Grade 10
Lesson 6 – Evaluating and Making Judgments
Evaluating a text or performance has always been subjective which has been
an issue in terms of fairness. Fortunately, there are helpful tools that establish
objectivity which allows fair and sound judgement. In making judgments, it is
necessary that evaluators form the sense of objectivity.
Being objective means being fair. There is no presence of bias. Personal
feelings are detached from the act of judgment. Giving judgment vary from
images, media, texts and images. Judging these complex works or performances
becomes easier with the help of criteria. These criteria guide the evaluators on
the scope and limitation of what to judge or examine.
Basically, criteria are set of standards and/or principles considered in judging
a particular work, output or performance. They may vary depending on what is to
be judged or evaluated, i.e., criteria in evaluating an essay may be different in
evaluating a song.
The most common indicators in evaluating a text include the following:
1. Content- refers to the idea, concept, focus or details of the subject matter
as discussed in text.
2. Cohesion- refers to the connection and organization of words, phrases,
ideas and concepts
presented in the texts.
3. Grammar- deals with fluency and accuracy in terms of language structure
and facility.
4. Mechanics- refers to accuracy in punctuations and capitalization.
5. Word Choice- deals with appropriateness of words especially in terms of
depth and level of formality.
6. Tone- refers to the emotion or feelings attached as expressed by the texts.
Other points to consider in evaluating and making judgements:
1. It is necessary that evaluators form the sense of objectivity.
2. One needs to know how to evaluate important information that they read.
3. Judgements about an information is based on the following:
Prior knowledge
Experience
Cultural values
Purpose for reading
Lesson 7 – Evaluating Spoken Texts
Speaking with one another is part of life, whether in a formal or
informal setting. And to be able to respond well, an individual must
have good listening skills.
Enhancing one’s listening skill is a must. It takes a lot of practice
concentrating on the details spoken by a speaker. When a person’s
listening skill is excellent, it will not be difficult to evaluate whether the
text heard conveys fluency, tone, cohesion, and correctness.
1. Fluency - in speaking starts with fluency in reading. Reading
fluency has three elements, namely; accuracy, rate, and prosody.
a. Accuracy is pronouncing words correctly that results to the
ability to grasp the meaning of words in the existing
vocabulary of an individual.
b. While reading rate is defined as, “the speed with which a
reader processes an extended text and grasp the meaning
of each sentence without skipping any words” (Fujita &
Yamashita, 2014).
c. Prosody on the other hand is reading with expression.
When these three elements are developed, it is easier for a
person to achieve fluency in speaking.
Fluency is speaking effortlessly, reasonably fast, and without
unnecessary stops or pauses. Daniel Morgan of Shenker Institutes
of English gave a spot-on definition of what fluency is, “fluency
refers to how ‘smoothly’ and ‘efficiently’ a second language
speaker can speak on a range of topics in real time”.
Fluency encompasses two concepts - speech rate and
speech continuity.
Speech rate which is measured by words per minute indicates
how fast or how slow a speaker delivered the text. The speech
rate depends on the context of the text.
Speech continuity goes hand in hand with coherence.
Coherence vs Cohesion - Bear in mind that there is a difference
between coherence and cohesion.
2. Cohesion is the linking of words and sentences by using correct
transitional/cohesive devices, such as conjunctions (e.g.,
FANBOYS), and adverbial conjunctions (e.g., even, although, and
instead). By using proper cohesive devices, coherence is
achieved.
3. Coherence is centered on the general sense and
organization/logical sequence of thoughts/ideas in a text –
meaning, whether or not the text makes sense.
4. Tone - is the attitude of the writer/speaker regarding a subject. In
a speaking situation or engagement, the tone of a speaker is
dependent on the purpose of the talk and who the audience are.
For instance, a formal tone will resonate from a resource
speaker in a seminar for professionals. While a light or humorous
tone will emanate from a stand-up comedian in a comedy bar. It
is vital that the audience use their higher order thinking skills to
be able to identify the tone employed by the speaker.
5. Correctness – in a spoken text is focused on grammar,
vocabulary, and pronunciation. It is important that the speaker
follows grammatical rules accurately, uses relevant and
appropriate vocabulary, and demonstrates clear pronunciation.
Debates, news reports, and interviews are perfect examples
for evaluation in terms of fluency, cohesion, tone, and
correctness.
In debate tournaments, debaters are expected to be
well-versed in current events and social issues. They should also
have the following capabilities.
First, they can deliver their speech fluently, quickly (since
debate speeches are timed depending on the format), and
without difficulty.
Second, debaters also advised to use signposting which
link words and sentences to establish cohesion and achieve a
smooth flow of ideas that are understandable by the other
debaters, judges, and spectators of the debate.
Third, manifest an appropriate overall tone that coincides
with the purpose and audience of the debate. Keep in mind that a
debater’s tone relies on how the debater attacks the argument
and what the team stands for.
Lastly, it is a given that debaters use correct grammar,
good pronunciation, and wide range of vocabulary. Evaluating
spoken text in terms of fluency, cohesion, tone, and correctness
is not an easy task. But with practice and enhance listening skill it
is doable.
