Communication Skills

Schedule for Communication Skills Spring 2022

MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Two speeches/ forum discussion (15%, 25%)

One presentation (20%)

Digital Notebook (15%)

12 YouTube video commentaries (10%)

Improvisational Speeches and Class Participation (15%)

MODULE 1

Focus: Self-Management, Discourse Management, & Interaction

Topic Preparation: 1-3

Session 1: Introductions & Getting Acquainted
Homework 1: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLIw64rLJc

Write about how the king deals with nervousness

Session 2: Anxiety Management

Homework 2: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAnw168huqA

List and describe the four steps that Abrahams suggests for successful impromptu speaking

Outline two ways that you can organize an impromptu speech?

Session 3: Confidence

Homework 3: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2MR5XbJtXU

According to Carol Goyder, what can you do to speak with confidence?

Which techniques does she apply from last week’s tips?

What else does she do to make her speech interesting?

Session 4: Asking Questions

Homework 4: Watch two videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogVLBEzn2rk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gzfIf1w7A8

According to Georgie Nightengall and Amber Wright, what leads to good questions? 
What is the most practical tip from these videos that you can used when asking questions in class?
As you watch, what can you learn from the speakers’ examples about giving a speech?

Session 5: Organization

Homework: Prepare a 2-3 minute speech in response to Prompt 1, 2, or 3.

Session 6: Butterfly Bowl 1 (Midterm)

Homework 5: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aISXCw0Pi94

Is Molly a confident speaker? How do you know?

Is her speech interesting? Why?

Are there any words that she uses that you would not expect a seven year old to know?

What have you learned from Butterfly Bowl 1 that will help you improve your performance in the Game Convention?

Digital Notebook Draft Checkup

MODULE 2

Focus: Vocabulary, Grammar, Pronunciation, Interaction

Topic Preparation: 4-7

Session 7: Giving Instructions

Homework 6: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qlYGX0H6Ec and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKpo5SeZWns

What do Paul Anderson and Jonathon Best identify as important characteristics of educational games?

Do you agree? Are there other characteristics that a game should have?

Describe how you have used Paul Anderson and Jonathon Best's advice when creating your game.

Session 8: Asking Questions and Organizing Data

Homework 7: Create a survey to determine how much fun, frienship, failure, and feedback has been built into your game, make your game ready to play in class.

Session 9: Preparing Pitches & Piloting Games

Homework 8: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq0tan49rmc

According to Sean Wise, what are the two parts and four key elements of a pitch?

Describe how you used Sean Wise's advice when writing your pitch

Session 10: Speech 2

Homework 9: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfIGTJ86oSs

According to Dave Summers, how should we see argument?

List two reasons why he thinks this way 

Identify the evidence that he uses to support each reason

Write a paragraph in which you make a claim concerning the usefulness of this video for our communications class and back up your claim with at least two reasons with a examples from real life.

MODULE 3

Focus: Global Performance, Reflection

Topics: 8-10

Session 11: Supporting Claims, Cohesion, and Coherence

Homework 10: Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoUlxJR-xZM

List two reasons why we should change the goal of arguing

Identify the evidence that she uses to support each reason

Classify the evidence as special instance, statistics, testimony, allegory. 

Write a paragraph in which you make a claim concerning the usefulness of this video for our communications class and back up your claim with at least two reasons with anecdotal or testimonial evidence.

Sessions 12 & 13:  Preparation and Reflection

Digital Notebook: 

Review and edit your digital notebook

Sessions 13 & 14: Final Exam and Feedback

Rubric for Scoring Oral Assignments

LANGUAGE (0 - 8 points)

Grammar

3 Speech shows evidence of a range of complex grammatical structures and few errors.

2 Speech contains a mix of complex and simple sentence; may have errors, but these do not distort the message.

1 Speech is mostly characterized by simple sentences and/or by errors that distort the message.

Vocabulary

3  Speech demonstrates a wide range of accurately used professional vocabulary.

2 General vocabulary is accurate; attempts to use technical vocabulary may not be precise, but the message is clear.

1 Speech uses mostly general and simple vocabulary and/ or has many errors in word choice that distort the message.

Pronunciation

2 The speaker was very easy to understand; there may have been mispronounces words, but meaning was clear.

1 Phonemes, intonation, or mispronounced words made it very difficult to understand the message.

COMMUNICATIVE TASKS (0 - 6 points)

Discourse Management

3 Speech was exactly three minutes long, well-organized, on topic, and fully developed with explanation and examples.

2  Speech was less than three minutes long, well-organized, and on-topic, but lacked critical explanation and examples.

1 Speech was less than three minutes long, disorganized, off-topic, and/or underdeveloped.

Interaction

3 Presenter can answer a range of questions from others, fully extending the response.

            As interviewer, speaker can ask spontaneous questions that show a connection with what the speaker has said.

2 Presenter can answer most questions from others, though the answer may be repetitive or not have any examples.

            As interviewer, speaker asks prepared questions related to the topic.

1 Presenter is unable or unwilling to answer questions.

            As interviewer, the speaker is reluctant to ask questions or asks irrelevant questions.

GLOBAL PERFORMANCE (0 - 2 points)

2 Speaker delievered a fully coherent and cohesive performance; speech has little hestitation or repetition except for effect.

1  Speaker delivered an understandable performance, but it was not always coherent, cohesive, or fluent.

Note on Academic Integrity

All students are required to follow the accepted rules of academic integrity – no plagiarism, extensive textual borrowing (copying from sources) or cheating. An important element of academic integrity is fully and correctly attributing any materials taken from the work of others. Students who have concerns about how to do this should ask their teacher. Students are encouraged to study with other students and to discuss questions on the homework assignments, however, the work that each  turns in should be his or her own. Any instances of plagiarism or cheating will result in 0 points for the given assignment.

RESOURCES