EDUC 316 (3) COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN TEACHING
Winter 2010/2011
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to help pre-service teachers understand effective communications
strategies and the role of language in learning; to model effective communication
(including writing, speaking, and listening) using a variety of communications tools; and
demonstrate sensitivity to differences in communication. In addition, we will examine
how various discourse strategies can promote learner understanding, and ways in which a
variety of media communications tools and technology can enrich learning opportunities.
COURSE TEXT
There will be a package of readings, for which a photocopy fee will be collected.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1.
Identify the characteristics and components of electronic academic portfolios in the
communication of teacher competencies.
2.
Develop an understanding of key components of communication processes (including
interpersonal communication, listening, verbal and nonverbal communication, etc.)
3.
Develop an understanding of, and facility with, a variety of instructional strategies
and their advantages and disadvantages for learning (including lecture, discussion,
activities and grouping, etc.)
4.
Identify the significance of communication in the classroom (including strategies
for classroom management, use of power in the classroom, and issues of
diversity)
5.
Develop strategies for communication outside the classroom (including
conferencing with, and reporting to parents, initiating and establishing
relationships with parents, administrators and colleagues, etc.)
6.
Recognize the special communication needs of children of different cultural and
linguistic backgrounds, especially students who speak English as a second or
other language, and to examine ways of adapting communication to enable the
learning of all students.
7.
Understand communication issues that affect success of job interviews.
COURSE EVALUATION
This course has two major areas of evaluation:
1. Assignments
2. Attendance and Participation
All expectations regarding attendance, professional conduct, and quality of work in a
pass/fail course explained in the Bachelor of Education Student Handbook are followed
in COM 316. In addition, the University regulations regarding plagiarism are explained
in the UBC calendar and will be strictly followed. It is your responsibility to know these
expectations.
To pass this course, students are expected to produce work that is of high quality in all
assignments and the midterm. Students who do not meet the expected standard in course
work may be required to revise, or do supplemental work, or to repeat the course in order
to meet expected standards. Students may re-submit an assignment that does not meet
criteria once. Pre-submission of assignments is not permitted. Late assignments are not
accepted except in circumstances described in the Bachelor of Education Student
Handbook.
Interim Reports for Continued Problems (please see Student Handbook re. Interim
Reports) will be written in circumstances where students have more than one less than
satisfactory assignment, or attendance or participation problems. The report will be
written by the end of October 2007.
COM 316 ASSIGNMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Classroom observation
Micro-teaching
Case study
Participation
PARTICIPATION
Participation is a requirement for this course. This means we expect students to engage
actively in the learning experiences in the university classroom, in course readings and
assignments.
While specific participation activities may vary across sections, general participation
expectations for all sections are:










attendance (if you are not here, you cannot participate)
being on time and staying throughout
active engagement with learning experiences
participation in discussions
attentive listening
participation in hands on/experiential activities
self and group evaluations
peer feedback
preparedness (required reading, required materials)
TERM 1
Topic
Time
Focus
1 week (4 hours)
E-folio
 UBC ASR
 Development of an
academic e-portfolio
 Characteristics of
evidentiary
documents/artifacts
1 week (4 hours)
Listening
2 weeks (8 hours)
Teacher presence and
teacher language
 The professional
significance of
productive listening
 Non-verbal
communication
 Personal style in
communication
 Organization for
communication and
management
 Identifying
strategies that
promote student
involvement in
learning
2 weeks (8 hours)
Time
Communication needs of
diverse learners and their
contexts
TERM 2
Topic
1 week (5 hours)
Communication needs of
Aboriginal children
1 weeks (5 hours)
Communicating with
parents
1 weeks (5 hours)
Communicating with
colleagues, administrators
and presenting to others
1 weeks (5 hours)
Communicating for
employment
 Language
development
 ESL learners
 Meta-language for
learning
Focus
 Building cultural
awareness
 Recognizing
students’
background
knowledge and
experiences
 Conferencing
 Report cards
 Formal/Informal
meetings
 ESL and minority
group parents
 Relationships with
colleagues
 Presenting to
colleagues
 Interviewing for a
teaching position
 Transforming the eportfolio