Journal of American Indian Education
Abstracts — 1986

#381
RIGHT-BRAINED INDIAN: FACT OR FICTION?
Roland D. Chrisjohn; Michael Peters Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 1-7, Jan. 1986

An article which describes the hopes for "right-brain" curriculum development as "ill founded." The authors outline some general reasons for their "uneasiness" about the "right-brain" curriculum for Indians; the authors point out that the sort of evidence that has been used to argue in favor of the "right-brained Indian" does not in any way support the conclusion that Indians differ in brain organization from non-Indians. The article covers Neuropsychology and Performance on Intelligence Tests. The authors conclude that the evidence supporting a "right-brained Indian" is too weak to justify any emphasis on "right-brain" curricula in Indian Education.

#382
HEMISPHERIC DOMINANCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS
John Stellern; Jim Collins; Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 8-17, Jan. 1986
Bob Gutierrez; Elaine Patterson

According to the authors, American Indians are presumed to be right-hemisphere dominant, and therefore need special teaching techniques. This study examines the language and spatial lateralization of 49 American Indians from the fourth, fifth and sixth grades at the St. Stephens Indian School on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The examination utilized the cognitive-manual dual task model as well as psychoeducational assessment techniques. According to the authors, the Indian students were lateralized to the left hemisphere for language, and some of those students were also lateralized to the left hemisphere for spatial function. Also, as scores went up on tests of right hemisphere dominance, behavior, problems, and spatial function, scores went down on tests of reading, spelling, left hemisphere dominance, and being good students. The authors conclude that (1) the Indians of the study were not right hemisphere dominant, and (2) that right hemisphere dominance appears to be associated with a risk of learning and behavior problems.

#383
BEYOND 180 DAYS
Carl G. Foster; Emma Gabel Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 18-23, Jan. 1986

An article relating the implementation of the Chinle Agency's Summer Supplemental Special Education Program that trained 137 people which, according to the authors, raised participant special education knowledge and skills. The authors believe the most significant observation was that the majority of the Pinon Boarding School's staff and 80 percent of the Agency's kindergarten through junior high school age exceptional student population received instruction which augmented an appropriate and a least restrictive educational environment. The authors also indicate that the results from the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory revealed that teacher attitudes were conservative at the beginning of training but became less conservative toward the end of the training. The authors believe that the training affected their feelings about teaching the exceptional student.

#384
PROGRAMMING FOR BEHAVIORALLY DISORDERED NATIVE AMERICANS
Paul L. Beare Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 24-31, Jan. 1986

According to the author, providing services for Behaviorally Disordered (BD) students is a uniquely difficult task. The described program attempts to serve the Smallville Public High School which served 462 students. Three types of students were included in the program: (1) students seriously considering dropping out of school, (2) in-school dropouts (poor attendance rate, excessive numbers of unexcused tardies and failing grades), (3) students exhibiting severe behavior disorders which impeded their academic performance. Aspects of the program were designed to create a "fit" between the Native American consumer and the school district offering educational services. According to the author, results demonstrated a decrease in the number of failing grades and classroom tardies while no change in attendance behavior was revealed.

#385
COLLEGE ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SIOUX AND WHITE SOUTH DAKOTA STUDENTS Terry E. Huffman; Maurice L.Sill; Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 32-38, Jan. 1986
Martin Brokenleg

An article relating social factors (family income, parents' educational level, high school GPA), cultural factors (college integration, participation in college environment, Native American Traditionalism), and aspirational factors (parents' and students' educational aspirations) to college achievement among Sioux and white students at the University of South Dakota and Black Hills State College. According to the authors, analysis indicated that college achievement for whites is related to social factors, such as, high school GPA and parental encouragement to attend school, whereas, retention of native cultural traditions seem to contribute to higher educational success for Sioux students.

