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English 9: Oral Communication 2010/11
//Ali Stewart-Ito ~ astewart@iolani.org// //Theresa Falk ~ tfalk@iolani.org//

//The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.// -Pearl S. Buck

//Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot. -D. H. Lawrence//

//Say not always what you know, but always know what you say.// - Claudius

English 9 is a yearlong speech-centered course designed to help you find and develop your “voice” both as a speaker and as a writer. First and foremost, you will hone your ability to orally express yourself. You will learn a variety of skills that can be applied in both formal and informal speaking situations. Through critically reading, writing, and talking about texts, you will learn to effectively use and manipulate the English language to say what you really want to say. Simply put, expect to read, write, and perform a lot—all with the intention of figuring out how meaning is produced using language.
 * Course Overview**

This course will be a collaborative journey. Nearly all of your written and oral work will be subject to review and comment in a supportive ‘workshop’ environment. You will also be asked to read, view and comment upon your classmates’ work. I expect your classroom conduct to consistently demonstrate respect for each other, the material, and me. We are here to learn and I will not hesitate to remove you from the class if you in any way impede the learning process. In order for this to be successful, all work must be submitted by the start of class on the due date. Late work will automatically be penalized. If you know you will have trouble meeting the deadline, talk to me beforehand, not after the fact. Similarly, all homework and annotated readings must be completed by the start of class on the day they are to be discussed. * Unless otherwise noted, all written work must be typed and properly formatted.
 * Course Conduct and Expectations**

Plagiarism represents the most serious breech of trust in an academic community and will not be tolerated. Any attempt to willingly and knowingly represent the words, ideas or work of another as your own in any academic exercise will automatically result in both a failing grade on the given assignment and an immediate referral to the Dean’s office.
 * Academic Dishonesty**

//*If an excused absence is anticipated, assignments due that day should be submitted beforehand or on the first day back to school. This will not be considered late work. Grades on any unexcused late work drop 10% for each of two consecutive days. After five calendar days, the assignment receives a “zero”. No late work is accepted for daily assignments.//

//Chinese Cinderella// Adeline Yen Mah
 * Summer Reading Choices**

//I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings// Maya Angelou

//When I Was Puerto Rican// Esmeralda Santiago

Selected Essays, Short Stories, Poetry //Romeo and Juliet//, William Shakespeare
 * Course Readings**

//Ender’s Game//, Orson Scott Card //Outside Reading// (at least 2 books from provided lists)

//Oral//: Discussion of texts in large and small groups, use of supporting evidence and quotations, formal and informal presentations, speeches, and performances //Written//: Literary Criticism: essays and commentaries, creative writing, peer critiques, self and peer assessments, study sheets, quizzes and tests, annotation of texts, organization of notebooks, and research //Viewing:// Viewing media, technology and live performances for a variety of purposes, including gathering information, making informal judgments, processing information and enjoyment
 * Areas of Emphasis:**

Class Participation Preparation (annotated reading etc.) Written Assignments and Projects (in class and homework, i.e. journal responses) Quarterly Vocabulary Assessments Attending Two “Live” Performances Final Exam Formal and Informal Oral Presentations and Performances Self and Peer Assessment
 * Assessment:**


 * Materials Needed Daily:**
 * Writing utensils (Blue/Black pen, Colored pen)
 * Notebook dedicated to course
 * File folder or binder for organizing and retaining drafts, graded work, class handouts (keep everything we do in this class!)
 * A Flashdrive (Must be a //Kingston Technology Data Traveler's 4GB//, available in the bookstore) to record all performances must be presented within the first week of school for labeling. All video files will be transferred and returned to you for viewing/assessment. You can view these anywhere, but NEVER save your performances on the school server. Keep a back up of each performance on your home computer, burn a DVD, or on your personal flashdrive.
 * Access to a computer and the Internet
 * At lease two Outside Reading books (chosen from the book list)
 * 4X6 Note Cards
 * Positive Attitude (don’t forget this one)

These questions are used to guide our study and should be open-ended, and open to interpretation. Hopefully, they will encourage inquiry, debate, and life long learning.
 * ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:**

//The Following are the Essential Questions that guide this course:// ß What does it mean to be human? ß What is art? story? an essay? a poem? What is an oral presentation? How does the medium influence the message? ß How is our understanding of society/culture constructed through and by language? ß How can language be used as a tool to incite change? ß How can we ensure that our voices are heard?