Culture-oriented English practice: Discussion and argumentation 15-COEP-DA-ES-12

(First semester of a two semester course. Continued as 15-COEP-DA-ES-22 in the second semester.)

This course focuses on the study of discussion, argumentation and rhetoric. In this course, students will develop the skills of discussion and argumentation to professionally engage in academic debates and other formal or informal speaking situations. They will learn some selected theories of argumentation as means of improving abilities to understand, analyze, and create spoken and written argumentative discourse.
The will practice and acquire public speaking skills (by listening to, learning and practicing selected speeches and learning a range of figures of speech). They will gain confidence in their voice articulation and productions by vocal warm ups for public speakers.
They will read the most important British and American cultural texts discussed in other courses so as to analyze their content and historic significance using Aristotle’s, Cicero’s art of rhetoric and Hayden White’s theory of narratives.
This COURSE will provide an opportunity for students to read historical texts and understand their historical context. The analysis will take into account the purpose of the texts, its audience and intended and produced meaning.