Youthful Voices Storytelling Contest Rubric

Many thanks to Jo Bridges & Renee Schwartz, authors of this rubric

5 Points 3 Points 1 Point

PREPARATION
Choice of Story content and age Questionable story Story content or age
appropriate story level appropriate for content level inappropriate for
teller and audience or age level teller and/or audience
appropriateness for
teller and/or audience
Knowledge of story Not memorized word Some pregnant Frequent pregnant
for word, but story pauses; loss pauses; steps out of
flows in of place; memorized story; loses place;
conversational tone word for word rambling; no story
line
Comfort with story Chosen story they Wants to share the Telling story as
love and are able to story but not though someone else
share that completely had chosen it
enthusiasm; definite comfortable with it;
beginning, middle, awkward
and end; builds
suspense
Acknowledgement Shares source Provides source but Does not provide
of source (legal (author, title) and it's done mechanically source information
requirement) history as part of
story ("honoring" the
source)
PRESENTATION
Physical presence: Relaxed; teller is Occasional loss of eye Wooden style; flat
eye contact enjoying himself and contact; talking too presentation; frequent
absence of "standing tall" fast loss of eye contact
distracting
mannerisms, etc. Strong connection Off and on connection Could just as well be
confidence with listener with listener telling in an empty
expression room
Telling style: Draws audience into Nervous, but able to Discomfort apparent;
clearness of voice the story; continue shows fear; wants to
and appropriate charismatic; stop
volume expressive; excited Listeners will not be
body language lost in the story Body stiff or lifeless
(facial expressions Gestures seem natural
and appropriate Gestures seem Presentation robotic
gestures and Listeners want to hear rehearsed
movements) more
connection with
audience
continuity in
language
REQUIREMENTS
Length of story - Must 10 minutes or less; 10 minutes or less; 10 minutes or less;
be 10 minutes or less leaves the audience Story seems to be Too short Any length
(in excess of 10 wanting more stretched or too short would be too long
minutes is
disqualified)