Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Family Communication, Relational Communication. Objectives: The objective of this study is to engage students in identifying close relationships' costs/rewards, resources, and development by creating a visual representation using a tree metaphor. Students will reflect on their close relationships and apply…

Leveraging arts-based pedagogy, this interpersonal and/or family communication activity allows students to engage creatively with a concept of the instructor's choosing through the creation of a collective poem. Each student contributes statements that the instructor forms into a poem, resulting in a collaborative artifact that engages students'…

To prevent and resolve common behavior problems in young children, early childhood teachers need a full understanding of what's behind the behaviors and strategies that really work. This complete professional development package gives pre- and in-service educators the practical help they've been waiting for. Taking a "big picture"…

Most communication texts analyze relationships by focusing on the big moments such as conflicts, crises, break-ups, major transitions, or initial meetings. Perhaps because everyday communication is so common, it often has been ignored for study and analysis. Yet because these seemingly undramatic interactions form the basis for relationships,…

Many times, families, and in particular parents, do not discuss important issues of sex with their children. Children learn about sex-related topics from their friends, other family members, or media sources. In such instances, while children at least may be learning about sex, the accuracy of the sources from which they are obtaining information…

Suggests "Woman Under the Influence" is an excellent film for teaching key concepts in family communication. Explains systems theory as it applies to transactions within the family. Extends the theory to the analysis of the spousal relationship in the film from the perspective of interactional communication, dramatically illustrating the…

In this activity, students will be able to apply the concepts of stories and rituals to an analysis of the ritual in the short story "Harvest Home" by David Bradley, gaining understanding of how stories and rituals affect and reflect family values, power structures and identities. "Harvest Home" talks about the rituals involved in a…

A coed health education course for hearing impaired 11th graders touched upon family relationships and sexuality. Resources for health education are listed. (CL)

Grandparents play an integral role in a child's life. In recent years these functions have been expanded due to longer life spans, access to better health care, and changing family dynamics. President Jimmy Carter designated Sunday, September 9th, 1979, as the first formal Grandparents Day, and the first Sunday following Labor Day in each…

Discusses the need for the development of specific instructional practices to teach relevant concepts and issues on communication in the family setting. Provides guidelines for an exercise using E. Goffman's concepts of markers and tie-in signs to determine, observationally yet unobtrusively, whether individuals in public places have a familial…

Social class remains one of the chief prisms through which reality is interpreted. It is vital for a student to understand how this prism influences their internal representations of themselves and others. In this activity, social class is viewed as a social construction of perceived financial and/or economic status developed through societal…

This article discusses how home economics can have a significant, positive impact on how children with disabilities affect families by reducing negative attitudes and focusing on strengthening family systems. Suggested lessons and audiovisual resources are presented. (CT)

Examines life-space diagrams as a form of nonverbal poetry which taps personal feelings, tells a story, and characterizes a particular life situation, forming a useful therapy technique that provides a family the opportunity to examine its internal family relationships. Offers two case studies, discusses five levels of knowing and awareness, and…

An overview of South Asian and Southeast Asian Americans is discussed to aid teachers in understanding behaviors exhibited by Asian students. Culture influences in the following areas are explored: family relationships, respect for age, social interaction, communication style, family expectations, humility, school situations, decision making, and…

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module explores the nature of family dynamics. The module's learning objectives address: (1) family functions, structure, membership, and responsibilities; (2) the stages of family development; (3) the impact of family…