Communications Course Syllabus
The Communications course follows the Pennsylvania core standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Students will examine best practices in each discipline and participate in activities designed to build and strengthen skills in each. There is not a text book for this course. Instead, students will utilize current events, online resources, teacher-prepared materials and personal contributions to drive the content of the course.
The reading component of the Communications course focuses specific attention to improving reading comprehension. This is accomplished through vocabulary development and having students read across a wide variety of sources. Some of those include, Women Inventors, Pistol Pete Maravich, The Malala Story, and a survival story from 9-11.
The writing component of the Communications course focuses on creative aspects of informal writing, to include adding dialogue, expanding vocabulary, and creating descriptive words through colorful adjectives. Students will also work on formal essay writing to include the five-paragraph essay, attention-getting devices, transitional expressions, and developing introductory, body and concluding paragraphs.
The speaking component of the Communications course focuses on informal public speaking. The goal of this portion of our work is to give students significant opportunities to be in front of a class of peers in order to build confidence in their ability. Speeches will be graded in a way that students will be successful as long as they meet the speech obligations. Our goal is to perform two speeches each nine weeks.
The listening component of the Communications course focuses on listening as the ability to pay attention. This is a brain activity, so students will spend this time on activities that require focus, attention and concentration to attain correct completion. Some of the activities that we will do include, Simon Says, Spellbound, What’s Left, Three’s Company, but it should be noted that all reading, writing, speaking activities require brain work as well. To that end, our entire curriculum is designed to improve the students’ ability to pay attention.
Grading for Communications is on a point total basis. Students will spend a large portion of time practicing skills that have been discussed and explained as part of the teaching in the course. These practice exercises are necessary for building the skills that we focus attention on. Students will be given help and assistance as needed to be sure that they can meet with success throughout the course of study.
I ask that all students respect themselves, each other, the property and me. Homework must be completed on time and turned in when it is due. Lateness will be punished by a loss of points. Students will have opportunities to participate in class discussions and activities and are encouraged to ask questions when they don’t understand what is being covered. Assignments and activities that are missed due to excused absences may be completed according to the District’s policies for absences.