Bakhtin's language theories give educators a view into how people develop and communicate with language through dialogue. These conceptions can be applied to teaching in a variety of positive ways. The authors explore how teaching based on Bakhtinian concepts might function in the classroom, paying particular attention to the concepts of dialogue,…

This paper examines the prominence of written English on shop signs in Japan. Based on data from a larger empirical study into multilingual signs in Tokyo, the most common ways of using English and the roman alphabet on Japanese shops signs are identified. It is argued that the ambivalent nature of English loan words plays a key role in the ever…

We report a study of repairs in communication between workers and visiting outsiders (students, researchers or teachers). We show how cultural models such as metaphors and mathematical models facilitated explanations and repair work in inquiry and pedagogical dialogues. We extend previous theorisations of metaphor by Black; Lakoff and Johnson;…

The Structured Observation System (SOS) is a data collection method developed to document changes in the communication behaviours of children identified with speech and language delays. The system employs a rating scale which reflects the occurrence of communication behaviours as well as the amount of assistance needed for behaviours to occur.…

This study investigated the effect of well- vs. ill-structured problem types on: (a) group interactional activity, (b) evolution of group participation inequities, (c) group discussion quality, and (d) group performance in a synchronous, computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environment. Participants were 60 11th-grade science students…

This article describes a new construct for coding the social communicative performance of school-aged children as they interact with peers and teachers in the classroom. The Social Communication Coding System (SCCS) allows clinicians a way of describing how children actually spend their time during the school day by observing ongoing behaviors…

This study investigates the nature of therapist-client interactions within and across seven actual psychotherapy cases to investigate the assertion within interactional theories that positive therapeutic outcome is the result of a transition from relational incongruence to relational congruence. Counselor/client verbal utterances were coded using…

A new child has the potential for adding dimension and enrichment to the parents' and acquaintances' lives. Simulation development metaphorically mirrors pregnancy, birth, parental guidance, and maturation. An individual begins with a desire for enjoyment and future possibilities. Nurturers of simulation are aided by setting the following broad…

A study assessed the effects of victim impact panels (VIP) on first-time DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) offenders in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The VIP is an emotional presentation by the victim or their parents about how they were injured or their child was killed by a drunk driver. Subjects, 350 first-time offenders participated in a Mothers…

In light of inconsistent research findings, a study examined the relationship of traitlike public speaking apprehension to the competence of public speakers, as well as the mediating role of gender in that relationship. Subjects, 105 students from a variety of majors and enrolled in 7 sections of a public speaking fundamentals course at a southern…

The intercultural reality of the global marketplace necessitates effective intercultural communication and diplomatic skills training. An effective educational strategy must emphasize a balanced enhancement of learners' conceptual understanding of intercultural communication, their attitudes toward cultural differences, and the skills required for…

A study investigated differences in students' perceptions of dinner time rituals at different stages of their college experiences. Subjects, 348 traditional undergraduate students enrolled in various communication courses at a large midwestern university, completed a survey instrument. Respondents ranged from 18 to 26 with an average age of 20.…

This paper explores the question of interpreting complex texts, particularly scripts and multimedia presentations. The paper first reviews the literature on natural discourse, noting that although interpreting spoken natural language seems rather straightforward, many scholars have discussed what is required to make sense of discourse. The paper…

An ethnographic study explored the critical evaluations of audience members who viewed an ethnographic performance adapted, directed, and performed by a doctoral student in the Speech Communication Department on the campus of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The performance was a one-person show consisting of a series of personal…

A study investigated the extent to which American university student interviewers perceived differences in certain nonverbal cues (conversational space and hand gestures) in interviews with persons from another culture and whether the American students perceived such observations affected their ability to listen to the interviewee. Subjects were…