Computer Workshops to Benefit
Santa Ana Parents
by Gail Matsunaga
from Dateline (January 30, 2003)
As challenging as it often can be for
many high school students to be first in their families to attend
college, it can be especially daunting if they come from bilingual
and bicultural backgrounds.
Juan S. Muñoz, assistant professor of secondary
education, hopes to help change that with a series of workshops
aimed at parents of promising and college-bound students living
in Santa Ana.
The project, funded by a University Planning Initiative,
kicks off at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 at the Grand Central Art
Center in Santa Ana.
The bilingual workshops, developed for Spanish- and
Vietnamese-speaking parents, will assist participants in learning
to use online resources available through the university and provide
them with a broader understanding of how the materials are coordinated.
Topics will include the application process, financial aid sources
and applications, and information related to the English placement
test and entry-level math assessments.
Subsequent training sessions – developed and
administered by faculty members and students – will be held
in February, March and April.
“Typically, parents who have limited command
of the English language are inaccurately considered key factors
to persistent academic underachievement of students raised in bilingual
and bicultural households,” explains Muñoz. “Parents,
regardless of social or ethnic background, are generally committed
to the academic success of their children.
“This computerized training will prepare Santa
Ana parents to become technically proficient and thus more confident
academic resources for their children with aspirations to attend
college.”
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