Assessing Listening and Speaking Skills

Presented by: Chan Yi Jia Joanne Tan Yi Wen Nurul AimiNadiah bt. Abd. Mubim Lecturer: Madam Jayanthi Mala a/p Marimuthu

Definition
Assessment means
The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.
(www.thefreedictionary.com)

Features of Language Skills Testing

Discrete feature tests

mastery over different sub-skills

Task-based tests
ability to perform certain tasks

Specifying constituents of a language test

The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) identifies four different aspects that need to be taken into account in producing a language test.

1. Types of text
You need to consult
the objectives for the course what kind of text types are spelt out in the syllabus, what tasks have been taught during the period. (e.g month / semester)

Texts have to be spelt out in terms of their genre (e.g. story, newspaper, report, letter) as well as in terms of topics (e.g. animals, pollution)

2. Operations
To specify is what the candidates has able to do.

receptive skills
listening or reading input

productive skills
texts (speaking and writing).

3. Degree of skill
Slightly different criteria are used for productive and receptive skills. For listening and reading, these criteria can be used:
Size Range

Complexity of text

Complexity of task

 For productive skills, you need to use a slightly different list of criteria.
Size

Accuracy
Range (sentences structures, idioms, vocabulary) Appropriacy (how well the candidate fit his
language to the specific context)

Level of sophistication (style, complexity of

arguments and organization)

Effectiveness (the level of candidate in getting the

message across)

4. Formats
In selecting your format for any test, remember to make sure the format has been used before in teaching and testing.

Skill

Objective tests True / false Short answer MCQ Information transfer Rearranging pictures Gap-filling

Open-ended tests Summary Note-taking Open-ended questions

Listening

Speaking

Aural discrimination, e.g. minimal pairs Making oral responses to different cues Supplying missing elements in conversation

Describing pictures Group discussion Interviews Information-gap activities

Testing listening skills

Basically, there are two kinds of
sound discrimination
specific aspect of listening Listening test:

Distinguish minimal pairs /t/ and /d/, /r/ and /l/.

Distinguish specific sounds from a background of different sounds.

skills in accomplishing different types of listening tasks

2. Task-based listening tests

1. Text selection (conversation / stories) 2. Editing a text for taping (use real language) 3. Writing items 4. Chanel conversion 5. Summary cloze 6. Listening to the tape

a. Multiple-choice items
Does not need to write anything. Needs only to circle the correct answer. Alternatives need to be simple. Items should roughly follow the sequences of the tape. Students should be given a chance to read to the tape.

b. Short answer format

Give students a chance to look through the questions Arrange the questions in the order the answer occur in the tape.

There should be enough interval between items.

Channel conversion
Get pupils to record their understanding in non-verbal ways.

For example, a pupil may be asked to draw the face of the monster in the listening text or to trace the route from point X to point Y from instructions given in the tape and etc.

Summary cloze
Teacher can prepare a summary of the main points in the listening material. Ask students to fill in the blanks in the summary after he has listened to the whole tape.

Listening to the tape

There are two points to be considered:
How many times the pupil would be allowed to listen to the tape and under what condition he would listen to the tape.

Ultimately, a pupil should only be allowed to listen to the tape once.

Testing of Oral Proficiency

Discrete feature: Task-based:

pronunciation,

describing a scene shown in a picture

knowledge of what language is appropriate in different situations,

participating in a discussion about a given topic

language required in doing different things.

narrating a story, etc.

1. Discrete feature tests of speaking

Minimal pair tests of pronunciation
Remember that there is only one sound that differs in a minimal pair.
Example: Pen Bill Fry Van pin pill fly fan

 Tests of intonation
Test students to produce the correct intonation for a sentence, exclamation, etc. Example:
Read aloud each of the following sentences with the correct intonation.

He is here. Here he is! He is here?

 Reading aloud
It is often used as a test of pronunciation, stress and intonation. The text must be carefully chosen and must contain the specific sounds (vowels, diphthongs, consonants, blend, etc).

It must have sentence structures that can be read aloud.

 Tests of language functions and their linguistic realizations

These are often paper and pencil tests. Select the kinds of conversations or speaking situations which your students have to participate in.

Then, leave gaps where the student has to fill in appropriate functions. (p.g.357)

2. Task-based speaking test

Keep the following points in mind: 1. Try to be as natural as you can and try to put students at ease before you start the examination. 2. Do not ask your question baldly, as in an interrogation. 3. Do not interrupt your conversation to jot down marks. 4. Give as much help as is necessary .

Common formats used in testing oral skills

Tests with picture stimuli
Pictures can provide information. Examples:
Single picture Picture for comparison A series of pictures

Oral interviews
One or two testers interview a candidate regarding a number of predetermined topics. Think of a number of different topics that you can use as stimuli for talk during the interview. Prepare questions that will be appropriate for each level of candidate. Ask question that fit the level you think the candidate is at.

Group discussion
In this kind to test, three to five candidates are tested at the same time. Each group is given a problem-solving task involving role simulation or information or opinion gap.

GIVING FEEDBACK & SUPPORT

 Feedback has also been called constructive criticism.

Praise more than you criticise! Constructive criticism : Not "Debbie was hopeless! but "Debbie made some very useful contributions but her voice was a bit quiet. I couldn't hear her very well, so she needs to raise her voice a bit in future.

 Try to give feedback immediately: on the spot if possible. Be direct and honest.
Give feedback in private if at all possible, it's insensitive to do this in front of others. It's a good idea to ask permission: "Do you mind if I give you some feedback?". This gives the person time to prepare.

