The cultural competence of 13 parenting education programs for Latino families with young children was examined in this study. Based on our analyses, we make several recommendations for improving the cultural competence and effectiveness of parenting education programs for Latino families with young children. Specifically, we recommend the…

This study examined mothers' and fathers' reports of their time spent in their school-age children's care and academic work and the relationships between socioeconomic status and social support variables with fathers' time spent in children's care and academic work within two-parent Mexican immigrant families. Mother and father dyads from 79…

This study examined associations between acculturation and teaching styles among 55 young mainland Puerto Rican mothers. Mothers (M age = 19.2 years) and their children (M age = 19.2 months) were videotaped during a puzzle-completion teaching task. Three aspects of acculturation were assessed: language, cultural involvement, and exposure to…

Two studies investigated science conversations between Mexican-descent parents and children during a visit to a children's museum and at home after a family science workshop. Although more-educated parents gave more explanations about science in the museum, all families engaged in causal conversations, especially at home. (Contains 42 references.)…

A qualitative approach explored the unique instructional conditions and practices used by five Mexican American mothers when teaching their preschool children the letters of the alphabet. In contrast to the dyadic novice-expert model, these interactions at home were influenced by maternal decisions about social organization (sibling activities)…

Six maternal teaching behaviors were observed among 101 low-income Puerto Rican and Dominican mothers in New York City as they engaged in a teaching task with their preschool children. Frequencies of specific teaching behaviors were related to ethnicity and acculturation but not to socioeconomic status. Implications for home-school continuity in…

During a 48-hour period, 36 Mexican American and Anglo mothers were videotaped at home teaching their 5-year-old child to tie shoelaces. Contrary to previous research, Mexican American mothers used less "controlling" and nonverbal teaching behaviors than Anglo mothers. Groups differences were also found for relationships between maternal teaching…

The interactions of 20 middle-class and 20 working-class Mexican American mothers and their 4-year-old children were observed during a school-type construction task (block building) and a home-type construction task (baking biscuits). Both task and socioeconomic status had significant effects on mothers' and children's conversations and behaviors.…

Compares findings from the six studies in this special journal issue, focusing on the role of Mexican-descent family conversations in young children's social, emotional, and conceptual development and on patterns of maternal teaching behaviors across socioeconomic backgrounds. Discusses the need for further research that represents the diversity…

Interviews with parents from 50 Mexican-descent families revealed that parents encouraged their preschool children to ask questions about science and causal relationships; older and younger siblings learned different skills from one another; and children learned through observation and imitation. Discusses issues of "match" between home…

Observations of 12 immigrant Latino mother-child dyads performing school-like and home-like tasks revealed that in the home-like task, mothers purposefully scaffolded learning, adjusted their scaffolding to variation in task, demonstrated a greater range and variety of scaffolding strategies, and accomplished scaffolding goals based on their…