How to Grade a K-12 Speech

Encouraging your students to give a speech will serve them well in the marketplace. Whether they work in management positions or have their own business, they'll get further ahead much faster if they know how to give an effective presentation. It also gives them the opportunity to voice their opinions, which they'll appreciate.

Instructions

1. Pay attention to how your K-12 student opens and closes his speech. He should get a higher grade if he grabs the other kids' attention and leaves them with a succinct summary of his main points.

2. Notice how she organizes her presentation. It's easy to get off track, particularly when using an anecdote or example and the student sees she's got her peers' interest. Since focus is essential to understanding a speech, you should make her give the speech again if she goes off on too many tangents.

3. Make sure the arguments he presents are logical. He may be well organized in his presentation, but if he can't back up his opinion with evidence from experts or examples from real life, he's given a faulty presentation and should do it again.

4. Stand at the back of the room to make sure she's projecting effectively. Tug at your ear when she looks your way if you can't hear every word she's saying clearly. Take half a grade off if you have to tug at your ear constantly throughout her speech.

5. Note the gestures he uses to supplement his words. Nonverbal cues are essential to communication. They keep the audience engaged in the speech and reveal the speakers' enthusiasm in the topic. Students who lack movement and facial expressions while giving their speech should do them over.

6. Judge how appropriate the language is. Make sure your K-12 students understand that while a speech isn't as formal as an essay, it's not like telling their friends a joke either. Their grade should reflect the degree of inappropriate language and glaring grammatical mistakes.

7. Keep an eye on the clock during the speech. K-12 students can get swept away if it's a topic they're enthusiastic about. Take one-half to a whole grade lower depending on how close the student gets to the end of their speech when time runs out.

Tips & Warnings

• You can help your K-12 students get a better grade on their speech by choosing an interesting subject (see Resources for a link).

• Don't judge a speech based on the student's opinion.