This article is a response to claims made by proponents of "science of reading" and "structured literacy" reading instruction approaches, in regard to their effectiveness with emergent bilingual students. The author argues that the strong knowledge base generated from studies examining the dynamic literacy practices of emergent…

This essay identifies several themes presented by my parents, Abel and Juanita Jimenez. They are parents of five children who successfully navigated through the K-12 system and earned university degrees. They were interviewed over several evenings and asked what advice they would provide to the next generation of Latino parents. My parents…

Few studies have examined the link between children's early school achievement and parents' at-home practices exclusively among Latino groups. This study examined the relation between Latina mothers' reported at-home practices regarding school preparation and their children's literacy skills. Participants included 56 kindergarten children and…

Spina bifida is the most common, permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. It is a birth defect that involves incomplete formation of the spine during the first month of pregnancy--often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Everyday, an average of eight babies are born with spina bifida or a similar birth defect of the brain…

Objective: Present US parents' perceptions about factors leading to early intercourse and strategies for overcoming them. Methods: Conducted analysis of eight focus groups with 78 male and female African-American and Hispanic caregivers of fifth-graders and sixth-graders (ages 10-12). Results: Participants gave the following primary reasons for…

Early childhood education can level the academic playing field for Latino children entering school by supporting what parents are doing at home to teach their children the skills necessary to succeed. Yet, only 20% of Latino children under the age of 5 are enrolled in preschool. Many Latinos don't understand why early childhood education is…

A path model based in a theory of social capital was tested with Latino middle school (n = 195, 58% female, average 13.8 years of age) and high school students (n = 129, 64% female, average 16.8 years of age). Most participants (77%) were immigrants (predominantly from Mexico). Questionnaires assessed student perceptions of parent involvement,…

To help educators and parents become more aware of and familiar with various minority cultures and provide for cultural diversity in the schools, brief descriptions are presented of cultural beliefs of three minority populations often seen in school: Native Americans; Indochinese; and Hispanic. (CB)

The reactions of many parents to being told that their child might have a developmental delay that needs to be addressed through special education range from shock or disbelief to confusion. This is also the case for Hispanic parents, who often to not understand what is happening or may be unfamiliar with the language in which the information is…

Since relevant research indicates that immersion in a literate environment is critical to academic success, the authors of this study designed a program, Project ROAR (Reach Out and Read), in cooperation with a predominately Hispanic elementary school. Project ROAR was planned to help interested parents of kindergarten children learn in-home…

Using a theory of resiliency, this study provides a Chicana student's perspective of the role of parents in the development of college aspirations. Qualitative interviews with Chicana high school seniors shed light on the different ways these students perceive and come to understand the manner by which their parents influence and shape their…

Suggestions for increasing the involvement of Hispanic parents in their children's education are offered, including 10 specific reading and writing activities identified by Hispanic parents as easy to implement. These include visiting the library, providing reading materials, listening to the child read, displaying the child's writing, reading and…

This study examined European American, Latino, Asian American, and Native American parental involvement and their children's high school completion. An examination of how different family structures have an influence on a student's education was conducted. This study used the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) of 1988 and utilized a…

A program that brings educators and Hispanic parents of deaf children into a cooperative relationship and enables families to meet and help each other is described. Suggestions on program planning, enlisting administrative and parental support, making regional connections, presenting workshops, and overcoming language and cultural barriers are…

The article presents sociocultural information about Black and Hispanic families and the implications for intervention programs for parents of hearing-impaired minority children. Discussion addresses the importance of the extended family and community in providing care, differing belief systems about handicaps, and anxieties in adjusting to a new…