English for Mass Communication

Course title: English for Mass Communication Full marks: 80 T+20 P

Course No: Eng. Ed. 333 (Elective) Pass marks: 28T + 8P

Nature of the course: Theory and Practical Periods per week: 6

Level: B.Ed. Total periods: 150

Year: Third Time per period: 55 minutes

1. Course Description

This is an introductory course on English for Mass Communication. The course aims at developing the students’ ability to analyse the English language used in different forms of mass media. The course comprises of six units. The first unit focuses on the types of communication and the role of mass communication in the present world. The second unit concentrates on the key concepts in media language. Likewise, the third unit introduces various studies in the media language and the fourth unit deals with its analysis. Unit five exposes the students to different ways of using language in media and last unit deals with the role of translation in mass communication.  

2. Course Objectives

The general objectives of the course are as follows:

• To introduce the students to the concept and types of mass communication.
• To familiarize the students with the key concepts in language and media.
• To acquaint the students with the studies in media language.
• To expose the students to the analysis of the media language.
• To acquaint the students with the language and media reading.
• To familiarise the students with the role of translation in mass communication.  

3. Specific Objectives and Contents

Specific Objectives	Contents
Describe the concept of communication and its types along with their special features. Conduct online and group communication, and document historical development of different events. Discuss the features of language used in group discussions. Discuss the concept and theory of mass communication. Mention the role of mass communication nationally and internationally.	Unit I: Introduction to Communication and its Types (15) 1.1 Personal conversation 1.1.1 Face to face 1.1.2 Telephonic 1.1.3 Online (chat, e-mail, facebook) 1.2 Group discussion 1.2.1 Group dynamics 1.2.2 Purposes 1.2.3 Organization 1.3 Mass communication 1.3.1 The rise of mass communication 1.3.2 Concepts and models for mass communication 1.3.3 Theory of media and society 1.3.4 Mass communication and culture 1.4 International communication 1.4.1 Introduction and the historical context 1.4.2 The growth of telegraph 1.4.3 The era of news agencies 1.5 Role of mass communication in the present day world 1.6 Practical activities
Explain the relationship between language use and media. Define register and style of media language. Define mediated communication, media discourse genres, rhetorics and storytelling. Discuss word and images, and boundaries of media discourse. Explain the future of media language.	Unit II: Key Concepts in Language and Media         (20) 2.1 Media and language use 2.2 Register and style 2.3 Mediated communication 2.4 Media discourse genres 2.5 Media rhetorics 2.6 Media story telling 2.7 Words and images 2.8 Boundaries of media discourse 2.9 The future of media language
Differentiate spoken and written modes of media language. Explain different styles of media language. Discuss mediated participation, schema and genre theory. Identify persuasion and power, stories and visual meanings in the media language. Discuss the language used in radio. Discuss coarseness and incivility in broadcast talks.	Unit III: Studies in Media Language                            (40) 3.1 Speech, writing and media 3.2 Different styles of media language   3.3 Mediated participation   3.4 Schema and genre theory 3.5 Persuasion and power 3.6 Telling stories   3.7 Anchoring visual meanings 3.8 Coarseness and incivility in broadcast talk 3.9 The language of radio 3.9.1 General features 3.9.2 Purpose and function 3.9.3 Language in radio programme 3.9.4 News reading 3.9.5 Live commentaries 3.10 Practical activities
Analyse the media language in terms of message. Analyse the language of blogs, pub lyrics and studio talks. Analyse the purpose of persuasion, media fiction, facts. Explain the multimodal discourse, acceptability and changes in the media language. Analyse the language of newspapers.	Unit IV: Analysing the Media Language                       (45) 4.1 Message and media 4.2 The case of blog 4.3 Listening to pub lyrics 4.4 Comparing kinds of studio talk 4.5 Purpose of persuasion 4.6 Media fiction and fact 4.7 Sound track and multimodal discourse 4.8 Media language and acceptability 4.9 Media change in the future The language of newspapers Introduction Headlines 4.10.3 Audience 4.10.4 Representation of groups 4.10.5 Syntax 4.10.6 Discourse 4.11 Practical activities
Discuss different meanings of media and the varieties of media language. Discuss the relationship between media and modernity, broadcast talk, and news and advertising angles and narrative strategies. Explain the role of media as the window to see the world. Discuss troubles in media and role of media in social change. Analyse the language of television.	Unit V: Language and Media Readings                         (40) 5.1 The meanings of ‘media’ 5.2 Varieties of media language 5.3 Media and modernity 5.4 Broadcast talk 5.5 News and advertising angles 5.6 Narrative strategies 5.7 Windows on the world 5.8 Media trouble 5.9 Media language and social change 5.10 The language of television 5.10.1 Introduction 5.10.2 Signs and signification 5.10.3 Forms of television 5.10.4 Live talk 5.10.5 Represented talk 5.10.6 Discourse and television texts 5.11 Practical activities
Define translation. Differentiate translation from interpretation. Describe the theory of translation and its role in mass media. Discuss various types of translation. Define and discuss the concept of semantic overlapping and translation overlapping. Translate news from English to Nepali and vice versa.	Unit VI: Translation                                                       (15) 6.1 Introduction to translation 6.2 Translation and interpretation 6.3 Literal and free translation 6.4 Semantic overlapping and translation equivalence 6.5 Role of translation in media 6.6 Practical activities

Note: The figures in the parentheses indicate the approximate periods for the respective units.

