This article highlights an important role of speech studies disciplines in teaching students to create business discourse, stresses practical orientation of teaching, a need to achieve a greater and more effective balance of theory and practice. The article presents innovative forms of teaching students to create and percept institutional business…

During the past decade, instructors of speech communication have been adapting the introductory speech course to keep up with the television age. Learning units in speech textbooks now teach how to speak well on television, as well as how to interpret speeches in the media. This article argues that the computer age invites adaptation of the…

A description of the sophomore level speech communication fundamentals course offered at Wauwatosa East High School in Wisconsin is presented in this paper. Following a statement of a philosophy of teaching communication theory, the major portion of the paper contains descriptions of the five units of the course: (1) communication concepts and…

The Target: Communication Skills program instituted in the Lincoln, Nebraska, public schools proposes that all students, K-12, in all subject areas be provided with opportunities to develop and improve their communication skills. The program emphasizes four basic skills: speaking, observing, listening, and nonverbal skills. In applying this…

Describes an effort at Radford University to incorporate oral communication training, activities, and evaluation into business courses. Provides background information about Radford's marketing research course, details the oral communication training and activities in the course, and reviews student reactions to the activities. (PRA)

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…

Argues that efforts to promote the Communication Department should begin within the departments and students of the institution itself. Details six steps a Communication Department can take to promote its product. (PD)

To provide special instruction for students who report fear and avoidance of communication, a reticence program was instituted at Pennsylvania State University. Since the school has a general speech requirement that nearly all students have to meet in order to graduate, students are given an opportunity to enroll in this special section if they…

Ways of enriching the high school English curriculum with instruction in oral communication and career related skills are presented in this paper. The suggestions include activities for developing skills in basic public speaking, listening, social awareness, educational awareness, economic awareness, group discussion, letters of application, job…

The rationale and procedures for assessing students' oral communication skills at Alverno College (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) are outlined in this paper. Since the curriculum at Alverno emphasizes ongoing performance assessment as an integral part of the learning process and as an effective measurement of educational progress, the discussion focuses on…

To assist the Illinois Basic Skills Program, the Illinois Speech and Theatre Association (ISTA) developed a task force that offered the state assistance in (1) facilitating oral communication learning in Illinois schools with an emphasis upon the utilization of existing school programs and staff; (2) developing a plan for a systematic approach to…

Providing both a rationale and a syllabus for a basic course in communication skills for college students training to be teachers, this paper explains why such elements as training in audiovisual aids and writing instruction were left out of the basic course and placed in elective courses. It then presents a detailed discussion of the topics…

Intended as a curriculum development aid for speech communication instructors, this paper provides an outline model for basic speech competencies. The first section of the outline offers approaches to the basic speech communication course, including traditional versus competency-based approaches to education, and presents the three dimensions of a…

Discusses communication games and activities which can be used to teach speaking and listening skills. Proposes and applies a set of criteria for evaluating such curriculum materials. Examines communication games used in referential communication research and suggests their inclusion in the curriculum. (JMF)

Within the structure of a senior and graduate level course, students in the Ohio University school of interpersonal communication collaborate with community groups in the creation of campaigns promoting issue-awareness, political candidates, fund raising events, and citizen action. The course objectives include teaching students to understand the…