Discusses how elementary school instruction of Latin in public schools in Philadelphia increased the English vocabulary test scores on standardized tests of fifth graders. Evidence is provided for the efficiency of Latin instruction in strengthening English language skills. (NCR)

Deals with a study conducted in Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia to determine whether Latin Americans have similar distance and contact orientations regardless of sex and nationality. Concludes that the differences in behavior between the Central and South Americans are significant enough to warrant further research. (MH)

Reports on the first national conference of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking. Discusses REFORMA's activist history and describes conference programs geared toward promoting cultural awareness to help libraries build relationships with Hispanic and Latino communities. Attendees shared concerns…

Examines how the Mexican government's penetration into 299 rural and urban counties, 1900-40, was related to growth in trade and service jobs. Emphasizes the government's support for written literacy and mass schooling as subtle strategies for incorporating peasants into urban institutions. Contains 39 references. (SV)

Discusses the effects of the employer sanctions provisions of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 on employers and undocumented immigrants. The following steps toward a just policy are considered: (1) repeal of employer sanctions; (2) fair treatment of Central Americans; and (3) recognition of the effect of U.S. foreign policy on…

An historical account of the use of the acute accent mark in written Spanish discusses the effects of Greek, Latin, Italian, and French precursors on the early use of the accent and on its current modern use. (CB)

Examines the place of Indian people in Mexican society and politics, from the conquest to the 1994 Zapatista uprising in Chiapas (fueled by the threat to rural indigenous communal lands posed by economic reforms). Although Indianness is celebrated as contributing to the idealized mestizo "race," self-identification as Indian threatens…

Examines the experiences of fifth grade Latina and African American girls. Argues that one way for young women to begin to fight racism and sexism is to talk about their particular experiences through writing, developing cultural texts to be used for further examination and discussion in the classroom. (24 citations) (MAB)

The Nativity Mission School in Manhattan's Lower East Side offers an alternative to public schools for poor immigrant families unable to afford tuition in local Catholic Schools, preparing students to transfer to Catholic high schools and college. Features small classes, committed teachers, extended school day/year and scholarships for graduates.…

Argues that, in the current portrayal of Columbus' arrival in America, American Indians have become the new heroes and models to be imitated. Discusses the native peoples and their societies at the time of Columbus including diversity among peoples, development of civilizations, view of the cosmos, and political development. (JB)

Argues for comparative studies focusing on similarities between the Nazi Holocaust of Europe's Jews and the American Indian experience of five centuries of extermination policies. Suggests themes for such studies: causes, events, and consequences of holocausts; perceptions of survivors and outsiders; what holocausts destroy; and impact on…

Aggressive and nonaggressive Latino and African-American adolescents read scenarios describing negative outcomes initiated by a hypothetical peer and made judgments about their reactions to the outcomes and about the peer's intentions. Data supported a model in which emotion mediates aggressive behavior. (BC)

Discusses findings from interviews with immigrant and refugee parents from Vietnam and Central and South America in Alberta, Canada, regarding concerns and educational needs. Reports concerns about children not speaking their native language and greater independence for children in Canada. Describes a multicultural parent education program…

Offers an annotated chronology of Venezuelan films, representing a first step toward a general history of women's filmmaking in Venezuela. Suggests that the participation of women directors closely follows the curve of national film production in general. (RS)

Describes the founding of the Chuyma Aru Association, an Oxfam America partner based in Peru, which is adapting and using traditional indigenous knowledge to stabilize new agrarian infrastructure in peasant communities. Describes the process of gathering statistics and understanding the Aymara campesino world view and crianza (caretaking)…