 Don't repeat the same point over and over: this will just build up resentment.
Only criticise behaviours that can be changed: "You need to improve your computing skills" rather than "You're stupid"! Don't compare the person with other people, as this can build jealousy.

 Use "I" not "You" statements: "I feel upset" not "You made me feel upset". If you are receiving feedback yourself, try to accept it in a positive and non-defensive manner.

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ISSUES IN ASSESSING LISTENING AND SPEAKING

LISTENING
1) One of the largest inhibitors for students is often mental block. While listening, a student suddenly decides that he or she doesn't understand what is being said. At this point, many students just tune out or get caught up in an internal dialogue trying translate a specific word. Some students convince themselves that they are not able to understand spoken English well and create problems for themselves.

 Try to teach the students (with differing amounts of success) is that they need to listen to English as often as possible, but for short periods of time.

SPEAKING
1) Students won't talk or say anything.

A completely different reason for student silence may simply be that the class activities are boring. Very often our interesting communicative speaking activities are not quite as interesting or as communicative as we think they are and all the students are really required to do is answer 'yes' or 'no' which they do quickly and then just sit in silence or worse talking noisily in their L1.

 So maybe you need to take a closer look at the type of speaking activities you are using and see if they really capture student interest and create a real need for communication.

2)When students work in pairs or groups they just end up chatting in their own language. Are all the students actively involved and is the activity interesting?
If students do not have something to say or do, or don't feel the need to speak, you can be sure it won't be long before they are chatting away in their L1.

 Is the activity or task pitched at the right level for the students? Make sure you give the students all the tools and language they need to be able to complete the task. If the language is pitched too high they may revert to their L1, likewise if the task is too easy they may get bored and revert to their L2.

Testing vs. Teaching

Introduction
Testing
Definition: testing is finding out how well something works.

Teaching
Definition: the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill;

In terms of human beings, testing tells what level of knowledge or skill has been acquired. Testing can be in the form of FORMAL or INFORMAL. (Examination/Questioning)

Teaching tries to arrange the context of learning(the materials, the methodology, the classroom), in such a way that the student has the best possible chance of learning what he is attempting to learn.

Testing vs. Teaching

Testing and teaching are closely interrelated, but they do not have the same focus. Tests focus on assessing the products of learning; Teaching concentrates on enabling students to succeed in the process of learning. Tests try to assess a students previous learning; teaching prepares him for current and future learning. The primary function of a teacher is to ensure that learning takes place. Tests are one of the tools that the teacher uses to help to do the job well.

 A test picks put the most important skills that have been taught and uses performance on these as a way of measuring a students mastery of the language areas he is being tested on. Because a test is supposed to pick out the most important aspects of a skill, it is often used as a guide as to what would be the most important things to teach. This is called backwash effect of a test.

Accuracy vs. Fluency

Accuracy
Accuracy is the ability to produce correct sentences using correct grammar and vocabulary. Accuracy is relative. A child in early primary isn't capable of the same level of accuracy as an adult. Teachers who concentrate on accuracy help their students to produce grammatically correct written and spoken English. Typical accuracy activities are: grammar presentations, gap-fill exercises

Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read, speak, or write easily, smoothly, and expressively. In other words, the speaker can read, understand and respond in a language clearly and concisely while relating meaning and context.

Fluency generally increases as learners progress from beginning to advanced readers and writers.
Language teachers who concentrate on fluency help their students to express themselves in fluent English. They pay more attention to meaning and context and are less concerned with grammatical errors. Typical fluency activities are: role plays, speeches, communicative activities, games.

Accuracy vs. Fluency

English is an international language which people from all over the world learn in order to communicate with each other. Accuracy and Fluency are two factors which can determine the success of English language students in the future.

 A classroom activity may aim either at accuracy or fluency, a distinction first made by Brumfit (1984). An accuracy-oriented activity such as pattern drills is usually used in the teaching of a new target item; A fluency-oriented activity such as extensive reading and information gap aims to develop the students' spontaneous communications skills in using what they have already learned.

Accuracy
Purpose: - to help students achieve accurate perception and production of a target item which can be a sound, a word, or a sentence structure.

Fluency
Purpose: - to help students practice language in listening, speaking, reading, and/or writing activities to so develop fluency in using the language in spontaneous communication. Material: - the texts are usually whole pieces of discourses: conversation, stories, etc.; - texts are usually used as they would be in real life: dialogues are spoken, articles and written stories are read; - an effort is made to use authentic material from real life. Activities: - students' attention is focused on communicating information and expressing ideas; - their output may not always be predictable; their performance is assessed on how well ideas are expressed or understood; - students' errors are not corrected unless it interferes with communication; - tasks often simulate real-life situations.

Material: - the texts are usually composed of separate ("discrete") items: sentences or words; texts may be used in any mode (skill), regardless of how they are used in real life (dialogues may be written, written texts used for listening); - the target items are usually practiced out of context or situation; Activities: - students' attention is focused on a particular target item; -their output is usually predictable; their performance is assessed on how few language mistakes are made; - students' errors are corrected; tasks do not usually simulate real-life situations.

Methodologies in Practice
As far as teaching methodologies are concerned, very broadly speaking the communicative approach is the one that favours fluency the most, while the audio-lingual and grammar translation approaches favour accuracy. Typically, at beginner level when the students don't have enough language to worry about fluency, teachers tend to focus on accuracy. This carries on through to pre-intermediate level when fluency activities like discussions and debates are introduced.

At intermediate level, when the students are reasonably independent language users, a mix of accuracy and fluency is used, with the focus shifting to fluency as students advance.