There is little empirical evidence to indicate the efficacy of early intervention approaches used with young children with cleft lip and/or palate (CLP). The positive effects of a focused stimulation approach have been documented with children having speech and language deficits, although an articulation model has predominated in intervention of young children with CLP. This study examined the effects of a focused stimulation language intervention and a modification of focused stimulation that emphasized stop consonants through overaspiration of stops (Golding-Kushner, 2001). Four mother-child dyads participated in the study. Each mother received training regarding the implementation of the two treatments. The two interventions were counterbalanced among the four dyads and spanned a total of eight weeks in length. Results indicated that both of the treatments increased the vocabulary usage and reduced the number of compensatory articulation errors in the speech of the children.

This study investigated the effects of multiple textual encounters of words and textual encounters of words supplemented with pictorial glosses upon the ability of a learner of French to infer additional word senses—senses of target words that were not previously encountered. Twenty-nine participants were randomly divided into two groups, Groups A and B, and were subjected to two treatments, one in which the subjects encountered target words textually twice (Repeated Textual Encounters, RTE) and one in which the subjects encountered target words once textually and once pictorially (Pictorial Encounter, PE). Before the administration of the two vocabulary-learning treatments the participants completed a vocabulary pretest on the target words to establish a baseline of knowledge. At the conclusion of the vocabulary pretest, Group A read a French fairy tale encountering half of the target words using the RTE treatment while encountering the other half of the target words using the PE treatment. Although Group B read the same French fairy tale, they did not receive the same treatment for the same words. Specifically, the target words that those in Group A encountered using the RTE treatment were encountered by those in Group B using the PE treatment, and vise versa for the other treatment. Immediately following the treatments the participants completed a vocabulary recall test wherein the participants demonstrated their ability to infer additional senses of the target words in addition to recall original senses of target words as encountered in the text. Vocabulary gains were used as data to determine the participants' ability to infer additional word senses and recall original word senses. Results from t tests indicate that both treatments have a significant impact upon the learner's ability to infer additional word senses as well as recall original senses. Furthermore, results from analysis on the data gathered for individual words show that the treatments had a significant effect on learners inferring and recalling the senses of certain words over others. Results did not determine, however, which treatment was more effective than the other for learners to infer additional senses of words or to recall original word senses.

Vocabulary development is important when it comes to learning a language, but it is also a challenging task. The Swedish syllabus focuses on implicit knowledge, and explicit teaching has been shown to have a positive impact on learners’ implicit knowledge. Therefore, this research synthesis explores to what extent explicit morphological teaching can be beneficial and improve vocabulary development for older adolescent and adult learners of English as a foreign language. It also explores how these findings are related to the English syllabus for upper secondary education in Sweden. The methods include searching several electronic databases with specific related search terms and using inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain relevant articles. The research synthesis compiles the findings of a total of eight articles on both the effect of receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary. The results indicate that explicit morphology instruction has a positive outcome for learners of English as a foreign language in both receptive and productive vocabulary, and, that it may be a useful teaching method. Finally, the results correlate with previous research and with the Swedish steering documents and the communicative classroom in the Swedish context. For further research, it would be of interest to see if the results are applicable in a Swedish context, and thus, further studies in a Swedish context are encouraged.

No description available.

