Speaking Rubric

6 EXCEPTIONAL
Content meets the demands of the assignment in
an insightful and engaging manner
Organization smoothly enhances the audiences
ability to understand the content
Language is vivid, precise and appropriate to the
assignment
Delivery engages the audience through a distinct
and natural enunciation, excellent eye contact, and
effective volume, intonation, pacing, posture and
gestures
Speaker responds to the audience (clarifies
concepts, acknowledges mood, makes
connections)

5 ACCOMPLISHED
Content meets the demands of the assignment in a
thoughtful manner
Organization supports the audiences ability to
understand presentation
Language is well chosen and appropriate to the
assignment
Delivery engages the audience through skilful
enunciation, consistent eye contact, and
appropriate volume, intonation, pacing, posture
and gestures
Speaker acknowledges the audience but is limited
in responding to it

4 PROFICIENT
Content meets the demands of the assignment
Organization is satisfactory, but could be more
cohesive or less predictable
Language is appropriate to subject and occasion
Delivery engages the audience through appropriate
eye contact, volume, pacing, posture and gestures
Speaker acknowledges the audience, but does not
interact with it


3 NEARLY PROFICIENT
Content meets the demands of the assignment in a
superficial way
Organization shifts; speaker meanders, but does
return to topic
Language is inappropriate or imprecise at times
Delivery distances the audience through limited
technique: occasional eye contact, a somewhat
indistinct voice, rushed pacing, and/or ineffective
and somewhat distracting body language
Speaker does not directly respond to the audience

2 DEVELOPING
Content merely acknowledges the assignment, but
does not meet the specific demands
Organization is lacking; speaker meanders
Language is inappropriate or imprecise
Delivery distances audience through ineffective
technique (limited eye contact, a voice the listener
strains to hear, hurried or distractingly inconsistent
pacing, and/or distracting body language)
Speaker does not acknowledge audience

1 EMERGING
1 EMER
Content does not connect to or support the
assignment
Organization is absent; topic is incoherent
Language is imprecise and confusing
Delivery loses the audience through confusing
language and ineffective technique, including
little or no eye contact, an indistinct voice,
inappropriate pacing, and often distracting body
language
Speaker ignores the audience



Rhetorical Features:
Clear, bold opening statement
Rhetorical question(s)
Pattern of 3
Repetition of powerful words
Emotive language
Address the audience directly as YOU
Use of personal pronouns: we, our or
us
Powerful closing statement


Delivery
Make eye contact with your
audience
Vary volume
Vary pace
Facial expressions/hand gestures
are appropriate and not distracting
Speaking Rubric