Assessing oral ability is difficult and requires so much effort; however it is necessary. Here there are some tips for scorers/teachers to have into account to assess this skill

1. Paola García Mantecón
María Sánchez Gutiérrez

2.  Introduction.
 Representative tasks.
 Elicit a valid sample of oral ability.
 Ensure valid and reliable scoring.
 Conclusion.

3.  Objective: Development of the ability to interact
successfully in that language (comprehension
and production)
 Specify all possible content.
 Operations (Expressig, directing, describing…)
 Skills (informational, interactional and managing)
 Type of text (Monologue, discussion, conversation…)
 Other speakers (Addressees)
 Include a representative sample of the specify
content when setting tasks.

4.  Choose appropriate techniques
Format 1: Interview Format 2:
Interaction with
fellow candidates
Format 3:
Responses to audio-
or video-
recordings
• Questions and
requests
• Pictures
• Role play
• Interpreting
• Monologue
• Reading aloud
• Discussion
• Role play
• Described
situations
• Remark in
isolation to
respond to
• Simulated
conversation

5.  Plan and structure the testing carefully.
1. Feasibility.
2. Plan the test carefuly.
3. Give the candidate “fresh starts”
4. Use a second tester.
5. Adequated topics.
6. Good environment.
7. Allow the candidates show their
capacities.
8. Collect enough relevant information.
9. Researcher should not talk too much.
10. Select interviewers carefully and train
them.

6.  Create appropriate scales for scoring.
 Holistic and/or Analytic
 Ex.: Accuracy, appropriacy, range, flexibility and size.
 Calibrate the scale to be used.
 Train scoreres.
 Follow acceptable scoring procedures.
 Testing oral ability is not easy, but neccesary.
 To obtain valid and reliable results it takes too much time
and effort.