Constructive Communications

Aimed at high school students, Constructive Communications offers an introductory course in giving speeches that follows a four-step program called EASY: Effect, Audience, Subject, and Yourself. Students are told to determine the desired effect of their communication (persuade, inform, etc.); know the prospective audience (young, old, rich, poor, etc.); know their subject and use concrete examples; and know themselves (their body language, dress, eye contact, etc.). While the information is fairly run-of-the mill, two aspects of this program make it less than an optimum purchase: 1) there is a long opening skit sequence to show students that trial lawyers, teachers, politicians, salespeople, and a host of other people in other occupations need to have good communication skills the section is too long and too obvious; and 2) over the course of the video, several question and answer sections advise viewers to "put the tape on pause" while writing down extensive answers-this is an excellent way to burn out the motor in a VCR. Not recommended. (Available from: Cambridge Career Products, P.O. Box 2153, Charleston, WV 25328-2153;1-800-468-4227.)