Date of Award

12-1972

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Linguistics

First Advisor

John C. Crawford

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a testing method for surveying the literacy needs of minority language groups in Mexico. The tests were designed to determine the approximate percentage of adults in a given Mexican Indian town who can read and write in Spanish and in their own Indian language. The reading tests allowed subjects to be classified according to their abilities.

The tests were intended to improve on some previous studies of literacy in minority language groups outside of the United States. As the tests designed by this investigator were used in three language groups of Mexico (the Tzeltals of Chiapas, the Aztecs of southern Veracruz, and the Popolucas of Sayula de Alemán, Veracruz) additional improvements were made.

The problems of testing Mexican Indians for literacy are discussed, and the tests used and the data obtained are presented.

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