Logistics

1. Recruiting
   a. It is important to be positive about the benefits of orals
   b. Recruitment takes place over many class periods prior to the oral
   c. Students need reminders to sign up
   d. Students need to be encouraged to come prepared – if they have studied, they will benefit more from the oral

2. Sign-up system is important
   a. When students are frustrated with the sign-up process, they will give up on orals for the whole semester.

3. Room
   a. Needs to have white/chalk boards all around the room, if possible
   b. All students have their own space at a white/chalk board.
      i. Ideally this space needs to be 3’ or 4’ feet for each student
      ii. Need working white board markers (or chalk) and erasers
   c. May require handicap accessible board, if necessary

4. Length of Orals session
   a. Needs to be at least one full hour

5. Group size
   a. Ideal group size for CU = 5 to 6
   b. Ideal group size for high school learning disability students = 3 (It seems to work better if students share a small portable 2X2   foot white board and one pen. They pass the pen after each question and they all work together on the problems.)

The Orals Process

1. Each student stands at their board space.

2. The facilitator asks students to write their first name above their space on the board. This will help the facilitator use first names when addressing students.

3. The facilitator begins by reading the first of the prepared list of orals questions.

4. The facilitator says something similar to:
    a. “Write the problem on the board. Check that everyone has the same problem written.”
    b. “Feel free to draw pictures, talk about the problem with others, or write anything on the board that you think will help you move forward with the problem.”

5. Students will begin to work. When students are stuck, facilitator will comments such as:
    a. “Talk together to see if you can figure out why this would be.”
    b. When someone asks the facilitator a question, reply, “Excellent question. What do you guys think?”
    c. “I think I understand what you are saying. Can you draw a picture and explain it again so the others can see what you are saying?”
    d. “Check with each other to be sure you’re all getting the same answer.”

6. The facilitator continues through the list of questions, including asking questions that will illuminate misconceptions that emerged on the spot.

Overreaching Principles

The primary goal of conducting oral assessments is to help students create deep understanding of the concepts. When students have to explain things to each other, draw pictures of what they are doing, and articulate their understanding, students are able to understand the concept better. With this in mind, here are some overarching principals that need to be used during oral assessments:

1. Create an environment where students are explaining concepts to each other
     a. This includes encouraging students to come prepared (study ahead of time)

2. Have students draw pictures, as needed, to help explain concepts.
     a. For example, have students draw a graph to show how linearization works

3. Keep relating the material to prior knowledge and prior rules, properties, and concepts.

4. Ask questions directed at deep understanding
    a. “Why is that?”
    b. “What does this have to do with what you said earlier?”
    c. What does this have to do with what we learned in class?”
    d. “What does that remind you of?”
    e. “Can you think of another way of saying that?”
    f. “If you were trying to explain this someone who didn’t understand, what would you say?”
    g. “Why can’t you just ______ here?”
    h. “How are _____ and ____ related?”

5. Facilitator needs to walk around and see what each student is writing.
   a. Be sure the students have the correct answers and logical reasons

6. If the facilitator is working with one student on a difficult concept and the others have it already, the facilitator should give the others a new problem and have them work on it while discussing with each other.