National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology

Applied Foreign Languages

English Department

4th Year Advanced Listening/Speaking Course II

Spring 2004

 

Class Meetings:Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30 pm

3 credits

 

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Instructor: Aiden C. Yeh

Email: aidenyeh@yahoo.com

NKFUST 4th year Speaking and listening Course: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/listening2003/

NKFUST Email: listening2003@yahoogroups.com

 

Course Aims and Objectives

 

1.       To develop the students’ listening comprehension and critical thinking skills through an integrated approach to learning

2.       To expose students to unedited and authentic language

3.       To gain an understanding of American values and culture as they develop their listening skills

4.       To train students to present their opinions and arguments through oral presentations, this will build up their confidence and minimize stage fright

5.       To allow students to engage in online conferences, lectures and live discussions with foreign teachers to develop their analytical and communication skills

 

Course Assignments and Requirements

Attendance, completion of students’ projects

 

Evaluation and Grading

LATE ASSIGNMENTS get 60 points

NO assignments= 0

 

30% Attendance and Participation, Project Feedback

70% Projects/ Presentations, Midterms and Finals

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100 points

 

Course Texts

 

Numrich, C. 1995. Consider the Issues: Advanced Listening and Critical Thinking Skills. Longman.

 

Recommended Texts:

Richards, J. 2001. Passages 2.

 

Make use of the Internet to help you gather information for all your projects and presentations.

 

Schedule

 

February 18       Unit 5 Gang Violence. Discussion. Impromptu Role-Play. Vocabulary- writing sentences.

February 25       Unit 6 Create Controversy to Generate Publicity. Vocabulary- writing sentences. Project: Students work in groups of 3-4. They will search for a local TV commercial or print advertisements or both which creates controversy to generate publicity. Students will explain what type of controversy was created, the effects it had on the Taiwanese society, and critical analysis of their chosen material.

 

March 03           Student Presentation: Create Controversy to Generate Publicity. Prepare your feedbacks. Assessment: Oral presentation rubric.

March 10           Online Video conference with Arnold Muhren and Dafne Gonzalez on TPR and other kinaesthecially based language learning activities. Online discussion. Students plan and prepare their presentation for March 17

March 17           Live and webcast of students’ presentations. A conference with Arnold Muhren and Webheads-providing feedback

March 24           Unit 7: Women Caught in the Middle of Two Generations. Discussion. Possible Online Discussion: Arlyn Freed

March 31           ONLINE WORK

 

April 07             Unit 8: The Mail-Order Bride. Students search the internet for information on this topic. Chooses a local case and will present to class on April 14.

April 14             Midterms  Students project: The Mail-Order Bride

April 21             Technology and You: A Voice/Video conference with Michael Coghlan. Discussion based on Michael Coghlan’s Song “Happy Online”.

April 28             Unit 10. What Constitutes a Family? Vocabulary- Writing sentences. Online discussion with webheads.

May 05             Facing the Wrong end of the pistol. Class will be divided into three groups. Writers’ group, Tech group and the actors’ group. The writers’ group will write a play based on the situation given on p 99. The writers’ group must come up with a script, and they should take into consideration the number of cast members. See pp99-101 of your book for guidelines. The actors’ group will read-through the script and will act and present the play. The Tech group will prepare for all the technical requirements such as lighting (if necessary), music, powerpoint lay-out as background (if necessary), and all other technical aspects that will make your presentation successful.

May 12             We will do a read-through and run-through of the play. Actors’ group will practice the dialogues or lines and they will rehearse their blockings. Writers’ group will take note of the corrections and must ammend their scripts based on these revisions. All groups will discuss how to present their play. The play can be presented in the classroom or if you wish to prepare for video presentation (ala soap drama approach) then you may do so provided that you will advise the teacher beforehand.

May 19     Finals. Presentation of the role-play project. The class must work together to prepare a booklet that will include the following:

1.           List of names: Members of the Cast, the writers, the Technical team. Please include your student numbers.

2.           a copy of the Final draft

3.           A copy of the working script (the original with notations for revisions)

4.           If you choose to present the play in video, then you must submit a copy of the VCD

5.           Credits- names of persons or establishments that have extended assistance

Feedback through questionnaire must be submitted on May 26

 

 

Goodluck!

 

Aiden Yeh, February 2004