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The scholarship on the extent of the Nahuatl writing system makes something of a sense-reference error. There are a number of occurrences in which the symbols encode a verb, three in the present tense and one in the past tense. The context of the use of calendar systems and written language in the Aztec empire is roughly described. I suggest that a new typology for is needed in order to fully account for Mesoamerican writing systems and to put to rest the idea that alphabetic orthographies are superior to other full systems. I cite neurolinguistic articles in support of this argument and suggest an evolutionary typology based on Gould's theory of Exaptation paired with the typology outlined by Justeson in his "Origins of Mesoamerican Writing" article.

Logographic character handwriting, such as Hanzi in Chinese, Kanji in Japanese, or Hanja in Korean, is notoriously challenging for foreign language learners. Fortunately, computer-assisted learning systems for handwriting are being improved to meet the instructional needs of teachers and learners in foreign language education. However, the effect of computer-assisted language learning in logographic handwriting has never been explored. To anchor the inquiry of the current study, the extensive complementarity approach was adopted, in which SLA research complements L2 instruction by studying the impact of a theory-based instructional method on the learning of an aspect of the L2. The present study explores the orthographic development at the initial stage of character learning among non-heritage, beginning-level learners of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) by investigating the effect of Interactionist-instructed mediations on orthographic attrition and maintenance and by examining the relationships among awareness of internal formation sequencing, character recognition and production. Data was collected from 167 first-year CFL students in a Chinese program at a large research university in North America. In phase one, 63 students completed all the six-week lab writing tasks. In phase two, 125 students completed all the end-of-semester correlation tasks in their first semester of learning Chinese. The findings of the study are multifold. First, by closely examining the roles of input, output, and feedback in the Interactionist model, the results show that, to maximize orthographic retention and reduce attrition, the effect of working memory needs to be taken into consideration in the design of instruction for immediate kinesthetic skill training and for better development of orthographic awareness among CFL non-heritage beginners. Second, the effect of multimedia input enhancements along with handwriting output on reducing variations of character formation in character learning is also significant. Third, the effect of the handwriting feedback is not found to be significant when compared to its counterpart without feedback in computer-assisted handwriting instruction; however, its influence on the participants' writing motivations and learning objectives were observed and addressed in the study. Finally, the CFL non-heritage beginning learners' awareness of internal formation sequencing was found to be correlated with their performance in character recognition and reproduction. The pedagogical implications are discussed.

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<p>The present longitudinal study, which comprised 125 children from Grade 2 (typal age: 8) to Grade 6 (typal age: 13), examines and interprets the results of several decoding and reading comprehension tests. A point of departure is the proposition that there may be a lack of concepts about central questions that help interpret the results of an expanding test practice in the educational system. To construct the central questions the typologies and hypothetical causes of reading problems ought to be constrained in relation to explanatory constructs combining reading acquisition and reading difficulties. </p><p>First, the field of research on reading acquisition and reading difficulties was surveyed as a background to the presentation of the model, which is heavily indebted to and basically molded on the balance model but which also takes advantage of the proposition of combining the double-route and connectionist approaches. </p><p>Second, the following themes were investigated empirically:</p><p>– The predictive power of the tests: Generally, there seem to be almost as accurate predictions from Grade 2 as from Grade 3. A combined decoding-comprehension prediction was not shown to be more powerful as a product than as a linear combination.</p><p>– The possibility of an image/symbol transition in early reading acquisition: A weak image/letter decoding correlation distinguished boys weak in reading comprehension from all others in Grade 3; a weak letter/word decoding correlation distinguished those weak from those strong in reading comprehension regardless of gender in Grades 2 and 3; and a weak image/word decoding correlation distinguished boys from girls in Grade 2. </p><p>– Indications of stages in the development of reading: The conclusion is that orthographic decoding is more strongly related to reading comprehension than is phonologic decoding but there appears to be a parallel development of phonologic and orthographic decoding between Grades 3 and 6. This pattern seems to be the same for boys and girls and for those with low and high reading comprehension. </p><p>– Comparing subtypes: The surface/phonologic dyslexia distinctions were tentatively related to the linguistic/perceptual dyslexia distinctions and the letter/word-decoding screening instrument. The compensatory concept is questioned.</p><p>– Dimensions in reading acquisition and reading difficulties: A conclusive proposition of the study is that the hypothetical twofold metaphor/metonym character of language may be instrumental in analysing the complex interaction between the characteristic traits of the learning brain and the construction of meaning through script.</p>

