The instrument designed by Patricia Kearney to measure communication style was chosen for a study of validity and reliability for three reasons: (1) the format of the instrument appeared to be more descriptive than evaluative, (2) its theoretical foundations encouraged the viewpoint that there is no one best communication style, and (3) it was…

A functional paradigm was used as a means of interpreting why teachers and classrooms function as they do. An assessment of the nature and sources of the functional paradigms of high school biology teachers was the major consideration of this study. A population of 28 experienced high school biology teachers recognized for exemplary teaching…

Some researchers have argued that it is important to match teaching styles with students' learning styles, although a relatively small amount of research has been done on learning styles in science. This study focused on the differences between male and female secondary school chemistry students in an effort to determine the relationship of gender…

A study investigated whether students comprehend more from a Black teacher using Black English and whether Black students view a Black teacher using Black dialect as being more credible than one without Black speech characteristics. The research consisted of a pilot study with White students to test the appropriateness of the instruments and…

Communicative competence is defined as "...the ability to use appropriate speech for the circumstances, and when deviating from what is normal to convey what is intended." A study was undertaken to show that children's sociolinguistic communicative competencies and incompetencies can be identified and described in components of the "Ways of…

Involving 307 primarily Hispanic children with varying levels of English and Spanish language proficiency and 9 teacher-aide teams from grades 2-4 bilingual classrooms in schools located in 5 districts in the San Jose (California) area, the study examined whether classroom social status affected the frequency of study interaction and whether…

A variety of techniques can help a teacher create the atmosphere of a "quality circle," a Japanese management method in which each member of a group shares and contributes to the learning experience. "Creating a Commercial" allows students to create original oratory for presentation to the class. In "The Good News First," students improve their…

Articles in this monograph reflect the fact that English teachers see reading and literature as closely related. The opening essay, "Reading Is Non-Linear," provides the theoretical base for a comprehensive approach, drawing on current psycholinguistic theory. "Toward Comprehensive Reading Programs in Secondary Schools," reviews current issues and…

This is the sixth annual volume in a series providing reviews and syntheses of developments in the evolution of the science of communication. The volume contains disciplinary reviews and commentaries on topics of general interest to scholars and researchers in a variety of specialized areas, current research in a variety of topics that reflect the…

Noting that many elementary schools are introducing personal development programs into the curriculum, this newsletter focuses on a number of issues related to such programs. Various sections of the newsletter (1) define personal development for both teachers and parents; (2) present practical ideas and teaching strategies for programs in two…

This module (part of a series of 24 modules) is on understanding the process of communication in the classroom, the teacher's role in the process, and implications for instruction. The genesis of these materials is in the 10 "clusters of capabilities," outlined in the paper, "A Common Body of Practice for Teachers: The Challenge of…

Observations of the contrasts between Puerto Rican and Anglo nonverbal communication patterns, and their relevance in the classroom, are outlined and discussed. A general observation is that what is acceptable and permissible in one culture is usually not in the other, and teachers are urged to develop ways of making Anglo and Latin American…

This paper provides information on the use of referential communication tasks (tasks that structure speaking and listening behaviors so that participants need to interact to achieve accurate comprehension) in evaluating students' comprehension and listening skills. An introduction discusses interactive listening and the referential communication…

In times of educational retrenchment, decreasing enrollments among traditional students, and restraints on faculty salaries, college educators need to explore new and innovative types of programs such as off-campus instruction in classroom communication for teachers. An off-campus program provides an excellent opportunity for a communications…

With particular attention to the use of questions and the maintenance of topics, the classroom discussion of kindergarten children and their teacher during a storybook lesson was analyzed to determine how conversational control is maintained and what rules of conversation might apply in the classroom. A transcript for discourse analysis was…