An English class at Newtyle Secondary School, Scotland, spent four periods a week for 6 weeks on an anthological project entitled "hotel". Students assumed roles in an imaginary hotel community, wrote advertisements, brochures, and business letters, and participated in interviews, discussions, and dramatizations of specific hotel problems. Besides…

To determine whether or not students in grades 2 and 4 comprehended materials written with patterns that appear frequently in their speech better than materials written with patterns that appear infrequently, two reading comprehension tests were devised by the investigator. Subjects were all second- and fourth-grade classrooms from two similar…

A description is presented of a computer-assisted language analysis system (CALAS) which can serve as a method for isolating and displaying language utterances found in conversation. The purpose of CALAS is stated as being to deal with the question of whether it is possible to detect, isolate, and display information indicative of what is…

This experiment, one of four in a series dealing with day care, examines the verbalizations of 36- to 40-month-old children in family and group day care environments. Verbalizations were classified as simple or complex. Frequency of verbalizations in specific day care settings was recorded. A total of 48 subjects participated: 16 in the family day…

Since the norm-referenced grading system produces a student-teacher conflict situation, a climate and grading system conducive to supportive interaction seems desirable, especially in an interpersonal communication course. This can be accomplished through contract grading, in which the instructor defines the contract components and the student…

In response to a study group concerned with the spoken word and the integrity of English instruction, Walter Loban traces speech and its development, examines oral language proficiency, discusses one study of oral language, discusses language and social class and language and learning, and concludes by commenting on the neglect speech instruction…

This study investigated the credibility dimensions underlying standard and nonstandard speech in respect to concept-scale interaction, even though the findings suggest that the factors underlying reactions to nonstandard speech might differ from those underlying reactions to standard speech. The subjects, thirty-two college students enrolled in an…

Comparative judgments of vocal quality, speech fluency, and confidence of black and white speakers in southern universities were tested to determine the interrelationships of (1) perception of vocal quality and judgment of confidence in the voice, (2) quality and fluency, and (3) speech fluency and judgment of confidence, and to ascertain the…

This book is written as a guide to the understanding of the processes involved in human speech communication. Ten authorities contributed material to provide an introduction to the physiological aspects of speech production and reception, the acoustical aspects of speech production and transmission, the psychophysics of sound reception, the nature…

Several writers have criticized the traditional structure of the forensics programs--on college and high school levels--as perpetuating a "reality gap" between contest debate and actual public communication. There are methods, however, whereby high school directors can help to bridge this gap and can present a more interesting and enriching…

Designed to correlate the subject matter of English with that of power mechanics, this course guide (1) provides the student with the opportunities for utilizing the skills gained in power mechanics to enter into a vocation and (2) provides the student with enough knowledge to consider post-secondary study. Objectives are divided into four…

The paper describes teaching the phenomena of sound in the outdoor classroom to enhance learning experiences. Methods for demonstrating sound travel and speed are explained. Activities cover listening to natural sounds, determining tone and volume, and constructing instruments from natural sources. The suggested lesson plan for exploring sounds…

The exposure of linguistically different black kindergarten children to a special literature program was undertaken to test its efficacy as a preventive approach to reading failure. There were 94 subjects (45 in an experimental group and 49 in a control group) in four schools located in lower income urban areas. The program demonstrated a…

The purpose of this study was to determine the present status and nature of the basic speech-communication course designed primarily for classroom teachers. Questionnaires were sent to 137 schools that appeared to offer the type of course under study. From the results of the survey, 94 courses were included in the study. Compilation and analysis…

Designed to measure the acceptability of foreign accents, this study describes the parameters of the stereotypes and credibility that Southwest American listeners attribute to French and Spanish accented English Speech. The paper is divided into four main sections--a review of the literature pertinent to the study topic, a description of the…