If that's true, then speaking accounts for at least a quarter. Professors expect student involvement and participation in class discussions.
Students have to make presentations in front of the entire class.
It can be a bit scary, if you aren't prepared. Most international students prefer to sit quietly in class and take notes, and note-taking is a valuable skill that many Americans could stand to improve. Lecture courses Lecture courses are what Hollywood tends to portray in films. There are rows of seats filled by many dozens or even hundreds of students, and they are all listening to what the professor is saying. Everyone is taking notes, and rarely, if ever, do students ask questions or make presentations to the rest of the class.