Freshman English Participation Rubric
Participation accounts for 10% of your final grade and does not just revolve around speaking in class.
To help you self-assess your participation, consider the following questions:
 Active listening – Are you following along? Do you listen to other students and the teacher?
Do you respond to and follow directions in a timely manner?
 Full class discussion – Do you volunteer your opinion on a daily basis? Do you share on- topic
and original thoughts? Do you initiate new topics to discuss?
 Small group discussion – Do you contribute to the group? Do you stay on topic? Do you
contribute a positive influence on the group? Do you “pull your own weight”?
 On-task behavior – Do you follow along? Do you share comments relevant to the task at
hand? Are you respectful to other students and the teacher?
 Vocabulary presentation – Do you present 2-3 vocabulary words by the end of the semester?
 Note-taking – Do you take appropriate and thorough notes? Do you write in your assignment
notebook?
 Work completion – Is homework and in-class assignments thoughtful and thorough? Do you
have excessive missing assignments? Do you take advantage of revision opportunities?
 Preparedness – Do you bring your materials to class? Is your binder organized?
The following rubric will be used to access your participation:
10 – Exemplary active listener and participator in class; initiates and engages in discussion on a
daily basis with on-topic and original ideas; fulfilled vocabulary presentation requirement; takes
leadership role in full class or small group discussion; work completion and notes are thorough;
prepared with materials on a daily basis
9 – Actively listens and participates in class; engages in discussion on daily basis with on-topic
original ideas; fulfilled vocabulary presentation requirement; sometimes takes leadership role in
full class or small group discussion; work completion and notes are through; prepared with
materials on a daily basis
8 – Mostly actively listens and participates in class; engages in discussion on most days; most ideas
are original and on-topic; fulfilled vocabulary presentation requirement; actively participates in
small group discussions; work and notes are complete; prepared with materials on a daily basis
7 -- Somewhat actively listens and participates in class; engages in discussion on most days; some
ideas are original and on-topic; fulfilled vocabulary presentation requirement of 1-2 words per
semester; most small group work is appropriate with possible room for improvement; some
comments may be off-topic or disruptive; work and notes have room for improvement; sometimes
ill-prepared for class.
6 and below - Lacks in active listening and participation in discussion; does not participate in full
class or small group discussion on most days; ideas expressed may be repetitive or off topic; did
not fulfill vocabulary presentation requirement for semester; homework and notes are incomplete;
ill-prepared for class; does not follow directions.
Discussion Stems:
Not sure how to get involved in full-class or group discussion? Consider “filling in the blank” of the
following stems with your own ideas.
Remember, talk to the whole class, not to just the teacher. Respond to other students, not just the
teacher. AND ALWAYS PROVIDE EVIDENCE…everything is an argument, after all!
To INITIATE a discussion topic…
 “In the text, it says on pg. _________that____________________. I think…”
To ADD ON to a conversation…
 “I have something to add.”
 “Did you consider…”
 “I have a different opinion.”
To AGREE with another student on a topic…
 “I agree with_____________________________because_________________________.
* Make sure your “because” is your own idea, not what the person before said!
To CLARIFY a comment…
 “Can you explain your answer?”
To DISAGREE with a comment on the same topic…
 “I disagree with_____________________________because_________________________.
To CHANGE the topic…
 “Another topic to discuss is…”