This paper explores "fast mapping", one of several processes that have been proposed to be involved in the rapid vocabulary expansion observed in the preschool years. An adaptation of a receptive word matching task examined how well children retained a just-mapped relation between word and referent when some information was later missing.…

Linguistic and cognitive profiles were examined in 18 children with autism and 18 children with fragile X syndrome (mean ages = 34 months). State-of-the-art diagnostic procedures for autism symptom identification were administered. Eight children with fragile X met criteria for autism. Comparison of linguistic and cognitive profiles (autism,…

The effects of 2 preschool-based shared-reading interventions were evaluated with 95 children, ages 2- to 5-years, from low-income families. Language skills of the children were below age-level as measured by standardized tests. Children were pretested and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) no-treatment control, (b) typical shared-reading…

This report presents a revision of the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework (2000), renamed The Head Start Child Development and Learning Framework: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children 3-5 Years Old. The Framework outlines the essential areas of development and learning that are to be used by Head Start programs…

The present work investigated cognitive, linguistic and narrative abilities in a group of children suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an allelic X-linked recessive disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin. The patients showed mildly reduced IQ with lower Verbal than Performance Intelligence Quotient and were mildly…

This study assessed the relation between pre-intervention variables (cognition, socialization and communication) to outcome in young children with autism. Method: Twenty five children with autism (20-32 months) were enrolled in intensive behavior intervention. The children were divided into groups based on their IQ scores and on the severity of…

This study used a copying task to examine spelling acquisition in French and Spanish from a perception and action perspective. Experiment 1 compared French and Spanish-speaking monolingual children's performance. Experiment 2 analysed the behaviour of bilingual children when copying words in French and Spanish. Gaze lift analysis showed that in…

In this study 149 kindergarten children were assessed for knowledge of letter names and letter sounds, phonological awareness, and cognitive abilities. Through this it examined child and letter characteristics influencing the acquisition of alphabetic knowledge in a naturalistic context, the relationship between letter-sound knowledge and…

The parent's guide reviews normal speech and language development and discusses ways in which parents of young children with language problems facilitate that development. Terms such as speech, communication, and receptive and expressive language are defined, and stages in receptive/expressive language development are charted. Implications for…

Post structural reader theories--i.e., theories that focus on the reader/viewer rather than the text as the creator of meaning--are considered in this paper in terms of their application to educational media research. Some key concepts of reader theories are defined as follows: (1) reading is the process of creating meaning while viewing an…

This study probed whether or not a distinctive Down syndrome (DS) pattern could be found in the realm of vocabulary comprehension. Groups of 29 each of DS adolescents, non-DS mentally retarded (MR) adolescents, and nonretarded children were statistically matched on receptive vocabulary ability; DS and MR groups were also matched for chronological…

This study investigated the current policies and programs in selected teacher-training colleges and universities to determine if listening skills are being taught. In addition, language arts professors' attitudes toward the teaching of listening skills were surveyed. Opportunities provided for preservice teachers to observe, demonstrate, and…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether at-risk kindergartners and first graders engaged in a regular curriculum supplemented by the WORDPLAY program would attain greater receptive and expressive language skills than similar students engaged in the regular curriculum only. WORDPLAY is a program specifically designed to provide extensive…

The article describes language development techniques used with a 5-year-old autistic boy to increase his verbal behavior. Intervention consisted of 1.5 hour sessions four times a week over an 8-month period. The intervention focused on increasing nonvocal imitation, vocal imitation, verbal labeling, and verbal discrimination. Development of…

The curriculum outlines objectives, materials, and activities for preschoolers with speech/language delay. The curriculum is intended for classroom use within a normal instructional schedule. The curriculum emphasizes building of receptive and expressive language. Activities address such developmental skills as socialization, family living,…