COLUMBIA / COLLEGE / CHICAGO

CHICAGO'S VISUAL, PERFORMING, MEDIA COMMUNICATION ARTS COLLEGE

600 S. Michigan Ave. CHICAGO IL 60605
Syllabus and Course Description
ESL Oral Expression
Fall 2009 ESL 52-1400-01
Instructors: Terrie Byrne, Trischa Duke
Office: 527, Congress Bldg
Office Hours: Wed 2:30-3:30pm
Phone: 312/369-8100
(please ask to leave a message for me)

Classroom: 304 Congress Bldg.

Class day: Tues. and Thurs.
Class time: 12:30 1:50pm
tbyrne@colum.edu
tduke3@uic.edu
(Allow 24 hours for a response)

Required Materials:
A portable audio recorder (not a cellphone)
A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking by Hannah Rubenstein
A notebook
Course Description and Objectives
Welcome to Oral Expression - ESL. This class is ESL because it is specifically designed for
non-native speakers of English. In addition to the topics typically covered in any Basic Public
Speaking class, this class will include English as a Second Language exercises to improve
pronunciation, expand conversational vocabulary and correct typical ESL grammar errors in
speech.
This course will help you overcome difficulties in public speaking by making you aware of
important speech elements and by practicing and delivering several speech types. It prepares
you to overcome stage fright, while improving pronunciation and grammar use, body language,
and speech organization and delivery.
Basic Public Speaking fulfills General Education credit for Speech. By taking this course, you
will complete three (3) of the forty-eight (48) semester hours of General Education credit
required for graduation from Columbia College.
By the end of the semester, you will:
Be more comfortable in public speaking situations
Be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your own speaking style
Address these weaknesses and enhance your strengths
Learn to effectively organize speeches
Learn and practice a variety of speech styles
Understand Discourse Analysis
Be able to analyze and evaluate speeches

Writing Center
You will need to practice your speeches with a native speaker who can help you with your
pronunciation and vocabulary. It is your responsibility to find ways to do this outside of class,

and the Writing Center is the best way to do this. You can not improve on your own and you can
not improve without practicing your speeches before coming to class. You can sign up at the
Writing Center for non-credit FREE tutoring sessions. Whether or not you use it, you are already
paying for it through your tuition, so why not get your full moneys worth from Columbia College?
Attendance
Attendance is mandatory. If you miss a class you will lose points for your participation grade, for
any in-class assignments that we do that day, and any homework or speeches that are due that
day. You are allowed to miss up to three classes for emergencies such as illness or
transportation problems, although you will lose points in your participation grade each time you
are absent.
If you miss four classes, your final grade is lowered by 10 points.
If you miss five classes, your final grade is lowered by 20 points.
If you miss more than five classes, for any reason, you will fail this course
NOTE : Every 15 minutes of missed class counts as an absence. ARRIVE ON TIME! If you
do miss a class, you are responsible for finding out what we covered in class and what you
need to do to prepare for the next class. Read your syllabus for the deadlines for assignments
and call a classmate to find out what additional assignments were given. Absence is not a
legitimate excuse for being unprepared or for not turning in an assignment on time. There is no
way to make up a missed quiz.
Time Management
All students are expected to devote enough time to their studies to do quality work. Allow at
least 2 3 hours for study and practice each week. The required readings, speech outlines,
visual aid construction and speech practice all require time. Do not wait until the last minute to
complete your assignments. Do not wait until just before class to write or practice your speech.
You must set aside extra time to PRACTICE all your speeches in order to do well in this class
and to give speeches you can be proud of.
Plagiarism
Any student found using the work (any portion of the writings of another writer or student)
without giving credit to the source will receive a failing grade.
Participation and Preparation
You will receive a grade for your participation in and preparation for in-class activities. Missing
class or being late for class will lower this grade (being late 15 minutes or more counts as an
absence). Coming to class unprepared will lower your participation and preparation grade. Not
paying thoughtful attention to fellow classmates when they give their speeches will absolutely
lower your grade. The classroom is a place for learning and everyone must contribute to an
open, respectful environment. Any student who is discourteous to another will be asked to leave
and will fail the course.
Grades and Evaluation
To pass this course, you must complete all of the assigned speeches.

