This article attempts to answer the question, whether the mechanism of „fast mapping”, which is characteristic for the process of first language acquisition (LI) and which is found in a process of second language acquisition (L2) in conditions similar to natural, also occurs in the process of acquiring a second language in institutionalized conditions. The article includes a brief description of the phenomenon, the description of the project carried out in a bilingual kindergarten in Altenholz and presentation of the results of the experiment conducted in a monolingual kindergarten in Szczecin among 4 and 5-year-old children learning a second language in limited input conditions. The discussion also concerns the determinants of „fast mapping”.
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In the past decades the lexicographic research was increasingly focused on the role of new tools such as corpus-based methods in the practical and theoretical work. Sulikowska compares in this paper the description and definition of a German idiom “jmdn. halt erwischen” in monolingual and bilingual dictionaries with corpus-based analysis of its form, frequency, meaning and grammar. She indicates relevant differences between its lexicographical description and the actual meaning and emphasizes the importance of supporting compilers' work within corpus linguistics.
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The phraseology of colours is a significant sphere within the diction of Polish and German languages. This results from the fact that colours exist as an inseparable element of human reality. However, the conceptualisation of the names of colours depends on a given language society. The fact is reflected in the phraseological resources of a language. The material for the analysis are the indicated collocations, where the names of colours often gain additional meanings which go beyond the dictionary denotations. The paper describes the special semantic features of the names of colours in collocations: polysemy, translator's false friends.
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The aim of the article is to draw attention to the role of emotions in the shaping of linguistic ability in an individual, which is understood comprehensively as human verbal behavior in its entirety. Emotions as mental processes, which are to a large extent subconscious and automatized, are present in cognitive processes, including linguistic ones: language acquisition, production and speech comprehension. Emotions can trigger these processes, accompany them, be their results; emotions can also hinder and block these processes. Therefore emotionality can be conceived of as an aspect of human verbal behavior which is as vital as cognition.
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This paper discusses Polish infinitive forms that occur in finite sentences and offers a contrary analysis of syntactic coherence in relation to the Principles and Parameters (PP) framework for Linguistic Theory by Chomsky (1981). The question raised is in which structural configurations these infinitives need to occur in order to be regarded as coherent.
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The article points out the need to develop a productive knowledge of word formation and presents some ways of how this can be achieved. As has been demonstrated, word formation can and should be used in language games, building not only upon the reception of speech but also on speech production. The article presents a variety of exercises and tasks inducing students' creativity in using lexis, rules of word formation and affixation. Applying word formation in foreign language teaching in such a way can enable students to develop their linguistic creativity as well as their lexical strategies.
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Keywords: Yugoslav Muslim Organization; deputies; political activity; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kingdom of Serbs; Croats and Slovenes; integral Yugoslavism; education
During the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes education in Bosnia and Herzegovina encountered numerous problems: a lack of qualified teachers, school buildings, teaching tools, the absence of children from school, attempted unification of curricula and textbooks, nationalist activities in schools and so on. The JMO deputees in the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes sought to change this situation. They were trying to increase the number of primary and secondary schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina so that more children could attend school. They urged for organizing analphabetic courses in order to reduce the number of illiterate persons, as well as for opening and better work of domestic schools. They pointed out a lack of textbooks, weakness in the work of inspectors and supervisors and the uneven ethnic and confessional disposition of teachers at urban and rural schools. The deputees were particularly sharp in pointing out the frequent occurrence of consecration of public schools by the Orthodox priests and asked that “education should be free of politics“. In the National Assembly of the Kingdom of SHS the most active deputees were Džafer Kulenović, Edhem Mulabdić, Fehim Kurbegović, Hamzalija Ajanović, Halid-beg Hrasnica, Hamid Kurbegović and Husein Alić. However, they were very often lonely and misunderstood in the struggle for better education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Keywords: ulema; the Islamic Community; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Independent State of Croatia; El-Hidaje; the Committee of National Salvation; Ustashas; Chetniks; Partisans; religion; nation; politics;
This paper brings some facts that shed light on the views and approaches of Bosnian Muslim religious officials, especially higher ulema, towards the current issues of military, political and social reality of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its inhabitants during the Second World War (1941- 1945). The author presents some new information which relativize the points of view of Bosnian historiography in the Yugoslav era on the ulema whose biggest step towards resistance to the existing occupying systems was allegedly the signing of the resolutions in the autumn of 1941. Although the higher ulema generally welcomed the establishment of NDH as an opportunity to improve the position of Muslims, especially in terms of religious, educational and vakuf-property issues, the ulema did not accept the role of "Croatian Muslim clergy", while remaining aloof from the political and national goals of the Ustasha regime. During the war years the ulema had to adapt to the military and political relations and turns, which practically prevented their adherence to any single and consistent approach, rarely present among the Bosniak political and religious elites.
