ABSTRACT The study of language acquisition underwent a major revolution in the late 1950s as result dissemination technology permitting high-quality tape-recording children family setting. This new led to breakthroughs quality both data and theory. field is now at threshold possible second breakthrough stimulated by personal computing. Researchers are able transcribe tape-recorded into computer files. With this medium it easy conduct global searches for word combinations across collections...

Drawing upon recent research findings and a case study of child learning to talk read, Catherine Snow outlines the important similarities in development both language literacy. The characteristics parent-child interaction which support acquisition—semantic contingency, scaffolding, accountability procedures,and use routines—also facilitate early reading writing development. author dismisses explanation that variations level literacy home are responsible for social class differences school...

This study investigated predictors of growth in toddlers' vocabulary production between the ages 1 and 3 years by analyzing mother–child communication 108 low‐income families. Individual modeling was used to describe patterns children's observed initial status between‐person change. Results indicate large variation across children. Observed positively related diversity maternal lexical input language literacy skills, negatively depression. Maternal talkativeness not this sample. Implications...

ABSTRACTS Gaps in reading performance between Anglo and Latino children are associated with gaps vocabulary knowledge. An intervention was designed to enhance fifth graders' academic vocabulary. The meanings of academically useful words were taught together strategies for using information from context, morphology, knowledge about multiple meanings, cognates infer word meaning. Among the principles underlying that new should be encountered meaningful text, native Spanish speakers have access...

ABSTRACT The speech of two mothers to their infants at several points between three and eighteen months age was analysed. Simplicity the speech, as measured by MLU, about same all ages, none other features mothers' style showed any abrupt change time children started talk. changes that did occur much earlier, seven months. These findings are incompatible with explanation speak simply redundantly in response cues attention comprehension from child listener. It is suggested interacted using a...

A corpus of nearly 150,000 maternal word-tokens used by 53 low-income mothers in 263 mother-child conversations 5 settings (e.g., play, mealtime, and book readings) was studied. Ninety-nine percent lexical input consisted the 3,000 most frequent words. Children's vocabulary performance kindergarten later 2nd grade related more to occurrence sophisticated items than quantity overall. Density words heard density with which such were embedded helpful or instructive interactions, at age home,...

English language learners (ELLs) who experience slow vocabulary development are less able to comprehend text at grade level than their English-only peers. Such students likely perform poorly on assessments in these areas and risk of being diagnosed as learning disabled. In this article, we review the research methods develop knowledge ELLs present lessons learned from concerning effective instructional practices for ELLs. The suggests that several strategies especially valuable ELLs,...

In a previous issue of this Journal, MacWhinney & Snow (1985) laid out the basic sketch for an international system exchanging and analysing child language transcript data. This system--the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES)--has developed three major tools research: (1) CHILDES database transcripts, (2) CHAT transcribing coding data, (3) CLAN programs files. Here we current shape these organizational form system. A forthcoming book (MacWhinney, in press) documents detail.

SNOW, CATHERINE E., and HOEFNAGEL-H6HLE, MARIAN. The Critical Period for Language Acquistion: Evidence from Second Learning. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 1114-1128. critical period hypothesis holds that first language acquisition must occur before cerebral lateralization is complete, at about the age of puberty. One prediction this second will be relatively fast, successful, qualitatively similar to only if it occurs This was tested by studying longitudinally naturalistic Dutch English...

A major challenge to students learning science is the academic language in which written. Academic designed be concise, precise, and authoritative. To achieve these goals, it uses sophisticated words complex grammatical constructions that can disrupt reading comprehension block learning. Students need help vocabulary how process if they are become independent learners of science.

A structural equation model of second language (L2; English) reading comprehension was tested on a sample 135 Spanish-speaking 4th-grade English-language learners (ELLs). The included 2 levels: decoding and oral language. English measures alphabetic knowledge fluency. vocabulary listening comprehension. had reasonable goodness fit. Decoding skills played less predictive role than proficiency. L2 made an independent, proximal contribution to comprehension, whereas assumed both distal...

Preface. National Academy of Education's Reading Sub-Committee Members. Acknowledgements. About the Authors. 1: Yet Another Report Teacher Education? 2: Students Change: What Are Teachers to Learn Development? 3: Vary: How Can Address All Their Needs? 4: Encounter Difficulties: When Need Specialized Knowledge. 5: Learning Use Assessments Wisely. 6: A Model Professional Growth in Education. Appendix. References. Name Index. Subject

Abstract Considerable research now suggests that, in addition to the phonemic awareness skills which support early decoding, skilled reading also requires more general oral language competencies, particularly those involving use of decontextualized language. The basic hypothesis Home-School Study Language and Literacy development is that skill with will be related comprehension abilities when children are middle grades school. A model presented illustrates this theory an overview sample,...

This study explored a holistic model of English reading comprehension among sample 135 Spanish-English bilingual Latina and Latino 4th-grade students took into account Spanish language skills initial literacy instruction. Controlling for instruction, decoding skill, oral proficiency, the authors effects alphabetic knowledge, fluency, vocabulary listening on comprehension. Results revealed significant main effect knowledge an interaction between such that faster readers benefited more from...

ABSTRACT The conclusion that information regarding the grammatically of children's speech is unavailable in parental input has recently been challenged (Moerk 1983 a, b , Hirsh-Pasek, Treiman & Schneiderman 1984). present study expanded on this research by broadening definition ‘negative feedback’ and describing individual styles mother–child dialogues. purpose was to investigate whether mothers four 2-year-old children responded differentially their well-formed or ill-formed utterances...

ABSTRACT The present paper investigates a strategy for language acquisition adopted by one child, and the usefulness of book-reading in supporting that strategy. Conversations between this child his mother around picture-book reading were recorded recurrent discussions same picture analysed. A coding scheme was devised which identified each speaker's contribution to exchange information about particular picture. By examining discussions, it possible trace child's linguistic means talking...