Many second-language learners in their early stages of development are known to make an extensive use of prefabricated formulae. These formulae are extracted holistically from the input and memorized by rote. Learners can learn to use expressions that are far beyond their current knowledge of syntax and vocabulary, by guessing their meaning from…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether context facilitated memory and whether this facilitation was still evident after a delay. Infants were expected to recognize pictures significantly longer when they were tested with the same context cues. This context effect was expected to be even after a 5-minute delay. The subjects were 64…

This study investigated the possibility that certain contextual factors and subject variables influence children's deployment of self-protective skills in unsafe social situations. Contextual factors included characteristics of the antagonist in the situation and the nature of the social dilemma. Subject variables included characteristics of the…

This study investigated the relations between different measurements of 33 4-year-olds' compliance and self-control and the relation between the children's cognitive ability and compliance and self-control. The four compliance ratings involved the child's behavior with mother and father in separate puzzle tasks, free play in the child care…

This study of the influence of social context on children's learning investigated the functions of literacy-based verbal exchanges of 37 preschoolers in a print-enriched play environment. Play settings in two preschool classrooms were enriched with print materials and literacy-related props. Four play settings were created: post office, library,…

Discussed are relations between developmental constraints provided by the social environment and children's growing understanding of interpersonal roles and commonly occurring social events. Findings from studies of children's social participation in three contexts are presented: child-teacher interaction at preschool snacktime, child-adult…

Reflecting recent widespread interest in schema theory, this bibliography is intended to assist anyone interested in how the topic relates to reading. The introduction defines schema theory as the study of generic knowledge structures--called schemata--which are composed of "slots" or "placeholders" for each component, and…

A study examined the influence of organizational context on professionals' determination of appropriate style and technical content for external correspondence. Subjects were 200 architects and engineers employed by a state government agency whose mission is to provide design and construction management services to state facilities. Data were…

This study was designed to answer the following three questions: (1) Are infants' first words always context-bound when they are initially acquired? (2) Do mothers use infants' first words in a context-bound manner when interacting with their infants? (3) What relationship, if any, exists between infants' initial use of early words and mothers'…

The applicability of the Strange Situation procedure and the ABC typology for Japanese infants is discussed by examining data from studies in which the Strange Situation procedure was performed with Japanese infants. Findings of a study conducted in Sapporo, Japan, are discussed and their implications are pointed out. The discussion concludes that…

Eleven preschool play centers in a preschool classroom were randomly sampled and observed during children's free play. Frequency of use, frequency of social and nonsocial behaviors, and quality (positive or negative) of social interactions occurring within them were recorded. A time-sampling procedure was used to obtain data. A total of 160…

When studied closely, it is evident that children who seem to be developing through their own interactions with the environment are really benefiting from adult interactions in the process. The developing child must form a dyadic relationship with a caretaking adult. The complex workings of that dyadic unit now preoccupy researchers as they study…

In 1859 Herbert Spencer recognised that the key curriculum issue was not what to include but what to leave out. What to leave out marked a shift in curriculum discourse from a search for universal approaches and absolute principles towards curriculum questions understood as only resolvable relative to particular social contexts. Yet outdoor…

In this paper I describe my experience in attempting to assist tertiary students connect with the natural environment through outdoor and environmental education experiences. The paper addresses research conducted with students undertaking an outdoor and environmental education degree and focuses on the pedagogical methods employed in this…

The net effect of the conditions under which tests are taken was empirically investigated using the scores obtained by high school students on an English and a mathematics test. (Author/BB)