Summary
Chapter 6
The aim or objective of learning a new language is to be able to communicate. Speaking is an important channel of communication in a general English program. When testing this skill, we want to simulate real - life situations that students engage in conversations, ask and answer questions, and give information.
Heaton(1995, p.88) stated that speaking is "an extremely difficult skill to test, as it is far too complex a skill to permit any reliable analysis to be made for the purpose of objective testing."
Why Test Speaking?
In communicative language teaching, speaking is a prominent component of language curriculum. If we value communication skills, we must assess them or we send a double message to our students about what is important. With English now a global language, we need to develop proficiency in speaking.
Theory of Speaking Assessment
Canale and Swain(1980) argue that there are four competencies underlying speaking ability:
1. Grammatical competence: knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics.
2. Discourse competence: rules of cohesion and coherence, holding communication together in a meaningful way.
3. Sociolinguistic competence: knowledge of what is expected socially and culturally.
4. Strategic competence: manipulation of the language, how to keep a conversation going or end it, how to resolve communication breakdowns.
Categories of Oral Skills
The routine skills are associated with language functions and the spoken language required in certain situations like ordering food in a restaurant or asking for directions. By contrast, the improvisational skills are more general and may be brought into play at any time for clarification, to keep a conversation flowing, to change topics, or to take turns.
Important Things to Remember
1. It is unrealistic with large classes to test speaking individually because of time and resources.
2. Decide if your focus is more on fluency or accuracy.
3. Check if students mistakes impede comprehension or cause a breakdown in communication.
4. Some criterias you can use on accuracy(grammar), vocabulary, linguistic ability(pronunciation, intonation, and stress), for fluency(ability to express ideas), and content or ideas.
5. Students can be tested individually, in pairs, or in groups of three.
6. Speaking tests can be conducted live or be recorded.
Formal Speaking Assessment Techniques
Canale(1984) proposed a framework for speaking tests. He believed that students do best when they are led through the following stages:
* Warm up: the purpose is to relax students. Students are asked general or personal information.
* Level check: try to determine the students' level of speaking through questions or activities. This part is assessed.
* Probe: the examiner push the students to go beyong his or her abilities. This part can be scored or not.
* Wind down: relax the students with easy questions. This is not scored.
2. Discourse competence: rules of cohesion and coherence, holding communication together in a meaningful way.
3. Sociolinguistic competence: knowledge of what is expected socially and culturally.
4. Strategic competence: manipulation of the language, how to keep a conversation going or end it, how to resolve communication breakdowns.
Categories of Oral Skills
The routine skills are associated with language functions and the spoken language required in certain situations like ordering food in a restaurant or asking for directions. By contrast, the improvisational skills are more general and may be brought into play at any time for clarification, to keep a conversation flowing, to change topics, or to take turns.
Important Things to Remember
1. It is unrealistic with large classes to test speaking individually because of time and resources.
2. Decide if your focus is more on fluency or accuracy.
3. Check if students mistakes impede comprehension or cause a breakdown in communication.
4. Some criterias you can use on accuracy(grammar), vocabulary, linguistic ability(pronunciation, intonation, and stress), for fluency(ability to express ideas), and content or ideas.
5. Students can be tested individually, in pairs, or in groups of three.
6. Speaking tests can be conducted live or be recorded.
Formal Speaking Assessment Techniques
Canale(1984) proposed a framework for speaking tests. He believed that students do best when they are led through the following stages:
* Warm up: the purpose is to relax students. Students are asked general or personal information.
* Level check: try to determine the students' level of speaking through questions or activities. This part is assessed.
* Probe: the examiner push the students to go beyong his or her abilities. This part can be scored or not.
* Wind down: relax the students with easy questions. This is not scored.
Classroom Speaking Assessment Techniques
Oral presentations: students talking about a familiar topic.
Debate on a controversial topic: a formal public speaking activity where two students or groups argue for or against a topic.
Reading aloud: it is a good pronunciation practice and assessment. Give students the chance to look at the passage first.
Retelling stories: give a report on the content of an article they read.
Verbal essays: students speak for three to five minutes on a specific prepared topic.
Extemporaneous speaking: students are given a topic to speak about it for two minutes. They have no time in which to prepare.
Oral presentations: students talking about a familiar topic.
Debate on a controversial topic: a formal public speaking activity where two students or groups argue for or against a topic.
Reading aloud: it is a good pronunciation practice and assessment. Give students the chance to look at the passage first.
Retelling stories: give a report on the content of an article they read.
Verbal essays: students speak for three to five minutes on a specific prepared topic.
Extemporaneous speaking: students are given a topic to speak about it for two minutes. They have no time in which to prepare.
Hi Beli!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to know that even the little ones can be able to communicate!
Let's take heed of that blessing: "Assessing Speaking" and do our part as educators in behalf of our students and people around us.
Keep up the good work.
Teacher Guis