This study examined the construct validity of the Motivation Orientation and Language Learning Strategy Scales: For Spanish as a Foreign Language (MOLLS). The MOLLS is a Likert-type scale, that has 20 items in 5 broad categories in the motivation orientation scale (MOS) and 18 items in 3 broad categories in the language learning strategies scale…

Although Montessori parents recognize the importance of early second-language acquisition and would like to help their children obtain these skills, they often lack the knowledge that would enable them to take an active role in supporting such learning. The staff of the Montessori Center of Nyack, New York, devised three simple ways to bring…

This monograph reports on research carried out with 25 young Latino interpreters (high school students) who participated in a simulated interpretation task, part of a larger project that examined gifts and talents not generally identified, fostered in instruction, or positively evaluated in formal education. These bilingual adolescents had been…

Intended for Spanish-speaking farmworkers with children, this publication in comic book format tells these parents how they can protect their children from pesticide risks. On returning home from work, one farmworker couple does not hug their young children. When their behavior is questioned by neighbors, the mother explains that the fields were…

This guide, written in Spanish, discusses reasons for going to college, how to pay for college, and how to apply for federal student aid in a series of brief, clear illustrations. Following outlines of financial benefits of college, college costs, and space to note costs for the student's area, the guide outlines these steps in the application…

This doctoral dissertation investigated literacy and educational achievement among the adult Mexican origin population in the United States by means of a secondary data analysis of the 1979 National Chicano Survey (NCS). The unique contribution of this study is its focus on biliteracy (i.e., literacy across English and Spanish). Literacy…

This paper examines the ambiguity in defining terms within the field of bilingual education, noting problems with poor professional development available to teachers selected to participate in bilingual education programs. The first section discusses terminology within bilingual education programs, focusing on the following: transitional bilingual…

This updated and expanded version of a 1991 book provides an account of the development of Spanish over the last 2,000 years. The six chapters include: (1) "Introduction" (e.g., Indo-European, Latin, and Romance); (2) "Phonology" (phonological change, transmission, suprasegmental features, development of the vowel system, development of the…

Computers have become a solution for many traditional problems from the kitchen to the school. It is not, therefore, uncommon to use them to solve existing problems. It is also quite frequent that different educational needs can lead to similar solutions. For instance, the Australian immigration services use a number of exams to allow the access…

Whether performance assessments can be claimed to be more inclusive than traditional assessments was studied in an investigation of whether a student's perceptions of control can be detected in a performance assessment score. It was hypothesized that students' perceptions of control would show no effect on their scores on an objective test of…

This document consists of the two issues of this newsletter published during 1994. Issues contain articles and employment notices of interest to Montessori teachers and school administrators. Feature articles include: (1) "Meaningful In-Service Comes from Within Our Own School" (Anne Blickenstaff and Nancy Hildick), which discusses one…

Several English and Spanish language tests currently used in bilingual education and some less known tests are reviewed, looking at both historic and psychometric factors. It is suggested that practitioners have commonly assumed that all language tests are basically valid, which contributed to the commercial success of some tests of questionable…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of including special education students in the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) accountability subset of students. In 1999, the accountability subset was expanded to include scores for all special education students not exempted and all bilingual/limited English proficient (LEP)…

This report outlines student performance results from the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) for the 1997-1998 school year as well as results from the Spanish TAAS tests and the Biology I and Algebra I end-of-course examinations. Data represent test results for students not in special education. The chapters are: (1) "Executive…

This Spanish-language videotape provides a live, interactive teleconference where renowned national experts, local educators, and community leaders share ideas on how to improve schools. It focuses on establishing partnerships with faith-based and community organizations to create stronger schools. The audience includes parents, teachers, school…