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 speaking O Topics to Address… O Nervousness O Speech Making Process O Audience Analysis O Delivery O Preparation & Rehearsing

Dealing with Nervousness O Acknowledge Your Fear O Focus on Message, not Fear O Act Confident O Give Yourself a Mental Pep Talk O Visualize Your Success O Channel Nervous Energy O BREATHE O Practice, Practice, Practice

Understand the Speech Making Process O Choosing Topic O Focus Purpose O Research O Organizing Content O Developing an Outline O Delivering Speech O Rehearsing

Choosing a Topic O 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 Purpose O General Purpose : O TO Inform, Persuade, Entertain, Inspire, Pay Tribute, etc. O Specific Purpose: What you hope to accomplish O EXAMPLE: To inform the audience about the importance of having a college education. O Central 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 O Current Situation/Info O Background Info O Supporting Materials

Organizing Content O Chronological O Topical O Spatial O Cause-Effect O Problem-Solution O Comparison-Contrast

Introductions O PURPOSE O Introduce topic & preview what is to come O State purpose & im portance O Grab Attention O Build Credibility TYPES: Story, Rhetorical Question, Quotation, Humor, Allude to conclusion

Conclusions O PURPOSE O Summarize Speech & Re-emphasize Main Idea O Motivate Response O 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 Focused O Analyze Audience Carefully O Adapt to Situation

What Audience most often remembers: O #1—Last thing they heard O #2—Introduction O #3—Topic

Methods of Delivery O 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 & Expressions O Volume—project and use variety in pitch & inflection O Pace—pause between points O Use Clear… O Language–appropriate terms and definitions O Pronunciation and Articulation O Conversational style O Be Enthusiastic O End Well O Be Concise & Memorable O Pause before Returning to Seat

GOAL #2: Methods for assessing speeches & presentations

Assessing Speeches O Determine whether this is a speech or presentation O 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

Category12345 Verbal Delivery Little or no attempt made to demonstrate skill in this area. Inadequate: Delivery poor. -Volume, rate, pronunciation & enunciation unclear and audience cannot understand 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 Organization 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 relationships among 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 of ideas through presentation aids, previews, transition, and summaries.

GOAL #3: Preparing students for speeches & presentations

Preparing Students O Clearly outline skills & content to be assessed O Explain what an effective speech looks & sounds like O Message Organization O Delivery O Explain Outlines & Speaking Notes O Review rubrics & assessment criteria O Allow opportunity for practice

Developing an Outline O Preparation Outline used to organize research O Speaking Outline is actual speaking notes O DO NOT WRITE OUT WORD FOR WORD O Just enough detail to serve as reminder O Include cues (“pause” or “show slide”) O Consider transitions

Types of Outlines O Speaker’s Outline O Introduction O Main Point O Support with Evidence O TRANSITION O Supporting Point O Support with Evidence O TRANSITION --REPEAT AS NECESSARY-- O Conclusion + Preparation Outline +Title & Topic +Specific Purpose +Central Idea +Introduction +Main & Sub-Points +Support/Evidence +Conclusion

Rehearsing Speech O Practice Out Loud O Practice Actual Delivery (eye contact, volume, stance) O Watch Yourself O Keep Track of Time

Sources O A Concise Public Speaking Handbook by Steven & Susan Beebe O Lecture Notes from SPC 2608 by Heather Elmatti