Discusses the value of wordless picture books. Topics addressed include children's attitudes toward wordless books; historical tradition; sequencing; illustrative details; the use of humor; the development of oral and written language skills; self-confidence; creative thought; and natural language competencies. (Contains 20 references.) (LRW)

Evidence from the language use of young children is used to question accepted notions of language development and instruction in the three papers in this compilation. The first paper, "Young Children Challenge the Belief That Language Needs to be Taught Sequentially," challenges the notion of sequential development in which oral language…

Mel Levine writes about learning disabilities in a way that sometimes invites satire. The premise of his 2003 book, "The Myth of Laziness," for example, is that a child who appears lazy probably does not lack motivation, but rather suffers from "output failure." Levine, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North…