Reviews an ethnography of the life experiences in home, school, and community of 14 Mexican American immigrant children as they struggle with acculturation processes. Argues that the authors fail to achieve an "ethnography of empowerment" that puts theory into practice and improves the living conditions of its subjects, and that this notion is…

A Mexican American teacher/administrator describes her experiences with bilingual education as a limited-English-proficient child, college student, bilingual teacher, graduate student, district administrator, teacher of bilingual teachers, and employee in a federal technical assistance center, and traces the impact of Title VII (the Bilingual…

A study in a south Texas preschool found that Mexican American children, when given the opportunity to engage in sociodramatic play, displayed various language functions needed for the development of early literacy skills. The preschoolers created elaborate monologues and dialogue in their native language (sometimes in their second language),…

Among over 600 Arizona students in grades 1-8 in maintenance bilingual programs, fluent Spanish-speaking students outperformed limited-Spanish-speaking students on a measure of Spanish reading, mathematics, social studies, and science achievement; girls achieved higher reading scores than boys; and 16 of 18 grade mean scores were equal to or…

Among 56 Mexican American fifth-graders participating in two-way bilingual education for 3 years or more, standardized test scores of both English-dominant and Spanish-dominant participants equalled or surpassed those of nonparticipant peers. Participants developed high levels of English literacy skills, but Spanish literacy was not as well…

Among 150 Mexican immigrant students followed throughout their careers in a Los Angeles high school, those who had entered U.S. schools after 2nd grade had lower graduation rates than those entering in grades K-2, but this was not related to differences in English proficiency, at-risk status early in high school, or family or peer factors. (SV)

Reviews a book that analyzes the 1970s political takeover of the Crystal City (Texas) school board, city council, and county offices by radical Chicano activists; district-wide establishment of maintenance bilingual education; internal and community divisions that followed; and eventual abandonment of the innovative programs. Points out the links…

A study of bilingual third-graders beginning formal English literacy in a whole-language classroom found that students improved in reading abilities and comprehension, as assessed through miscue and retelling analysis; writing results were mixed; and holistic assessment of overall writing abilities did not show improvement. Students' uneven…

Language policies targeted at schools, such as California's Proposition 227 and Arizona's Proposition 203, are often based on rash assessments of public opinion or personal biases, with no consideration of long-term consequences for heritage-language speakers. Excerpts from interviews with over 100 Spanish speakers reveal how harsh English-only…

A case study examined interactions between elementary school staff and 18 Mexican American parents during the school's conversion to a dual language program. Although parents were included in program planning, parental satisfaction and involvement declined with time. Analysis suggests that parents were alienated as educators' ideals were…

A study examined English language anxiety in 178 immigrant Mexican American middle school students attending southwestern U.S. schools. There was no gender difference in anxiety in English-as-a-second-language classes, but girls demonstrated significantly more English language anxiety in their mainstream classes. Recommendations include affective…

Examines the oral and written interactions of bilingual Mexican-origin students during a dialogue-journal literacy event that spanned first and second grades. Discusses student interpretations of their dialogue-journal assignments in terms of the students' childhood interests, social purposes, and participation in peer culture. (SV)

The development of an inventory of Mexican immigrant students' reading preferences is described. A study involving 405 Mexican immigrant students in grades 6-9 in southern New Mexico examined various influences on reading preferences. Results indicate that although preferences differed by gender, grade level, and U.S. residence, titles reflecting…

Teachers in a Spanish/English dual language elementary school in Tucson (Arizona) promote Spanish literacy using a school-designed program. The schoolwide, nonscripted program has been successful in supporting the transfer of reading skills from Spanish to English and in including special education students in dual language schooling. (Contains 33…

A study assessed an intensive fluency intervention for low-achieving at-risk beginning Spanish readers in grades 1-2. Data from 53 first- and second-graders in bilingual classrooms in southeast Texas indicated that implementing intensive reading fluency interventions in bilingual classrooms is feasible and valuable if conducted with fidelity and…