South Dakota ELA 9-10.SL.4

9-10.SL.4 is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• 9-10.SL.4.a

  Demonstrate organization, development, substance, and style.

• 9-10.SL.4.b

  Demonstrate effective nonverbal communication (eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, presence, and proximity).

• 9-10.SL.4.c

  Demonstrate effective verbal communication (volume, pace, tone, enunciation).

01

What Students Need to Do

Students give a talk that fits their audience and purpose. They organize their points, support them with evidence, and credit the creators of ideas or images they use. They speak clearly and use eye contact, gestures, and where they stand to help listeners follow along.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student opens with a clear point, gives relevant evidence, and closes without reading every word from a slide. They name their sources, stand where listeners can see them, look up, and speak at a steady pace and audible volume.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think a slide full of text counts as a well-developed talk, or that naming a website gives enough credit for an image. Some stare at one person and call it eye contact, or speak louder instead of slowing down and saying words clearly.

04

How to Assess It

Give pairs a short article about later school start times with the author listed. Each student gives a 45-second pitch to the principal, while their partner checks for a clear point, one fact, source credit, eye contact, and clear speech.

1. 01

   Have students arrange index cards for opening, evidence, and closing, then rehearse a one-minute talk with eyes up and purposeful gestures.

2. 02

   Ask pairs, 'How would your examples, tone, and position in the room change when speaking to classmates instead of the school board?'

3. 03

   Play delivery redo: students say the same two sentences too fast, too quietly, and clearly, while partners name what changed.

4. 04

   Have students pitch one school change to a mock principal, using a fact from a named source and a tone suited to the audience.

• 6.SL.4

  Present claims and findings appropriate to the purpose and audience.

• 11-12.SL.4

  The Grades 11–12 version of this standard.

• 7.SL.4

  Present claims and findings appropriate to the purpose and audience.

• 8.SL.4

  Present claims and findings appropriate to the purpose and audience.