Singing is an important skill for the positive management of children's behaviors. Throughout the ages, caregivers have sung babies to sleep with lullabies and cradle songs. As a powerful tool to communicate care and understanding, singing to babies increases closeness between caregiver and children and nourishes an early love of singing. Singing…

A study examined the relative effectiveness of written feedback of student speeches. Subjects, 114 students from a large, midwestern university enrolled in 10 sections of the basic communication course, supplied a photocopy of a speech evaluation form which included written comments as well as an overall speech grade for the third speech of the…

In the spring of 1987, the decision was made to discontinue the degree in speech communication (but retain the course offerings) within the department of communications at Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon. A recently hired faculty member adopted nine strategies in an attempt to reestablish the degree program in speech communication. Actions…

The development of skills for group evaluation and facilitation in today's team environment is an essential component of the learning process for the student of communication. Until recently there has been no integrated model for the consideration of small groups and teams that incorporated findings from psychology, social psychology, management…

Although previous research has explored the differences between Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) scores and Receiver Apprehension Test (RAT) scores, no studies have focused on the relationship between PRCA scores, RAT scores, and Telephone Apprehension Inventory (TAI) scores for the United States and Australia. A study…

Magic can be used in the communication classroom as a means for introducing and/or illustrating the subject of persuasion. A magical effect which fools the class can lead to an early discussion of the need to be a critical consumer of persuasive messages. Magic can also be used to introduce the subject of ethics in persuasion. Each student can be…

Forensics program administration raises a number of troubling liability concerns. The potential liability exposure of forensics administrators may vastly exceed the litigation risks that arise as a result of ordinary teaching duties. Potential liability exposure may result from the failure of program directors to act in accordance with college or…

A study explored student perceptions of how instructors of the speech communication basic course utilize affinity-seeking strategies to establish a communication climate in the classroom. Subjects were 147 undergraduate students enrolled in the basic course at a large midwestern university. Each subject was asked to complete two instruments: (1)…

It could be argued that the basic communication course is the center of the speech communication discipline. And yet there is little consensus as to the approach to teaching speech skills, what skills to teach, or whether the teaching of skills is even effective. Four areas for discussion must be considered if communication scholars are to…

Communication competence is too complex to assess as the result of one course in communication. If scholars in the field of communication tell accrediting agencies, administrators in higher education, state legislators, and/or the general public that students are competent communicators when they "pass" one communication course, they are…

The interests of all communication educators would best be served if those educators could agree on a single broad definition of critical thinking that incorporates a variety of perspectives. Toward this end, questionnaires were sent to a ramdom sampling of 300 members of the Speech Communication Association; 88 were returned. The questionnaire…

Fundamental differences exist between conceptualizing and operationalizing experiential education, in general, and graded speech communication internship classes-for-credit, in particular. Monitoring participation in experiential activities (including intercollegiate athletics, musical or stage production, publication of the campus newspaper, and…

A study examined the effectiveness of an experimental system of peer assessment. Two speech communication classes consisting of 22 student groups (110 participants) served as subjects. At the beginning of the semester, students in both classes were assigned to groups. Each group was responsible for presenting a project. The groups met both inside…

The l992 Hope College (Michigan) Interpersonal Communications Seminar provided a basis from which participants could examine the scope of interpersonal communication as a "practical discipline." Discussions focused on the constructivist perspective wherein persons approach the world through interpersonal processes which then channel…

A study examined communication majors' attitudes toward job opportunities in their chosen areas (and communication in general) and how communication majors have proactively prepared themselves to enter the work world. A convenience sample of 140 undergraduate students enrolled in communication programs at 4 different universities responded to a…