Author claims that the essential antecedents of reading consist of two cognitive insights: that written language is meaningful and that written language is different from spoken language. He argues that current instructional practices may hinder the learning of these insights and suggests ways in which parents and teachers may help children to…

Reviews one study of writing across the secondary curriculum and focuses on interrelationships of language development, research, and teaching. Advocates that school systems institute guidelines by which all teachers, regardless of their specialist areas, take responsibility for students' overall language development. (RL)

An important component of second language programs is the skill of understanding and using the graphic structure of language involved. Inadequate handwriting, poor layout, and difficulties in reading are primary symptoms of students with a weak grasp of the graphic structure. (CB)

Native and nonnative (Indians) English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers' evaluations of certain errors in the written English of ESL college students were compared. Results indicated that native and nonnative perceptions of error gravity were not alike, although both groups saw verb-related error categories like tense, agreement, and question…

The study evaluated the feasibility of using two commonly available peripheral devices (Apple Graphics Tablet and Power Pad) and specially developed software to help 12 moderately and severely retarded individuals to use written communication (Rebus symbols). Students learned the symbol processing system and used it effectively for personal…

Investigates the process involved in acquiring word knowledge from written context in prereading kindergarten children. Analyzes children's readings of picture books to identify patterns of vocabulary growth. Concludes that children learned lexicogrammatical information incidentally through exposure to written context. (MM)

Analyzes intermediate English-as-a-second-language learners' (N=63) written responses to high and low cognitive level questions. Results indicate that although the degree of linguistic inaccuracy remained stable, the higher order of cognition increased both the amount and the order of syntactic complexity of written English responses. (Author/CB)

The article presents suggestions for speech language pathologists in helping primary grade teachers create a literate classroom environment conducive to written language development for all children including the language handicapped through teacher modeling, classroom organization and management, and meaningful reading and writing opportunities.…

Suggests that parents who understand how written language development resembles oral language development are more willing to accept whole language instruction. Offers teachers suggestions on how to convince parents of this similarity. (ARH)

Reveals that in the average number of words per T-unit, the complexity of basal reader passages generally exceeds that of children's oral language, and that none of the basal series studied exhibited a graduated increase in average number of words per T-unit among passages in the same reader. (FL)

Responds to an article appearing in an earlier issue of the journal that discussed the relationship between social-cognitive ability and writing skill. Reports on a study that investigated the relationship and found that social cognitive ability was more closely related to oral than to written performance. (FL)

Describes a Centre Mondial Informatique et Resources Humaines (CIMRH) investigation of kindergarten children's written language learning and links between play and learning. Computer software was used by students for language learning, and observations centered on student computer use, learning of written language and play, and computer…

Reports a case of a native speaker of Spanish with reading and spelling difficulties in both English and Spanish. Argues that the regular Spanish spelling system prevented these difficulties from becoming apparent and discusses the connections between writing systems and second language learning. (Author/SED)

The values of learning to express oneself in writing are noted, major components of writing (psychological factors, content, and craftsmanship) are identified, and approaches to evaluating written language disorders through formal and informal methods are described. Intervention information focuses on hierarchial skills, motivation, content area…

Examines similarities and differences in emerging reading and writing behaviors of two socioeconomic groups of preschool children. Concludes that the acquisition of reading and writing related behaviors was occurring with children from both groups. (FL)