Presenting and Debating

obligatory courses

The course aims to familiarise students with academic speaking, especially in the context of debates and presentations. They will be examining language functions, practicing debating techniques and presentation skills. Apart from taking part in discussions and roleplaying activities, each student will deliver a presentation.

I. Preparing and delivering presentations: rules and principles

II. Initial stage: selection of topic, general and specific aims of presentation, audience, research

III. Organization: outline of presentation and specifics; introduction, development, conclusion

IV. Delivering the presentation: principles and techniques (introduction, stating your purpose, catching the listener’s interest, signposting, language functions, body language, voice, etc.).

V. Preparing and using visual aids (powerpoint)

VI. Question time. Asking and handling questions

VII. Vocabulary. Adapting language of presentation to the topic, situation and audience

VIII. Student presentations

IX. Debating-language functions

X. In-class debates on issues stemming from students’ presentations

Michael Guest. Conferencing and Presentation English for Young Academics. Springer Texts in Education, 2018.

Ross and Anthony Jay. Effective Presentation. Prentice Hall/Pearson Ed., 2004

Mark Powell, Presenting in English. Thomson. 2002

Jo Sprague and Douglas Stuart, The Speaker's Handbook. Harcourt, 2000

Adrian Wallwork. English for Presentations at International Conferences. Springer Science+Business Media, 2010.

BBC and other media podcasts.

Knowledge

Students will be able to:

- use in debates and presentations the knowledge of English grammar, syntax, phonetics, morphology and pragmatics on an advanced level (K_W05)

- characterize all kinds of factors relevant for professional activities related to public debating and presenting (K_W12)

Abilities

Students will be able to:

- employ the terminology and methodological tools from linguistics, literary studies and culture studies in debates and presentations (K_U01)

- analyze linguistic, literary and cultural phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis with respect to the social, historical and economic context for the purposes of public debates and presentations (K_U03)

- collect information from various sources, critically assess a source and usefulness of information; analyse and draw generalizations on the basis of information so obtained in relation to the presented and debated issues (K_U05)

- identify and implement cultural conventions concerning public debating and presenting (K_U06)

- present knowledge on relevant academic topics and communicate it in a cohesive, precise and linguistically correct manner in the English language at level C1 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (K_U09)

Social competences

Students will be ready to:

- value responsibility for one’s own work and respect the work of others, adhering to the professional and ethical norms used for public debates and presentations (K_K03)

- implement knowledge to describe a problem and identify means to solve it in debates and presentations (K_U04)

- function effectively in social and cultural interactions, through various forms and media, thanks to the ability to express oneself in a cohesive and lucid manner on issues raised in debates and presentations (K_K05)

- identify and implement cultural conventions in public debating and presenting (K_K06)

Education at language level B2+.

The end-of-course grade is given on the basis of a 10-15 minute prepared presentation on a topic of the student's own choosing, followed by an ad hoc panel discussion in which it is necessary to handle questions and critical comments from the audience. Both presentation techniques and language are assessed.

The retake consists in obtaining a positive grade for delivering a new presentation and possibly ensuing discussion.

Two or three (to be determined by a specific group teacher) formally justified absences are allowed. Ways of making up for missed classes are to be negotiated with the class instructor.