This volume examines the relationship between young children's degrees of bilingualism and features of the verbal input which these children receive from their parents. In particular, it seeks to explore the following question: to what extent are families who follow the 'one parent-one language' principle and whose children become active bilinguals this way, different from families who take the same approach but whose children never develop an active command of the minority language? Case studies of six first-born children growing up with German and English were done during the children's third year of life.
This is an innovative yet practical resource book for teachers, focusing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The book is strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work.
This book addresses both formal and informal ways of assessing children's work and progress. Pupils' learning is often neglected in the debate, so this book puts what children actually learn right at its centre.
An Introduction to Psycholinguistics examines the psychology of language as it relates to learning, mind and brain as well as to aspects of society and culture. How do we learn to speak and to understand speech? Is language unique to humans? Does language influence culture? Using non-technical language, and providing concrete examples, the authors explore: How children learn to speak and read their native language; Deaf language education; Case studies of wild children and animals and what we can learn from these; Second language acquisition, second language teaching methods, and the problems associated with bilingualism; Language and the brain; The relationship between thought and language.
How do children, individually and collectively, make meanings of their learning experiences? • How can teachers become aware of children's meaning making on an ongoing basis? • Is it possible and useful to create an integrated theory of student learning? • How can classroom research enhance critical understandings of the situated nature of learning and teaching, while taking into account the systemic and educational policy contexts? • How do differences, such as class, race, culture, gender and sexualities, interact with student learning? These are just some of the questions this book grapples with.
