As an increasing number of communication professionals embark on careers in training and consulting, it is imperative that they ground their work in sound ethical principles and related practices. Recognizing the importance of ethics as a discipline, the National Communication Association (NCA) is in the process of developing a code of ethics for…

Studies indicate that there is a general lack of availability and use of women's speeches in college speech curricula. By incorporating more women's speeches as models, instructors of the basic course in speech can present a more complete picture of American public speaking while also encouraging women in these classes to feel less muted in their…

Describes a student-centered grading system utilized in a high school public speaking course in which students evaluate and grade peer performance. Management of this system is facilitated through a computerized spreadsheet. The template designed to organize records of student grades and advantages of this grading system are discussed. (MBR)

Noting that the formal split between instruction in written and oral modes of communication is a relatively recent one, this paper presents arguments against that split--at both the secondary school and the college level--and arguments for instruction in communication. The paper offers a historically based definition of communication, positing…

Discusses the place of nonstandard language in the English curriculum. Summarizes one speech instructor's attempt to locate a connection between black English and middle class white suburban language patterns. Shows how speech teachers can help students become aware of their own speech patterns. (HB)

Recent surveys have shown that the basic speech communication course, designed to introduce students to the discipline and to meet their basic proficiency needs, is alive and growing rapidly. While this is generally good news, a more critical examination reveals a variety of issues in need of resolution. A significant amount of course time is…

Tells English teachers how to develop a speech program using skills that are similar to those used in essay writing. Shows how the following steps in the speech-making process can be divisions in the course: purpose, audience, content, delivery, and evaluation. (EL)

This paper asserts that by removing speech and rhetoric from the "English" department and making composition a stepchild of literature, Harvard and Johns Hopkins Universities ultimately made it much more difficult for writing instructors today to capitalize on the strong physical underpinnings that speech and rhetoric provide to writing.…

To bridge the gap between broad philosophical claims about the value of forensics and actual current practices and experiences, the concept of the "total" forensic program offers critical components that are educationally valid with numerous advantages for participants and sponsoring departments. The total approach is defined as the most…

Noting that most graduate study in communication consists of specialization within the broader field, this paper argues that graduate level communication programs are not only justifiable but also are mandatory if students of communication are to advance much beyond the practitioner stage. The first section of the paper, "Graduate Communication…

Drawn from a l985 conference focusing on curriculum for small college speech communication programs, the articles in this journal issue deal with issues related to curriculum development and enrichment in small colleges. Articles in the first section discuss chairing the small department. Specific topics addressed include speech communication…