This qualitative study examined the perspectives and experiences of seven focal families from Mexican immigrant backgrounds that participated in collaborative project-based learning in their children's bilingual classroom. Projects centered on children's experiential knowledge, and were created bilingually. Findings indicate that parents perceived…

This paper reports on the implementation of an ambitious bilingual instructional programme in the P'urhepecha-speaking region of Michoacan state in Mexico, the Meseta Tarasca. A curriculum of indigenous language preservation and cultural affirmation, overturning the previous Spanish-only programme, has been developed by a group of indigenous…

The philosophy, practice, and goals of a bilingual-bicultural elementary school program in Mexico are presented. The program, sponsored by Extraescolar, the Office of Extrascholastic Education in the Indigenous Environment, provides instruction to Indian children both in an indigenous language and Spanish. (AMH)

This guide accompanies one of a pair of videocases depicting educational life in Columbus, New Mexico. The videocase includes 23 minutes of unstaged but edited videotape footage of teaching and learning in and around an elementary school. The first section of the guide, "Teaching Note" (Linda Warner), contains a transcript of the…

This report concerns public bilingual elementary schools for rural Indian (non-Spanish-speaking) children in Mexico. Materials production efforts as well as completed and projected research projects are described. (SJL)

This paper discusses the question of whether, in a multilingual society, the child's first or second language is best as a language of instruction in primary school. Reviewing eight case studies from seven countries in which initial primary schooling was given either in the second or first language, the discussion compares achievement in reading…

Three Tzotzil-speaking Mexican sisters were interviewed about their attitudes toward their Indian schooling. They enjoyed school and felt it was important to attend school to learn Spanish, though they had not acquired few linguistic skills. (BW)

This paper reviews factors contributing to the loss of language and culture of the Tarahumara people of Mexico and describes a program aimed at preserving Tarahumara language and culture. The Tarahumara people reside in the Sierra Tarahumara in the northern state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Although the Tarahumara people successfully avoided…

Educational reforms in Mexico to preserve indigenous linguistic and cultural rights often originate in Mexico City and lack grassroots support. Although native language instruction improves literacy development and preserves culture, Native parents may reject it because Spanish is the language of status. However, some indigenous communities in…

This packet shares general impressions and interpretations of Mexico offered by a participant in a 5-week Fulbright-Hays Seminar. Included are suggestions on how to use this information to open up communication between the school and Mexican students and their parents. In addition to the background information and statistics, the material also has…

The purpose of the research was to develop an articulation test for Spanish-speakers and to field-test the instrument in both a monolingual Spanish-speaking environment and a bilingual Spanish/English environment. Such a test is needed because there has been little available to enable the diagnostician, whose clientele includes Spanish-speakers,…

Explores the conflicting cultural perspectives associated with studying English, drawing on two studies of Mexican students. P. Ryan (1994) studied the perceptions of culture related to language learning for six college teachers and their urban students. N. Francis (1994) studied the perceptions of rural bilingual (Spanish/Nahuatl) elementary…

The American School in Mexico City is a multicultural school drawing its students from the upper middle class with a pupil population of about 40% United States citizens, 40% Mexican, and 20% other nationalities. Admission is based on language proficiency, scholastic achievement, and ability to pay. The school admits monolingual Spanish speakers…

This curriculum guide is intended: (1) to expose students to the people and customs of Michoacan, Mexico; (2) to explore the meaning of traditional Day of the Dead customs through hands-on experiences; and (3) to build the self-esteem of second language learners of Mexican descent. During the study, students whose primary language is Spanish read…

Central Mexico is home to over 20 indigenous languages whose speakers still occupy their original ancestral communities. In this region, acute language conflict between Native languages and Spanish, the official state language, greatly affects elementary school students such as those in San Isidro Buensuceso Tlaxcala and Mision de Chichimecas in…