Communicative Proficiency And Linguistic Development

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has become the yardstick for teaching and testing language skills in Europe and elsewhere. Yet little is known about the relationships between the communicative levels established using the can-do statements of the CEFR and the developmental stages of grammatical and lexical development described by Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. This book presents empirical research by members of the SLATE network (Second Language Acquisition and Testing in Europe), aimed at bridging this gap. The studies deal with several target languages, including Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Italian, Norwegian and Spanish, with adult, adolescent and child learners in both formal and informal contexts.

This text presents the findings of a major investigation of second language proficiency in various groups of school-aged learners. It invites a frank appraisal of the research from an outside panel of experts. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are the subject of a lively debate focused on three main research issues: the nature of second language proficiency, the impact of classroom treatment on second language learning, and the role of social and individual factors in bilingual development. This original collection of articles will be of interest to all those concerned with policy and practice in second language education.

A study is presented which attempts to clarify the notion of communicative proficiency in a foreign language and which outlines an instructional model that incorporates the insights of the study. Communicative proficiency is defined as fluent mastery of the foreign language in different contexts. The definition was operationalized into discourse processing by means of an instructional model to guide teaching, choice of contents, and evaluation. An account is given of how the instructional model was used to develop a model for evaluating communicative proficiency in a foreign language. Discourse processing as a bidirectional interpreting skill is seen in terms of oral proficiency as a function of speaking and listening, and written proficiency as a function of writing and reading. A simulation of the instructional model is employed in a form in which oral proficiency is rated by written products and written proficiency by oral products. In other words, a hypothesis is made of a unitary structure of English proficiency. This hypothesis was tested by a communicative test given to third-form students in 10 senior secondary schools in Finland. The test required oral and written responses to questions about the contents of an interview heard on tape. Analysis of results showed the test to be a reliable instrument with the asset of simplicity and ease of administration. (Author/AMH)

This publication is concerned with the early stages of language acquisition and is designed for use by early childhood teachers, nursery nurses, special education teachers and others working with children experiencing difficulties in learning to talk. Procedures are described that can be used to assess a child' s current skills and plan activities to increase communicative competence. The programme described is based on a developmental sequence that moves the early skills of joint attention, turn-taking and appropriate play to the more complex skills of asking and answering questions. Other issues discussed include sound development and intelligibility, the use of augmentative and alternative communication as stepping stones to speech, working with children and with families. The second edition has an expanded focus on the place of communicative intentions in early language development.

This books aims to open up new perspectives in the study of language proficiency by bringing together current research from different fields in psychology and linguistics. All contributions start out from empirical studies, which are then related to applications in language assessment. The book also serves as a survey of recent developments in psycholinguistic research in the Netherlands. The book starts out with a thorough introduction of international literature on models of language proficiency, language development and its assessment. Section 1 deals with first language proficiency and addresses such problems as grammar in early child language, grammatical proficiency and its (in)variance across a range of ages, reading abilities, and writing skills. Section 2 focuses on multilingual proficiency and deals with test bias in relation to the background of the second language learner, bilingual proficiency in ethnic minority children, the development of the second language learner lexicon, communicative competence of school-age children in the context of second language learning, the assessment of foreign language attrition and the dimensionality in oral foreign language proficiency.

How children first acquire language is one of the central issues in linguistics. This book draws on a wide range of research, including work in developmental psychology, anthropology and sociology, to explore the processes behind child language acquisition to the preschool period.

NOW PUBLISHED BY PLURAL! This classic text now in its tenth edition and now available from Plural Publishing, The Development of Language continues its focus on language acquisition in an unbiased, authoritative, and comprehensive way. Written by leading experts known for their research in the areas they discuss, this book has a multidisciplinary approach, and demonstrates the relevance of typical language development to speech-language pathologists, educators, clinicians, and those in other professions. Topics include the roots of language learning in infancy, phonology, syntax/grammar, word learning, bilingualism, pragmatics, literacy, atypical language development, and more. This book provides the reader with an authoritative text that includes important and useful concepts and research findings. Emphasis is placed on language development in children who are learning languages other than, or in addition to, English, as well as children with risk factors for language delay or disorder. The text leads the reader through every stage of development—the early months before children begin to speak, the preschool and school years, and adolescence as children achieve mastery of adult-like language skills. Key Features Chapter pedagogy includes learning objectives, visual aids, video links, summaries, and suggested projects to extend students’ understanding and application of text concepts Key terms are highlighted in the text with definitions provided in a Glossary Clear and concise writing by authors who are known for their research in the subject area and their ability to explain complex topics to a broad audience A multilingual and multicultural focus on acquisition in languages other than English, on non-mainstream varieties of English and on children learning two or more languages simultaneously (bilingualism), as well as children with developmental communication disorders New to the Tenth Edition * Restructure of chapters to streamline information * Greater in-depth coverage of concepts that are frequently more difficult for students to master * Updated references to new research and the current literature * References are now at the end of each chapter * New and updated figures and photos * Coverage of the latest technological advances in basic research and clinical practice in child language Disclaimer: Please note that ancillary content (such as documents, audio, and video, etc.) may not be included as published in the original print version of this book.

Language and Literacy Development: English Learners with Communication Disorders, from Theory to Application, Second Edition brings you the most useful, up-to-date information on best practices for English learners (ELs) with communication disorders from a variety of backgrounds—how to conduct assessment, intervention, and progress monitoring. The first edition of this text gave a comprehensive overview of the theory and practice of serving ELs with communication disorders, and the second edition is expanded to show the nuts and bolts of how to meet ELs’ needs and how professionals can support their success at school. This text emphasizes collaboration between speech-language pathology (SLP) and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) professionals. More importantly, it shows how to apply the knowledge and implement the mechanics and practicalities of assessment, intervention, and progress monitoring. New to the Second Edition: * Updated EL and EL with communication disorders demographics and legislation. * An innovative assessment/intervention/monitoring (AIM) framework geared toward language proficiency development and academic content expansion of ELs with communication disorders. * Research-based and proficiency-level appropriate pedagogical interventions and recommendations for implementing effective assessments that support English learners with communication disorders in their language and content growth. * Updated information on commonly used assessments used by speech-language pathologists to identify/determine disability. Disclaimer: Please note that ancillary content (such as documents, audio, and video, etc.) may not be included as published in the original print version of this book.