Syllabus | Schedule | Tronclass
BEN11505 English Conversation 1
W 8:10-10:00, Rm R0310
Handouts
Instead of a textbook, we will have handouts for each class to help guide our conversation. These handouts include questions and instructions for the activities we will do in class.
There will be a handout available for download on Tronclass for each week. Please, go to Tronclasse and download the handout, print it out, and bring it to class. You need to have the paper copy with you in class each week.
- Download, print out, and bring the handout to class. (Not bringing the handout to class will negatively impact your participation grade.)
- Find the handout on the Tronclass webpage.
- Use the handout before class to help you prepare mentally for class. I expect you to come to class eager to communicate in English with lots of ideas about what to say and questions to ask classmates.
Weekly homework
Every week, you must prepare for class. You do this by studying the handout, by researching the day’s topic on the internet, and by writing a little bit about the topic in your own words. Come to class prepared to speak. Think ahead about what you want to say and look up words or special language you want to use.
Writing. Write about 200 words about the topic in answer to the question on the weekly schedule. It is very important that you write your own ideas without copying. The writing is informal. Don’t spend too much time trying to write a serious essay each week. Lots of vocabulary and grammar issues are more easily seen in writing than in speaking. By focusing on writing your own ideas in your own words, you will be better prepared to talk about the day’s topic, and you will be more clearly able to see what words you need to learn and which grammar points you need to improve.
Presentations
Make sure you take special care preparing for these assignments.
For both presentations, your job is to talk for three minutes without reading or reciting memorized lines. You can still prepare for this by practicing what you want to say. You want to sound like a normal person talking about something, not like a person giving a speech, so try to relax and keep it casual.
Before the midterm: Weekly Topic Group Presentation. (5 minutes)
- 4-5 students in a group
- About 5 minutes. Do Not go over 6 minutes max!
- Talk about a subtopic related to the general topic for your week. This could be…
- a specific story or situation you know about or invent.
- Related to a recent topic in the news
- Something you have read about or seen in a video, etc.
- Choose to present something that would be interesting to your classmates
- Each group member should work equally both to prepare and present
- Prepare a handout
- 10 useful vocabulary words related to your topic and presentation
- A brief outline of your main points
- 3-5 questions that classmates can discuss related to the ideas you presented.
- Presentation ideas (none of these are required, these are ideas for you to consider)
- Use PowePoint to help make your points
- Perform a short skit
- Have a conversation among each other in front of the class.
- Show a short video or play a short song (no more than 1.5 minutes).
- Use an energetic and enthusiastic voice.
- (If you use technology, such as a PPT, make sure to set it up on the computer before class begins!)
- Do not read! You can have some notes with key words, but you cannot read while talking.
After the midterm: Individual presentations about your country
- Your purpose is to try to make classmates feel interested in your country and want to keep learning more about it.
- Talk for just one minutes about something surprising or interesting about your country.
- Talk about things that are not covered in any of the other weeks (such as traditions, a special place, safety in your country, other news, money/economy, weather, festivals, manners, taboos, religion, etc.)
- Do not read! You can have some notes with key words, but you cannot read while talking.
- You can use a PowerPoint, a handout, or other props, but none of these is required. It must be prepared beforehand so you do not take class time setting up.
About notes
- It’s OK to have notes with you to help you remember your ideas.
- These notes must NOT be the full text of your speech.
- The notes should NOT include full sentences
- Key words or an outline would be appropriate.
Evaluation
- Fluency. You keep talking without long pauses or searching for words or sounding memorized.
- Language. Good, precise vocabulary and grammar that helps to say your ideas clearly.
- Attitude. You seem interested in your topic.
- Depth. You say things that are interesting to classmates such as new ideas or information.
Midterm Discussions
The midterm is a conversation between 2-3 students about a question related to a class topic.
The midterm focuses on your ability to explain and defend your ideas
Choose your group beforehand and sign up for a time. You do not need to attend the class when other groups are doing their conversation.
You will choose a piece of paper with a topic/question related to the topics discussed in class previously. Then, you will begin to talk about the topic with your partner(s). You can ask each other questions, share your opinions and ideas, and ask follow-up questions. I will be watching but will not speak. I’ll tell you when the time is finished. I
I will give you your grades in the first class of the second half of the semester.
Final Interviews
These are individual interviews held in my office. (10-12 minutes)
- Sign up for a time slot one or two weeks before the interview.
- You only need to come for your time. Otherwise, you are free during midterm and final exams.
- Please wait outside for me to open the door and invite you to come in.
- You can bring a classmate to sit in on your interview, if you like (it may help you to relax).
- Come a little early, but you may need to wait a little while for the interview before yours to finish.
- Interviews will usually be from about 10-12 minutes.
- I’ll ask questions to try to make you talk more deeply and give more details.
- Like your presentations, don’t try to memorize, but practice what you want to say many times using different words each time while trying to consider different kinds of questions that you may be asked.
Your goal is to speak with fluency, clarity and depth about a topic that you choose.
- The midterm focuses on your ability to explain and defend an opinion.
- The final is about explaining and giving details about a foreign country.
Remember that it’s important to
- make clear and specific points.
- talk more in depth about few topics than say a little about many things
- give clear examples to show what you really mean
- demonstrate that you really know something about your topic
- show that you can speak naturally and clearly making meaningful points
- These are the tree main criteria for evaluation
- Content: depth & detail
- Fluency: ability to keep talking without pauses, pronunciation, intonation
- Language: Word choice & grammar (accuracy & sophistication)
- The chart below provides more detail.
Grading reference for oral exams, both midterm and final
| Score | In General | 1. Content: Depth & Detail | 2. Fluency | 3. Grammar | 4. Vocabulary |
| 9-10 | Easy to understand and subtleties expressed well. | Makes meaningful, insightful and relevant points. | Few pauses. Can easily speak at length. Can naturally link ideas together to speak in depth. | Uses a variety of sentence structures, including simple and complex sentences. Verb tenses, etc. | Uses a variety of words accurately and precisely. |
| 7-8 | Small errors do not cause problems with understanding | Good ideas, but not always explained in detail | Few pauses, can speak at length, not always easy to connect ideas | A variety of sentence structures and lengths with errors that don’t cause trouble for understanding | Uses good words to express ideas. |
| 5-6 | Understandable with a little effort | Makes general points but seldom explains deeply or gives meaningful examples. | More pauses to search for words and. Sometimes restates rather than develops ideas. | Mostly simple sentences. Complex sentences often have errors. | Can express meaning but sometimes words are not accurate. |
| 3-4 | Understandable with much effort | The points made are understandable, but not explained. | Difficulty speaking at length. Longer pauses and short statements that are not always logically connected | Most sentences have errors making understanding somewhat difficult. | Word choices sometimes cause confusion. |
| 1-2 | Mostly difficult to understand. | It is difficult to understand what points are being made. | Short answers to direct questions. Little or no elaboration. | Few sentences without errors making comprehension very difficult. | Word choices frequently cause confusion. |