ESL 314
Advanced Listening and Speaking

Instructor: Ronald Levesque
Office: GE 20611, ext. 3870
Office Hours: MW: 11-12; In: 10-11
Email: rlevesqu {at} sjcc.cc.ca(.)us

Goal:
The purpose of this course is to continue the development of your listening and speaking skills. You will listen to natural, unedited speech and be able to extract
both main ideas and specific details, as well as make inferences, predict, summarize, and evaluate. You will develop your speaking and thinking skills by responding to spoken information, by explaining a process, by expressing opinions, by debating, by engaging in problem solving activities, and by discussing and reflecting upon your personal experiences.

Textbooks: Isis C. Clemente. An English dictionary.

Performance:
1) You will complete reading and/or writing assignments for each class meeting. Classroom activities will usually require outside preparation. Your in class performance will be greatly affected by how well you prepare.
2) Come prepared to work in groups with classmates. Active participation is vital if you are to improve.
3) You will take a midterm listening test probably using video. Attendance is mandatory, I do not give make up tests.
4) You will take a final listening exam, also using video.
5) You will make a final speaking presentation of about eight minutes based on 10 hours of community service.

Grading:
a) midterm listening test: 25% of final grade
b) final listening exam: 25% of final grade
c) quizzes; class activities: 10% of final grade
d) final speaking presentation: 30% of final grade
e) final interview 10% of final grade

Eight Minute Oral Presentation

On May 16, 18, or 23, you will present a short report on your service learning experience this semester. On May 11, you will do a preliminary report in a group as one way to practice for your class presentation.

Presentation Process

1. You will speak for eight minutes in front of the entire class about your service learning experience.

2. You may speak from a few notes on cards, but do not memorize or read a speech.

3. First, introduce your service learning activity, including naming the group you worked with, its location, its main mission (briefly), and when and where you served. Also explain why you chose this activity.

4. Next, describe what activities you participated in, summarizing your activities from start to finish. Include particularly memorable experiences.

5. Then explain your personal reaction to your experience. This may include some of these aspects: any surprises, likes or dislikes, lessons learned, regrets, suggestions, disappointments, new perspectives, etc. Would you recommend this service to others? Why or why not?

Tips for Preparation and Presentation

1. Speak loudly and clearly and look at your audience, who will be listening closely and taking notes.

2. Consider adding interest and clarity by using audio visual materials, including the blackboard, the overhead projector, pictures, and items you used during your service activity. See me for help and/or ideas.

3. Do limit yourself to 8 minutes as we have many speakers.

4. Practice your presentation at home or with classmates. Practice speaking clearly, correctly, and loudly. Time yourself to make sure you won't be either too long or too brief.

5. Try to relax and plan to enjoy yourself. Remember all of us in class are your friends and we support your efforts.

Final Speaking Presentation

As part of your grade in this class, you will need to do an 8 minute presentation in May near the end of the semester. Your presentation will be based on some community service that you will perform between now and early May. In your talk, you will explain the particular community issue you chose to focus on. You will describe the particular experience you had (at least 10 hours spread out over at least 6 weeks), and give your thoughts about the future and possible solutions or situations.

Service

It may be easy to locate a service site by looking around your school or neighborhood. What places can you volunteer your services? At SJCC? At your children's school? At your library? At your church? At a hospital? Ask if these places need volunteers. And please choose a site where you will need to use English to communicate.

I recommend that you choose a service site through the Service Learning Project that is available on this campus. Since I am the coordinator of this program, I can help you choose a site from our current list of over forty sites. Visit the Service Learning Center in the Job Placement Office in the Counseling building. Look through the site information binder and if you find something that interests you, fill out an application, sign a "hold harmless form", take a copy of the information sheet for your site, and wait for me to contact you or contact the site, whichever is stated on the information sheet.

For some sites, you may need to get a TB test or even get fingerprinted.

You may also visit our new website at . When the San Jose City College page comes up on your screen, look for the "Select" menu at the top. Pull down and scroll through the program titles until you read "Service Learning Project".

Click on this and go to the project handbook. Use the Table of Contents and look up information on the 40 community partners. You may download and print out each information page, as well as the project application and Hold Harmless Form, and then turn them in to the office.

By February 17 please talk to me about your project and tell me, in writing, what your plan is. I want to approve your plan before you move forward. I will help you as much as I can to find a site where you can volunteer.

You will have to write a brief report about your activity after you finish doing it, and turn it in to me. You will also discuss your efforts with classmates in groups during the semester and before your final presentation. In addition, I may discuss your service experience during our final interview.

Please start early and finish your service by May 2 so that you can prepare your class presentation in a timely way.

Have a wonderful experience, and let me know how you are doing.