#386
A COGNITIVE PATTERN OF THE YAKIMA INDIAN STUDENTS
Rhett Diessner; Jacqueline L. Walker Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 39-43, Jan. 1986

According to the authors, patterns of Bannatyne's recategorized Weschsler Intelligence Scales (WISC-R and WAIS) scores for 75 Yakima Indian students, enrolled in a private, tribally controlled and operated Junior and Senior High School in the Columbia River Basin, were investigated. In congruence with similar studies, a statistically significant pattern was found: Spatial Ability, Sequential Ability and Verbal Conceptual Ability. The authors believe evidence is presented indicating that the discovered cognitive pattern may be typical across American Indian populations. The authors believe the evidence presented increase the possible validity of a particular American Indian cognitive style.

#387
NATIVE AMERICAN READING DISABILITY
Rhonda Lankford; James D. Riley Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 1-11, May 1986

The authors believe that a gap still exists between the Native American community and the schools and suggest that the two directions Indian people initially can take to become a working part of school are (1) evaluate current institutional programs for cultural relevancy, and (2) evaluate current instructional programs and procedures for process relevancy. The article includes an overview of the historical "periods" in which school-community conflicts evolved and their impact on literacy and reading interests. The article also discusses the potential for overcoming conflict through the activation of two types of "control processes:" (a) conceptually driven or top down processing, (b) data processing or bottom up processing. Through this awareness, the authors argue, the discrepancy between Native American and national norms in the reading area will be reduced, and this will, in turn, raise the quality of life for Indian people.

#388
IMPLICATIONS OF THE ALASKA NATIVE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT ACT
Gary C. Anders Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 12-21, May 1986

According to the article, the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) created a new set of social conditions for Native peoples of Alaska. The article (1) explores the effects of ANCSA within the context of rapid social change, (2) examines the long-term implications of the new reality, and (3) seeks to determine the logical consequences of limited success. Consideration is given to the viability of village life in rural Alaska and to the economic and social relevance of traditional Native culture. The author believes the expansions of state and federal programs that impose welfare dependence are a powerful and persuasive force undermining traditional self-sufficient Native communities in Alaska. The author argues that a strategy capable of helping Natives face the new challenges must concentrate on educational and community development issues.

#389
OCCUPATIONAL VALUES OF RURAL ESKIMO
G. Williamson McDiarmid; Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 22-29, May 1986
Judith S. Kleinfeld

An article comparing the occupational values of 232 rural Eskimo secondary students, the entire high school population from four small Eskimo villages on the lower Yukon, with those of a random sample consisting of 117 Caucasian (or white) urban students from Fairbanks High School, Alaska, who represented the widest socioeconomic spectrum in the community. The study adopted the distinctions of "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" values to determine results. Discussions of work schedule and location, and reasons for occupational choices are included. The authors state that while they found significant cultural differences in occupational values between rural Eskimo and urban Caucasian adolescents, these differences were typically not great. Nor did the cultural differences found conform to the popular stereotype of rural Natives who prefer intermittent work to year-round jobs. The authors believe, however, that Native responses may indicate not so much that Eskimo adolescents prefer unconventional work schedules as that they tend to look less to wage work for intrinsic satisfactions.

#390
DEVELOPING ENGLISH LANGUAGE SOFTWARE FOR ATHABASKAN STUDENTS
Miki McCurry; Judith Kleinfeld Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 30-39, May 1986

An article presenting a model for developing computer software targeted to Native American students from particular language communities. The authors suggest ways for school districts to develop localized software, rather than relying exclusively on commercial software not designed for Native American groups. The article reviews the limited research literature on computer software for Native American students as well as discussing the reasons school districts might want to develop their own computer software. The authors also describe the process through which the Yukon/Koyukuk School District in Alaska developed computer software for Athabaskan students.

#391
EDITORIAL COMMENTARY: EDUCATION REFORM
John Red Horse Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 40-44, May 1986

According to the author, education reform measures have sparked concern among tribal leadership in Arizona, measures which have introduced stiffer requirements for admission to universities, increased credit requirements for high school graduation, and influenced consideration for measurement of skills-acquisition prior to grade advancement in elementary schools. The author believes these reforms, which mirror national efforts to redirect education, will have serious repercussions for Indian education throughout the United States. The author advocates partnerships between tribes and universities as a logical strategy through which research and development activities may reverse alarming trends in Indian Education. The article concludes with four points: (1) rather than funding titled programs through local education agencies, block grants, directly allocated to tribes, would empower tribes to negotiate with districts that are motivated to design effective schooling programs which build upon strengths of Native culture and language; (2) universities could organize laboratory-type schools to "tease out" effective methods of motivation, language and concept bridging, and appropriate testing procedures; (3) a bilingual-bicultural education service offered through a cultural center could mediate for the "unalterable circumstances" that resident Native American students confront; (4) universities could develop sister-institution programs with tribes to foster capacity building through extern academic services for paraprofessionals in tribal health, education, and welfare units.

