Modification mitigates negative feedback by immediately attempting to improve the feedback's level of acceptability. This article introduces modification as a group-leader skill necessary for the processing of messages containing both counterproductive and productive elements. Describes the value and application of modification in group work. (RJM)

Home observations of parent-child interactions in 40 families with young children were conducted over 27 months. Ten parent measures showed stability across time but differences across families. The amount of parenting per hour, and the quality of the verbal content of parents' speech, were related to family SES and child IQ. (BC)

Strategies used to show participants' agreement or disagreement are examined, based on a phone-in radio program in which a male psychologist offers diagnosis and advice to a female caller during a 10-minute conversation. Linguistic devices including repetition, back-channel responses, and hesitation are noted in the context of an asymmetrical…

Examines academic freedom from the point of view of the intersection between researcher and professional journal. Identifies two major places where violations of academic freedom might occur: (1) the review and editorial process that precedes publication; and (2) tenure and merit considerations (including issues of retention, promotion, pay…

The development of forms and functions of negation in parent-child interactions in the early stages of language acquisition is discussed with illustrative examples from field data relating to two Tamil-speaking children and their parents. An attempt is made to provide a scheme for analyzing the negatives in children's speech. (18 references) (JL)

Eighteen cases of disintegrative psychosis (DP) were compared with 52 cases of infantile autism (IA) with speech loss and 145 IA cases without speech loss. DP cases showed clearer regression after more satisfactory development than the IA cases with speech loss, and by age seven were more severely retarded but similar in autistic symptomatology to…

This paper describes preliminary development of a microcomputer system to facilitate extended conversation on a broad topic for people of normal intelligence who are physically disabled and lack speech. The paper concludes that, with prestorage and preorganization of potential speech acts, satisfactory computer-assisted, real-time conversations…

Spoken communication between residents (n=10; ages 12-21) and staff members in an institution for people with mental retardation was examined. Findings suggest that staff members and residents differed in their use of topics, with staff members talking primarily about instructional and behavior management topics and residents focusing mostly on…

Shows that the Scottish Vowel Length Rule supports Kiparsky's (1988) association of diffusing sound changes with lexical, and neogrammarian changes with postlexical rules, and to some extent, is a clearer illustration of Harris' (1989a: 55) notion of a phonological "life cycle" of changes and rules. (50 references) (GLR)

Reviews two challenges to free speech (school-sponsored speech and racist and sexist speech) on the college campus. Suggests guidelines for communication administrators attempting to maximize expressive freedom within the dictates of the law. (PRA)

Suggests that sociolinguistic knowledge is realized from the beginning of language use. The roles of formulaic language and of interactional consequences are described as explanations for the acquisition of style-switching. (30 references) (Author/JL)

Surveys student and faculty perceptions about dissertation advisor-advisee relationships regarding roles, the nature of the relationship, communication between advisor and advisee, and communication with committee members. Pinpoints conflicting expectations about faculty feedback and advisor-advisee roles as areas of dissatisfaction. (SR)

A survey of 75 school administrators was made to determine what they judge to be the specific oral communication skills most vital to teacher success. The emphasis administrators place on oral communication means that it should figure prominently in teacher education. Of all communication factors, listening is considered most important. (SLD)

Reports on a study of the use and supervision of part-time faculty in journalism and mass communication and whether the existence of accreditation guidelines made a difference in the use and supervision of part-time faculty. (SR)

Summarizes research findings that challenge long-standing theories of infant cognition and motor development and proposes alternative theoretical models to describe skill acquisition during the first several years of life. Findings are discussed with respect to research in the area of infant speech physiology and production. (Author/CR)