“Proper planning and preparation prevents poor performance” ― Stephen Keague, The Little Red Handbook of Public Speaking and Presenting

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) topicsOral presentations 'My Vacation': informal assessment.




Week 2
17-21 Jan

Verbal and non-verbal communication. Face-to-face communication and public speaking.

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.



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. 



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:
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)