MATERIALS:
Miller,
Sue F. Targeting
Pronunciation: Communicating Clearly in English. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. (No CDs).
Class movies (on reserve in the LDC or rented, viewed online, eg Netflix)
- listening,
- speaking,
- pronunciation,
- vocabulary,
- classroom group discussion,
- formal and informal presentations (thus critical thinking) and
- functional communication with an emphasis on American college classroom communication skills
- notetaking, asking for clarification, stating and
supporting opinions, responding to other's comments, giving and
receiving criticism
- take organized, clear notes of short lectures or other oral sources with 70% accuracy (class discussions, movie dialogues)
- give oral summaries and/or paraphrases of information presented in oral sources
- including being able to
- identify patterns of main ideas & support
- distinguish betweeen fact & opinion
- make conclusions and inferences
- identify the purpose & tone of the oral source
- including being able to
- give formal oral presentations that present clear academic arguments in an appropriate format
- participate in class and small group discussions
- self-correct pronunciation problems on the word and
sentence level.
express an idea or feeling rather than as a process driven by the need
to memorize language without knowing when or how it might be used in
the
future. You can, therefore, expect to participate in many in-class
exercises
as an individual, group member or as part of the entire class. Most
class
sessions will be devoted to activities rather than lectures, but you
will
listen to some lectures from your instructor or other class presenters
and take quizzes and/or work on projects on other days.
Listening Activities: Global and intensive listening segments from American films and websites. Recordings of individual “trouble” sounds as well as word and sentence stress patterns. Note taking from lectures given by the instructor, other class presenters or on the class website. Class discussions. Sample TOEFL listening practice.
Speaking Activities: Class and group discussions, practice with functional language and vocabulary, interviews, and projects. Pronunciation exercises and quizzes.
Quick Talks: The instructor will ask individual students to talk about topics we have been focusing on in class. Such topics might include movies you have watched for class, class vocabulary or pronunciation skills we have studied. To receive full credit for your talk, you must speak logically and continually for three minutes and answer audience questions afterward. You will either pass or not pass (almost everyone passes!).
Class "Debates": Students will break into groups and advance an argument. For example, after we watch a movie, you might be asked if you think the movie should be used in the class next semester. Depending on your decision, you will be placed in a group & asked to will come up with ideas and details to support your group's opinion. Groups will then present their "arguments."
Practice TOEFL speaking exercises.
Projects: (all projects are graded on a 1 a 10 point scale, where 10 = perfect)1. Movie Genres Presentation (formal presentation, technology skills, pronunciation, listening, notetaking)Quizzes: Some quizzes review material presented in class (vocabulary, student presentations). Other quizzes focus on specific pronunciation points you have been assigned to study. Quizzes may be either written or oral (delivery or answer). Quizzes are graded on a 1 - 10 point scale, where 10 = perfect.
2. Mason Oscars (surveying, formal presentation, technology skills, pronuciation, listening, notetaking)
3. Looping Project (pronunciation)
4. Final Presentation (formal presentation, pronunciation)
Homework: Homework is given to prepare students for class work or quizzes (as in reading handouts and listening/practicing exercises) as part of their projects or notetaking. Homework is graded as either turned in (1) or not turned in (0).
Participation, Attendance and Other Class Polices:
-
Participation and Attendance: You will be doing many
things
in this class, often as part of a group. Therefore, it is
extremely
important that each student come to class each day and fully
participate
in discussions and activities. If you are late to class (more
than
10 minutes), this will count as a half absence. If you have six or
more
absences, you will receive a grade of NG for the class. You are
responsible
for finding out what work has been assigned in your absence.
Missed
quizzes CANNOT be made-up.
Honor Code: All work on all on all assignments must be completed by you and based on your own ideas. Please see the GMU Honor System and Code http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu/honorcode for specific details regarding plagiarism and cheating.
Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices: Please turn off (or put into silent mode) all cell phones and other electronic devices before class begins. No texting/emailing during class.
Class Materials: Please bring our textbook, paper and
something to
write with
to each class. You will need a thumb drive on which
to save your
voice recordings.
| Quick Talks = 5% | Class Debates = 10% |
| Projects = 50% | Homework = 10% |
| Quizzes = 25% |
