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Using Vocabulary Studies To Teach Contextual Analysis In Grade Four, Susan M. Watts, Julie Bucknam

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Increasingly, researchers are calling for four strands to comprise the elementary school vocabulary program: direct instruction in the meanings of individual words, the improvement of students' independent word learning strategies, motivation for word learning, and many opportunities for wide reading (Irvin, 1990; Graves, 1995). Strategies for independent word learning are particularly important because wide reading offers students the opportunity to learn as many as 3,000 word per year if they can successfully apply structural analysis and contextual analysis to the new words they encounter (Anderson, 1995).

Reviews: Professional Materials, Patricia A. Crawford

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Should We Burn Babar? Essays on Children's Literature and the Power of Stories. Herbert Kohl. (1995)

Be Ready For The Censorship Challenge, Linda Mixon Clary

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In using a large variety of materials with readers and urging them to read widely, educators must realize that they will likely encounter problems with censorship. People for the American Way reported a new high in the number of cases reported in the United States in 1994 with a total of 760 incidents, a trend that has been in effect over the past twenty years (Simmons, 1994).

Participatory Research And Community Organizing, Sung Sil Lee Sohng

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The paper summarizes the political economy of knowledge production in an increasingly privatized, postindustrial world of knowledge society. This analysis is linked to the emergence of participatory research movements. It argues that the participatory approach to community research offers epistemology and methodology that address people, power and praxis in our postmodern, information society. The paper then describes howa participatory research project is carried out in community practice, articulating key moments and the roles of the researcher and participants. In order to develop this understanding further, it examines the efforts of two specific projects and shows how knowledge production can serve …

Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare Vol. 23, No. 4 (December 1996)

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• IMPROVING SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE WITH PERSONS WHO ARE HOMELESS AND MENTALLY ILL - Carol T. Mowbray, Shirley P. Thraser, Evan Cohen, and Deborah Bybee
• PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG WORKERS AT THE TIME OF A PLANT CLOSING - Nancy R. Vosler and Deborah Page-Adams
• WOMEN BEHIND BARS: TRENDS AND POLICY ISSUES - Mark S. Kaplan and Jennifer E. Sasser
• IMPLICIT BELIEFS ABOUT CHANGE: A THEORY-GROUNDED MEASURE APPLIED TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVING CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES - Susan B. Silverberg, Sherry C. Betts, Angela J. Huebner, and Sonia Cota-Robles
• PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING - Sung Sil Lee Sohng …

America Unequal. Sheldon Danziger And Peter Gottscshalk.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sheldon Danziger and Peter Gottscshalk, America Unequal. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995. $26.00 hardcover.

Review Of Challenges To Social Security: An International Expoloration. James Midgley And Martin B. Tracy (Eds.). Reviewed By Leon Ginsberg, University Of South Carolina., Leon Ginsberg

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

James Midgley and Martin B. Tracy, Challenges to Social Security: An International Exploration. Westport, CT: Auburn House. 1996, $49.95.

Implicit Beliefs About Change: A Theory-Grounded Measure Applied To Community Organizations Serving Children, Youth, And Families, Susan B. Silverberg, Sherry C. Betts, Angela J. Huebner, Sonia Cota-Robles

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The aim of this study was to design and evaluate a theory-grounded measure that taps staff beliefs about the possibility for change in an organization which serves children, youth and families at the community level. The rationale for measuring staff beliefs about change derived from a motivation theory that features two contrasting beliefs structures (entity vs. incremental), and the goals and behavioral dispositions associated with each (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). Twenty-nine individuals associated with the community-based organization completed the newly developed Implicit Beliefs About Change Scale (IBACS) and participatedi n a semi-structured interview. Quantitative analyses indicated that the IBACS has …

The Underdevelopment Of Development: Essays In Honor Of Andre Gunder Frank. Sing C. Chew And Robert A. Denmark, (Eds.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Sing C. Chew and Robert A. Denmark, (Eds.), The Underdevelopment of Development: Essays in Honor of Andre Gunder Frank. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1996. $58.00 hardcover, $27.95 papercover.

Literature Alive: Connecting To Story Through The Arts, J. Lea Smith, J. Daniel Herring

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

"How can I create 'living' experiences that will support my students to explore the 'layers' of meaning in a story? What type of learning activity supports students to build personal 'connections' with a story?" We, along with language arts teachers, face these questions as we collaborate to develop literature studies. Our uncertainty seems to imply confusion as to whether we should emphasize story comprehension, reading skills, or a personal connection as the basis.

