Annotates booklists of literature for young adults that were selected on the basis of their quality and interest. Topics include: (1) contemporary nonfiction; (2) fantasy, science fiction, and the supernatural; (3) titles for reluctant readers; (4) death and war; (5) love and teen sexuality; (6) science; (7) American and world culture; (8) Black…

Investigates the role of dialect variation in the acquisition of American English by adult second language learners. The study revealed that dialect differences present problems for learners and cause variable intelligibility and negative learner attitude toward some varieties of English and its speakers. This attitude could negatively affect a…

Extends use of evolutionary theory in understanding developmental processes within societies for examining patterns occuring between societies. Emphasizes North American Indian situations. Examines four degrees of intersocietal integration: first contact, low, medium and high. (MH)

The association between ethnic group identification, attributional style, and the use of self-protective attributions with respect to self-esteem, academic achievement and motivation among ethnically diverse adolescents was examined. Participants in the study included 422 African American, 90 Arab American, and 194 European American high school…

In 1823, evangelical missionaries William and Amanda Ferry opened a boarding school for Metis children on Mackinac Island, Michigan Territory, hoping to convert and transform the Metis people through their children. Instead, they helped bring about a revival of Catholicism, and their students refused to abandon the fur trading lifestyle. Chapter 1…

This digest reviews ways to provide Arab Americans with a supportive school environment and all students with an accurate and unbiased education about the Middle East. The school climate will make Arab American students feel more welcome if Arab culture is included in multicultural courses and activities, and if the staff works to eliminate…

Rather than emphasizing only the virtues of American history and culture, teachers should design their social studies curricula to reflect the gap that exists between American ideals and the reality of American life. (JN)

It is the responsibility of the teacher to present students with a limited and simplified version of the facts since a many-sided issue would only confuse students. A guiding principle must be based on respect for the past achievements of Americans. (JN)

Reports on two studies addressing the issue of ultimate attainment of pronunciation by late second-language learners. Findings indicate that it is not impossible to achieve an authentic, nativelike pronunciation of a second language after a specified biological time. The article argues that certain learner characteristics and learning contexts may…

Using a questionnaire, this study investigates what representatives of the American English and Mandarin cultures say when they want to refuse a request. Findings stress the differences between the strategies of refusal such as expressing or avoiding an expression of a positive attitude, or giving external or personal reasons for refusing. (18…

Explores the role of sonority in constraining the word identification errors of normal listeners by examining the phonological relationships between response errors and stimulus targets. Findings indicate that sonority and lexical phonostatistics may constrain coda-driven word-search processes. (35 references) (Author/CK)

Investigated whether or not Japanese people are more indirect than Americans in conversations between same status interlocutors and whether the use of indirectness is influenced by in-group and out-group distinctions for speech acts of requests and complaints. Results reveal that Japanese people may be more direct than assumed, at least when no…

A study of native and non-native English speakers' production of vowels in stressed and unstressed syllables found that non-native speakers had most difficulty with four-syllable words, producing a first-syllable vowel of variable quality, failing to reduce the second-syllable vowel, and failing to produce appropriate durations for vowels…

The Mantel-Haenszel approach for investigating differential item functioning (DIF) was applied to United States history items within the 1986 National Assessment of Educational Progress administered to 7,812 11th graders. DIF analyses were based on responses of 7,743 11th graders. Results concerning sex and racial differences and ethnicity are…