Final Semester grades are calculated from the following points:

Homework (60 second recordings, outline drafts, etc.) = 10 points
5 one-paragraph write-ups = 15 points
Participation and Preparation = 5 points
5 quizzes = 10 points
3 short speeches (5 points each) = 15 points
Team Presentation = 10 points
Informative Speech = 10 points
Creative Work Presentation (or Evaluation) = 10 points
Persuasive Speech (with research) = 15 points
Total Possible points: = 100 points
Grading Scale and Standards: A =100-94; A- = 93-90; B+= 89-87; B = 86-84; B- = 83-80;
C+=79-77; C=76-74; C- = 73-70; D+ = 69-67; D = 66-64; D- = 63-60; F=below 60.
Missed Quizzes
Quizzes are given at the beginning of class. If you are late, you can not make up the quiz. If you
are absent for a quiz you cannot make it up.
Missed Homework
If you must be absent on the day a written assignment is due, you can email your homework to
me for full credit ONLY IF you send the email before the class period starts so it can be shared
with everyone in class. You can also email recording assignments as mp3 or wav file
attachments that can be played for everyone in class, ONLY IF you send the email before the
class period starts. No homework will be accepted after the class period when it is due.
Missed Speeches
The only way to get full credit for a speech is to give it on the day you are assigned to give it.
If you must be absent on the day you are scheduled to give a speech, you can reschedule it
ONLY if you email me before your speech is due. If you do not email me before your speech is
due, you CANNOT reschedule your speech and you will receive a zero for that speech.
If you do email me before your speech is due, you can reschedule your speech for the next
class period. A speech given one class late will lose 20% of the total points possible.
A speech given two class periods late will lose 30% of the total points possible. No speeches
are accepted more than two classes late.
You can give no more than one speech late. Any other missed speeches will receive zero
points.

Course Calendar
WEEK 1 Getting Started
8/25 Syllabus discussion/ classmate interview & introduction. Discussion of past speech
Experiences.
Homework: Buy textbook, read the syllabus for quiz.
8/27 Syllabus quiz. Discussion of speech anxiety, brainstorm topic ideas for next weeks Ten
Things short speech, view and discuss sample speeches from YouTube.
Homework: Read Becoming a Public Speaker pp. 2- 8) from your textbook. Prepare Ten
Things speech
WEEK 2 Improving Your Speech Rate
9/1 Present Ten Things Speech (1-3 minutes, 5 pts) (outline required) Discuss techniques for
improving pronunciation.
Homework: Choose and practice reading a poem or short excerpt from a famous speech to
record and play in class on Wednesday (must be 110 130 words long and 60 seconds long)
9/3 Analysis and workshop of your 1-minute recording
Homework: Read Using the Body (pp.135-139) from your textbook. Prepare for quiz on
reading assignment. Choose and analyze body language in one speech on YouTube. Write one
paragraph analysis (50 words minimum) and be ready to discuss in class (3 pts).
WEEK 3 Observing Body Language
9/8 Quiz on reading. Discussion of body language Present and discuss YouTube clips.
Homework: Prepare Bad Speech using bad body language (outline required).
9/10 Bad Speech (3-5 minutes, 5 pts) (Informative topic, outline required)
Homework: Observe nonverbal language of small group leaders (1 female and 1 male group)
Write a description of your observations (100 words long) to present in class (3 points)
WEEK 4 Body Language continued
9/15 Discussion of body language homework and Informative speech assignment.
Homework: Read pages 159-175 for a quiz. Develop ideas for your Informative speech.
9/17 Quiz on reading. Discuss Informative Speech topics and reading assignment.
Homework: Read pp. 82-108 for quiz on Monday. Find an informative speech on YouTube and
write 50- word analysis to present in class (3 pts).
WEEK 5 Developing an Outline
9/22 Quiz on reading assignment. In class analysis of Informative speeches on YouTube.
Lecture on using outlining and research.
Homework: Write working outline for Informative Speech using your textbooks format for a
working outline.

