Many Hispanics are bilingual, speaking, reading and writing in both Spanish and English. Other Hispanics speak Spanish and English but only read and write in one language, English or Spanish. Some Hispanics, especially recent immigrants, speak Spanish but having had little formal education, and may not be able to read or write well in either Spanish or English. And as is true in all languages, there can be distinct difference in idiomatic usage across geographic areas. Thus it is essential to know the Spanish and English language fluency and the language-use preferences of the specific Hispanic population to be served before decisions about spoken and written language are made.
Country of origin is often one of the ways the Hispanic population is characterized.
While there is a predominance of Hispanics of Mexican origin, the geographic dispersion is not uniform throughout the United States. Mexican-Americans are more likely to reside in the southwest and west, Puerto Ricans are more likely to be in New York City and throughout the northeast and Cubans are concentrated in Florida, especially the Miami area. However, Hispanic communities are not limited to these areas, there are growing Hispanics communities in many urban areas of the United States and often there are strong ties to a particular country of origin. Even within Hispanic populations from the same country of origin, there can be differences in beliefs, customs, and values that are shaped by such factors as family background, recency of immigration, degree of acculturation, regional concentration, level of educational attainment, income, and English language proficiency. Research, policy and practice must take these factors into account.