Two studies tested the observation that infants learn to use a "whole object assumption" between the ages of 8 and 15 months, meaning that they expect a word to apply to the whole object to which it refers. The first study investigated the possibility that infants of 8 to 10 months may attend differently, and more selectively, to events…

Play and language development were compared in four normally developing preschoolers and five language-delayed children (2.5-6 years old). Ss were administered a scale which assessed play, language, and drawing stages. Data were graphed and studied in terms of distribution and level of function across the three symbolic function areas (play,…

The extent to which three groups of learning disabled (LD) adolescents differed in language was examined. Ss were 30 LD students enrolled in secondary special classes, 30 LD students in secondary special classes, and 30 LD students integrated in regular secondary classes who received additional support beyond that ordinarily provided in regular…

Pidginization and creolization are addressed from a language acquisition perspective. The 18 collected papers are organized around four areas of inquiry: (1) simplification in input to pidginization and second language acquisition, (2) simplification in interlanguage, (3) creolization and language acquisition, and (4) decreolization and language…

Research in the active-passive verb relation has indicated that there is an interaction between syntactic form and verb semantics among children of preschool age. The present study examines the contribution of active-passive syntax and verb semantics to comprehension difficulty for preschoolers, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, and adults. An additional…

Argues that allowing information processing to proceed in adaptive stages will result in writing skills that are more accurate, complete, and individualized. (RB)

Argues that teachers, principals, and supervisors must determine the present status of the language arts curriculum, as well as other curriculum areas in the school setting. (RB)

Studies are reported which support the hypothesis that there is a "critical period" for the complete and natural acquisition of language extending from about age two to puberty, and which indicate that the critical period is also relevant for dialect learning. (Author/RM)

Discusses the importance of learning to transform the visual representation of language into meaning during beginning reading. (RB)

Reviews the literature on reading research published in Britain during 1974. (RB)

Presents an overview of the problems of teaching reading to speakers of various dialects and what authorities see as solutions. (RB)

Replicates earlier studies and shows that children's ability to process syntactically well-formed sentences increases over the early school years. (Author/ED)

The Commission Two report, one of a series of conference reports of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE), is concerned with children's language development at the primary stage and the teaching of language. (RB)

A discussion of dramatic play and its implementation. (CH)