More...Keywords: sign language interpreter; Croatian Sign Language (HZJ); deaf persons; hard-of-hearing persons; deaf-blind persons;
The aim of this preliminary study was to examine the attitudes of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind people towards Croatian Sign Language (HZJ) interpreters in relation to their linguistic competence, ethics, and behavior during the interpreting process, as well as the personal characteristics of the interpreter. The study examined attitudes toward ethical standards that should be respected during interpreting to a deaf or hard-of-hearing person, especially in contexts where interpreting for deaf-blind persons with dual sensory impairment is carried out. Users of a sign language interpreter did express the importance of the quality of the interpreter and the interpreting process. They want a professional expert, implying a high level of competence in at least two languages (language skills and knowledge about the language), in our case HZJ and spoken Croatian. It is also necessary to have a good knowledge (theoretical and practical) of both cultures and strict adherence to the ethical principles of the profession. Since the tested groups of users of sign language interpreter services differ significantly in their answers, as determined by discriminant analysis and univariate analysis of variance, as well as post hoc analysis, this pilot study should serve as a basis for further, more detailed research on the relationship between interpreter service providers and recipients of those services – members of the deaf or deaf-blind community.
More...Keywords: attitudes about inclusion; preschool educators; primary school teachers; children with disabilities
The fundamental commitment in a preschool and primary school system, in order to realize the rights of children with disabilities, involves continuous efforts in improving and enhancing the quality of the educational process and the rehabilitation of children with disabilities. Numerous studies have shown that the competencies of educators and teachers are the fundamental predictors of the quality of education. Despite the clear need for professionalization of preschool educators, primary school teachers and other educational personnel in education, it is obvious that such a professionalization remains a constant challenge. Therefore, this paper examines the attitudes of teachers and educators regarding inclusive education and the application of inclusion in a regular preschool system and a regular primary school system. The study was conducted on a sample of 303 respondents (171 teachers in mainstream primary schools and 132 preschool teachers in regular preschools). The results obtained through this study reveal statistically significant differences between preschool educators and primary school teachers in terms of their attitudes about the inclusion of children with disabilities in the regular education system. The primary school teachers perceive the inclusion of children with disabilities in a regular education system significantly differently than the preschool educators do, and the resulting differences are reflected in the perception of professional competence in working with children with disabilities.
More...Keywords: cerebral palsy; visual-motor integration; analytical–synesthetic matrix for guiding movement; musical rhythmic stimulation
Within the holistic synthesis of modern doctrine in early developmental rehabilitation, rehabilitation medicine, rehabilitation sciences, and sophrology in a broader sense, an innovative method (i.e., protocols for treatment and evaluation) of analytical-synesthesia stimulation with the aim of functional psychomotor re-education of children with cerebral palsy is shown through four case studies. The initial hypothesis is defined according to which selective perceptual-motor and musical rhythmic stimulations affect the development of neurological chain reaction in the following areas: (a) the development of self-induced motion; (b) the activity of voluntary movement, and (c) the experience of aesthetic pleasure in the subject. The analysis of the tendency of changes in spatial-temporal orientation, in the synchronization of posture and movement, and in voluntary graphomotor activity (within the control and experimental research procedures), was conducted on the basis of 36 controlled variables, and complex computing in the form of statistical analysis (INDIFF). In order to make an assessment, following measurments were used: Gibson spiral labyrinth, Analytical–synesthetic matrix for guiding movement, and the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. The research was conducted in 11-17 assessment points. The results show significant changes in all subjects for the variables of visual-motor integration of the Berry Developmental Test as well as on variables of graphic-motor reproduction of circle and square after the application of the therapeutic program. We also determined the value of the conceptualized clinical model of the analytical-synaesthetic method that was developed with the application of selective perceptual-motor and musical rhythmic stimulations in the graphic-motor activity of a child with cerebral palsy.
