The development of communicative competence and the role of cultural context in the communicative interaction of four young Inuit children and their caregivers was studied ethnographically. Caregiver accommodations to Inuit children differed in many ways from those reported for White middle class North Americans. The paper calls for culturally…

Some personal observations are offered about second-language teaching where nonnative speakers of Portuguese participated in class discussions via real time computer networks. Preliminary observations suggest that computer-assisted class discussions may promote student participation, reduce anxiety, and increase identification of language errors.…

This article addresses the critical role of caregiver interaction styles in the language development and treatment of infants/children with developmental disabilities. An approach to measuring and guiding adult interactive styles is proposed and related to research in parent-child development and intervention. The approach examines five…

Polysyllabic words from 2 Dutch children from 1;6 to 2;11 were truncated so that they fitted a trochaic (strong-weak SW) pattern, particularly in early samples. Some observations with respect to the (non)realization of determiners suggest an influence of a SW-constraint on the realization of noun phrases. Findings support the hypothesis that words…

This article examines how children and adolescents learn language and literacy, arguing that the crux of learning occurs through social interaction in which content is being discussed and negotiated. It also reviewed emerging issues related to the improvement of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction in elementary and secondary schools.…

This article addresses the academic difficulties of children with language disorders (including dyslexia) and suggests that their persistent academic vulnerability results from the lifelong need to acquire language, to learn with language, and to apply language knowledge for academic learning and social development. The need for continuing…

In the context of an increasingly interdependent world society, discusses the benefits of early acquisition of a second language for American children. Benefits cited include the ease of learning a second language at an early age, improved abilities in concept formation, greater cognitive flexibility, and appreciation of cultural diversity. Second…

A case study is presented of a girl with a hearing impairment for whom extensive, corroborative hearing testing delayed the start of intervention. This contributed to speech, language, listening, and behavioral problems and prolonged her parents' denial of the hearing loss. Remediation began after starting aural habilitation based on limited,…

Discusses the use of pretend play as a cognitive assessment tool. Examines the failure of developmental progression of play in preterm, drug-exposed, malnourished, Down's syndrome, mentally retarded, and autistic children. Examines individual differences in play, and the relationship between language and play, in these groups. (AC)

This discussion of speech development in infants and toddlers with hearing impairments considers selection and ordering of speech targets; the place of audition in speech teaching; and teaching methods for specific speech elements. Guidelines include helping caregivers internalize strategies to help the child use residual hearing and utilizing an…

On multiple-choice and translation tests, 87 Swedish-speaking learners of English avoided neither phrasal nor figurative verbs, regardless of whether the verbs were similar to, or different from their Swedish translation equivalence. (Author)

Traditional rhymes and folktales can offer understanding of our customs and culture but also contain elements that can raise obstacles to the academic and social development of young children, especially those from other cultures. Consider the following when evaluating traditional literature: meaningful language, unintentional promotion of…

Examined the role of exposure to speech in children's vocabulary growth. Characterized vocabulary growth rates for children from 14 to 26 months of age. Found a relation between individual differences in vocabulary acquisition and variations in the amount of a mother's speech to her children. (BC)

Addresses family literacy issues involving both adult literacy and language development in young children. Presents several ways family members and teachers can cooperate for the benefit of both parents and children. These include parents and teachers reading to children, children reading to parents, and parents and children learning to read…

Two parent report inventories geared at assessing language skills in toddlers are examined, in terms of reliability, validity, and application. The MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Toddlers and the Language Development Survey are compared and their combined use in handicap identification is discussed. (PB)