Compares the abilities of good and poor readers in the second through fifth grades to read a frequency-graduated series of irregularly spelled words presented in isolation and in meaningful context, noting that the number of correctly read words varied with reading ability. (HOD)

Relates some of the observations made of a kindergarten classroom over a two-year period in which teachers simulated as many conditions as possible with respect to a natural "learning-how-to-write" situation. (HOD)

Discusses the current approaches to interlanguage syntax, focusing on the goal of finding consistency and pattern in syntactic variation. Some themes contributing to descriptive approaches include: the transition from morphosyntax acquisition studies to those of more complex syntax, the emergence of syntax from discourse, explicitness, and the…

Six children (aged one to three years) with varying degrees of vision were video-recorded in naturalistic interactions with their families. Results indicated that caregivers of the blind provide highly directive input, offer relatively few descriptions, and initiate a greater proportion of topics than their children, focusing almost exclusively on…

Examines results of a study of samples of babbling production of 6, 8, and 10-month-old infants from French, Arabic, and Cantonese backgrounds. Various judges were asked to identify those infants from their own linguistics community, with the intention of supporting hypothesis of an early influence on babbling of metaphonological characteristics…

Expands on study by Brown and Hanlon which showed that parents seemed more attuned to semantic value of their child's speech rather than grammatical form. However, this more recent study suggests that language learning environment presents subtle cues, distinguishing between well-formed and ill-formed sentences, evidenced by mothers' inclinations…

Investigates expression of part-whole semantic relation by children 3 to 12 years old and indicates that older children prefer its use significantly more often. The part-whole semantic relation was also observed to take several linguistic forms, such as partitive, spatial, and possessive. Age, experimental task format, or type of experimental…

A study tested the hypothesis that manual encoding aids learning in the prelingually deaf. Twenty-four adults who used fingerspelling as their primary means of communication participated in two groups of a paired-associate learning paradigm, using eight study-test trial sequences. Those using fingerspelling showed more recall and a faster learning…

Investigated was the relationship between language ability and aggression among 75 five-year old children. A significant negative correlation is postulated from observation of the subjects. (SL)

Gives some account of the outcomes of the Schools Council project Writing across the Curriculum 11-16, but is primarily concerned with theoretical problems of the relationships between teaching, research and development in language. (Editor/RK)

After a brief consideration of the language situation in Wales, this research explains the need for the Schools Council "English in Wales" Project (1973-7) and describes the work of the project to date. (Editor/RK)

This study was conducted to generate grade-level word lists for the basic vocabulary in beginning reading. To generate the lists an assessment was made of the word knowledge of a sample of diverse children in grades 1 and 2. A list of 180 rank-ordered words is presented. (MS)

The "Magic Circle" program is used with deaf children in an effort to improve self concepts and interpersonal relationships and also to improve language growth. The "Magic Circle" program is described in detail. (HMV)

This study of 12 white, upper-middle-class mothers and their children was conducted to provide information on how verbal aspects of mother-child interaction are differentiated by sex of the child. Results suggest greater verbal quantity and responsivity for mother-female compared with mother-male dyads. (Author/SB)

Two tasks were used to assess the capacities of 6- to 14-year-old children to interpret metaphoric statements. Results suggest certain cognitive prerequisites of mature metaphoric comprehension and help to clarify the ontogenetic relations among the abilities to produce, comprehend, and explicate the rationale of metaphoric language. (Author/SB)