#392
AMERICAN INDIAN FAMILIES
Harriett K. Light; Ruth E. Martin Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 1-5, Oct. 1986

The article outlines an empirical investigation conducted by the authors in order to identify the sources of strength and optimism that the authors noted were apparent in the lives of many Indian women and men despite their "incredibly difficult living conditions." The article provides a brief overview of American Indian families drawing on sources ranging from the early 1960s to 1983 before providing the methods employed in the study itself. The study sample group consisted of 32 American Indian women from the upper Midwest with a mean age of 35 years. In light of the investigation, the article also discusses Extended Family Social Support, and Esteem and Communication. "From our results," say the authors, "it appears that helping systems that function within families and personal relationships are based on mutual respect."

#393
UNIVERSITY PREPARATION FOR NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS
Jeanna Beaty; Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 6-13, Oct. 1986
Katherine Beaty Chiste

The article summarizes the University of Lethbridge's University Preparation Program (UPP) which was launched in the summer of 1984 for Native students in an attempt to improve their retention and graduate rates. According to the article, 30 students, 5 student leaders and 5 program faculty participated in the initial six week trial. The article discusses the Program Objectives, the Theoretical Foundations, Staffing, Student Screening, Curriculum and Program Evaluation. The article portrays UPP's initial success and discusses the limitations of UPP, and the authors state that through similar programs "it is important to encourage these students to remain at our universities."

#394
NATIVE AMERICANS IN BASAL READING TEXTBOOKS: ARE THERE ENOUGH?
Jon Reyhner Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 14-22, Oct. 1986

An article which examines the extent of the perceived improved position of Native Americans in basal readers. The article focuses on the readers in terms of the number of stories with Native American characters, how the characters are portrayed in basal readers, and how much realism is in the stories published in recent years. The article specifically covers Procedures for Textbook and Story Selection, Procedures for Measuring Story Realism, Findings, Summaries of Stories Containing Native American Characters and a Discussion section. The author concludes that it "is up to the teacher to introduce students to literature beyond the bits and pieces that appear in basal readers."

#395
CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN NORTH AMERICAN SCHOOLS
William E. Schulz; Gerri Bravi Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 23-31, Oct. 1986

An article investigating the question: Are teachers in American schools establishing learning environments with a high possibility of accommodating low motivation, culture differences and other areas of exceptionality? The study examined learning environments at all levels (K-12), all federally-funded Native classrooms, and utilized the Assessment of Classroom Learning Environment (ACLE) instrument which uses teacher perceptions. The article covers Classroom Learning Environment Research, Methodology and Instrumentation, and the results which span the remainder of the article. According to the author, "more courses and in-services should be provided to teachers so they can learn the skills necessary to provide a learning environment that can readily accommodate the exceptional student."

#396
INDIAN OASIS v. WARNER: A CASE OF FEDERAL SUPREMACY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
Thomas E. Glass Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 32-40, Oct. 1986

An article discussing the legal responsibilities of Federal Impact Aid under Public Law 91-874 to school districts populated by Indian children. According to the author, the law "has resulted in a serious legal controversy in Arizona." The article discusses the Background of Impact Aid, Impact Aid in Arizona, Federal Equalization of Impact Aid, Reaction to Arizona School Finance Legislation, Impact Aid Litigation, and Indian Oasis v. Warner. The author concludes that the final conclusion to the Impact Aid controversy rests with Congress, which has the authority to amend P.L. 81-874 and the equalization process to "ensure that financial inequalities are not thrust upon Indian-populated school districts located in rural and isolated areas experiencing extraordinary operating costs."