This document outlines the assessment of a speaking task for first year university students. In the task, students work in pairs to describe two pictures of sports to one another, providing details on one sport each. They then have to agree on which sport they would most like to practice. The test specifications provide information on test purpose, examinees, construct, skills tested, tasks, rubrics and samples. Criteria include organization, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and collaboration. Students are assessed individually on a 28 point scale across these areas as they complete the speaking task.

1. Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
Facultad de Educación
Departamento de Lenguas
Language Assessment
Assignment 3
Assessing Speaking
Ana Luna.
Guido Riquelme
Task:
Students in pairs are going to see to pictures about sports, each of them will have to
describe one of it, trying to provide as many information related with the sport as they

2. can. Finally, students will have to agree on which sport would like them to practice the
most. They will have 10 minutes to do this task (2 for organize their ideas, 5 for the
descriptions, and 3 to reach an agreement).
Louma’s (2004) Test specifications.
Test’s purpose: The test’s purpose is describing sports, and reaching an agreement, in which
students have to provide evidence of vocabulary, organization of ideas. Also, students will make
use of their listening skill.
Description of the examinees: This test will be applied to a 1st year university students.
Test level: The level of the students at this level is intermediate.
Definition of construct: The task imply communicative actions. It is a communicative
approach since students have to exchange opinions and ideas.
Description of suitable language course or textbook: Taking from PET coursebooks.
Number of sections/papers: The test has only 1 section.
Time for each section/paper: The task will have a total of 10 minutes.
Weighting for each section/paper: The task will have a total score of 28 points that will be
tested individually.
Target language situation: In the task students will have to describe the pictures with the most
information they can provide and finally they have to reach into an agreement.
Text-types: Images.
Text length: 2 pictures per flashcard.

3. Language skills to be tested: Speaking.
Language elements to be tested: The elements that we are going to be tested are
vocabulary,, grammar and fluency.
Test tasks: Students in pairs are going to see to pictures about sports, each of them will
have to describe one of it, trying to provide as many information related with the sport
as they can. Finally, students will have to agree on which sport would like them to
practice the most. They will have 10 minutes to do this task (2 for organize their ideas, 5
for the descriptions, and 3 to reach an agreement).
Test methods: Students will be assessed in pairs. The instruction will be given by the teacher,
as well as the time in which students have to describe the pictures and when the have to reach
an agreement.
Rubrics: See below.
Criteria for marking: The criteria for marking is based on student’s performance and
completion of the task. Also some features of speech will be considered such as: fluency,
pronunciation.
Sample papers: See below.
Samples of students’ performance on task:
Fulcher’s test specifications:
Task 1
task orientation Open.
interactional relationship Two ways
goal orientation Divergent
interlocutor status Balanced
familiarity High.

4. topic Sports.
Student name:
Date:
Excellent Passing Adequate Poor
Organization 3: Ideas are
thoroughly
organized, with a
logical sequence.
2: Ideas are not
always well
organized.
1: Ideas does not
always follow a
logical sequence.
0: There is no
logical
sequence.
Use of
vocabulary
6: Wide range of
vocabulary.
He/she makes
few or no
mistakes.
4: Fair range of
vocabulary.
He/she makes few
mistakes.
2: Limited range of
vocabulary.
He/she many
mistakes.
0: Poor range of
vocabulary.

5. Pronunciation/
Fluency
5: Few or no
pronunciation
mistakes are
made.
Speech flow is
natural.
3: Some
pronunciation
mistakes are
made.
Speech flow is
rarely interrupted.
1: Frequent
pronunciation
mistakes are made.
Speech flow is
usually interrupted
0: Continuous
pronunciation
mistakes are
made.
Speech flow
does not flow
Grammar 9: Few or no
mistakes are
made. Meaning is
clear.
6: Some mistakes
are made that do
not affect
meaning.
3: Frequent
grammar mistakes
are made that
affects meaning
0: several
grammar
mistakes are
made. Meaning
is not clear.
Collaborative
work
5: Speakers
interact with each
other during the
whole task in
order to reach an
agreement
3: Interaction is
not always present
during the
speakers
performance.
1: Speakers reach
hardly an
agreement due to
the lack of
collaboration
between them.
0: Each speaker
make their
performance on
their own
without
interaction.
Score: _______/28 PTS.
Task 1:
Look at this pictures. You have to describe one of them,you will have 2 minutes
to organize your ideas. You will have 5 minutes to do the description of the sport you
choose. Then you will have to reach an agreement on which sport would you like to
practice, to fulfill this you will have 3 minutes.

6. References
Fulcher, G. (2003). Testing second language speaking. Pearson Education.
Luoma, S. (2004). Assessing speaking. Ernst Klett Sprachen.