Tracking Life Skills Outcomes Oral Communication/Public Speaking Ben Silliman, Youth Development Specialist NC 4-H Life Skills Research Team

Oral Communication Research: Overview of Key Issues u Life skills in concept and practice n Learned abilities within ecosystem n Complementary and cumulative abilities n General and contextual effects of training n Visible and less visible effects u Oral Communication Skills alignment with n Child Development Research n DPI Standard Course of Study n Youth Development Best Practices n Assessment instruments and protocols n Adult Development Targets 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Research: Overview of Key Issues u Program Development/Research Issues n Targeted skills/subskills and indicators (see NC-DPI Standard Course of Study for Language Arts) n Resources to guide learning (Curricula, handbooks, other print materials, video examples) n Rehearsal/Practice Strategies (club meeting roles, mentoring, presentation contest, broader opportunities) n Measurement instruments and procedures (judging rubrics, participant surveys, interviews) n Adult development competencies requiring oral communication skills (interpersonal, information transfer, persuasion, etc.) 11/22/2015

Life Skills Research: Overview of Key Issues u Levels of evaluation n Formative (e.g., program traits, consistency) n Summative (e.g., outcomes of programs) u Purposes of Evaluation n Personal feedback (youth, leaders, judges, etc.) n Program improvement n Professional accountability u Other Questions about processes and outcomes relative to oral communication? 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Research: Alignment with NC-DPI Standard Course of Study for Language Arts u Informal and integrated activities facilitating listening, speaking, and creative expression n Discussions, question and answer u Planned and structured activities facilitating specific competencies in planning, researching, and presenting n Presentations and demonstrations, drama and other creative expression events 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Early Childhood/PreK-2 implied content) u Language Arts Prerequisites for Grades 2-5 n Oral and/or written literacy competencies such as reading fluency and comprehension, vocabulary, writing skills, active listening, informal speaking skills, grammar and usage n Interpersonal communication competencies such as introducing self, working with a partner, listening or speaking in groups Note: Skills and confidence developed incrementally over time, in a variety of contexts, with repeated exposure in a supportive climate 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Primary Elementary) u Grade 2 Language Arts (Ages 6-7) n Paraphrase, use existing ideas, facts n Increase vocabulary via listening, discussing, composing n Use formal or literary language in place of oral language patterns n Use oral communication to identify, organize, analyze information n Read aloud with fluency and comprehension n Engage style and ideas in discussion n Expand vocabulary to express ideas more precisely and creatively 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Primary Elementary) u Grade 3 Language Arts (Ages 8-9) n Listen actively by facing speaker, making eye contact, asking questions to clarify or add info n Read aloud with fluency, comprehension, expression n Engage in creative responses to texts such as discussions, dramatizations, oral presentations, and plays n Use oral language to present in a logical sequence, discuss, sustain conversation, share ideas, recount or narrate, answer open-ended questions, report on a topic, explain own learning 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Upper Elementary) u Grade 4 Language Arts (Ages 9-10) n Listen actively by asking questions, paraphrasing, interpreting verbal and non-verbal messages, interpreting speaker’s purpose n Read aloud grade-level text with fluency, comprehension, expression, with proper volume and pace n Use oral and written language to present information in a clear, concise manner, discuss, interview, solve problems, make decisions n Use visual aids that match the purpose and audience of the presentation 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Upper Elementary) u Grade 4 Language Arts, continued n Share self-selected texts from varied genres (poetry, letters, narratives, essays, presentations) n Demonstrate appropriate grammar and usage in oral and written communication n Elaborate information using parts of speech in oral and written communication 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Upper Elementary) u Grade 5 Language Arts (Ages 10-11) n Listen actively and critically by asking questions, delving deeper, elaborating on presented ideas, evaluating information or ideas, making inferences, drawing conclusions, making judgments n Identify strategies used to inform, entertain, or influence an audience n Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension, expression, and personal style at with volume and pace that match audience and purpose 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Middle Childhood/Upper Elementary) u Grade 5 Language Arts, continued n Use oral and written language to formulate hypotheses, evaluate information, present and support arguments, influence others n Use appropriate vocabulary to inform or persuade via oral or written expression n Demonstrate understanding of language use for troublesome verbs, pronoun types, propositional phrases, transitions, conjunctions n Determine impact of word choice on written and spoken language 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Early Adolescence/Middle School, G 6-8) u Expressive n Express individual perspectives from personal or related experiences n Narrate fictional or autobiography n Explore expressive accounts n Interact in group settings n Reflect on learning experiences u Informational n Explore and analyze varied sources n Explore, analyze informational materials n Design and develop print and non-print n Explore and create research projects 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Early Adolescence/Middle School, G 6-8) u Argumentative n Examine foundations and use of argument n Explore argumentative works n Explore and analyze problem solution process n Study arguments that evaluate u Critical n Critically evaluate print and non-print n Analyze author’s purpose n Analyze the quality of a communication n Develop the stance of a critic 11/22/2015

Oral Communication Skills Standard Course of Study/Language Arts (Early Adolescence/Middle School, G 6-8) u Literary n Interpret and evaluate varied genres n Increase fluency, comprehension, insight n Grasp traits of literary genres u Grammar/Language Usage n Understand and apply grammar, usage 11/22/2015