Class Business. A final suggestion for building a strong sense of community is what Julia
Wood calls “class business.” This is a span of time set aside at the beginning of each class
meeting for discussion of observations, experiences, news items, films, and so forth, that
pertain to communication. Class business achieves three important pedagogical goals. First, it
prompts students to notice communication issues in their lives and in society. Second, it
Typically, nobody volunteers anything so early in the course, so come prepared with news
clippings and observations, which you can discuss with students.
Topics related to interpersonal communication and public argument are numerous and never
hard to find in the popular press, online, and in everyday activities.
After two to four class meetings in which you initiate discussion of class business items you
should focus on communicative aspects of topics. A second implication of treating class
business as an important part of a course is that it should be included on tests, just as
other important material in the course is included on tests. So that students understand
what is expected of them, you should explain that class business is an integral facet of the
course and that they are as responsible for studying what we discuss during class business
APPROACHES TO TEACHING THE COURSE
Communication in Our Lives is designed to accommodate diverse teaching goals, styles, and
philosophies. Each approach to teaching can be appropriate and effective in some circumstances.
Decisions of which approach to use for a course or for individual units within a course depend on
your teaching philosophy and goals, the expectations of your campus, and the needs and abilities
of your students.
Conceptual Approach
The conceptual approach focuses on concepts, theories, principles, and research findings. It is
appropriate for instructors whose goal is for students to learn about communication. The
conceptual approach is also appropriate and often expected at research universities that place a
higher priority on conceptual learning than development of practical skills.
discuss each of the four attachment styles in some depth, focusing on the verbal and nonverbal
components of the styles. The instructor would provide examples to clarify concepts and would
summarize supporting research. Student learning could be assessed by a student’s ability to
define attachment styles and to recognize communication behaviors associated with developing
and embodying each style.
section and throughout the chapters in Section IV.
Conceptual and Skills Approach
Many instructors combine conceptual and skill emphases to create courses in which students are
expected both to understand theories, research, and concepts and to develop effective
communication skills. Underlying this approach is the assumption that conceptual learning is
Alternatively, some instructors blend activities and lecture-discussions in single meetings of
classes. Others may use a combined approach for one section of a course while focusing more
heavily on concepts in another.
Communication in Our Lives is an ideal text for instructors who want their students to have both
conceptual and practical knowledge of communication. Using the text, instructors can point out
to students the relationships between theories and principles and effective practice. For example,
Springboard Approach
A third approach uses the textbook as a springboard for a course. The text serves as a foundation,
but it doesn’t define the scope of material that is covered. This approach is not appropriate for
students who have limited background knowledge, low internal motivation to study and learn, or
Instructors who favor the springboard approach tend to implement it in one of two ways. Some
instructors designate the first portion of the course for discussing the textbook. The remainder of
the course is then used to go beyond the textbook. Extended coverage may be the responsibility
of the instructor, students, or both. Teachers sometimes like to use the basic information in the
throughout a term. Following this plan, instructors clarify textbook readings at the outset of each
new unit in a course. The remainder of class time is used to supplement, extend, and elaborate
what was covered in the readings. This method allows students to rely on their textbook
throughout the term, so it is a consistent facet of their learning and a common thread in their
experience of the course.
RECOMMENDED MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
A number of assignments can enrich students’ learning. In addition to exams and in-class
exercises, included here are two major types of extended term assignments to heighten students’
involvement with the course and their awareness of interpersonal, group, mediated, and public
communication in their everyday lives.
The Communication Journal
This is a major class assignment that encourages students to think about and apply material
covered in the text to their personal lives. The journal includes two sections. In the first, specify
10 to 20 topics students should address to apply material in the textbook. This ensures that
students will think about issues that you judge particularly important in terms of the course. The
the instructor’s work, periodic review of students’ journals serves important purposes. First, as
previously said, students are more likely to complete journals relatively promptly if they are
required to turn them into their teacher. Second, having students submit journals throughout the
term (or at least once during the term) allows you to give interim feedback about the adequacy of
what they have written. If a student has only described, but not analyzed, communication, you
skills. They also value comments in which a teacher shares personal experiences that pertain to
what they have written. Responding as both a teacher and a person to the student as both a
person and a student strengthens the instructional relationship.
