CMST 6 - Oral Interpretation

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course covers the study and practice of oral skills essential for effective communication of the intellectual and emotional meaning of a literary selection or manuscript to an audience. It introduces students to performance studies including analysis, appreciation, and application of theories of interpretative performance of various forms of literature, such as poetry, prose, and drama (plays, scripts, and screenplays). Students will demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes good literature, in terms of its philosophical, historical, literary, and cultural importance. Student analysis and interpretation will involve identifying a text's premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts. (C-ID COMM 170).

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of what constitutes good literature, in terms of its philosophical, historical, literary, and cultural importance.
2. Distinguish between the various forms of literature.
3. Analyze and critique literature for the purpose of interpretation, guided by its historical and cultural context.
4. Research and construct individual and/or group oral performances for various live audiences.
5. Edit literature for live performance using techniques that focus on unity of time, place, action, mood and character.
6. Perform a variety of verbal and nonverbal skills to bring literature to life and heighten the effectiveness of the performer’s interpretation, while honoring the authors’ contribution to knowledge, civilization, and society.
7. Identify a text's premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Class Activities
2. Discussion
3. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
4. Lecture
5. Multimedia Presentations
6. Reading Assignments

1. Quizzes
2. Oral Presentation
3. Class participation
4. Written or Oral Examinations
5. Instructor critiques of and student feedback for performances. 2500-word writing requirement to be met through: Essays, critiques, and exams.

Reading Assignments

1. Read “The Story of an Hour”, then perform some light research to understand its cultural and historical context. Come to class prepared to discuss with a partner how you could perform elements of the text to convey that context.
2. Read the textbook chapter on selection of literature and come to class prepared to discuss three key ideas that you found meaningful, focusing on cutting and/or editing to convey your interpretation.

Writing Assignments

1. Literary Analysis for Prose Reading: Using the “3 Touchstones of Oral Interpretation” identified by Charlotte Lee (Universality/Individuality/Suggestion) analyze your prose selection to develop an interpretation that honors the author's contribution to knowledge, civilization, and/or society. Draft a 750-word report on your interpretation, anchoring it in specific quotations from your prose selection.
2. View the video of your interpretive poetry performance. Analyze your use of nonverbal behaviors to convey your literary interpretation of the work. Complete a 1-page self-analysis of your effectiveness.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Work outside of class to prepare and practice a partnered interpretative performance where 2 students perform their interpretation of a dramatic work (play, screenplay, or teleplay), factoring in its historical and cultural context. Come to class prepared to perform your interpretation.
2. Readers’ Theatre: Form a group of 5-6 students and compile and perform a mixed genre program of interpretative performances. Each interpretive performance should be 5-10 minutes. A 500-word minimum literary analysis from each student is also required. Come to class prepared to perform your interpretation.

Greg Johnson, Thomas Arp. (2018). Perrine’s Sound & Sense: An introduction to poetry. Cengage, 15th. 9781337097611.

Robert Barton. (2016). Acting: Onstage and Off. Cengage, 7th. 978-1305077447.

Laurie Kirszner, Stephen Mandell. (2017). Compact Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Cengage, 9th. 9780357792452.

Celena Kusch. (2016). Literary Analysis: The Basics. Routledge, 1st. 978-0415747103.

Richard Schechner. (2020). Performance Studies: An Introduction. Routledge, 4th. 978-1138284562.

Zero Cost Textbook

American Literature I (Lumen). LibreTexts, Humanities.

Other Learning Materials

Northern California Forensics Association website

"Oral Interpretation Webinar" by Kirt Shineman & Nathan Steele (this is an interactive guide to the Oral Interpretation events of collegiate forensics)

Communication Studies