Creation and use of Mexican - American cultural and historical materials on a primary reading level to increase motivation of Mexican - American students

Includes bibliographical references (pages 105-111)The major purposes of the writer of this thesis were to review the literature regarding reading and academic achievement scores of Mexican-American children in the southwestern United States and to develop original Mexican-American cultural and historical materials, written on a primary reading level, which might help increase motivation among public elementary school Mexican-American children. A review of related literature and research on reading achievement and motivation of Mexican-American children was made. Included in this review was an analysis of the significance of identity and positive self-image in academic achievement. The relationship between identity and ethnic awareness, the consequent importance of the acceptance of the idea of cultural pluralism in the United States, and the positive effects of the use of ethnic materials in the classroom on reading achievement were reported. (See more in text.