Course Projects
Projects can be used to encourage students’ involvement with the course and their investment in
their own learning. Major projects allow students to explore specific topics in depth and with
more critical attention. Projects may be assigned either to groups or individual students,
depending on the instructor’s preferences and teaching goals. Often, group projects are more
frustrating to students and involve uneven contributions by individual students. However,
working effectively in groups is important and group assignments can hone students’ skills in
cooperation, collaboration, critical thinking, and setting standards. In addition, working with
others requires students to learn to deal with a variety of communication styles. Because group
projects are also fewer in number than individual projects, the results of group endeavors can be
the projects or papers, an instructor must advise and guide many students who have difficulty
directing themselves in independent research.
The nature of projects ranges from standard research papers and/or oral presentations to
extension and application of conceptual material. Based on what students seem to learn from
term projects, many instructors favor assignments that involve them in studying and analyzing
1. Observe online, streaming, or prime-time portrayals of communication in African
American and European American families. Select at least two weekly shows for each
racial group, and watch a minimum of six episodes of each show. Your report should
2. Read a minimum of four popular advice books on the topic of effective communication
between romantic partners. Your report should do the following: (1) identify and evaluate
3. Survey the past 10 years’ issues of two magazines aimed for a particular audience (e.g.,
Seventeen and Teen Vogue for teenage girls; Sports Illustrated and Esquire for men;
Essence and Jet for African American adults; Brides and Martha Stewart Weddings for
4. View a minimum of four commercial films (either current or older) that depict friendship.
You will probably need to watch each film more than once. At least one film should
focus on friendship between women (Thelma and Louise, Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel
5. Attend religious services at (1) a church that has a primarily European American
congregation, (2) a church that has a predominantly African American congregation, (3) a
Jewish temple, (4) a Quaker meeting, and (5) a non-Western religious association (e.g.,
Islamic mosque, Buddhist meditation, Hindu temple). In your report, describe differences
in the communication of both the religious leaders (ministers, priests, rabbis, and so on)
and the congregations. Your report should draw on material in the textbook to illuminate
ways in which communication practices reflect cultural situations.
SAMPLE CLASS SCHEDULES
Designing the syllabus for your class is an important part of teaching. A good syllabus describes
the course and the instructional goals, explains assignments and grading, articulates any special
policies pertinent to the class, and describes the schedule of classes and readings.
Following are two class schedules for a course in which Communication in Our Lives is the
primary text. The first syllabus is for a semester-long course that meets for 50 minutes a period,
3 days a week for 15 weeks. The second one is for a course taught over a 10-week quarter in
SAMPLE COURSE SCHEDULE: 15-WEEK SEMESTER
Day
Topic
Text Reading
1
Introduction to Course
2
Icebreaker
Introduction
3
Values and Models of Communication
Chapter 1: pp. 1–11
4
Models of Communication
Chapter 1: pp. 8–11
5
Areas of Communication Study and Research
Chapter 1: pp. 11–20
6
Influences on Human Perception
Chapter 2: pp. 25–38
7
Enhancing Communication Competence
Chapter 2: pp. 39–42
8
What Is the Self?
