Oral communication practice in groups facilitated by speaking consultants

Peer Speaking Practice Groups (PSPGs)

PSPG participants commit to a four-week block and meet weekly for 50 minutes. Each group is facilitated by one speaking consultant. Topics can be negotiated or preset by the facilitator. Additional topics can be brought up during weekly sessions. It is possible for certain topics to be covered in different PSPGs, but the situation may be different. For example, making small talk can be for general day-to-day conversations, or it can be for networking purposes at an academic conference.

Group | Facilitator | Themes Dates and Times Mode and Location Topics
Group 12 Sara | General Themes (Communication and Social Interaction) Fridays 6:10 -7:00 p.m. | Oct 31, Nov 7, 14, 21 WebEx (Online) | Sign up for link Small Talk & American Culture, Politeness Strategies, Sharing Opinions, Making Recommendations
Group 11 Chris| Public Speaking (Preparing for Prelim and Oral Exam Presentations) Wednesdays 3:10 - 4:00 p.m. | Oct 29, Nov 5, 12, 19 In Person | Hamilton Hall 0210 Framing and Defending Your Research Narrative, Handling Questions and Defending Arguments, Visual and Verbal Presentation Skills, Managing Nerves and Building Academic Confidence
Group 10 Cat | Interpersonal Themes (Listening to Communicate Effectively) Tuesdays 4:10 -5:00 p.m. | Oct 28, Nov 4, 11, 18 WebEx (Online) | Sign up for link 5 Types of Listening Processes, Listening Styles, Listening to Receive and Interpret, Listening to Respond
Group 9 Chris | General Themes (Using Language Functions in Communication) Mondays 2:10 - 3:00 p.m. | Nov 3, 10, 17, Dec 1 In Person | Pearson Hall 2131 Intonation and Meaning, Formulaic Language and Chunking, Repair and Self-Correction, Task Familiarity
Group 8 Sara | General Themes (Living in the Modern World) Fridays 1:10 -2:00 p.m. | Oct 3, 10, 17, 24 WebEx (Online) | Sign up for link Environment and Sustainability, Education and Learning, Technology and Media, Work and Career
Group 7 Chris | Public Speaking (Organizing and Delivering Academic Talks) Wednesdays 3:10 - 4:00 p.m. | Oct 1, 8, 15, 22 In Person | Hamilton Hall 0210 Structuring a Talk, Explaining Research Clearly, Persuasion and Argumentation, Speaking with Confidence
Group 6 Cat | Interpersonal Themes (Conflict Management) Tuesdays 3:10 -4:00 p.m. | Sept 30, Oct 7, 14, 21 In Person | Pearson Hall 3131 Overview of Conflict Management, Approaches to Conflict Management,Six Step Process & DESC Technique, Additional Considerations for Managing Conflict
Group 5 Chris | General Themes (Arts, Creativity, and Expression) Mondays 2:10 - 3:00 p.m. | Oct 6, 13, 20, 27 In Person | Pearson Hall 2131 Music and Dance, Literature and Storytelling, Movies, TV, and Theater, Art, Design, and Fashion
Group 4 Sara | General Themes (Everyday Life) Fridays 1:10 -2:00 p.m. | Sept 5, 12, 19, 26 WebEx (Online) | Sign up for link Small Talk, Hobbies and Free Time, Daily Life and Routines, Travel and Culture
Group 3 Chris | Public Speaking (Building Foundations of Effective Speaking) Wednesdays 3:10 - 4:00 p.m. | Sept 3, 10, 17, 24 In Person | Hamilton Hall 0210 Overcoming Speaking Anxiety, Clarity and Pronunciation, Audience Awareness, Nonverbal Communication
Group 2 Cat | Interpersonal Themes (Professional Networking) Tuesdays 3:10 -4:00 p.m. | Sept 2, 9, 16, 23 In Person | Pearson Hall 3131 Small Talk & Threading Discussions, Topics for Social Communication, Informational Interviews, Approachability: Verbal and Non-Verbal Strategies
Group 1 Chris | General Themes (People and Perspectives) Mondays 2:10 - 3:00 p.m. | Sept 8, 15, 22, 29 In Person | Pearson Hall 2131 Childhood and Growing Up, Family and Relationships, Heroes and Role Models, Cross-Cultural Experiences

These topics are most suitable for international students who want to practice their English speaking skills in different situations and increase their knowledge about cultural differences. Generally, the themes are negotiated by participants and facilitators during the first session, but any additional topics can be brought up during the group meetings. Possible topics include: making general conversation, living in the US, discussing hot or popular issues, sharing personal cultural experiences, practicing presentation skills, using politeness strategies, etc.

These topics are most suitable for both domestic and international students who want to practice their interpersonal communication skills in different situations and increase their confidence in one-on-one interactions with others. Generally, the themes are preset by the facilitator, but any additional topics or scenarios can be brought up during the group meetings. Possible topics include: making small talk, preparing for a difficult conversation (e.g., with a major professor/labmate/roommate/landlord), resolving conflicts, using open or closed statements, avoiding misunderstandings, etc.

These topics are most suitable for both domestic and international students who want to practice their public speaking skills in different situations and increase their confidence in delivering content to general and specific audiences. Generally, the themes are preset by the facilitator, but any additional topics or scenarios can be brought up during the group meetings. Possible topics include: effective introduction and conclusion strategies, organizing key points, incorporating useful visuals, handling questions and answers, body language and gestures, etc.