Two experiments examined characteristics of text that determine when a repeated noun has a clearly identified referent. Verbs and article modifiers appeared to influence whether a noun is merely a repeated word in a text, or whether it is redundant at the propositional level. (SW)

A warning about the alarming situation in which written Spanish finds itself, not only in the daily press but even in more literary publications. More and more popular expressions and corruptions are finding their way into the written language. Attention to this situation is recommended. (Text is in Spanish.) (AMH)

Identifies basic tasks in Chinese writing reform. These include simplification of characters, spreading the use of the standard vernacular, and spreading the use of phonetic spelling. (Author/DB)

A program to increase and encourage literacy in Tanzania is described: traditional stories were related by tribal elders, tape recorded, translated into the national language, printed, and distributed to individuals just learning to read. Cultural relevance of the stories should promote interest in continued reading. (AV)

Author claims that the essential antecedents of reading consist of two cognitive insights: that written language is meaningful and that written language is different from spoken language. He argues that current instructional practices may hinder the learning of these insights and suggests ways in which parents and teachers may help children to…

Reviews one study of writing across the secondary curriculum and focuses on interrelationships of language development, research, and teaching. Advocates that school systems institute guidelines by which all teachers, regardless of their specialist areas, take responsibility for students' overall language development. (RL)

An important component of second language programs is the skill of understanding and using the graphic structure of language involved. Inadequate handwriting, poor layout, and difficulties in reading are primary symptoms of students with a weak grasp of the graphic structure. (CB)

Native and nonnative (Indians) English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers' evaluations of certain errors in the written English of ESL college students were compared. Results indicated that native and nonnative perceptions of error gravity were not alike, although both groups saw verb-related error categories like tense, agreement, and question…

The study evaluated the feasibility of using two commonly available peripheral devices (Apple Graphics Tablet and Power Pad) and specially developed software to help 12 moderately and severely retarded individuals to use written communication (Rebus symbols). Students learned the symbol processing system and used it effectively for personal…

Investigates the process involved in acquiring word knowledge from written context in prereading kindergarten children. Analyzes children's readings of picture books to identify patterns of vocabulary growth. Concludes that children learned lexicogrammatical information incidentally through exposure to written context. (MM)

Analyzes intermediate English-as-a-second-language learners' (N=63) written responses to high and low cognitive level questions. Results indicate that although the degree of linguistic inaccuracy remained stable, the higher order of cognition increased both the amount and the order of syntactic complexity of written English responses. (Author/CB)

The article presents suggestions for speech language pathologists in helping primary grade teachers create a literate classroom environment conducive to written language development for all children including the language handicapped through teacher modeling, classroom organization and management, and meaningful reading and writing opportunities.…

Suggests that parents who understand how written language development resembles oral language development are more willing to accept whole language instruction. Offers teachers suggestions on how to convince parents of this similarity. (ARH)

Reveals that in the average number of words per T-unit, the complexity of basal reader passages generally exceeds that of children's oral language, and that none of the basal series studied exhibited a graduated increase in average number of words per T-unit among passages in the same reader. (FL)

Responds to an article appearing in an earlier issue of the journal that discussed the relationship between social-cognitive ability and writing skill. Reports on a study that investigated the relationship and found that social cognitive ability was more closely related to oral than to written performance. (FL)