This is an oral training course designed to put both ideas and speech into language learning students to help them speak more persuasively and effectively while building vocabulary as well as knowledge. Course materials revolve around recent issues and challenging ideas as an effort to stimulate thinking and talking. Class activities are divided into two categories: the discussion sessions will be devoted to group work on the assigned materials during which students discuss their thoughts on the core issues; the reading-aloud sessions will concentrate on enunciation and articulation of speech to increase student familiarity with public speaking.


All correspondences are to be sent to johomework@gmail.com, with themes clearly marked as「大二口語－作業日期－學生中文姓名」. Mails may be lost otherwise.


Grading:

Class attendance is mandatory. Class materials are provided online.
Weekly class performance 60%
Presentations 40%

Tentative Schedule:

Students are required to prepare hard before coming to class. For the discussion classes, students will read the materials prepared, get familiar with the vocabulary, seek pieces on the same topic online, and prepare ideas to be exchanged in class. For the reading-aloud classes, students will read the assigned material aloud several times before class, marking the sentences so that meaning is scripted unto the text, and if necessary, research the topic to ensure understanding.

date Course plan
2-22

Intro to the Course: how do you shop for clothes
2-29 National Holiday
3-7

Discussion: Shopping for Clothes:
Fast Fashion
衣服不穿就丟 快時尚形成污染源
Group topics: Major fast fashion stores of the world and their spread
History of the entry of fast fashion into Taiwan
NCU customer comments
Sites of manufacturing
Troubles and controversies
3-8

(Make-up Class) Reading Aloud: The Brave Tin Soldier
3-14

Discussion： Globalization
Group topics: Definition of globalization
Thomas Freedman, The World is Flat
Globalized youth culture
From McDonalds to Starbucks
Daily life experiences of globalization

3-21

Reading Aloud: The Selfie Gene
3-28

Instructor on lecture tour (Make-up March 8th)
4-4 Spring Break
4-11

Discussion: Euphemisms
Group topics: What do euphemisms DO
In what contexts do we use euphemisms
What would people think if you tell it like it is
Government’s use of euphemisms
Students’ use of euphemisms

4-18

Reading Aloud: A Teenager’s View on Social Media
4-25 mid-term exam
5-2 Discussion: 1.Motorcycle culture機車嫌惡症、2.自行車城市的階級政治
Group topics: The entry of motorcycles into Taiwan
Popularity of motorcycles
Motorcycle ads and their themes
Inconvenience of riding motorcycles
The Revival of the Bicycle
5-9

instructor on sick leave
5-16

Discussion:How a Nation of Tech Copycats Transformed Into a Hub for Innovation
Group topics: Prosperity and National Confidence
Local advantages over the West
Taobao Ecommerce in China
Xiaomi's Hunger Marketing
Wechat and Mobile Commerce
5-23 instructor sick leave
5-30

Individual Response: Far from the Tree
6-6 final presentation
1. make a one-minute talk (what I need to work on in oral training);
2. select a one-minute reading from "How a Nation of Tech Copycats Transformed Into a Hub for Innovation"

其他連結