Academic Spoken Communication
2017 Fall Semester
Course Content Overview
TED Talks
You will be asked to pick a TED talk of your choice from http://www.ted.com. After listening to it, you will take notes on its key points in class. Next, you will use the notes to write your own summary. The written summary is then recorded to create an audio summary. This will be followed by a group discussion in class: you will share and discuss your TED talk ideas in a group. Each student will need to ask and answer questions as well as give a personal reflection on his/her own TED talk topic.
Announcement
You will pick a 30-45 second public announcement of your choice from youtube. You will then transcribe the speech word for word and mimic the message, pronunciation and intonation as is. This is to be audio recorded. In the second part of this assignment, you will create your own announcement and present it ‘live’ in front of the class.
Presentations
You will be asked to consider a current problem (social, health, political, economic, cultural etc.). This topic must be approved by your teacher and could also be your choice of topic for your next assignment which is an interview. You will then conduct secondary research to gather the material you need to prepare your slides for a live presentation. You may use the Pecha Kucha method which will be discussed in class.
Interview
You will have two interviews. One individual interview and one-panel interview, both interviews need to be video/audio recorded and submitted to your teacher as a record.
Assessment Weightings
Coursework
|
%
|
Week
|
· LISTENING AND NOTE-TAKING (10%)
· GROUP DISCUSSION (10%)
|
20%
|
Week 1-4
|
· ANNOUNCEMENT (10%)
· PRESENTATION (10%)
|
20%
|
Week 5-8
|
· DEBATE
|
15%
|
Week 9-12
|
· INTERVIEW
|
15%
|
Week 13-15
|
Faculty-Wide Assessment
| ||
· BBLearn EXAM
|
30%
|
Week 16
|
Total
|
100%
|
Weekly Course Outline
Weeks
|
Course Content
|
Assessment
|
Week 1
|
Introduction to academic spoken communication. Course content, objectives and outcomes. Explanation of assessment criteria, tasks and assignments.
Choosing oral classroom presentation (public speech) topics.
|
|
Week 2
|
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
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Classroom presentations: requirements. Speaking and listening tasks. Listening exercises. Listening tasks.
|
(Part 1 & 2)
Informal assessment |
Week 4
|
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
|
Oral presentations for formal assessment.
|
|
Week 6
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Oral presentations for formal assessment. Developing listening skills. Listening tasks. Listening and note taking.
|
Classroom presentations
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Week 7
|
About demonstration speeches. Demonstration speech requirements. Demonstration tasks. Demonstration speeches for formal assessment (8 min).
Interviews.
|
Test about communication, speaking and listening
Informal assessment |
Week 8
|
Demonstration speeches.
Public speech: The Danger of a Single Story.
|
Informal assessment
|
Week 9
|
Demonstration speeches.
|
|
Week 10
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Demonstration speeches.
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|
Week 11
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Demonstration speeches.
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Demonstrations
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Semester break
|
||
Semester break
|
||
Week 12
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Preparation for final assessment. Developing listening and speaking skills. Discussions, debates, and conversations.
Conversation questions. Extemporaneous public speeches.
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Week 13
|
Ted Talk. Different Cultures
http://www.ted.com/talks
Discussions, debates, and conversations.
Conversations. Conversation questions. Debates. Discussions.
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
Interviews
|
Week 14
|
Final assessment: oral presentations.
impromptu /extemporaneous public speeches.
|
|
Week 15
|
Final assessment.
Thu, 8 May - last day of classes.
|
Assessment Summary
COURSEWORK AND FINAL EXAM ASSESSMENT
1. Score: 50+50=100
Note taking (50)
Listening (50)
2. Score: 100
Show & tell (demonstrations)
3. Score: 100
Oral presentations
4 Score: 100 (Final exam, BBLearn)
Listening test
Assessment Weightings
Coursework
|
%
|
Approx Week
|
· TED TALK and GROUP DISCUSSION
Listening/Note-taking/Audio Summary
|
15%
|
Week 1-4
|
· ANNOUNCEMENT / PRESENTATION
Mimic/Live Speech/Seminar/Show & Tell
|
20%
|
Week 5-8
|
· ORAL PRESENTATIONS
|
20%
|
Week 9-12
|
· INTERVIEW
|
15%
|
Week 13-15
|
Final Written Exam
|
||
Listening Exam (Bblearn)
|
30%
|
Week 16
|
Total
|
100%
|
Demonstration Speech
Assessment
Topic: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Student name: …………………………………………………. ID: ………......................
