Analysis of spontaneous language samples of 10 children (ages 8-9) with specific language impairments found that interviews were a reliable, valid, and efficient assessment context, eliciting the same profile of behaviors as a freeplay context without altering diagnostic classifications. (Author/JDD)

Describes the practice of concept mapping, the student-student and student-teacher interactions, and cognitive activity occurring in participants. Authors conclude that concept mapping is an excellent activity that allows students to engage in extended science discourse. The maps provide students with a means to learn the language patterns of…

Examination of syntactic complexity in the movie retellings of 77 elementary school-age Spanish-speaking children revealed developmental differences in the length of T-units, index of subordination, use of relative clauses, and prepositional phrases. Analysis underscores the significance of subordination as a cohesive device and as an indicator of…

Strategies used to show participants' agreement or disagreement are examined, based on a phone-in radio program in which a male psychologist offers diagnosis and advice to a female caller during a 10-minute conversation. Linguistic devices including repetition, back-channel responses, and hesitation are noted in the context of an asymmetrical…

Four short articles are combined: "Adding Discourse-Level Practice to Sentence-Level Exercises" (Eric S. Nelson); "Presenting Picture Books in the ESL Classroom" (Lijun Shen); "Role Playing in a Large Class" (Ellen Rosen); and "Calvin and Hobbes and Other Icons of Americana" (Daniel J. Conrad). (Contains seven references.) (LB)

It is argued that bringing the cultures of business, industry and advertising into higher education, in the form of quality assurance systems, goes beyond a healthy challenge to be destructive of many traditional values of university culture. Imposition, and acceptance, of the language of management reflects this phenomenon. (MSE)

Examines the communicative value of 205 anticipatory-"it" clauses taken from scientific and technical texts. Suggests that the main discourse function of the clauses is to provide author comment. Argues that use of the anticipatory-"it" clause indicates academic acculturation. (SG)

By looking at how two Brazilian and two American businessmen patterned their speech during negotiations, the author indicates how different conventions in discourse organization may affect natural conversation. Stylistic differences, interactional problems, and implications for training business people are discussed. (18 references) (Author/LB)

Explores role of discourse functions in children's use of "because" ("perche" in Italian). Disputes of 172 preschoolers were analyzed in terms of interactive move, argumentative strategies, and communicative acts. Results showed causal connective tends to co-occur with justification acts and may work as device introducing new information and…

Spoken communication between residents (n=10; ages 12-21) and staff members in an institution for people with mental retardation was examined. Findings suggest that staff members and residents differed in their use of topics, with staff members talking primarily about instructional and behavior management topics and residents focusing mostly on…

Suggests that sociolinguistic knowledge is realized from the beginning of language use. The roles of formulaic language and of interactional consequences are described as explanations for the acquisition of style-switching. (30 references) (Author/JL)

Recommends that mathematics instruction should promote student discourse by orchestrating situations in which each individual's thinking is challenged and asking students to clarify and justify ideas. Provides a vignette of a heterogeneously grouped seventh-grade mathematics class to illustrate the process of mathematical discourse. (ASK)

Argues that networked classrooms offer a number of opportunities for effective writing instruction. Argues that shared discourse in the networked-computer classroom has three levels forming a continuum of interactivity: students sending messages "at,""to," and "between" each other. Offers classroom examples of each level of discourse. (SR)

Identifies and clarifies an interpretation of scientific discourse that can be used as a lens for viewing problems of teaching science. Discusses why reform visions for science education are reasonable, desirable, and yet problematic in lower track classrooms. Presents data to explain and characterize lower-track science-classroom discourse.…

Examines whether secondary science teachers in England give students opportunities to develop and rehearse the skills of argumentation during their lessons. Finds that classroom discourse was largely teacher-dominated and tended not to foster the reflective discussion of scientific issues. Contains 43 references. (Author/WRM)