Describes a teaching approach based on integration of the concepts of dialogue and mediation, which uses learning tasks to structure dialogue with students during classroom meetings and outside the classroom. Asserts that it promotes deep learning and diminishes the powerful voice of the teacher, allowing students and the teacher to reason…

Study demonstrates a method for integrating in-class and out-of-class procedures to assess and treat an adaptive behavior deficit. Assessment and teaching procedures were implemented outside the classroom in a multiple baseline design across students, followed by generalization programming in the classroom. All students generalized correct…

Suggests taking Habermas's notion of communicative rationality as a reference point from which to organize educational activities and evaluate their "being educational" in the classroom. Communicative rationality in the classroom provides a perspective from which one can establish a normative standard for being educational. (Contains…

Teachers' judicious use of humor in the classroom can have such positive effects as improving communication, focusing attention, provoking thought, liberating creative capacities, motivating students, and reinforcing desirable behaviors. Activities are suggested for exposing deaf students to various types of humor and helping them explore their…

Communication strategies essential to make lesson content clear and visible when using sign language with deaf students are described. The strategies include getting students' attention, not overloading students with confusing visual stimuli, allowing students time to absorb visual information thoroughly, and carefully differentiating between…

In two university business communication classes, 300 students analyzed teachers' nonverbal behavior. Responses showed that instructors' nonverbal communication is integral to the formation of student attitudes toward the instructor and the course. (SK)

Justifies research in the use of English in foreign language instruction, based on previous research on classroom interaction, instructional methods, and the nature of communicative competence. Sample exercises that indicate the uses of English in a foreign language classroom are appended. (MSE)

Argues that competence in academic subjects depends on mastery of their specialized patterns of language use. These patterns are described in terms of: 1) the semantics underlying Halliday's functional linguistics and 2) the structural analysis of communication genres. A sample classroom episode illustrates relationships among semantic…

Examines the types of comprehension problems that students experience in classrooms and the tactics they use to resolve those problems. Reports meaningful distinctions among classroom comprehension problems, and finds that the tactics used vary systematically in relation to the situation (class size and instructional format) and the type of…

Describes the use of a grid survey activity to promote natural communication in the second-language classroom. The surveys, which elicit descriptive information from students, can be easily adapted to several themes and subjects, are easy to design, can be used with low- or high-proficiency students, and can be used to provide feedback to students…

Analysis of videotapes of five trained teachers of deaf children found that the teachers did not fingerspell often, but when they did they sought to express a specific English word. Clarity of fingerspelled utterances varied greatly, ranging from whole-word gestalts to words wherein individual letters could be discerned. (Author/CB)

One teacher adopted a language teacher's method of calling on students without causing embarrassment by moving quickly from one student to the next, not penalizing students who were unable to respond, praising freely, and using humor. The technique encourages participation and self-confidence. (MSE)

Argues that time spent encouraging students to reflect about their learning is well invested. Offers four specific statements about what helps students to reflect: (1) students need relevant reasons for reflection and assurance that their reflections will be accepted; (2) students' opinions and judgments must be generally valued; (3) students need…

Reports a study of year-nine students' understanding of concepts related to acids and alkalis using collaborative concept mapping. (MKR)

The paper discusses general types of nonverbal behavior (NVB) and encourages teachers to use NVB influences in the classroom. (Contains eight references.) (LB)