Describes a 15-year program that provided intensive English language and cultural orientation to half a million refugees living in camps in Southeast Asia. Funded by United States Department of State, the program was designed to prepare these refugees for life in the U.S., and its success led to the creation of smaller-scale efforts elsewhere in the world. Chapters cover: the importance of balancing the ideal and the pragmatic, with a closer examination of oversees refugee training programs in Thailand and the Philippines; distinguishing characteristics of overseas refugee training programs; practices, trends, and issues in training programs, including work orientation, programs for children as well as special-needs groups such as refugees with disabilities, and staff development; history of, obstacles to, and successful strategies of native language literacy; the needs of young adult Amerasians, including social and recreational activities as well as counseling; and winning partnerships between home and school, with emphasis on preparing refugees for elementary programs, family involvement, and effective strategies.
