ORAL INTERPRETATION ComSt 251

Instructor: Dr. Richard F. Taflinger
Phone: 335-1530
Office: Murrow 241
Office Hours: MWF 12:00 - 1:00 OBA
E-mail: taflinge@wsu.edu (office); richt@turbonet.com (home)
Home page: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~taflinge/index.html

OBJECTIVES

This course has two basic components: 1) literary criticism, and 2) oral interpretation. The purpose of the first is to aid you in understanding the literature you will read aloud. Since you will be performing the literature, the concentration of the criticism will be on its effect on the audience, not on the reader -- if the audience, listening to the work, can't get it, we won't worry about it; this is a communication, not an English course. Thus, no 15th hidden level of meaning, no deep psychoanalysis of Hamlet. To aid you in the critical analysis, you are provided with a check chart -- just fill in the blanks.
The second component, oral interpretation, is arguably the most difficult part of the course for most students, since many people find speaking in front of an audience rather frightening. However, you will soon find that it's actually a lot of fun. Really. No fooling. All right, so maybe you'll be a little nervous. Just do what I tell you, and you'll have a blast.
The assignments for this semester are: a free reading (2-3 minutes, with intro); Prose (4-6 minutes, with intro); Poetry (4-6 min w/intro); Drama (4-6 min w/intro); Children's Lit (4-5 min w/intro); a free reading, your choice of genre (4-6 min w/intro); and a final program (8-10 min w/intro and transitions) with at least one each of prose, poetry, and drama if possible (this is not as frightening as you think). Each assignment, with the exceptions of the initial free reading (10 points, no check chart), the second free reading (25 points, no check chart) and the final program, is worth 50 points (25 for the check chart, 25 for the performance). The final program is 150 points (75 for check charts, 75 for performance).
WEEK ONE: Orientation; Delivery [Division of class into groups. Assignments: Free reading, 2-3 minutes, including intro.]
WEEK TWO: ; How to do prose. Critical methods and the check chart. [Assignment: prose reading, 4-6 minutes, including introduction.]
WEEK THREE: Free readings. [Prose check charts due for group 1.]
WEEK FOUR: How to do poetry. Prose readings, groups 1,2. [Assignment: poetry reading, 4-6 minutes, including intro. Prose check charts due for groups 2,3,4.]
WEEK FIVE: Prose readings, groups 3,4. [Poetry check charts due for group 2.]
WEEK SIX: How to do Drama. Poetry readings, groups 2,3. [Assignment: drama reading, 4-6 minutes, including intro. Poetry check charts due for groups 3,4,1.]
WEEK SEVEN: Poetry readings, groups 4,1. [drama check charts due for group 3.]
WEEK EIGHT: How to do Children's Lit. readings. Drama readings, groups 3,4. [Assignment: Children's Lit reading, 4-5 minutes, including intro. Drama check charts due for groups 4,1,2. Assignment: free reading, 4-6 minutes, including intro, no checkchart]
WEEK NINE: Drama readings, groups 1,2. [Kiddie lit checkcharts due group 4.]
WEEK TEN: Kiddie lit readings, groups 4,1,2. [Kiddie lit checkcharts due for groups 1,2,3.]
WEEK ELEVEN: Kiddie lit reading, group 3.
WEEK TWELVE: How to do the final program. [Assignment: Program reading, 8-10 minutes, including intro and transitions.]
WEEK THIRTEEN: Free readings (no checkcharts), groups 1,2.
WEEK FOURTEEN: Free readings (no checkcharts), groups 3,4. Begin final programs, check charts due two class days before assigned delivery days.
WEEK FIFTEEN: Final programs as assigned, check charts due two class days before assigned delivery days.

You can reach me by e-mail at: richt@turbonet.com

This page was created by Richard F. Taflinger. Thus, all errors, bad links, and even worse style are entirely his fault.

Copyright © 1996 Richard F. Taflinger.
This and all other pages created by and containing the original work of Richard F. Taflinger are copyrighted, and are thus subject to fair use policies, and may not be copied, in whole or in part, without express written permission of the author richt@turbonet.com.

Disclaimers
The information provided on this and other pages by me, Richard F. Taflinger (richt@turbonet.com), is under my own personal responsibility and not that of Washington State University or the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication. Similarly, any opinions expressed are my own and are in no way to be taken as those of WSU or ERMSC.

In addition,
I, Richard F. Taflinger, accept no responsibility for WSU or ERMSC material or policies. Statements issued on behalf of Washington State University are in no way to be taken as reflecting my own opinions or those of any other individual. Nor do I take responsibility for the contents of any Web Pages listed here other than my own.