In 1987, a study was conducted at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) to examine the demographic characteristics and academic performance of the 15,784 non-United States citizens enrolled at MDCC in fall 1987. The study also drew comparisons with national data originating from the Institute of International Education's annual census survey of…

A 37-item questionnaire was administered to 255 Chicago Hispanics to determine if Hispanics favor assimilation or pluralism or some state in between. Respondents included 23% Mexicans, 36% Puerto Ricans, 29% Cubans, and 11% South Americans. Of these, 33% were blue collar workers, 60% teachers, and 7% high school students. A total of 89% were born…

Studies the social adjustment of 30 Chilean refugee families who comprise the Arauco Housing Cooperative in Toronto, Canada. Concludes that preservation of the parent child relationship in times of stress is the key to the child's continuing development. (FMW)

Summarizes current data available on the educational attainment of precollegiate Hispanic students. Reviews factors contributing to the heterogeneity of Latino and the educational implications of the demographic changes of the last 20 years. The increasing residential segregation of Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans promotes linguistic isolation…

Contends that social studies textbooks do not reflect recent archaeological research on pre-Columbian Americans. Summarizes recent research results and develops new concepts about Mayan civilization. Examines and rates 12 textbooks currently used in public schools regarding how well they incorporate the new research on Mayan civilization. (DB)

Surveyed a group of South American business people on their television viewing and perceptions of U.S. business people, exploring the relevancy of media-cultivated perceptions for understanding intercultural communication between U.S. and Latin American businesses. Found that Americans were viewed as aggressive, an undesirable communication trait…

Accounts are presented from five Latin American families concerning their attitudes toward and experiences with the special education system. All indicated high degrees of commitment and involvement, but responses varied concerning understanding of Individualized Education Plans, awareness of rights and options, and willingness to challenge school…

Measures ownership of and access to African American and Latino periodical literature, illustrating the successes and failures in promoting racial and ethnic diversity in research libraries belonging to the ARL (Association of Research Libraries). Discusses desirability of multicultural collections; bibliographic control and access issues; and…

This study reviewed six history textbooks widely used in grades 7-12 across the U.S. Using a story-line analysis, the findings of this study suggest: (1) textbooks reinforce negative stereotypes of Latin Americans as lazy, passive, irresponsible, and, somewhat paradoxically, lustful, animalistic and violent; (2) the method of description employed…

Findings from a study of the status of Hispanic Americans in South Minneapolis (Minnesota) are presented. Data are from interviews with 34 individuals identified as knowledgeable about the conditions of Latinos in Minneapolis, 4 focus group meetings with an additional 46 community residents, and information from published sources about the size…

Identity formation is a process in which successive identifications with parents, siblings, peers, teachers, folk heroes, and cultural groups are synthesized into a coherent, consistent, and unique whole. This study reports the case of a 13 year old female, Jane, of mixed Latino and European American heritage who was admitted for long-term…

An approach based on sociolinguistic theory is reported that was devised to describe the way written language operates in the different domains that make up the everyday lives of a given group of people. The approach involves the practices that the people use to deal with written language, and the perceptions (uses, beliefs, attitudes) they have…

Differences in the incidence and duration of unemployment among Hispanic men and between Hispanics and Anglos were analyzed statistically. The investigation found that Hispanics were far more likely to be unemployed one or more times in 1975 than were Anglos. Differential treatment played a significant role in the higher unemployment of Hispanics,…

This study predicts willingness of refugees to acculturate to North American society based on selected demographic and psychological variables. The hypothesis is that most previous research on refugee adaptation has overemphasized sociological variables such as age, time in the country, and level of education and underemphasized psychological…

The four periods discussed in this publication cover the patterns of Spanish emigration to the New World, mainly on the regional level and in terms of percentages. The effects of this emigration on the various Spanish American dialects are discussed. In the initial period (1493-1519), the largest single group, in every year and on all major…