9/24 Informative Speech Outline workshop

Homework: Prepare Informative Speech speaking outline and practice Informative Speech.
Create and bring in copies of Feedback sheet
WEEK 6 Presenting an Informative Speech
9/29 Informative Speech (4-6 minutes, 10 pts). (formal Speaking Outline in the format used in
your textbook, and Feedback form for everyone in your audience required).
10/1 Informative Speech continued
Homework: Conduct Body Language experiment (smiling/not smiling) and write 50-word
paragraph on the results (3 pts).
WEEK 7 Body Language Experiment
10/6 Present Body Language write-up. Discussion of experiment results.
Homework: Read pp. 110-124 for quiz. Find an example of a stirring or passionate speech on
YouTube. Write 50-word paragraph on why you chose this speech and be ready to present your
explanation in class (3 pts).
10/8 Quiz on reading. Analysis of stirring speeches on YouTube.
Homework: Select 60-second reading (110-130 words), practice and record.
WEEK 8 Speaking with Passion
10/13 Presentation and analysis of 60-second recording. Discussion of Creative
Presentation/Creative Evaluation Speech assignment.
Homework: Think of topic ideas for your Creative Presentation/Evaluation Speech
10/15 Small group workshop of speech topic ideas. Discussion of midterm grades.
Homework: Prepare and practice Speaking outline for Creative Presentation/Evaluation
Speech. Create Feedback sheet.
WEEK 9 Creative Presentation/Evaluation Speech
10/20 Creative Presentation/Evaluation Speech (5-7 minutes, 10 pts) (Formal Speaking
Outline and feedback form required.)
10/22 Creative Presentation/Evaluation Speech continued
Homework: read pp.141-157 for PowerPoint practice
WEEK 10 Working with PowerPoint
10/27 Quiz on reading. Discussion of team presentation. PowerPoint practice.
Homework: Finish PowerPoint assignment to present in class.
10/29 Present PowerPoint assignment. Begin choosing your team.
Homework: Join a team of 3 students, read pages 216-218

WEEK 11 Presenting as a Team

11/3 Team presentation workshop. Designate team leader, assign roles and tasks. Post roles
and task, along with ideas for speech topic (informative or persuasive).
11/5 Team presentation workshop (share research, create outline and transitions)
Homework: Find an example of a persuasive speech on YouTube, write 50-word paragraph
explaining why this speech was effective. Be ready to present the video clip in class (2 pts).
WEEK 12 Effective Persuasive Speaking
11/10 Present your example of an effective Persuasive speech to the class. Work with your
team on developing your team presentation.
11/12 Further posting on team presentation pages of speech outline, props, etc., in class
WEEK 13 Logical Fallacies
11/17 Team Presentations (12-15 minutes total, 10 pts for each team member) Each team
member must use and hand in a Speaking Outline. The team must hand out a Feedback
sheet to your audience before their speech.
11/19 Discussion of argument topics youd like to hear presented. Discussion of Logical
Fallacies.
Homework: Read pages 151-169 and prepare for quiz on the reading. Find an example of a
logical fallacy in the news, on the Net, or by people around you.
WEEK 14 Persuasive Research
11/24 Quiz on Logical fallacies (p. 159 in homework) Share examples. Workshop on research
and avoiding plagiarism in persuasive speeches
Homework: Bring research, prop ideas and working outline for final speech to class. Select a
60-second reading (110-130 words), practice it and record for individual conference.
11/26 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
WEEK 15 Persuasive Research
12/1& 12/3 Workshop outlines, props and research for persuasive speech. Individual
conferences and recording evaluation.
Homework: Prepare speaking outline and feedback form, practice Persuasive Speech
WEEK 16 Final Speech
12/10 & 12/12 Present Persuasive Speech (5-7 minutes 15 pts) Formal Speaking Outline and
Feedback form required.