OBJECTIFS DU COURS / COURSE GOALS
The course objective is for students to feel comfortable and confident when communicating with media platforms as well as in front of an audience. We will focus on various techniques for students to become effective communicators. Through classwork, guest presentations, and various assignments, students will develop and improve skills in the following areas: breathing, listening, interviewing, writing and public speaking. We will also explore the fundamentals of journalism and examine the role of traditional as well as social media.
Descriptif du cours / Course description
Session 1: Course introduction and objectives, review syllabus, course requirements, and grading system. Students will introduce themselves and share their experience with communications and their perception of the media.
Assignment: For this introductory session, students are required to bring an article of interest or story link from their preferred news source for media analysis.
Session 2: Respiratory control. Effective communication begins with a focused mind and and calm body which is controlled by the breath. Students will learn the importance of proper breathing and practice fundamental techniques to improve concentration, confidence, voice projection, and relaxation.
Assignment: For Session 3, focus on employing respiratory techniques throughout the week and discuss effects in class.
Session 3: Public Speaking. Have no fear! Students will become impactful public speakers through techniques to improve presentation and content. This life skill will serve students well in whatever career path they follow. First, the focus is on delivery because without a powerful presence, content is lost on a disengaged audience.
Assignment: For Session 4, bring a topic for a 5 min. informative speech.
Session 4: Public Speaking. Developing a persuasive pitch. Content is divided between Introduction, Powerful Points, and Conclusion. Based on their chosen topic, each student will develop a speech for presentation to the class.
Assignment: For Session 5, prepare to present a 5 min. informative speech.
Session 5: Oral Presentations. Students will receive a grade based upon teacher and peer reviews. Following the speeches, we will discuss ways to improve and analyze speeches by well-known speakers.
Assignment: For Session 6, bring an example in print, TV, radio or podcast of an interview that went badly either for the interviewer or the person being interviewed.
Session 6: Effective Listening. Like breathing, listening is taken for granted as an innate skill, when in fact, it is often done poorly for lack of proper technique and focus. Successful speakers are good listeners. We will use the interview process to hone our listening skills.
Assignment: For Session 7, interview an individual on campus who is not a student, teacher or administrator. Students will concisely and coherently write their story and present it to the class. This will be a graded assignment with feedback following presentations.
Session 7: Giving an Interview. Following interview presentations, students will reverse the roles and develop techniques for giving an interview through role play in class. We will discuss the do's and dont's for a successful interview for print or broadcast news. For example, Do be prepared and don't ever speak off the record. For journalists, everything is on the record.
Assignment: For Session 8, bring an example of a negative news story and analyze the way the affected entity reacted. Example, how FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, defended The World Cup and his organization from negative publicity about the games being held in Qatar by accusing the West of moral hypocrisy.
Session 8: Crisis Communication. Analyze students' examples, examine how companies, organizations and individuals use communication techniques to manage damaging information. How to frame the story so that it works to your advantage.
Assignment: Watch the film “All The President's Men” about the Watergate break-in that brought down an American president and forever changed investigative journalism in the United States.
Session 9: The Fundamentals of Journalism. News gathering and reporting from credible sources. We will examine the financial challenges to traditional news outlets and how they are affected by the changing media landscape.
Assignment: For Session 10, watch France 24 in French and English to compare how the same story is presented in each language. Come to class with questions about how TV news is produced and presented.
Session 10: In the Newsroom. France 24 Senior Anchor and Executive Producer, Genie Godula, will be our guest speaker. This American journalist, who began her career at Fun radio has worked in French television for 30 years. She will show us a day in the newsroom sharing her perspective and experiences reporting and producing the news. She will also share her experiences as the event host for Deauville American Film Festival.
Assignment: For Session 11, find a podcast and story that interests you and bring a link to it to class.
Session 11: Podcasting and audio storytelling. We will explore elements of this increasingly popular form of journalism. We will work on skills like defining the scope of a podcast, interviewing, producing and hosting programs.
Assignment: For our final session, prepare a 3 minute presentation of what you learned from the class and how you hope to apply to your future career.
Session 12: Oral presentations of “What I Learned in This Class”. Students will draw upon the communications skills they have acquired in class for a 5 min. oral presentation to their peers. This is a graded assignment.
Biographie enseignant / Biography
Nancy Dimich Louvet is a former news anchor and documentary producer who has worked in French television since 1990. She has also taught public speaking at the university level in the United States and more recently at HEC Paris. As a Communications Specialist, she has coached corporate executives in media training and public speaking. Ms. Dimich Louvet earned her B.A. in International Relations at Princeton University and her M.A. from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is a citizen of both the United States and France.
Nancy DIMICH LOUVET
Atelier
English
Spring 2023-2024
Students will be graded (out of 20). The criteria are the following :
Class Participation 10%
Campus Interview 30%
Presentation 1 30%
Presentation 2 30%