Examines some characteristics of "Mm," in particular its variants, as a weak acknowledging token, a continuer, and a weak assessment within the Australian context. Findings indicate that the most common "Mm" is best characterized as an acknowledging object used to mark unproblematic receipt of the immediately prior talk and no…

Outlines the various options for basic speech communication classes that allow instructors to adapt to the particular needs of those linguistically diverse students who are increasingly present in American higher education. (PA)

Argues nonverbal communication (NVC) forms an important part of everyday speech transmission and should occupy a more central position in second and foreign language teaching than it currently does. Examines the role played by NVC in a three-turn conversational exchange and the literature supporting the notion that speech-related gestures have a…

Scrutinizes two years of federal court of appeals school speech rulings in light of two recent Supreme Court decisions applying public forum analysis to determine the limits of government authority over student speech. Finds that appeals courts have not uniformly applied public forum analysis nor have they consistently applied alternative tests.…

The effects of individualized written feedback, oral group feedback, and no feedback on learning music were evaluated in a study of 80 secondary level students. Findings indicate that oral group information feedback promotes significantly more learning than does individualized written feedback or no feedback. (JD)

This commentary to EC 232 373 and EC 232 374 challenges the use of a speaker-based definition of stuttering and argues that use of the definition may only relocate the judgment reliability problem and raise as many validity problems as a listener-based definition of stuttering does. (JDD)

A critical examination of the findings of Valentine (1985; 1986), studies devoted to cross-sex communication in Hindi and Indian English, is shown to reveal that the assumptions of the models on which such descriptions are based are not only nonexplanatory but also untenable. (20 references) (GLR)

Discusses the screening and evaluation procedure at Central Michigan University that allows students to meet their communication competency requirement without taking a course. Examines the credit by exam option, the "Oral English Test-Out" procedure, and the implications of testing-out. (KEH)

Research findings on articulatory and acoustic characteristics of infant noncry/nondistress vocalization are applied to the clinical assessment of infant noncry vocal activity. Discussed are differentiation and definitions of cry and noncry productions, stages of vocalization, a protocol for developmental vocal assessment, and interpretation of…

Calls into question the assumption that family members share a common view of communication norms which underlies the widely used Family Communication Patterns (FCP) instrument. Presents empirical evidence of systematic intrafamilial disagreement on communication norms. (SR)

Presents a "Cognitive Rules" model which specifies assumptions about the structures and processes underlying goal formation. Reports on experimental testing of the model's assumptions. Finds that a priming manipulation influences interaction goals in attributionally ambiguous but not in attributionally clear compliance-gaining…

Discusses the realities in the present and future recruiting of minority faculty members. Argues that the securing of an appropriate representation of minority faculty, although a current resolve of most institutions, will be an extended process that faces numerous obstacles and will not easily be achieved. (KEH)

Tests the hypothesis that listener-adapted communication (LAC) is positively related to extroversion and that this relationship is independent of differentiation. Finds that the hypothesis was supported and that differentiation did not have the strong effect on LAC reported in past research. (SR)

Listeners judged whether they heard a terminal fall, rise, or a flat final intonation contour in 9 sentences produced by 8 deaf children, aged 8-18. The more slowly the contour fell, the more likely listeners were to perceive the contour as flat, regardless of the amount by which it fell. (Author/JDD)

Traces developments in conversational analysis (CA) through the 1970s and 1980s, and discusses how second-language acquisition research has used CA in both its own development and that of second-language teaching. (119 references) (GLR)