This ethnographic study explores the literacies of bilingual families living in the Rio Grande Valley on the U.S.-Mexico border. Murillo argues that immigrant families living on the border play an important role in their children's literacy development, but that their voices are seldom heard in schools due to powerful and persistent deficit views…

Drawing on sociocultural approaches to literacy and literature on the communal spaces of teaching and learning of Latino/as, I share one Mexican border women's life story and analyze her literacies and ways of knowing in relation to the literacy event of giving "consejo." Using data gathered through individual interviews and…

Jeniffer, a self-proclaimed "schoolgirl" who was a bilingual Mexican American fifth-grade student, lacked confidence in her abilities in reading and language arts. However, her dialogue journal correspondence with her teacher in her native language of Spanish describing her transnational experiences demonstrated vivid, descriptive writing with…

This piece shares preservice teachers and instructors reflections on their perceptions of a course on Spanish language arts methods in Puerto Rico. The course was redesigned to focus on interrelated curricular and pedagogical aspects such as literacies as situated social practice, funds of knowledge, popular culture and critical literacy. In…

Details some of the issues regarding the publication and distribution of Spanish language children's books in the United States. Discusses books selected for translation, quality of translations, Spanish language books from outside the United States, and Spanish language books from the United States. Challenges educators to work toward improving…

Examines an exemplary bilingual program in Albuquerque, New Mexico and examines patterns of classroom literacy, including the role of written Spanish and the values it represents. (DF)

Describes how a bilingual school explores an innovative professional development approach that is shaped by teachers' needs and inquiries. Presents an account in process of one school's work with the National Council of Teachers of English Reading Initiative, that organization's first professional development program for elementary teachers. (SG)