First Year Students

 

First Year Public Speaking Student

As you embark on your college journey, you're about to engage in more communication than any generation before you. You're already skilled speakers and listeners, but college-level communication requires a new set of abilities. That's where SPC2608 and The Speaking Center come in.

SPC2608 is a crucial part of FAU's Intellectual Foundations Program (IFP), designed to help you master the art of oral communication. In this course, you'll learn how to inform, persuade, and engage effectively through speech. The Speaking Center complements this coursework, offering additional support and resources to enhance your communication skills.

As part of the IFP, this course goes beyond just public speaking. It's about developing the intellectual skills, ethical values, and love of learning that will serve you well in all aspects of life. By the end of this course, you'll be better equipped to analyze information, appreciate diverse perspectives, and adapt to the ever-changing demands of our complex world. These skills are essential not just for your academic success, but for your future as responsible, engaged citizens and professionals.

Remember: 6 credits of Communication courses are required, and you must earn a grade of "C" or higher in each course.

 

WHY take SPC2608?

You will need to speak analytically and communicate effectively in nearly every class you take at FAU. Research shows that students who do well in IFP courses are more likely to graduate than students who do not.


You will need to communicate effectively orally to get and keep the job you want. We live in an era when strong verbal communication skills are crucial in the workplace. It doesn't matter what job you desire; you'll need to be able to speak well. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' Job Outlook 2023 report, the top three attributes employers look for are: 
·      Problem-solving skills (82.4% of employers rate as highly important)

·      Verbal communication skills (73.3%)

·      Written communication skills (72.7%)

You need to be able to participate in your community. Effective communication is key to community engagement. Whether you're participating in family discussions, contributing to your religious community, engaging in political discourse, or interacting in local or online communities, strong oral communication skills are essential. These skills enable you to express your ideas clearly, collaborate effectively, and work towards shared goals with others in various aspects of your life.

 

WHAT will I learn?

SPC2608 is designed to help you speak and listen more effectively—and to help you understand why it matters to study public speaking. You may have given presentations in high school—but SPC2608 will be different. Your professor will have some different expectations of you than your high school teachers did.  To put it simply—you'll speak and listen with purpose. You'll construct and analyze a variety of traditional speeches. Yet, you will not be limited to these types of speeches, you will also engage with the speeches we encounter every day—podcasts, TED talks, even casual conversations. You'll learn to make new meaning through spoken words, and how to get different audiences to really understand what you're trying to convey. You'll learn how to take the skills you develop in Public Speaking and use them to do well in other classes, get a job, express yourself, find your voice—the possibilities are only limited by the work and energy you decide to put into these classes. Everyone can speak. If you engage in these classes with a willing spirit, we can show you how to do it effectively, both in the class and at the Speaking Center.

 

WHERE can I get help?

  • Your class instructors are here to help! Office hours are the time they set aside to work with our students. Many of them are also consultants at the Speaking Center.  Set up an appointment with your professor to clarify questions about assignments, get help when you're "stuck," or extend our class conversations. If you're working on a speech, office hours are also a great way to get some feedback and see if you're on the right track.
  • The Speaking Center is a FREE resource to currently enrolled FAU students. Consultants are specially trained to help you brainstorm ideas, organize your thoughts, make sure your speech fits the assignment—and much much more! What's more, the Speaking Center isn't just for SPC2608—the tutors in the Speaking Center can help you with oral presentations for any of your classes at FAU!
  • Additional Resources: For more comprehensive resources on public speaking and communication, visit the "Resources - Students" page on the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) website: Resources - Students | Florida Atlantic University (fredrimonta.com). This page offers valuable information and tools to further support your development as an effective communicator.