This study investigates acquisition of two aspects of the meaning of color terms: semantic organization and reference. A longitudinal, repeated measure design was used, and data were collected from 33 subjects, 2 to 4 years old at first testing. Four tasks were used: one to assess semantic organization (the acquisition of the…

Teaching Research Initial Expressive Language Program (developed by H. Sloane, et al.) is a structured language program for moderately and severely handicapped preschool children. (Author/PHR)

Describes the Milwaukee Multimedia Home Education Project, which helps parents assist preschool children to acquire learning and language skills. (DD)

The study attempted to improve verbal language acquisition for two nonverbal four- and five-year-old autistic children by incorporating natural language interactions and motivational techniques. Broadly generalized treatment gains resulted from use of functional and varied stimuli, natural reinforcers, reinforcement of communicative attempts, and…

Three studies of children's verb meanings examined the development of action categories and evaluated a model which posits that categories specific to self-action or observed action are extended to encompass both kinds of instances as children develop the ability to note parallels between themselves and others as initiators of action. (Author/BW)

In three experimental studies of children aged 3 to 6, training was shown to improve both the mastery of grammatical rules and linguistic correctness. (MS)

This article emphasizes the importance of studying prelinguistic communication in infants. Motor development and environmental influences are seen to be important aspects of linguistic development. The possible link between sensorimotor activity and the syntactic structure of language development needs further exploration. (MS)

A study was conducted in 32 families in Chicago, with children ranging from 18 months to 5 years, to examine the role of parents in their young children's language acquisition. Specifically investigated were parents' attitudes on language acquisition, opportunities used to prompt their youngsters to say a new word/utterance, and the utterances…

Eighty-three preschoolers participated in toy play and mealtimes with their mothers. Different types of extended discourse were identified: fantasy world in toy play, and narrative and explanatory in mealtimes. Rare words (that preschoolers are not likely to know) were identified within extended discourse and within entire transcripts. The ratio…

Focuses on two aspects of dialog in preschool units: (1) suggests that language development is enhanced by learning through imitation, direct teaching, and opportunities to practice and experiment; and (2) suggests that staff can learn from child-child dialog and improve communication with and between children. (JOW)

As a group, mothers used nearly twice as many facilitating as fragmenting strategies. Data suggested as mothers' rates of facilitative interrogatives increase, the conversation remains on the topic longer with more child utterances and responses. (CL)

In a series of five experiments, young children (two- and three-year-olds) were presented with novel objects in which perceptual and functional features varied independently. Results indicate that early conceptualizations and word meanings are perceptually based when perceptual and functional features are independently available. (Author/RH)

Reports on a study that examined patterns and interrelationships in the development of print awareness over the preschool years with results indicating that preschool children do not acquire such skills and concepts in a fixed order. (MKM)

Reports on a longitudinal study of the acquisition of English-German bilingualism by two Australian-born children who communicated with the father in German and with others in English. The problems of creating and fostering bilingualism under such circumstances is examined. Communication patterns within the family are also discussed. (Author/PJM)