Examination of Narrative Language at Microstructural and Macrostructural Levels in Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine narrative language samples of Spanish-speaking preschoolers to analyze changes in microstructural and macrostructural skills in their first language (L1) from fall to spring, relationships between narrative and vocabulary skills in L1, and the extent to which fall skills predict spring performance. Method Participants included 40 Spanish-speaking children who were enrolled in community-based preschool programs. Narrative language retells from the fall and spring were examined, and microstructural and macrostructural components were analyzed using the Narrative Assessment Protocol-Spanish and the Narrative Scoring Scheme, respectively.

Semantic deficits in Spanish-English bilingual children with language impairment.

Purpose: To examine the nature and extent of semantic deficits in bilingual children with language impairment (LI).

Method: Thirty-seven Spanish-English bilingual children with LI (ranging from age 7;0 [years;months] to 9;10) and 37 typically developing (TD) age-matched peers generated 3 associations to 12 pairs of translation equivalents in English and Spanish. Responses were coded as paradigmatic (e.

Creative and stylistic devices employed by children during a storybook narrative task: a cross-cultural study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of culture on the creative and stylistic features children employ when producing narratives based on wordless picture books.

Method: Participants included 60 first- and second-grade African American, Latino American, and Caucasian children. A subset of narratives based on wordless picture books collected as part of a larger study was coded and analyzed for the following creative and stylistic conventions: organizational style (topic centered, linear, cyclical), dialogue (direct, indirect), reference to character relationships (nature, naming, conduct), embellishment (fantasy, suspense, conflict), and paralinguistic devices (expressive sounds, exclamatory utterances).

Narrative discourse in bilingual children: language and task effects.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of language on Spanish-English bilingual children's production of narrative samples elicited in two ways.

Method: Twelve bilingual (Spanish-English-speaking) children ranging in age from 4;0 (years;months) to 6;11 who were fluent speakers of English as a second language produced two narratives--one elicited by using a wordless picture book and another by using a static picture. The children produced stories for each task in each language, for a total of four stories.

Narrative Discourse in Bilingual Children: Language and Task Effects.

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of language on Spanish-English bilingual children's production of narrative samples elicited in two ways.

Method: Twelve bilingual (Spanish-English-speaking) children ranging in age from 4;0 (years;months) to 6;11 who were fluent speakers of English as a second language produced two narratives-one elicited by using a wordless picture book and another by using a static picture. The children produced stories for each task in each language, for a total of four stories.