Analyzes the experiences of one Texas university with the integration of legally residing foreign-trained Mexican teachers in their bilingual teacher education program. The preliminary analysis reveals that a university can assist in the integration of foreign-trained teachers, but that thinking "out of the box" to alleviate the teacher…

Searching for additional bilingual-crosscultural teachers, the California State University (CSU) system plans to combine teacher education and the CSU International Programs approach. Basic elements of this program are: (1) intensive study of Spanish and immersion in a Spanish-speaking milieu; (2) a living experience in the Mexican culture; (3) a…

One English and two Spanish 24-word lists were administered as vocabulary tests to 80 English-speaking and 80 Spanish-speaking (Mexican and Puerto Rican) eighth graders, respectively. Results provide insights into the frequency of use as a valid measure of word difficulty in bilingual vocabulary test construction and translation. (TJH)

Describes the model of assimilation of native Mexican peoples to the broader mainstream. Bilingual education (BE), long used as a tool to facilitate language shift, is examined in the light of the superimposed discourse on national identity and nationalism. It is concluded that the demands of the Amerindians have been placated through the politics…

On November 2, all Mexican Americans remember their dead as Mexico does on that same day. Called "El Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead), the dead are remembered posthumously with flowers, candles, music, prayers, chants, and wreaths. The people go to cemeteries to clean tombs, lay fresh or artificial flowers on them, and pray for…

The bilingual education movement, begun in the 1960's and virtually mandated by the 1974 Supreme Court Lau vs. Nichols decision, is highly controversial due to public perceptions of bilingual programs; the apparent departure from traditional school language policy; and the concept of bilingual education as a strategy for realizing the social,…

This volume gathers a sampling of educators' ideas on the issue of the role of the non-standard dialect in the teaching of Spanish to Spanish speakers. Part one, "Rationale for the Teaching of Spanish to the Spanish Speaking," deals with philosophy and theory and contains papers by Guadalupe Valdes Fallis and Nasario Garcia. Part two,…

This report focuses on the educational implications of Mexican immigration resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement. Informed debate and the effectiveness of educational initiatives depend upon an understanding of the issues from both historical and contemporary perspectives. At present, neither efficient systems nor effective…

The celebration of Navidad (Christmas) by various cultures is the topic of this secondary level unit. Unit objectives are that the student will be able to differentiate between his culture's Christmas customs and those of the dominant culture, and be able to relate their origin. The customs of Mexico, Panama, and south Texas are discussed. Also…

Mexican and Mexican American students enrolled in 58 bilingual settings (grades K-6) were studied to determine whether there was a relationship between student achievement and specific ethnic and profile characteristics of students and teachers. Five student-related independent variables were based on language dominance. Teacher-related…

Presents evidence contradicting previous findings regarding the relative academic superiority of recent Mexican immigrants over native-born Mexican Americans. Discusses the problem of the relative achievement levels of the two groups in the context of three possible explanations: socio-economic differences; teacher expectancy effect; and native…

This book includes 20 chapters that provide background on the historical and current context of U.S.-Mexico relations and education in Mexico, examine existing binational educational and health programs, and describe effective practices for teaching Mexican migrant and immigrant students and working with families from Mexico. Following a foreword…

Historical, linguistic, cultural, and political variables are important in understanding the development and implementation of Milwaukee urban bilingual education programs, established in 1969 and including kindergarten through 12th grades at 11 elementary and 4 secondary schools. Hispanics comprise 6% of school enrollment (5,334 pupils, of whom…

In the last decade the phenomenal growth of bilingual/bicultural programs for Spanish-speaking people has been accompanied by a critical need for learning materials which provide current, historically accurate, nonracist and nonstereotypic information on the contributions, heritage and current status of the various Spanish-speaking groups.…