Discusses the patterns of language usage in international families in which the native language of one parent is Japanese and the other English. Using data from several surveys of such families, this article analyzes patterns of language use between spouses, parents and children, and among siblings. Also discussed are the problems that…

Extends previous research by examining developing stereotypes for novel ethnic groups as indicators of cognitive representations. Results from three studies confirmed that in the absence of any preconceived cognitive representations of, or valuative responses toward, these novel groups, more salient groups are subject to greater prototype…

Studied attributional biases in close relationships. Found that partner attributions prevail at the abstract level of adjectives, whereas self-attributions resided at the concrete level of action verbs. Findings underscore language's importance in attributional biases and reveal how people talk in less abstract terms about the self than about…

Narratives of children from different Spanish-speaking backgrounds illustrate that children's atypical narrative performance may reflect individual or cultural differences. It is suggested that static assessments may not differentiate narrative differences from disorders. A dynamic assessment model to predict the child's true language learning…

Investigated the interrelationship between meaning construction and testing tasks in English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) tests written in both Hebrew and English taken by 28 Israeli 10th graders. Results found that the testing task functioned as an additional information source that was used by the students to develop mental models of English…

Examines the case of two five-year-old twin boys with delayed language development, yet judged to be articulate and successful students in kindergarten. Suggests that the delay appeared because most of their interaction had been with each other. However, through their family they became acquainted with the discourse activities that are valued at…

The policy of Arabization is examined as an example of language planning used to pursue and maintain power. The Tunisian language situation is analyzed in terms of education, government administration, and media and general use. It is shown that promotion of Arabization is inconsistent but that bilingualism and biculturalism have been promoted.…

After a brief summary of the literature on interference and code switching, research with adult Sardinians living in Rome is discussed to determine the relationship between dialectal phonological interference and the degree of identification with the new culture. (26 references) (CFM)

Following previous reports, this paper contains additional information about the multilingual situation in the multiethnic town of Bukavu in Zaire. Focus is on codeswitching, an important characteristic of the overall dynamic picture of linguistic interaction. Myers-Scotton's markedness model is discussed. (13 references) (Author/LB)

An interview with Guy Roy, adjunct minister of education and professional education in Manitoba (Canada), explores the role of French, French language instruction, and French-language education outside Quebec Province, and specifically in Manitoba. Issues discussed include language and cultural maintenance, immersion education, language attitudes,…

The influences of writing tasks and gender on the quality of student writing of black and white eighth graders were examined. Data from statewide writing assessments of 170,899 Georgia students indicated both writing tasks and student characteristics were significant predictors of writing quality. There were both racial and gender differences. (SM)

Examines language, culture, and the curriculum from a linguistic perspective. Comments on the nature of language and its relation to society. Juxtaposes these ideas with the aims of governments trying to control a culturally diverse population. Claims that the imposition of "proper language" is one way governments silence minority…

Addresses the specific language expectations of early elementary school, describes common language problems, and recommends strategies for intervention in early childhood classrooms. Includes examples of real classroom conversations between teacher and students. Presents two tables summarizing expressive and receptive language intervention…

Twenty-five Italian-speaking children (ages 4 to 7) with specific language impairments were compared to younger control children in their use of auxiliary verbs, pronominal clitics, infinitives, present-tense verbal inflections, and articles. Differences favoring the control children were found for those morphemes that required the production of…

A response to a Henry Widdowson article on the English language and its teaching focuses on three issues: the importance of the political context of language use; the notion of language as a weapon; and the recommendation in favor of teaching English for special purposes rather than general English in many cases. (MSE)