CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CLAS #CL03985
Review 2001
Abstract
The Padres Activos de Hoy Leader’s Guide clearly defines skills to be taught and a rationale for their importance. The integration of video, the parents’ guide and the leader’s guide into a system of at least seven steps reinforces the topics for a variety of learning styles. Clear procedures for implementing the intervention are provided in these seven steps, which start with the leader presenting the information, the demonstration of right and wrong techniques in the videotapes, group processing, activities to complete at home, group feedback, reflective thinking, practice and more practice. The step-by-step development in the leader’s guide includes “icons,” or symbols to help the leader quickly identify sections and enhance the facilitating material.
The terms used to describe the approach are technically accurate and derived from recognized experts in child development techniques, such as psychologist Alfred Adler, Rudolf Dreikurs, Carl Rogers, Robert Carkhuff, Thomas Gordon and Haim Ginott. Terms are written or explained at a level accessible to a wide audience of Spanish-speaking families or child caregivers.
The material provides alternatives to physical punishment. Rationales are provided for all strategies described in the material, as well as examples of how and when alternative strategies might be selected (negative and positive alternatives are demonstrated in the videos’ role-play). The material offers several alternative strategies for responding to problem behavior, beginning with the least intrusive (prevention).
The material provides a variety of culturally and linguistically sensitive options for gathering feedback, such as group discussions, personal one-to-one contacts, family enrichment activities, adult reflective thinking and home activities. The language in the material acknowledges the diversity of Hispanic individuals’ backgrounds by including in the video Latino actors from different countries with different Spanish accents. The videos and the parents’ guide include Latino actors and pictures that represent contemporary dress or a non-stereotypical view of the variety and richness of the Hispanic peoples.
