EUGENE–The University of Oregon this next summer is offering high school Spanish teachers help with their latest challenge–teaching Spanish to a growing number of American students of Hispanic descent.

"Spanish teachers are traditionally trained to teach non-Hispanic students. But the recent rapid increase of students of Hispanic origin in American classrooms creates an urgent need for new teaching knowledge," according to David Curland, emeritus instructor of the Department of Romance Languages and project director of the institute. It is important, he adds, that Hispanic students do not abandon their heritage.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funds the five-week $180,000 project.

Titled "Mexico and Mexican Americans: An Institute for the Study of Literature, Culture and Methodology," the project is designed to provide background and training needed to teach both literature and culture to Hispanic and non-Hispanic students, says Jim Heinrich, assistant director and UO Romance languages instructor.

The UO Department of Romance Languages sponsors the institute in collaboration with the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. The institute, to be held on the UO campus in Eugene June 26 through July 30, 1999, will enroll 30 full-time, high school Spanish teachers.

The institute program will include four basic components–the study of outstanding literary works from Mexican and Mexican American literature; the history and culture of Mexican Americans in the United States; the methodology needed to introduce such material into the Spanish language classroom; and possible applications to other U.S. Hispanic groups. All sessions will be conducted in Spanish.

In addition to the department’s own specialists–Juan Armando Epple, Luis Verano and Robert Davis–the staff will be drawn from outstanding scholars and writers from both Mexico and other U.S. universities: Stanford, Arizona State, New Mexico State and the University of Colorado.

The NEH has funded four similar summer institutes at the UO since 1985.

Project directors must receive completed applications, which include an application cover sheet, an essay, a resume and two reference letters, by March 1, 1999. Participants will receive stipends of $3,250 to cover airfare, housing, meals, texts and expenses.

For more information or to receive an application packet, contact David Curland, project director and UO Romance languages instructor emeritus, at (541) 346-4027 or send e-mail to nehmex@oregon.uoregon.edu.

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