Download Communication_Rubric

Title : Communication Rubric—Elementary and Middle School
Description : A rubric in student language written for elementary and middle school students to
self-assess their communication skills.
Keywords : Opinions, listening, speaking, discussing, audience, presentation
Instructions : Use this rubric to think about your communication skills.
Categories
Grade Level : 6-8
Subject :
Type of Assessment : Communication
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Speaking Content: Introduction
When I present, I begin When I present, I begin When I present, I try to I do not begin my
with an introduction that by introducing the topic. introduce the topic, but presentation by
informs my audience of
my introduction may
introducing my topic.
my presentation’s theme
leave my audience
and engages my
confused about my
audience.
presentation’s topic.
Speaking Content: Speaking Content: Body
When I present, I
I provide details and
I provide some details I do not provide any
provide details and
supporting information and supporting
details or supporting
supporting information that clarify the main
information that clarify information to clarify
that clarify the main
ideas.
some of the main ideas. the main ideas.
ideas and elaborate on
thoughts, ideas, and
opinions.
Speaking Content: Conclusion
I conclude my
I conclude my
I conclude my
I do not end my
presentation in a
presentation by
presentation in a generic presentation with a
memorable way to
reinforcing my
way
conclusion.
reinforce my
presentation’s theme.
presentation’s theme.
Speaking: Voice and Mannerisms
When I present, I speak When I present, I
When I present, I
When I present, I speak
naturally with poise,
enunciate clearly and
sometimes use a voice inaudibly, enunciate
precision, animation,
speak audibly, avoid
too soft for listeners to poorly, mispronounce
and proper volume. I
clumsy pauses and
comfortably hear and words, distract listeners
effectively use
fillers, maintain eye
understand, use fillers with fillers such as “uh”
nonverbal cues, such as contact with my
such as “uh” and “um”, or “um”, pause
facial expressions,
listeners, and use
have difficulty
awkwardly, frequently
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gestures, posture, and
proximity.
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gestures and facial
maintaining eye contact, look down to avoid eye
expressions to keep the and forget to use
contact, and use
audience engaged.
nonverbal cues.
distracting gestures and
other nonverbal cues.
Speaking: Audience Awareness
I recognize and
I recognize different
I try to take into account I do not consider
effectively vary my
types of audiences and different types of
different types of
speaking based on
vary my speaking to
audiences, but I am not audiences.
audience characteristics, meet their needs.
effective in varying my
such as group size,
speaking to meet their
gender, and age.
needs.
Speaking: Purpose
I vary my word choice, I vary my speaking
I try to vary my
I do not consider the
tone, animation,
according to the
speaking according to purpose for my
gestures, pauses, and
purpose, such as to
the purpose, but I have speaking.
opinions according to inform, persuade, or
difficulty sounding
the purpose of my
entertain.
credible.
speaking, such as to
inform, persuade, or
entertain.
Speaking: Audio or Visual Aids
I effectively use a
I use audio or visual
I try to use audio and
I do not use audio or
variety of audio and
aids to enhance my
visual aids, but they
visual aids, or if I use
visual aids to enhance message.
may not enhance my
them, they distract the
my message.
message.
audience from my
message.
Listening: Body Language
I listen attentively by
I usually listen
I try to listen to the
I do not listen
facing the speaker,
attentively, face the
speaker but my attention attentively, I create
making eye contact, and speaker, make eye
sometimes wanders, I disruptions, and I
paraphrasing what is
contact, and paraphrase frequently break eye
cannot recall what is
said.
what is said.
contact, or I have
said.
difficulty recalling what
is said.
Listening: Questions
I ask and respond to
I ask and respond to
I rarely ask questions I do not ask or answer
questions effectively
questions appropriately. and make limited
questions.
and appropriately about
responses to questions
presentations.
asked of me.
Listening: Interpretation
I identify and interpret I identify and interpret I try to identify and
I can not identify or
multiple messages and some messages and
interpret messages and interpret messages and
purposes intended by purposes intended by purposes intended by purposes intended by
the speaker. I can:
the speaker. I can:
the speaker, but I have the speaker.
• Summarize the main • Summarize main ideas trouble understanding
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ideas thoroughly and
clearly and accurately
precisely
• Distinguish between
• Distinguish between fact and opinion
fact and opinion
• Draw appropriate
• Identify supported and conclusions
unsupported statements
• Recognize persuasive
appeals
• Draw sound,
thoughtful conclusions
with supporting details
• Follow the speaker’s
reasoning
I identify and interpret
multiple messages and
purposes intended by
the speaker. I can:
• Summarize the main
ideas thoroughly and
precisely
• Distinguish between
fact and opinion
• Identify supported and
unsupported statements
• Recognize persuasive
appeals
• Draw sound,
thoughtful conclusions
with supporting details
• Follow the speaker’s
reasoning
Listening: Following Instructions
I accurately follow
I restate and carry out
instructions that require multistep oral
action over an extended instructions. I ask
period of time. I ask
questions to clarify
questions to clarify
instructions.
instructions and
directions.
Discussing: Body Language
I pay attention when
I pay attention when
others are speaking by others are speaking by
maintaining eye contact; maintaining eye contact
listening with openness, and giving some
interest, and awareness; appropriate verbal and
and giving appropriate nonverbal cues.
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some pieces. I can:
• Summarize some of
the main ideas
• Sometimes distinguish
between facts and
opinions
• Draw basic
conclusions
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I have trouble carrying I need to hear oral
out multistep oral
instructions repeatedly
instructions.
before I can carry them
out.
I usually pay attention
when others are
speaking, but
sometimes, I interrupt
or give inappropriate
nonverbal cues, such as
rolling my eyes,
I seldom pay attention
when others are
speaking, or I create
disruptions.
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verbal and nonverbal
cues.
Discussing: Participation
I contribute by
I contribute by
responding directly and connecting to what
thoughtfully to others’ others say and by
ideas and opinions;
sharing my thoughts,
actively and
opinions, and ideas.
consistently sharing my
thoughts, opinions, and
ideas; and sometimes
leading the group by
asking higher-level
questions or by drawing
others out.
Discussing: Critical Thinking
I look for points of
I seriously consider all
agreement in all points points of view in a
of view, even those I
discussion.
disagree with, and I
question all opinions
critically, even those I
agree with.
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yawning, or looking
away.
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I occasionally
contribute by
connecting to what
others say, but often I
am hesitant to share my
thoughts, opinions, and
ideas.
I seldom make an effort
to connect to what
others say, and I rarely
share my thoughts,
opinions, or ideas, or I
only share when
prompted to do so.
I consider some points
of view in a discussion,
but I may accept
opinions I agree with or
reject opinions I do not
agree with without
much thought.
I rarely think seriously
about viewpoints that I
do not agree with in a
discussion.