Ron Scollon, Mediated discourse: The nexus of practice. London & New York: Routledge, 2001. Pp. ix, 182. Pb $29.80; and Yuling Pan, Suzanne Wong Scollon, & Ron Scollon. Professional communication in international settings. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2002. Pp. x, 240. Hb $73.95

Extract

Mediated Discourse (MD) reports a longitudinal study of the development of a one-year-old child, focusing on a single, narrowly defined social practice – handing, or “the simple practice of giving an object to another person” (p. 12). In this book, R. Scollon proposes a framework of mediated discourse to address social (practice) theory, which was “badly in need of an ontogenetic view of social practice” (vii).

Although Ron Scollon is an author of both books under review, the second differs from the first, theoretical, work in focusing on practical application. Professional communication in international settings (PCIIS) is an excellent book that is much needed by professionals, researchers, trainers, or anyone else involved in business or professional communication across cultural boundaries. Different from many other books on the same subject, its goal is to offer a method for effective communication, and it can be used as either a textbook or a reference.