Overview of Culture

Language of the Culture “One strong defining factor for Hispanics is their relation to the Spanish language. Different Hispanic groups, such as Mexican Americans, Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Central and South Americans, all have in common Spanish as the language of their place of origin. Hispanics are more apt to use Spanish at home than other ethnic groups are likely to use their particular native languages (Parillo, 2011). Even Hispanics who have been in the United States for several generations and do not speak Spanish often learn the language to build a sense of their identity (Castillo-Speed, 2011)”(Knouse, S. B. (2013).

Inclusionary Practices “33 percent of Puerto Rican/Latinos had attained less than a ninth-grade education as of 1990, compared to 11 percent of Whites, and half as many Puerto Ricans/Latinos as Whites have a high school diploma (30.6 percent as compared to 58.4 percent).(p. 226)”(Austin, T., Willett, J., Gebhard, M., & Montes, A. (2010). Effective instructional practices are crucial to addressing the educational crisis facing many Hispanic students in the United States. The number of Hispanic students attending public schools has increased dramatically in recent decades, yet Hispanic students as a group have the lowest levels of education and the highest dropout rate of any student group. Conditions of poverty and health, as well as other social problems have made it difficult for some Hispanics living in the U.S. to improve their educational status. “Research shows that education needs to be meaningful and responsive to students' needs, as well as linguistically and culturally appropriate (Tharp, Estrada, Dalton, & Yamauchi, 2000). Instruction must specifically address the concerns of Hispanic students who come from different cultures and who are often trying to learn a new language. The home and community environment must be tapped into and connected to students' learning in addition to focusing on knowledge learned in the classroom”(Yolanda N. Padrón, Hersh C. Waxman, & Héctor H. Rivera, (2002).

“One of the most important defining factors for Hispanics is the centrality of the extended family (Knouse, 1992). Hispanics feel strong bonds to their extended family, which they tend to define as primary sources of love, intimacy, and support (Parillo,2011). In addition, parents provide not only encouragement but also instill high standards of conduct (Flores and Obasi, 2002). Much of Hispanic activity revolves around the extended family - parties, get-togethers, visits, and vacations (Ballard and Taylor, 2012)”(Knouse, S. B. (2013). Family -Orientated

“Beyond the family, Hispanics prefer to live among other Hispanics, who share their preferences for food, entertainment, religion, and language. Such a sense of community reinforces their identity (Parillo, 2011). This collectivism is one of the strongest defining characteristics of Hispanic culture. This strong sense of community, however, can be a deterrent. Hispanics do not tend to take positions in communities that do not have a strong Hispanic presence (Knouse, Rosenfeld and Culbertson, 1992). They may be less likely to relocate to areas that do not have a Hispanic community already in place”(Knouse, S. B. (2013). Community Involvement

 Austin, T., Willett, J., Gebhard, M., & Montes, A. (2010). Challenges for Latino Educators Crossing Symbolic, Cultural, and Linguistic Boundaries: Coming to Voice in Teacher Preparation with Competing Voices. Journal Of Latinos & Education, 9(4), doi: /  Knouse, S. B. (2013). Mentoring for Hispanics. Review Of Business, 33(2),  Siatkowski, A. (2007). Hispanic Acculturation: A Concept Analysis. Journal Of Transcultural Nursing, 18(4), 316. doi: /  Yolanda N. Padrón, Hersh C. Waxman, & Héctor H. Rivera, (2002). Educating Hispanic Students: Effective Instructional Practices. Retrieved from: pb5.shtml