Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción

Faculty of Education

Language Department

Language Assessment

Assessing Speaking

Assignment III

Diego Paredes Cid

Rocio Vargas

Alexander Vera

Professor

Andrés Hunter

Concepción, 2016

Introduction

Nowadays the English language is a necessary language to manage

ourselves in a society which is constantly changing accordingly with the

technology, medicine, politics and economy. One of the many advantages of the

speaking skill is the socialization of the language, with a speaking task all the

members of a language class can produce, practice and participate; even if they

have a low base on English. Another advantage, is the spontaneous act of speak,

what brings to the teacher the opportunity to save up time at the time to assess a

speaking task. According to Luoma (2004), the pronunciation and fluency are not

the only aspects or criteria to assess in a speaking task, always considering that

we are not assessing native speakers because our job is to assess students

acquiring a foreign language. Grammar and syntax can be assessing in a speaking

task too, but most of the teacher let this two criteria to the writing tasks. The

objective of this assignment is to expose the importance to know how correctly

assess a speaking task with different criteria and objectives, and even learn how

important is the modification and adaptation of the materials, ads, instructions and

rubrics.

Speaking Task

Warm up.

To start this speaking task, I want you to introduce yourselves with your

name, age, family members, hobby and preferences. You have plenty of time, feel

relax and try to speak with confidence.

Discussion.

1. Look at the two following pictures. In pairs, discuss and get to an agreement of

which workspace is the best in terms of using technology, comforting and

organization. (student A, Student B).

2. According to the unit “Technology” viewed in class. Individually, choose one

technological device and describe it. Why would you choose that one? Give

reasons.

3. Student A and student B

Look at the same pictures for 10 seconds. You and your brother are invited

to your friend’s birthday next weekend, he really likes using technology, and you

and your brother are guessing which of the two working stations more close to your

friend’s profile is. You have to get to an agreement on a gift. Which of these

desktops represent more your friend’s personality? Which technological device in

the picture that you have chosen will be the present to your friend? You must get

to an agreement; decide one option for your friend. You have 3 minutes max.

Wind-Down.

To conclude this speaking task, expose your opinion about your experience

during this task. In your opinion, which were your strengthen and weaknesses at

the moment of speak? Do you think you make any mistake in this task? Which one

and why?

Finally, tell us what are you going to do finishing this task? Now give your

classmate a handshake in sign of gratitude because of his or her participation.

Task 1 Rubric

GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS

IMPROVEMENT: 1

Content task

oriented

The student covers all the

questions related to the

topic successfully

accomplishing the task.

The student did not

covers all the

requirements needed but

is enough to complete the

task.

Irrelevant content. Student

did not complete the task.

Pronunciation

(x2)

The Student’s pronunciation

is clear, few mistakes.

Proper intonation and stress

patterns.

The student’s

pronunciation is

sometimes correct, with

frequent errors. However,

this did not affect the

completion of the task

The student’s pronunciation

is rarely. Difficult to

understand.

Vocabulary The student uses the

vocabulary appropriately.

Great use of collocations

and adjectives. Accurate

Grammar.

The student uses a

limited range of

vocabulary and

expressions. Basic

Grammar structures.

Basic Vocabulary and

Grammar structures with

frequent errors.

Organization

of ideas

The student organizes its

ideas properly. Good use of

connectors.

Most ideas are well

organized. Simple

sentences, few

connectors.

Lack of organization. Lack

of connectors. Too many

mistakes.

Turn taking

and teamwork.

Student is eager to speak.

Moreover lets the other

candidate develop its ideas

as well. Good interaction.

Fluent conversation

between classmates.

Student respect its

partner turn. Adequate

interaction between the

students.

Student shows little respect

for its classmate turn. Bad

interactions.

Task 2 Rubric

GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS

IMPROVEMENT: 1

Content task

oriented

The student covers

all the questions

related to the topic

successfully

accomplishing the

task.

The student did not

covers all the

requirements needed

but is enough to

complete the task.

Irrelevant content. Student

did not complete the task.

Pronunciation

(x2)

The Student’s

pronunciation is

clear, few

mistakes. Proper

intonation and

stress patterns.

The student’s

pronunciation is

sometimes correct, with

frequent errors.

However, this did not

affect the completion of

the task

The student’s pronunciation

is rarely. Difficult to

understand.

Vocabulary The student uses

the vocabulary

appropriately.

Great use of

collocations and

adjectives.

Accurate Grammar.

The student uses a

limited range of

vocabulary and

expressions. Basic

Grammar structures.

Basic Vocabulary and

Grammar structures with

frequent errors.

Fluency

(x2)

Student is able to

keep flow of

language with low

hesitation.

Some hesitation and

short pauses,

sometimes speech are

disconnected.

Not connected speech. Not

easy not follow.

Organization of

ideas

The student

organizes its ideas

properly. Good use

of connectors.

Most ideas are well

organized. Simple

sentences, few

connectors.

Lack of organization. Lack of

connectors. Too many

mistakes.

Task 3 Rubric

GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS

IMPROVEMENT: 1

Content task

oriented

The student covers all the

questions related to the

topic successfully

accomplishing the task.

The student did not

covers all the

requirements needed but

is enough to complete the

task.

