It is difficult to think about masculine and feminine behaviors without simultaneously conjuring the sex-trait and sex-role stereotypes that accompany these behaviors. Despite the fact that much has been written identifying other attributes that ought to be equally valued and encouraged in women's and men's communication…

A study of 178 secondary school teachers in the California was motivated by the passage of the Ryan Act of 1970, which eliminated the high school speech credential and subsumed it under the English umbrella. The result has been that the speech communication subject matter is expected to be integrated into the English courses in the state. The 1987…

The typical textbook for the basic course fails to integrate the broad range of topics it introduces to the new student of communication. One way of addressing this problem would be to use feature films in the course, such as "Wall Street,""True Colors,""Other People's Money,""Milagro Beanfield War," and…

Each student needs to achieve optimally in oral communication. The rural student should have ample opportunities to experience quality learning activities in communicating with others. First, pupils should have ample opportunities to practice making introductions. In society, people are introduced to each other. It is important to make the…

The traditional method of evaluating student speeches involves an instructor who listens to the speeches while filling out a critique form and/or writing comments. There are many problems with the traditional method that can be solved by the use of computer feedback; moreover, it will give the student speaker specific design and evaluation…

Henry Cisneros, speaking on the theme, "the colorful past and promising future of Hispanic heroes in Texas," in Amarillo, Texas, on February 7, 1989, was successful in eliciting a positive response from his Anglo/Hispanic audience. An analysis of Cisneros' use of narrative demonstrates its effectiveness in leading to a feeling of…

The film "Stagecoach," a 1939 Western epic, was used in a 200-level small-group communication course as an instructional resource to illustrate the emergence of group norms and roles, the treatment of deviance and conflict, and the influence of external threats, interdependent goals, and shared history on the development of cohesiveness…

Within each speech communication class, the teacher can more easily realize the overriding goals of general education by expanding the horizons of the assignment using the method of forced choice. Forced choice operates within the assumptions that the spectrum of structure helps reach a more thorough set of educational goals, and giving the…

A group leadership exercise that incorporates the elements of leadership and other aspects of interaction within small groups can be useful in a basic communication course. The exercise is designed around three basic leadership styles: laissez-faire, democratic, and authoritarian. The exercise is conducted in the following way: (1) the class…

While many strategies have been suggested to treat communication apprehension (CA), no research has accounted for potential gender differences in the treatment of CA. Further, no research has documented the effect on CA of self-modeling. A study identified differences in CA remediation across gender among the following treatment conditions: video…

Describing a game-playing concept called "Tangoes" which is also known as the ancient Chinese puzzle game of Tanagram, this paper offers a teaching method which enables students to better understand the roles played in groups as well as how groups function. The paper contains a list of materials, an explanation of the process, usage…

Intended for teachers, this paper offers a method of incorporating narratives and postmodernism theory into the introductory communication course. It discusses narrative and the essential role it plays in attaching meaning to human experiences and establishing their identities. The paper describes the concepts taught in the introductory course,…

As early as 1993 James Madison University realized that a significant revision was necessary in its undergraduate core curriculum. A General Education Committee was formed which undertook a review and evaluation of 1352 objectives; the Committee produced and published a list of approximately 100 specific learning objectives. These learning…

This paper describes an assignment that is used in a hybrid speech course to test students' knowledge as well as work toward more application of the interpersonal, small group, and conflict aspects of the course. Discussion is scheduled after the lectures that cover those aspects, and a one-day lecture on the topic of persuasion and sources…

Arguing that the most effective method to help shy people develop essential social and communication skills is a modification of the way these people perform, this book proposes a system which includes skills training, cognitive restructuring, and systematic relaxation. The book's 12 chapters are as follows: (1) Understanding Communication…