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Research Discussion Presentation Cycle
Rationale
This rubric is designed for student-centred adult English communication classes. I have used it at Japanese universities with classes of up to 40 students. From First years through to mixed classes including Seniors. Students will select socio-economic topics that they're interested in, research the topics and fill out research sheets, conduct focused discussion of their research and then make oral formal academic presentations in English.
It is possible to conduct the class without resort to use of Japanese. Students will need dictionaries.
Goals
Within one academic year students' will develop the ability and confidence to research, discuss and make presentations in English. They can complete 2 5-week cycles in the Spring term with extra discussion practice and two plus a debate module or more discussion practice in the Fall Semester.
The are very familiar with the process in the Fall semester.
Practice
Initially the first cycle should be introduced as a group project. The students will work in groups of no more than four. (Once the activities are familiar, it is possible and even desirable for them to do individual projects. See Guideline Research Discussion Cycle.)
The first cycle lasts about five weeks. The later ones can be done in four. The pair work research discussion cycle can last two or three weeks. Short Research Sheet
Week 1. Brainstorming. Topic Selection Phase.
Put the students into groups of three or four. (I advise some groups of three to whom you can attach loose absentees the following week - there will always be some). They will select a group leader or chairperson for smooth operation - to take responsibility for the group work , arbitrate any disputes, and manage the score sheets. First they must brainstorm in small groups to select their first topic. I write broad categories of topics on the board, e.g. Legal / Political / Social / Environmental / Economic / Educational, in order to broaden the awareness of possibilities and to stimulate a variety of responses from each group.
After about twenty minutes of thinking and discussing. The leader of each group calls out their topics while selected writers at the front of the class write up the possible topics on the board. Soon the board is full of possible topics. The teacher can correct any odd spelling or phrasing and add some new topics too, if any major topics have been omitted.
Then each of the groups makes their selection.
Homework is to start work on the research sheet Long Research Sheet page 1 Long Research Sheet page 2 and complete as much of it as possible. The student generated research questions must be completed by next week even if the completed answers are not ready.
Week 2. Research Sharing and First Discussion Phase
The following week students share their research and discuss what they have discovered using the questions on the research sheet as a basic framework for the discussion. They ask each other their questions and make additional notes. Peer scoring is conducted using the Group Discussion score sheet Discussion Record Sheet , additional questions, statements and comments are of course possible and not all the research sheet questions suit every conceivable topic. The teacher rushes around from table to table during the discussion phase - correcting grammar and scoring the research for each box from 0-3 points. With large groups that will take a long time. Inevitably some students will speak some uncorrected grammar while you are getting around to them. Don't be shy of some rewriting for the students - the key thing is that they should be using the corrected English as soon as possible not hunched over their writing wasting talking time. Homework is to complete the research sheet and start preparing a short presentation referring to the Presentation Structure Hand-out Presentation structure .They can use the Presentation Checklist to make sure that they are not missing essential elements of the presentation.
Week 3. Research Sharing and Final Discussion Phase.
Students share their completed research and discuss what they have discovered using the questions on the research sheet as a basic framework for the discussion, additional questions are of course possible. Peer scoring is again conducted using the Group Discussion score sheet Discussion Record Sheet . The teacher rushes around from table to table during the final discussion phase - correcting grammar.
Homework is to complete the short presentation
Week 4. Presentation Grammar Check and Practice Phase with Peer assessment. When I grade their written discourse I refer to this checklist to explain what if anything, they have omitted.
Week 5. Final Presentations and Scoring Phase.
Caveats
Materials
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Group Discussion Score Sheet |
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Pair Discussion Score Sheet |
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Presentation Score Sheet |
For Teachers
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Guideline Research Discussion Presentation Cycle |
Guideline Converting Presentation To Essay |
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Guideline Research Discussion Cycle |
Guideline Mini Debating |