A lesson plan for first-grade children beginning to learn English describes an activity using manipulatives and visual aids to develop recognition of three geometric shapes (circle, square, rectangle), their names, and a few additional words in English (e.g., "bag,""table,""door"). Students are grouped at tables of four to six and provided with…

This book is part of a Mexican series of instructional materials designed for Spanish speaking adults who are in the process of becoming literate or have recently become literate in their native language. It provides instruction on knowing about, and caring for, the health of one's family. Topics covered include community health, pregnancy,…

A study investigating the design of elementary school programs for limited-English-speaking children is reported and the resulting recommendations for a program designed for Hispanic migrant children in a Washington school are presented. The three major issues addressed include: the appropriate amount of instruction in native language arts; how to…

A study in two El Paso (Texas) elementary school two-way bilingual education programs investigated factors in learning through first and second language, analyzed teacher development in a context of complex change, and identified promising school structures for collaborative professional development for these teachers. Of the 24 participating…

The purpose of this manual is to guide users of the nutrition education project produced by Padres Hispanos en Accion por Una Sana Generacion (Hispanic Parents in Action for a Healthy Generation). The project provides nutrition education materials to trainers who provide nutrition counseling to parents of Head Start children. The project has two…

Standardization methodology was used to analyze omitted responses of Hispanic examinees on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Study or focal groups were 2,956 Mexican-Americans, 3,230 Puerto Ricans, and 278,009 White test-takers. Results indicate that both Mexican-Americans and Puerto Rican students omitted fewer items than White students of comparable…

Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Cubans, Central Americans, and South Americans, all so-called "Hispanics," or "Latinos," have brought their working hands and all of their skills and talents to the United States. They have come from many places to become the United States' fastest growing minority group. By the…

A study investigated parent attitudes toward a dual-language (Spanish/English) immersion program of bilingual education, in which both English-speakers and non-English-speakers are participating students and English is used no more than 50 percent of the time for instruction. The 20-item (agree/disagree format) survey elicited opinions from 200…

This directory provides information on the location and functioning of educational documentation and information services in Spain and Portugal in Europe, and in the 18 Spanish-speaking countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvader, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto…

A study investigated the attitudes of bilinguals toward each language and toward language mixing (codeswitching), expressions of identity, and how this relates to linguistic behavior. Subjects were 15 undergraduate students of Spanish-English interpreting and translation at an Australian university whose age (19-53), language proficiency, and…

An approach to teaching top-down comprehension of spoken language in business Spanish instruction is presented. The approach is based on a model of reading comprehension using successful reading strategies that use-top-down processing, and relies on development of learners' understanding of certain important concepts they will encounter in…

A study at Brigham Young University (Utah) investigated the feasibility of computer-assisted language placement testing in higher education. Benefits and problems of this approach for test administration, individualization of item selection, and recordkeeping were examined. Four steps were followed in production of a test for Spanish placement:…

The study reported here evaluated the usefulness of interactive videodisc technology and materials to teach second languages at the elementary and middle school levels, particularly in a context in which teachers lack expertise in the target language. A 3-year project used videodiscs to teach Spanish, French, and Japanese. The report presents, in…

This study surveyed political values, attitudes, and behavior of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans in the United States. This report describes U.S. Latinos as foreign-born, native (U.S.)-born, non-U.S. citizens, and U.S. citizens. The study used a household, in-person survey, in English or Spanish (interviewee's choice), of 1,546 Mexicans, 589…

Results of a national survey on foreign language enrollments in United States public secondary schools are summarized. Aggregate data are provided for fall 1989, and more detailed data are included for fall 1990. Data indicate a 4.5% increase in secondary school language enrollments nationally since 1985. The increase for high schools alone was…