Abstract
This paper is aimed at educators of middle and high schools. The paper discusses the importance of effectively combining reading and writing instruction with content instruction. The writer compares educational methods of the 1950's to those of today, stating the obvious improvements today. This paper emphasizes the responsibility of all teachers to understand how they can enhance and help develop their students? reading and writing skills.

From the Paper
"Learning to read and write are complementary skills. While in the younger years, writing depends on reading skills, by middle and high school, they are complementary skills: reading is necessary to do writing assignments, while writing about what has read increases comprehension of the reading materials. For this reason, separating reading and writing instruction from content areas is arbitrary and will eventually interfere with the students' progress in those content areas."

Tags:literacy, comprehension, language, education

Abstract
The paper reveals that high quality preschool programs for poor children can reduce the delay in the development of their communication skills. The paper reviews the article "Language and Literacy Environments in Preschools" by Snow, Burns and Griffin that explores how best to help preschool children develop communication skills so that they will be ready to learn how to read when they go to school. The writer discusses how he/she applies these principles in his/her preschool program.

From the Paper
"The article (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1999) states, "it is precisely on measures of the language environment that many preschool programs serving poor children have scored in the inadequate range" (p. 1). The article doesn't say how many programs are inadequate or what the percentage overall might be of programs which do not help children develop their communication skills. The author goes on to say, or at least to imply, that Headstart programs are no better than any other programs for preschool children coming from impoverished homes: "A study of 32 headstart classrooms similarly found the lowest scores for language and reasoning on the same test" (p. 2)."

Tags:communication, skills, reading, Headstart, children, poverty

Abstract
This paper discusses the different learning styles and language proficiency in terms of second language acquisition. It provides an overview of learning styles and their effects on language skills and variables. The paper looks at learning theories and contains an outline.

Tags:Learning style, language proficiency, second language acquisition, English as a second language

Abstract
This paper examines a study conducted in Alabama that found a correlation between reading level and socioeconomic status. The test results revealed that students from minority and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds had the weakest performance on these exams. The paper then discusses how teachers can prepare their students to perform better on such standardized tests. The author concludes by encouraging teachers to teach their students test-taking skills, with particular focus given to minority students or those from a lower socioeconomic background.

From the Paper
" The startling contrasts found on a standardized exam's percentile scores between Alabama's diverse school districts indicate that socioeconomic factors play a significant role in explaining such widespread discrepancies. SES can also explain how the overall percentile scores for all students within wealthier districts were higher than scores from the poorer ones. Such results reveal that students from minority and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds are the most negatively affected by these exams. Thus it is incorrect to assume that such exams are useful towards gauging a given school's quality of teaching. Teachers should therefore realize that such exams cannot determine how good they are at their jobs, despite what educational administrators and elected officials like to believe, because the results often come out being biased towards certain groups in society."

Tags:reading, level, socioeconomic, status, test, preparation

Abstract
This paper gives a critical analysis of Rumbaugh and Savage-Rumbaugh's exploration of the behavioral roots relative to the various species. The researchers then make the assumptive statement that what separates our species from others is our continual attempt to prove what "sets us apart" This unique trait, the researchers argue, is language - however, with at least partial truth, the researchers point out that though speech is a salient aspect of language, it does not equal language.

From the Paper
"Rumbaugh and Savage-Rumbaugh explore the notion of behavioural roots relative to the various species, noting that "each species presents a unique profile of points on continua that, in turn, are the themes and threads of evolution life" (Rumbaugh & Savage-Rumbaugh, 1996, p. 257). The researchers then make the seemingly correct and assumptive statement that what separates our species from others is our continual attempt to prove what "sets us apart" (ibid, p. 257). This unique trait, the researchers argue, is language - however, with at least partial truth, the researchers..."

Tags:language, chimpanzee, psychology

Abstract
The paper discusses how language is the key to all communication and has been since the dawn of man. The paper explains that over the years, it has changed and evolved to adapt to the changes that have occurred in various cultures and societies. In addition, the paper explains that there is a contrast in many cases between the language of youth and that of older generations, that may include differences in language between young males and females, along with the fact that youth communication is facilitated thanks to the technology of today.

From the Paper
"Language is the key to all communication and has been since the dawn of man. Over the years, it has changed and evolved to adapt to the changes that have occurred in various cultures and societies. In addition, there is a contrast in many cases between the language of youth and that of..."

Tags:youth, language, words

Abstract
In this book review of "How Children Learn the Meanings of Words", author Paul Bloom's theory of language acquisition in small children is explained. The paper discusses the primary theory called the "theory of mind," which is also called naive psychology. The paper explains that the book presents this theory on language acquisition through descriptions of research, presented in a clear and largely conversational manner. The writer of the review recommends this book to both students and to parents interested in helping their children acquire language.

Outline:
Theory of Mind
Fast Mapping
Objects and Concepts
Context Learning
About this Book
Conclusion

From the Paper
"This book describes the process of language acquisition through syntactic cues that are present in the child's environment. Such a process is not just a part of language acquisition, but is also part of other forms of reasoning as well. The capacity to learn language in such a way belongs to human beings alone. Although other mammals are capable of communicating in what could be considered to be a limited language, only humans have the capability to acquire abstract concepts."

Tags:language, acquisition, theory, of, mind, parenting, fast, mapping

Abstract
This paper discusses children from low income families, and language development in modern society. The paper examines the societal contention that children raised in poverty will develop inadequate language patterns as well as be candidates for special education programs when their school years commence. The research provides evidence that low income children may develop language complications because the resources for learning are not available to them.

From the Paper
"Children learn language by sound or phonology that allows them to begin to form words, sentences, and structures that serve them in communication (Wright, 2004, p. 61). Children, by nature have a strong inclination to attempt to understand what things mean in order to function within their lives, and relate to the world around them (Athey, 1983, p. 197). It has been contended, however, that children of low-income families have historically suffered from language problems that begin in early childhood, and then progress throughout life because the society in which poor children are reared is absent of the verbal intricacies that children of higher income households are accustomed to."

Tags:language, development, children

Abstract
This essay considers whether modern language teaching methods - namely, communicative methodologies -are really any better than older methodologies in facilitating language acquisition. The writer claims that these methods are better. Further the writer points out that this can be measured according to the learner's age, aptitude and motivation to learn another language. The writer concludes that communicative methods are more like real communication.

From the Paper
"In one way, it might seem clear from the outset that communicative language teaching methodologies are superior to earlier methodologies in all measurable aspects; after all, if they were not better, there would have been little sense in deviating from the older methods. Furthermore, in terms of the three learner variables - aptitude, age and motivation - it seems as though communicative language methodologies are indeed superior. However, this is particularly the case with two of these three variables, age and motivation. This is probably because communicative methods of teaching language offer much greater flexibility, and as such, they can accommodate a range of student ages and can also go a long way toward stimulating motivation where it may not previously have existed."

Tags:language, acquisition, communication

Abstract
This paper compares formal assessment tests to informal reading and writing inventories. The paper looks at how the tests are prepared and administered.

From the Paper
"Tests used as a basis of academic assessment have been characterized as falling into one of two categories. Formal assessment tests are norm-referenced or criterion-referenced tests that are administered in a controlled setting in which directions cannot be altered and students respond to items they have not seen in instruction. Informal reading and writing inventories are commercially prepared or teacher student-made tests in which students read orally and retell and or answer comprehension questions over a passage."

Tags:Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Bader Reading and Language Inventory