More...Keywords: prosody; speech intelligibility; prelingual hearing loss; better ear pure-tone average; intervention
This paper examined the acoustic characteristics of the speech prosody of 19 young prelingually hearing impaired speakers (mean age 19.7 years; mean pure-tone average threshold in better ear 98.95 dB HL) and their relations to speech intelligibility, residual hearing, and audiologic/speech-language intervention characteristics (type of intervention, age when first hearing aid was fitted, daily use of hearing aid, and type of electro-acoustic device used). By using the Praat 4.3.21. program, speaking fundamental frequency, speech intensity, voice quality (alpha ratio), and speech tempo were measured from recorded samples of readings of simple text; intonation was analyzed in the reading of pairs of sentences that differed only in type (declarative vs. interrogative); the control of speech pauses was analyzed in the reading of pairs of sentences that differed only in the placement of speech pauses. Intelligibility was assessed by using an unstandardized words and sentences identification test (Bonetti, 2008; Bonetti et al., 2008), which included the evaluationof selected speech samples by 17 listeners with no prior experience in communication with people with hearing loss. Statistical analysis (STATISTICA 7.0) included descriptive, correlation, regression, and generalized cluster analysis, Wilcoxon signed-rank test , Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test, with p<0.05 as the adopted level of significance. Significant correspondence was observed between speech prosody and intelligibility, but not between prosody and better ear pure-tone average. Higher prosodic “accuracy” was linked to oral orientation in habilitation/education and to greater daily use of an electro-acoustic device. These results suggest that prosody training should in general be more strongly focused on temporal aspects of speech and that the success of the intervention, at least when speech quality is a criterion, depends on constant and maximum active participation of the remaining hearing in communication.
More...Keywords: theory of mind; emotion recognition; intelligence; family background
The aim of this study was to examine age- and gender-related changes in emotion recognition and the understanding of the theory of mind in preschool children, as well as the contribution of some individual and family variables to explaining individual differences in the understanding of the theory of mind. The study included 150 children (75 girls, 75 boys), aged from 48 to 68 months. Theory of mind was assessed using the Theory of Mind Scale, emotion recognition using the Emotion Recognition Scale, and cognitive status using the Matrix Reasoning Scale. ANOVA 3 (age) x 2 (gender) showed that the oldest children (62–68 months) were significantly more successful in understanding the theory of mind than the middle group (55–61 months) and the youngest age group (48–54 months), while gender differences were not found. The oldest group was also most successful in emotion recognition, and girls were more successful than boys. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to determine the contribution of the child’s individual factors (cognitive status and recognition of emotions) and family factors (parents’ educational level) to explaining the variation in the theory-of-mind test results. The following variables were found to be predictive: cognitive status, recognition of emotion, and education of parents. Children who scored higher on the nonverbal intelligence test and emotion recognition test, as well as children whose parents had higher educational level, showed a better understanding of the theory of mind.
More...Keywords: auditory processing; language impairment; children
Auditory processing is a system of processes that consists of active and passive noticing, following, discriminating, and continously transmitting information throughout the peripheral and central nervous system, as well as filtering, sorting, and combining the same information at the appropriate perceptive and conceptual level. Auditory processing deficit includes difficulties in interpreting speech sounds despite normal hearing abilities and regular cognitive functioning. Language impairment refers to a delay in language development and poor language skills despite regular cognitive functioning and the absence of neurological, motor, and sensory deficits. The aim of this study was to examine the auditory processing skills of language elements in children with language impairment and to compare the results with those of children with regular speech and language development, by adminstering a battery of tests for the evaluation of auditory processing deficit. Another aim was to determine differences within the group of children with language impairment in auditory processing skills considering the different types of language impairment, age, and gender of the examinees. The sample included 68 examinees ranging in age between 5,6 and 7,6 years (21 examinees with language impairment and 47 examinees with regular speech and language development) and was balanced for gender and age. The analysis of the results showed poorer auditory processing skills in examinees with language impairment. Differences corresponded to gender and type of language impairment, but did not correspond to the age of the examinees. These results suggest that there is a relation between neurological dismaturation, poorer auditory processing skills, and the development of language impairment because the most discriminative were the dichotic subtests, which can assess the functioning of neurological connections in the auditory system. Despite a probable close connection between language impairment and auditory processing deficit, we cannot claim that an auditory processing deficit alone is sufficient to cause language impairment.
