Communication

Second Draft - Updated 10/23/00

7th Grade

1. The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding.

• 1.1 Consistently demonstrates attentive listening.
• 1.2 Identifies and explains the major purposes of interpersonal communication.
• 1.3 Listens and observe to gain information by distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant material while identifying the main idea and supporting details.
• 1.4 Listens for, identifies, and explains changes in pitch, intensity, and intonation in formal and informal communication.
• 1.5 Analyzes the message conveyed by observed body language, determining its consistency with the spoken message.

2. The student communicates ideas clearly and effectively.

• 2.1 Fluently delivers impromptu and planned speeches.
• 2.2 Knows that a persuasive speech supports a specific point of view, changes attitudes, or moves to action.
• 2.3 Selects a purpose for a presentation, applying characteristics of that purpose to selection of topic, content, and organization.
• 2.4 Determines the needs of an audience through formal and informal means (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations).
• 2.5 Considers audience, purpose, topic, and context in making decisions regarding content, language, and delivery.
• 2.6 Independently selects topic which requires outside research.
• 2.7 Develops a thesis statement for persuasive speeches.
• 2.8 Supports focus statement or thesis using analogies, anecdotes, narratives, and statistics and other appropriate material.
• 2.9 Analyzes data for credibility of source and bias.
• 2.10 Seeks additional resources to elaborate an underdeveloped point.
• 2.11 Chooses appropriate organizational pattern including a beginning, middle, and end (e.g., Expository: inductive/deductive, categorizing, problem/solution, cause/effect; Persuasive: gives supporting evidence in a logical order, answers opposing view points, and closes with a call for action).
• 2.12 Varies pace, volume, tone, and pitch, using expressive voice to create an effect.
• 2.13 Varies eye contact and facial expression to heighten and emphasize message.
• 2.14 Uses posture and body language effectively, planning gestures to heighten and emphasize message.
• 2.15 Demonstrates an ability to match verbal and nonverbal messages.
• 2.16 Uses standard grammar, appropriate to age level, that enhances and does not detract from message.
• 2.17 Uses a variety of media appropriate to audience and to illustrate and support ideas (e.g., graphs, charted statistics, video/slides, cassettes).
• 2.18 Practices and uses feedback to improve a speech.

3. The student uses communication strategies and skills to work effectively with others.

• 3.1 Identifies and moves between basic collaborative skill roles as a helpful group function.
• 3.2 Contributes to group with meaningful suggestions, research, and effort.
• 3.3 Responds actively and appropriately with courteous language by asking relevant questions to further the discussion both in group and informal interactions.
• 3.4 Checks for group understanding by questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
• 3.5 Brainstorms, analyzes, and prioritizes alternative to reach for a group consensus on a solution or plan.

4. The student analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of formal and informal communication.

• 4.1 Self evaluates, using teacher or group-developed criteria, both during and after group work, setting goals for self and group results.
• 4.2 Identifies verbal an nonverbal acts in a television or radio commercial which can be understood in two or more ways.
• 4.3 Identifies the production techniques that are used to create favorable and unfavorable images in video and film (e.g., camera angle, perspective, music, color, font).
• 4.4 Identifies and explains the major functions of communication in career settings.
• 4.5 Illustrates the primary functions of small group work in a career setting.
• 4.6 Describes how problem solving and conflict resolution skills might be used in career settings.