Advanced Grammar Videos
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1. Video length: between 4 minutes minimum to 15 maximum (best time range is 5-10 minutes.)
Video quality: To give you the best viewing experience possible on your computer, YouTube adjusts the quality of your video stream from standard definition (such as 240p or 360p) to high definition (720p or 1080p).
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2. Level: The lesson should be of advanced level, not simplified in content, but simplified in the way you present to make it easy to understand.
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3. Voice Clarity: Before you record the whole thing, record the voice for one or two slides and check that it clear: audible and free of background noise. Speak in proper Standard British or American pronunciation. Do not mixed both. Check the pronunciation of each word!
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4. Use proper intonation to indicate phrases, commas, full stops.
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a. Watch THIS video and the same marking system on your script.
b. Watch THIS video and learn about falling intonation pattern (how and when).
c. Watch THIS video and learn about rising intonation pattern (how and when).
d. Watch THIS video and learn about fall-rise intonation pattern (how and when).
The same intonation patterns apply to Standard British English.
5. Use pauses to indicate moving from one paragraph/point to another.
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6. You can use PowerPoint Presentation, Prezi, Posters or any suitable mobile apps (adding text or animated text to video and to edit and trim video) to present your examples and keywords while you talk. Don't write whole passages. Only key words and sentence examples. Everything else you should say.
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7. If you would like to add music, let it be only at the opening and the end, and stop it/fade it out while you are explaining the lesson, otherwise it will be distracting. The opening and the closure (credits) should be short, no longer than five seconds each.
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8. Use the rules from the book but if possible try to say them in your own words. Read the same rules else where to get a good idea of how else you can say them.
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9. DON'T use the examples from the course textbook and don't make up your own examples. Find good examples online or novels, newspapers, formal websites, etc. You can find an online corpus or google 'sentence example X'( x is the word. For example, you want 'asleep' in a sentence, you can google 'sentence example asleep).
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10. A gentle smile is a must! Even if your face will not appear and you will only use voice over, smile! It affects your voice. Listeners can sense your smile. Be relaxed, not stiff, interact with your audience as if your talking to them face-to-face. Remember that your target audience are above 15 years old, so don't use childish images or sounds. You're video is mainly for university students- and perhaps some high schools students find them useful too.
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11. Remember to add the credentials at the end (Prepared and Presented by, Special Thanks to -optional, if there are other people who helped and you want to mention them), (C) add the Year, Bahrain). An image on the title page would be a good idea. If you are using Power Point, you may want google 'Free PowerPoint templates' as there are nice ones, often with the title page having some extra colour or design.
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For example
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Prepared and Presented by
Alia Jamal
University of Bahrain
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(C) 2018, Bahrain
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12. An opening Sentence that we will all use will be
Hello, I am NAME, a student in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Bahrain. Welcome to our Advanced Grammar Series.
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Then display the title of your lesson.
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12. Acceptable video samples:
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On this channels I have uploaded students' videos. Some are average and some are very good. Watch more than one to get an idea:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR1c7ipVv8RNvlx06F7-3Gw
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Make sure the colour of the background contrasts highly with the text . Unify font and fix font size and colour for each level. Avoid using animations or decorations. Use picture when they help audience understand better or remember better, not to distract them from the lesson.
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I prefer that your efforts gets documented by allowing me to upload the video on the same channel on YouTube. However, if you do not want your video to be published online, just mention this in both the body of the email and also add one slide at the beginning of the presentation on which you write 'DO NOT PUBLISH ONLINE'. This will not affect your grade.
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13. You can find guidelines to recording the voice over and use the autotransition HERE. and Here are some very important guidelines for the layout and format of PowerPoint presentations!
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14. What to email me once your project is finalised:
Do not communicate with me through this email. Your questions, comments or drafts should be sent to my other email address: lamya.english@gmail.com
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Subject: ENGL 446 Video Project Here write the topic
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Dear Dr. Lamya Alkooheji,
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Please find attached our assignment in Word doc on the lesson entitled title of lesson, on page write the page number and also the video so that it will be downloaded on the channel of the account grammar.bahrain@gmail.com
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Attach the video itself in one of the following formats that are accepted by YouTube: MOV, MP4 (MPEG4), AVI, WMV, FLV, 3GP, MPEGPS, WebM.
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Regards,
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name
ID
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15. Project Grading Scheme
20 marks in total, divided as follows:
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5 marks for handing in the lesson as a Word Doc (attach to the same email in which you submit the video), using proper academic layout (See HERE for academic writing guidelines. Use the points that apply to your assignment, 1 to 6. A student cover page and first page sample is HERE). Make use of the textbook method of explaining lessons.
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15 marks for the video. It will be first marked out of 30 and then scaled down to 15. The following points will be assessed:
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A. Concept
5 points
Has a clear picture of what they are trying to achieve. Adequate description of what they are trying to do and generally how his/her work will contribute to the final project.
B. Layout and format
5 points
Proper colour contrast in used. Font is consistent and formal. All Text is left-aligned. Different levels are clearly marked. A lot of white space, text not crowded. Easy to follow. Not everything said is on slides. Italic (or different alignment) is used for examples.
C. Content/ Organization
(definitions and examples illustrated)
5 points
Every rule or term is defined and there are two suitable sentence examples of each rule. Information is presented in proper order or sequence and fully explained with any exceptions or special rules mentioned.
D. Quality
5 points
Movie was completed and had all required elements. The video was well edited and moves smoothly from scene to scene with proper use of transitions. Audio and other enhancements were well used.
E. Voice clarity and
Pronunciation
5 points
The voice is clear. Proper pronunciation, no grammatical mistakes. Voice drops at the end of the sentences. Pauses are timed properly. There is a level of engagement and natural interaction in the presentation (without exaggeration).
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Final score: out of 25, scaled down to 20.
F. Timeliness
5 points
All project deadlines were met:
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Deadline for script first draft (at office, with your script ready and printed out).
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Appointment at office for oral presentation rehearsal + PowerPoint slideshow ready on a USP and as printout.
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Uploading video and sending link to instructor on specified date(s) (one week before the last day of classes according to the university calendar).
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