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This report provides data on children in Puerto Rico based on the 2000 U.S. Census. It compares the situation of Puerto Rico's children with that of children living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, noting how characteristics of Puerto Rican children have changed over time. Between 1990-2000, the number of Puerto Rican children decreased 5 percent, while the number of U.S. children increased 14 percent. This decline related to declining Puerto Rican fertility rates and migration of Puerto Rican families to the U.S. mainland. In 2000, about 27 percent of Puerto Rican families with children were headed by females, an increase from 22 percent in 1990. The percentage of female-headed households was highest in Puerto Rico's urban areas. In 1999, over half of Puerto Rico's children lived in poverty, while the U.S. child poverty rate dropped from 18 to 16 percent during the 1990s. Puerto Rico's high school dropout rate decreased from 22 to 14 percent between 1990-2000, while the U.S. dropout rate was 10 percent in 2000. Dropout rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico's rural areas. About one-third of adult Puerto Rican women were in the labor force in 2000, compared to 58 percent of U.S. women. Child poverty rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico's rural communities. (Contains 13 tables/figures and 42 endnotes.) (SM)

This Spanish-language report provides data on children in Puerto Rico based on the 2000 U.S. Census. It compares the situation of Puerto Rico's children with that of children living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, noting how characteristics of Puerto Rican children have changed over time. Between 1990-2000, the number of Puerto Rican children decreased 5 percent, while the number of U.S. children increased 14 percent. This decline related to declining Puerto Rican fertility rates and migration of Puerto Rican families to the U.S. mainland. In 2000, about 27 percent of Puerto Rican families with children were headed by females, an increase from 22 percent in 1990. The percentage of female-headed households was highest in Puerto Rico's urban areas. In 1999, over half of Puerto Rico's children lived in poverty, while the U.S. child poverty rate dropped from 18 to 16 percent during the 1990s. Puerto Rico's high school dropout rate decreased from 22 to 14 percent between 1990-2000, while the U.S. dropout rate was 10 percent in 2000. Dropout rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico's rural areas. About one-third of adult Puerto Rican women were in the labor force in 2000, compared to 58 percent of U.S. women. Child poverty rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico's rural communities. (Contains 13 tables/figures and 42 endnotes.) (SM)

This report profiles child wellbeing for each state and the District of Columbia, using data from the 1990 and 2000 Decennial Censuses. Each profile includes a graph showing 1990-00 trends for five key indicators of child wellbeing: children in poverty; children in single-parent households; teens who are high school dropouts; children who have difficulty speaking English; and children living in high-poverty neighborhoods. Each profile also includes a table with additional data on children from the 2000 Census showing the number and percentage of children for nine key indicators. Besides the five measures included in the graph, the table offers measures of children in extreme poverty, children in low-income households, children who are not in school and not working, and children with one or more disabilities. Nationwide, the percentage of children under age 18 living in poverty declined from 18.3 to 16.6 percent. There were 11.7 million children living in poverty in 2000. The share of children living in single-parent households increased from 20.2 to 23.3 percent. Nationwide, 16.8 million children lived in single-parent households in 2000. The percentage of teens age 16-19 who were high school dropouts decreased from 11.2 to 9.8 percent. The share of children having difficulty speaking English increased from 5.3 to 6.6 percent. The percentage of children living in high-poverty neighborhoods decreased from 23.3 to 20.4 percent. Appended are state rankings on key indicators of child well-being and a glossary. (SM)

Using 2000 U.S. Census data, this report compares the situation of children in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to children's situations in neighboring territories and the nation overall. Between 1990-2000, the number of children in the Northern Mariana Islands increased 49 percent, while the number increased nationwide by only 14 percent in the past decade. Between 1989-1999, the Commonwealth's child poverty rate decreased from 39 to 38 percent, compared to a decrease from 18 to 16 percent nationally. About 35 percent of families with children in the Northern Mariana Islands were below poverty in 1999, with 54 percent below poverty among female-headed families. Nationwide, 14 percent of families with children and 34 percent of female-headed families with children were below poverty. Between 1990-2000, the percentage of 16-19-year-olds high school dropouts in the Commonwealth increased from 29-30 percent, while nationwide, only 10 percent were high school dropouts in 2000. Commonwealth municipalities. The 1999 poverty rates and high school dropout rates were highest on Saipan Island. Three appendices present information on the Census 2000 questionnaire, selected data for the total population and for children, and selected percentages for childen in the Northern Mariana Islands. (Contains 11 references.) (SM)

This toolkit explains how to get started with a collaborative process of professional development that includes selecting best practices and identifying ways to put them into action. It is a companion to an online resource, "The Knowledge Loom: What Works in Teaching & Learning." The loom as a metaphor suggests a work in progress, a workspace where selected and varied threads are drawn together to craft a cohesive, useful fabric. This guide helps education leaders facilitate professional development through collaborative activities that use knowledge loom content to guide improved teaching and learning. The activities are divided into modular steps: (1) selecting a theme (understanding collaborative inquiry, selecting a theme, and getting acquainted with the Knowledge Loom); (2) reviewing best practices (reviewing/selecting best practices, identifying evidence, and planning next steps); (3) analyzing success stories (finding virtual benchmarking partners, analyzing cause and effect data, and identifying performance gaps); (4) identifying support resources (broadening, deepening, and sharing knowledge); and (5) action planning and dissemination (articulating long-term goals, milestones, and action items and sharing success stories). Four appendixes include a glossary, reproducible activity organizers, evaluation forms, and references. (SM)

