The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Education Research." Contents include: (1) Mexican American Studies -- A Deep…

This essay doubles as a critique of the brutal violence visited upon the immigrant community in Austin, Texas, in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency, and a deeply personal account related to the establishment of Academia Cuauhtli, a language and culture revitalization project in Austin, Texas. It narrates our origins as a community-anchored,…

Because language, as a method of communication, is a two-way channel involving both speakers and listeners, a methodical study of linguistic variation should involve an analysis of both, how it is expressed and how it is interpreted. Furthermore, because language is known to vary between individuals (inter-speaker variation) as well as at the…

The SAT is a national college admissions examination. The College Board provides an annual summary of student performance at the end of each academic year. AISD students' 2010-2011 test results from that annual summary are described in this brief.

THIS MONOGRAPH EXPLORES PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THE EVALUATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON MEXICAN-AMERICANS, BY CONSIDERING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FORMAL SCHOOL PROGRAM AND THE INFLUENCE OF INFORMAL EDUCATION. SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS IDENTIFIED THREE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR SUCCESS--A GOOD SELF-CONCEPT, PARENTAL LOVE, AND TEACHER…

THE SOCIAL SYMBOLISM OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE FOR MEXICAN-AMERICANS WAS DISCUSSED AT A SYMPOSIUM. THE CULTURAL FACTORS RELATED TO THIS SYMBOLISM WERE OBSERVED BY THE AUTHOR IN THE COURSE OF CONDUCTING TWO DIFFERENT ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE SOCIAL LIFE OF AMERICANS OF MEXICAN DESCENT IN SOUTH TEXAS. THE RESULTS OF THESE STUDIES WERE…

Describes subject characteristics and research methodology of the study of inhalant use covered in this issue--a 4-year followup of 110 Mexican Americans who had been referred as adolescents to the Austin Youth Advocacy Program for drug abuse prevention/intervention. Contains 20 references. (SV)

Summarizes major findings of interrelated longitudinal studies of 110 Mexican-American adolescent inhalant users. Discusses subject characteristics and educational background, criminality, patterns of drug and alcohol use, reasons for inhalant use, medical and psychological problems, family and peer influences, and an integration prediction model…

Spanish usage by a large segment of the United States' population has created concern that English language and middle class culture are being displaced. Research in the 1970s found, generally, that Spanish-speaking people were indeed undergoing linguistic and cultural assimilation. However, widespread use of Spanish by the government in education…

Among 110 Mexican-American adolescents in a Texas drug abuse program, initial use of toxicant inhalants was related to availability and sensation-seeking, followed by psychological problems, parental and home problems, and peer influence. Quitting inhalant use was related to social pressures, attitude change, and perceived health risks. (Author/SV)

Analyses of data on 110 Mexican-American adolescent inhalant users and 78 of their mothers indicate that level of acculturation, cultural factors, and socioeconomic factors did not directly affect youth's drug use and criminality but may have had indirect effects through socialization and psychological factors. Contains 22 references. (Author/SV)

A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS USED FOR OBTAINING A RATING OF JUNIOR-TEACHERS FROM THEIR PUPILS IN A GRADE SCHOOL WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE OF LATIN-AMERICAN DESCENT AND FROM A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE THAT HAD BEEN USED BEFORE WITH MIDDLE-CLASS CHILDREN IN TWO OTHER SCHOOLS CONSISTED OF 40 QUESTIONS REQUIRING "YES" OR…

At 4-year followup on 110 Mexican-American adolescents in a drug abuse prevention program, association with deviant peers was strongly predictive of alcohol and drug use and criminality, whereas parental influences were minor predictors. Low school satisfaction was related to greater drug use, particularly for females. (Author/SV)

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THREE METHODS WERE COMPARED FOR DEVELOPING READING READINESS IN SPANISH-SPEAKING FIRST GRADE CHILDREN. THE METHODS USED WERE (1) ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION WITH AUDIOLINGUAL TECHNIQUES, (2) SPANISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION WITH AUDIOLINGUAL TECHNIQUES, AND (3) LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION USING THE SAME MATERIALS AS METHODS ONE AND TWO,…