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 | Language notes
INTRODUCTIONWe hope that you find what you do in these communication courses stimulating, challenging and most of all, useful. They are designed to develop and extend skills you will use in your professional life. We also expect you will find the course useful in the range of communication tasks you will have as a student. Effective communication is important in our personal lives. Many students have said that communication-based subjects have given them a chance to meet and get to know other students in a way not provided for by other courses. Interactive courses We see these subjects as interactive courses. You will get the most out of them if you are prepared to participate in several ways. One is to reflect on your past communicative experience, and work out what you can already do well and what areas you want to improve in or develop further. Another way is to interact with the other members of the class, to listen, talk, ask questions, provide feedback and encouragement. The other way is to interact with the tutor. You can do this best by asking questions, critically appraising ideas and participating in the variety of activities. The subjects issue an invitation to you to consciously become a researcher in the area of communication. Observe all the incidental and important communication, spoken, written and visual, happening around you. Why is it happening like that? Is it effective? Is the surface meaning the same as the deep meaning? What is involved in preparing a text (written or spoken) for final presentation? How do I manage correctness? The observations and questions are endless. Language theories You will be presented with a range of theories about language use. For some of you, this will be the first time you have considered theories about language. You may find that your own theories about language (you do have some, even if you have not consciously thought about them before) are challenged. This can be quite an unsettling experience. However, by working through your own ideas and those of professional researchers you should become more skilful in managing your own communicative behaviour more effectively, and in analysing other people's behaviour and attitudes. Language in practice In practical terms, these subjects provide opportunities to extend your skills in writing, speaking, listening and reading - we learn by doing these things. If you want to share any of your observations about the way language is used outside the subjects, or if you have any problems with the work, please use language to share, inform, clarify, question and negotiate.
For assistance contact: paul.skrebels@unisa.edu.au |
