Russell L. Young

Generic Tobacco Use among Four Ethnic Groups in a School Age Population

The prevalence of overall or “generic” tobacco use among Hispanic, white, Black and Asian youths in grades four, seven, ten and twelve was compared in San Diego, California (n = 4980). Significant differences in generic tobacco use between ethnic groups were found in the 4th, 10th and 12th grades, but were greatest in the 10th grade. Only white youths demonstrated a sharp increase in regular tobacco use (once a month or more) between 7th and 10th grade. Overall, the prevalence of regular use was highest among whites (25.8%), followed by Hispanics (19.7%), Blacks (17.6%) and Asians (12.6%). Marijuana, alcohol, and other drug use explained approximately 40 percent of the variance in tobacco use in each ethnic group. Other predictors varied by ethnicity and included socioeconomic status, happiness of student, strictness of parent, adult tobacco use at home, accessibility to marijuana, and gender.

Vietnamese Parent Attitudes Toward Bilingual Education

Abstract One hundred and six Vietnamese parents were given a questionnaire to assess their attitudes toward bilingual education and its underlying principles. The majority of parents preferred that their children be enrolled in a classroom where Vietnamese was part of the curriculum regardless of English proficiency. Parents believed that bilingual education allows children to keep up in subject matter while acquiring English, that developing literacy in Vietnamese would facilitate their English acquisition, that learning subject matter first in the primary language would make the subject matter more understandable in English, that bilingualism had practical, career, and cognitive related advantages, and that it was necessary to maintain language and culture.

Language maintenance and language shift in Taiwan

Abstract When the Nationalist government first took over administrative control of Taiwan in 1945, the major languages spoken by the people of Taiwan were the Chinese dialects Hakka and Southern Min, and Japanese. A national language, Mandarin, has since then been actively promoted. Surveys were administered to 823 Chinese on Taiwan to measure the extent of language maintenance of mother dialects and shift toward the use of Mandarin. Results indicate there has been a substantial shift towards the use of Mandarin. There is a significant decrease in the use of ones mother dialect and a significant increase in the use of Mandarin with family members in succeeding generations. There is considerable shift toward Mandarin at work and with friends because Mandarin is often used as a common language in inter‐group communicative interactions.

Assessing skills for refusing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.

Hops and colleagues developed an audiotaped refusals skills test in which students respond to cigarette offers and their responses are scored for content. The present study employed a modified analogue skills test. Modifications included adding a separate subscale for smokeless tobacco, emphasizing repeated offers and group pressure, and rating the quality of responses (good, fair, poor). The test was evaluated in four seventh-grade classrooms (N=78). Half had participated in a refusals skills training program; the others were controls. Intervention subjects provided more “good” responses and fewer “poor” responses than controls. In a multiple regression, repeated and group offers were associated with the quality of response, while offerers gender and type of tobacco variables were not associated. In a second regression, experimental condition was associated with quality of the responses, while gender, ethnicity, exposure to tobacco, use of tobacco, and attitudes toward the test were not associated.

The Principal as a Catalyst and Facilitator Of Planned Change

The effective principal is a facilitator of change. Understanding that real change represents fundamental risks for the teacher is the first step a principal can take in creating a change-sensitive organization.

The Impact of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, Language, and Training Program on Teaching Choice among New Teachers in California.

Abstract The cultural disparity between teachers and students has been a concern among educators for quite some time. While the student body grows more ethnically heterogeneous, non-Hispanic Whites, especially women, continue to dominate the teaching profession. Ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic status (SES) all play a critical role in the education of our students. Starting in 1994, California has required teachers who provide instruction for Englishlanguage development to have the Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development or Bilingual Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development certificate. The purpose of this study was to compare beginning teachers from these two certification programs regarding their cultural backgrounds and initial employment placements. More specifically, the study investigated the linguistic, ethnic, and SES makeup of schools where they found initial employment. Secondly, this study investigated whether the two programs differentially attracted candidates by gender, age, linguistic background, SES, and cultural backgrounds. Results indicate that teachers often teach students with characteristics and backgrounds similar to their own. Teachers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds taught more students from diverse backgrounds. Moreover, teachers who came from culturally, linguistically, and economically disadvantaged (low-SES) backgrounds appeared to be more attracted to a certificate program that allowed them to gain the skills and abilities to work with students from similar backgrounds.

Aftereffect of 9-11: A Call to Balance Patriotism and Multiculturalism in the Classroom

The events of September 11, 2001, have had a large impact on the psyche and politics of America. The impact has filtered its way down to education. The aftereffect of September 11 has caused educators to confront the issue of balancing a need for patriotism and multiculturalism in the classroom. Patriotism, intolerance (of terrorists), and nationalism seemingly contrast with the multicultural education goals of tolerance, understanding of other perspectives, and internationalism. In this article, the roots of misunderstanding and prejudice toward people of Middle Eastern or Muslim descent are explored within American society. The authors then give suggestions to modify the curriculum, reduce prejudice, deal with intolerance, and stand unified in the midst of this national crisis.