1. “Assessing Speaking”
Members : Catalina Correa
Camilo Saavedra
Professor : Ma Gabriela Sanhuesa
Year : 2012

2. Luoma’s test specifications list “Section I”
Test purpose : To measure the students domain of the unit
Description of the examinees : 2nd grade high school students with a intermediate level of English
Test level : 2nd grade high school
Definition of construct : The students use their language ability using a correct syntax in an
organized way, cohesively and with an appropriate register in order
to accomplish the test purpose.
Description of suitable language : 2nd grade high school coursebook with vocabulary and verbs and
course or textbook activities
Number of sections/papers : Divided into a) and b) form
Time for each section/paper : 3 minutes each
Weighting for each section/paper : 20 points maximum
Target language situation : Describing physical states and emotions
Text-types : ***
Text length : ***
Language skills to be tested : Speaking
Language elements to be tested : Vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation
Test tasks : Comparing and contrasting
Test methods : Describing pictures and contrasting them
Rubrics : Analytic rubric
Criteria for marking : Speaking task rubric
Descriptions of typical : At this level the students are supposed to use their critical thinking
performance at each level and the vocabulary met during the unit. A high level performance
would demonstrate ample domain of the concepts and fully task
accomplishment. A low level student would perform poorly and
would not fully accomplish the task.
Description of what candidates at : A high level student would be able to have a real conversation in
each level can do in the real English showing confidence and using the necessary vocabulary to
world express him or herself. A low level student would not be able to
have a talk or would have trouble to make him or herself
understood.
Sample papers : ***

3. Samples of student’s : ***
performance on task
Luoma’s test specifications list “Section II”
Test purpose : To measure the students domain of the unit
Description of the examinees : 2nd grade high school students with a intermediate level of English
Test level : 2nd grade high school
Definition of construct : The students use their language ability using a correct syntax in an
organized way, cohesively and with an appropriate register in order
to accomplish the test purpose.
Description of suitable language : 2nd grade high school coursebook with vocabulary and verbs and
course or textbook activities
Number of sections/papers : 1 section, both examinees participate
Time for each section/paper : 5 minutes in total (both)
Weighting for each section/paper : 20 points maximum
Target language situation : Describing physical states and emotions
Text-types : ***
Text length : ***
Language skills to be tested : Speaking
Language elements to be tested : Vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation
Test tasks : Comparing and contrasting, guessing
Test methods : Asking and answering
Rubrics : Analytic rubric
Criteria for marking : Speaking task rubric
Descriptions of typical : At this level the students are supposed to use their critical thinking
performance at each level and the vocabulary met during the unit. A high level performance
would demonstrate ample domain of the concepts and fully task
accomplishment. A low level student would perform poorly and
would not fully accomplish the task.
Description of what candidates at : A high level student would be able to have a real conversation in
each level can do in the real English showing confidence and using the necessary vocabulary to
world express him or herself. A low level student would not be able to
have a talk or would have trouble to make him or herself
understood.
Sample papers : ***
Samples of student’s : ***
performance on task

4. Fulcher’s examples
Task 1 Task 2
Task orientation Open Open
Interactional relationship Non-Interactional Interactional, Two ways
interaction
Goal orientation There is There is
Interlocutor status None Balanced
Familiarity High Medium
Topics Physical states and Physical states and emotions
emotions

5. Speaking test
Names: _________________________/________________________ Date: ______ Mark: _____
Section I. Compare and contrast the following two pictures using as much vocabulary and
grammatical structures as you can and answer to the following questions:
a) What do you think are the reasons why these two people are crying?
b) Can you see any difference between these two children?

6. Section II. “The guessing game”
Instructions: Pick one of the pieces of paper provided and stick it in your partner’s forehead. The
pieces of paper have a word in it and your partner’s mission is to guess what word is, in no more
than 2 minutes. He/she must ask you questions about it in order to guess, and you can answer
giving hints, but not telling what word is indeed. Do it repeatedly.
Optimistic Impulsive
Thirsty Shocked
Peaceful Certain
Embarrassed Proud
Pleased Tender
Exhausted Jealous
Satisfied Lonely
Miserable Humble
Thoughtful Mad
Nervous Disappointed

7. Section I Rubric
Excelent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Unsatisfactory (1)
Use of The student provides a The student provides the The student does not The student says
descriptive wide range of detailed adequate amount of provide the adequate almost any description
Vocabulary descriptions, using as descriptions and amount of descriptions and uses basic
much vocabulary vocabulary for the and vocabulary for the vocabulary for the
appropriate for the task. requirement for the task. requirements of the task. requirements of the
task.
Accuracy The student uses a The student uses an The student uses some, The student usesa poor
considerable variety of adequate variety of but not enough, variety of grammatical
grammatical structures. grammatical structures. grammatical structures. structures.
Pronunciation The student has an The student has an The student has an The student has a
outstanding acceptable unclear pronunciation and completely unclear
pronunciation and pronunciation and diction, which makes pronunciation and
diction, making a clear diction, which makes a difficult the delivery of the diction, which makes
delivery of the message. good delivery of the message. almost impossible the
message. delivery of the
message.
Fluency The student has a fluent The student has an The student does not have The student does not
speech, making pauses almost completely fluent a very fluent speech, with have fluency, makes a
to emphasize or enhance speech, with not too a lot of hesitation and lot of long pauses and
the meaning of the long pauses and little pauses. overuses hesitation.
message. hesitation.
Task The student fulfills the The student almost The student does not The student does not
achievement task showing full domain accomplish the task, but accomplish the task, but fulfill the task at all.
of the topic. with some difficulties. tries.

8. Section II Rubric
Excelent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Unsatisfactory (1)
Use of The student provides a The student provides the The student does not The student says
descriptive wide range of detailed adequate amount of provide the adequate almost any description
Vocabulary descriptions, using as descriptions and amount of descriptions and uses basic
much vocabulary vocabulary for the and vocabulary for the vocabulary for the
appropriate for the task. requirement for the task. requirements of the task. requirements of the
task.
Accuracy The student uses a The student uses an The student uses some, The student usesa poor
considerable variety of adequate variety of but not enough, variety of grammatical
grammatical structures. grammatical structures. grammatical structures. structures.
Pronunciation The student has an The student has an The student has an The student has a
outstanding acceptable unclear pronunciation and completely unclear
pronunciation and pronunciation and diction, which makes pronunciation and
diction, making a clear diction, which makes a difficult the delivery of the diction, which makes
delivery of the message. good delivery of the message. almost impossible the
message. delivery of the
message.
Fluency The student has a fluent The student has an The student does not have The student does not
speech, making pauses almost completely fluent a very fluent speech, with have fluency, makes a
to emphasize or enhance speech, with not too a lot of hesitation and lot of long pauses and
the meaning of the long pauses and little pauses. overuses hesitation.
message. hesitation.
Task The student fulfills the The student almost The student does not The student does not
achievement task showing full domain accomplish the task, but accomplish the task, but fulfill the task at all.
of the topic. with some difficulties. tries.
http://www.nald.ca/library/learning/btg/ed/evaluation/speaking.htm

9. Introduction
The following assignment deals with the design or creation and the evaluation of
an assessing instrument. In this case, the content to be assessed is the speaking skill. Also,
within the assignment there is a complete explanation of what, why and how the speaking
test has been developed in that way using Luoma’s test specifications and Fulcher’s
examples in order to back up the creation of the test. Also, there are rubrics which help in
the checking of the speaking test containing the necessary parameters for an effective
speaking test evaluation according to the test purpose, and the aspects to be evaluated.