Blackwell Handbook of Language Development: (Wiley Blackwell Handbooks of Developmental Psychology)

The Blackwell Handbook of Language Development provides a comprehensive treatment of the major topics and current concerns in the field; exploring the progress of 21st century research, its precursors, and promising research topics for the future. Provides comprehensive treatments of the major topics and current concerns in the field of language development Explores foundational and theoretical approaches Focuses on the 21st century's research into the areas of brain development, computational skills, bilingualism, education, and cross-cultural comparison Looks at language development in infancy through early childhood, as well as atypical development Considers the past work, present research, and promising topics for the future. Broad coverage makes this an excellent resource for graduate students in a variety of disciplines

Table of Contents:
List of Contributors. Preface. 1. On the Development of the Field of Language Development: Marilyn Shatz (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). Part I: Basic Foundations and Theoretical Approaches to Language Development:. Introduction. 2. The Neurodevelopmental Bases of Language: Valerie L. Shafer (City University of New York) and Karen Garrido-Nag (City University of New York). 3. Formal and Computational Constraints on Language Development: Helen Goodluck (University of York). 4. Domain-General Learning Capacities: Jenny R. Saffran (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Erik D. Thiessen (Carnegie Mellon University). 5. How Inherently Social is Language?: Dare Baldwin (University of Oregon, Eugene) and Meredith Meyer (University of Oregon, Eugene). 6. Input and the Acquisition of Language: Three Questions: Virginia C. Mueller Gathercole (University of Wales, Bangor) and Erika Hoff (Florida Atlantic University). 7. The Emergence of Language: A Dynamical Systems Account: Julia L. Evans (San Diego State University). Part II: Language Development in Infancy:. Introduction. 8. Experiential Influences on Speech Perception and Speech Production in Infancy: Linda Polka (McGill University, Montreal), Susan Rvachew (McGill University, Montreal), and Karen Mattock (McGill University, Montreal). 9. Acquiring Linguistic Structure: LouAnn Gerken (University of Arizona, Tucson). 10. Cognitive Processes in Early Word Learning: Diane Poulin-Dubois (Concordia University, Montreal) and Susan A. Graham (University of Calgary). 11. Syntactic Supports for Word Learning: Letitia R. Naigles (University of Connecticut, Storrs) and Lauren D. Swensen (University of Connecticut, Storrs). Part III: Language Development in Early Childhood:. Introduction. 12. Phonological Development: Carol Stoel-Gammon (University of Washington, Seattle) and Anna Vogel Sosa (University of Washington, Seattle). 13. Mechanisms of Word Learning: Gil Diesendruck (Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel). 14. The Abstract Nature of Syntactic Representations: Consequences for a Theory of Learning: Jeffrey Lidz (University of Maryland, College Park). 15. Conversational Understanding in Young Children: Michael Siegal (University of Trieste/University of Sheffield) and Luca Surian (University of Trieste). 16. Bilingual First Language Acquisition: Fred Genesee (McGill University, Montreal) and Elena Nicoladis (University of Alberta, Edmonton). Part IV: Language Development after Early Childhood:. Introduction. 17. Developing Linguistic Knowledge and Language Use Across Adolescence: Ruth A. Berman (Tel Aviv University). 18. Language and Literacy in Bilingual Children in the Early School Years: D. Kimbrough Oller (University of Memphis) and Linda Jarmulowicz (University of Memphis). 19. Second Language Acquisition in Childhood: Johanne Paradis (University of Alberta, Edmonton). Part V: Atypical Language Development:. Introduction. 20. Children with Specific Language Impairment: Bridging the Genetic and Developmental Perspectives: Mabel L. Rice (University of Kansas, Lawrence). 21. Atypical Language Development: Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Helen Tager-Flusberg (Boston University). 22. Reading and Reading Disorders: Heikki Lyytinen (University of Jyväskylä, Finland), Jane Erskine (Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland), Mikko Aro (Niilo Mäki Institute, Jyväskylä, Finland), and Ulla Richardson (University of Jyväskylä, Finland). Author Index. Subject Index

About the Author :
Erika Hoff is Professor of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. She is author of Language Development (2005). Marilyn Shatz is Professor of Psychology and Linguistics at the University of Michigan. She is author of A Toddler’s Life (1994).

Review :
"Catapulting us full-speed into the twenty-first century, the 'Blackwell Handbook of Language Development' offers a stunning vista on contemporary knowledge about language development in our species. The mystery of the child's linguistic mind is laid bare while thoroughly explaining the important social and cognitive contexts in which it grows. The edition's eminent editors, Hoff and Shatz, offer brilliant insights, theoretical notes, and historical views that give depth and urgency to the field's looming modern questions, and the text's contributors are an international tour-de-force whose ingenious research provide a new look on the magic of human language learning. Fascinating accounts of language development in infancy, early childhood, later childhood, the bilingual child, and atypical language development are included. This must-read text will interest scholars, students, and professionals, alike, and will utterly satisfy all those who have ever marveled at the beauty of language or wondered about how our magnificent human mind discovered and learned it." Laura-Ann Pettito, Dartmouth College "Hoff and Shatz have gathered an important and lively set of new articles on child language learning with broad topical coverage, and considerable attention to foundational issues as well as recent empirical findings. Diverse points of view are well represented and explained. This collection would certainly be my choice as a text for advanced courses and seminars on language acquisition." Professor Lila Gleitman, University of Pennsylvania "The authors ... have risen to the monumental challenge of charting language development ... .The book successfully captures the complexities of language development across time." Canadian Psychology