CCSS helps students hone their presentation skills

Those who doubt the value of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) need to consider the fact that many students are graduating from college with only basic skills. The results of a recent American Institutes for Research study revealed that only 20 percent of graduates from four-year colleges possessed basic quantitative literacy skills. This information is far from encouraging and proves the need for Standards designed to prepare K-12 students for college and workforce.

Of course, different employers have their own views on what makes a prepared worker. Recently, communications coach Carmine Gallo took to Forbes to talk about the top skill he believes professionals need: the ability to deliver a presentation. Fortunately, the CCSS is designed to equip students with this ability early in their academic career.

"Newly developed national standards called Common Core State Standards for K-12 now include the category 'Speaking and Listening,'" Gallo wrote. "The guidelines encourage instructors to teach the 'skills necessary for formal presentations' as early as the fifth grade."

In an increasingly competitive job market, Common Core-aligned instruction may be a big help to K-12 students who wish to go on to have successful careers.