Fall 2016 News and Media English

All-in-one description:

This course examines written English used today in the electronic and ordinary media on a broad range of contemporary subjects that impact our lives. I will source samples primarily from the Internet. We will not only read but also evaluate and edit these samples in class. One of the purposes of such exercises is to train students to recognize the trends and conventions of news English and to assess how such practical use of language serves its purpose of communication and if there are other issues, such as moral implications and the willful manipulation of language, that need to be addressed. These exercises will also force you to leave your English comfort zone to expand your modern-day vocabulary that will allow you convenient passage to the online English community. Assignments include plenty of reading and rewriting and editing of selected samples. There will be group assignments, a presentation, maybe a final, but no mid-term. Course materials will be made available on CEIBA for download. All majors are welcome, provided that you have a penchant for English used in the modern media and are willing to contribute and do not shy away from class discussions. This course meets from 14:20 to 17:20 on Thursday at Bo Ya 308. It is divided into a 2-hour session followed by a dynamic 50-minute session, with a 10 minute break in-between. Tentatively, I will lecture in English for the first 2 hours and my able assistant (provided that I can find a suitable one) will take over the last hour. The assistant will have excellent English and should be better trained to lead activities in class than an old man like me. Attendance is not only required by the University, it is absolutely the most important mandate for this course because the classroom is where education takes place. Only those who can maintain a good attendance record will receive a solid final course grade. If you cannot come to all our meetings on time (legal excuses are allowed), you should seriously consider dropping the course.