Claims that the term "process writing" is used indiscriminately to describe both the naturalistic approach to learning how to write and the process of selecting a topic, drafting, conferencing, and publishing. Suggests that writing to publish should not be the only writing children do. (SRT)

Discusses the L1=L2 hypothesis which states that, all other things except knowledge of language being equal, first language acquisition is the same as second language acquisition. Reviews the evidence for and against the hypothesis, looks at current research and considers the general distinction between formal and informal learning. (SED)

Reviews "Understanding Research in Reading and Writing," a textbook on the influences on reading and writing research as well as the impact of theoretical and methodological orientations on the structure and substance of research reports. (HOD)

Processes of language development are viewed as controlled by genetic program (1) written at a level of moderate generality, (2) with executive control based within the organism, and (3) including process for fostering interaction with relevant environment. Evaluates above view in light of data from three research papers (published in this issue).…

Investigates the effect of word acquisition by kindergarten children under two conditions of instruction: an isolated-word condition and a word-sentence condition. (HOD)

Analyzes language teaching and learning as it transpires during the course of verbal interaction in the home. (DF)

Explores the disparity between what is desirable in English classrooms and what is available. (HOD)

Examines the lexical and syntactic development of a bilingual child and the cognitive developments that coincided with the child's linguistic processes. Concludes that it is the development of self-awareness and sensitivity to standards in the second year which provides the motive for the child to avoid mixed-language utterances. (SED)

Research is reported which investigated the ability of four-month-old hearing infants to discriminate between gestures derived from American Sign Language. Findings show that infants possess the perceptual abilities to differentiate between signs that differ solely in terms of contrasts along a single underlying movement direction. (SED)

Infants were tested for unimanual handedness at weekly intervals for a 14-week period beginning with the week of onset of duplicated syllable babbling. Group analyses indicating effects of sex and/or birth order on fluctuations and date review for individual infants suggested considerable variability across infants in occurrence and/or timing of…

Analysis of the acquisition of French as a second language in a situation where it is a minority language, as in Ontario, shows how acquisition and learning can be combined, and how the study of such a sociolinguistic situation seems necessary to the development of appropriate teaching methods. (MSE)

Examines the syntactic complexity and grammatical transformations used by students of English as a foreign language. Suggests that they use and expand syntactic structures in a manner similar to native speakers. (EL)

Argues that the way reading is taught to the youngest children sets the stage for their future learning. Notes that recent research shows that some basal readiness activities are better avoided or postponed. (FL)

The article reviews research on bilingual special education in terms of instruction for language academic achievement (with information on such topics as increased learning time and the role of motivation) and instruction for developing social skills (the effects of poverty, cultural transition, and school failure). (CL)

Compares and contrasts the abilities of normal and learning disabled students to abstract spelling patterns in the course of their acquisition of spelling skills. The performance of the learning disabled was significantly below that of the normal students. In addition, error analysis indicates that the responses of the learning disabled spellers…