Elementary schools in the USSR are discussed. Specifically examined are the educational aims and objectives of elementary schools, educational approaches used and levels of achievement attained, ways of improving teaching methods, and problems and future prospects. (RM)

How Czechoslovakians are trying to deal with the problem of educational failure and pupils' under-achievement in the elementary grades is discussed. For examples, a new comprehensive kindergarten system has been introduced, child development is carefully analyzed at the pre-school level, special educational classes are provided, and leisure clubs…

The autonomy of local education authorities and teachers in England and Wales is being carefully and inexorably restricted. There is a move toward centralization of education. A new system of assessment is also being introduced. (RM)

The University of the West Indies is undergoing institutional change brought about by its seeking to adapt itself to the demands and varying needs of its several supporting governments. The university's historical background, the impact of political independence, and the restructuring of the university are discussed. (RM)

There is considerable interest in the education of gifted and talented youth in countries around the world. Gifted programs in Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Israel are described, as examples of the approaches used globally. Identification procedures, teacher education, and general educational principles for gifted education are also…

The urban informal sector are the adolescents and adults of cities in developing countries who have had little or no education and expend much inventiveness and energy to avoid starvation, while working in activities such as pedlar or shoeshiner. What educational assistance could and should be provided for them is discussed. (RM)

An overview of youth research from a global perspective is provided. Five substantive areas of youth research are identified: (1) youth movements; (2) transitional processes of youth; (3) social and psychological marginalization; (4) relationships between generations; and (5) physical and character development. (RM)

The complex and dynamic relationship of youth and peace is examined, educational priorities regarding peace education of youth are discussed, and characterisitcs of youth movements for peace and disarmament are described. Peace is one of the main priorities expressed by the themes of International Youth Year 1985. (RM)

The peace movement in Germany is regarded by public authorities and the mass media mainly as a movement of the younger generation. Attitudes of German youth toward the peace movement and world problems are discussed. (RM)

Social changes in Sweden have engendered concrete problems for young people. For example, an extensive government-sponsored day care system has left many youth longing for social contacts with adults. The Swedish society is giving material welfare higher priority than social welfare. Possible solutions are discussed. (RM)

The systematic intervention of Latin American youth in their societies sets them apart from young people in other world regions. The reasons for the distinctiveness of the Latin American student movement are discussed. The attitudes that the different kinds of Latin American political systems take toward youth participation are examined. (RM)

The results of a study that examined the knowledge and attitudes of Russian preschool, elementary, and secondary students toward ecological matters are discussed. The overwhelming majority displayed a high degree of social maturity in their assessment of the importance of the relationship between man and nature. (RM)

The chances of young people improving their social and economic position are far less favorable today than they were 15 to 20 years ago. Hungarian youth are encountering difficulties finding employment and a worsened position in the labor market. The origins and consequences of this phenomenon are discussed. (RM)

The situational approach to ethnic identity with regard to migrants in the Netherlands is examined. This approach says that ethnicity is continuously created and can only be understood in relation to both past experience and specific political, economic, and social processes. (RM)

Two mass media projects that are being integrated into the national French education system are described. The "Socio-Cultural Education" program is intended to help future farmers understand and cope with social situations involving communication. The "Introduction to Communication and the Media" project helps students deal responsibly and…