Communication

When does language learning start? What do infants learn about language in the womb? How do infants and toddlers stack up as language learners? How young is too young to learn a second language? "Mystery in the Crib" is an entertaining presentation featuring infant photos and internet links that provides clues for answers to these questions and more.

Despite centuries of guesswork and decades of serious study, just how children acquire their native language remains mysterious. Parents are amazed at how much language children learn and how fast they learn it.  Yet the more science discovers about this process, the more mysterious it seems.  The fact, for example, that a kindergarten child enrolls in school with an average vocabulary of 10,000 words means she has learned about 8 words per day since she began talking. Moreover, an infant can discriminate more sounds from languages she's never heard before than the same kindergartener.  What accounts for this magic?

DrGrammar.org is a free service to the students, faculty, and staff at the University of Northern

Iowa. It also serves diverse communities beyond the UNI campus; just as Iowa is our campus,

so, too, is the United States and the world. DrGrammar.org provides the opportunity for users to

find answers to their writing ills through the Frequently Asked Questions section; the Grammar

and Writing Resources section; and various specialty sections such as English as a Second

Language, Plagiarism, and Business Communication. If a user can’t find the information

needed, or doesn’t know what to look for, the Ask a Question feature enables the user to contact

Dr. Grammar directly for assistance. From governmental officials in various states to military

personnel stationed here and abroad to everyday people wanting to ensure their writing is

correct, DrGrammar.org helps diverse communities.

Using real-life cases such as the Challenger Disaster, analyzes the factors at the individual/psychological, social psychological, organizational, and societal levels that lead "good" people to participate in unethical actions.

Communication, conflict resolution, dealing with difficult people, humor and goal setting.

Educating people on forgiveness, what it is, what it is not, how to go about forgiving and how it could be healing for people.

Presentation covers the reasons why the Golden Rule as commonly interpreted sometimes limits our ability to behave as ethical people and proposes strategies for the Golden Rule to "work" as it was intended.

• basic argument is that it doesn't work in diverse organizations and a diverse world if taken literally
• speaker uses examples from other traditions as well

Teaches skills in public communication, organization, stage fright and use of visuals.

Debates and Democracy: Understanding the function of political debates.

A summary of social psychological research on factors that cause people to be initially attracted to potential romantic partners.

Presentation discusses the human tendency towards both apathy and obedience, the necessity of dissent for a healthy organization orr society, types of dissenters, and steps in a decision to dissent (including ethical issues involved).  The session also discusses the question of whether or not dissent is unpatriotic or patriotic, and how one's concept of patriotism may lead one to dissent or to keep quiet.

Improve listening skills in everyday life, through a series of activities and exercises.

The social and cultural conditions under which children and adults learn languages.

Discussion on language policy and attitudes toward languages in the United States and worldwide.

A humorous look at the ultimate in better living - achieving balance in a topsy turvy world by focusing on what is really important. Finding the right mix of mind, body, and spirit; home, work, family, friends, career and relationships is challenging at best. Whatever your challenge, balance can sometimes seem like an unattainable goal. The good news is while it may seem impossible it's not. Learn how your age plays a link into balance and how to look at life in its entirety.