Article Critique Folk Dress, Fiestas, and Festivals: How is Mexico Portrayed in U.S. Primary Grade Social Studies Textbooks?

Rationale Mexican immigrants and descendants consist of a lot percentage of students in U.S., especially in Texas. It’s necessary for American students to learn more about Mexico.

Gap The contents in past textbooks are superficial. No comprehensive analyses of textbook about Mexico for primary grades have been published.

Context Texas state social studies curriculum standards is going to be revised. (Hope this research could give the government recommendations.)

Question 1.How is Mexico represented in social studies textbooks for grades 1-3? 2.What suggestions are provided for teachers related to teaching about Mexcio in social studies textbooks for grades 1-3? (pp )

Method Constant comparative method of analysis 3 series of textbooks mainly used in Texas Qualitative Research Harcort-Brace Scott-Foresman Macmillan/McGraw-Hill (pp )

Method Constant comparative method of analysis Search everything about Mexico Qualitative Research textual passages photos maps illustrations tables charts captions references teacher’s edition notes

Method Constant comparative method of analysis Finally create 4 categories Qualitative Research holidays Mexcio people and heros contested history Mexican-U.S. relation

Theoratical Framework 1.Cross-cultural understanding 2.National relationship (pp ) Similar to Su’s (2007) approach during a study of Taiwanese textbooks from , we explored two themes to address the research questions.

Findings photographs and illustrations photographs and illustrations Mexican Food Dance Festival stereotype 刻板印象

Findings holidays Cinco de Mayo 1862/05/05 Independence Day 1810/09/16 v.s. 著重在節慶、慶典， 忽略其背後帶有愛國精神 的價值觀和歷史脈絡。

Findings Mexico people and heros Mexico farmer more than their people in cities Mexico worker 藍領工人、農民工的景象

Findings Diego Rivera (muralist) Indigenous people (Aztec) Ancient Americansmore than other heros 忽視當地原住民文化與現今墨西哥人的連結； 當代人物重畫家而少有墨國偉人的介紹。

Findings contested history There was NO “TEXAS” that time! v.s. ¡ Texans against the Mexicans! ¡ Americans against the Mexicans! U.S.-centric 以美國為中心的論述，沒有還原到當時的歷史脈絡

Findings Mexican-U.S. relation Use of maps U.S. to be the top over Mexico Economics Agricultural products Natural resources National or state borders Human migration 美國為中心，自我優越的角色

Conclusions superficial U.S.-centric stereotype

Recommendations Balance between old/now, holidays, people What are considered important by Mexicans Correct historical frame/perspective

Reflection Correct historical perspective

Reflection Textbooks are powerful “message senders” What ideology [͵aɪdɪˋɑlədʒɪ] behind those textbooks we still ignore? What ideology [͵aɪdɪˋɑlədʒɪ] behind those textbooks we still ignore?

Reflection 1. 「理論框架」的索引來自台灣研究，但該研究中 並未提出兩個觀點。 2. 研究方法缺乏詳盡的敘述說明，特別的範疇的產生方式， 亦會影響。

That’s it! Nick 2014/12/05