Course Description

Helps participants practice and improve listening and speaking skills as needed for functioning successfully in academic, professional, and personal settings.  Assesses participants' oral skills and includes, as needed, practice with pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and intonation.  Provides exercises, practices, small and large group activities, and oral presentations to help participants overcome problems in oral communication. Lecture 10 hours per week.

General Course Purpose 

To give intermediate or advanced participants intensive practice in listening and speaking in large and small group situations as well as practice in giving oral presentations. 

Course Objectives 

Goal 1 - Participants will be able to participate successfully in large and small group discussions

Goal 2 - Participants will be able to give formal and informal presentations 

Goal 3 - Participants will be able to understand and follow class discussion, presentations, and instructions.

Goal 4 -  Participants will be able to understand native speakers' speech at a normal rate

Goal 5 - Participants will be able to understand academic lectures

Major Topics to be Included

A.  Large and small group activities: Emphasis on  learning to interact and function in groups

B.  Formal and informal presentations: Emphasis on organization and content of presentations

C.   Practice in clear communication: Emphasis on delivery of ideas (pronunciation, eye contact, comfort in delivery, etc.)

D.   Aural Comprehension: Emphasis on understanding and following class discussions, presentations, and instructions