational achievement between racial/ethnic groups. The achievement gap may be particularly pronounced for Mexican-Americans who constitute the vast majority of U.S. Latinos and are among the most educationally at risk of all Latino…

Many immigrant children encounter many difficulties and challenges in the public school. As a result, countless bilingual and limited-English-proficient students are lagging behind their peers. Minority students are labeled and treated differently from their classmates. Although equally capable, they are receiving a second-class education. The…

This collection examines the history and current status of the economic, political, social, and psychological factors that influence the academic achievement of low-income African Americans. The introduction, "Afro-American Students and Academic Achievement" (J. K. Asamen), outlines the historical development of black education and…

In October 1989 Alaska conducted its statewide student assessment. Over 23,000 students in grades 4, 6, and 8 completed the reading, mathematics, and language arts sections of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). At the same time, a series of questionnaires asked building principals about their schools' philosophy, climate, and problems; asked…

These three Information Alerts provide annotated bibliographies of documents covering the education of Asian and Pacific Americans. They cover the following topics, among others: (1) nondiscriminatory educational practices; (2) multilingual education; (3) special needs of the population; (4) parent participation; (5) injecting Asian culture into…