Proactive teachers do not simply react to student behavior but use their thorough understanding of classroom communication to shape the pattern of class interaction. Proactive teachers are characterized by their recognition of the mutual influence of teachers and students in the learning process, their participation in social perspective taking,…

Prompted by research showing that communication is one element that distinguishes teachers rated effective by students from those rated ineffective, a study was undertaken to develop a scale for assessing the perceived communication effectiveness of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). Two groups, one of undergraduate students and one of their…

Using audio documentaries as a teaching technique can serve two purposes: provide students with information on any subject and, in the process of producing tapes, introduce writing, listening, research, interviewing, and extemporaneous speaking experiences--all skills that students can later apply to other situations. The live-on-tape format…

Demographic data were collected from college students and their graduate teaching assistant (GTA) instructors and analyzed for the impact of these characteristics on the students' ratings of teacher communication effectiveness. Data collected from the approximately 1,000 students and 60 GTAs included age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, home…

Three points are basic to communicative teaching. First, we do not know how language is learned and so cannot follow rigidly any one procedure in teaching a language. Secondly, teaching is not the obverse of learning. Teaching can be controlled, and the relationship between teachers and learners is more than simple input leading to output. Third,…

This investigation determined quantitatively the effects of open and traditional classroom techniques on teacher and student interaction and social environment. (RC)

The concept of school discipline, based on controlling inevitable student misbehavior, has been replaced with "classroom management," which stresses methods of facilitating positive student behavior and achievement. This book attempts to provide teachers, counselors, administrators, and special educators with a comprehensive, practical description…

The concept of language proficiency and the process of language skill development are discussed, and classroom activities that build proficiency in the four language skill areas (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are described. General considerations in using the activities are noted. Skill development activities for all skill areas have…

A study explored the general patterns of discourse during discussions of literature in secondary classrooms, and investigated teachers' and students' perceptions of the purposes that guide those discussions. Six teacher-researchers each studied one teacher as that teacher taught an instructional unit on a literary text, videotaping class sessions,…

A study investigated the types of in-class, speaking-oriented activities that second language learners find anxiety-producing and the types of instructor practices that students perceive as anxiety-reducing. A 4-page questionnaire was administered to 135 university-level students of intensive Spanish and 109 high school students in first- and…

This series of one- to two-page abstracts highlights a variety of innovative approaches to teaching and learning in the community college. Topics covered in the abstracts include: (1) cooperative planning for institutional excellence; (2) rewarding scholarship among community college faculty; (3) in-class debates as a learning strategy; (4)…

The large section approach to speech communication instruction can be viewed as an opportunity rather than a detriment to effective communication education. Instructional strategies should be considered and applied appropriately to this ever-increasing instructional format. A number of principles may be generated which will lead to effectiveness…

This paper describes a communication course curriculum for students majoring in elementary education which has been used at Wright State University for 4 years. The paper presents an overview of the topics discussed in the course (topics chosen for their relevance and importance to successful classroom communication): (1) process of human…

A 6-week study on the status of classroom discourse was carried out at St. Norbert College (Wisconsin). Ten tenure-track professors kept notes or journals on their classroom discourse activities for 6 weeks and wrote a scholarly essay on the experience at its conclusion. During the period, they also tried to improve discourse quality in their…