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Professional Writing and Discussions: Debating Masterclass
DozentIn: Andrew Jones, B.A., M.Phil.
Veranstaltungstyp: Seminar
Ort: 22/E26
Zeiten: Di. 12:00 - 14:00 (wöchentlich)
Beschreibung: Professional Writing and Discussions courses are advanced language courses designed for B.A. students who are in or have completed their 5th semester of studies and for M.A. students. . Under the guidance of their course instructors, the course participants will undertake a more active and independent development of their language skills by applying them to a specific topic area. They will continue to train their productive and receptive language skills, further expand their lexico-grammatical knowledge in connection with the specialist language used in the course, and acquire supplementary cultural knowledge on English-speaking countries. Ultimately, the central aim of these courses, whatever topic area and skills focus you choose, is to facilitate students' transition into self-sufficient and proficient users of the English language. If you elect to take this course, you will be expected to attend class regularly and contribute actively and intelligently. Furthermore, you will need to complete a portfolio of written and/or oral tasks during the course of the semester.
Students wishing to take one of Mr Jones' debating courses should note that although the two courses offered (Debating Skills and Advanced Debating Skills) both have the same status, there is a logical order to taking them. It makes sense to take "Debating Skills" first and "Advanced Debating Skills" second. Whilst you are of course at liberty to take the "Professional Writing and Discussions" courses in any order and at any time in your graduate studies, you will benefit most if you follow the intended progression in complexity. In this particular course, we will place our primary focus on the language of debating, persuasion and argumentation. In this course, you will:
- train your critical thinking skills in contact with authentic, native-speaker debates
- expand your vocabulary on various current socio-political issues, as well as learning key phrases to develop your formal debating register
- identify and try out different strategies for forming and expressing spoken arguments
- develop coherent and logical statements in monologue
- hone your skills of speaking in dialogue in question and answer sessions
- practise your listening and writing skills while summarising and analysing a debate from the Oxford Union and a reflection on your own final debate.
You will be expected to:
- be prepared for, attend and participate in class sessions regularly.
- contribute to the class debates, both as speakers and as audience members.
- submit an essay summarising and analysing a debate you have watched and a self-reflection on your final debate.
- participate in at least one practice debate towards the middle of the semester and one final debate towards the end of the semester.
