Criteria for Excellence in Oral Presentation

Criteria for Excellence remain the same across Division levels
In each Division students strive for understanding progressively more complex concepts and skills
with progressively more initiative, autonomy, and awareness.

A Holistic Rubric for Division 1 (7th and 8th grade level work)
appears  following the Criteria for Excellence.
Division 2 and Division 3 rubrics are created for each assignment using the Criteria for Excellence as guidelines.

 

Content
• You communicate a clear message.
• Your information is substantive and accurate.
• You organize your information in a way that moves the presentation forward.
• Any presentation aids (visual, aural, etc.) are substantive, relevant, and used effectively.
• You effectively employ rhetorical strategies (metaphor, imagery, repetition, etc.).
• You answer questions knowledgeably and accurately.

Performance
• You know your audience and engage it in appropriate ways.
• You capture your audience’s attention from the beginning.
• You use appropriate body language and gestures.
• You make eye contact with your audience.
• You speak clearly and audibly and pronounce words correctly.
• You speak at an appropriate pace.
• You vary your voice and language for expressive purposes.
• You avoid "filler" words ("um," "uh," "like," "you know").
• You take turns with other speakers when appropriate.
• You adjust to audience reactions.
• You bring your presentation to an effective close.

Process
• You are well prepared for presentation.
• You reflect on your process and your work.

 

HOLISTIC RUBRIC FOR ORAL PRESENTATION, DIVISION 1

Just Beginning

• Your message is not yet clear or appropriate to your audience.
• You do not present accurate and substantive information and ideas, or your ideas are not yet organized.
• Your presentation aids do not help communicate your message.
• Your speaking style is not expressive, clear, audible, or paced well, and it gets in the way of your message.
• You have not yet found a way to hold your audience’s interest.
• Your eye contact and body language detract from the effectiveness of the presentation.
• You do not respond appropriately to questions and reactions from your audience.
• You are not prepared for presentation.

Approaches Division 1 Standards

• Your message is not clear or you need to communicate it to your audience in a more appropriate way.
• You present some information and ideas but they need to be more accurate, substantive, or organized.
• Your presentation aids are not substantive or relevant, or you are not using them effectively.
• Your speaking style needs to be more expressive, clear, audible, and well paced.
• You sometimes lose your audience’s interest.
• Your eye contact and body language sometimes detract from the effectiveness of the presentation.
• You do not always respond appropriately to questions and reactions from your audience.
• You need to be better prepared for presentation.

Meets Division 1 Standards ("Yes, and . . . " or "Yes, but . . .")

• You communicate a clear message to your audience in an appropriate way.
• You present substantive and accurate information and ideas in an organized way.
• Your presentation aids are substantive, relevant, and used effectively.
• Your speaking style is expressive, clear, audible, and well paced.
• You keep your audience’s interest from beginning to end.
• Your eye contact and body language add to the effectiveness of the presentation.
• You respond appropriately to questions and reactions from your audience.
• You are prepared for presentation.

Exceeds Division 1 Standards ("Yes!")

• You communicate a clear message to your audience in an especially appropriate and original way.
• You present complex, substantive, and accurate information and ideas in an organized and effective way.
• Your presentation aids add considerably to the effectiveness of the presentation.
• Your speaking style is especially expressive, clear, audible, and well paced.
• You keep your audience’s interest at a high level from beginning to end.
• You show excellent control of eye contact and body language.
• You respond thoughtfully to questions and reactions from your audience.
• You are very well prepared for presentation.

Division 2 and Division 3 rubrics are created for each assignment using the Criteria for Excellence as guidelines.