Skills
|
Comments / Errors
|
Score
|
|
Verbal communication
Fluency
Reading (not speaking)
Tone of voice (volume, intensity)
Pronunciation (clarity, diction)
Language errors (grammar)
|
35
|
||
Non-verbal communication
Posture
Gestures
Mimics (eye contact)
Other nonverbal signals
|
35
|
||
Competence & knowledge
Duration
Demonstration outline
PowerPoint
Tools / accessories
Step-by-step explanation
How interesting the topic was…
Questions-answers
|
30
|
||
Notes & remarks (if any)
|
Total score (100):
………………..
|
- Online Advertising Methods vs Traditional Methods
- The Importance of Newspapers in our Daily Life
- The Dangers of Using a Smartphone while Driving
- Does the Internet Mean the Death of Newspapers?
- Special Privileges for Working Women
- Traditional Books and e-Books
- Meat Consumption and Health
- Effects of Exercise on Aging and Disease Prevention
- Is Social Media Negatively Impacting on Student Studies?
- The Greatest Values of Life
- The Importance of Education, Science, Technology and Medicine in Human Life
- The Internet for Business Students: Advantages and Disadvantages
- The Role of Advertising in Business
- The Internet and Advertising
- The Global Economy and Cross-cultural Communication
- How to Advertise a Product: Which Methods to Choose?
- How to Avoid Cross-cultural Miscommunication
- The Modern Wonders of the World
- Euthanasia: Cons and Pros
- Application of Tablets for Business Purposes
- The World Wide Web and New Business Opportunities
- Internet Crime: Problems and Solutions
- Business Success Stories
- Stages of Finding a Good Job in the Job Market
- Work Ethics and the Importance of Effective Communication in the Workplace
- Language and Global Economy
- Table Manners and Etiquette
- Violence and Aggressiveness among Teenagers
- Environment and its Protection
- Problems of Transport and their Solutions
- Workplaces and Computers
- Phobias and their Treatment
- The Effects of the Internet on Health
- Internet Addiction: Problems and Solutions
- The Qualities of a Good Manager
- Plastic Surgery: Procedure. Moral Implications.
- Higher Education in UAE: Colleges and Universities
- Computer Security Issues.
- Use of IT in Fashion Designing. Analysis.
- Marketing Trends in Fashion: UAE. Case Studies
- English Speaking Countries and their Cultures
- How to Learn Foreign Languages Effectively
- Health and Nutrition Problems among Students
- Anorexia, its Causes, and its Consequences
- The Effects of Fashion on People's Health
- Thalassemia in the World and the UAE
- The Social Networks and our Young Generation
- Is Physical Force a Justifiable Method of Punishing Children?
- How to Identify the Personal Characteristics of Leaders
- An overview of jobs that soon will be no longer required
- To Err is Human. To Forgive is Divine.
- How Colors Affect the Way People Feel in Various Situations
- What Characteristics Make an Ideal Hero and Why?
- What Human Qualities we Need More of and Why
- Is the Fashion Industry Promoting Eating Disorders in our Society?
- The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Business
- Crime and Poverty Prevention in the World
- How to Deal with Difficult People
- How to Motivate Yourself to Study
- Effects of Music on the Mind and Brain
COURSEWORK AND FINAL EXAM ASSESSMENT
1. Score: 50+50=100
Note taking (50)
Listening (50)
2. Score: 100
Show & tell (demonstrations)
3. Score: 100
Oral presentations
4 Score: 100 (Final exam, BBLearn)
Listening test
