Sample Assignments

Sample Assignments

The following list suggests some possible speaking activities and is not meant to limit anyone’s creativity. Other kinds of speaking tasks are certainly possible.

Presentational Speaking

These assignments give students an opportunity to speak to an audience, and they can be done on an individual basis or students could work together as a presenting group. Some formats include:

1. Oral reports of research or student papers debates
2. Presentation of course content areas Interviews
3. Presentation analyzing a problem Oral exam
4. Role-playing as part of a simulation

Presentational speaking assignments encourage students to understand course material well enough to communicate it to others. Typically, these assignments emphasize factors such as:

1. research, analysis, evaluation of data
2. adaptation of materials to meet the demands of the occasion and audience
3. determination of a suitable purpose and focus for a presentation
4. development of a suitable and clear organizational pattern
5. development of arguments to support the speaker’s purpose
6. delivery skills suitable to the presentation’s objectives
7. listening to and critical evaluation of oral messages

Learning Groups and Class Discussion

Learning group activities give students specific oral tasks, such as analyzing a problem or examining textual material. The assignment is designed so that collaboration by group members is essential to make progress on the task. A speaking-intensive approach to learning groups and class discussion involves more than merely having discussions and using groups in class. To make the class speaking-intensive, instructors must spend time with students talking about the discussion process and the characteristics of good discussions. Instructors also provide opportunities for the class to assess its discussions and for students to examine their own communication behavior as part of the discussion group.

Learning group and class discussion formats include:

1. Laboratory groups Student led discussions (whole class)
2. Peer reviews Instructor led discussions (whole class)
3. Study groups Transcript analysis of group “talk”

Learning group and class discussion assignments emphasize factors such as:

1. development of discussion skills that facilitate group progress
2. an understanding of and skill in dealing with group conflict
3. increased student responsibility for learning in the class
4. an awareness of how questioning technique helps or hinders group talk
5. listening to and critical evaluation of oral messages

Task Group Projects

In these assignments, students work together for longer periods of time and may be expected to produce a final report of some sort. Often, task groups have to meet together outside of regular class times in order to work on their assigned projects.

Formats include:

1. Problem solving projects Analysis of case studies
2. Laboratory groups Research teams
3. “Task force” groups, assigned a long- or short-term product goal

Once again, simply assigning student group projects does not make one’s use of these activities speaking-intensive. Instructors must spend time with students talking about the group process and helping students learn how to understand group communication dynamics. Instructors also include opportunities for groups to assess their progress and for students to examine their own communication behavior as part of the group.

Task group assignments emphasize:

1. development of communication skills that facilitate group progress
2. awareness of and skill in dealing with group conflict
3. increased student responsibility for learning in the class
4. an understanding of the advantages and limitations of group work
5. listening to and critical evaluation of oral messages

Interpersonal Communication

These assignments involve projects in which two students communicate together for the purpose of achieving some common goal. Typical formats include: Role-playing cases (e.g., managerial issues, clinical interviews, conflict resolution)

One-on-one teaching/tutoring Interviews Interpersonal communication assignments help students:

1. gain and improve interpersonal communication skills
2. acquire an awareness of and skill in dealing with interpersonal conflicts
3. develop listening skills