Aims

This course aims at briefing students on the requirements of a scientific talk in English.
This activity is not only meant to train them to apply the concepts of rigor, accuracy and conciseness that are required in collecting and criticizing scientific data, it is also intended to get them used to technical as well as linguistic aspects, such as computer-assisted presentation skills, time management etc. while making a talk in English.

Main themes

1. Classroom activities

During the first term students attend 1 hour per week of classes. These classes cover the techniques and language needed to make an effective presentation.
In other words, students are instructed how to plan, organise and make a presentation.
Each student then makes a presentation in class and is provided with feedback.

In addition to these presentation-centred training sessions, a number of interactive activities are also done. The aim of these activities is to enable students to improve their oral fluency by interacting with each other. These activities include debates, discussions, role-plays, grammar activities, pronunciation activities etc.

2. Individual tuition

During the second term individual tuition is provided for each student. The purpose of this tuition is to assist students in the preparation of their presentation for the Integrated Seminar. Once the students have read and prepared their articles, they can fix an appointment with their teacher. The teacher then helps the students by answering language questions, clarifying obscure passages, editing some ill-phrased sentences etc.




3. Integrated Seminar presentation

When the classroom and individual guidance sessions have been completed, students then make their scientific presentations for the science professors and English teacher.

The students are requested to choose a topic related to one of the subject matters that have already been taught in the course of their curriculum. The subject has to be approved by the academic or scientific staff member, who has agreed to be the student's supervisor. The supervisor's role is to provide all the help that he or she deems necessary to deal with the scientific and technical aspects of an oral presentation. The language teacher helps them with the target language aspects.

The oral presentation is open to the public and exclusively given in the English language (texts, graphs, comments). The questions have to be answered in English, as well. The time allocated for each talk is strictly limited to 20 minutes total.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Level: BAC 3 (3rd year)
Rhythm: 1hr/week of class in the 1st term, individual tuition in the 2nd term
ECTS: 2

REQUIREMENTS :
Students should have followed the course ANG 1861 (BAC 2) or a course of a similar level.

DIDACTIC AIDS :
- Course notes - "Presentation Training - A Seminar intended for Biology Students"
- Video cassette -"Effective Presentations" - Jeremy COMFORT (Oxford University Press, 1995)


ASSESSMENT :
- Continuous assessment (preparation for class, active participation in all class activities, language skills….)
- Mini-presentation given in class
- Individual tuition (research, preparation, language skills…)
- Integrated Seminar presentation

Other credits in programs