The academic achievement rates of urban Latino students are significantly lower than those of non-minority youth. To date, most of the research on this topic has focused on learning and motivational characteristics of underrepresented youth in elementary and middle school and much less on urban high schools. This study investigated variables…

This study focused on the link between parental involvement in reading and schooling and children's reading motivation. The sample consisted of 128 low-income Latino students in the second through seventh grade and their immigrant parents. The specific questions addressed were: (1) How involved are Latino parents in their children's schooling and…

This article describes passing for English fluent among Latino immigrant children. A two-year ethnography of eight Latino immigrant families was conducted in which fifth-grade children were followed in home, school, and community contexts. This article presents passing as a consequence of U.S. race relations. Their reasons for presenting…

In seeking ways to address issues in diverse classrooms, the authors have focused their recent work on paraeducators. The nation's nearly 500,000 paraeducators working in K-12 classrooms embody a potential source of prospective instructors for the nation's diverse student population in both special and general education. Paraeducators are school…

The changing demographic profile of the nation has led many schools to consider how to provide effective instruction in a way that is responsive to childrens' cultural needs. Providing culturally appropriate or culturally responsive instruction is commonly mentioned as a viable alternative. This article examines the issue of culturally responsive…

This article contains a description of the Dual Proficiency (DP) program in an urban elementary school located in the heart of a large south-western city, as well as the teachers who designed and now implement DP, and the immigrant community participating by choice in DP. We write from a context where, ironically, the number of English language…

The study investigated such educational characteristics as course taking behavior, educational/occupational aspirations, and educational/occupational outcomes of learning disabled Hispanic (N=197), learning disabled Anglo (N=337), and nonhandicapped Anglo (N=204) high school students. Results indicated significant differences between handicapped…

Examined how the experiences of a Mexican immigrant para-educator translated into beliefs and teaching, using the "funds of knowledge" concept to consider her experiences as critical to teaching. Results indicated that she had markedly different experiences from mainstream educators, yet numerous factors worked against using them for…

Investigated the reliability and construct validity of scores on a Spanish version of an academic self-concept measure for economically disadvantaged Hispanic middle school, English as a Second Language students. Results did not completely support five hypothesized constructs corresponding to five factor subscales on the English version. Students…

A study examined family influences on reading motivation in Latino children. Surveys and interviews with 18 Latino students in an urban southwestern elementary school and their parents indicated that as domestic workload increased, the value children placed on reading decreased. The more time families spent together and on religious literacy…

Although collaborative partnership between parents and professionals is a cornerstone of the special education and service systems, this relationship exists more as an ideal, especially when low-income, culturally diverse families are involved. Through three focus groups, we examined the beliefs of 16 low-income Latina mothers of young adults with…

This article examines the sociocultural scaffolding practices of 24 Latino paraeducators and 8 former Latino paraeducators (who had recently become teachers) as they worked with Latino students in two large urban schools. Instances were observed in which participants used important funds of knowledge in their interactions with students during…

Potential barriers related to the participation of Latino families in programs addressing the needs of individuals with severe handicaps are discussed. A successful education and training activity for Latino families with children with developmental disabilities, which provides a family focus in the family's own language and integrates relevant…

Examined the relationship between Latino paraeducators and the teachers with whom they worked within two elementary schools with predominantly low-income, Hispanic students. Observation and interview data indicated that paraprofessionals engaged almost entirely in low level activities and had access to only a narrow set of the practices in which…