The thesis of this paper is that teacher education is not adequate in terms of producing well rounded and dedicated speech teacher educators who can develop and maintain meaningful secondary speech programs. These programs are often not relevant to the needs of many students. The point is made that educators often transmit to students values which…

A distinction among evaluation, measurement and reports of terminal behavior is presented. For the purposes of evaluation, any response to a speech performance provides useful feedback to the communicator. In addition to the teacher's evaluation of the performance against "established standards", it is argued that a teacher's subjective responses…

This report describes development of an exercise designed to improve intercultural communication skills. The exercise is intended for use in instructional programs that prepare Americans for work in a foreign cultural environment. When persons of differing cultural backgrounds attempt to communicate with each other, each makes unwarranted,…

Since speaking, writing, listening and reading are used daily in the performance of virtually all jobs for which vocational training is available, a project was conducted with the following objectives: (1) To determine basic communication skills that are common to jobs in seven occupational fields, (2) to identify the basic communications skills…

Because of the recent Lau vs. Nichols decision by the Supreme Court, school districts will be looking for various instruments to determine language functionality in bilingual students. Nine tests are reviewed: the Leiter International Performance Scale (LIPS), the Michigan Oral Language Productive Tests Structured Response, the Michigan Oral…

Metalinguistic knowledge, or linguistic awareness, involves the ability to focus attention upon the form of language in and of itself, rather than merely as the vehicle by which meaning is conveyed. This ability to analyze language structures lags behind spontaneous speaking and listening performance because of the additional cognitive skills…

A report on the introduction and use of short wave broadcasts in an intensive spoken French class. The kinds of materials used, class structure, the nature of assignments, student motivation, testing, cultural advantages, student reactions, and suggestions for further application are discussed. A list of useful references is included. (AMH)

A physician discusses the work of the Communications Enhancement Clinic at Children's Hospital-Boston in providing assistance to children with severe speech problems. He describes the process of evaluating and matching a child's strengths and weaknesses to available technology, including educational software, speech or print output devices, and…

This framework articulates the knowledge and skills adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners need in order to communicate effectively and confidently in English so that they can meet their needs, advocate for themselves, their families and their communities, and participate more fully in U.S. society. The content outlined in…

This collection of papers presents research on language processing among second language learners and bilinguals. The nine papers include the following: (1) "The Bilingual's Language Modes" (Francois Grosjean); (2) "The Voicing Contrast in English and Spanish: The Relationship between Perception and Production" (Mary L. Zampini…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to writing and speaking for a variety of academic and technical purposes. It…

This study investigated the effectiveness of providing content-based English language instruction to Japanese nursing students in their second and final year of professional training. Participants were taking a full-year elective class in oral English. The control group included students from the same nursing cohort who did not attend the oral…

Discusses the need of students in French business schools for developing speaking skills in English and the methods that were developed to meet this need. The use of case studies and role plays is evaluated and the need for a new way of presenting case studies is considered. (Author/AMH)

Describes problems resulting from the use of immigrant industrial workers with poor language understanding and the method used to assess functional oral English for occupational purposes. While the form of assessment provides authentic data for company training and communication needs, further research is needed to resolve some problems. (MF)

Examines the phenomenon of language obsolescence by focusing on Breton- and non-Breton-speakers in France. Investigates linguistic preference, intergenerational transmission and attitudes towards language planning in an attempt to determine the extent to which the speakers themselves are catalysts in the process of language death. (27 references)…