Assessing Children's Language in Naturalistic Contexts (review)

Usher's syndrome focuses on a specific area. It is refreshing to see that the new information has started to include a wider scope of aspects on Ushers. Kathryn A. Nebel, B.A. Graduate Student Western Maryland College Westminster, MD 21157 Assessing Children's Language in Naturalistic Contexts , Nancy J. Lund, Ph.D. and Judith F. Duchan, Ph.D., 349 pp., $20.95, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632, 1983. This text gives a thorough review of language assessment techniques used for normal and language -impaired children based on contemporary child language research, linguistics, and clinical experiences. The authors advocate a technique of assessment called structural analysis . This approach examines individual child behaviors in natural interactions, then analyzes the data for underlying patterns of language behaviors. The chapters cover areas such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and cognitive precursors of language . The text then relates each area to child development and outlines steps to assess each area. Each chapter ends with practice exercises for the student. Additional features of this book include detailed case studies which give concrete information on young children's language behaviors. This book would be appropriate for a graduate level course in normal language acquisition and assessment. Some background knowledge in phonetics and phonology would be desirable for the student. Although the book does not specifically address language issues with respect to the effects of a hearing impairment on language development, it would provide the teacher trainee in hearing impairment with a clear presentation of how children with normal hearing learn language. However, if the authors ' methods are used with a hearing-impaired population, the eliciting procedures proposed in this book must be modified. For example, asking questions would not be a valid technique to assess hearing-impaired children's knowledge of English as many deaf children do not comprehend question formations. Jean F. Andrews, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY 350 CHARLESCTHOMAS·PUBLISHER New! ENGLISH SYNTAX: An Outline for Clinicians and Teachers of Language Handicapped Children (2nd Ed.) by Charles H. Hargis. The new Second Edition of this training manual and reference relates basic information on English syntax in a way that will allow professionals to assess syntactic problems and to help children overcome such difficulties. Chapters devoted to syntactic structures have been amended and expanded , and new chapters on special problems and on analysis of samples have been added. Aug. '84, about $28.50 New! A SIGN LANGUAGE MANUAL by M. Ann Gautney Boles and illustrated by Kay Stanley-Nichols. There are thirty-two chapters in this basic manual of sign language that cover all types of general and specialized terms. Following an initial introduction to the manual alphabet, chapters focus individually on various topics, parts of speech, or concepts. Signing exact English is stressed; practice pages are provided. The progressive nature of individual segments allows the manual to be used profitably by young and old, novices and experts. '84, $29.75 New! COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE MANUAL FOR SIGNERS AND INTERPRETERS by Cheryl M. Hoffman. Designed for those already proficient in the skill, this dictionary of sign language provides them with an in-depth reference. The author uses an abbreviated, keyed code to allow for maximum breadth of coverage. Nearly six thousand entries, both vocabulary and idioms, are thus detailed; cross-references are included. '84, $19.75 New! ONE-TO-ONE LIPREADING LESSONS FOR ADULTS written and illustrated by Jill Auerbach. This eclectic assortment of illustrated lipreading lessons is designed to amuse and delight adults of all ages. Each lesson has practical applications to adult conversation; the book itself is organized specifically to meet the needs of clinicians who teach lipreading on a one-toone basis. '84, $13.75 We fill all orders promptly · Books sent on approval MasterCard, Visa & prepaid orders sent postpaid Catalog sent on request · Write or call (217) 789-8980 2600 South First Street Springfield · Illinois · 62717 A.A.D I September 1984 ...