As an aid in integrating videotape procedures into effective speech communication programs, this report discusses the advantages and disadvantages of videotaping, provides guidelines for the use and purchase of equipment, and suggests classroom and extracurricular activities involving videotape. After indicating several positive characteristics,…

Students in an academically supported program of English as a second language (ESL) serving permanent residents and refugees at a large urban state university were surveyed concerning their language use patterns and educational needs for language instruction. The respondents were predominantly Southeast Asians representing siginificant minority…

The work in second language education of the Assessment of Performance Unit, established by the Department of Education and Science of England and Wales to monitor certain areas of the public education curriculum is described. The focus is on the development of a rationale for testing, the elicitation procedures used in the assessment of speaking…

Although research in the area of communication apprehension (CA) has been extensive, little of it has attempted to identify the regularity and intensity of the nonverbal stress behaviors associated with CA. Additionally, most CA research has concentrated on the problem in North American settings. To extend the boundaries of CA research, a study…

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…

Prompted by the concern of parents and educators with both the process of a child's language acquisition and the amount of time spent watching television, a content analysis of children's television commercials was conducted to see if this form of mass media could be used to stimulate language skills in children. The 36 commercials were drawn from…

As communication/English curricula pass from a period of great diversity to one of greater centrality, educators need to find a more reasoned direction to guide curricular decision making. Many of the current reports on the state of education refer to the importance of oral communication skills, but such skills have not received their rightful…

This research is part of a longitudinal study designed to compare measures of first-grade oral language with reading achievement at various grade levels. The original study constructed ten measures for oral language from interviews with 100 first graders and compared those measures to the reading achievement of the subjects at the end of first…

This paper lists the language arts skills that are developed in elementary school children, including sentence writing, punctuation, capitalization, reference, poetry, listening, conversation, spelling, and handwriting. The degree to which children are introduced to these language arts skills depends on their grade level and capabilities, as well…

A study was undertaken to determine (1) the relationship between listening and reading (the receptive language mode) and (2) the relationship of listening and reading to speaking and writing (the generative mode), intellectual ability, self-concept, impulsivity/reflectivity, and socioeconomic status (SES). Sixty grade six students were…

The seminar concept is a form of independent study that allows children the opportunity to learn as much as they like on a chosen topic while they are acquiring valuable library research skills. The child begins a seminar project by writing down all possible ideas he or she can think of for exploring a topic. This is done on a "brainstorming"…

Two theoretical schools have emerged within the field of communication focusing on the alleviation of dysfunctional communications such as speech anxiety, communication apprehension, and speech reticence. The communication anxiety-behavior therapy school regards excessive anxiety to be a primary factor in dysfunctional communication. This school…

Intended as an introduction to the problem of conducting an in-depth examination of speech behavior, this manual is based upon the findings of recent research and on developments in speech analysis. The seven chapters discuss the following: a rationale for evaluating speech habits, the role of listening in the analysis of speech habits,…

Four scales developed by Marion Monroe for recording, describing, analyzing, and rating children's oral language skills are described and presented in this paper. The skills assessed by the scales are first described as follows: (1) how a child thinks, as revealed by the quality of ideas; (2) how a child thinks, as revealed by definition of words;…

Findings from a study comparing the effects of segregated versus mainstreamed preschool settings on handicapped and non-handicapped children strongly suggest that mainstreaming is the preferable alternative for all types of handicapped preschool children. Initially, handicapped children in both segregated and mainstreamed settings were found to be…