Communication competence is too complex to assess as the result of one course in communication. If scholars in the field of communication tell accrediting agencies, administrators in higher education, state legislators, and/or the general public that students are competent communicators when they "pass" one communication course, they are…

Two studies, one in Puerto Rico and one in Japan, assessed the effects of pauses and hesitation markers on listening comprehension of university students who were learners of English as a Second Language. In one, 61 students of basic English were assigned to three groups to hear monologues under three conditions: (1) normal speed; (2) with…

This book presents a developmental model for peer helping which places less emphasis on students in crises and more emphasis on helping them in advance of serious problems. The first chapter introduces peer helping and the facilitative model and provides an overview of the book. The second chapter discusses principles of human behavior. The third…

The design of instructional materials for second language listening comprehension is discussed, based on the premise that such materials must reflect a view of the nature and processes of listening. Two distinct kinds of cognitive processes involved in listening are examined: bottom-up processing, or the use of incoming data as a source of…

Fourth-grade students in one elementary school were administered a listening inventory, the Listening Composite section of the Test of Language Development-Intermediate, and a questionnaire "Are You a Good Listener" to assess their listening skills. The results showed that students lacked listening skills and did not have adequate…

This paper discusses aspects of the role of music in the preschool setting. The teaching and singing of folk songs are an avenue through which cultural literacy can be explored. A sensory approach to song learning that includes visual, kinesthetic, and aural stimuli increases children's vocabulary. Some theories suggest that musical intelligence…

The purpose of this paper is to present classroom teachers with a succinct, practical explanation of how to teach reading comprehension. An approach to the systematic teaching of comprehension which is based on practical interpretation of current research and theory is presented. Examples are given that will assist any teacher who is responsible…

A comparison between the second language learner and the native language learner provides the primary argument for the importance of listening without having to produce a response immediately. The fact that children listen to their native language for at least 8 hours a day implies that students need to spend more time in listening activities. In…

Communication strategies are defined and a brief inventory of strategies for learning and oral interaction in a foreign language instruction setting is provided. Learning strategies are viewed as methods for exploiting available information to increase the efficiency of second language learning. The integration of learning strategies into the…

Pragmatic factors necessary to the understanding of colloquial expressions are called here "simpragma." Some examples are provided. (Text is in Spanish.) (DS)

This article describes the development and implementation of a training procedure in listening and communication skills for employment service counselors. Implications are drawn from the listening and communication skills training and other human relations training approaches for counselor staff development and counselor accountability. (Author)

This article argues for the use of a cooperative listening technique and describes the steps involved in using this approach. The author describes a five-step procedure for teaching listening strategies, and then uses his own experience to show how this approach can help learners develop listening comprehension. The author also discusses his…

A self-instructional technique for developing listening fluency in foreign language laboratories is reported. (RM)

Programs aimed at analyzing the propaganda techniques of television commercials need to be developed by the schools. (JH)

An outline for a communication strategies training program/workshop is provided that is specifically designed to meet the preservice and inservice needs of special educators. It is based upon the collaborative consultant model and provides specific, but flexible, training plans. The various communication strategies are described: (1) empathetic…