Illustrations, Text, And The Child Reader: What Are Pictures In Children's Storybooks For?, Zhihui Fang

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Picture books are profusely illustrated books in which the illustrations are, to varying degrees, essential to the en joyment and understanding of the story (Tomlinson and Lynch-Brown, 1996). As the most characteristic form of children's literature (Nodelman, 1996), picture books hold a prominent place in children's literature because of the juxtaposition of pictures and words. Thanks to the public's acute awareness of the importance of childhood in human devel opment, to professional critical evaluation of children's literature, as well as to the advances in printing technology and art reproduction, children's literature has witnessed a dramatic increase in well-illustrated picture books.

Predictors Of Depression Among Workers At The Time Of A Plant Closing, Nancy R. Vosler, Deborah Page-Adams

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using an ecological theoretical perspective, this study of white male UAW workers stressed by a plant closing explored predictors of depression at multiple systems levels. The five best predictors of workers' depression were family strengths, age, economic strain, health, and social support. Additional bivariate predictors included self-esteem and having an alcohol problem at the individual level, marital status and family satisfaction at the family system level, and household income, home ownership, and key relationships at the social-environmental level. Implications for collaboration between direct-service and policy-practice social workers are discussed.

Case Study Analysis In Reding/Language Arts: Getting To The "Nitty-Gritty", Janet H. Towell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

On the first day of class in a graduate reading assessment and evaluation course, my students were asked to formulate a list of questions in cooperative groups that should be considered when doing a case study on a student to assess his or her skills and abilities including strengths and needs in read ing/language arts. They were asked to think of any areas of concern that may affect the student's academic performance such as social or emotional factors. The following table of 20 questions was compiled by this group of 16 inservice teachers with varying levels of experience and expertise. …

Simple Lessons From Multicultural Children, Joanne Cunard

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

After designing, initiating, and collecting observational data for two years from a program for a kindergarten class of children representing several different ethnic groups, we present you with some insights to be considered by teachers and faculty.

Reading Horizons Vol. 37, No. 2

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons volume 37, issue 2.

Women Behind Bars: Trends And Policy Issues, Mark S. Kaplan, Jennifer E. Sasser

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In the crusade to get tough on crime, policy makers have also gotten tough on women, drawing them into prisons in rapidly growing numbers. Today, incarcerated women are predominately poor, uneducated, and unskilled; are disproportionately African American and Latina young women with children; and have severe health and mental health problems. This article examines the characteristics and needs of these women and presents recommendations for their more humane and pragmatic treatment and for social policy that is relevant for the decarceration of this country's soaring female prison population.

Occupational Aspiration Among African-Americans: A Case For Affirmative Action, Ronald E. Hall

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The recent attack upon Affirmative Action in the workplace demands that merit be the sole criterion of employment. Policies designed to eliminate discriminatory practices are in themselves discriminatory and suggest minorities are inferior. Such suggestions are archaic and simplistic. Each assumes that the workplace operates in a social vacuum when in fact a complex system of cultural norms precedes the influence of merit. For African-Americans color is a predcedent of merit. The present study was undertaken to determine the implications of color in the workplace by analyzing it vis a vis occupational aspiration. Using a sample of African- American college …

Improving Social Work Practice With Persons Who Are Homeless And Mentally Ill, Carol T. Mowbray, Shirley P. Thrasher, Evan Cohen, Deborah Bybee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite a proliferation of programs targeted for persons who are homeless and mentally ill, few reports in the literature detail the challenges experienced or strategies utilized by workers, the majority of whom are social workers. The present study reports results from two focus group sessions held with staff running a model service intervention for this population at two separate sites. The methodology that was utilized quanitified results, allowing presentation of themes, as well as comparisons of the frequency of responses across categories and by site. Staff perceived barriersa ssociatedw ith client behaviors and characteristicsp redominated at both sites. However, systemic …

Gay And Lesbian Adoptions: A Theoretical Examination Of Policy-Making And Organizational Decision Making, Thom Reilly

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Most of the inquiry into gay and lesbian adoptions has focused on the rights of this population toadopt, the constitutional issues surrounding gay and lesbian parenting, and the outcomes of children raised by homosexual parents. There has been scant focus at the policy-making or organizational level on this issue. Why have public adoption agencies failed to provide either regulation or written policy on the topic of adoption of children by gays and lesbians?

