A survey of the literature on children's language and reading, divided into three major areas: the child, the instructional materials, and the teacher. (DD)

Analyzes the order in which selected structures of English are acquired by young speakers of English vs speakers of Cantonese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilokano and draws implications for instruction. (MKM)

Reviews significant research into child Black English, describes some of the controversies raised by that research, and offers some implications for teaching suggested by the research. (FL)

Basal readers are supposed to be easy for children to read, but sometimes their language is so unnatural that it's more confusing than helpful. (MKM)

Reports the results of a six month qualitative study examining the reading and writing behavior in the natural pretend play of eight children four and five years old. Suggests that literacy is involved in two ways: (1) story making using setting, plot and resolution, and (2) displaying a literacy stance or orientation toward reading and…