Communication Techniques is a
course designed for 2nd year students who major in English. The
course teaches the students to communicate correctly in English in different
daily situations, to be careful when speaking with people from different
cultures, familiarizes them with the body language and its significance in
communication as well as gives a glimpse of the language development and
history of human communication. The course includes 30 class hours.
Goals:
- Learn tips for effective communication, questioning techniques, appropriate ice-breakers and conversation starters;
- Speak with ease and confidence;
- Prepare and deliver a speech in public;
- List channels of non-verbal communication and analyze their importance in different cultures;
- Discover and use unlimited internet resources for language learning;
- Prepare individual project and presentations;
- Practice skills of online search; e-mail; power point, movie maker; YouTube;
- Learn how to publish created media online;
To complete the course
successfully students need to present the following tasks and projects:
- Student’s Portfolio;
- Online tasks, blog posts;
- Video CV;
- 2 evaluation tests;
- In-class project presentation;
- Public speech.
Oral
presentations:
Dates assigned for oral
presentations will be strictly observed. Make-up presentations may be arranged
ONLY for “excused” absences, such as those caused by illness or by
participation in an approved university activity. (Written medical excuse or
authorized documentation is required). Otherwise, penalty of minus 1 point will
apply.
Class
presentation:
See the syllabus for texts
and required assignments that will be covered each class. You are expected to
come to class prepared to be able to discuss and participate in class activity
in an intelligent and insightful manner. Participation is extremely important.
Attendance:
Attendance is essential for
this class. Students are allowed 2
unexcused absences. Excused absences include medical excuses, religious
observances and participation in university events such as sports or
performances. Students who do not care have nothing to do in this class.
Classroom
etiquette:
Please be on time. Switch off
your cell phone during class. Please pay attention and listen quietly while
your fellow classmates or I am speaking or presenting. Respect is important!
Evaluation:
Students will receive a grade
for the course that will make up 20% of their final grade. Evaluation tests
will make up 20 %, Portfolio and video CV 20 %. They will pass an oral
examination – theory and practice, examination grade will constitute 40% of
their final grade.
Grading Rubric for Class Presentation:
1
|
2
|
3
| |
Topic and time
|
The topic was not open. The speech was not to the subject.
|
The presentation was full of facts or lacked a lot of information. It was difficult to follow the logic between the slides
|
The students was speaking up to the point and the presented topic was opened completely. The information was presented in an interesting and logical way – it was easy to follow the speaker. 5-7 minutes
|
Eye contact
|
Speaker avoided eye contact, and was always reading from the notes or slides.
|
Good eye contact. Sometimes reading from the notes.
|
Spoke freely. Used slides just to comment on his/her ideas.
|
Voice/ Pronunciation
|
Spoke too slowly or too quietly. Had lots of pronunciation errors that made it difficult for the audience to follow the speaker.
|
Made some pronunciation mistakes, but it was easy to understand the message. Voice loud enough.
|
Pronounced all the words correctly in a loud clear voice. Kept the attention of the audience.
|
Posture and gestures
|
Was showing tension and felt unassured while delivering the speech. Walked during his presentation without necessity, fidgeted.
|
Presented in a calm manner.
|
Presented in a calm manner using body language to prove the main points.
|
Grammar mistakes
|
Lots of grammar mistakes that make the speech uncomprehensible.
|
Some grammar mistakes.
|
No grammar mistakes.
|
Visual aids
and Handouts |
No visual aids or useless visual aids that did not help to open the topic.
|
Some visuals. Sometimes too much text on the slides or the handout did not meet the requirements.
|
Visual aids that enhanced the presentation and made it interesting. Handout done perfectly.
|
For 10 – 18 points
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