Reviews the methodological issues raised by previous research into the language used by thought-disordered and nondisordered schizophrenics. (FL)

Suggests that children's use of social scripts for the production of sustained dialog in peer interaction depends on the nature of role play and that their attempts at script expansion are precursors to adults' recognition of the potential of conversation for self-expression. (FL)

Presents an experimental approach to the linguistic analysis of discourse organization. (FL)

Analyzes language teaching and learning as it transpires during the course of verbal interaction in the home. (DF)

Reports the findings of a study that was designed to explore children's use of language in the adversative episode. (FL)

Examines telephone discourse of twenty children between two and five years of age for answerer rules, turn-taking, constructional units, conversational acts, closing sequence, and ability to take messages. Shows developmental differences, although mastery of discourse skills appeared only in response categories, and primarily at four and five…

Suggests a parallelism between children's mastery of mental language and their thinking about the world. Recounts a study in which children's mastery of verbs was measured and a relationship between reading skill and looking to the text to justify answers was established. (AEW)

Examines prekindergarten children's process of learning a commonly occurring classroom discourse structure--an instructional exchange consisting of three moves: teacher solicitation, student response, and teacher reaction. Finds that children's success in learning the structure is a result of maturity and sociocultural factors rather than to…