This course will help you learn skills necessary to become a good public speaker. You will also learn research methods including Internet research. Students are expected to participate and lead discussions and debates.
Office hours will be Tuesday and Thursday, 4:30 to 5:00, and by appointment.
It is required once a week to check the official web site for this seminar. It has links to sites where you can study English and TOEFL skills by yourself, a syllabus, assignment for this seminar, and so on. The address is:
http://members.aol.com/Maihata/BridgeHome.html
Handouts will be distributed as needed. It is strongly encouraged to keep all the handouts and notes from this seminar in one folder or a binder so that you can refer back to the information whenever needed after you leave the Bridge Program. Some of the handouts are adopted from the below resources:
The Japan - United States Educational Commission (1996). 97 Pre - Departure Orientation Handbook. Alc; Tokyo, Japan.
Jacobs, I. and Shatswell, E. (1996). International Students Guide to the U.S.A. Princeton Review Publishing, L.L.C. ; New York.
Madden, C. and Rohlck, T. (1997). Discussion and interaction in the academic community. The University of Michigan Press; Michigan.
Harrington, D. & LeBeau, C. (1996). Speaking of Speech. McMillan Language House, Tokyo, Japan.
Steer, J. (1995). Strategies for academic communication. Heinle & Heinle; Boston.
Curriculum Design project for Shanghai Tandem Software (1997). Shangrila Group.
Wecksler, S. (1995). Study Skills for Academic Success. Heinle & Heinle; Boston.
Cole, B. & Toki, M. http://geocities.datacellar.net/Yosemite/Meadows/5468//
1st week
Getting to know each other
Academic vocabulary
Campus resources
Speech act: greeting
2nd week
Banking
Choosing a major
Getting familiar with course catalogue
Speech act: non-verbal communication
3rd week
Transferring units from Senzoku College
Making an academic schedule
Speech act: apologizing
4th week
Academic culture 1: assignments, grading, communicating with instructors
Speech act: polite requests & refusals
5th week
Cultural differences between USA and Japan
Social life
Safety
Speech act: compliments
6th week
Managing your money, working on campus: social security number, tax
Group work
Speech act: non-verbal communication 2
7th week
Renting and utilities
Presentation skill
Speech act: invitations
8th week
Getting help: more campus resource, going to see a doctor
Time management and note taking skill
Speech act: complaining
9th week
American topics: educational system, brief history, etc.
Test taking skill
Speech act: discussing
10th week
Topic: T. B. D.
Speech act: T. B. D.