Smaller families in general (including the one-child option) are becoming more popular. This ERIC Digest focuses on changing trends in family size, reasons for choosing to have only one child, differences between only children and those with siblings, and the advantages of being an only child. Changing family patterns, economic concerns, and new…

Broad changes in social values, as well as the raising of achievement standards by parents and administrators, are pressuring teachers to change curriculum for young children, with the result that children are hurried and hothoused. Early childhood educators are particularly vulnerable to criticism of their work, and this reduces their ability to…

Noting a renewed interest in and dedication to the rights and needs of adolescent readers, this digest addresses the development of content area reading, discusses recent reconceptualizations of the field, and offers a new model for classroom practice. It begins with a brief description of the historical context of literacy development in the…

Explores sources on sex differences in reading achievement and presumed causes. Reports that explanations fall into two categories that are not necessarily mutually exclusive: physiological-maturational and cultural-societal. (NH)

Presents ERIC documents that examine what goes into the textbook selection process, the outside influences on book selection, and some criteria that are used in the selection of books. (MKM)

This ERIC Digest briefly reviews studies of maternal employment, child care settings, and links between children's development and family and child care influences. Studies of maternal employment suggest that infants' positive relationships with caregivers may compensate for insecure attachments with mothers. If future research supports this…

Recent research on the historical and political influences affecting the relationship between local school boards and superintendents is summarized and discussed in this paper. Following a brief summary of the historical development of the superintendency in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the author contrasts the opposing viewpoints of…

This bibliography presents brief annotations of 14 reports, books, and monographs on the education of black children. The works cited concern a wide variety of themes, including environmental influence on school performance, the social welfare of the black child, and school, community, and family responsibility. (KH)

This document reviews writings and studies that raise questions and identify issues about the use of technology in education to help in the development of clear statements of the purposes of educational technology, education, and the needs of society. The collection of ideas, commentary, and discussion reviews a wide range of viewpoints held by…

Although there is a substantial research knowledge base in the field of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), this topical bibliography and commentary suggests that much misinformation still persists. The articles that form the basis for this topical bibliography and commentary agree on the approach that is most effective for ESL…

This digest provides a critique of the various educational strategies that have been used with Latino students and suggests alternatives that may be more successful. Many educators acknowledge that the reasons for the historic academic underachievement of Latino students could be inappropriate cognitive, cultural, and linguistic teaching methods.…

Young children's natural processes of language acquisition, the ways they learn a second language, and guides for teaching children a second language are discussed. Topics addressed include social influences on language acquisition, code-switching in bilingual communities, and the relationship of enculturation and acculturation to the development…

Focusing on the time period since the 1974 Supreme Court Lau v. Nichols decision, this paper reviews Federal policy regarding bilingual education, discusses the current sociopolitical context of bilingual education, discusses evaluations of bilingual programming done to date, and examines the implications of these factors for schools and…

This report discusses efforts in adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education to link language instruction to workforce and civic skills (skills needed for successful participation in the community). It looks at the social forces that underlie these efforts (shifts in the U.S. economy, welfare reform, accountability requirements, and learner…

The preschool and kindergarten years are the best time to help children establish a positive cycle in their social relations. Teachers and caregivers can provide models of interactive skills, set patterns for class interaction, and provide help to children who are in the process of acquiring and strengthening social understanding and skills. The…