Investigated text-centered talk in an introduction to Hispanic literature university level classroom. Framed within sociocultural theory, the study aimed to establish the nature of classroom talk in the college level foreign language bridge course. Aimed to clarify the relationship between cognitive processes and language acquisition in a foreign…

Examines the differences among Latino families who are in the low, bicultural, and high acculturation stages on measures of family cohesion, adaptability, and environment. Results revealed significant differences among the groups on family cohesion, adaptability, and some indices of family environment. Implications for family counselors are…

Describes the El Portal Latino Alzheimer's Project--a dementia-specific outreach and services program targeting Latino caregivers in the Los Angeles area. Results of an evaluation of service utilization indicate a reduction in barriers to care and an increase in services utilization. Implications for social work practice are discussed. (Contains…

This article describes the implications of the consultation process when working with an educationally and linguistically heterogeneous Spanish-speaking immigrant Latino community. Suggestions for consultants include recognizing the heterogeneity within bicultural communities and conducting thorough family interviews in an informal setting and…

Discusses the use of novels in a Latin American history course. Provides a theoretical basis for the course. Outlines course format, class assignments, and reading lists. Points out the value of the novel to students in understanding the history of Latin America. (RW)

Describes the sex bias present in a Latin text. Suggests some classroom activities to correct the biased view presented in the texts. Includes exploration of careers open to women in classical times, looking up Latin words for women, and rewriting reading lessons to contain a female character. (DK)

Examines reasons for studying Latin, noting resistance to such study in Australia. A civilization component is considered essential in Latin study to make students understand cultural context. Studying Latin can benefit all students by opening the door to learning other languages and to language in general. (SM)

Discusses in depth the film "Cartas del parque" ("Letters from the Park"), the first of six films in the "Amores Dificiles" series. Notes that the film is pervaded by the traditional overdetermination of gender roles. Suggests that an intrusive and authoritative narrator makes of this both a "readerly" and a…

Offers a review of Latin American scholarly research on communication processes from the 1940s to the early 1990s. Notes international interest in this research and the new challenges faced by it. (SR)

Lists Spanish language books for children ranging from wordless picture books to adolescent love stories and translated popular novels. This year's list includes publishers from Latin America, in particular Mexico's Fondo de Cultura Economica. (MMU)

Uses several approaches to assess the impact that using computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has on students in several undergraduate courses. Describes the various CAI materials, methodology of the assessment process, and the sets of data; analyzes the data; and discusses the results with emphasis on possible reasons for success or failure of CAI.…

Examines and refutes six myths about beginning and developing reading instruction. Discusses importance of teaching phonological awareness and decoding in beginning reading and of teaching syllable patterns and morpheme patterns from Anglo-Saxon, Greek, and Latin roots and affixes in developing reading. (Author/JDM)

The push for the English-only literacy approach sends the wrong message to language-minority families. The Arlington (Virginia) Public Schools have established first-language pilot programs to accelerate Latino students' academic achievement and have welcomed community-based educational initiatives. A family-literacy program motivates parents to…

Tests the application of empowerment theory with a sample of 73 Latino undergraduate students. Results from an experiment focusing on ethnic identity and consciousness suggest a direct effect of ethnic consciousness on the cognitive aspects of political empowerment but not its behavioral aspects. (JPS)

Demonstrates that etymology as a word attack strategy for second language students does not offer an unfair advantage to students whose first languages are Latin-based. Much of the English language makes use of Latin roots and affixes. Students whose original language is derived from Latin will initially have an advantage in word recognition due…