New language outcome measures for Mandarin speaking children with hearing loss

Objective:The paper discusses recent evidence on the assessment of language outcomes in children with hearing loss acquiring oral language. Methods: Research emphasizes that language tests must be specific enough to capture subtle deficits in vocabulary and grammar learning at different developmental ages. The Diagnostic Receptive and Expressive Assessment of Mandarin (DREAM) was carefully designed to be a comprehensive standardized Mandarin assessment normed in China's Mainland. Results:This paper summarizes the evidence-based item design process and validity and reliability results of DREAM. A pilot study reported here shows that DREAM provided detailed information about hearing impaired children's language abilities and can be used to aid intervention planning to maximize progress. Conclusion: DREAM represents an example of translational science, transferring methods from empirical studies of language acquisition in research environments into applied domains such as assessment and intervention. Research on outcomes in China will advance significantly with the availability of evidence-based comprehensive language tests that measure a sufficient age range of skills, are normed on Mandarin speaking children in China's Mainland, and are designed to capture features central to Mandarin language acquisition.

The Construct of the Story Continuation Writing Task: Insights From the China’s Standards of English Language Ability

Although the story continuation writing task(SCWT) has attracted much research attention, few studies have investigated the construct of the task, particularly with respect to which language competence it focuses on. In addition, although some studies have demonstrated that China’s Standards of English Language Ability(CSE) provides comprehensive insights into the development of Chinese learners’ English language proficiency, little research has investigated the relationship between CSE and SCWT. This study drew upon the CSE to develop an SCWT language use inventory to address the above research gaps. A total of 358 high school students were asked to complete the questionnaire, of which 277 valid responses were analyzed. Exploratory factor analysis(EFA) on the CSE-based questionnaire revealed the presence of six factors, namely language correctness, language variety, task planning, connecting-and-generating, selecting-andmining, and organizing. The strategy of connecting-and-generating was the only significant predictor of the learners’ SCWT scores. The paper also discusses the findings relating to the SCWT rating and other integrated writing tasks.

A Study on Language Standardization and Variation From the Perspective of Language Ecology

This thesis examines the dialectical relationship between language standardization and variation from the perspective of language ecology. Language standardization is a task of calibrating language ecological niche. No matter what kind of language in the world, it would experience language standardization issues during its development process. Language standardization and variation is the unity of contradiction. To handle their relationship properly is the basis of maintaining the harmonious language ecology, and also a prerequisite of forming a good language environment. It is pragmatic subject＇s bounden duty to observe and perform language standardization. Dynamic trend is determined by linguistic ecological environment. Pragmatic energy is determined by the competition among different languages. Linguistic ecological variation determines pragmatic change of pragmatic subject.

On the Legal Status of Sign Language and Braille in China:Development Process and Institutional Evolution

on the 30^(th)anniversary of the implementation of the Law of the people’s Republic of China on the protection of persons with Disabilities,re-examining the standardization of sign language and Braille will help implement the 14^(th)Five-Year plan and further improve the protection system for the rights and interests of persons with disabilities.From the perspective of regulation,conception and cultivation,it is necessary to clarify the legal status of sign language and Braille in China,accelerate the development of education,and heighten the awareness of rights protection.Identifying sign language and Braille either as a part of the standard national spoken and written language or as a supplementary language can both reaffirm their actual status in the practice of language and script standardization,but the actual needs of the promotion and use of sign language and Braille have not yet been met.only when the two are clearly defined as being forms of the standard national spoken and written language can their legal status be fundamentally consolidated,and a systematic structure for the protection of the rights and interests of persons with disabilities be realized.In order to determine the legal status of the two as being forms of the standard national language,a three-level system of“legal foundation-legislative implementation-system support”should be put in place,so as to form a synergy for the promotion of national standard sign language and Braille.

Language Attitudes among International Students and Instructors toward Standard Languages and Dialects in the ESL Language School

In the field of sociolinguistics,language attitude is an important content which reflects the conception and perception of language by speakers.The paper tries to explore different language attitudes towards standard language and dialect among international students and English instructors in the ESL language school.Participants were all interviewed by means of conversation recordings in the ESL language school.The results indicated that the majority of the ESL language school speakers kept a positive attitude towards their standard languages and dialects.The educational methods of parents had an influence on the choice of standard language and dialect towards speakers,and participants also expressed a strong social identity when they talked about their languages.Those findings illustrate the significance of the study of language attitudes in the ESL language school center.