Nimen Hao,
Dear students,
Last semester we were amateur reviewers, and you performed indvidual spoken word reviews on a wide variety of subjects.
1. Reporting/reviewing
This semester you will be amateur journalists and report on a wide variety of subjects relevant to your time in Beijing.
You will also get continue with the reviewing skills you developed last semester, and do some small group and class discussions about Anglophone films (primarily American).
At the end of the semester you will be part of a team that presents a spoken word report on a subject of your choice, or a review on a film or several films of your choice as a video log (vlog) or audio recording (podcast). This will be a team exercise, and each team member will be assessed on their individual contribution.
2. Grammar practice
Some of the presentations last semester showed that for some students the most important area for improvement is your spoken word grammar. So, this semester students that need to focus on grammar will have the opportunity to do so.
1 + 2 Reporting/Reviewing + Spoken word grammar practice
This semester you will focus on 1 (reporting on Beijing) +2 (grammar revision).
The grammar support will be done via additional spoken word homework and feedback. Every two weeks (from this week to week ten), you will send me a recorded 2 minute talk (approximately two minutes, the timing doesn’t have to be exact). The first talk will be on the subject of your New Year’s break/holiday. You will be able to choose your own topics after that first piece of homework, although I may ask you to make it about Beijing in some way for one or more of the talks. The talk is not a formal presentation, just an ordinary conversational talk about a particular topic.
I will remind you when the homework is due throughout the semester. This homework is a supplement to the grammar study you are already doing. It’s good to practice getting grammar correct in spoken word as well as writing, as it can be easier to make mistakes when speaking because the act of talking is more immediate and less considered than the act of writing.
The aim is not so much to become grammatically perfect, but to minimize your errors so that they do not cause miscommunication.
+ 3: IELTS exam=style spoken word practice exercises
From time to time we will do some IELTS exam-style exercises in class. This will help give you an idea of how your spoken word skills are progressing in relation to future spoken word assessments. This part of the spoken word practice is mostly everyday conversational practice.
Spring semester Course Timetable
The course outline is below. It will be subject to possible amendments throughout the semester.
| Lesson No. | Topic and homework |
| Lesson One
Thurs 02.28 Sat 03.01 |
Individual feedback on your review presentations from semester one; grammar homework discussion. |
| Lesson Two
Thurs 03.07 Fri 03.08 |
We are Beijing Correspondents/Reviewers
recorded grammar homework, a 2 minute talk to send to Matt by/before lesson four.
+ More homework; freshwomen1+2, watch the movie Black Panther (watch it by or before lesson three next week); Freshwomen3, read the article sent via Wechat by or before lesson three next week). |
| Lesson Three
Thurs 03.14 Fri 03.15 |
Watching a film/Listening to and discussing a podcast.
|
| Lesson Four
Thurs 03.21 Fri 03.22
|
IELTS exercises: tell us your stories
+Choose a subject for your new recorded homework (2 minute talk to be sent to Matt by or before lesson six). The subject can be anything relating to your experience of Beijing. +Copy one of the movies offered onto your usb, make sure you have watched one of them by next week +Ensure you have sent me your grammar talk from lesson two by class today at the latest. |
| Lesson Five
Thurs 03.28 Fri 03.29 |
Discussing the American newsmakers pt. 1 Discussing American journalism through the movies
+ reminder; your next recorded grammar homework is due by or before the end of next week |
| Lesson Six
Thurs 04.05 Fri 04.06
|
Discussing the American newsmakers pt. 2 Discussing American journalism through the movies
+ homework: find examples of citizen’s blogging/chatting/reporting to discuss in class next week.+ Choose a subject for your new recorded homework (2 minute talk to be sent to Matt by or before lesson eight). The subject can be anything relating to your experience of Beijing. + Ensure you have sent me your grammar talk from lesson four by class today at the latest. |
| Lesson Seven
Thurs 04.11 Fri 04.12 |
Discussing reporting, citizens’ blogging, chatting.
+Homework: read the Beijing news articles for next week’s discussion |
| Lesson Eight
Thurs 04.18 Fri 04.19 |
How to improve a draft podcast
+ Choose a subject for your new recorded homework (2 minute talk to be sent to Matt by or before lesson ten). The subject can be anything. + Ensure you have sent me your grammar talk from lesson six by class today at the latest. |
| Lesson Nine
Thurs 04.25 Fri 04.26 |
Discussing the news; protest exercise.
No homework as Labour Day holidays next week
|
| Lesson Ten
Thurs 05.9 Fri 05.10
|
Interviewing exercise and quiz; heroes discussion
+Homework: work on your podcasts/vlogs + Choose a subject for your new recorded homework (2 minute talk to be sent to Matt by or before lesson twelve). The subject can be anything. + send your grammar talk from lesson eight by class today |
| Lesson Eleven
Thurs 05.16 Fri 05.17
|
Planning your podcasts/discussing the field trip plans
Choosing your topics and formats, designing research, making plans and arrangements; scheduled group discussions Choosing your topics and formats, designing research, making plans and arrangements; scheduled group discussions |
| Lesson Twelve
Thurs 05.23 Fri 05.24 |
IELTS exercises +Team Progress discussions. Tell us how your work is progressing/receive feedback (scheduled group discussions) + Ensure you sent me your grammar talk from lesson ten by class today at the latest. This is the last of the five talks |
| Lesson Thirteen
tbc 05/30 06/01,03 |
Field trip.
Beijing Arts district 798 + + Homework: work on your ideas and preparation for your assessed work due at the end of semester (due by or before 06.14) + Ensure you sent me your grammar talk from lesson ten by class today at the latest. |
| Lesson Fourteen
Thurs 06.6 Fri 06.7 |
Feedback on your grammar homework (recordings)
+Homework: work on your podcasts/vlogs |
| Submission date Fri 06.14 |
Team Podcasts due.
Ensure that you Submit your vlogs/podcasts by the end of week (submission date 06.14). |
Course Assessment
Part One: attendance and participation (20% of total possible marks for the year; 5% attendance; 15% participation)
Criteria for participation involves
+ be a good comrade; respectful engagement, supporting each other’s learning, listening.
+ taking part
+ self-development, challenging your self
Part two: Conversation: Podcast on a Beijing issue (80% of total possible marks for the semester). Note, your podcast mark will take into account your work in class throughout the semester.
- Team podcast with at least 3 minutes (and not longer than 6 minutes) talk per team member
- To be submitted at end of semester (last day of week sixteen, June 14 [06/14])