Irrelevant content. Student

did not complete the task.

Pronunciation

(x2)

The Student’s pronunciation

is clear, few mistakes.

Proper intonation and stress

patterns.

The student’s

pronunciation is

sometimes correct, with

frequent errors. However,

this did not affect the

completion of the task

The student’s pronunciation

is rarely. Difficult to

understand.

Vocabulary The student uses the

vocabulary appropriately.

Great use of collocations

and adjectives. Accurate

Grammar.

The student uses a

limited range of

vocabulary and

expressions. Basic

Grammar structures.

Basic Vocabulary and

Grammar structures with

frequent errors.

Organization

of ideas

The student organizes its

ideas properly. Good use of

connectors.

Most ideas are well

organized. Simple

sentences, few

connectors.

Lack of organization. Lack

of connectors. Too many

mistakes.

Turn taking

and teamwork.

Student is eager to speak.

Moreover lets the other

candidate develop its ideas

as well. Good interaction.

Fluent conversation

between classmates.

Student respect its

partner turn. Adequate

interaction between the

students.

Student shows little respect

for its classmate turn. Bad

interactions.

Luoma’s Specifications(2004).

● The test purpose: The objective of the test is to assess the oral skills of the

students by describing, reasoning and coming to agreements.

● Description of the examinees: Two students from second year of High

school.

● Test level: Basic/Intermediate.

● Definition of construct: Communicative approach.

● Description of suitable language course or textbook: Taking from Planes y

Programas….(EXPLICITAR PAGINA Y UNIDAD)

● Number of sections/papers: Two sections.

● Time for each section/paper: Task one: 3-6 minutes, second task: 2-5

minutes each student.

● Weighting for each section/paper: Both sections have 15 points. The task

has a total of 30 points.

● Target language situation: In the first picture students have to get to an

agreement to which workplace they think that is the best in terms of using

technology. Students will use adjectives, tenses and vocabulary related to

unit under assess. The second task is individual. They have to choose one

technological device and explain how it works and why he/she choose that

instead of the others. Hence, they must use adjectives and vocabulary

related to unit.

● Text types: Pictures.

● Text length: Two images for each pair of students.

● Language skills to be tested: Speaking.

● Language elements to be tested: task 1(content task oriented,

pronunciation, use of vocabulary, fluency, organization of ideas, turn taking

and teamwork), task 2 (content task oriented, pronunciation, use of

vocabulary, fluency, organization of ideas).

● Test tasks: In the first task students have to describe the pictures in pairs

and get to an agreement of which workspace is the best for them. In the

second task each student has to think in one technological device and give

reasons explaining why he or she would choose that device instead of the

others in the picture given by the assessor.

● Test methods: First and foremost students will be assessed in pairs while

they describe the pictures to get to an agreement as it is explained in the

first task. In the second task, pupils will be assessed individually; meanwhile

each student will think in technological device. The students will explain why

they would choose that device instead the ones given by the teacher.

After Pilot notes

TASK 1

First of all, one of the students asked the assessor to read the instructions

again. However, the two pupils were successfully able to accomplish the task

within the established period of time.

Further, Student B showed a great performance, while Student A had some

troubles organizing its ideas. At any rate, both students showed a great teamwork

that help disguising the lack of knowledge that Student A had.

Finally, both candidates did not show any problem when understanding the

task. Even when Student B showed more knowledge, the two pupils were really

good fulfilling the task.

TASK 2

To begin with, both students asked for clarification. The candidates did not

know how many reasons they should give to fulfill the task. As a result of that, the

assessor had to tell them to give 3 reasons.

As in the first task, Student B showed a better performance than Student A.

Student A completed the task with little trouble. However, both students were

above the standard level of normal high school students in this country.

At last but not the least, the criteria and descriptors of both rubrics proved to

be relevant, and covered all the aspects present in the development of the

assignment.

TASK 3

Students did not understand perfectly what they have to do. They expressed

that the instructions for the activity were too long. Student B showed a better

performance than Student A. Student A completed the task with less difficulty than

in the task 2. However, both students fit in standard level of normal high school

students in Chile.

Task after pilot

Warm up.

To start this speaking task, I want you to introduce yourselves with

your name, age, family members, hobby and preferences. You have plenty

of time, feel relax and try to speak with confidence.

1) Look at the pictures. In pairs, discuss and get to an agreement of which

workspace is the best in terms of using technology. (student A, Student B)

2) Individually, choose one technological device from the picture that you

choose and describe it. Why would you choose that one? Give 3 reasons.

3) Look at the same pictures for 10 seconds. You and your brother are invited

to your friend’s birthday next weekend, he really likes using technology. You

have to get to an agreement on a gift, a technological device. You must get to

an agreement; decide one option for your friend. You have 3 minutes max.

Wind down

To conclude this speaking task, expose your opinion about your experience

during this task. Finally, tell us what are you going to do finishing this task? Now

give your classmate a handshake in sign of gratitude because of his or her

participation.

References

Luoma, S. (2004).Assessing Speaking. Cambridge University Press, United

Kingdom.

Ministerio de Educación de Chile. (2013) Bases Curriculares 7° y 8° básico - 1° y

2° medio, Ministerio de Educación.