The purpose of this paper is to create a guide for beginning coaches of the "communication analysis" event in forensics and to attempt to arouse interest in the activity. According to the paper, the American Forensic Association defines communication analysis as an original speech designed to offer an explanation and/or evaluation of a…

The grading system for technical practicums in theatre at California State University, San Bernandino uses an evaluation form completed by each student's practicum supervisor. The evaluation form gives concrete evidence that there are viable criteria for grading practicums, and also helps if a student wishes to challenge his or her grade. Usually…

Speaking across the curriculum programs are a readily accessible venue for the assessment of oral communication competence and in some instances are already being used for such purposes. While so far the implementation of simple holistic judgments for quality assurance purposes has emerged as one practical procedure, further exploration should…

This paper offers three experiental assessment procedures for speaking/listening competencies. First, five important elements in assessing speaking and listening are presented: defiinition; the establishment of a specific purpose for the assessment; determining what is being measured; identifying the type of communication being assessed; and a…

In response to growing concern about the lack of basic writing skills, this paper presents an overview of the issues involved in selecting a method for the assessment of students' writing skills. After general criteria for determining the appropriateness of a writing evaluation procedure are outlined, the merits and limitations of objective tests…

The manual describes a procedure to assess to what extent a deaf-blind multiply handicapped student uses his residual hearing in the classroom. Six levels of auditory functioning (awareness/reflexive, attention/alerting, localization, auditory discrimination, recognition, and comprehension) are analyzed, and assessment activities are detailed for…

Noting that nonverbal communication classes rarely teach students to analyze their own nonverbal communication behavior, this paper presents five class activities that provide students with objective measures of their nonverbal selves. The exercises in the paper allow students to analyze their vocalics, facial kinesics, dress, and appearance.…

Three term analysis (a format for viewing a student in relation to other people and to the physical environment) is proposed as a way of providing teachers (including those of the handicapped) with a vehicle for viewing all behavior and recording all aspects of the planning process. S. Sapon's behavioral formulations are presented followed by a…

Holistic evaluation is a reliable, valid, and cost-effective alternative to the usual mechanical assessment of writing. Writing samples are scored on a five-point scale against an overall impression of development, organization, and coherentness. The method was applied to the Communication Activities Skills Project (CASP) for grades 3-12. Writing…

For a public speaking instructor, his involvement in forensics as a graduate student led to the use of cameras as an instructional tool. Video technology can be used in the classroom to maximize overall student performance. All graded speeches were videotaped and evaluated in class, which allowed students an extra opportunity to view their peers,…

The paper describes a "mini-assessment" designed to help teachers understand the nature and extent of students' learning problems. A distinction is made between children with reading problems due to neurological differences and those with problems due to emotional, educational, or cultural factors. The importance of identifying and referring the…

It is possible to use writing assignments in college psychology courses as a means of teaching subject matter and writing without substantially increasing instructor workload. There are two sets of strategies for dealing with the problem of limited time and energy, one pertaining to the writing assignment itself, the other to evaluating such…

Since 20% of all college students experience communication apprehension (CA), the developmental student, distinguished by lower than average academic scores, may also experience this inhibiting fear of communication. Characteristics of the developmental communication apprehensive student indicate that a program for overcoming communication…

The semantic differential scale developed by Charles Osgood, George Suci, and Percy Tannenbaum can be modified to create a method of evaluating student writing that is clear, efficient, flexible, and specific. Based upon the premise that most terms have several dimensions of meaning, the theory creates scales by drawing "lines" through the…

Originally part of a symposium on educational media for the deaf, the paper presents guidelines and suggestions for the use of games and simulations in the education of this population. Steps in the design of games, such as determining the educational goals and objectives of the games, are discussed. (PHR)