Describes various aspects of young children's playful use of language. The kind and characteristics, functions, and teaching implications of language play are discussed. (Author/CM)

Explains how speech-act theory can be applied to written business communication through an emphasis on elements that are often neglected: intention, context, and language usage. Shows how the knowledge of speech-act theory can improve business communication teaching. (PD)

Explains the keywords journal project, an assignment designed to immerse students in the study of their own language in a way that will connect their personal investigations with more formal study of language as a variable in the communication process. (EL)

Describes a novel approach to teaching verbal communication principles to hearing-impaired students: students invent languages and attempt to use them in small groups. The assignment reveals important characteristics, functions, and limitations of language. (This approach was originally developed by Nels Juleus for nonhandicapped students. For his…

This examination of the frequency of occurrence of multiple meaning expressions in the oral speech of teachers found that such expressions as indirect requests, idioms, similes, metaphors, and irony were used in about 36 percent of all utterances by two different teachers at each grade level from K-eight. Implications for language-impaired…

This paper suggests classroom activities to develop awareness of language and the sociolinguistic aspects of language proficiency and to help eliminate language prejudice. The exercises are presented in seven categories: (1) examination of connotative and denotative language, names and nicknames; (2) dialects and slang and the status attached to…

Asserts that, in the social studies classroom, students' participation in language activities in which form, function, and audience are varied is a crucial dimension of their becoming effective citizens. Includes a table listing linguist Michael Halliday's seven purposes of language accompanied by classroom examples of each. (MJP)

This teacher's guide is designed for use in presenting a five-unit course in effective communication that is part of a life skills series intended to help students become more self-sufficient in their personal and professional lives. The course's five instructional units cover these topics: understanding communication, improving communication,…