In response to criticism of his support of computer-assisted intruction, the author asserts that computers should be used as resources for further and better learning, and that their most effective use will be learned as research and experiments continue. (CB)

Outlines research necessary for determining the validity and reliability of Test of Written English, an essay test that directly measures writing ability and complements Test of English-as-a-Foreign-Language's (TOEFL) indirect assessment of writing skills. Research should cover such aspects as construct, criterion-related, concurrent, content, and…

Ten metalinguistic tasks of intellectual development were studied in five- and six-year-old children using factor analysis. Results suggested that metalinguistic awareness can be viewed as developing in association with other intellectual activities, and that it can be conceived as a unitary construct. (55 references) (Author/CFM)

In a supplement to Sasaki's 1993 study, six of the same participants took different types of second-language proficiency (SLP) tests, a foreign language aptitude battery, and an intelligence test. Results revealed differences in information processing between the high and low SLP groups. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/LB)

A discussion of gender differences in human development and language use is followed by reports of research on styles and strategies in learning a second or foreign language. Instructional implications for second-language classrooms are highlighted. (Contains 100 references.) (Author/LB)

Research is reported showing that children are lexically conservative in the domain of learning argument omissibility. Two studies (one observational case study, one experimental) show a relationship between the argument frames used in input and those used by child subjects. (Contains 38 references.) (Author/LB)

The author responds to issues raised in comments about a previous article, and defends his position of discussing Firthian insights from a generative point of view. (11 references) (CK)

Tests the subjective reactions of standard Russian speakers and American English speakers to regional pronunciation. Homogeneously-grouped subjects listened to a series of recorded voices and rated each speaker for various attributes on a numerical scale. These attributes included competence, personal integrity, and social attractiveness. (CK)

In this longitudinal study, changes in parental labelling and infants' categorization skills were examined as potential predictors of vocabulary acquisition, the age of the naming explosion, and the acquisition of subordinate labels. Findings suggest that the influence of each factor varies as a function of the stage and aspect of lexical…

Finds that reading-disabled fifth-grade children were inferior to control groups in their ability to assign words to semantic categories, identify first phonemes in spoken words, and judge morphologic relationships between word pairs. Concludes that the developmental reading-disabilities syndrome includes a deficit in linguistic skills necessary…

This paper reviews recent insights into the pragmatics of language use and language learning that point to the importance of larger prefabricated units. It suggests that prefabricated "chunks" of language might be a useful starting point for a more holistic approach to pronunciation teaching. (21 references) (MDM)

In this sociolinguistic study of the language patterns of 10 young mother-tongue Panjabi-speaking children, the children are educated in England and first exposed to English at about age 3, resulting in sequential acquisition of bilingualism. Clear patterns of language choice are reported. (33 references) (Author/LB)

Several analyses are presented on the relationships among the Test of Spoken English, Test of Written English, and Test of English as a Foreign Language. The multivariate prediction of each test from the scores on the others is very accurate; variances with two prominent factors may relate to specific cognitive test-taking skills. (eight…

Describes a study of three infants whose parents presented vocal models for the infants to imitate. Parents presented vocal models both with and without social praise. Infants showed systematic increases in matching after praise was introduced. Nonmatching vocalizations did not increase with introduction of praise. Findings demonstrate generalized…

Discussion of the preservation of language and culture in small linguistic societies focuses on Iceland. The history of the Icelandic language is explained, problems with translation from English are described, the use of native languages in education is discussed, and the role of the English language is considered. (LRW)