Ninth-grade predictors of dropout risk among Austin Independent School District's English language learner students included the following: having an attendance rate below 90%, being 16 years or older, earning less than 5 course credits, attending a Title I campus and scoring beginning or intermediate on the state's English proficiency assessment…

In the United States, populations identified as linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) are increasing at the fastest rate in public schools (Samway & McKeon, 2007). LCD students have not performed as well as their monolingual and/or affluent peers on state mandated assessments. No Child Left Behind Act (2001) stressed this disparity as "the…

Forty initially English-dominant Latino students in four 90:10 Spanish two-way dual-immersion programs and 62 of their peers in mainstream English programs were studied to find out if their attitudes toward Spanish and Spanish-dominant individuals differ. Significant differences were found on many variables, with two-way dual-immersion students…

The current study explores closely how using a combined modalities of asynchronous computer-mediated communication (CMC) via blogs and face-to-face (FTF) interaction through ethnographic interviews with native speakers (L1s) supports autonomous learning as the result of reflective and social processes. The study involves 16 American undergraduate…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an animated pedagogical agent on Spanish vocabulary learning. Furthermore, the study examined learners' reactions and attitudes towards the presence of the pedagogical agent in the web-based environments. A total of 47 university students enrolled in two fourth-semester Spanish classes…

The main goal of the present study was to examine the efficacy of a multi-component programme to improve reading fluency and text comprehension in Spanish children with reading disabilities (RD). Special needs teachers were trained in the application of the programme, which included repeated reading plus phonological awareness training and…

Intended to aid teachers, librarians, and others in the selection of Spanish-language books for children in grades K-12, the annotated guide includes books by Hispanic authors which highlight the lifestyle, folklore, heroes, history, fiction, poetry, theatre, and classical literature of Hispanic cultures. Most books included in the guide have been…

This report on the use of the Spanish language in the United States discusses the Spanish-speaking population, the language itself, and bilingual education in the United States. The background about the Spanish-speaking population includes the following topics: (1) "A Nations of Immigrants," (2) "The Population of the…

This culture game is an adaptation of "Sovietiquette," developed by Donald K. Jarvis. It deals with the everyday culture and basic geography of Spanish-speaking countries, and is designed as reinforcement for previously presented cultural material. The game, written in English, is intended to teach the middle school student correct responses to…

This teacher resource book describes the Spanish-Mexican contribution to the cattle industry, rodeo, and cowboy culture. It provides background material, resources, and activities for developing a bilingual-bicultural education course for primary, intermediate, and upper grades. The first three sections discuss the cattle industry, American rodeo,…

This resource book on Spanish and English names, origins, and meanings gives the teacher background material for developing bilingual classroom activities. Knowledge of one's name is important for developing self-concept in a bilingual-bicultural education program. Section one contains a history and development of surnames. Section two traces the…

Four booklets present articles on Spanish language and culture aimed at teachers of Spanish in the United States for student use in their classes. Number 17, "Los Jovenes Espanoles" (Spanish Youth), includes articles on Spanish youth sports, music, gangs, thoughts, and t-shirt slogans: (1) "Young Spanish Athletes"; (2)…

Spanish-speaking children of Northern New Mexico exhibit varying degrees of interference and integration of English in their speech. (CK)

A 1971 study of formation of language attitudes and their basis, and in particular the concept of "best" language variety, among predominantly immigrant Mexican-American parents is reported. (RM)