During a 3-year project, a Colorado graduate teacher education program used Latino children's literature in field experience seminars to help 70 preservice teachers gain background knowledge of Hispanic cultures, language, and issues. The teacher candidates then used the same literature in their field experience classrooms, tapping into students'…

Elderly Mexican Americans (n=25) participated in ethnographic interviews about folk healing and its influence on health care behaviors. Participants relied on modern medicine to treat serious injuries but still considered folk healing a viable alternative when modern health care was unsatisfactory or ineffective. (JBJ)

Discusses issues faced by Hispanic women choosing alternatives to motherhood. Dedication to career is the primary reason for choosing childlessness. Spouse's support is crucial to overcoming family criticism and the cultural devaluation of women who are not mothers, especially for Hispanic Americans. Suggests separation of motherhood from female…

Describes Latino communities within the United States along with Chicano culture. Discusses the problems encountered when the history of U.S. law intersects with Chicano history. Suggests that education problems might be remedies by allowing some degree of political participation to resident aliens at the local and school board level. (DK)

Applies palimpsest as model for recognizing Chicano cultural diversity. Promotes interdisciplinary approach to Chicano studies. Examines Aztlan (Aztec homeland) as historical place and nationalist symbol obscuring Chicano identity and Mesoamerican diversity. Encourages use of palimpsest as conceptual tool for Chicano studies, cultural identity,…

Because of the increasing Hispanic population, more colleges and universities are offering programs in Chicano studies. Reasons for the slow evolution of such programs include lack of university commitment to ethnic studies, lack of qualified faculty, and racism. However, students have the power to demand the offering of more Chicano studies…

Describes how, through parent-student interactions in written homework assignments, the author (in her predominantly Hispanic American sixth-grade classroom) has successfully engaged parents in the literacy development of their children, brought parent voices into the classroom, and affirmed and appreciated the experiences, culture, and language…

Hispanics may share a language, a religion, and a similar culture, but they are not a homogeneous group. They are from many different countries, with different histories and ethnicities. This booklet describes the situation of Hispanic Americans, the fastest growing minority group in the country. The largest group of Hispanics in the United States…

Although funding for the arts in New York State reached unprecedented levels during the 1980s, funding for organizations which have distinct ethnic bases and purposes has not kept pace with funding for Eurocentric arts expressions. Data were gathered from a public hearing in New York City attended by more than 100 artists, administrators, cultural…

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…

The bibliography consists of unpublished manuscripts relating to the Hispano culture from the New Mexico Writer's Project. The nearly 600 different items, written 3 or 4 decades ago as part of a WPA project, present a fresh look at a variety of indigenous New Mexico folklore. Most of the entries are annotated, dated, and sources and contributors…

Synthesizes available literature that addresses: (1) utilization patterns of alcohol-related services by Mexican Americans; (2) existing therapeutic approaches which take into account cultural factors; and (3) existing approaches to alcohol abuse education and prevention for this population. Discusses research needs and the need for…

Sometimes it is not until a piece of history is lost that its significance is recognized. In the case of the Latino arts, much of this history remains in the file drawers, storage boxes, closets, and attics of those who created it. It is not too late to save this history. Quick action to identify what remains to be saved is vital. Relatively few…

This anthology presents the voices of women and men of Caribbean backgrounds living in the United States. Focus is on five most prevalently represented groups: Puerto Ricans, West Indians, Cubans, Haitians, and Dominicans. The book is organized into five sections: (1) "A Primer on Caribbean Migration" presents an overview of Caribbean…

Recommends a three-part writing process of prewriting, writing, and postwriting activities that uses the cultural world students bring with them to the classroom to stimulate writing improvement. (JL)