Offers a new theory of explanatory discourse intended to guide analysis of and stimulate improvement in explanations designed for the mass audience. Identifies research literature relevant to improving the quality of written explanations, organizes findings on effectiveness that resolve controversies in the literature, and suggests principles for…

Discusses the core concepts embedded in the total quality management approach. Considers the potential value of bringing these core concepts (customer focus, leadership, communication, the use of data, organizational assessment, and continuous improvement) to higher education communication classes. Offers suggestions for applications in…

Maintains that recent developments in the teaching English as a second or other language (TESOL) have shifted the emphasis from the teacher as a good communicator to teaching the learner to communicate. Provides guidelines for ensuring successful TESOL instruction. (JDH)

Competency-based education can be a viable tool for demonstrating accountability in speech communication instruction. The objectives of speech communication instruction tend to be based more upon the content than upon the everyday communication needs of the students. Rather than continue the approach of basing instruction on assumptions of what…

Offers a brief history of the teaching of expository discourse. Defines explanatory speaking, identifying its relation to informative speech. Presents a pedagogy for explanatory speaking, built on the classical rhetorical tradition and contemporary research. Describes implications for teacher training, student study skills, and assessment of…

Explores the basic communication research course for undergraduates. Discusses several key notions for making this course valuable to the undergraduate: the attitude of the instructor, the attitude of the students, course requirements and activities, and evaluation techniques. (SR)

Journalism teachers share ideas about copywriting assignments, research in public relations, student involvement in a television production, and the use of journalism classes to monitor language skills. (HOD)

Kenneth Burke's concepts of identification, the five terms of dramatism, and strategic uses of ambiguity can be successfully taught to undergraduates if appropriate and familiar examples are used. Print and electronic advertising offer the instructor an up-to-date, familiar, and abundant source of classroom examples. Market segmentation models…

Representing a refereed selection of papers from the 1994 JALT Kansai Conference, this collection of 25 papers contains formal presentations, teaching experiences, research projects, and ideas for effective teaching. The papers and their authors are, as follows: (1) "Culturally Influenced Communication Patterns: Overview, Implications and…

As a botanist uses specific, non-judgmental descriptions that are part of a conceptual framework to help see different varieties and characteristics of plants, so teachers can see more clearly what they do if they describe rather than judge what is done. If the purpose of using a framework or model to discuss lesson presentations and classroom…