Practical activities  

Unit II

• Collect the samples of online conversation in English, identify specific features of language and write them systematically.
• Prepare a report of historical development of mass and international communication focusing on the English language models which are used in Nepal.

Unit III

• Listen to 3 English radio programmes, analyse and note the special features of the radio language.
• Prepare a brief radio news (700 – 1000 words) about the latest programme that you attended in your campus/community.
• Design an announcement of an awareness program (e.g. health awareness, sanitation, vaccination campaign, school enrolment, literacy etc.) of about 500 words to be broadcast from the local FM radio.

Unit IV

• Collect 3 English newspapers published in Nepal. Select one feature/op-ed article and editorial from them, analyse their language, and make a list of special characteristics of their language.
• Write a newspaper article in about 1000 words focusing on current issues such as education, gender, politics, human rights, culture, ethnicity and technology.

Unit V

• Watch 3 English TV Programmes and list the basic features of the language used in them.
• Prepare the script of a program to be broadcast on TV for five minutes.

Unit VI

• Select any two pieces of news from the Nepali newspapers and translate them into English.
• Select any two pieces of news from the English newspapers and translate them into Nepali.

4. Instructional Techniques

The instructional techniques for this course are divided into two groups.  The first group consists of general instructional techniques applicable to most of the units. The second group consists of specific instructional techniques applicable to specific units.

4.1 General Instructional Techniques

• Lecture and Discussion
• Explanation and Illustration
• Self Study

4.2 Specific Instructional Techniques

• Units II, III, IV & V and VI: Project Work
• Units I and III: Group and Individual Work

5. Evaluation        Marks

Unit I: Introduction to Communication and its types 25

Unit II: Key concepts in language and media

Unit III: Studies in media language

Unit IV: Analysing the media language

Unit V: Language and media readings 75

Unit VI: Translation

Theory Part

The type of questions and number of test items to be asked in the annual examination are  as follows:

Types of questions	Total questions to be asked	Number of questions to be answered and marks  allocated	Total marks
Group A:  Multiple choice items	14 questions	14 × 1 mark	14
Group B:  Short answer questions	6 with 3 'or' questions	6 × 7 marks	42
Group C:  Long answer questions	2 with 1 'or' question	2 × 12 marks	24

Practical Part

The students are required to maintain a file on practical activities as instructed and specified in the course above and submit them to the internal examiner first. Then they will have to present what they have done in the form of a complete file during the conduction of the interview during the external examination.

The distribution of marks for internal and external examiners is as follows:

Criteria	Internal	External
Portfolio of the practical activities mentioned in the course	4	4
Interview	4	8

6. Recommended Books and References

Recommended Books

Ahuja, B.N. (2005). Audio visual journalism. Delhi: Surjeet Publications. (For unit II)

Ceramella, N. & Lee, E. (2008). Cambridge English for the media. Cambridge: CUP. (For units I, II, III, IV & V)

Durant, A. & Lambrou, M. (2009). Language and media. London: Routledge. (For all units)

Lucas, S.E. (1995). The art of public speaking. USA: McGrow Hill. (For unit II)

Marshall, J. & Werndly, A. (2005). The language of television. London: Routledge (For unit V)

Mohan K. & Benerji, M. (1990). Developing communication skills. Delhi: Mcmillan India Limited. (For unit I)

Newmark, P. (1988). A textbook of translation. New Yok: Prentice Hall. (For unit VI)

Reah, D. (2008). The language of newspapers. London: Routledge. (For unit IV)

Stoval, J.G. (2008). Writing for the mass media. New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley. (For units I & II)

References

Astor, J. (1991). Art of modern journalism. Delhi: Akashdeep Publishing House.

Debkota, G.B. (B.S.2051). Nepalko chhapakhana ra patra-patrikako itihas. Kathmandu: Shajha Prakashan.

D'Souza, Y.K. (1997). Mass media today and tomorrow. Delhi: Satish Garg.

Fleming, C., Hemmingway, E., Moore, G. & Welford, D. (2006). An introduction to journalism. New Delhi: Vistar Publication. (Unit II)

Franklin, B., Hammer, M., Hanna, M., Kinsey, M. & Richardson, J.E. (2006). Key concepts in journalism studies. New Delhi: Vistar Publication.

Harcup, T., (2005). Journalism: Principles and practice. New Delhi: Vistar Publications. (All Units)

Kamath, M.V. (1993). The journalist's handbook. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House.

Kamath, M.V. (1993). Professional journalism. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. (Unit III)

Maquail, D. (2005). Mass communication theory. New Delhi: Vistar Publications. (Unit I)

Mehta, D.S. (1992). Mass communication and journalism in India. Delhi: Allied Publisher Limited. .

Narayan, A. (1998). Communication theories and models. Mumbai: Himalaya Publishing House.

Pant, N.C. & Kumar, J. (1995.  Dimension of modern journalism. Delhi: Kanishka Publishers.

Shrivastava, K.M. (1991). News reporting and editing. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Limited.  

Thussu, D.K. (2000). International communication. London: Arnold.