The present longitudinal study, which comprised 125 children from Grade 2 (typal age: 8) to Grade 6 (typal age: 13), examines and interprets the results of several decoding and reading comprehension tests. A point of departure is the proposition that there may be a lack of concepts about central questions that help interpret the results of an expanding test practice in the educational system. To construct the central questions the typologies and hypothetical causes of reading problems ought to be constrained in relation to explanatory constructs combining reading acquisition and reading difficulties. First, the field of research on reading acquisition and reading difficulties was surveyed as a background to the presentation of the model, which is heavily indebted to and basically molded on the balance model but which also takes advantage of the proposition of combining the double-route and connectionist approaches. Second, the following themes were investigated empirically: – The predictive power of the tests: Generally, there seem to be almost as accurate predictions from Grade 2 as from Grade 3. A combined decoding-comprehension prediction was not shown to be more powerful as a product than as a linear combination. – The possibility of an image/symbol transition in early reading acquisition: A weak image/letter decoding correlation distinguished boys weak in reading comprehension from all others in Grade 3; a weak letter/word decoding correlation distinguished those weak from those strong in reading comprehension regardless of gender in Grades 2 and 3; and a weak image/word decoding correlation distinguished boys from girls in Grade 2. – Indications of stages in the development of reading: The conclusion is that orthographic decoding is more strongly related to reading comprehension than is phonologic decoding but there appears to be a parallel development of phonologic and orthographic decoding between Grades 3 and 6. This pattern seems to be the same for boys and girls and for those with low and high reading comprehension. – Comparing subtypes: The surface/phonologic dyslexia distinctions were tentatively related to the linguistic/perceptual dyslexia distinctions and the letter/word-decoding screening instrument. The compensatory concept is questioned. – Dimensions in reading acquisition and reading difficulties: A conclusive proposition of the study is that the hypothetical twofold metaphor/metonym character of language may be instrumental in analysing the complex interaction between the characteristic traits of the learning brain and the construction of meaning through script.

In my essay I am looking at the common heritage of written signs and images through my own experience of attention deficiency and mental illness. Through this lens of experience in which words and images are vividly transformed and merged, I am reflecting on language and art and their overlapping. Throughout the text I reference early written entirely pictorial languages, the painterly terms of thought disorders, as well as how the images that gave name to the characters in the phonetic alphabet is still lurking in the very letters themselves. I also exemplify how attention deficiency can evoke new image/text hybrids in a chapter I call ADHD poetry. In my own artistic practice I am drawn towards a melting point of language, written sign, image, high and low, illusion-representation-materiality, intellect and intuition. The surface as a physical object and idea – that there is a two-dimensional space where we project fantasies and fiction. Through prose, play, rhythm, rant, word salad, crumble of meaning etc. sandwiched, I am observing the swelling of words.

傳統上認為以中文為母語的孩童並不具有「音位覺識能力」(phonemic awareness)，本研究以實驗方式直接測量以中文為母語孩童的「音位覺識能力」，同時探討孩童「音位覺識能力」及「聲母—韻母覺識能力」(onset-rime awareness) 在英文拼字與讀字上所扮演的角色。在本研究中，一百九十二位國小四年級的孩童參與二項「母語音韻覺識測驗」，包括「聲母/韻母異音測驗」(onset/rime oddity test) 和「韻腹/韻尾異音測驗」(nucleus/coda oddity test)。根據上述二項測驗的成績，將孩童分為三組：第一組孩童(共29人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆佳；第二組孩童(共29人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差；第三組孩童(共26人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆差。我們接著利用「拼英文假字測驗」和「讀英文假字測驗」來測量三組孩童的英文拼字與讀字的能力，在施測之前，孩童們有八次的機會學會「拼字」與「讀字」兩項測驗所需具備的「字音對應規則」。結果顯示，雖然孩童的「音位覺識能力」在程度上有所不同，但以中文為母語的孩童已具備「音位覺識能力」。此外，在考慮了孩童們「記憶廣度」(digit span)與「英文聽話字彙」 (English receptive vocabulary)的差異後，「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆佳的孩童，在拼字的表現上優於「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差的孩童來，接著「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差的孩童的拼字表現優於「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆差的孩童。最後，「音位覺識能力」佳的的孩童，在讀字的表現上優於「音位覺識能力」差的的孩童，此外，並無證據顯示「聲母—韻母覺識能力」在孩童的讀字能力上扮演著重要的角色。整體而言，本研究的結果支持其他研究的看法，這些研究認為以中文為母語的孩童在母語習得過程中所發展出來的「音韻覺識能力」對於其英文拼字與讀字的能力上有著一定的貢獻，此外，本研究更進一步顯示，這種貢獻會隨著「音韻覺識」程度的不同而有所改變。 / It has been conventionally assumed that Chinese-speaking children do not have phonemic awareness. In this study, Chinese-speaking children’s phonemic awareness was empirically tested and its role, relative to onset-rime awareness, in the acquisition of English spelling and reading abilities was examined. Two L1 phonological awareness tests (i.e., an onset/rime oddity test and a nucleus/coda oddity test) were administered to a total of 192 Chinese-speaking fourth-graders. The children were selected and categorized based on their performances on the two L1 phonological awareness tests: 29 children with good onset-rime awareness and good phonemic awareness, 29 children with good onset-rime awareness but poor phonemic awareness, and 26 children with poor onset-rime awareness and poor phonemic awareness. The three groups of children were then tested on their abilities to spell and read English pseudowords. Before taking the English pseudoword spelling and reading tasks, the children were provided with eight opportunities to master the requisite letter-sound knowledge for the success in spelling and reading the pseudowords. The results showed that Chinese-speaking children demonstrated phonological awareness at the phonemic level, though varying in degree. Considered along with individual differences in digit span and English receptive vocabulary, children with better phonological awareness at both the onset-rime level and the phonemic level performed better in English pseudoword spelling than children with better onset-rime awareness but poorer phonemic awareness, who in turn, performed better than children with poorer phonological awareness at both levels. Finally, children with better phonemic awareness outperformed the other two groups of children with poorer phonemic awareness in pseudoword reading. Onset-rime awareness did not seem to play a significant role in pseudoword reading. These results support and extend other studies suggesting that the acquisition of English spelling and reading abilities in Chinese-speaking children benefits from the phonological awareness obtained during the course of first language acquisition and that the beneficial effect varies with the levels of phonological awareness.