This paper attempts to integrate the results of the ethnographic and attitudinal components of a broader study into a specifically sociolinguistic analysis. While a variety of opinions can be found in the literature on code-switching, the contention here is that code-switching is a norm in specific speech situations that exist in stable bilingual…

Intended for educational practitioners interested in basic skills instruction, the papers in the first section of this volume detail the progress that has been made in classroom research during the past decade and discusses three characteristics of effective teaching--teacher expectations, active teaching, and classroom management. The second…

Even while struggling with their own biases and values, communication scholars can and should teach a unit on ethics in the basic communication course. One possible approach begins on the cognitive level by describing four different orientations toward ethics: hedonistic, legalistic, altruistic, and situational. By working out case study…

Lists of topics and elements in American English are provided for use in developing English as second language (ESL) materials and lessons. The 128 lists are presented under five categories: (1) examples of grammatical forms; (2) common communicative situations, topics, and functions; (3) aspects of American culture; (4) metalinguistic factors…

There is a great deal of knowledge required to send or receive a message of "no." The acquisition of communicative competence, i.e., the ability to interpret the full meaning of a message and the ability to properly formulate such messages, requires three levels of knowledge. These three levels are all needed in the interpretation of the…

Issues involved in teaching and assessing communicative competence are identified and applied to adolescent native English speakers with low levels of academic achievement. A distinction is drawn between transactional versus interactional speech, short versus long speaking turns, and spoken language influenced or not influenced by written…

The use of student lectures as an integrative language learning approach for university level English as second language students is described. Student lectures pair decoding skills with encoding skills through five steps: selecting an article of interest, reading the article and taking notes on it, using the notes to prepare an oral report,…

Intended as a guide for educators interested in developing oral communication programs, this booklet contains activities and assessment instruments for use at all grade levels from prekindergarten through senior high school. The first section presents activities designed to develop oral communication skills and check lists to assess those skills.…

Sexual harassment is widespread on college campuses across the United States and is a subject that merits sensitive and sensible discussion. Once they acknowledge the problem, speech communication professionals can become better informed about sexual harassment and ways of dealing with it, and commit themselves to responsible communicative action.…

There are three general characteristics of a small group that merit analysis and application to a forensics squad: oral interaction, identification of a collectivity, and potential for unified action. Cohesive groups have a high energy level that is typically focused upon facilitation of productive group functioning. In order to develop and…

A study was conducted to determine if the speech communication programs in Texas colleges and universities were providing the skills needed by industry. A survey of current business journals revealed seven skills needed by college graduates seeking employment in business: (1) public speaking skills, (2) knowledge of communication theory and flow…

As yet there is no comprehensive, systematic, demonstrably effective program for maximizing empathetic communication behaviors. What is needed are theories, concepts, and methods that would provide for such learning. One avenue of approach is to search for models and metaphors that would allow for an encompassing comprehension of empathy and…

Two major developments have occurred in recent years in the area of labor-management relations, both of them based on the principle of cooperation, in contrast with the traditional adversarial stance of the two parties. The first is cooperation between management and its counterpart in the labor movement, union leadership; and the second is…

A study was conducted to investigate the success of women contestants in Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) debate. The study sought to determine whether (1) CEDA is a more attractive debate activity for women, (2) men are more successful in CEDA debate than women, (3) the gender mix of debate teams favors all-male teams over all-female…

Since negotiations are continually taking place around the world, speech communication departments would be wise to update their curricular offerings by adding a course in negotiation theory and practice, or by supplementing courses with a unit in negotiation. An initial technique for introducing students to negotiation involves brainstorming. As…