Communications Skills

Communication Skills is designed to prepare students for the real world. It gives them the skills they need to reach their goals and live up to their full potential at school, home, and work. This course focuses on enhancing communication skills including intercultural communication; interpersonal skill development; communicating in close relationships, small groups, large groups, and organizations (public speaking); and mass media and new technology communication. Classes will consist of real-life scenarios and role-playing. The course will stress critical analysis, creative expression, and social awareness. Students develop strong written, oral, and digital communication skills through in-depth engagement with texts, contemporary media, and experiential, applied learning. Students will be exposed to a variety of nonfiction texts used as exemplars.

Week Unit
1 Individual Identity in Communication
2 Perception & Understanding
3 Verbal Communication
4 Non-Verbal Communication
5 Listening & Responding
6 Intercultural Communication
7 Close Relationships
8 Small Group Communication
9 Communicating in Organizations (clubs, job interviews, businesses)
10 Introduction to Public Speaking, Argumentation, Rhetoric
11 Pathos: Using Emotions in to Sustain an Argument
12 Ethos: The Importance of Credibility
13 Logos: Providing Hard Evidence and Reasoning
14 Public Speaking: Informative
15 Public Speaking: Persuasive
16 Public Speaking: Persuasive
17 Public Speaking: Commemorative
18 Final Exams