A three-dimensional approach to language acquisition was instituted as part of an auditory-verbal habilitation program for four hearing-impaired preschoolers. Results indicate that the Ss were developing verbal language skills paralleling normally developing children with hearing but at a later age. (Author)

Suggestions for an "ideal" residential setting are based on the author's 4 month visit to the Instituut Voor Doven, Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands, where considerable success is achieved in developing deaf students' language skills. The paper outlines the philosophy of the school and indicates how this success might be achieved.…

The study investigated the stability of five type-token ratios (TTRs) in 50-utterance oral language samples of 83 children three, four, and five years of age. Based on the results of this study, TTR measures of the language of young children should not be compared for samples that differ in number of words. (Author/CL)

Six autistic children were trained to use their sign repertoire to make spontaneous requests of adults. Training consisted of imitative prompting, fading, and differential reinforcement, with aspects of incidental teaching. Ss displayed increased rate and variety of spontaneous sign requests and generalization of spontaneity across different…

The study investigated the relationship of early language development and symbolic play behaviors in 20 normal and 20 trainable mentally retarded children. Symbolic play which involves the use of one object to represent another was found to be a strong correlate of early language development. (Author/CL)

The author discusses the gap between research and practice in developmental dyslexia and describes his own research based on a comprehensive theoretical model incorporating reading skills and the most closely related nonreading skills involved in the reading process. (CL)

Considers the nature of language play and its role in children's acquisition of their mother tongue. Particular attention is given to the effects of social context on and developmental trends in language play. Needs and directions for future research are indicated. (RH)

Thirteen physically abused six-year-olds were assessed in school for language development, educational attainments, and social adjustment, and compared with controls. There were no significant differences between the groups in language development or number skills, but the abused group did contain more high (maladjusted) scores on the Bristol…

Parodies "quick" language learning books using invented spelling and illustrations. (FL)

Cognitive mapping, in which information is depicted in graphic form and used to generate logical conclusions, helped illiterate youths increase their language and listening comprehension as well as their reading abilities. Examples of step-by-step procedures in both simple and detailed mapping are provided. (CL)

The article analyzes therapeutic interactional styles with language disordered children, notes a shift in clinical goals and in clinical procedures as influenced by behaviorism, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. A typical therapy session is described incorporating features that facilitate normal language acquisition (such as imitation and…

A longitudinal study of sign language acquisition was conducted with 13 very young children (median age 10 months or outset of study) of deaf parents. A majority of signs in Ss' early vocabularies were not iconic, suggesting that the role of iconicity may have been overrated. (Author/CL)

The study examined relationships between symbolic play and language in 10 developmentally delayed preschool children. As predicted, individual subject data revealed instances of correspondence and noncorrespondence between developmental levels of symbolic play and communication forms. Several patterns of play-language relationships are discussed…

Picture books based on song lyrics can help mildly or moderately language disabled children increase their phonological, syntactic, and semantic competence. Song picture books can be very motivating to students as well. (CL)

Use and understanding of dimensional language facilitated conservation. (ST)