Teaching English as a second language is widely different depending on what teacher you ask and what methodology they use. The purpose for this study is to look deeper into the visual literacy approach of how primary school teachers choose to incorporate the use of children’s picturebooks in their own teaching practices for L2 acquisition and development. Through semi-structured interviews, the study gathered information with regard to how a visual literacy approach though the use of picturebooks is utilized in practice and in theory among primary school teachers. The results of the study revealed that the majority of the participating teachers are positive towards the use of picturebooks in the ESL classroom but differ in the way they choose to incorporate the visual literacy approach in their teaching. The results showed that the participating teachers are not using children’s picturebooks to the extent that they would like to in theory, due to reasons such as time restraints and inexperience. Finally, the results show that children’s picturebooks has positive implications for L2 development with regards to vocabulary and reading comprehension in the early years. Utilizing literature that pupils are familiar with in L1 further helps to engage in the use of their L2 for overall language development.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increasing number of isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans medium schools gave rise to this investigation. According to our Constitution, all citizens have the right to receive education in one of the official languages. Some isiXhosa parents exercise their democratic right by enrolling their children in English- or Afrikaans-medium schools. They are of the opinion that the level of education is of a higher standard in these schools. Consequently, some isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans-medium schools develop barriers to learning due to the fact that they have little or no knowledge of Afrikaans. The purpose of this study was to develop a literacy intervention programme to improve the vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. Secondly, the aim of the study was to determine whether the literacy intervention programme would lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. The research was conducted in a previously disenfranchised Afrikaans-medium school in Stellenbosch. The research methods employed comprised a literature review supported by an empirical investigation that included pre- and post-tests with learners, interviews with educators and the development and implementation of a literacy intervention programme. A mixed method research design was used, because quantitative data alone would have supplied inadequate answers to the research question. The theoretical basis of the study was Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, as well as Vygotsky’s social constructivist language acquisition theory. Both Piaget and Vygotsky emphasised the importance of social interactions in cognitive development. They regarded the development and use of vocabulary as an integral part of these interactions. Research indicates that the field of second language acquisition is multifaceted and is not supported by a singular theory. Three theories of second language acquisition were explored in this study. They are the communicative approach, shared reading and the schema theory. The role that the language-in-education policy, motivation and social economic status play in second language acquisition was also investigated. Another goal of the literature review was to collect data to develop a literacy intervention programme in which the above-mentioned theories of second language acquisition were utilised. The marsh at the school served as the context for the activities in the programme. Twenty isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes were subjected to an intervention programme over a period of six months to determine the success of the intervention programme. Data gathering included quantitative data (pre- and post-tests) as well as qualitative data (interviews with Afrikaans educators) to determine whether the learners’ vocabulary and reading comprehension had improved. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the literacy intervention programme can lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 tot 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. This is substantiated by previous research. The results also support findings that the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in the Afrikaans-medium intervention school can improve if the appropriate intervention is offered timeously. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem weens die toenemende getal Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in Afrikaansmediumskole. Volgens die Grondwet het elkeen die reg om onderrig in enige van die amptelike tale te ontvang. Sommige Xhosasprekende ouers oefen hierdie reg uit deur hulle kinders in Afrikaansmediumskole te plaas. Hulle is van mening dat onderrig van 'n hoёr gehalte daar plaasvind. Gevolglik is daar 'n toename van leerders wat struikelblokke tot leer ondervind, omdat hulle min of geen begrip van Afrikaans het nie. Eerstens, is die fokus van hierdie studie die ontwikkeling van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram om die Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in 'n Afrikaansmediumskool te bevorder. Ten tweede is dit om te bepaal of die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram 'n verbetering in die woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers tot gevolg gehad het. 'n Voorheen benadeelde Afrikaansmediumskool in die Stellenbosch-omgewing is deur die navorser gekies vir die implementering van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram. Hierdie projek het 'n literatuurstudie ondersteun deur 'n empiriese ondersoek wat voor- en natoetse met leerders, onderhoude met onderwysers en die ontwerp en toepassing van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram ingesluit het, behels. Daar is van 'n gemengde navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak, omdat die gebruik van slegs kwantitatiewe data onvoldoende antwoorde op die navorsingsvraag sou verskaf. 'n Literatuurondersoek is gedoen om 'n teoretiese grondslag vir die studie te verkry. Piaget se teorie van kognitiewe ontwikkeling en Vygotsky se sosiaal-konstruktivistiese taalverwerwingsteorie is gebruik om die verwerwing van 'n tweede taal te beskryf. Beide Piaget en Vygotsky het die belangrikheid van sosiale interaksies in kognitiewe ontwikkeling beklemtoon. Hulle het die ontwikkeling en gebruik van woordeskat as 'n integrale deel van hierdie interaksies beskou. Die studie dui daarop dat die aard van tweedetaalverwerwing kompleks is en nie deur 'n enkele teorie ondersteun kan word nie. Drie verskillende benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing, naamlik die kommunikatiewe benadering, gedeelde lees en die skema-teorie, is ondersoek. Die rol wat die taal-in-onderwysbeleid (TiOB), motivering en sosio-ekonomiese status in tweedetaalverwerwing speel, is ook ondersoek. 'n Verdere doel van die literatuurondersoek was om inligting te versamel om 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram te ontwerp waarin bogenoemde benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing gebruik is. Die vleiland by die skool het die konteks geskep waarbinne die onderskeie aktiwiteite beplan is. Die geletterdheids-intervensieprogram is vir ses maande in 'n klas met 20 graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers toegepas om die sukses daarvan te bepaal. Datagenerering het bestaan uit kwantitatiewe data (voor- en natoetse) asook kwalitatiewe data (onderhoude met die opvoeders wat Afrikaans onderrig) om vas te stel of die leerders se woordeskat en leesbegrip verbeter het al dan nie. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat die toepassing van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram tot die verbetering van die Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in graad 4 tot 6 Afrikaansmediumklasse se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan lei. Dit stem ooreen met bevindinge van vorige navorsing, naamlik dat die verbetering van leerders se woordeskat tot die verbetering van leesbegrip lei. Verder ondersteun die resultate die bevindinge dat Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in die Afrikaansmedium intervensieskool se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan verbeter, mits hulle die nodige, gepaste ondersteuning betyds ontvang.

