Recent brain mapping studies have provided new insights into the cortical systems that mediate human speech perception. Electrocortical stimulation mapping (ESM) is a brain mapping method that is used clinically to localize cortical functions in neurosurgical patients. Recent ESM studies have yielded new insights into the cortical systems that…

Developmental studies of face processing have revealed age-related changes in how infants allocate neurophysiological resources to the face of a caregiver and an unfamiliar adult. We hypothesize that developmental changes in how infants interact with their caregiver are related to the changes in brain response. We studied 6-month-olds because this…

Previous research implies that stereotypic behavior tends to be maintained by the sensory consequences produced by engaging in the response. Few investigations, however, have focused on vocal stereotypy. The current study examined the noncommunicative vocalizations of 4 children with an autism spectrum disorder. First, functional analyses were…

Background: The conclusion from a vast literature on literacy acquisition is that letter knowledge is one of the best predictors of literacy development. The question of the best way to teach children letter sounds has not, as yet, been answered satisfactorily. Aims: The aim of this study was the evaluation of a computer training program using…

Dawnene D. Hassett and Melissa B. Schieble contend that literacy instruction must include attention to the multiple ways in which print and visual images work together. They propose ways to update accepted reading strategies "with visual texts and new literacies in mind." Using examples from picture books and graphic novels, they expand our…

In two experiments, 1.5-year-olds were taught novel words whose sound patterns were phonologically similar to familiar words (novel neighbors) or were not (novel nonneighbors). Learning was tested using a picture-fixation task. In both experiments, children learned the novel nonneighbors but not the novel neighbors. In addition, exposure to the…

Writing exercises used as a means of reinforcing language presented and practiced in the spoken medium should include clear cues for the student that can stimulate and guide the writing of connected sentences. Three principles are suggested as being fundamental to the planning and use of effective exercises: (1) focus throughout should be on the…

Autism is a developmental disability that manifests as impairment in three primary areas: social interaction, communication and imaginative activities, and reactions to environmental stimuli. The appearance of autism spectrum disorder ranges from children who are very low functioning, nonverbal, stimulus seeking, aggressive, antisocial, and…

Ninety-six participants, who were younger (20 years) or older (68 years) adults and either monolingual or bilingual, completed tasks assessing working memory, lexical retrieval, and executive control. Younger participants performed most of the tasks better than older participants, confirming the effect of aging on these processes. The effect of…

The recent Irish film "Into the West" (1992) explores the myth of the West on two continents. Images from television and movies appear as a visual reference point within "Into the West"; the main characters, two young Irish boys, are fascinated with the American West of cowboys and Indians as depicted in countless Hollywood…

This study examined the possibility that expectancy or anticipatory reactions influence the ability to read. The Event Related Potentials (ERPs) of 10 dyslexic Mexican male students (ages 11 to 13) and eight normal male students of the same age range were evaluated. ERPs were measured while the children read words, both in and out of context, that…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether context facilitated memory and whether this facilitation was still evident after a delay. Infants were expected to recognize pictures significantly longer when they were tested with the same context cues. This context effect was expected to be even after a 5-minute delay. The subjects were 64…

The relationship between three quantitatively measured Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) scores in a longitudinal sample is examined for correlations and stability. (Author/DEP)

To evaluate the effects of Cued Speech (visual symbols) as a supplement to speechreading, cued and non-cued sentences and phrases were presented in a live situation at normal and at slow rates to 12 hearing-impaired subjects (7-to 11-years-old). (Author/LS)