Chapter 3: pp. 46–60
9
Enhancing the Self
Chapter 3: pp. 60–63
10
Listening Effectively: The Listening Process
Chapter 4: pp. 67–72
11
Obstacles to Effective Listening, Nonlistening, and Goals
Chapter 4: pp. 72–83
12
Verbal Communication: Basic Principles
Chapter 5: pp. 89–100
13
Verbal Communication: Enhancing Effectiveness
Chapter 5: pp. 100–104
14
Nonverbal Communication: Basic Principles
Chapter 6: pp. 109–115
15
Nonverbal Communication: Types
Chapter 6: pp. 115–125
16
Personal Relationships: Types
Chapter 7: pp. 131–141
17
Personal Relationships: Challenges
Chapter 7: pp. 141–145
18
Group Communication: Understanding Groups and Teams
Chapter 8: pp. 149–152
19
Group Communication: Limitations and Strengths
Chapter 8: pp. 152–155
20
Group Communication: Features of Small Groups
Chapter 8: pp. 155–159
21
Group Communication: Leadership
Chapter 8: pp. 159–164
22
Midterm Exam: Introduction–Chapter 8
23
Organizational Culture and Structures
Chapter 9: pp. 169–181
24
Organizational Communication Guidelines
Chapter 9: pp. 181–184
25
Communication’s Relationship to Culture
Chapter 10: pp. 188–200
26
Improving Communication between Cultures
Chapter 10: pp. 200–203
27
Media: Nature and Scope
Chapter 11: pp. 209–212
28
Media: How the Media Work
Chapter 11: pp. 212–220
29
Media: Developing Media Literacy
Chapter 11: pp. 221–225
30
Public Speaking: Enlarged Conversation
Chapter 12: pp. 230–232
31
Public Speaking: Topic Selection
Chapter 12: pp. 233–238
32
Public Speaking: Audience Analysis
Chapter 12: pp. 239–242
33
Research for Public Speeches
Chapter 13: pp. 247–252
34
Using Evidence
Chapter 13: pp. 252–262
35
Organizing Public Speeches
Chapter 14: pp. 269–283
36
Communication Apprehension
Chapter 14: pp. 313–283
37
Presenting Public Speeches
Chapter 14: pp. 283–289
38
Informative Speaking: Nature
Chapter 15: pp. 294–298
39
Guidelines for Effective Informative Speaking
Chapter 15: pp. 298–305
40
Understanding the Pillars of Persuasive Speaking
Chapter 16: pp. 311–321
41
Persuasive Speeches: Organizing Guidelines
Chapter 16: pp. 321–329
42
Speeches or Groups Projects
43
Speeches or Groups Projects
44
Speeches or Group Projects
45
Wrap-up and Course Evaluation
SAMPLE COURSE SCHEDULE: 10-WEEK QUARTER
Day
Topic
Text Reading
1
Introduction to the Course and Icebreaker
2
Icebreaker
Introduction
3
Values and Models of Communication
Chapter 1
4
Perception and Communication
Chapter 2
5
Communication and Personal Identity
Chapter 3
6
Listening Effectively
Chapter 4
7
Verbal Dimension of Communication
Chapter 5
8
Nonverbal Communication
Chapter 6
9
Personal Relationships: Types
Chapter 7: pp. 131–141
10
Personal Relationships: Challenges
Chapter 7: pp. 141–145
11
Group Communication: Understanding Groups and Teams
Chapter 8: pp. 149–152
12
Group Communication: Limitations and Strengths
Chapter 8: pp. 152–155
13
Group Communication: Features and Leadership
Chapter 8: pp. 155–164
14
Organizational Culture and Structures
Chapter 9: pp. 169–181
15
Organizational Communication Guidelines
Chapter 9: pp. 181–184
16
Midterm Exam: Introduction–Chapter 9
17
Communication’s Relationship to Culture
Chapter 10: pp. 188–200
18
Improving Communication between Cultures
Chapter 10: pp. 200–203
19
Media: Nature and Scope
Chapter 11: pp. 209–212
20
Media: How the Media Work
Chapter 11: pp. 212–220
21
Media: Developing Media Literacy
Chapter 11: pp. 221–225
22
Public Speaking: Conversation and Topic Selection and
Audience Analysis
Chapter 12: pp. 230–238
23
Planning Public Speeches: Audience Analysis
Chapter 12: pp. 239–242
24
Research, Evidence, and Supporting Public Speeches
Chapter 13
25
Organizing Public Speeches
Chapter 14
26
Informative Speaking
Chapter 15
27
Persuasive Speaking
Chapter 16
28
Group Presentations or Speeches
29
Group Presentations or Speeches
30
Wrap-Up and Course Evaluation
Final Exam Chapters 10–16 as scheduled by the College or University