Joint attention (JA) is the ability to coordinate attention between a conversation partner and an outside object, while being aware of the other’s attention. This study investigates JA in 14 parent-child dyads at the ages 0;9, 1;0, 1;3, 1;6, 1;9 and 2;0, and aims to examine how the initiation of JA develops with age, as well as the relationship between JA and later vocabulary size and syntactic level. The strategies for initiating JA were recorded for both parents and children, and the total amount of JA, as well as child-initiated JA, was calculated for each age point. The results show that children with a higher language level, calculated as a composite score of vocabulary at 4;0 and syntactic level at 3;0, spent on average more time in JA than children with a lower language level. In line with previous research, the present study found a positive relationship between JA and vocabulary. Furthermore, the results suggest a relationship between JA and syntactic development. Especially the amount of child-initiated JA was related to both vocabulary size at the age of 4;0 and syntactic level at the age of 3;0, which indicates the importance of this type of interaction for language acquisition. / Joint attention (JA) är förmågan att koordinera sin uppmärksamhet mellan en konversationspartner och ett tredje objekt, och samtidigt vara medveten om den andres uppmärksamhet. Den här studien undersöker JA i 14 förälder-barndyader vid åldrarna 0;9, 1;0, 1;3, 1;6, 1;9 och 2;0, med syftet att utröna hur initieringen av JA utvecklas med åldern, och hur relationen mellan JA och senare ordförrådsstorlek och syntaktisk nivå ser ut. Strategierna för att initiera JA undersöktes för både föräldrar och barn, och den totala mängden JA och barninitierad JA räknades för varje ålderspunkt. Resultaten visar att barn med en högre språklig nivå, räknat som kompositpoängen av vokabulär vid 4;0 och syntaktisk nivå vid 3;0, i genomsnitt spenderade mer tid i JA än barn med en lägre språklig nivå. I linje med tidigare forskning påvisade denna studie ett positivt samband mellan JA och ordförråd. Därutöver tyder resultaten på ett samband mellan JA och syntaktisk utveckling. Särskilt mängden barninitierad JA var positivt relaterad till både ordförråd vid 4;0 och syntaktisk nivå vid 3;0, vilket indikerar att denna typ av interaktion är viktig för språkutveckling. / Modelling infant language acquisition from parent-child interaction (MINT)

