This volume presents an overview of changes in paradigms, perspectives and contexts of research into bilingual development over the past two decades. During this time, the focus of perspective has changed. In the early 1990s, most investigations still proceeded from models that assumed modular components, hierarchical relationships and linear processes, and investigated what were perceived to be the typical contexts of bilingual development (sequential, usually instructed bilingualism, where the second language would remain the weaker one and the speakers investigated were typically young adults).

Bilingual texts have been left outside the mainstream of both translation theory and literary history. Yet the tradition of the bilingual writer, moving between different sign systems and audiences to create a text in two languages, is a rich and venerable one, going back at least to the Middle Ages. The self-translated, bilingual text was commonplace in the multilingual world of medieval and early modern Europe, frequently bridging Latin and the vernaculars. While self-translation persisted among cultured elites, it diminished during the consolidation of the nation-states, in the long era of nationalistic monolingualism, only to resurge in the postcolonial era.

Taking a different perspective to traditional case studies on one bilingual child, this book discusses the whole family and the realities of life with two or more children and languages. What do we know about the language patterns of children in a growing and evolving bilingual family? Which languages do the siblings prefer to speak to each other? Do the factors of birth order, personality or family size affect language use? This book unveils the reality behind life with bilingual siblings.

Reading Development and Difficulties in Monolingual and Bilingual Chinese Children

This volume explores Chinese reading development, focusing on children in Chinese societies and bilingual Chinese-speaking children in Western societies. The book is structured around four themes: psycholinguistic study of reading, reading disability, bilingual and biliteracy development, and Chinese children’s literature. It discusses issues that are pertinent to improving language and literacy development, and complex cognitive, linguistic, and socio-cultural factors that underlie language and literacy development. In addition, the book identifies instructional practices that can enhance literacy development and academic achievement.

Matura 2015 in English - Examination Task Patterns

A set of pattern tasks for the secondary school students aiming to take the new version of matura examination in 2015 or later. Audio, answer key and tapescripts included. Covers every exercise type - basic, extended and bilingual. Features all task forms for both written and oral exams.