The committee process is notoriously susceptible to manipulation. A real pro develops ploys to insure that meetings run exactly as he or she intends. The author here presents tips on how the social worker can guard against such strategies. (Author)

Selected student subpopulations were compared to determine use of the Counseling Center at the University of Maine at Orono. Results indicated significant differences for on campus vs. off campus, off-campus married vs. off-campus single. There was no significance between married and single students. (Author)

Describes two studies in the United Kingdom that evaluated the effectiveness of intensive interactive teaching with pupils having profound and complex learning difficulties. The Intensive Interaction model stresses individualized staff response to a student's focus of attention. The two studies found the Intensive Interaction model facilitated…

Based on a variety of recorded classroom data, this article focuses on language teachers' classroom explanations and suggests that teacher talk in the form of explanations can be a source of valuable language input for learners. The article emphasizes that in language teaching, explaining is a central and difficult part of any teacher's work. (38…

This study compared 2 naturalistic language intervention methods--milieu teaching and responsive interaction--in 6 preschool classrooms that included 36 children with moderate to severe language disabilities. Although no main effects for treatment were found, milieu teaching was more effective with children having the lowest language levels and…

Offers a "methodological corrective" to prior research by analyzing regulative strategies used during five mother-child home interactions. Explores how these mothers mix reflection-enhancing and power-assertive strategies, sequence regulative strategies following child resistance, and produce regulative strategies with varied emotional tone. (22…

Analyzes second language oral proficiency interviews, including a case study and a contrastive discourse analysis. Findings indicate that the case study interviews are conducted according to a procedural script and that oral proficiency questions formulated for the other interviews are based on the interactional discourse characteristic of…

Analysis of postobservation conferences between 20 pairs of teachers and supervisors revealed four major micropolitical strategies used by participants to influence conference interaction. Two strategies--reflecting personal orientation and conversational congruence--prevailed in conferences rated positively by participants, whereas supervisor use…

The goal of this study was to track and compare the paths along which young adults arrange and time the entries and exits from marital and cohabiting unions. The focus was on the incidence, durations, and outcomes of dimensions that embrace residential separation. Results show that union trajectories are dynamic and involve a heterogeneous and…

Discusses the effect of the interactive accomplishment of conversational normalization. To illuminate this process, this article investigates how the parties to a news interview collaborate to normalize the interviewee's practices in operating a house of prostitution. The methodological impetus for this study involves a variant of conversation…

Assesses the relative roles played by men and women in the development of New Zealand English over the past 50 years, with particular attention paid to vowel shifting. Results indicate that women lead in new and dynamic changes, but lag behind men in the use of variables representing older changes. (71 references) (Author/CK)

Analysis of transcripts of interviews with 16 Taiwanese mothers of babies with Down syndrome identified two themes. The first theme highlights ways in which mothers talked about the abilities and limitations of their babies; the second describes what appear to be two distinct frames of reference (pessimistic and optimistic) with respect to having…

This study examined the social validation of using microswitches versus interaction/stimulation conditions with persons with multiple disabilities. Teacher-assistant trainees and rehabilitation staff (n=72) were shown videotapes comparing the two methods and then scored both approaches. The microswitch condition was viewed as generally more…

Analyzed observational data on nonverbal behavior in small groups to assess whether such behavior significantly changed within or across group meetings. Results showed that kinesic limb movements, posture, eye contact, and body orientation significantly changed across five group sessions. Discussion relates results of nonverbal behavioral changes…

Used Hill Interaction Matrix to measure content and quality of interactions in 12-hour therapy group of 12 male drug addicts and 3 therapists. Categories of therapeutic work included conventional, assertive, speculative, and confrontive; categories of content included topic, group, personal, and relationship. Group was highly confrontive; most…