Highlights a research study indicating that children can spontaneously impose linguistic structure on their communication, even in the absence of a conventional linguistic environment. Subjects (16- to 50-month-old deaf children) had normal social environments but severely restricted language environments because of their disability. (JN)

Three language teaching procedures for moderately and severely handicapped children that can be used in the everyday setting are discussed, along with the contribution of each procedure to an integrative model of natural environment language training. Empirical research on these methods is also reviewed. (SEW)

In this introduction, Royer suggests that the major task facing both the developmental and educational psychologist is to establish a theoretical framework that can provide an account of the development of knowledge structures relevant to the reading process and that can suggest guidelines for translating the theory into educational practice.…

The use of complex linguistic structures in the written language of 17 severely and profoundly hearing impaired children ranging in age from 7 years 10 months to 12 years 5 months was studied. Statistical analysis indicated a significant increase in the use of linguistic complexity by grade level. (Author/SEW)

The question of whether the exclusive use of spoken English (i.e., oralism) causes brain atrophy for the hearing impaired child is examined in light of data presented by R. Conrad and other researchers. It is concluded that deafness itself is the fundamental cause of performance deficits. (SEW)

A study investigated whether activities could be designed to elicit seven specific language functions in kindergartners: self-maintaining, directing, reporting, towards logical reasoning, predicting, projecting, and imagining. Language functions were not equally elicited by all activities, but changing activity was effective in varying language…

Participation over five years by 12 moderately/severely retarded six to 10- year-olds in a Distar Language and Reading Program, which emphasizes direct instruction and general case strategies, resulted in statistically significant IQ gain and improvements in language competency. (CL)

Tests of two coding processes and language measures were administered to 100 institutionalized moderately retarded adults (mean age 24). Results of correlational analyses showed association between use and understanding of language and successive processing, however, analysis of variance indicated both coding dimensions important for establishing…

Maternal directives to 10- and 18-month-old children were analyzed for verbal and nonverbal aspects. The findings emphasize the multimodal nature of mothers' messages and the way language occurs in an action context and not as isolated output. There was no indication that verbal output replaces nonverbal at this age, but the verbal and nonverbal…

A study was undertaken to separate elements of maternal speech heavily influenced by the children's language levels from those representing the mothers' consistent style or strategy for "teaching" language. A striking similarity was found between speech mothers used with their daughters and that used with their daughters' friends. (MSE)

The linguistic home environments of 10 language-delayed children and 10 linguistically normal children were compared using audiorecordings of parent-child dyads. Significant differences were found between the linguistic interactions of parents with a language-disordered child and parents with a linguistically normal child in all areas studied.…

The receptive and expressive "wh" interrogative performance of 20 language-delayed children (4.3 to 6.4 years old) was compared to available normative data. These findings suggest that the delayed children develop the same order of acquisition and rules for questioning as normal children, but at a slower rate. (Author/SEW)

Free, spontaneous play provides the child with opportunities to practice problem-solving and language use. Nonetheless, results from laboratory observations of children's play indicate that adults and instructional materials can enrich the play of young children. (PP)