This study examined a host of variables the literature or focus groups showed to influence student motivation to achieve academically. Secondary school teachers in Doha, Qatar were asked to identify the five most and five least motivated students in their classrooms. They also were asked to estimate the degree of involvement the parents had in the…

Parents, teachers, and other caregivers need to be aware of certain fundamental concepts to protect children from assault, abuse, and neglect. Among other things, children need: to understand what being a "stranger" means; to have sources of self-esteem (that thrive when children are loved unconditionally); to have good communication…

This paper outlines the first stage of a research project on the topic of boys (aged 11-17) and literacy and the mediating role that families play in building interpersonal relations around reading and guiding boys into a broad range of literacy practices in the home. Findings from this research will inform a comparative study of boys identified…

The article describes the University of Washington's Parent/Child Learning Clinic, a parent based remediation program for children with learning disabilities. (DLS)

Examined contribution of family variables such as parenting and literacy activities to the pre-academic competence of 93 Head Start children. Found that maternal educational expectations, home literacy variables, and maternal school involvement were predictive of children's competence even after accounting for the effects of maternal education,…

This article discusses how one teacher uses a weekend study buddy as a portable learning center for students (ages 5-9) with mild disabilities. The study buddy is a colorful cloth or paper bag that the students take home over the weekend. It can also be individualized to target particular needs. (Contains 8 references.) (CR)

Discusses the usefulness of information from parents in the identification of young children with handicaps. Includes: (1) a rationale for the use of information from parents; (2) description of methods used to gather information; and (3) a review of research that has determined the accuracy of parental information. (RJC)

Interviews Willie Simmons, Mississippi State Senator and former Head Start parent. Simmons discusses his involvement with Head Start and the benefits of that association; encourages parents to become involved in their schools, communities, and local governments to bring about change; and discusses his entry into politics and the goals for his term…

Details of a UNESCO project concerning the young child and the family environment are presented. The three major aspects of child development addressed by the project are nutrition for the child, children's handicaps, and interaction between the child and its family. (BG)

Improving parenting practices and the family environment is the most effective, enduring strategy for combating juvenile delinquency. Describes the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Strengthening America's Families Initiative. Highlights several family-focused prevention programs identified as exemplary, explaining how they…

Changes in rituals and routines between drinking and sobriety were examined in families in treatment due to paternal alcohol abuse. Information was gathered through a semistructured family interview. Recurrent disruptions of rituals and routines were found between different phases in the drinking cycle. Disruptions were found typically with regard…

Young adult women in the United States tend to delay family formation, pursue higher education and professional jobs, and become sexually active before marriage. Using effective contraception is the best way to ensure that nonmarital parenthood does not disrupt educational and career plans. Because parental involvement in education shapes…

The Learning Center, a day care center at the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, emphasizes mixed-age groupings, parent surrogates of both sexes, and strong health advocacy in its program which is modeled after the realities of family life. (Author/CS)

The report describes the Services in Counseling/Intervention and Life Skills Education (SCILSE) Program, a comprehensive program providing services to emotionally disturbed children in their own homes, under the auspices of the Southern Home for Children, a residential treatment center in Philadelphia. The history of the Southern Home for Children…

The results showed that in each setting, overcorrection procedures were associated with statistically significant differences in the target behaviors. (Author/DLS)