This paper discusses the influence of home and school environments on learning in children. Studies are cited which support the hypothesis that the home environment is the major predictor of school achievement. These studies deal with "status" variables such as father's occupation and education, mother's education, and social and…

This module, which may be used as the basis for a workshop or as a special topic unit in adult basic education or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses, discusses children's changing roles. It is designed to help parents to support their children's roles--becoming bicultural, being learners, and creating oneself. The module contains the…

This report details the 27th annual study to examine the attitudes of student leaders in U.S. high schools. Participating in the survey were 3,370 adolescents, primarily 16- and 17-year-olds, who had been featured in the 1996 edition of "Who's Who Among American High School Students." The report presents demographic information on the survey…

This book is the second to present the results on a study of how children's practice of speech, as shaped by family interaction, affects learning to talk. Participating in the study were 42 diverse families with young children. Each month for 2.5 years the interactions between 42 one- to two-year-olds and their parents were recorded as the…

Examined feelings of 132 late adolescents entering college toward their mothers, fathers, and closest siblings. Findings from questionnaires included that emotional support of mothers and siblings is more important to women, that discussion of feelings and activities with these family members occurs more often with women, and that men feel more…

Examined relations among maternal depressive symptoms, family discord, and adolescent psychological adjustment. Found that maternal depressive symptoms were related to subsequent adolescent depressive symptoms, conduct problems, and academic difficulties for girls but not boys. Girls' greater vulnerability to family discord accounted for the…

Studied influence of maternal versus paternal support for pregnant and parenting African American adolescents who reported supportive or problematic interactions, or both, with their parents. Found more support from mothers despite equal relationship problem levels with both parents; support of both parents was associated with lower depression…

This study attempts to build on research that has already been conducted to explore some of the factors that differentiate learning environments that may influence the academic achievement of Asian-American students. Their learning environments, in terms of parent guidance, teacher support, class order, satisfaction, and teaching quality, were…

The study described in this paper used data from two national samples of families with children to describe the home environments in which welfare children are being raised and to identify the children's health, learning, and behavior problems. The study compared children whose families had received Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)…

Twenty papers on positive behavioral support for people with difficult behavior are grouped into four sections: (1) family issues and family support; (2) education issues; (3) social inclusion; and (4) community inclusion. Papers include: "Parent Education for Prevention and Reduction of Severe Problem Behaviors" (Lynn Kern Koegel et…

Noting that the interpersonal dynamics between parents who are high achieving and children who are not achieving up to their potential can be the cause of the disparity, this book explores how children become underachievers and how parents can improve their expectations and the emotional climate to allow their child to feel happy and successful.…

This theme issue includes five articles that focus on educational, cognitive, and brain research with implications for early childhood educators, including those who work with limited-English-proficient, minority, and economically disadvantaged children. "Coming to Grips with Reading Instruction at the Early Grades" (Christie L. Goodman)…

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module's learning objectives address: (1) the development and promotion of healthy attachment of foster children to their biological and foster parents; (2) identification of attachment problems; (3) management of behavior…

A study investigated low-income children's book reading experiences with their mothers and in group reading in preschool when the children were 3 and 4 years old. At the age of 3 years, the primary focus of book readings in both settings was immediate information. Mothers were significantly more likely than teachers to use extending comments, and…

Effects of family-oriented early intervention on the home environment were explored in a 6-month study of 23 handicapped children (ages birth to 5) and their families, who participated as members of an experimental or control group. The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory was administered to evaluate differences in…