The prevailing assumption underlying practice in the classroom is that children acquire most of their new words from context during silent reading. The trouble with learning from silent reading is that many pupils do not read widely or quickly enough. Reading aloud to children will, however, allow them to participate in activity that they all can…

The study compared the language development of 72 learning disabled (LD) and 72 normal students at intermediate and secondary age levels (9-12 and 12-15 years of age). Ss were asked to respond to questions after viewing two films, and oral language samples were tape recorded and analyzed to examine syntactic and vocabulary development. Results…

This guide summarizes the information and techniques presented on an audiotape designed to teach students to use the keyword method to memorize new words. First, introductory comments provide a rationale for the development of the materials and a discussion of their use at Lane Community College. Next, a summary is provided of the key word method,…

Three experiments investigated the processes by which 2-year-olds acquire the language to express category hierarchies. The first experiment studied how children use current linguistic knowledge to constrain the potential meanings of new words. This experiment compared interpretations of new words given to objects the children could already name…

In June 1983, 456 presidents from among 5,000 of the largest companies in the United States took a vocabulary test designed by the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation, with the purpose of reexaming the contention that a large and exact vocabulary is an attribute characterizing executives. This Executive Vocabulary Test consisted of 50…

There are problems in interpreting the naming behavior of children. Children may misname a word because the word is absent from their vocabulary, because it is not yet firmly established, or because of a word retrieval or lexical assessing problem. Preliminary results are reported of an experimental technique designed to account for these…

The role of the abstract triconsonantal root in the acquisition of Moroccan Arabic was investigated. Evidence from recorded speech samples of 32 Moroccan children between the ages of 3 and 6 is used to demonstrate that the abstract root plays a central role in both the nominal and verbal acquisition of the lexicon of Semitic languages and that the…

Methods for second language vocabulary development in the intermediate and advanced level English classroom are described. Rather than require students to memorize lists of words, the teacher should give students a better understanding of the process of vocabulary development by showing them how to refine their use of new lexical items and implant…

Suitable for children from grades four to seven, this dictionary is designed to introduce children to computer terminology at a level that they will understand and find useful. It is also suitable as a home resource for parents, for library use, and as a handbook for teachers. For each word, the first sentence of the definition contains the kernel…

A televised program of Tales from King Arthur for elementary students provides reinforcement for other language arts skills as well as a personal literary experience for the viewer. (JH)

Reading success will be encouraged if children are given ample opportunity to verbally respond to first-hand experiences. (JH)