Presents a scenario outlined by a librarian interested in sponsoring a staff development program together with a hired consultant. It is argued that, through candid discussions and a commitment to shared program goals, a successful match can be made between a librarian and the consultant. (MAB)

The verbal and nonverbal behaviors of five children (ages seven and eight) with specific language impairments wishing to gain access into established social interactions were evaluated. Although comparative children without language impairments had no difficulty, three of the subjects were unable to gain access at all and the other two did so…

Analysis of the discourse demands across the school year within a recurred event, "Circle Time," is presented to show how three and four year olds learned to be conversationally appropriate partners within a group, how the teacher's interactional patterns shifted as students learned, and how participation in the subevents added differing…

Assessed important factors in marital adjustment of Taiwanese couples (n=56) in America and of Caucasian American couples (n=62). Results indicated American couples engaged in significantly more verbal communication; the presence of children was negatively related to marital adjustment for both groups. (ABL)

Introduces computerized coding procedure that rates words and utterances in terms of emotion, cognition, and contract, as well as contingency method of analyzing verbal interactions. Rating procedure and contingency correlation analyses using transcripts of sessions conducted by three therapists with one client found that therapists' utterances…

Discusses recent research on social interaction and literacy (the notion that substantive talk is a primary means for becoming literate). Discusses social interaction as a means for learning, as part of literacy periods, and as a means for integrating learning across the curriculum. Discusses the effects of social interaction on literacy learning.…

Examined the play activities of 49 at-risk (AR) and non-at-risk (NAR) elementary school students, using the Smilansky Scale for Evaluation of Dramatic and Sociodramatic Play measure. Found that AR students displayed higher levels of hostile acting out behaviors than did NAR students, whereas the NAR group engaged in more verbal communication…

One-hundred two undergraduates studied a thematic map and read related text, with the order of presentation varied and half receiving a verbal prime related to the theme. Map-first students recalled more and made more correct inferences. Verbal priming did not affect theme-related recall or inference. (SLD)

Describes writing conferences as a productive supplement to classroom teaching, and examines teacher behavior and the language they employ during these conferences. Supports the idea that current findings in sociolinguistics could better inform classroom practices and increase awareness and understanding of the impact of "teacher talk." Contains…

Compares effects of negative feedback statements and specific directives in music-performance instruction. Indicates that subjects' attitudes and performance achievements were unaffected by type of comment: all subjects expressed positive attitudes about the experience, and the time required to reach the learning goal was unaffected by type of…

A study examined conversational repair strategies of eight children (ages 4 to 7) with deafness and eight controls in response to communication breakdown. Children with deafness were more likely to revise utterances, while controls were as likely to repeat utterances as to revise and were more likely to provide cue repairs. (Author/CR)

Reprints an historical study that investigated the value of the oral method in teaching speech to 40 children with deafness. Results indicated the oral method did not permit participants to enter into relations with strangers and did not allow them to have a consecutive conversation with their relatives. Additional research is recommended. (CR)

Interviews young people about their first sexual intercourse. Main findings show communication plays a central role mediating between the degree of anticipation and the degree to which first intercourse is wanted, protected, and enjoyed. First intercourse tends to be silent. Where young people are ambivalent, verbal and non-verbal communication…

Conversational analysis was used to evaluate conversation between an adult with autism and a researcher. Analysis identified differences in conversational style based on such features as topic movement, topic maintenance, repairs, interference from earlier structures, common collocations, overlaps, latching, and pauses. Findings suggest the…

Discusses Martin Buber's I-Thou dialectic as a pedagogical method, a process in which the teacher encounters the student and engages in an authentic dialogue. Presents Buber's dialectic as a humanizing teaching model that allows the student to gain a sense of relatedness between self and others. Contains 22 references. (VWC)