Documents attitudes toward English, Spanish, and Spanish-English code-switching in Juarez, Mexico. This paper refutes the notion that there are two orientations--integrative and instrumental--toward English as a second language, but it supports assumptions regarding the relationship between attitudes and use and the impact of local milieu on…

Describes a component in the Spanish curriculum of a middle school in Illinois in which students make field trips to two Hispanic neighborhoods in Chicago. The trips teach students about the Hispanic community and culture and help them to see Spanish as a living language. (SED)

Presents the latest hardware, and pedagogical and theoretical advances in computer-assisted language learning and describes an actual design implementation in a Spanish course. (Author/SED)

Describes a study done to test the hypothesis that factors that shape children's production of their native language (L1) will also influence adults' pronunciation of sounds in a foreign language (L2). Results confirmed the hypothesis that developmental processes are "reactivated" when adults attempt to produce L2 sounds not found in their L1.…

High school students enrolled in a Spanish language class heightened their awareness of the Mexican people by studying and discussing Mexican crafts. Working in the style used by the Mexicans, they designed and made their own art products. (RM)

Both a case study of a middle-aged Mexican migrant woman's attempt to learn to read and write and a personal account of the tutor's discovery of some of the social and psychological factors that kept her illiterate. Discusses methodology, materials, techniques, conflicting conceptions of literacy, and sociocultural expectations. (RDN)

Discusses how Scott O'Dell's books that deal with pre-Columbian Hispanic cultures reveal his limited views of those cultures and his use of stereotypes in describing the pre-Columbian, Mexican, and Spanish people.

An acculturation scale for Mexican Americans was cross-validated on 450 Mexican American college freshmen in south Texas. Factor analysis yielded four factors identified earlier: language preference, ethnic identity/generation removed from Mexico, ethnicity of friends/associates, extent of direct contact with Mexico and ability to read/write in…

This bibliographic essay reviews recent books about Mexico written for serious students and/or young adult readers; recent books for children and young adults which reflect authors' misunderstanding of Mexico, Mexicans, and Mexican-Americans; and recent books about Mexico and Mexican-Americans that might appeal to young readers with special…

Examines the use of color as a visual teaching aid in the foreign language classroom, assisting English-speaking children learning Spanish. In the area of phonology, color can be used to highlight difficulties in pronunciation, showing similarities and differences with some English cognate. (SL)

Results of a survey sent to 180 undergraduates who had received intensive language instruction (in Mexico) while in high school indicate that study abroad experiences effects attitudes and behavior with regard to language learning and career choices. Survey showed positive change in self-perception; opportunity to gain language fluency; and desire…

In Chicago's old stockyard district a bicultural program is chipping away at the Spanish-English language barrier and helping weld factions into a whole community. (Editor)

A foreign language festival in which the activities are organized around the theme of the bullfight is suggested as a means of attracting and motivating students. General guidelines for planning such an event are given. (Author/RM)

The linear correlation between the high school percentile rank and five test scores is examined with regard to Afro-Americans, Spanish-Americans, and white students, and for male and female students. The results raise the question of how ACT and SAT test scores should be used in the admission process. (LBH)

This paper reports the results of a study of student evaluations of first-semester college Spanish. The study sought to determine how accurately student evaluations of teaching performance reflect teaching success. Results show student evaluation reflect very little of teaching effectiveness as defined by student achievement. (CHK)