Despite a common attitude that it is very difficult, and possibly unwise, to try to teach Mandarin Chinese to speakers of other dialects, there is a social and academic need for this kind of course, and it is possible to teach it successfully to most students. In the University of Alberta's program the likely candidates are the large group of…

The concept of anomie is proposed as one sociological variable that may explain the "brain drain" phenomenon (i.e., the movement of highly qualified personnel from their country of origin to another, most often a more developed, technologically advanced country). It is hypothesized that the higher the level of anomie found among…

This report describes an evaluation of the effects of the early and grade 7 immersion programs on the English and French language skills of students at the end of grade 7 in Montreal. Tests of English language skills were administered to early immersion, grade 7 immersion, and English control students. Tests of French language skills were…

A study was performed to investigate the psychosocial characteristics of adult basic education (ABE) and adult secondary education (ASE) students and the extent to which these concerns are affected by educational experiences. Several research questions were formulated; for example, what proportion of ABE/ASE students have a "favorable ratio" of…

A questionnaire survey of 6,455 high school students and 400 teachers in eight secondary schools in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area investigated the relationship of low-income status to educational aspirations and plans. The results are presented in five doctoral dissertations on the following subjects: "Students' Poverty Status and Their…

This is a summary of a questionnaire study of the relationship of low socioeconomic status and educational aspirations and plans of secondary schools students in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The findings are presented in a series of five doctoral dissertations, fully reported in UD 007 882. (EF)

The paper develops a theory of political alienation based upon interactions among three antecedent conditions. Political alienation is interpreted as combining feelings of inefficacy, discontent, cynicism, estrangement, and hopelessness. The factors evaluated for their contribution to political alienation are: (1) critical perceptions of…

Based on litigation patterns, discrimination because of accent occurs most frequently in colleges and universities, particularly in the classroom. Accent discrimination cases are unlike other employment discrimination cases because successful claims generally do not depend on qualifications, but on accent's effect on job performance. Specific…

Examined social realities of high-functioning autistic children mainstreamed in public school classrooms. Distinguished positive and negative actions and stances displayed by others. Found autistic children to be cognizant of and distressed by neglect, rejection, derision, and scorn. Reactions included oblivion, immediate behavior responses, and…

A self-image workshop manual for American Indians aims to help Indian people set goals and excel in whatever they plan in life. A section entitled "Are You an Eagle?" tells of the significance of eagles in traditional American Indian Culture, discusses those who merit an eagle feather for accomplishment, and lists characteristics of eagles (and…

Experiences in using positive reinforcement while teaching on an Indian reservation are presented for teachers and administrators. Several "positive reinforcers," intended to prevent potential discipline problems from occurring, are described, including student involvement in deciding on classroom rules, election of classroom officers, class…

Research from sociology, science education, mathematics education, and psychology, as well as data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicate some of the causes of and potential solutions for sex inequities in science education. NAEP has indicated that 13- and 17-year-old girls have strong negative attitudes toward…

Maintaining that sexism wastes talents by limiting an individual's choices, the document presents activities for elementary school students to increase awareness of sex roles and a set of inservice materials for training school personnel to teach about sexism. Activities are presented on two levels. Activities for primary grades deal with…

This paper examines the portrayal of blacks, Asians, and native Americans in Fourth of July political cartoons from the 1870's to the 1970's in five American newspapers--the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Constitution, Washington Post, and the Columbus Dispatch. Images of these racial and ethnic groups were compared with images of women…

Several questions are posed by this study which seeks to provide an indepth view of both the teacher's and the child's perspective of the inner city and environment. Among the questions are the following: whether the teacher's perception of the inner city child's environment would match the child's own perception; also given that a mismatch…