Analyzes factors influencing mathematics attitudes among 543 south Texas Mexican-American university students, tested for factors connoting fear and enjoyment. Survey results show ability, quality of preparation, college credits, and perceived importance of mathematics to be major determinants of math attitudes. No evidence linking ethnic or…

Among 150 Mexican immigrant students followed throughout their careers in a Los Angeles high school, those who had entered U.S. schools after 2nd grade had lower graduation rates than those entering in grades K-2, but this was not related to differences in English proficiency, at-risk status early in high school, or family or peer factors. (SV)

Among six Mexican-American fifth graders who were native Spanish speakers and had varying levels of English proficiency, oral proficiency was related to reading comprehension within each language. Assisted line-by-line reading facilitated comprehension for low proficiency students, deficient in both English vocabulary and syntactic knowledge. (SV)

Documents the extent of differences in educational achievement among a cohort of Mexican-American students in a large, urban middle school. Analyzes this information using two theoretical perspectives, socioeconomic and sociocultural, and a conceptual framework of the roles of social and academic behavior on educational achievement. (MJP)

A survey of 226 Mexican-American mathematics students at a Texas high school found that student attitudes toward mathematics were not very favorable, with female students' attitudes being more negative than those of males. There was a greater occurrence of traditional, teacher-centered activities in all classes in comparison to nontraditional,…

Examines cultural factors that may create tension between relationship-oriented and educational goals for Mexican American men and women. A survey of 546 Mexican American college students assessed cultural orientation (ethnic loyalty, ethnic social orientation, and cultural awareness) and marriage and gender role attitudes. Ethnic loyalty most…

Surveys selected literature pertaining to Chicanos and higher education with emphasis on publications appearing between 1969 and 1979 and on materials dealing with California. Summarizes and synthesizes the information pertaining to the access, presence, status, participation, and attrition of Chicanos in higher education; admission criteria; and…

Investigated social pressure to avoid acting white, interviewing relatively high achieving African American and Mexican American students in public and private high schools. Most did not avoid academic achievement to avoid accusations of acting white, and most reported no loss of ethnic identity. They felt strong resentment toward peers'…

If we are to close the gaps in achievement among Latino students, we must commit our most able teachers and administrators and prepare them for success. In addition, we need to add Hispanic cultural studies and place value on fluency in Spanish as well as English. Lists nine tips principals can use to involve Latino parents. (MLF)

Presents a case study on the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) to evaluate and analyze the way Hispanic organizations function in the community. Focuses on its history, structure, activities, and accomplishments. Concludes that education, employment, and political participation are the main thrust of MALDEF. (JS)

A survey of 88 Mexican American female college seniors and graduate students found that graduate students were significantly more likely than seniors to have followed a college preparatory curriculum in public high schools where non-Hispanic whites were the majority; to report English as first language; and to have strong support of family,…

Hispanic children are often considered ineligible for participation in programs for the gifted and talented because of identification procedures that rely heavily on tests which are inappropriate for use with Spanish-speaking children and because of the widespread acceptance of an essentially inaccurate definition of giftedness as synonymous with…

Discusses the role of Mexican immigration and Mexican-origin worker communities in the United States economic system; census data showing the unequal status and education of Mexican origin students; and methods to implement educational principles. Available from Centro de Publicaciones, Department of Chicano Studies, California State University,…

Results of a study conducted with first-grade Mexican American children indicate that direct reading instruction to precise behavioral objectives is more effective than teaching to Mexican American children's supposed "cultural learning styles" as recommended by Manuel Ramirez and Alfredo Castaneda in 1974. (GT)

Three bilingual Mexican-American children labeled language disordered were observed at home and school. Linguistic, discourse, and social competencies differed between the two children not judged language disordered by their parents and the one child who was, suggesting that only the latter was truly language disordered. (21 references) (SV)