At an international school in Taiwan, English learners have struggled to meet the U.S. national average in vocabulary on standardized testing instruments. This problem has become more significant since 2009. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study on successful vocabulary teachers to determine their perceptions of effective teaching. Knowles' andragogy, Brookfield's self-directed, experiential learning, and Vygotsky's social constructivist framework provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of why they were successful in teaching vocabulary in English. The study site had access to quantitative data regarding previous standardized testing results; however, there was little information about what was causing these teachers to be successful. The primary data collection method was individual interviews with 5 teachers whose success in teaching vocabulary in English was determined by previous students' standardized testing results and the administrator's recommendation. The teachers' perceptions were analyzed using a structural coding process to derive key words, categories, and themes. Findings revealed the needs for increased scaffolding for teachers and students, a purposeful and supportive learning environment, and meaningful context and comprehensible content. This study also included developing a professional learning workshop to enhance the knowledge of all teachers regarding vocabulary instruction. Enhanced knowledge could result in teachers implementing best practices to enable all students, especially English learners, to improve their vocabulary development, which over time may lead to proficiency and mastery in academics and empower students to succeed academically.

The aim of this thesis is to examine the early vocabulary development of a sample of Swedish children in relation to parental input and early communicative skills. Three studies are situated in an overall description of early language development in children. The data analyzed in the thesis was collected within a larger project at Stockholm University (SPRINT- “Effects of enhanced parental input on young children’s vocabulary development and subsequent literacy development” [VR 2008-5094]). Data analysis was based on parental report via SECDI, the Swedish version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories, and audio recordings. One study examined parental verbal interaction characteristics in three groups of children with varying vocabulary size at 18 months. The stability of vocabulary development at 18 and 24 months was investigated in a larger study, with focus on children’s vocabulary composition and grammatical abilities. The third study examined interrelations among early gestures, receptive and productive vocabulary, and grammar measured with M3L, i.e. three longest utterances, from 12 to 30 months. Overall results of the thesis highlight the importance of early language development. Variability in different characteristics in parental input is associated with variability in child vocabulary size. Children with large early vocabularies exhibit the most stability in vocabulary composition and the earliest grammatical development. Children’s vocabulary composition may reflect individual stylistic variation. Use of early gestures is associated differentially with receptive and productive vocabulary. Results of the thesis have implications for parents, child- and healthcare personnel, as well as researchers and educational practitioners. The results underscore the importance of high quality in adult-child interaction, with rich input fine-tuned to children’s developmental levels and age, together with high awareness of early language development. / SPRINT project

The aim of this thesis is to examine the early vocabulary development of a sample of Swedish children in relation to parental input and early communicative skills. Three studies are situated in an overall description of early language development in children. The data analyzed in the thesis was collected within a larger project at Stockholm University (SPRINT- “Effects of enhanced parental input on young children’s vocabulary development and subsequent literacy development” [VR 2008-5094]). Data analysis was based on parental report via SECDI, the Swedish version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories, and audio recordings. One study examined parental verbal interaction characteristics in three groups of children with varying vocabulary size at 18 months. The stability of vocabulary development at 18 and 24 months was investigated in a larger study, with focus on children’s vocabulary composition and grammatical abilities. The third study examined interrelations among early gestures, receptive and productive vocabulary, and grammar measured with M3L, i.e. three longest utterances, from 12 to 30 months. Overall results of the thesis highlight the importance of early language development. Variability in different characteristics in parental input is associated with variability in child vocabulary size. Children with large early vocabularies exhibit the most stability in vocabulary composition and the earliest grammatical development. Children’s vocabulary composition may reflect individual stylistic variation. Use of early gestures is associated differentially with receptive and productive vocabulary. Results of the thesis have implications for parents, child- and healthcare personnel, as well as researchers and educational practitioners. The results underscore the importance of high quality in adult-child interaction, with rich input fine-tuned to children’s developmental levels and age, together with high awareness of early language development. / SPRINT project