The article summarized findings on the oral output of 40 gifted elementary school children who voluntarily attended language workshop sessions. Students were offered a wide range of oral expression, yet they exhibited haphazard and inconsistent oral abilities. Recommendations are made to improve the linguistic abilities of gifted children. (CL)

Investigates the interaction of lexical and non-lexical processes in spelling through lexical priming of non-lexical spelling in Polish. Explains that orthographic choice for nonwords was assessed under free and primed spelling conditions for both adults and children using direct and associative priming. Finds that lexical orthography influences…

Reports on a conference on the importance of oral language in language instruction and research. (RL)

Notes that a premium has been placed on written composition in American schools. Discusses classroom research that demonstrates the power of oral composition. Suggests that to help all children become better composers, educators must involve them in authentic oral, as well as written, composition. (SR)

Reviews research on the importance of oral language for the child and provides a framework for curriculum design based on talk purposes, talk contexts, and talk planning. (DD)

Focuses on the narrative function to show how children can build on another speaker's turns in conversation and can build on their own utterances as they speak. Analyzes children's dialogs and narratives to highlight the primacy of the oral language arts as they are enacted in daily conversation and play. (HTH)

The relationships that exist among the skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening suggest a need for greater attention to oral communication processes in the formal instructional program. The extent of these relationships is such that four national associations drafted a joint paper stating that oral language competency is the basis for…

Views on the role of speech in the early stages of English as second language (ESL) acquisition are discussed in relation to experiences with elementary school children. In examining the roles of speech and grammar in the early stages of ESL acquisition in an English speaking elementary school environment, six types of expressive language were…

This book offers a variety of viewpoints relevant to teachers and researchers who are interested in the practical application of the theory and philosophy behind oral language instruction. Through an assortment of international essays, the authors demonstrate the changing nature of children's talk in the writing circle, reading conference, English…

A study of classroom interaction in Ontario's French immersion programs is summarized. Transcripts of classroom interactions were analyzed for teaching practices that tend to decrease or encourage student speech. Results suggest that the use of language in immersion classrooms is not significantly different from language use in regular classes. It…

To ensure that all of the subskills undergirding pupils' speaking are identified, taught, and reinforced, the School District of Philadelphia prepared hierarchical listings of skills as exemplified in specific student behaviors. The structured sequence of oral language behaviors are stated operationally and are identified at 14 levels in terms of…

Lists objectives, activities, methods, and materials that use listening and speaking skills to develop reading/writing abilities. (RL)

Discusses four British educational practices dealing with reading instruction, written language, copybooks, and oral language and how they differ from American practices. (HTH)

Suggests that, for young children, learning begins in conversation. States that children's speech activities in the classroom are a vital aspect of education and should not be limited to acts of speech with pre-determined ends. Argues that young children need to express their emotions and extend their sensibility, humanity, and identity in the…

The ability to communicate content effectively to others is important. Besides using various approaches and techniques to help pupils achieve optimum speaking fluency, language arts teachers must also determine students' present oral communication achievement levels and guide their progress accordingly. Approaches to teaching oral fluency include…