LEARNING ABOUT SPEAKING TESTS

Assessing Oral Language Proficiency in our students

Power Point adapted from the original. David Deubelbeiss, March 29, 2009

Enric Calvet, 2013

The Lighter Side….

Today’s Menu

What are the main ideas we’ve got about a good test design?

Practice making test rubrics and assessing.

Learn how to deliver and design a “retelling” speaking test.

The Alphabet Soup of Assessment

What do you believe….?

We give tests so that ……………………..

Tests provide teachers with ……………………..

When testing in my class, I usually ……………………..

Tests help students ……………………..

A good speaking test should ……………………..

All tests must ……………………..

My opinion on tests is ……………………..

An example of one kind of test is ……………………..

The purpose of testing is…. To give information to the students and teachers (also parents!)

Complete the Following…..

Complete the Following…..

Tests can easily become ….

Normative and Comparative.

(but should be Criterion based and about what the student CAN do)

Classroom based tests should ………

- Non – threatening environment

- Focus on “real situations” and the process of learning.

Complete the Following…..

Complete the Following…..

Also, they should ……….

Provide big picture. Emphasize thinking skills and collaboration.

provide information and be about the learning.

THE GOLDEN RULE!

Test what the student CAN do

NOT

What the student can’t!

Making a rubric

What is a rubric?

"a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work or 'what counts.' "

-- Heidi Goodrich

Listening skills / C

omp.

Vocabulary

Flu

ency

Gram

mar

Successful

Students

Pronunciation

What does speaking consist of?

Fill in the rubric with descriptors

Fluency

Pronunciation

Effort

Vocabulary

Limited

Parts clear Mostly clear Very clearunclear

some good Well

Developed

limited adequate sound extensive

poor fair Good excellent

Assessing through an Interview

Students know the questions and have practiced.

Design the rubric.Select 4 questions to ask a student.

Score the student based on their response.

Oral Assessment using retelling

Retelling is a powerful way to fully assess a student’s ability to produce language. It shows with validity that a student understands the language used and most importantly, can use it.

_____________________________________1. List the main ideas of the story.2. Design a rubric or storytelling checklist.3. Ask the student(s) to retell the “story”. 4. Check all ideas that the student successfully

retells/relates. 5. Total the score.

Checklist Animals, Animals!

Major Ideas: 1 2 3This animal is a vertebrate or an invertebrate?

What type of animal is it? (mammal, reptile, … insect, arachnid…)

Why is this animal a mammal?Reasons (because…) Parts of the body (it has got/they have got…)

It eats… / It can… / The body is covered… / It lives … (more info)

Score

Oral Assessment using “sequencing” – HOW TO…….

Explaining “how to” do something is an excellent way to assess student speaking ability. ________________________________

1. List the main steps. Teach / practice.2. Design a checklist.3. Ask the student(s) to explain “how to...” 4. Check all steps that the student successfully

retells/relates. 5. Total the score.

Checklist

Steps: How to make a P&J sandwich 1 2 3

Get two slices of bread.

Put peanut butter on one.

Put jelly on top of the peanut butter.

Cut the sandwich in half.

Eat the sandwich!

Beware of “narrow” testing

Be Careful!

Assure all students understand the criteria of assessment (the rubric)

Did you teach enough, the required content?

Check for “Silent Period”

Provide a proper environment / warm up.

Test what you taught!

Give students specific feedback

allow for a retake. Praise!Flood & Lapp, 1992

Pre Test

During Testing

After Testing

Websites and gadgets to help test speaking

Andrew Finch's Comprehensive List of Assessment resources

http://www.mediafire.com/?a5mhti1mfjejz Assessment and Testing Folder shared by “EFLClassroom

“one teaches, two learn.”

Assessment in Language-Learning – Links and Resources

LEARNING ABOUT SPEAKING TESTS

Assessing Oral Language Proficiency in our students

Enric Calvet, 2013