The concurrent validity and reliability of Kaufman's short-form version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were examined for a sample of 342 Mexican-American preschool and kindergarten age children. The results showed that generally the positive psychometric properties of the Kaufman short form were also noted for the children in this…

Describes a method of using "pesos" as a reward for prompt homework assignments, extra work and good grades, and also as a forfeit for using English in the Spanish class, unfinished assignments, or to buy points on a test. (CHK)

This article discusses the influence of cultural factors on language, particularly in the area of lexicon, and is intended for students of Spanish as a second language. (Text is in Spanish.) (CLK)

This article describes what is perceived as a gradual relaxation of language usage norms in Spanish, and calls for the creation of a center to help modernize technical Spanish and to minimize the intrusion of English technical vocabulary. (Text is in Spanish.) (CLK)

An investigation was undertaken to examine relationships between student learning styles and traditional environments or individualized settings in second language learning. Students with high conceptual-level scores preferred an individualized environment, while those with low conceptual-level scores needed a traditional environment. (CHK)

"Arthur," a book-based educational television program designed for children ages 4-8, is popular among preschool and kindergarten students. The program is based on the storybooks, by Marc Brown, about Arthur, an 8-year-old aardvark. Each show is 30 minutes in length and includes two stories involving characters dealing with moral issues.…

Getting a sound education is important to a student's ability to make a good living in a field they will enjoy. For many students graduating from high school, that includes high quality career technical (or vocational) education tailored to a specific job. In California, such programs are available in a wide range of fields, from healthcare to the…

Dual immersion classrooms combine students who speak a non-English language (in this case Spanish) with English speaking students learning the native language of the nonnative English speaking students. This case study recorded the output of Spanish first language (L1) and second language (L2) fifth graders over 5 months of Spanish language…

This study investigated: the relationship between second language (L2) students' perceptions of teacher caring and learning; the relationship between L2 students' perceptions of nonverbal immediacy (e.g., eye contact, gestures, movement within the classroom, smiling, vocal variety, and use of humor) and learning; and the relationship between L2…

The general objective of this study is the investigation of some of the cognitive processes underlying adult second language acquisition through the analysis of the development of morphological markers of temporality in the acquisition of Spanish as a second language (L2) among native English speakers. It is argued that analysis of data on the…

This report outlines statewide results on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) for the 1998-1999 academic year. Also included are statewide data from the administration of the Spanish TAAS and the Algebra I, Biology, English II, and U.S. History end-of-course examinations. To allow a broader view of the assessment program's history,…

Moroleon, Guanajuato (Mexico), is an industrial city on the Mexican Plateau. People from the surrounding hamlets known as rancherias frequently seek employment in the city. However, many men with low levels of education travel to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, to work on mushroom farms. A study explored the use of English in these two communities.…

The Texas Education Code required the commissioner of education to conduct a study to determine the need to expand the assessment system to include the assessment in grades 7 and 8 of limited English proficient (LEP) students whose primary language is Spanish and other students of limited English proficiency. This report presents the research…

Many students in the United States who are required to take educational tests are not fully proficient in English. To address this problem, a state-mandated testing program created dual language English-Spanish versions of some of their tests. In this study, the psychometric properties of the English and dual language versions of a fourth-grade…

This guide provides Texas teachers and administrators with guidelines, goals, instructional strategies, and activities for teaching Spanish to secondary level native speakers. It is based on the principle that the Spanish speaking student is the strongest linguistic and cultural resource to Texas teachers of languages other than English, and one…