Sean Long, an 8-year-old with fiery red hair, has an impressive talent for public speaking. The second-grader from Arlington, Va. captivated his audience last week during a show-and-tell presentation on his favorite object: his globe. As part of a speaking skills demonstration, Sean was asked to provide two reasons why he enjoys the globe. He confidently responded that he uses it to track his parents’ travels and to learn about the different countries. Despite being surrounded by adults during a news conference, Sean spoke clearly and succinctly without showing signs of stage fright, although he later admitted to feeling a bit nervous.
The Speech Communication Association, based in Annandale, Va., aspires to have more students like Sean. In pursuit of this goal, the international organization of scholars and teachers recently introduced voluntary national standards for K-12 students in speaking, listening, and media literacy. James Gaudino, the executive director of the association, emphasized the importance of effective communication skills in personal, professional, and academic success. While reading and writing receive significant attention in the K-12 curriculum, speaking and listening are often neglected. The standards document states that students should not be assumed to possess innate understanding and proficiency in communication skills simply because they can talk and hear when they enter school. The association believes that these skills are just as crucial as reading and writing.
According to the standards, effective speakers should have the ability to communicate with diverse audiences, employ appropriate strategies in different settings, and overcome any anxiety or apprehension about public speaking. As for listening, students need to demonstrate their ability to identify and address barriers to effective listening. They should also be capable of receiving, interpreting, and responding to messages. Furthermore, students must develop critical thinking skills to navigate electronic audio and visual media. This entails the ability to differentiate between a television commercial and a news program, as well as effectively using the Internet.
Unlike other sets of academic standards specific to certain disciplines, the speech guidelines are designed to be applicable across the curriculum. They aim to influence instruction in mathematics, science, debate, and journalism. The list of standards, crafted by approximately 175 experts in the field, is intentionally concise and general. The Speech Communication Association, which boasts a membership of 7,100, plans to release two accompanying reports. The first report, to be published within a year, will provide specific learning objectives and grade-appropriate activities to aid educators in designing curricula that align with the standards. The second report will focus on evaluating and assessing student progress.
Educators’ requests for standards prompted the association to release them promptly. States are hurrying to establish academic standards in order to qualify for federal funding intended to assist them in this endeavor. The association covered the cost of developing and distributing the standards, while a publisher in Topeka, Kan., called Clark Publishing Inc., funded the printing of the eight-page standards document.
The association officials believe that their standards distinguish themselves from previous language standards as they prioritize spoken language over written language. In March, the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English released standards for English language arts, which also include communication skills. However, the speech-communication group chose not to endorse standard English as superior to other forms of English or other languages. For instance, if a student’s purpose and audience engagement would be enhanced by using the phrase "ain’t no good", the association would not label it as incorrect speech.
In conclusion, the Speech Communication Association’s standards aim to cultivate effective public speakers and listeners in K-12 education. The standards cover a range of skills necessary for successful communication and emphasize their significance in personal, professional, and academic contexts. These standards provide a crucial framework for educators to develop comprehensive curricula tailored to their students’ needs.
Your task is to rewrite the entire text with improved vocabulary and sentence structure while maintaining a natural language flow. The final output should be in English. Here is the original text:
"Can you please help me with my homework? I am really struggling with it and could use some assistance. The subject is quite complex, and I am finding it hard to understand the concepts. If you could provide any guidance or explain the key points, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance for your help!"
