(1969). A Study of Sociocultural Characteristics of Mexican-American and Anglo Junior High School Students and the Relation of These Characteristics to Achievement. Purposes of this study were to detect some of the sociocultural differences between Mexican American and Anglo junior high school students; to determine how the sociocultural characteristics of the Mexican American students were related to their language background; and to ascertain how characteristics of both groups were related to their achievement. The sample consisted of 126 male and female students, 87 of whom were Mexican American. Scales were developed from questionnaire and interview data to measure language background, self-concept of ability, achievement orientation, parental independence training practices, parental achievement pressure, social distance, and socioeconomic status. Student achievement was measured both by English and mathematics grades and by standardized tests. Observed sociocultural differences between Mexican American and Anglo students appeared to be due to ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic and other social conditions associated with this background…. [PDF]
(1973). Modulo Navideno, Nivel Primario. (Christmas Module, Primary Level.). Four units are combined to form this primary level unit on Navidad (Christmas). It discusses and compares 3 cultures: the Mexican, the Chicano, and the Anglo-Saxon. The unit consists of: (1) "La Muneca Mas Bella de Wildrose", a story by Amado Nervo which shows children's feelings of love and tenderness; (2) the Mexican tale "El Regalo", a detailed panorama of a beautiful town — Taxco (Guerrero), Mexico; (3) the Chicano tale, "Recuerdos" which depicts the culture that is enclosed in the Mexican American people; (4) "El Angel Caido", a story, illustrated by children, whose principal objective is to demonstrate the Chicano child's art, sensitiveness, and imagination; and (5) a brief history of the origin of Navidad, the posadas, and the pinata. Objectives, a pretest and a posttest, a story, a vocabulary list of new words, and some suggested activities are given for each unit. The vocabulary, place, people, and history are characteristic of… [PDF]
(1974). Exemplary Programs for Migrant Children. Since 1966, more than 1,900 projects have been funded by the 1965 Title I Elementary and Secondary Education Act Migrant Amendment and the 1964 Economic Opportunity Act for migrant children's problems of educational continuity, health, and other needed services. This paper describes various exemplary programs selected for comprehensiveness of services (both ages served and variety) and replicability in migrant or regular educational programs. The programs, separated into national, interstate, state, and local programs and special services, are: Migrant Student Record Transfer System; High School Equivalency Program; Texas Child Migrant Program; Interstate Cooperation Project; Texas Migrant Council – Mobile Head Start Program; California Plan for the Education of Migrant Children – Regional Plan; Florida Migratory Child Compensatory Program – Early Childhood Learning, Learn and Earn, and Language Arts Tutorial Programs; New Jersey Migrant Education – Recruitment Program;… [PDF]
(1985). Structured Immersion for Language Minority Students: Results of a Longitudinal Evaluation. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, v7 n3 p187-96 Fall. A structured immersion program, coupled with an effective curriculum and empirically validated teaching procedure, was offered to elementary Asian students entering a California school. This approach appeared to have significantly better results, and its effects were maintained for up to two years after completion. (LMO)…
(1996). Comparative Validity of Three English Oral Language Proficiency Tests. Bilingual Research Journal, v20 n1 p55-68 Win. Examines three English oral language proficiency tests in terms of whether the tests measure basic interpersonal communication skills or cognitive-academic language proficiency. Suggests that oral language proficiency tests should be academic in nature if their purpose is to determine whether language-minority students can meet the demands of monolingual instruction in English. (LP)…
(1994). The Challenge of Social Studies for Limited English Proficient Students. Social Education, v58 n1 p36-38 Jan. Asserts that changing demographic patterns indicate that the fastest growing sector of school-age children is the language minority group. Contends that, although social studies might seem to be the ideal curriculum area for mainstreaming students, the need for literacy skills often makes it difficult for limited English proficient students. (CFR)…
(1994). Recruiting and Retaining Bilingual Teachers: A Cooperative School-Community-University Model. Journal of Educational Issues of Language Minority Students, v14 p255-68 Win. Overviews the problems California schools have recruiting bilingual teachers and presents a recruiting model originating in the San Bernardino County Fontana School District in cooperation with a major university. Components of the model include well-defined staffing policies, a career ladder for bilingual teacher aides and support for teacher credentialing. (23 references) (CK)…
(1992). Bilingual Precocious Readers of English. Roeper Review, v14 n3 p115-19 Mar. This paper describes the home and school experiences of 12 children from bilingual (mostly Chinese/English) homes who, before beginning first grade, demonstrated advanced ability to comprehend written English. Results demonstrate that lack of fluency in oral English should not exclude children from advanced instruction in reading. (Author/JDD)…
