Assessed language quality of 15 four-year olds with three conversational partners: a center-care teacher, an older child, and a younger child. Data coded included number of turns, utterances, gaps, statements versus questions, contingent responses, and amount of self-talk. Found that children take more turns with an adult but produce fewer…

Reports on a study that sought to determine whether adult English-as-a-Second-Language students with internal orientations on two dimensions of locus of control also had positive expectancies about their life situations in the United States and a higher degree of proficiency in their English interlanguage than their counterparts with external…

Discusses a court case in which cultural and linguistic differences obstructed the presentation of Aboriginal evidence. The article argues that a cross-cultural understanding of the assumptions and practices inherent in the interview process are essential prerequisites for any lawyer representing an Aboriginal client. (20 references) (Author/CK)

A study of the language usage of five Mexican American fifth-grade bilingual students in an all-English classroom revealed the functions that Spanish continued to serve: providing information and assistance with school work, seeking explanations, providing self-talk, establishing and maintaining social relationships, and negotiating and…

This study investigated factors contributing to auditory, speech, language, and reading outcomes in 136 children (ages 8-9) with prelingual deafness after 4-6 years of cochlear implants. While child and family characteristics accounted for 20% of outcome variance, the primary rehabilitative factor was educational emphasis on oral-aural…

Discusses the configuration of a department's position within a university system. Considers organizational issues, such as periodic self-evaluation, and argues that conversations concerning these issues should not wait for a full organizational analysis but should be a continuous activity. (MS)

Achievement in English was measured for 64 German eighth graders by a cloze test, which was evaluated by three methods, yielding similar results. Twenty-one native English speakers comprised a criterion group. The cloze test may be appropriate for evaluating oral communication when an oral interview is not feasible. (SLD)

The spoken language occurring when primary school children work in groups at the computer was examined. Findings suggest that discourse accompanying highly structured software conforms well to the initiation/response/follow-up (IRF) structure, with the computer often taking the initiating role. The more open-ended the program, the more…

Reviews studies positing gender differences in communicative styles and documenting differences between boys' and girls' classroom behaviors, along with feminist critiques of such studies. Also investigated are perceptions of secondary students of English as a Second Language (ESL) about gendered speech. (53 references) (LR)

Using the example of the African-American community and its own distinctive voice, argues that schools can draw upon routine practices within the cultural life of communities to enhance the literature students' skills. This paper explores "signifying" and links between literature and talk in the African-American community. (JB)

Finds that female students rated female faculty especially high across five teaching dimensions and male faculty comparatively lower, whereas male students did not evaluate male and female professors as significantly different. Finds that assessments of faculty were further influenced by the strength of students' gender schema and that gender…

Presents seven examples of integrating language arts into the curriculum through the use of community connections: (1) exploring curriculum with themed instruction; (2) promoting discussion; (3) using oral language; (4) introducing "found poetry"; (5) writing across the curriculum; (6) sharing an interpretive reading activity in a readers'…

Discusses five recent books about language that address issues that arise in classrooms with an increasing number of diverse dialects and varied home languages. Discusses the complexities of language, misunderstandings in the Ebonics controversy, socioeducational issues, and classroom ideas for teachers. Describes two web sites. (SR)

As most deaf individuals experience two languages (American Sign Language, English) and three modalities (sign, speech, print), this article describes code variations and adaptations in particular situations at a school for the deaf. Most language was mixed in both code and mode; such mixing was seen to be a strategy which uniquely adapts…

Explores whether pragmatic fluency is best acquired by provision of input and opportunity for communicative practice alone, or whether learners profit more with additional explicit instruction in the use of conversational routines. The article hypothesized that such instruction raises learners' awareness of the functions and contextual…