Generally, classroom discourse in foreign language teaching and learning is formalized and does not contain impromptu speech. However, analysis of classroom discourse in a German university foreign language course revealed that teachers' evaluative acts (followups) and "glides" linking one teacher-learner exchange to another do contain…

A classroom observation technique that describes classroom events at the level of activity and analyzes the communicative features of verbal exchanges between students and teachers within each activity is described. Activity characteristics indentified include type, participant organization, content, student modality or skills used, and materials;…

A study investigated how oral discourse affects the communicative process of teaching and learning and how that process influences and is influenced by the goals and expectations of college instructors and college students. Three college classes were observed for one semester. Data were collected in the form of field notes, cassette tapes of…

To help teachers develop an awareness of how they structure a discussion, an instrument was constructed called the Assessment of Classroom Interaction Dynamics (ACID). Two expert judges and 26 trainees then participated in a study (1) to estimate interrater reliability between expert judges in the use of the ACID, (2) to assess the validity of the…

A two-year ethnographic study of kindergarteners' experiences in a French immersion classroom focused on the processes by which children find and construct meaning through classroom interaction and communication processes. Data were gathered through classroom observation and videotapes. The initially unilingual English-speaking students were…

This study builds on research that identified empirical evidence indicating that at least one language for special purposes (LSP) domain and one non-LSP domain are in fact associated with some differential results in the consequent interlanguage (IL) structure of non-native users of English. The current study focuses on the methodological problems…

A 3-year study was undertaken to identify the salient features of verbal academic (math and science) language performance of third- and sixth-grade students. The investigation classified both native and nonnative English-speaking students as either effective communicators/responders or unsuccessful communicators/responders. The study examined…

In order to be motivated to include reading aloud in classroom reading instruction, teachers sometimes need to be informed of the specific benefits this method provides. When children listen to stories being read aloud they become aware of story components, can recognize plot, character, and theme, and they learn that a story involves one or more…

Employing learned helplessness theory as a trait orientation, a study examined the interrelationships existing between instructor classroom behaviors, student perceptions of control, and student behavioral responses in the college classroom. Subjects, 317 male and female undergraduate students who were enrolled in communication courses at West…

A review of research on sex role differentiation in classroom interaction reveals that women are marginalized from education by its content and by the classroom interactional processes. Sex-role stereotyping exists in curriculum materials at all educational levels, with textbooks more likely to portray boys in active roles and girls in passive…

While there has been much debate about defining and teaching critical thinking, little discussion has occurred regarding the connection between critical thinking and creative thinking, especially in relationship to teaching speech communication. While it was once thought that creativity is something that some are born with and some are not, recent…

Designed for students and practitioners of public relations (PR), this annotated bibliography focuses on recent journal articles and ERIC documents. The 34 citations include the following: (1) surveys of public relations professionals on career-related education; (2) literature reviews of research on measurement and evaluation of PR and…

A discussion of the use of voice as an effective tool in second language instruction examines the role of teachers as readers, the process of selecting and interpreting texts, preparation of reading passages, and reading aloud in class. The dimension of voice added to other aspects of language emphasizes the communicative purpose of the language,…

The culture and communication handbook for siSwati is one of a series designed for Peace Corps volunteers using the language daily. It provides information about use of the language in everyday situations within the culture, focusing less on grammar than on appropriate communication in context. An introductory section suggests approaches and…

Four issues of a University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) newsletter by and for teaching assistants (TAs) are presented, with focus on course syllabi, sexism, teacher evaluation, and foreign TAs. Consideration is given to: a positive classroom atmosphere; myths of college instruction; use of classroom tests; lecture methods; the "abused…