english for the community - english language centre - elc ... · storytelling the art of persuasive...

Subject lecturers

Ms Anna Ho

Anna.ho@polyu.edu.hk

Mr Charlie Richard Charles

Charlie.email@polyu.edu.hk

General information

A Service-Learning subject offered for students who want to:

Appreciate the art of digital storytelling

Experience serving the less advantaged while empowering them to see their own value

Exercise their creativity to help raise the profile of partner NGOs

Introduce to students the concept and practice of Service-Learning

Raise students’ awareness of social issues in developing countries and educate them on the challenges and needs of underprivileged communities

Enable students to use narratives, in print and in digital format, as a persuasion tool

Objectives

Enhance students’ generic competencies of innovative problem solving, communication and team work

Nurture students’ sense of social awareness, responsibility and engagement

Objectives

Service location: Hong Kong

Small-scaled NGOs

Service location and partners

Indirect service

The NGOs are both your service partners

& service recipients

Service nature

Students’ tasks

To develop in groups of three an advocacy package for your assigned partner NGOs.

You need to research about the NGOs and develop the following which constitutes to parts of the advocacy package:

- A 4-5 minute digital documentary (DD) that tells the story of your partners in an informative and compelling way

- A descriptive text that introduces the profile of the NGO and the DD - A letter to invite support or donation - Sample response letters that NGOs could use when communicating

with donors

Target: small-scaled NGOs

They are unsung heroes of our time

Work on very limited resources

But give hope to people in need

of support

Why NGOs? Why advocacy package?

NGOs also need support/ donation/ professional advice

We can present their stories in the form of digitaldocumentary

Help them invite support,

e.g. donation

Why NGOs? Why advocacy package?

Lectures and seminars in semester 2 (26 hours)

Outbound filming service in Hong Kong

About three week

post-production service

Subject components

Unit Week Topics Contents Weekly assignment

1 4 Introduction General introduction to- the subject- service learning- the service/ task - the service recipients

Reading

5 Persuasive Storytelling

The art of persuasive storytelling

Stories sell: how stories are used to influence opinions

Critiquing videos

2 6-7 Pre-production planning

Embedding messages in stories Ethics in telling service storiesStructuring a story and a storyboard

Point of view in storytellingIntegrating visuals, audios, and textsGift of one’s voice: narration

Production and post production techniques and considerations

Who are we project: develop storyboard

SL project: contacting service partners

Videos: filming techniques

Unit Week Topics Contents Weekly assignment

2 8 Mini-presentation: research findings on NGO partners

Sharing by former students

Videos: filming techniques

Two DD projects: follow up

9 Cinematography Workshop Two DD projects: follow up

3 10-11 Power of language: skills of emphasis and using high impact statements

Writing invitation letters of support and follow-up correspondence

Draft invitation letter

Writing narrative texts to introduce DDs

Get contents ready for consultation

Unit Week Topics Contents Weekly assignment

4 12 Group consultation: contents of proposal package

13 Persuasive presentation

Meeting the speaking objectives

Audience awareness

Get contents ready for consultation

14 Group consultation: persuasive presentation

15 Writing reflection Reflecting on group work experience

What constitutes quality reflection?

Prepare for the presentation

16 Assessment: Presenting their draft advocacy package

Delivery of service

PolyU students

• serve as film makers for assigned NGO partners

• Research about the need/difficulties/ expectations of the NGOs and develop a 4-5 minute digital documentary that tells the NGOs’ stories in an informative and compelling way

• Attend the outbound filming service

• Perform post-production tasks after the filming

• Prepare texts and letters that NGOs could use when approaching donors

Details about the service component

• The service component is a must-attend component.

• 100% attendance is required.

• Details about the service attendance can be found from the information handout.

Details about the service component

o Advocacy package: persuasive writing (individual) 15%

o Advocacy package:

Who are we digital documentary (group)

Persuasive presentation (group)

10%

20%

o Final advocacy package (group) 25%

o 2 Reflective journals (individual) 15%x2

Total: 100%

Assessments

Target students

About 21 students

Need to have:

Good learning attitude and commitment

A heart to serve the less well-off

Readiness to challenge oneself

A belief in the power of stories

Service learning component 2018

Conclusion

Stories have the power to inspire, influence and motivate. This subject guides you to appreciate the art of influence – for the better.

Video:

The making of ELC2S03