A slightly revised version of a paper presented at Central States Speech Association Conference (Chicago, April 11, 1970). (Editor/RD)

Discusses a series of seminars designed to teach situational communication skills to deaf adults and enable graduate students to improve their ability to work with the deaf. (RW)

Examined 48 textbooks used in business communication courses. Found that speech and business students are being taught basically the same skills, that the trend toward an oral mode in business communication courses has been only slight, and that little effort to redesign the curriculum with the Hanna study criteria (EJ 207 812) has been shown. (PD)

Three language teaching procedures for moderately and severely handicapped children that can be used in the everyday setting are discussed, along with the contribution of each procedure to an integrative model of natural environment language training. Empirical research on these methods is also reviewed. (SEW)

The question of whether the exclusive use of spoken English (i.e., oralism) causes brain atrophy for the hearing impaired child is examined in light of data presented by R. Conrad and other researchers. It is concluded that deafness itself is the fundamental cause of performance deficits. (SEW)

The linguistic home environments of 10 language-delayed children and 10 linguistically normal children were compared using audiorecordings of parent-child dyads. Significant differences were found between the linguistic interactions of parents with a language-disordered child and parents with a linguistically normal child in all areas studied.…

The receptive and expressive "wh" interrogative performance of 20 language-delayed children (4.3 to 6.4 years old) was compared to available normative data. These findings suggest that the delayed children develop the same order of acquisition and rules for questioning as normal children, but at a slower rate. (Author/SEW)

Two approaches for analyzing the measures reflected in children's early word combinations are described and illustrated. The first interpretive approach involves detailed analysis of spontaneous speech. The second approach uses individualized probes that are designed to isolate the semantic factors involved in children's word combination patterns.…

Considers the rational basis for participatory democracy and six ideas designed to embody that conceptual basis. Contends that the mission of speech communication scholars to the civic culture should be an activation of civic competencies and an invention of new places to practice free speech skills. (PD)

Language development of three prelingually deaf preschool children in a cued speech program was videotaped and analyzed by frequency of gestures, cues, and speech. Results suggest early introduction of cued speech does not materially aid spoken language development of profoundly deaf children. (MSE)

Examined the verbal climate of Saturday morning programs by assessing: (1) prevalence of supportive, defensive, or neutral statements; (2) types of interpersonal responses-- aggressive, negative, positive, or neutral; and (3) general program variables as tone, format, character features, etc. The most obvious message offered was the White male's…