This document provides guidance on assessing students' oral language proficiency through testing. It discusses principles of test design such as making rubrics and practicing assessments. Specific testing methods are presented, including retelling stories or processes, and conducting interviews. The document emphasizes testing what students can do based on what was taught, providing feedback, and creating a comfortable testing environment. Overall, the purpose of oral language assessments is to provide information to help students and teachers.

1. Assessing Oral Language
Proficiency in our students
Learning
about speaking tests

2. The Lighter Side….

3. What’s on tap?
 What are the principles of good test
design?
 Practice making test rubrics and
assessing.
 Learn how to deliver and design a
“retelling” speaking test AND a level
placement test.

4. The Objective of Education

5. 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 ……………………..
1

6. What does speaking consist of?
Fl uen
cy
Vo
c ab
ul a
ry
iation
What should Pr onunc
we assess?
p.
o m
/C
ls
kil
Gr
s
ing
en am
Li st ma
r

7. The Alphabet Soup of Assessment

8. Background: The Purpose of Tests
Andrew Finch, Kyungpook Nat. Univ. of Education , Daegu, S. Korea

9. Complete the Following…..
 The purpose of testing is….
 Tests can easily become ….
 Classroom based tests
should ………
 Also, they should ……….

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

11. Complete the Following…..
Tests can easily become ….
Normative and Comparative.
(but should be Criterion based
and about what the student
CAN do)

12. Complete the following
Classroom based tests should
………
- Non – threatening
environment
- Focus on “real situations”
and the process of learning.

13. Complete the Following…..
Also, they should ……….
Provide big picture.
Emphasize thinking skills and
collaboration.
provide information and be
about the learning.

14. THE GOLDEN RULE!
Test what the student
CAN do
NOT
What the student can’t!

15. Basics 1 – Making a rubric
What is a rubric?
"a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a
piece of work or 'what counts.' "
-- Heidi Goodrich
2-3

16. Fill in the rubric with descriptors
Fluency Limited some good Well
Developed
unclear Parts clear Mostly clear Very clear
Pronunciation
Vocabulary limited adequate sound extensive
Effort poor fair Good excellent

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. Checklist
Major Ideas: Heungbu / Nolbu 1 2 3
Two brothers, one good , one bad.
Heungbu asks for food. Nolbu refuses.
A swallow comes. Heungbu helps.
Gets a seed.
3 pumpkins grow. Treasure comes out.
Nolbu is jealous. Does the same.
Monsters come out.
Heungbu helps Nolbu. Nolbu changes.
They live happily.
Score

20. 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.
4

21. 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!

22. Beware of “narrow” testing

23. Be Careful!
 Assure all students understand the
criteria of assessment (the rubric)
 Did you teach enough, the required
Pre Test content?
 Check for “Silent Period”
 Provide a proper
environment / warm up.
During Testing
 Test what you taught!
 Give students specific
feedback
After Testing 
allow for a retake. Praise!
Flood & Lapp, 1992

24. Placement Testing
Key Vocabulary
A great Picture
Character 1: Character 2:
Questions in
increasing difficulty
Vocabulary Rank

25. Websites to help test speaking
Teacher Evaluation

26. http://eflclassroom.ning.com

27. “one teaches, two learn.”
ddeubel@gmail.com
http://eflclassroom.ning.com