SPECIAL TOPICS

Catalog description

ST/ALL ABOUT OREGON (6): Introduces students to the diversity of Oregon culture, geography, geology, history and folklore. The course is both content based, teaching general information about Oregon, and language focused, with an emphasis on content-related vocabulary, listening strategies and reading skills. Students are encouraged to actively participate in learning by taking a field trip to a relevant site of interest. ST/ENGLISH THROUGH POPULAR SCIENCE CULTURE (6): Designed to develop skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking through current scientific discoveries and innovations. Insights learned from recent advances in science will provide practical knowledge for the workplace environment and relevant relational dynamics. Graded P/N. ST/AMERICAN STUDIES (6): Introduces students to the culture and history of America through diverse readings, videos, audio recordings, and first-hand experiences. Skill emphases include vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. Students create presentations to share what they learn about American traditions and customs. Class discussions explore the culture and history of the United States and its international relations with students' home countries. Graded P/N. ST/OUTDOOR PURSUITS (6): Designed to develop skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking through interaction with common outdoor activities. Learn about how to live a healthy and environmentally aware lifestyle from insights from local experts in the university and local community. Graded P/N. ST/STRATEGIES FOR INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (6): Develops the necessary skills for effective communication in small groups. This course will help students learn helpful language for collaborating with a team, provides strategies for navigating complicated discussions, and builds confidence in communication in English. Graded P/N. ST/CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (6): Explore what culture is, what influences it, and how it affects the way people understand the world and communicate with others. Students learn about American culture, behaviors, norms, and values, and those of their classmates by comparing them to each other through a variety of interactive activities. Students have the opportunity to share a classroom with American university students. Graded P/N. ST/IT'S NEWS TO ME (6): Course focuses on reading and vocabulary comprehension skills and conversation skills through the use of adapted and authentic news media sources, including print newspapers, news radio, and news video. Students become familiar with the conventions of journalistic writing and learn about the structure of English language newspapers. Activities include reading comprehension tasks, analysis of news stories, presentations, and creating a class newspaper. ST/BUSINESS VOCABULARY BUILDING (6): Course focuses on improving the use of business English vocabulary and idioms. Students learn and apply a variety of authentic words from the text, in-class activities, and assigned practice to help them communicate more effectively in a business context. The course focuses on both acquisition of targeted vocabulary and strategies for decoding and retention. Graded P/N. ST/ENGLISH THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY (6): Focuses on improving English language skills through reading, listening and speaking about photography and by actually taking and showing photographs. Students will spend time outside of class to take pictures and then talk about the pictures in class. Presentations will be given about one's own photographs. Graded P/N. ST/ENGLISH THROUGH VOLUNTEERING (6): English and critical thinking skills are developed by exploring social and environmental issues in class and then by putting that knowledge into action by volunteering for community organizations. In the classroom, English skills are developed through discussions, reading, writing, and listening to people talk about the issues. The students will then go out into the community with the class to do meaningful volunteer activities, such as helping to build a house and grow vegetables for needy families (Session 1) or sharing one's culture and talents with children and seniors (Session 2). Graded P/N.