Proposes that the optional subject phenomenon in early child language arises because children have not yet acquired the morphological elements (primarily modal and tense) necessary to distinguish subject-taking verbs (e.g., finite verbs) from their non-subject-taking counterparts (e.g., infinitives). (Author/CB)

To test whether the critical language learning period applies to second languages, the English proficiency was studied of 46 Asians varying in age at which they moved to America. Results on a grammaticality judgment task support the hypothesis; early arrivals were significantly superior to later arrivals in English proficiency. (TJH)

A parallel distributed processing model of visual word recognition and pronunciation is described. A key feature is the assumption that there is a simple, uniform procedure for computing a phonological representation from an orthographic representation for irregular words as well as regular words. (SLD)

Parents of 40 Down's Syndrome babies were taught methods of communicative training with their children that involved either modeling techniques or written instructions. Results showed a significant difference in favor of the group taught modeling. (RJC)

The study examined whether variation in mothers' use of information-seeking and confirmation questions predicted variation in auxiliary and copula development in five specific-language-disordered (SLD) preschool children. Mothers of SLD children who used proportionally more information-seeking questions were found to have children who showed…

A structured discourse strategy, employing child echoic imitations and adult expansion, was used to teach five autistic preschool children two-term semantic relations. The strategy increased the children's initial spontaneous imitations of two-term relations. Following the imitation increase, spontaneous productions of the two-term relations…

Discusses humor development in children and other factors that influence children's interpretation and enjoyment of literary humor. These factors include the child's cognitive and linguistic stage of development, the object of humor, sex differences, and past experiences. (BB)

Discusses current research and issues concerning multilingual learners, and makes suggestions for school programs addressing bilingualism and multilingualism. (MM)

Explores three explanations for the lack of a relationship between oral language development and reading ability. Presents data which provides evidence for each of the following sources of explanation: (1) inappropriateness of measures used in previous studies, (2) differences between written and spoken languages, and (3) the distinction between…

Studied the development of speech act comprehension in 36 retarded and 36 nonretarded children at the developmental ages of five, seven, and nine years. Retarded and nonretarded individuals followed the answer obviousness rule and used the contextual and linguistic clues available to respond to yes-no interrogative sentences. (RJC)

Reviews research on first- (L1) and second-language (L2) acquisition of English articles, and adds to this literature a study f a(n), the, and the null article in the speech of (n=30) second-language learners. Both differences and similarities emerge between the L1 and L2 patterns of acquisition. (31 references) (Author/VWL)

Examines storytelling styles and themes characteristic of South Carolina children of African and European heritage. Demonstrates the continuity between African American themes and motifs throughout the North American continent, the Caribbean, and West Africa, and illustrates contrasts between oral and written texts generated by Black and White…

Comparison of results obtained for 62 normally developing preschool children on the Bracken Basic Concept Scale, the Preschool Language Scale, and the Slosson Intelligence Test revealed low to moderate correlations between the three tests. Results suggest the tests do not measure the same abilities and thus cannot be used interchangeably. (DB)

Luo-speaking children in Kenya responded to a test using nonce forms in morphophonology. Morphophonological processes in the acquisition of Luo plurals and possessives presented different degrees of difficulty for the subjects, with the type of morphophonological alteration in a language likely to affect the rate and order of acquisition.…

The research on the relationship between critical thinking and verbal ability is reviewed, with emphasis on research on tests of critical thinking. The article concludes that neither critical thinking nor critical reading exist as constructs separate from verbal ability and that verbal ability accounts for test variance in these areas. (Author/DB)