oral language TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking -- oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.

Have students work in small groups and take turns giving oral instructions for the other students to restate and carry out. The speaker should instruct the other students in the steps involved in performing a routine task such as drawing a specific graphic organizer, completing a form, or putting an object in a specific place. After hearing the instructions, students should restate and follow the instructions. Observe and note whether students successfully give, restate, and follow instructions. Then, encourage students to self-assess and examine areas in which they did well and areas that need improvement. 
 

Further Explanation

For this assessment, students are required to follow oral instructions, repeat the instructions, process what they are being asked to do, and act according to the provided directives. They should be able to remember the steps involved in completing the task and give clear and detailed oral instructions that help others complete the intended task. Students should understand that communicating oral instructions is an important part of working effectively with others.

Following, processing, and communicating instructions are important oral language skills critical to working and communicating effectively with others. To follow instructions, students must listen attentively, understand what they are being asked to do, and act according to those instructions. Students must also be able to explain the instructions to others clearly and concisely. Students must also be able to give others detailed instructions.
Instructions with multiple action steps require more than one action from the listener. For example, a teacher might say to the class, "Write your assignments in your math folder, put your folder away, and line up for lunch." This requires students to document their homework assignments, put away their math folders, gather any necessary items for lunch, and line up in an orderly fashion. 

Research

1. Gwee, S., & Toh-Heng, H. L. (2015). Developing student oral presentation skills with the help of mobile devices. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning, 7(4). doi: 0.4018/IJMBL.2015100103

Summary: This study revealed that when students are asked to create a presentation they may review their presentation within the classroom or during out-of-school time. The findings suggest that students benefited more from the feedback given in the formal setting of the classroom than in the informal out-of-school setting.

2. Baker, W. H., & Thompson, M. P. (2004). Teaching presentation skills. Business Communication Quarterly, 67(2), 216–219. doi:10.1177/1080569904672009

Summary: This brief article gives concrete steps for increasing the quality of student presentations, beginning with planning, and concluding with tips for helping students analyze their performance. The emphasis is upon preparing and delivering the presentation, rather than on the student's gestures or what they are saying incorrectly. The goal is to increase students' security and also increase students' knowledge on how to prepare and deliver a message successfully.