The tradition of using giant puppets in dance rituals is widespread throughout Africa. Huge puppets can communicate spiritual and moral authority, which is all the more easily accepted because it is delivered with a sense of playfulness. Giant puppets also create unique movement possibilities. This potent combination of symbolic meaning and…

Art museums and other institutions of informal learning can promote multicultural understanding by collaborating with community ethnic groups and designing exhibitions that richly characterize the cultures they represent. Through the lens of educational programming for the exhibition "30 Americans," this article describes how both the Corcoran…

This article encourages educators and speech-language pathologists to look beyond the language of African American English speakers for an explanation of the Black-White achievement gap in education. A brief historical overview shows that the attention to the performance of African American children in school began many years ago but gained…

Two experiments investigated individual and paired use of programs and the effects of constructed and multiple choice responding across four categories of learning. Attitudes were very favorable toward programmed learning, declined significantly with longer exposure, and then leveled off. (Author/LBH)

The word gospel means "good news," and gospel music is the good news of the message of Jesus of Nazareth in song. African American gospel is a style that is growing in popularity. The number of twenty-four-hour gospel radio stations in the United States is increasing, and sales of gospel music recordings are on the rise. Gospel music…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of considering both fidelity and adaptation in assessing the implementation of evidence-based programs. Design/methodology/approach: The current study employs a multi-method strategy to understand two dimensions of implementation (fidelity and adaptation) in the Strong African…

This article offers guidelines for teachers on using African folktales to celebrate Black History Month, to explore the structure and content of folktales, to encourage receptivity to multicultural experiences, and to spark creativity in students. Discussion guidelines, suggestions for student-created folktale productions, and a resource list are…

This article looks at the indigenous music of Botswana as an African musical idiom, to illustrate common aspects between approaches to teaching and learning music in African societies and the Jaques-Dalcroze approach. The author argues that a strong foundation exists in African musical practices upon which the Dalcroze approach can build. That…

This article relates some of the major problems in adequately teaching an African Studies course including the use of the traditional approach and teachers with inadequate background. Solutions to the problem include the use of a broader subject approach including sociology and psychology and understanding the values of the country. (JR)

African languages can add interest to the study of social studies. Resources and ways that will help elementary and secondary teachers introduce the subject in a meaningful way are discussed. (RM)

Summarizes and interprets Wole Soyinka's play "Death and the King's Horseman," clarifying some of the shared misunderstandings dividing African and European cultures. Relates the play's theme to the creative acts of teaching and learning. (DMM)

Teachers need to fuse creative thinking with multi-ethnic education, so students do not see cultures as monolithic groups but learn to see beyond the generalizations to the individuality of minority group people. (JH)

By visiting an African art exhibit, college-level art students enriched their understanding of the ritualistic art of the South African people. The exhibit is described and learning strategies used to prepare students for the exhibit visit are discussed. (RM)