Do handwriting skills transfer when a child writes in two different scripts, such as the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets? Are our measures of handwriting skills intrinsically bound to one alphabet or will a child who faces handwriting difficulties in one script experience similar difficulties in the other script? To answer these questions, 190…

The present study analyzes the psychometric properties of a Spanish-adapted version of the Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS). This instrument allows teachers to perform a screening of children with possible working memory (WM) difficulties, putting them at risk of academic underachievement. A sample of children age 8.5 to 12.33 years old was…

We present the results of an empirical test of the hypothesis that transfer of orthographic processing to reading occurs when the scripts under acquisition are written with the same unit (specifically, the same alphabet). We tested 97 Spanish-English bilingual children in Grades 4 and 7. We measured mother's education level, verbal and nonverbal…

Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas in Peru, was recently voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Also in Peru are the mysterious Nazca Lines--a humming bird, a spider, and trapezoids--which are etched in the desert so large they can only be seen from an airplane. The author experienced some of these places recently when he and his…

In this article, the author points out that in this increasingly visual world, outstanding films can engage classes and lift the curtain on the cultures and modern history of Latin America. He recommends some of the most gripping and perceptive films on this topic, and offers advice on how teachers can provide the background to these dramas and…

In 1997, the Santiago office of UNESCO implemented an assessment of student achievement in Latin America, working in collaboration with 13 Latin American ministries of education. Using a common sampling methodology and survey instruments, researchers in each country collected representative samples of data on third- and fourth-grade achievement in…