A seven-step procedure was developed to improve the intelligibility of children with significant motor problems (such as cerebral palsy). The procedure employs delayed auditory feedback to help the children control their rate of speaking to make it commensurate with their motor abilities. The procedure was pilot-tested with six children. Results…

The study was designed to explore whether learning a phoneme in a word-final position facilitated production of the same phoneme word medially or intervocalically in six 3 to 5 year olds with articulation disorders. A stimulus-response-reinforcement approach to treatment was used that elicited both imitative and spontaneous responses. Probe lists…

A three-factor model for the management of early childhood stuttering is proposed that takes into account stuttering's psychosocial, psycholinguistic, and physiological aspects. The primary focus of the present article is the psycholinguistic factor. To this end, a rationale for the use of language-based therapy is presented, together with…

The key element to the survival of speech communication and its status in academe is the basic course, which tells the academic community what speech communication is and what it can produce in terms of observable student behavior. This basic course, upon which many communication departments depend, must produce students who are obviously trained…

The keeping of journals by students in the basic speech course is the focus of this paper, which is divided into three parts. Part 1 examines the benefits of journal use to students and teachers and points out that three types of learning can thus be encouraged: the development of thinking skills, personal growth, and content learning. It also…

Research indicates that about 40% of the population fear public speaking. There is a wide variety of possible causes for this unwillingness to communicate: a lack of skills, social introversion, alienation, lack of fluency in English, and communication apprehension. Despite the fact that evidence indicates everyone may have some difficulty with…

Twenty years of research in interpersonal communication have provided teachers with a basis for identifying the competencies that should be taught in introductory interpersonal communication courses, including empathy, social composure, and conflict management. However, other issues such as "performance vs. knowledge," the affective dimension, and…

Data on teaching approaches, general theoretical concepts, and perceptions about the voice problems of students were gathered from 66 voice and speech instructors in 52 professional training programs in acting and are summarized in this report. Instructors' responses are reported for a number of topics, including the following: (1) influences on…

Preschool children were presented with conflicting cues in order to assess the importance of pointing, verbalizing, and looking by adults in directing the attention of children. The study involved two procedures: first, the experimenter indicated by pointing, verbalizing, or looking whether a big or little bead was to be put on a string by the…

Ninety-seven developmentally disabled mentally retarded persons (aged 10 to 48 years) living in an institution, in group homes, or at home were trained in environmental language, speech, and reading skills using a game oriented multisensory approach. The evening tutorial program consisted of 20 sessions over a 6 month period. A pedagogic and task…

The longitudinal study compared the speech of two children (beginning at age 3) with cleft palate and inadequate velopharyngeal closure in an attempt to identify the patterns of production observed prior to surgery and the course and rate of change in production following surgery. Subjects' speech samples were evaluated prior to pharyngeal flap…

The study evaluated the effects of an auditory monitoring and feedback approach on an adolescent boy's schizophrenic language patterns. The approach attempted to increase the subject's auditory awareness and to train him to identify and correct the linguistic errors of others and, eventually, of himself. Language samples were analyzed at baseline…

A study compared Penn State University's computer-aided Reticence Program, for shy/reticent public speaking students, with two existing approaches: (1) oral interpretation and (2) the lectures, demonstrations, and coached rehearsals of more traditional reticence instruction. Thirty reticent students, including 9 males and 21 females, were placed…

Intended as an introduction to the problem of conducting an in-depth examination of speech behavior, this manual is based upon the findings of recent research and on developments in speech analysis. The seven chapters discuss the following: a rationale for evaluating speech habits, the role of listening in the analysis of speech habits,…

Secondary education majors participated in a one-week microteaching program in which they were trained to identify and quantify verbal behaviors that inhibit teacher clarity. Teacher clarity indicators were identified as vagueness terms and mazes. Vagueness terms are indicated by approximation or lack of clarity and assurance. Mazes are garbles,…