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 Tutors (OCTs).
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