The purpose of this assignment is to give you extensive practice in talking about your field, to increase fluency in your subject area, and to improve your ability to use the appropriate language to talk about technical matters. Please remember that your listeners are not knowledgeable in your major field and you will need to explain unfamiliar terms and concepts. The purpose of this assignment is not for your teacher to correct you in any way, but for you to practice talking about your field in English, so it becomes easier for you to do.

At least 5 days a week, you should tape record yourself summarizing either some of the reading in your field that you have done that day, or the material covered in one of your major classes. The sooner after you have read or heard the material that you record yourself, the more benefit you will get from this assignment. Speak for at least 5 minutes every day. Please write the date, your topic and the approximate length of the recording on the tape log. Turn in your tape and your tape log to your instructor on the last day of class every week. He or she will return the tape to you on Monday and will let you know if comments are recorded on the tape. You may continue to use the same tape all quarter, recording over your previous summaries as necessary.