Cognitive and affective responses to one authentic and three edited texts were examined with four levels of university-level learners of Spanish. Results indicated that all students comprehended significantly more from the authentic passage than from the edited ones and also responded more favorably to the authentic passages. (Contains 47…

A survey of native Spanish speakers from both Spain and Latin America found that the choice of predicate adjectives governing "tough" constructions in Spanish (e.g., "el libro es facil de leer") varies by individual, but some patterns did emerge that suggest "tough" constructions and "it is" constructions…

Describes an immersion program for native Spanish-speaking university students from the University of California, Los Angeles, that was created to help them fulfill the language requirement. Reasons for the program, student characteristics, language characteristics, expected goals and outcomes of the program, and program observations are provided.…

Self-contained activities that will help social studies or Spanish foreign language students in grades 6-8 learn about the history and culture of Latin America are provided. Following an introductory unit, the activities, ranging from easy to complex, are organized by the following countries and areas: Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean,…

This document consists of three issues (1994) of a Spanish language periodical directed at elementary and middle school-aged children. Contained in these periodicals are a variety of activities designed to encourage the reader to learn and practice the Spanish language. Each issue focuses on a particular topic, e.g., "The…

A study investigated whether markedness relationships within a target language influence the degree of difficulty in acquisition. The Intralingual Markedness Hypothesis was developed, stating that if structures in the target language differ from those in the native language, and if those structures in the target language are in a markedness…

The teacher's guide to the "Carrascolendas 500 Series," a bilingual (Spanish/English) television program geared toward encouraging affective learning in 6- to 9-year-olds, provides information about the main points made in each of the 39 programs in the series. It gives teachers general tips on how to use the series to explore important…

This book focuses on the culture and the people of Spain. The document discusses ways in which these differ from the culture and people now dominant in the western hemisphere. The book explores the different histories through which two peoples have lived and the distinctive values they hold. Their perceptions and expectations of each other are…

A teacher's manual was developed for an elementary level science course in Spanish as part of an immersion program for English speaking children. The Level A manual is designed for kindergarten and grade 1 pupils. The five units cover the basic concepts of the weather, colors, animals, plants, and the five senses. Each unit includes vocabulary,…

This Spanish version of "How to Work and Live in the Real World: Basic Steps for Youth with Handicaps and Their Parents and Teachers" is for young people with handicaps who are getting ready to graduate from high school and begin working and living in the adult world. The booklet places a special focus on individuals with cultural…

A review of practical language and methodological activities in both Spanish and English to develop balanced bilingual proficiency in bilingual education teachers is geared toward college professors and teacher trainers. Suggested practical applications for developing language arts skills include all four language skills: listening, speaking,…

Supplementing traditional cultural material with presentation of African elements of the folklore and culture of Latin America is proposed as a means of increasing black student interest in intermediate Spanish language courses. Topics and suggested lesson titles reflecting diverse nonliterary aspects of the black experience in Latin America that…

The Hispanic literature of the American southwest contains valuable materials for the Spanish elementary classroom, leading to positive cultural analysis and enlightening the learners about cultural and historical events of the second language community. The story entitled "El camello que se perdio" ("The Camel Who Got Lost")…

The problem of teaching the use of the verbs "ser" and "estar" in Spanish can be only partially addressed by current linguistic explanations. In the absence of rules that will enable the student to predict correct sentences using the verbs, the most effective teaching technique is to use a situational-functional approach providing students with…

Project MAS, in its second year of a three year funding cycle (1983-84), is a multi-site program providing instruction in English as a second language and native language arts, and bilingual instruction in math and science. It serves approximately 400 Spanish speaking students of limited English proficiency, in grades 3 through 8 at four Bronx,…