This data book offers a comprehensive overview of the state of Latino children by integrating a range of key factors and outcomes in the areas of demography, citizenship, family structure, poverty, health, education, and juvenile justice. It provides an overview of current national and state-level trends for Latino children under age 18 relative to non-Hispanic White and Black children, documenting both regional variations and changing trends since the year 2000. The first section of the report covers basic demographic trends and the geographic distribution of the Latino youth population. The remainder of the report, divided into five sections, covers several key areas of well-being and "risk factors" for Latino children and families: nativity status and citizenship, family structure and income, education and language, health, and juvenile justice. The data described in this document tell a compelling but unfortunately alarming story, pointing primarily to the numerous obstacles and inequalities that currently impede Latino children's paths toward a successful adulthood and that may hinder the broader integration of Latinos into U.S. society if left unattended. Some disturbing national trends revealed in the report include the following: (1) Despite a predominantly hardworking adult population, the majority of Latino children continue to live in poor and low-income families; many live in high-poverty neighborhoods that are socially and economically isolated from more affluent communities; (2) Most Latino children are U.S. citizens, yet a majority live in immigrant families, which often results in significant barriers to services and the potential separation of children from their parents; (3) Latino children are disadvantaged in the educational system early on, and only 55% graduate from high school with a regular diploma; (4) One out of five Latino children--primarily children of immigrants--does not have access to health insurance. While in many respects healthier than other children, Hispanic children are faring significantly worse than other racial/ethnic groups on several important health indicators, including teen pregnancy, childhood obesity, and access to health care; and (5) Latino children and youth are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system and are increasingly placed in adult facilities. The data book also points to some overall positive trends for Hispanic children. Maternal education, for example, which has a significant impact on child well-being, has sharply increased over the past decade. However, the overall picture presented here shows clearly that Latino children, who represent a vital part of our country's future, are in need of significant help. (Contains 12 figures, 12 maps, 1 box, and 82 endnotes.)

This document explains how tutors and managers in adult education programs across the United Kingdom can smooth the journeys of adults with mental health difficulties who are returning to learning. The handbook begins with suggestions for its use and case studies of two adult learners with mental health difficulties. Sections 1 through 4 discuss the following topics: (1) mental health (the definition of mental health, mental health promotion, moving from mental health services to learning opportunities); (2) pre-learning (being positive about mental health, advertising and marketing, liaison with external agencies, referral and record keeping, looking after information, guidance, disclosure); (3) teaching and learning (ways of encouraging learners to return to learning, the learning environment, adult and community learning provision, mental health and stress, learning support, other ways of supporting learners, the tutor-learner relationship, the emotional experience of learning, recognizing achievement); and (4) the mental health of staff who support learners. The following items are appended: (1) glossaries of mental health roles and support services and mental health diagnoses and treatments; (2) overviews of the Disability Discrimination Act, Common Inspection Framework, and National Service Framework; and (3) lists of useful contacts, help lines, organizations, and 19 publications and World Wide Web sites. (MN)

This manual is designed to (1) acquaint service supervisors and instructors with general principles of instruction; (2) familiarize them with the more common methods of individual and group instruction so that they will use the methods most adaptable to the subject matter and to the particular group being trained; and (3) offer an understanding of the basic tools of instruction so they can improve the effectiveness of all service activities. Emphasis is given to different methods of individual and group instruction. The individual methods described include the Four-Step Method, the Coaching Method, individual development plans, cross-training, special assignments, acting assignments, understudies, committee assignments, and programmed instruction. Group methods include lecturing, demonstration, staff meeting, conference, critique, buzz groups, brainstorming, role-playing, panel discussion, group problem-solving, case study method, in-basket exercise, fishbowl, instruments, films, film evaluation, training with TV, learner controlled instruction, tools to aid the instructor, lesson plans, use of training aids, flip charts and chalkboards, the art of questioning, and handouts. An introductory section covers the learning environment, teaching principles, and characteristics of the adult learner. (WL)

This text of Yup'ik (a southwestern Alaskan Eskimo language) orthography is intended for individuals wishing to read and write in Yup'ik as a first or second language. The first chapter gives details on the Yup'ik alphabet and contains a pronunciation exercise. Subsequent chapters present information, with exercises, on: vowels; double vowels and vowel clusters; stops; syllables; lengthening; gemination; apostrophe; fricatives; nasals, consonants (summarized); hyphen; apostrophe (summarized); and stress. Several review exercises are included. Contents are indexed. An answer key by other authors is presented in a separate volume. (MSE)

This children's story in the Inupiaq language is written for elementary school children with a good grasp of the language. Pen-and-ink sketches illustrate the text. (NCR)

This article studies the acquisition of the structure of non-finite complementation of verbs of movement (ex. "J'irai jouer au tennis" I will go and play tennis) by Jamaican learners of French. The method consists in analyzing a longitudinal learner corpus of oral productions and identifying persistent difficulties experienced by learners, in order to propose a pedagogical remediation. The study is concerned with SLA within a diglossic context. The research is therefore informed by a contrastive analysis of corresponding linguistic structures in French, on the one hand, and in Jamaican Creole and English, on the other hand. It uncovers distinct linguistic structures used by learners to express the meaning of the French construction as well as evidence of a transfer of lexical properties from the L1. This article proposes an original research on a neglected topic within the context of a wider research on non-finite complementation.

We isolated and characterized 21 microsatellite loci in the vulnerable and iconic Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri. Loci were screened across eight individuals from the Burnett River and 40 individuals from the Pine River. Genetic diversity was low with between one and six alleles per locus within populations and a maximum expected heterozygosity of 0.774. These loci will now be available to assess effective population sizes and genetic structure in N. forsteri across its natural range in South East Queensland, Australia.