Language differences peculiar to the disadvantaged are discussed as they relate to reading. Linguistic differences, including the interdependence among language, operant feedback, thought, and experience, and the power of these to reconstruct and reassociate through reading constitute one barrier. Another is the effects of language on the total…

First explains what is meant by "metalinguistic awareness" as a special dimension of language experience and its seeming importance in education; then describes a conception of the function of "play" in general and play with language in particular; and asks how educators might encourage play with language in school. (Author/JM)

Ways that the teacher can make communication skills instruction relevant to the learner are emphasized. It is suggested that teachers (1) learn more about our language structure, (2) study the particular environment and language of students, (3) emphasize strategies of word attack in context rather than teach lists of individual sight words, (4)…

Of the various theories about how to treat black dialects, the approach by way of appreciating dialect differences is now in favor. (JH)

Three recent developments discussed were representative of some of the modern trends in the language-experience approach. The first stressed the increased use of multisensory materials which have expanded the chances for success of many language-limited children. The second trend focused on the extended use of learning centers to provide them with…

One hundred native-born, disadvantaged black children were the subject of this study which proposed the following hypotheses: (1) Subjects proficient in spoken language ability would achieve greater gains in reading ability than those deficient in spoken language ability; however, the former group would vary negligibly among sub-groups in reading…

Language development and dialect are measures of influences upon a student's ability to learn to read. It has been observed that students whose language differs from that used in schools and in the materials of instruction are often found in remedial reading classes. Their difficulty lies in attempting to learn to read a language which is…

While studies in learning and verbal behavior show that learning comes through paired-associate problems, they do not explain the acquisition of language. Three paradigms demonstrate mediation effect in paired-associate learning: response equivalence, stimulus equivalence, and chaining model. By reviewing children's language acquisition patterns…