Academic Spoken Communication Course Outline

Weekly Course Outline

Weeks	Course Content	Assessment
Week 1 10-14 Jan	Introduction to academic spoken communication. Course content, objectives and outcomes. Explanation of assessment criteria, tasks and assignments.  Choosing oral classroom presentation (public speech) topics. Oral presentations 'My Vacation': informal assessment. Learning how to write a good oral presentation outline.
Week 2 17-21 Jan	Verbal and non-verbal communication. Face-to-face communication and public speaking. Speaking and listening tasks. Learning how to speak in public. Lecture: Listening Skills. Listening and note taking. Oral presentations: informal assessment.
Week 3 24-28 Jan	Classroom presentations: requirements. Speaking and listening tasks. Listening exercises.  Listening tasks.	Listening Test 1
Week 4 31 Jan-4 Feb	How to give PowerPoint presentations effectively.  Listening for Academic Purposes. Active listening tasks: note taking. Listening task. Vlogs (video logs). Ted Talk:"What People Say When They Don't Know What to Say" (lecture).  Listening tasks and listening tests. Preparation for Listening Test 2.  Classroom presentations.
Week 5 7-11 Feb	Developing listening skills. Listening tasks. Vlogs (video logs). Ted Talk: Cancer Blog.  Oral presentations for formal assessment.	Listening Test 2
Week 6 14-18 Feb	Oral presentations for formal assessment. Developing listening skills. Listening tasks. Listening and note taking. Small group discussions and impromptu presentations.	Classroom presentations: deadline.
Week 7 21-25 Feb	About demonstration speeches. Demonstration speech requirements. Demonstration tasks. Demonstration speeches for formal assessment (8 min). Interviews.	Test about communication, speaking and listening
Week 8 28 Feb-3 Mar	Demonstration speeches. Debates and discussions.	Listening and note taking test
Week 9 6-10 Mar	Demonstration speeches.
Week 10 13-17 Mar	Demonstration speeches.
Week 11 20-24 Mar	Demonstration speeches.	Demonstrations: deadline.
Week 12 27-31 Mar	Semester break
Week 13 3-7 Apr	Semester break
Week 14 10-14 Apr	Preparation for final assessment. Developing listening and speaking skills. Discussions, debates and conversations. Conversation questions. Extemporaneous public speeches.
Week 15 17-21 Apr	Ted Talk. Different Cultures http://www.ted.com/talks Discussions, debates and conversations. Conversations. Conversation questions. Debates. Discussions. Face-to-face communication tasks.  Spotlight English: http://spotlightenglish.com Learning English VOA: http://learningenglish.voanews.com Ello English: http://www.elllo.org/english Listening activities: informal assessment and self-assessment. Revision of the course. Preparation for the final exam.	Portfolio: deadline Interviews: deadline
Week 16 24-28 Apr	Final exam: oral presentations. impromptu /extemporaneous  public speeches.
Week 17 1-5 May	End of final assessment. Thu, 5 May - last day of classes.

Assessment Summary

1. Listening Task: Listening Test 1 & Listening Test 2

2. Speaking Task 1: Presentation (8-10 minutes)

3. Listening Task: Note taking test

4. Speaking Task 2: Demonstration (8-10 minutes)

5. Portfolio

    Final Assessment: 

6. Interview (7-8 minutes)

7. Presentation (10 minutes)