This article pursues a theoretical examination of policy-making and organizational decision making to explore this issue. Additionally, a survey was distributed to adoption officials in each of …

Services Provided By A Homeless Intervention: Policy And Planning Implications, Carol T. Mowbray, Deborah Bybee

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Despite the acknowledged need for effective programs to serve persons who are homeless and mentally ill, few evaluations of these programs provide quantitative details on service provision. Such information can be useful to planners for replication and also for public policy concerning the need to mandate services most in demand. This report on a successful outreach intervention reports information on service amounts, duration, and types, as well as identifying predictors of service use. The overall amount of service provided to eligible participants varied substantially. While the median duration was only three months, repeat service episodes were common. For most clients, …

A Statewide Study Of Neighbors' Knowledge Of And Reactions To Physical Child Abuse, Gary W. Paquin, Janet Ford

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Neighbors are believed to have an important influence on child abuse prevention and intervention. This article reports the results of a statewide telephone survey of Kentucky (n = 650) which examined the extent to which respondents suspected neighbors of child abuse (9.4%), and had ever taken in a neighbor's abused or neglected child (7.2%). Variables related to parenting (having a minor child, age, employment status, receiving AFDC benefits) were the only demographic characteristics significantly associated with suspicion of neighbors' abuse; only being the parent of a minor child was significantly associated with taking in a neighbor's child. The results imply …

Review Of The Poverty Of Welfare Reform. Joel F. Handler. Reviewed By Howard Karger, University Of Houston., Howard Karger

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Joel F. Handler, The Poverty of Welfare Reform. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995. $25.00 hardcover, $12.00 papercover.

Review Of Black Wealth. White Wealth. Melvin L. Oliver And Thomas M. Shapiro. Reviewed By Lolita Perkins, Louisiana State University., Lolita Perkins

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Melvin L. Oliver and Thomas M. Shapiro, Black Wealth/White Wealth: A New Perspective on Racial Inequality. New York: Routledge, 1995 $22.95 Hardcover.

Review Of Small Change: Domestic Policy Under The Clinton Presidency. David Stoesz. Reviewed By James Midgley, Louisiana State University., James Midgley

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

David Stoesz, Small Change: Domestic Policy under the Clinton Presidency. New White Plains, NY: Longman, 1996. $25.00 papercover.

Review Of Growth Theories In The Light Of The East Asian Experience. Takatoshi Ito And Anne 0. Krueger (Eds.). Reviewed By K. L. Tang, University Of Northern British Columbia., K. L. Tang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Takatoshi Ito & Anne 0. Krueger (Eds.), Growth Theories in Light of the East Asian Experience. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1995. $65 Hardcover.

The New Generational Contract: Intergenerational Relations, Old Age And Welfare. Alan Walker (Ed.).

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Alan Walker (Ed.), The New Generational Contract: Intergenerational Relations, Old Age and Welfare. London: UCL Press, 1996. $24.95 papercover. [Available from Taylor and Francis, Bristol, PA].

The Populist Persuasion. Michael Kazin.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Michael Kazin, The Populist Persuasion. New York: Basic Books, 1995. $24.00 hardcover.

The Disposable Workforce. Thomas S. Moore.

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Thomas S. Moore, The Disposable Workforce. Hawthorne, NY: 1996. $37.95 hardcover, $18.95 papercover.

When An Esl Adult Becomes A Reader, Lucy Tse

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This case study focuses on the effects of an extensive reading program for an adult English language learner. The subject participated in a course designed to introduce and promote pleasure reading among English as a second language (ESL) students by encouraging them to read both assigned and self-selected books in English. Over a period of approximately six months, the subject was presented with a variety of genres of English language books and given the opportunity to discuss those read in low anxiety environments. This article will first give a brief review of the literature on the role of reading in …

From A To Z: Using Alphabet Books As An Instructional Tool With Older Readers, Gerry A. Coffman, Judy Jackson Spohn

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Alphabet books provide a literature source for teachers to use in the classroom that focuses on a common sequence of textual organization which upper elementary and middle school students have known since they were young children. These students most likely had in their repertoire of beginning to read activities, alphabet books using common symbols to match the letters such as "A is for apple, B is for bear, C is for cat." The objects were selected to match the true sound of the letter with a single or small number of illustrations to demonstrate the concept. The alphabet book addresses …