Oral Communication in the Disciplines: A Resource for Teacher Development and Training

Oral Communication in the Disciplines: A Resource for Teacher Development and Training is divided into three sections.  The first section provides a rationale for using oral communication as an instructional tool in various courses and briefly summarizes the strategic framework for the book.  This section also identifies two kinds of oral communication assignments/activities, each of which address different instructional outcomes—informal communication activities to facilitate interrogation of course content, and more formal communication activities designed to explicitly develop communication competence. Each of the chapters includes decision-making templates and a number of examples of activities and assignments from various disciplines that could support these goals.  The second section addresses student performance complexities unique to oral communication assignments and activities (e.g., managing apprehension, facilitating discussion, navigating group/team work, dealing with difficult interactions, and addressing diversity).  Each of these chapters draws on communication research and provides pedagogical strategies for helping students manage the complexities when they emerge. The third section of the book discusses evaluation of oral communication assignments, feedback, and general assessment concerns related to evaluating oral communication. This section provides various strategies for creating rubrics, providing responses, and giving feedback on oral communication activities and assignments.  

With an Epilogue by Chris M. Anson.

About the Authors
Deanna P. Dannels is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor in the Department of Communication at North Carolina State University. She is the author of the book Eight Essential Questions Teachers Ask: A Guidebook for Communicating with Students. Patricia R. Palmerton is Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies at Hamline University, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Amy L. Housley Gaffney (PhD, Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media, North Carolina State University, 2010) is director of the Oral Communication Center at Hamilton College.

"This book is timely and much needed. As the writing across the curriculum movement has grown, so has the awareness that we need to address students' oral communication as well as their writing skills if they are to fully develop as effective communicators. Faculty in all disciplines will find this book an excellent resource." -Dr. Susan McLeod, Research Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara "Singular in intent and timing, Oral Communication in the Disciplines provides faculty and administrators in higher education a well-thought framework for advancing students' oral communication skills in disciplinary contexts. The authors highlight key instructional decisions that underlie effective oral assignments and offer clear options and examples to guide faculty in their individual practice. Readers will further value the thoughtful reflections on student-faculty interaction articulated in this work." -Dr. Sean Connin, Director, The Collaborative of Teaching and Learning, Trinity University "Dannels, Palmerton, and Gaffney have written the book that has been needed for years as we began to explore communication across and in the discipline. I frequently hear the concerns and questions from faculty that the authors address here. Additionally, the authors offer great strategies for partnering with faculty to incorporate CXC goals into their courses. As the co-leader of a faculty development seminar focused on this topic, I am thrilled to have this as a resource and to be able to recommend this book to faculty." -Dr. Wendy Atkins-Sayre, Associate Professor and Director, Southern Mississippi Speaking Center, University of Southern Mississippi "Dannels, Palmerton and Gaffney have compiled the perfect text for colleagues from across the campus who find themselves called to teach communication. As nationally recognized leaders in communication across the curriculum, these authors offer information and advice steeped in good solid research and years of classroom and cross-curricular experience." -Dr. Ann L. Darling, Assistant Vice President, Undergraduate Studies, University of Utah Students need to be introduced to applications specific to what they'll face in a work environment and hence faculty and staff need to be skilled in integrating oral communication into their curriculum. I am confident that Oral Communication in the Disciplines: A Resource for Teacher Development and Training can provide the guiding philosophy for instructors who are outside of the field of communication, ultimately resulting in well-rounded students in every discipline. -Krysta Kirsch, Employer Relations and Recruiting Manager, Engineering Career Services, The Ohio State University Oral Communication in the Disciplines: A Resource for Teacher Development and Training is the first of its kind to provide a clear and straightforward strategic framework to guide teachers as they incorporate oral communication activities into their course. This all-encompassing empirically and theoretically grounded book helps to ensure that communication is not just added, but thoughtfully incorporated in meaningful, context-specific ways. The practical examples and planning worksheets will guide the most inexperienced instructors and also help experienced teachers to rethink and re-evaluate their activities and assignments. The incorporation of facework and feedback helps to demystify the evaluation process. This book is a must-have for any instructor who wants to incorporate meaningful oral communication activities. -Dr. April Kedrowicz, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University