Assessing for Oral Communication

Competency

Goals:O Elements of effective speeches &

presentation

O Methods for assessing speeches & presentations

O Preparing students for speeches & presentations

GOAL #1: Understanding

elements of effective speeches & presentation

Effective public speakingO Topics to Address…

O NervousnessO Speech Making ProcessO Audience AnalysisO DeliveryO Preparation & Rehearsing

Dealing with NervousnessO Acknowledge Your Fear

O Focus on Message, not FearO Act Confident

O Give Yourself a Mental Pep TalkO Visualize Your Success

O Channel Nervous EnergyO BREATHEO Practice, Practice, Practice

Understand the Speech Making Process

O Choosing TopicO Focus PurposeO ResearchO Organizing ContentO Developing an OutlineO Delivering SpeechO Rehearsing

Choosing a TopicO Consider…

O Is It Important to You?O Is It Important to Your Audience?O Will It Hold Audience’s Attention?O Is It Manageable in the Time Available?O Is It Clear?O Can You Support It?

Focus PurposeOGeneral Purpose:

O TO Inform, Persuade, Entertain, Inspire, Pay Tribute, etc.

OSpecific Purpose: What you hope to accomplishO EXAMPLE: To inform the audience about the importance of

having a college education.

OCentral Idea: Summary of speech content (thesis)O EXAMPLE: A college education opens the door to: greater

earning potential, more employment opportunities and allows for personal growth.

Researching Topic

OCurrent Situation/InfoOBackground InfoOSupporting Materials

Organizing ContentO ChronologicalO TopicalO SpatialO Cause-EffectO Problem-SolutionO Comparison-Contrast

IntroductionsO PURPOSE

O Introduce topic & preview what is to comeO State purpose & importance O Grab AttentionO Build Credibility

TYPES: Story, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Humor, Allude to conclusion

ConclusionsO PURPOSE

O Summarize Speech & Re-emphasize Main IdeaO Motivate ResponseO Provide Closure

TYPES: Summary, Quotation, Story or Rhetorical Question, Refer to Introduction, Challenge

Understand Your Audience CHALLENGES

People Think Faster Than Hear Short Attention Span Easily Distracted

How to Deal with…O Keep Speech FocusedO Analyze Audience CarefullyO Adapt to Situation

What Audience most often remembers:

O#1—Last thing they heard

O#2—IntroductionO#3—Topic

Methods of DeliveryO Manuscript Reading (hard to connect with audience)

O Memorized (pressure to remember)

O Impromptu (off the cuff)

O Extemporaneous (best choice)

Delivering Speech -O Use Effective…

O Eye Contact O Gestures & ExpressionsO Volume—project and use variety in pitch & inflectionO Pace—pause between points

O Use Clear…O Language–appropriate terms and definitionsO Pronunciation and ArticulationO Conversational style

O Be EnthusiasticO End Well

O Be Concise & MemorableO Pause before Returning to Seat

GOAL #2: Methods for assessing

speeches & presentations

Assessing SpeechesO Determine whether this is a speech or

presentationO Is focus on oral content or overall

presentation?O How important is delivery to overall

assessment?O Prepare rubrics & assessment criteria

O Determine what areas student should demonstrate proficiency

O Review criteria and do a practice assessment.O Know in you mind the difference between

a 1--5 or A-F etc.

-Sample Rubric-GROUP/INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION EVALUATION

(50pts) Verbal Delivery ______ (5)Stage Presence ______(5)Message Content ______ (5)Message Organization ______ (5)Effective Introduction ______ (5)Effective Conclusion ______ (5)Creativity ______ (5)Kept to Time Frame ______ (5)Overall Presentation ______(10)TOTAL possible 50pts

Category 1 2 3 4 5 

Verbal Delivery

  

Little or no attempt made to demonstrate skill in this area.

Inadequate:Delivery poor.-Volume, rate, pronunciation & enunciation unclear and audience cannotunderstand most of message.-You have to work to understand the words.

Fair: Delivery quality minimal. -Rate too fast or slow-Choppy flow & pauses.-Volume is low or too loud.-Pronunciation & enunciation unclear. -Regular verbal crutches (ex: "ahs," "uh/ums," or "you knows”).-Delivery problems cause disruption to message.

Competent: Delivery adequate.-Adequate rate & pauses-Suitable volume & variety.-Enunciation and pronunciation suitable.-Few verbal crutches (ex: "ahs," "uh/ums," or "you knows”).

Exemplary: Delivery emphasizes and enhances message. -Good rate & flow.-Good volume & variety.-Clear enunciation-No verbal crutches (ex: "ahs," uh/ums," or "you knows”).

  

Message Organizati

on    

Little or no attempt made to demonstrate skill in this area.

Inadequate:The message is disorganized and purpose and focus unclear.

Fair: Message organization appears random or rambling at points.-Difficult to understand sequence and relationshipsamong ideas.-Ideas disorganized and do not follow a consistent logical pattern.

Competent: Message is organized.-Sequence and relationships of ideas are understood. -Basic links made about sequence and relationships of ideas.-Ideas in message follow a logical outline.

Exemplary: Message is well organized.-Speaker helps audience understand sequence and relationships ofideas through presentation aids, previews, transition, and summaries.  

GOAL #3: Preparing students for

speeches & presentations

Preparing StudentsO Clearly outline skills & content to be

assessedO Explain what an effective speech

looks & sounds likeO Message OrganizationO Delivery

O Explain Outlines & Speaking NotesO Review rubrics & assessment criteriaO Allow opportunity for practice

Developing an OutlineO Preparation Outline used to organize

research

O Speaking Outline is actual speaking notesO DO NOT WRITE OUT WORD FOR

WORDO Just enough detail to serve as

reminderO Include cues (“pause” or “show

slide”)O Consider transitions

Types of OutlinesO Speaker’s Outline

O IntroductionO Main Point

O Support with EvidenceO TRANSITION

O Supporting PointO Support with EvidenceO TRANSITION

--REPEAT AS NECESSARY--

O Conclusion

Preparation OutlineTitle & TopicSpecific PurposeCentral IdeaIntroductionMain & Sub-PointsSupport/EvidenceConclusion

Rehearsing SpeechO Practice Out Loud O Practice Actual Delivery (eye contact ,

volume, stance)O Watch YourselfO Keep Track of Time

SourcesO A Concise Public Speaking Handbook by Steven & Susan BeebeO Lecture Notes from SPC 2608 by Heather Elmatti