Examines the role of pronouns in the discursive display of identity. Through comparison of actual uses of the pronoun "I" in Javanese conversations with current views of pronouns in identity presentation, an attempt is made to show a vast cultural difference in how identity can be indexed and what variables may constitute identity in…

A major obstacle students encounter in their study of mathematics is the language of the discipline. The words used to convey mathematical concepts are foreign and conceal the notions that they are intended to reveal. Discusses this problem and presents suggestions to help make students sensitive to and aware of the precision required to…

Cites research showing that many technical writing courses do not give students an accurate conception of the workplace. Notes the importance of communication skills, inadequacies of writers in the workplace, and the need for practice and instruction in collaborative writing. Outlines a one-term course containing a collaborative writing project…

Surveys how communication departments respond to assessment mandates. Finds that most colleges and universities consider developing oral communication abilities a goal of their general education programs, frequently operationalized as a required course. Shows that course evaluations are the main source of information on the effectiveness of…

Discusses the increased popularity of communication as an academic major and career choice. Suggests that the change reflects the shift in the United States workplace to an information orientation. Reports results of a study of the jobs held by recipients of communication degrees. Concludes that speech communication as a major offers flexibility…

Twenty-two hearing-impaired children (ages 9 to 13) with a hearing loss of 80 dB or greater completed 3 tasks of intonation perception and production. Acoustic analysis suggested a relationship between imitation and discrimination of intonation contours and a relationship between imitation and production of orally read sentences when a rising…

This paper offers an endorsement of mainstream placements for adolescents with severe and profound hearing impairments, describes successful mainstreaming at Clarke School for the Deaf (Massachusetts) in classrooms using spoken and written English, points out roadblocks that must be negotiated for successful mainstream education, and outlines…

It is essential that a person in an influential position make communication skills a priority. Lists some specific ways to become a more effective communicator through nonverbal behavior and speaking, listening, and writing skills. (MLF)

Acquisition of novel words by kindergarten children (eight with normal language and eight with specific language impairment) was examined under various linguistic input conditions. Acquisition of novel words by both groups was significantly affected by alterations in speaking rate and the use of gestures accompanying spoken language. There were no…

Discusses, from the point of view of communication educators, the nature of interactions with disabled students and the sensitivity of educators to the broad nature of what constitutes a disability that warrants a reasonable accommodation. Outlines faculty rights and responsibilities to guide academic departments in their deliberations concerning…

Because the relationship of gesticulation to sign language has not received much research attention, this study considers gesture and sign among users of signed and oral languages. Results suggest that gestures produced by deaf individuals can be distinguished from the sign language in which they are embedded, including their semantic and…

Discusses the goals, course units, instructional strategies, and tools for evaluation that might be used to equip students to understand interactive communication technologies in the workplace. (KEH)

Surveys potential employers within the primary geographic area served by the university to determine regional employment prospects for graduates holding a master's degree in corporate and professional communication. Finds strong employment opportunities for such graduates. (KEH)

Presents a model for utilizing undergraduate teaching assistants in the basic communication course. Discusses the rationale for using undergraduates, responsibilities of the teaching assistant, and reasons students select a teaching assistantship. Considers selection, training, evaluation, and advantages and disadvantages for the students,…

The role that talk plays in socialization, social development, and possibly cognitive development is described. Research on talk is categorized as follows: studies that consider talk as a tool for investigation; studies that focus on development of grammar or language acquisition; and studies that fall between those extremes. (LB)