Mastering Speaking Assessment: Strategies for Effective Evaluation

🎯 The webinar discusses six key questions in assessing speaking skills, including the purpose of testing, test-takers' characteristics, and the test construct.

🔍 The focus of the webinar is on three questions: what is being tested (the speaking test construct), how it is tested (speaking test tasks), and how it is scored (criteria and scales).

🗣️ Different speaking tasks, such as reading aloud, describing pictures, and discussing topics, assess various aspects of speaking, including language reproduction, monologue, and interaction.

🗣️ Different speaking tasks elicit different kinds of speaking, such as reproduction, monologue, or interaction.

📚 It is important to consider the aspects of speaking that a task is assessing, depending on the purpose of the test.

🗨️ Speaking involves conceptualization, language conversion, and sound articulation, as well as constant monitoring of the message.

🔑 Paired speaking tasks in language assessments have advantages such as promoting interaction and reflecting real-life communication.

⚖️ Limitations of paired tasks include the possibility of one test-taker affecting the performance of the pair and the importance of matching language ability levels.

💡 Different task types and assessment scales can address the limitations and balance out the assessment of different speaking skills.

🎯 Task difficulty can vary, with more abstract tasks requiring advanced language skills and the ability to present arguments.

📚 The difficulty of speaking tasks is influenced by the topic and type of information required.

🧠 Functional language, such as expressing opinions, is generally easier to assess than intellectual functions like persuading or taking the floor.

📝 When designing speaking tests, it is important to consider the clarity of instructions, the task's purpose, the range of tasks, their order, timing, and clear marking criteria.

📝 Assessment criteria for speaking tasks include interaction skills and communication skills.

📊 Assessment scales can be either holistic or analytic, with the latter providing more diagnostic information.

✅ To make a test fair, attention must be paid to the test purpose, construct, task types, assessment scales, and training of examiners.

🗣️ Fluency in speaking is measured by factors such as pauses, speed, and filled and empty pauses.

👥 When assessing speaking performance, it is important to have structure and consider the task type.

🌐 Paired tasks require similar language abilities, while generating ideas can be supported through providing prompts.

😅 To help shy students, familiarity with tasks, providing ideas, and peer or self-assessment can build confidence.

🗣️ All aspects of speaking, including grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and communication, are important in assessment.

📝 Transparency in scoring criteria is recommended for test-takers to know what is expected of them.

🔈 Pronunciation should prioritize intelligibility rather than achieving a native speaker accent.

🗣️ The main focus of pronunciation should be on intelligibility, not accent.

🕒 There is no right or wrong answer for how long students should be asked to speak, but clear instructions and structure should be provided.

📚 Speaking assessment should be integrated into the learning process with frequent checks and feedback.

👥 For larger classes, pairing up with another teacher or using technology, such as recording and self-evaluation, can be effective for assessing speaking.

❓ Prompting is valid during speaking assessment to help students who are stuck, but their need for prompting should be reflected in their mark.

🌍 Even if students are not familiar with a topic, providing some ideas or prompts can help them generate language and answer other questions.

📆 The next webinar on understanding test scores will be held on the 14th and 16th of November.