More...Keywords: orofacial abilities; children with stuttering; articulation; movements; mandibular and sensory awareness
Stuttering, the most well-known speech disorder, is a syndrome with numerous manifestations on the speech and language, as well as the psychological, physical, and social area of those afflicted by it. Because its symptoms are so extensive, stuttering affects many aspects of a person’s life, especially his or her communication with the environment. All this suggests that the sole cause of stuttering is still unknown, and we can only try to find a way to improve the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the disorder. Testing the orofacial abilities of children who stutter is one of those ways, because these abilities emphasize the importance of sensorimotor features involved in speech production in stutterers. An experimental group of children who stutter (N = 10) and a control group of children who do not stutter (N = 20) were subjected to a MAMS test for the assessment of orofacial abilities in which four essential elements were assessed: movement, articulation, as well as mandibular and sensory awareness. The results of the two groups were compared overall and for each part of the test to determine whether the group of children who stutter have poorer orofacial abilities, as was assumed. The results of the study showed that, in general, the orofacial abilities of children who stutter are not as strong as the orofacial abilities of children who do not stutter, and that these children have more difficulty in performing a series of movements of orofacial structures; that they more often have difficulties in the articulation of certain sounds; that they are inferior in tasks of mandibular awareness; and that they have worse sensory awareness because they had more difficulty in identifying an object by sense of touch on the tongue and in recognizing the location of contact on the tongue.An experimental group of children who stutter (N = 10) and a control group of children who do not stutter (N = 20) weresubjected to a MAMS test for the assessment of orofacial abilities in which four essential elements were assessed: movement,articulation, as well as mandibular and sensory awareness. The results of the two groups were compared overall and for each partof the test to determine whether the group of children who stutter have poorer orofacial abilities, as was assumed.The results of the study showed that, in general, the orofacial abilities of children who stutter are not as strong as the orofacialabilities of children who do not stutter, and that these children have more difficulty in performing a series of movements of orofacialstructures; that they more often have difficulties in the articulation of certain sounds; that they are inferior in tasks of mandibularawareness; and that they have worse sensory awareness because they had more difficulty in identifying an object by sense of touchon the tongue and in recognizing the location of contact on the tongue.
More...Keywords: observation scale; preschool teachers; preschool children; resilience; socio-emotional well-being
The context of the institution of early and preschool education is a very important factor in monitoring, identifying, and promoting the well-being of children. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to validate the Socio-Emotional Well-Being and Resilience Scale for preschool children and to check its basic descriptive parameters. The study included N=112 preschool teachers who are observing preschool children behavior using this scale. A total of N=1792 children (939 girls and 853 boys) with a mean age of M=4.89 have been observed with regard to six dimensions: Making contact and social performance; Self-control and thoughtfulness; Self-assertiveness; Emotional stability and coping with stress; Task orientation; and Pleasure in exploration. Exploratory factor analysis with Varimax rotation resulted in a final scale consisting of five subscales with a structure almost identical to those from the original study, with the exception of the subscale Task orientation, which was not retained. Age and gender differences in the assessed dimensions showed the expected direction, with significant increases in all dimensions by age and significantly higher levels of all dimensions in girls. One specific and unexpected result was established: there was a significant decrease in pleasure of exploration between three- and fouryear-olds. The contribution of this study is exceptional due to the development of a valid measuring instrument that has applicable function as part of working with preschool children.
More...Keywords: disability; population ageing; social inclusion; elderly people with disabilities
The aim of this study was to gain knowledge regarding the integration of elderly people with disabilities into the community. The introductory section presents legislation and national strategies and programmes for the social inclusion of elderly people with disabilities in Croatia and both domestic and foreign studies on the inclusion of elderly people with disabilities into the community. The research for this study was carried out in 2009 by means of a survey with 107 people with disabilities over 65 years of age, as a part of the project entitled “The Social Position of People with Disabilities in Croatia” implemented by the Ministry of Family, Veterans’ Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity on the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia. Only the data about elderly people with disabilities were extracted for this paper. The objective was to examine the differences between some aspects of social inclusion, such as involvement in NGOs and cultural events, as well as the level of awareness among the population of elderly people with disabilities regarding the self-assessment of their degree of disability, household structure, and satisfaction with their present life in general. The results showed that the degree of self-perceived disability affects the involvement of elderly people with disabilities in the local community and their satisfaction with life, while household structure (whether a person is single or lives with other family members) was not significant. As many as 52.3% of the respondents do not consider themselves active members of the local community. The findings indicated the need for more intensive support of local communities in the inclusion of elderly people with disabilities into community activities.
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