Focus on Grammar 3

Scoring Rubrics for Speaking and Writing

Scoring Rubrics for Speaking and Writing provides feedback to students for the speaking and writing tasks included in the Student
Book. Teachers are encouraged to use these rubrics, as well as write specific notes based on each student’s performance.

Click on the links below to view the Scoring Rubrics.

Scoring Rubrics for Speaking

Scoring Rubrics for Writing
Scoring Rubric for Speaking
Tips for using the speaking rubric
• Give a copy of the rubric to the class before you use it.
• Tell students that you will evaluate their speaking using the rubric.
• The speaking rubric can also be found in a printable format on the Power Point® presentations CD-ROM found in the back of this Teacher’s
Manual.
• Give feedback for the different areas identified in the rubric: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, fluidity, topic organization, and communication.
• Point out some strong points and weak points. Use language that a student can understand and give examples of what the student did or didn’t
say when possible. Example comments: You used a lot of vocabulary and expressions from the unit. OR You need to work on verb forms. Review the verb
forms needed for the future conditional. OR Your sentences were usually complete and clear, but sometimes you hesitated a lot.
• It’s recommended that you discuss the assigned rating and your feedback with each student in a timely manner in order to be most effective
and helpful.

SPEAKING RUBRIC
Rating Vocabulary Grammar Pronunciation Fluidity Topic Communication

4 Uses variety, with few Uses a variety of Almost always clear Speaks smoothly, little Successfully organizes Communicates
errors structures, with few and accurate hesitation and develops topic information and
errors opinions effectively

3 Uses variety, makes Uses a variety of Usually clear and Speaks with some Topic is organized, Most information and
some errors in word structures, makes accurate, some hesitation, does not needs more opinions are
choice some errors problem areas usually interfere with development communicated clearly
communication

2 Uses limited Uses basic structures, Errors sometimes Speaks with Topic not organized, Information and
vocabulary and makes frequent errors make it difficult to hesitation, frequently needs development opinions are not clear
expressions, some understand student interferes with
errors communication

1 Uses basic vocabulary Uses basic structures, Very weak; student Hesitates frequently Does not stay on the Is not able to
and expressions, makes many errors cannot be understood when speaking, topic communicate
makes many errors interferes with information and
communication opinions
Scoring Rubric for Writing
Tips for using the writing rubric
• Give a copy of the rubric to the class before you use it.
• Tell students that you will evaluate their writing using the rubric.
• The writing rubric can also be found in a printable format on the Power Point® presentations CD-ROM found in the back of this Teacher’s Manual.
• Give feedback by writing comments for the different areas identified in the rubric: topic, sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar.
• Use language that a student can understand and, when possible, give examples of what the student did or didn’t do. Example comments: You
addressed the topic and gave very clear examples to support your ideas. OR You tried to use a lot of vocabulary and expressions from the unit, but review the
meanings of the items I marked in red. OR You need to work on verb forms. Review regular and irregular verb forms in the simple past.
• It’s recommended that you discuss the assigned rating and your feedback with each student in a timely manner in order to be most effective and
helpful.

Rating WRITING RUBRIC

5 • Topic is addressed and well organized; includes clear explanations or details
• Includes mostly complex sentence types, with few errors
• Uses a variety of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions; makes few errors in word choice
• Uses complex grammar structures, with few errors

4 • Topic is addressed and generally well organized; includes some explanations or details
• Includes some variety of sentence types, but with occasional errors
• Varies vocabulary and expressions, but makes occasional errors in word choice
• Uses some complex grammar structures, but with errors

3 • Topic is not addressed completely, but writing is organized; explanations or details need more development
• Uses little variety in sentence type, but does not have many errors
• Attempts to vary vocabulary and expressions, but makes some errors in word choice
• Does not use complex grammar structures, but does not make many grammar errors

2 • Topic is somewhat addressed, but writing is not organized and lacks explanations or details
• Uses only basic sentence types and makes frequent errors
• Uses limited vocabulary and with frequent errors
• Uses simple grammar structures, but with some errors

1 • Topic is not addressed; there are no explanations or details

• Most sentences have errors
• Has many errors in vocabulary usage, even at the basic level
• Uses only simple grammar structures, and makes many errors