Children ages five, seven, and nine years named objects with multiple names in a neutral context and in a biased context. Children selected names in accord with nonlinguistic constraints, but at the cost of longer naming times. Both name selection success and associated cost were more evident in older children than in younger children. (TJQ)

Uses the medium of descriptions of TV movies to describe how thematic teaching can be achieved in the different academic disciplines. Presents specific theme ideas. Discusses how an actual activity of TV movie summary descriptions emphasizes vocabulary development and reading comprehension. Describes specific reading skills promoted by this…

In three experiments, adults and 30-month-old children (1) selected a novel object as the referent for a novel term; (2) extended the new word to another exemplar; and (3) allowed the new word to preempt another novel label from applying to the just-named object. (BC)

Examines whether content textbook selections could be rewritten to enhance elementary students' comprehension of unfamiliar vocabulary. Finds that elementary students' vocabulary learning was enhanced when the texts were revised to be more considerate to the reader with attention to completeness, explicitness, proximity, and clarity of context…

Describes a variety of activities for improving students' social studies vocabulary. Groups the activities under the principles of LURE: (1) Linking the new word to a known word or words; (2) Using the new word in speaking and writing; (3) Revisiting new words immediately and often; and (4) Enjoying the fun and power of knowing new words. (SG)

The poet Skelton's reputation as a neologist is shown to be exaggerated. The claims of Disraeli and others are reviewed and refuted, based on an analysis of a computer-generated concordance of Skelton's complete English works. Nearly 20 percent of the 1,500 words and senses attributed to Skelton existed prior to his use of them. (18 references)…

Four activities for the French language classroom are described. These include helping students discover comparative expressions by using advertisements; using horoscopes for teaching vocabulary; using a missing persons report as a source for intermediate to advanced level discussion, collective writing, and questions; and a video designed to…

Describes (and offers an example of) a vocabulary spelling activity which uses a crossword puzzle format to help middle school through high school students study the spelling/meaning connection in English orthography. (SR)

Four studies assessed whether children, before and after experiencing word naming explosion, differed in their ability to learn a new word after limited exposure. Both 13- and 18-month olds showed comprehension of the new word, even after a 24-hour delay, suggesting that, well before the productive naming explosion, children can quickly learn a…

Discussed is how strange words frequently reveal their meanings through contextual use, similarity to known vocabulary, by their sounds, or by analysis of their parts. Twelve words from the discipline of biology are analyzed using analysis of their parts. (KR)

Discusses three approaches to direct instruction in teaching word meanings: deriving word meanings from context; using word parts; and teaching words as parts of semantic groups. Suggests a two-track approach to teaching word meanings, involving teaching general strategies for learning words in a remedial setting and engaging poor readers in…

Explores the development of students' knowledge of the meanings of 10 common English suffixes. Finds that knowledge of the meanings of the common English suffixes underwent significant development between fourth grade and high school. Notes that the test can be used to identify students who have particular difficulties with English suffixes. (RS)

Five activities help students learn a language while fostering cooperation and spirit among the students. They include same or different words, a vocabulary review called "Grab the Tail," a mental activity "triangle," a crossword puzzle-type grid, and chains of words called "From This to That." (LB)

A vocabulary training program, using parents as sole instructors, led to significant and lasting improvements in word knowledge and lexical access speed for 13 adolescents with dyslexia. Furthermore, when the trained words matched the current vocabulary of the child, the improvement generalized to untrained words. (Author)

Discusses the strategies that a child might employ during the one-word stage in constructing an early lexicon. An attempt is made to shed light on some strategies by analyzing the lexical and phonological development of two children who seem to take opposite approaches. (Author/JL)