Oral communication skills are important for students to develop across a range of classes. Research shows that having students engage in discussion during class can increase their confidence in oral communication.
Dallimore, E. J., Hertenstein, J. H., & Platt, M. B. (2008). Using discussion pedagogy to enhance oral and written communication skills. College Teaching, 56(3), 163-172.
Related tips:
Enhancing Speaking Skills: Preparing and Motivating Students to Speak
Action:
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Ask presentation attendees to summarize the key points of the presentation. Use this as feedback and/or evaluation of the presentation.
- Or have attendees fill out a rubric. You can create a rubric for attendees to complete based upon the example rubrics provided in a related tip.
Reason:
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Discovering whether or not attendees understood the key points of the talk is a good form of concrete feedback for the presenter.
Action:
- Complete a rubric while listening to students’ oral presentations. Examples:
Reason:
- Rubrics can help you increase consistency when evaluating many presentations.
- Rubrics can provide students clearer feedback and the rubric can be shared with students in advance to help articulate your expectations.
Action:
- Assign students to record a practice talk for a peer. Students can use software on a phone, tablet, or computer to record the talk.
- Ask students to write-up what they can improve in their presentation. This can be based upon watching the video by themselves, with you, or with a peer.
- Have students complete the rubric such as one of the oral communication rubrics provided here.
Reason:
- This can enable students to take an audience perspective on their presentation.
Action:
Reason:
- This transparency is helpful as students prepare their presentation.
Action:
- Meet with students one-on-one after a presentation to provide your feedback.
- Ask them what they think went well and didn’t go well.
- Provide students concrete examples of things what they should continue doing and what needs to change.
- Ensure that students make notes to record your feedback and help students prioritize the most important changes to focus on for future presentations.
Reason:
- Students may be able to identify things to improve without help, but your feedback can help identify unexpected challenges and help the student prioritize what needs to change.
Action:
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During students’ presentations, take notes about what they can improve.
- Ask students to write a reflection after their presentation. If you record student presentations they can write this reflection based upon the video.
- Return students’ reflection with additional annotations.
Reason:
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This allows you to provide feedback only for the aspects of the presentation that the student could not self-diagnose as problems.
