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Welcome to the Speaking &
Listening Assessment Project

A collaborative effort between Communication Teacher Education at
Illinois State University and the Illinois Speech and Theatre Association

Working to improve speaking, listening, and media literacy
communication competencies from the pre-K to college level

The need for strong speaking, listening, and media literacy communication skills is well documented in educational and business settings. Employers and teachers have long known that effective and competent communication is the key to success in our highly technological and information-oriented society.

Those needs have been articulated as national and state educational goals and objectives. Additionally, most states have developed speaking and listening performance standards that create an expectation that teachers should strive to improve student communication skills.

It has become apparent, however, that many faculty have minimal formal training in communication instruction. Recent certification trends have exacerbated the situation since speech or communication certification no longer exists in numerous states.

This means that faculty with one entry level high school or college speech course are now expected to formally instruct and assess student communication skills. We ask them to teach important skills, but do not provide them with the tools to do so.

The Speaking and Listening Assessment Project (SLAP) is your source for detailed faculty and student resources and assessments to improve communication instruction. SLAP provides teacher and student access to

• Standards-Based Unit Outlines
• Lesson Plans
• Activities
• Example Presentations and Outlines
• Critiques
• Performance Criteria
• Assessments

Together, we can help develop important communication competencies in our students.

copyright 2002 Speaking & Listening Assessment Project

This project is funded by a Higher Education Cooperative Act (HECA)
grant from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Please e-mail questions or comments to: communication@ilstu.edu

This page
last updated:
July 1, 2002