Observation of 485 Black and White students demonstrates that ethnicity and self-monitoring have independent influences upon uncertainty reduction in initial interactions, while the effects of gender and dyadic composition are interactive in nature. Many of the relationships between interaction variables posited by Berger and Calabrese are…

Interpersonal relationships should be an important part of learning-disabled students' curricula and should focus on appropriate classroom behavior, the impact of poor language skills on socialization, resistance to change, establishing degrees of value and priorities, cause-effect relationships in human interaction, planning/organizational…

A review of research on teaching social skills to severely handicapped persons discusses training procedures, domain, generalization, maintenance, cost efficiency, reliability, social interaction partners, social validation, research design, and simulation. Evaluation of nine studies affirms that severely handicapped persons can learn to interact…

Research into the factors that promote individual success in an occupation indicates that the amount of formal knowledge acquired about a content area is far less predictive of success than interpersonal, intrapersonal, and cognitive abilities. (MSE)

Reveals how working in industry caused a former college writing instructor to realize some important lessons he failed to teach his students: the fact that proposals are written to make money, the importance of planning writing, the need to stick to schedules, and the value of interpersonal skills. (ARH)

The article describes development of the "Social Adjustment Centre," a special class in Australia comprised of two teachers and six behaviorally disordered children and designed to modify the child's behavior for integration back into the mainstream program. The classroom management plan as well as its evaluation are described. (DB)

Defines interpersonal communication and suggests classroom activities for students in business communication courses to help them (1) assess their own interpersonal skills; (2) observe and interpret nonverbal cues; (3) listen and speak effectively; and (4) provide and interpret feedback. (JC)

Socialization difficulties encountered by a particular learning disabled adolescent may be related to the type of underlying learning disability. Two subtypes of learning disability are discussed (language disorders and disturbed visual spatial functions) along with implications for problems in development of social skills and for effective…

Assessed group leaders' styles and predicted outcomes in five human relations training groups. Assessed participants' gains from changes in self-esteem and social sensitivity. Results showed two distinct types of group experience. Findings suggest that focus of intervention and pattern of communication among members can have significant effect on…

Although vocational education students can handle technical tasks, they often lack employability skills. The author identifies employability skills, addresses important questions about them, and recommends action for vocational educators to take in teaching employability skills. (JOW)

The Social Observation for Mainstreamed Environments (SOME) checklist evaluates handicapped preschool children's social skills and readiness for mainstreamed environments. Checklist items represent social behaviors important to successful preschool integration, such as initiating interactions appropriately, obeying class rules, and respecting…

Description of study to determine the impact of management training on student performance focuses on the need for proper evaluation. Pre- and posttraining evaluative tools for rating managers are described, differences in ratings are analyzed, and implications for evaluating management training on interpersonal skills are discussed. (LRW)

The Meadow/Kendall Social-Emotional Assessment Battery for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Students was used in a cross-national comparison of 581 students (ages 6-12) in Israel, Denmark, and the United States. Results showed marked similarity among all three groups in social adjustment, self-image, and emotional adjustment. (JW)

Findings from relevant research applying Piaget's theory to mental retardation, psychosis, and autism are reviewed. Many autistic individuals show an arrest in operative functions at the sensorimotor functions. The early arrest interferes with subsequent development of higher-level conceptual, symbolic, and social skills. (Author)

Three vignettes are used to illustrate the varied backgrounds of the "invisible" or overlooked child in the classroom. Discusses the causes of social isolation in elementary-age children; suggests teaching activities that help to identify and deal with related problems, including an example of a sociometric test and scoring procedures.…