ENG312 CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH
| Course Code: | 6390312 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 3.0 |
| Department: | Modern Languages (English) |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Lecturer Dr. ÖZGÜR KÖSE |
| Offered Semester: | Once in several years. |
Course Objectives
This conversation class is dedicated to enhancing students' speaking skills in both academic and non-academic contexts, enabling them to communicate spontaneously, confidently, fluently, and with proper pronunciation.
The core aim of this course is to deepen students' understanding of English phonology through increased pronunciation awareness and an in-depth analysis of the phonological rules of the English language, often referred to as the 'grammar of pronunciation.'
The primary focus is on the articulation styles and expectations of North American English for standardization and testing purposes. Each week, we will explore a different pronunciation rule, potentially delving into the morphological and etymological reasons behind certain sound articulations.
Course Objectives:
- Articulation and Timing: Students will learn how to articulate individual sounds accurately, understand when and where to lengthen sounds, and when and where to pause.
- Connection and Deletion: The course will guide students on which sounds to connect and delete, and how to effectively place stress and intonation at both segmental and suprasegmental levels.
Course Content
For course details, see https://catalog2.metu.edu.tr.Course Learning Outcomes
In this course, students will practice the following skills:
Speaking
Students will practice
- connected speech/liaison
- Greek and Latin morphemes
- small talks and discussions
- vowels, semi-vowels, consonants, and the schwa sound
- suprasegmental phonology
- making requests
- giving suggestions
- turn-taking and back-channeling
- vocabulary retention
Writing
Students will
- keep a vocabulary and pronunciation journal
- keep a record of their own progress through journal entries
Reading
Students will practice
- identifying key ideas in a text
- recognizing the relationship between ideas in a text
- making inferences from a reading text
- reacting to the ideas in a text
Listening
Students will practice
- listening for a specific purpose
- listening for main ideas
- listening for implied ideas
Upon completion of this course, learners will:
- Recognize basic IPA symbols.
- Develop awareness of phonological influences of Greek and Latin morphemes on English.
- Develop an understanding of vowels, semi-vowels, consonants, and the schwa sound.
- Gain insights into fundamental patterns of stress, rhythm, and intonation across segmental and suprasegmental levels.
- Demonstrate competency in syllable reduction and connected speech.
- Differentiate between the phonemic values of different vowels and consonants.
- Identify personal areas of improvement in English pronunciation.
- Produce rhythmically appropriate sentences.
This course not only focuses on the technical aspects of pronunciation but also emphasizes the practical application of these rules in real-life communication, ensuring that students are well-prepared to engage in English conversations effectively.