LikeSo Training for Educators

The LikeSo App Training Program for Educators

Download a printable PDF here: LikeSo Program for Educators

Objective:

Soft skills such as verbal communications now account for the single greatest skill gap in the U.S. workforce. LikeSo®: Your Personal Speech Coach® is a mobile app and training tool to bring awareness to, and improve upon, verbal communication skills. Using LikeSo, students can practice speaking articulately, confidently, at an optimal pace, and without filler words (e.g. like, ya know, so, totally, whatever, literally, okay). Students can use LikeSo to prepare for presentations, speeches and interviews both inside and outside of the classroom. LikeSo acts as a “Fitbit for your speech” allowing students to set goals and notifications, analyze and track progress, save and share results.

How it works:

*First Steps:

Download in The App Store ($4.99):
Make sure you have an Internet connection
Speak into your Smartphone’s microphone.

Using voice recognition technology, LikeSo captures all words and provides a real-time analysis of students’ speech fitness. The app calculates an Articulate score grade (A+ thru Uh Oh!) based on a formula that looks at the percentage of non-filler words over total words spoken and rate-of-speech, with optimal pacing understood to be approximately 150 words per minute.

Two modes of Play:

LikeSo offers two modes of play: TalkAbout and FreeStyle:

TalkAbout is a conversation game to practice talking on the fly. Choose a topic from the list of 12 (e.g. The Job Interview, The College Interview, Debate Team, Pop Culture Favorites, Speed Dating, etc.). Each session will include five prompts. Select Talk Time and the filler words you want to train against. Speak into your smartphone’s microphone and LikeSo will listen and capture your speech. At completion, you will be presented with an analysis of your talk session and see your results.
FreeStyle is your open mic. FreeStyle gives you the flexibility to practice for any upcoming presentation, interview, audition–or just because you want to improve your speaking skills. In FreeStyle, you can speak for up to 30 minutes. Select the words you want the app to train against. You can “pause” or “stop” at any time. As in TalkAbout mode, at completion, you will be presented with an analysis of your talk session and see your results.

LikeSo Group Workshops:

LikeSo can be played in groups for competitive play, persuasive communication and bonding conversation! For group-play, divide class into groups of five, as there are five prompts per Topic. Students choose TalkAbout mode and pass the phone around–one prompt per student. When all five prompts are completed, students “Analyze” their session and “Save” results.

Compare Articulate score grades to the other groups! The group that gets the highest grade can win a prize, points towards homework, high-fives, etc.

Step-by-Step Example:

- Choose TalkAbout – LikeSo’s conversation game

- Tap to Select a Topic – Each Topic has 5 prompts

- Select Talk Time – Choose 30 Seconds (per prompt)

- Select words to count & train against – Choose: Listen for All Words

- START

- Countdown – 3, 2, 1

- The first prompt will appear. Option to Pass.

- See the Results and Articulate Grade Score, and a breakdown of total Words Spoken, Talk Time, Pace, and Fillers

- Choose Analyze Session for breakdown of Fillers

Choose Save this Session to have your results saved and to track your ongoing Speech Fitness!

Practice Makes Progress!

(Assessment, assignments, homework, evaluation, etc.)

Educators may assign students the task of practicing their speaking skills using LikeSo. With FreeStyle mode, educators may use LikeSo for a particular project (e.g. presentation, elevator pitch, speech). Or, assign a number of “rounds” of TalkAbout mode, with specific Topics (e.g. Debate Team, The Job Interview), or All Topics. Or, educators can assign both modes!Students need to save their results over the assigned period of time. To submit results, students take a screen grab of their LikeSo screen results as proof of their work and email to the teacher.Set a Goal for Speech Fitness!:

Speech Training

LikeSo has its own speech conditioning and scoring system! Swiping right from the main screen brings you to the “Set a Goal” screen. Here, students can set a Goal that provides a training target including

Swiping right from the main screen brings you to the “Set a Goal” screen. Here, students can set a Goal that provides a training target including type of Goal (Presentation, Interview, Speech, Pitch, Toast, Debate, Audition, etc.), Target Date and Length of Event. For example, set a Goal for a “Presentation” for 15 minutes taking place 4 weeks from today. The app provides a Target Speech Conditioning Score (TSCS) of 300.

Students can also turn on Reminders for daily notifications to practice.

Once a Goal is set, students can track their progress. Each time they play, students earn Speech Quality Points (SQPs). LikeSo uses these SQPs from the last 30 days to determine a Speech Conditioning Score (SCS), which represents how “fit” your speaking is – a.k.a. your “Speech Score.” From the main screen, swiping left shows progress (Day/Week/Month/Year views). Students complete their Goal by practicing until their SCS exceeds the TSCS.

Students need to save their results over the assigned period of time. To submit results, students take a screen grab of their LikeSo screen results as proof of their work and email to their teacher.

Grading:

Educators can grade students on their submitted LikeSo Results. LikeSo can be integrated into the syllabus for lessons, used for in-class practice, benchmarking, and/or be used to earn extra credit.

Download a printable PDF here:LikeSo Program for Educators