(1992). When Children Don't Speak the Language of Instruction. Kamehameha Journal of Education, v3 n2 p93-107 Fall. Examines ways to adjust instruction to develop language while teaching specific academic content to students from different cultural and language backgrounds, focusing on students in Hawaii. Information is presented on adjusting instruction so that students will understand better, with emphasis on providing sufficient cues and information, motivating students, and providing opportunities to practice speaking. (SM)…
(1990). Public Money and Private Lessons: An Experiment in Choice Puts a City in the Spotlight. Religion & Public Education, v17 n3 p325-27 Fall. Discusses Milwaukee's (Wisconsin) project for school choice. Describes the program of public funding for private schools, vouchers, and parent-run schools for African-American and Hispanic students. Cites autonomy, small class size, and values instruction as advantages of the small private schools. Reports graduation rates are higher and reading skills better. (DK)…
(1998). Breaking Rules: Constructing Avenues of Access in Multilingual Classrooms. TESOL Journal, v7 n3 p29-34 Spr. Presents vignettes from grade five, seven, and eight bilingual classrooms with a linguistically and culturally diverse student population, focusing on specific ways that teachers can aid students in constructing meaning in English, promote two-way communication between teacher and student and among students, foster social integration and second-language learning, and support parent participation. (MSE)…
(2002). Early Childhood Classroom Setup. Child Care Information Exchange, n143 p17-20 Jan-Feb. Discusses four components of the classroom environment found to play an important role in the successful participation of children learning English as a second language. Those components are: a physical environment that is organized, inviting, and accessible; inclusion of materials and artifacts from many cultures; opportunities for community building; and teachers that are interactive, supportive facilitators. (TJQ)…
(1995). Design, Development, and Implementation of an Instructional Program for Kindergarten Teachers To Increase Their Basic Computer Skills through Word Processing Training. Kindergarten teachers are not receiving instruction in computer literacy, and the kindergarten curriculum does not include instruction in use of computers. A practicum project addressed the problem of bilingual (Spanish-English) kindergarten teachers who did not know how to use computer word processing programs. Major goals of the project were to increase teachers' computer literacy through their: mastery of word processing skills; creation of school-related documents, with graphics; learning of computer maintenance; and mastery of and comfort with computers for application in their teaching and classroom management. The computer instruction and training program that was designed and implemented for the project concentrated on increasing the word processing skills of the bilingual kindergarten teachers using instructional and educational technology. Twelve kindergarten teachers participated in the program. Analysis of evaluation data revealed that the bilingual kindergarten teachers… [PDF]
(1983). "Toward the Year 2000." An Examination and Discussion of Critical Multicultural Education Issues and Strategies Related to Washington State's Preparation for Entry into the 21st Century and Its Increasing Multi-Ethnic Population. In February 1983, a symposium was held to ensure that multicultural and equity education issues are not left unattended in Washington State's public schools as new educational challenges present themselves. Participants were 80 individuals representing a cross section of geographic areas, ethnic groups, and key professions from 21 different school districts and 21 different institutions. This report contains papers on the eight themes addressed by these participants: (1) "Discipline: Policies, Practices and Minority Students"; (2) "Computers, Minority Students and a Technology Gap Acceleration"; (3) "The Street Life Alternative" (which deals with the dropout phenomenon); (4) "Multicultural/Global Education in the Schools"; (5) "Multicultural/Basic Education"; (6) "Effective Schools within a Pluralistic Society"; (7) "Teacher Readiness in a Complex Multicultural Education Setting"; and (8) "Students Who Speak…
(1986). Historical Review of Indian Education: Cultural Policies United States Position. Wicazo Sa Review, v2 n1 p27-31 Spr. Beginning in the year 1568, American Indians were thrust into an alien educational environment in which their languages–the very expressions of their tribal cultures–had no relevance or validity from the perspective of their teachers. The evolution of educational policy as it has affected Indians was initially tied to land transfer and acquisition, and it has been consistently assimilative in its orientation. The church, the federal government, and the schools could not and would not allow Indians to remain Indians. These three most powerful institutions in the United States all tried to change Indians, and they exerted intense pressure aimed at suppressing Indian cultures and Indian languages. The failure of the United States to educate Indian children continued until 1972 when Congress enacted the Indian Education Act specifically to meet the unique educational needs of American Indians at all levels of education. Indian involvement is a legislative mandate in the planning,…