Describes a project that uses computer mediated communication in universities in the United States and Mexico to teach minority students effectively. BESTNET (Binational English and Spanish Telecommunications Network) is explained, use for distance education is discussed, computer conferencing and electronic mail are described, and problems of…

Analyzes discourse features of compositions written in Spanish by secondary school students in Mexico, draws comparisons with those written in English by Anglo-American students in the United States, and discusses the implications of the results for teaching and evaluating composition skills in Spanish language programs. (29 references) (GLR)

A cooperative literacy education program involving Mexico and the United States' border states is documented. The project has three objectives: to (1) implement the Mexican literacy agency's approach to promoting literacy among native Spanish speakers; (2) coordinate U.S./Mexico literacy task force activities; and (3) develop an immigrants' rights…

Spanish Americans admitted to State and county mental hospitals in the U.S. during 1972 were examined. Purpose was to show if and how they differed from admissions of other ethnic groups in terms of their demographic composition (age, sex, and marital status), their socioeconomic level as measured by educational attainment, their diagnostic…

This study describes survey responses of 103 bilingual elementary school teachers along the southmost borderlands of Texas and Mexico. The teachers responded to items regarding their (1) beliefs about and utilization of technology when incorporating cultural components, (2) general attitudes toward technology and self-efficacy towards utilizing…

Describes an annual forum of academic and public librarians from the United States and Mexico that discusses common interests such as resource sharing, collection development, and literacy programs and considers longer-range programs. Sidebar articles cover Spanish language publishing in the United States and an annual book fair held in Mexico for…

The town of Greeley, perched on northern Colorado's prairie, is like many other communities across the United States that are experiencing an influx of immigrants. The picturesque town of 85,000 people had a 30 percent minority population as of the 2000 U.S. Census. Estimates place that figure closer to 40 percent today, most of whom are Hispanic.…

This article provides an introduction to the Mexican American culture, describing (a) cultural diversity and linguistic policies in the United States; (b) cultural and linguistic studies that have examined the backgrounds of Mexican American individuals; (c) the characteristics of this population; (d) discrimination and human relations issues; (e)…

The PLS-4 (Preschool Language Scale, 4th edition) is a psychometrically sound instrument constructed to assess language skills in children from birth to 6 years 11 months. It is a useful diagnostic and research tool that can be used to identify current comprehension and expressive language skills and can measure changes in language skills over…

The theory and practice of assistance to speech communities whose native languages are threatened are examined. The discussion focuses on why most efforts to reverse language shift are unsuccessful or even harmful, diagnosing difficulties and prescribing alternatives based on a combination of ethnolinguistic, sociocultural, and econotechnical…

A study investigated the relationship between gender, age, and length of residence in the United States and codeswitching behavior, by looking at the attitudes of 133 Hispanic college students who are first-generation immigrants from a variety of countries. The subjects completed questionnaires concerning their English and Spanish language…

The Hispanic-American, because he or she is bilingual and bicultural, could play an important role in the future economic development of the United States. Declines in steel, automotive, and electronics industries due to foreign competition and market saturation have caused industrial displacement and unemployment. The Maquiladora or Twin Plant…

Modern technologies can provide language students with authentic content and contextualized, collaborative learning situations. This article illustrates how e-mail exchanges, Web exercises, and CD-ROM development between students in the United States and organizations in Ecuador can promote contextualized and authentic practice of Spanish language…

This study looks at natural syntactic processes in the development of verbal mood in first- and second-language acquisition, language change in progress, history, and creolization. Correspondences are examined in the development of the subjunctive vs. the indicative mood. The study presents an integrative perspective, taking into account seemingly…

Unique in its use of several major national data sets to create a data base for future projections, this study reports the projected number of non-English language background and limited English proficient persons in the United States to the year 2000 for the nation, and by state, age, and language. (Author/CM)