Communication+Resources

Professional Organization
The National Communication Association is "the largest national organization dedicated to communication," according to their website. You can join, access resources, and learn about jobs at this site: []

Standards for Speaking, Listening, and Media Literacy
NCA has endorsed the College Board Standards for College Readiness in English language arts and replaced their own K-12 communication standards with the ones in the ELA document. You can access them here: []. The communication standards begin with Sec. 2:127 of the PDF.

Public Speaking, Debate, and Theatre Textbooks for Your Classroom
Perfection Learning has excellent materials that I used when teaching grades 7-12. Check them out here: []

Journals
Check out journals online or in the Morgan Library to see if you want to subscribe. I've selected one that seems to be directed at K-12 teachers, but there are others that you might find interesting. Start searching at the NCA site.

From NCA
//Communication Teacher// is a quarterly publication dedicated to the identification, assessment and promotion of quality teaching practices in the K-12, community college, and university communication classrooms. Teaching practices are explored in depth: the rationale, objectives and identification of courses for which the practice is intended, a full explanation of the practice, appraisal, references, and suggested readings. Courses covered include communication research methods, communication technologies, communication theory, family, gender, health, interpersonal, intercultural, mass, organizational, public relations, rhetoric and small group, in addition to the basic/hybrid communication courses. In 2004, Communication Teacher became a 'Web First' journal. Published by Routledge, each issue is available electronically to current subscribers in January, April, July and October. Subscribers then receive a printed volume issued at the end of the year. Editor: Deanna Sellnow.

Books
Although it's based on the previous NCA standards, this book provides excellent activities and would give you some good ideas for creating or adapting your own activities. Check the library for it, and I think I have a copy you could look at. COOPER, PAMELA,and MORREALE SHERWYN,eds. 2002. //Creating Competent Communicators: Activities for Teaching Speaking, Listening, and Media Literacy in 7–12 Classrooms.// Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.

Virginia O'Keefe taught English and speech and draws from her teaching experience as well as advanced work in education (we were getting our PhDs around the same time) to offer in this book a wealth of teaching ideas that focus on thinking skills. I have a copy of this one, as well, and would be happy to share it with you. O'KEEFE, VIRGINIA. 1995. //Speaking to Think/Thinking to Speak.// Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann