This ERIC Digest considers the present state of teaching about Latin America in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, the need and rationale for Latin American studies, effective approaches to teaching Latin American studies, and resources to supplement textbooks that treat Latin America inadequately. Following an introductory section describing the incomplete or biased portrait of Latin America frequently presented in social studies textbooks and the media, four considerations for including more about Latin America in the curriculum are listed: (1) foreign policy--international controversies over the influence of other governments in the politics of Latin America need analysis and examination; (2) physical proximity--Latin American countries are virtually next-door neighbors, with close political, commercial, and cultural interactions with the United States extending over many years, (3) the American heritage--Latin American culture and the Spanish language are part of the American heritage, exerting early and continuing influence on the southwestern region of the United States, and (4) negative stereotyping--it is well documented that Hispanic-Americans in general suffer from explicit negative stereotyping. The world history course is recommended as an especially fertile ground for introducing a Latin American perspective into a study of world events. Classroom strategies and suggestions for a separate Latin American studies course are followed by information on sources of materials and a list of resources. (LH)