Examines studies investigating the relation between technical vocabulary preteaching and text comprehension using older students. Offers instructional suggestions geared specifically for college developmental readings based on the findings of these studies. (RS)

Examines, through a longitudinal study, the temporal correspondences of 4 Japanese children, aged 7 to 11, in the attainment of specific milestones in play and language. All children proceeded through the same sequence of stages, but the rate of development was different depending on their environment. (34 references) (GLR)

Four class activities for French language instruction are described, including a crossword puzzle exercise emphasizing French culture, use of films for developing a variety of language skills, techniques for helping students discuss others' ideas, and an exercise promoting discussion through photographs of older adults engaged in various…

Three fifth grade students with learning disabilities were taught to recognize multisyllabic basal vocabulary words using constant time delay in a small-group instructional arrangement and were assessed on ability to recognize, spell, and define both their own target words and observational words. The procedure was effective in establishing…

Discusses the design and implementation of lexicons in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). Topics addressed include the dictionary's role in the learner's acquisition of vocabulary as opposed to its use as a reference tool; mental lexicons; electronic dictionaries; morphological processing; context sensitivity; layering information; and…

Analyzes whether comprehensible input via captioned television influences acquisition of science vocabulary and concepts using 129 bilingual seventh and eighth graders. Finds that comprehensible input is a key ingredient in language acquisition and reading development. (MG)

Addresses three questions to language teachers concerning vocabulary development: (1) Why is it important to have a rich vocabulary? (2) How does vocabulary development take place? and (3) What can happen in class to foster vocabulary growth? (MG)

Describes a writing strategy that teaches students how to write a first person narrative and revise for more exact and fresh vocabulary words. (MG)

Reviews current developments in second-language reading research and its implications for the classroom, particularly the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom. It is argued that the last 10 years have yielded insights that challenge previous views of first- and second-language reading and imply future avenues of research. (67 references) (VWL)

A discussion of vocabulary development for intermediate and advanced students preparing for the Australian certification test for Teaching English as a Foreign Language focuses on nine areas: collocations, clines, clusters, cloze procedures, context, consultation or checking, cards, creativity, and guessing. (seven references) (LB)

Four language classroom activities are described, including an exercise using maps and new vocabulary to discuss geographic location; an adaptation of a common board game that encourages classroom communication; an activity to enrich vocabulary and understanding of the historical relationships between words; and a comprehension exercise using a…

A study assessed the effectiveness of a computer software program in teaching a list of unfamiliar words to eleventh graders, by comparing the program's instructional approach, which incorporates definitional and contextual word knowledge, with approaches that use definitional or contextual information only. A modified mixed approach proved most…

Shares the results of two studies on the Possible Sentences strategy which indicate that the strategy can be as effective, if not more so, than semantic mapping in teaching vocabulary and fostering recall information. (MG)

Presents four learning activities: reading strategies for non-English-speaking students; reading and writing limericks; "word splash"; and shadow puppets. (MG)

Consequences were withheld for high-rate gesture requests of 6 mentally handicapped individuals (ages 12-40), to increase the proportion of gestures used spontaneously. Results suggest that the teacher's nonresponding to high-rate spontaneous gesture requests increased individuals' use of previously taught but unused gesture requests. (Author/JDD)