Examination of object word learning and use in beginning (vocabulary of less than 50 words) and advanced (vocabulary of more than 50 words) infant speakers indicated that both groups formed concepts, learned, and generalized words for the to-be-learned objects. Advanced speakers learned more words and concepts and engaged in broader generalization…

Assessment of the oral and speech motor abilities of normally developing two- through six-year-olds (N=90) revealed no developmental change of the structural integrity of the vocal tract although evaluations of oral and speech motor functioning changed significantly with age. (Author/CB)

Comparison of attitudes and practices among fathers of young gifted children (N=9) and fathers of young nongifted children (N=10) revealed differences in six thematic areas: general involvement; reading emphasis; oral language emphasis; psychomotor emphasis; concern for the child's self-esteem; and push for independence. (Author/CB)

Analysis of psychiatric patients' utterances during an interview indicated that the percentage of unclear cohesive ties was significantly higher among schizophrenics than in a group of patients with mixed diagnoses (mostly affective disorders). Cohesive weakness was a more frequent characteristic of the language of schizophrenic speakers.…

A study of a brain-damaged subject's impaired performance on tasks involving production of verbal numbers found that lexical errors occurred in spoken production but not in written production, while syntactic error occurred in both modes. (Author/CB)

Microanalyses of unstructured videotaped interactions of three mother-infant dyads revealed dramatic shifts in dyadic vocalization patterns from primarily overlapping to primarily alternating. These results suggest that the emergent patterns reflect increased potential for coordination within the dyad, which may be capitalized on by mother and…

Reviews literature relating to conversational analysis, identifying two major approaches which exhibit chronological and methodological differentiations and focusing from a perspective of sequencing. (CB)

Observation of eight-month-olds (N=7) during isolated free play session with three toys revealed that significantly more vocalizations were present during transition periods where changes from locus of attention and changes in facial expression occurred. (Author/CB)

Suggests that the school classroom is an optimal place for mediating school and student intentions which may be facilitated by ensuring that the languages students use to discover and understand the world are directed toward accomplishing the tasks required by the educational setting. (DF)

Presents annotations of materials representing the range of current cross-disciplinary theories and research connecting speaking and writing. Topics range from cognitive psychology, linguistics, and rhetoric to learning theory. (HTH)

Reports preliminary findings from a study of kindergartners using LOGO in a computer laboratory. The study highlights the oral language that occurs while children produce computer graphics. (HTH)

Examines materials in the ERIC database that provide suggestions for assessing children's language development that enhance rather than inhibit their natural language growth. (EL)

Reaffirms the view of language represented by the term "communicative competence" as it is used in linguistic research. Criticizes the view of language use reflected in the Provisional Proficiency Guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (SED)

Using the German language as an example, argues that the emergence of written language results from social needs and the individual needs these include, which are in turn conditioned by concrete historical circumstances. (HOD)

Apart from the official or academic "culture," there is also the popular culture to pass on, which is based on oral traditions, practical creativity, and daily life activities. These three aspects of popular culture are mutually reinforcing, demanding the same kinds of competence and using similar modes of transmission and communication. (MSE)