ASSIGNMENT POLICY

1. SELF STUDY (10%)

a. Listening homework quiz
• 8–10 quizzes will be given during the course and are conducted online.
• Designed to track progress in weekly course-book listening activities.
• Each quiz is open for one week and can be attempted multiple times.
b. Speaking videos
• There will be 3–5 assignments per semester.
• Topics will be posted on the Discussion Forum on UTEX.
• Students must record a video that clearly shows their face and at least the upper half of their body.
• It is encouraged that students record a full-body video in a standing posture while delivering their speech. In the video, students
should:
- dress appropriately
- maintain eye contact
- speak naturally (no reading from script).
• The video file must be in MP4 format and have clear, audible sound quality.
• The file should be named using the format: FullName+.StudentCode (e.g., NguyenTrungTin.1314098.mp4) and uploaded to
YouTube or Google Drive.
• Students should review their videos before submission and are required to comment on at least five other classmates’ videos
throughout the course.
• Grading: Academic performance (50%), Confidence & delivery (25%), Peer comments (25%).
3. MIDTERM (20%)
• Listening test: Week 6&8. IELTS format, 4 sections, 30 mins, listen ONCE.

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 • Speaking test: Week 9. Pair debate
• Each will account for 10% of the total score of the test.
4. CLASS PARTICIPATION (10%)
- Class participation encompasses more than just attendance.
- Actively engage in class meetings by sharing your opinions, working in groups OR asking questions during presentations and
providing constructive feedback.
Attendance
- Students must attend at least 7out of 9 class meetings.
- Absence from the 3rd class meeting will result in a score of 0 for participation.
- Students who are present for less than 50% of a class session will be recorded as absent.
- No make-up test will be provided for students absent on a test date.
5. PUBLIC SPEAKING: INDIVIDUAL SPEAKING PROJECT (10%)

1. Objectives

● To encourage students to develop presentation skills, creative thinking, and express personal opinions.
● To apply language knowledge and skills from the course to public speaking.
● This is a graded activity, accounting for 10% of the total course score in the Advanced Listening-Speaking course.
● Topics chosen in this contest are related to the course content.
● Timeframe: Week 6&8

2. Live Public speaking showcase:

● Theme: Energy; Risk

● Schedule: Week 6&8
● Course instructors introduce the activity and guide students in their preparation. Contestants will present speeches on the
main theme of Energy, with flexibility in subtopics, such as renewable energy and the future of clean energy, energy

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 conservation in daily life, the future outlook when energy sources are depleted, sustainable energy in the animal kingdom,
etc. OR the theme of Risk, covering aspects, such as risk and success, risks in climate change, taking risks for personal
growth, risks in social relationships, etc.
● Students prepare a 5-8-minute speech. They may use slides, but presentations must not exceed five slides. After the
speech, the judging panel will ask 2-3 questions, with a total Q&A duration of about 5 minutes.

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NOTES
● Students’ performances will be evaluated by both the teacher and their peers using the criteria outlined in the provided rubric.
● Members of audience whose evaluations score of a talk are close to that of the lecturer will receive a bonus score.
● Members of audience who ask questions after a talk will also be awarded a bonus score.

ASSESSMENT Deficient Minimal Basic Proficient Advanced

CRITERIA 0-1pt 2-3pts 4-6pts 7-8pts 9-10pts

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 Speech No opening technique; no Irrelevant opening; little Attention getter is Good attention getter; Excellent attention getter;
Introductio credibility statement; no attempt to build mundane; some-what generally, establishes firmly establishes
n& background on topic; no credibility; abrupt jump develops credibility; credibility; provides credibility; sound
Conclusion thesis; no preview of into body of speech; awkwardly composed some orientation to orientation to topic; clear
points thesis and main points thesis; provides little topic; discernible thesis; preview of main
can be deduced but are direction for audience thesis; previews main points cogent and
No conclusion; speech not explicitly stated points memorable
ends abruptly and without Provides some summary
closure Conclusion lacks clarity; of points; no clear Appropriate summary Provides a clear and
trails off; ends in a tone reference back to thesis; of points; some memorable summary of
at odds with the rest of closing technique can be reference back to thesis; points; refers back to
the speech strengthened clear clincher or call to thesis / big picture; ends
action with strong clincher or call
to action
Speech No organizational pattern; Speech did not flow Organizational pattern Organizational pattern Very well organized; main
organization no transitions; sounded as well; speech was not somewhat evident; main is evident, main points points clear, mutually
if information was logically organized; points are present but not are apparent; exclusive and directly
randomly presented transitions present but mutually exclusive; transitions present related to thesis; effective
not well formed transitions are present but between main points; transitions and signposts
are minimally some use of signposts
effective

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 Lang Many errors in grammar and Grammar and syntax Language selection Language appropriate to Language is
uage syntax; extensive use of jargon, need to be improved as adequate; some errors in the goals of the exceptionally clear,
slang, sexist/racist terms or can level of language grammar; language at presentation; no imaginative and vivid;
mispronunciation sophistication; times misused (e.g. conspicuous errors in completely free from
occasionally biased jargon, slang, awkward grammar; no evidence bias, grammar errors and
structure) of bias inappropriate
usage

Verbal Speaks inaudibly; enunciates Sometimes uses a voice Demonstrates some vocal Good vocal variation Excellent use of vocal
communi poorly; speaks in monotone; poor too soft or articulation variation; enunciates and pace; vocal variation, intensity and
cation pacing; distracts listeners with too indistinct for clearly and speaks expression suited to pacing; vocal expression
fillers listeners to comfortably audibly; generally avoids assignment; few if any natural and enthusiastic;
hear; fillers fillers avoids
often uses filler (e.g. um, uh, like) fillers

Non- Usually looks down and avoids Speaker relies heavily Some reliance on notes, Postures, gestures and Posture, gestures, facial
verbal eye contact; nervous gestures on notes; nonverbal but has adequate eye facial expressions are expression and eye
communi and nonverbal behaviors expression stiff and contact, generally avoids suitable for speech, contact well developed,
cation distract from or contradict the unnatural distracting mannerisms speaker appears natural, and display high
message confident levels of poise and
confidence

Audie Speech is contrary to audience The importance of topic Speaker assumes but Speaker implies the Speaker shows how
nce beliefs, values, and attitudes; is not established; very does not articulate the importance of the topic information is personally
adapta message is generic or canned; no little evidence of importance of topic; to the audience; important to audience;
tion attempt is made to establish audience adaptation; presentation was presentation is adapted speech is skillfully
common ground speaker needs to more minimally adapted to to audience beliefs, tailored to audience
clearly establish a audience beliefs, attitudes and values; an beliefs, values, and
connection with the attitudes, and values; attempt is made to attitudes; speaker makes
audience some ideas in speech are establish common allusions to culturally
removed from audience’s ground shared experiences
frame of reference or
experiences

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