Oral Communication Program
About Us
Background
The
genealogy of public speaking at Stanford is particularly interesting
in light of oral communication's recent academic renaissance.
Although the ability to speak with clarity and grace has been
one of the uncontested aims of a liberal arts education, the
place of speech training within private institutions like
Stanford has not been entirely clear. But the importance of
oral communication skills prevails. Studies
reveal this, common sense certainly tells us this, and, most
convincingly, Stanford graduates who enter the professional
world and witness the value of these skills on a daily basis
remind us of this in their alumni correspondence.
The Center for Teaching and Learning's Oral
Communication Program reflects the enduring relevance of the
spoken arts at Stanford and the university's renewed commitment
to "provide students instruction in oral communication,"
as it was phrased in 1994 by the Committee on Undergraduate
Education. With the support of the President's Innovation
Fund, a new position in oral communication was created at
CTL in 1996. Since then we have developed a full-scale program
which serves the university--undergraduates,
graduates, and faculty--in
a variety of ways, outlined below.
As we engage nationally with other
college and university programs that share our mission,
the possibilities for enhancing oral communication skills
at Stanford seem limitless. In our efforts to develop a new
and stimulating pedagogy of "public speaking," we
hope to expand the traditional definition of our subject and
move beyond the confines of a superficial skills orientation.
Among other things, learning to listen more intently, to analyze
more cogently, and to trust one's own voice more deeply. To
this end, we have committed ourselves to revitalizing a rhetorical
tradition at Stanford and to fostering an awareness of the
seasoned and fundamental place of oral expression in a liberal
education.
What We Do
Our program provides a range of opportunities for undergraduates and graduates to develop or improve their oral communication skills. Courses and workshops offer a comprehensive approach to speech communication, including training in the fundamental principles of public speaking and the effective delivery of oral presentations. The goal is to enhace students' general facility and confidence in oral self expression. The program also provides innovative, discipline-based instruction to help students refine their personal speaking sytles in small groups and classroom settings. For a full description of our program services, click here.
Who We Are
Our program is made up of a core teaching and consulting staff, program staff, as well as a highly trained contingent of student consulting staff known as Oral Communication Consultants (OCCs). Basic peer tutoring is available through OCCs, while our teaching staff provide workshops, graduate student services, and advanced individual consultations for undergraduates.
| Teaching & Consulting Staff | |
| Doree Allen, Program Director
Doree
Allen received her M.A. in Film and her Ph.D. in English from Stanford
University, where she wrote a dissertation on the influence of the visual
arts on the poet H.D.'s experimental prose. After teaching for several
years in Stanford's Cultures, Ideas, and Values Program, she now coordinates
CTL's interdisciplinary program in Oral Communication and teaches a variety
of courses on public speaking and oral interpretation. Her research interests
include the poetics of the performed text and Carol Gilligan and Kristin
Linklater's innovative work on voice. She can be found most weekends hiking
the coastal trails of West Marin. contact Doree |
 |
| Thomas Freeland, Program Lecturer Thomas Freeland received his B.F.A. and M.A. degrees in Theatre from the University of Colorado and his Ph.D. in drama from Stanford University, where he wrote a dissertation on Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West Show as a performance spectacle of American national identity. After teaching Voice, Acting, and Dramatic Literature at Oberlin College, he is now a lecturer in CTL's Oral Communication Program. He leads workshops and provides individual coaching in vocal technique and public speaking. When he is not busy helping students explore the range of sounds they can make with their voices, Tom enjoys making other kinds of noise with his electric guitar. contact Tom |
 |
| Joyce Moser, Lecturer (Freshman & Sophomore Programs)
Joyce is the Oral Communication Lecturer in our sister group, Freshman & Sophomore Programs. She provides both speaking and writing support to students in Introductory Seminars. Many come to meet with her in her office, but she will also come to your class. Topics for some of her workshops have included differences between effective written and spoken language, the basic elements of a successful formal or informal presentation; the use of other media; identifying a workable thesis; organizing and integrating research materials; and editing group projects. |
 |
| Jennifer Hennings, Lecturer, Oral Communication |  |
| Program Staff | |
| Jeremy
Sabol, Academic Technology Specialist As Academic Technology Specialist at the Center for Teaching & Learning, Jeremy helps faculty and graduate students to incorporate new technology effectively into their teaching. Jeremy focuses on uses of technology that will help teachers better achieve their own pedagogical goals. Jeremy Sabol holds a B.A. in both Physics and Literature, and he received a Ph.D. in French from Yale University. His dissertation, entitled “Fables of Knowledge: Descartes and Seventeenth-Century Epistemological Fiction,” focused on the relationship between Cartesian philosophy and early modern fiction. Jeremy’s research interests are in early modern literature and philosophy, the history of science, and Hong Kong cinema. In his personal life, Jeremy hangs out with his wife Carrie in San Francisco, where they recently moved from New York City. They spend their time cooking, eating, and reading Tolstoy out loud. |
 |
| Cristen Osborne, Program Coordinator |  |
| Linda Salser, Program Manager |  |
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Testimonials