Cuentos de la Vida: Exploring Cultural Heritage through Storytelling

描述(由申请人提供)：美国人口普查局估计，拉美裔人口总数超过4600万，预测显示，到2050年，拉美裔个人将占美国居民的近三分之一(USCB，2008)。目前，近40%的拉丁裔人口年龄在20岁以下(Ramirez和De la Cruz，2003)。伴随着这种人口增长，迫切需要解决拉美裔儿童和非拉美裔白人儿童之间在社会情感、行为和学业上的显著差距(Farkas，2003；USDHHS，2001；Wright and Troop，2005)。已经发现，封闭学校社区的观念会造成或加剧拉美裔青年在学业成绩、教育抱负和行为-情绪功能方面的问题(Romero和Roberts，2003；Szalacha等人，2003；Vega等人，1995)。干预和预防研究表明，社会对拉丁裔学生的接受和融入学校社区是促进积极作用的关键环境因素(Ibaqez等人，2004；Suarez-Orozco和Suarez-Orozco，1995；Valencia，2002)。SBIR第二阶段项目的目标是继续研究和开发面向高年级小学生的校本文化遗产课程--儿童文化遗产系列(以下简称CHSK：LS)，以创建完整的产品，包括一个由专业的拉丁裔讲故事人用英语和西班牙语讲述不同拉美文化(如墨西哥裔美国人、波多黎各人、古巴人)的传统故事和文化适应故事的故事库。CHSK：LS将为学校专业人员提供创新、有效、普遍的课堂干预，专门为庆祝拉美裔文化遗产而设计，促进课堂上对文化多样性的理解，并创造一个更一体化、更易于接受的课堂环境。在第一阶段，CHSK：LS原型材料得到了学校专业人员以及家长和孩子的非常积极的评价。然而，与会者注意到了关于第二阶段发展的具体建议。第二阶段的第一个目标将是根据第一阶段获得的反馈、第二阶段利益攸关方的意见以及咨询委员会成员的专家意见对其进行修订和扩展。一旦CHSK：LS产品完成，第二阶段的第二个目标将是通过随机治疗对照实验设计对产品有效性进行严格测试，评估参与CHSK-LS的两组结果的变化：(A)学生个人在学校的社交、行为、情绪和学习功能；(B)整体课堂气氛。第三个目标是根据产品测试的第二阶段结果和评估最终确定所有产品材料，打包所有组件用于商业化，并准备通过我们的商业化合作伙伴广泛传播产品。拟议的第二阶段SBIR项目将产生一个具有实质性竞争优势的高度创新的干预方案，为学校提供亟需的循证干预方案，以促进多元文化意识和融合，并解决拉美裔学生的行为健康差距。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the Latino population totals over 46 million people, with projections indicating Latino individuals will account for nearly 1 in 3 U.S. residents by the year 2050 (USCB, 2008). Currently, nearly 40 percent of the Latino population is under the age of 20 (Ramirez and de la Cruz, 2003). Concomitant with this population growth is a pressing need to address significant social-emotional, behavioral, and academic disparities between Latino children and non-Latino white children (Farkas, 2003; USDHHS, 2001; Wright and Troop, 2005). Perceptions of a closed school community have been found to create or exacerbate problems with academic performance, educational aspirations, and behavioral-emotional functioning for Latino youth (Romero and Roberts, 2003; Szalacha et al., 2003; Vega et al., 1995). Intervention and prevention research suggests social acceptance of Latino students and integration into the school community are key environmental factors that promote positive functioning (Ibaqez et al., 2004; Suarez-Orozco and Suarez-Orozco, 1995; Valencia, 2002). The goal of this Phase II SBIR project is to continue the research and development of a school-based cultural heritage curriculum for upper elementary school students, Cultural Heritage Stories for Kids: Latino Series (hereafter CHSK:LS), to create the full product, including a story library of traditional and acculturation stories from different Latino cultures (e.g., Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban), presented by professional Latino storytellers in both English and Spanish. CHSK:LS will provide school professionals with an innovative effective universal classroom intervention specifically designed to celebrate Latino cultural heritage, promote understanding of cultural diversity in the classroom, and engender a more integrated, accepting classroom environment. During Phase I, the CHSK:LS prototype materials were evaluated very positively by school professionals as well as parents and children. However, specific suggestions for Phase II development were noted. The first aim of Phase II will be to revise and extend based on the feedback attained during Phase I, Phase II stakeholder input, and expert advice of Advisory Board members. Once the CHSK:LS product is completed, the second aim of Phase II will be to conduct a rigorous test of the product efficacy via a randomized treatment-control experimental design assessing change as a function of participation in CHSK-LS for two sets of outcomes: (a) individual student-level social, behavioral, emotional, and academic functioning at school and (b) overall classroom climate. The third aim will be to the finalize all product materials based on Phase II findings and evaluations from product testing, package all components for commercialization, and ready the product for broad-scale dissemination through our commercialization partner. The proposed Phase II SBIR project will result in a highly innovative intervention package with substantial competitive advantages, providing schools with a much needed evidence-based intervention package to promote multicultural awareness and integration, and address behavioral health disparities for Latino students.