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:
O
What you hope to accomplish
EXAMPLE: To inform the audience about the importance of having a college
education.
O Central Idea:
O
Summary of speech content (thesis)
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 & importance
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
O
Use Effective…
O
Eye Contact
O
Gestures & Expressions
O
Volume—project and use variety in pitch & inflection
O
Pace—pause between points
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 RubricGROUP/INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION EVALUATION (50pts)
Verbal Delivery
Stage Presence
Message Content
Message Organization
Effective Introduction
Effective Conclusion
Creativity
Kept to Time Frame
Overall Presentation
TOTAL
______ (5)
______(5)
______ (5)
______ (5)
______ (5)
______ (5)
______ (5)
______ (5)
______(10)
possible 50pts
Category
Verbal Delivery
Message
Organization
1
2
3
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”).
4
Exemplary:
Delivery emphasizes
and enhances
message.
-Good rate & flow.
-Good volume &
variety.
-Clear enunciation
-No verbal crutches
(ex: "ahs," uh/ums,"
or "you knows”).
5
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
Preparation
Outline
Title & Topic
Specific Purpose
Central Idea
Introduction
Main & Sub-Points
Support/Evidence
Conclusion
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
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