Critically examines the notion of a "natural" acquisition of language, explores current language theories regarding second-language acquisition theories and language education, and argues that the "naturalization" of achievement as ability works to deny certain students access to the evaluation criteria on which their access to further education…

Questions the validity of two assumptions behind the search for the "best" pedagogical (English as a second language) grammar: (1) that there is one ideal pedagogical grammar; and (2) that the success of a pedagogical grammar depends primarily on the linguistic theoretical assumptions incorporated in it. (Author/CB)

Claims all-news radio programming has appeal because it is monotonous, cyclically repetitive and expectable and that (1) the style encourages "habitual" and "automatic" listening with an economy of effort, and (2) the structure anesthetizes listeners by couching the news in familiar linguistic forms which subtly stabilize and…

Uses examples from advertisements to support the claim that usage opinions have a minimal influence on actual usage, and formulates a new law of usage, stating that when a language change occurs, some people will adopt it, some will oppose it, and most will ignore it. (NH)

Lists books published for children in 1985 that are either unique in their language or style, deal explicitly with language, or invite child response or participation. (FL)

Uses Grimm's fairy tales to teach students how to read critically for appropriate quotations and proper stylistics for including them in writing. (HTH)

Dialect differences are a significant factor in learning to read for English-speaking adults. These differences can be used constructively to help students learn about various features of formal and nonformal English. Emphasis should be on helping students use their experiences to make global sense of the passages they read. (Author/CH)

Describes students' work during a 12-week course on fantasy offered to talented and gifted high school students. Illustrates how the students learned about metaphor and inference. (SRT)

Describes a study of 64 students (grades three through college) which investigated the influence of gender labels on individuals' evaluational sex typing of occupations. Reports that respondents based their conception of gender appropriateness on the perceived gender composition of given social positions. Suggests that the relation of the concept…

Examines how reference points for the categorical interpretation of high and low (adjectives) were defined by three- to five-year-old children and adults. Shows categorical interpretations of relative terms to be complex dependent. (HOD)

No language is as varied in history as American English and no language is as rich in word choices. Additions to our language from other cultures are discussed. Four categories of activities involving words are presented. (MT)

Provides insight into the emotional and behavioral reactions of telephone counselors to sexual and sexually abusive callers. Discusses implications for trainers. (Author/ABB)

Concludes that readers recall syntactic subjects very poorly. Suggests that to understand more precisely how readers represent such subjects in memory, new and rich models of language and of possible domains in text will be needed. (FL)

Describes how Bakhtin's insights can heighten the reader's ability to experience verbal and written expression in a rich and complex way, thus serving as an anecdote to a simplified, exclusive concern with purely formal aspects of writing instruction. (EL)

Discusses the systematic relationship between the language patterns of a text and the context of situation that enables a reader to predict from one to the other. (FL)