This document consists of all four 1989 issues of "Notes on Literacy", an occasional paper series published by the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. as a means of "sharing information of a practical and theoretical nature with the literacy workers of each branch." Articles and authors in Number 57 are: "Orthography…

During the last decade, the study of American Sign Language (ASL) as a second language has become enormously popular. More and more schools and universities recognize the important role that ASL can play in foreign language education. This monograph provides a comprehensive introduction to the history and structure of ASL, to the Deaf community…

One theory of second language acquisition argues that children's competence in a second language is a function of the amount of "comprehensible input" acquirers receive and understand, without formal instruction in reading or grammar. To examine this hypothesis, this study analyzes whether comprehensible input in the form of captioned television…

Essays on language transfer in language learning include: excerpts from "Linguistics across Cultures" (Robert Lado); "Language Transfer" (Larry Selinker); "Goofing: An Indication of Children's Second Language Learning Strategies" (Heidi C. Dulay, Marina K. Burt); "Language Transfer and Universal Grammatical Relations" (Susan Gass); "A Role for the…

Papers on library/information science theory and research, which were presented at the 1983 International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) conference, include: (1) "The Role of the Library in Computer-Aided Information and Documentation Systems," in which Wolf D. Rauch (West Germany) asserts that libraries must adapt to the…

A study demonstrated the viability of an instructional paradigm that identifies adult mediation within the zone of proximal development to be a significant factor in young children's learning. Six teachers participated during the first year and eight teachers during the second year. Complete data were collected for 200 kindergarten children.…

Two papers on "fag(sprog)lig Kommunikation"--languages for special purposes (LSP)--are presented. The first paper, in Danish, presents an alternative to the current structuralist oriented approach to the analysis of LSP as a kind of language in its own right and of texts written in this special kind of language. The approach is based on a more…

This paper describes studies conducted in Saudi Arabia that: (1) investigated the effect of the number of orthographic alternatives of English consonant sounds on the spelling responses of 48 first-year secondary students studying English as a foreign language (EFL); and (2) compared the use of two spelling mechanisms of these first-year secondary…

A study assessed the effect of American/Western culture on English-speaking Japanese bilinguals as reflected in differences in the connotative meanings of certain kinds of words. Differences in culturally determined meanings were examined in translation-equivalent concrete concepts, abstract words, and personality attributes, as measured on a…

Language is used to realize different intentions, and the patterns of wording that have evolved in language bear a natural relationship to the meanings they have evolved to express. Despite the diversity in the way texts (content) are encoded, they may be traced to the contexts in which they communicate meaning, indicating a form-function…

Employed extensively in some Soviet bloc countries to teach a variety of subjects, the Suggestive-Accelerative Learning and Teaching (SALT) method uses a combination of physical and mental relaxation exercises, music, and suggestive principles to increase learning. However, in spite of research showing its effectiveness in teaching reading skills…

This paper examines intersections between mathematical and language performance in light of data collected from Hispanic students at varying stages of acquiring English as a second language at school. Emphasis is on aspects of the developing linguistic system as it affects underlying metacognitive processes related to mathematical performance.…

To help children develop a concept of "words," this document introduces parallels from languages other than English so that children, especially those learning English as a second language, can become aware of similarities across languages and recognize links between their first language and English. Answers to questions often asked by…

Written by teachers, linguists, psychologists, and reading specialists, this book elucidates the relationship between reading and language, and explains why reading should be regarded as a language-based process. The book is divided into eight sections, each of which includes an introduction and sources for further reading. The essays for each…

This paper argues that two serious flaws are present in current mathematics learning and instruction: (1) the lack of meaning in students' mathematical knowledge; and (2) students' inability to communicate using appropriate mathematical language and ideas. The study explored the relationship between mathematics language facility and mathematics…