how to test Oral skills

1. testing Oral ability
Submitted to:
Dr. Ammara Farrukh
Prepared by:
Muhammad Irfan
Muhammad Asif
Kosar Tasleem
Faisal Nazeer
Tahir Husain
Haider Ali
M.Sc. Applied Linguistics
Department of English Language and Linguistics
The University of Lahore Pakpattan Campus

2. Testing Oral Ability: ARFAN RAI
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Testing Oral Ability
Introduction:
The objective of teaching spoken language is the development of the ability to interact
successfully in that language, and that this involves comprehension as well as production. It
is also assumed that at the earliest stages of learning formal testing of this ability will not be
called for, informal observation providing any diagnostic information that is needed.
Testing Oral ability is a method of checking Oral abilities of English Language teachers and a
way to know the capabilities of English language teachers in English language.
Examples:
The oral exam
Face-to-face
interaction/personal contact
Verbal response
Immediate response
Given the decision to test speaking directly, we are in a position to state the testing
problem, in a general form for speaking, it has four parts:
1. Specify all appropriate task
2. Elicit behavior which truly represents the candidate’s ability
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Oral testing
4. Obtaining valid and reliable scoring
1. Specify all appropriate tasks:
In testing Oral ability all tasks that are checked can be specified. It include:
1.1. Operations:
1.2. A discussion of criterial level of performance and
1.3. Possible test formats.

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1.1. Operations:
The operation is to take part in oral interaction which may involve the following language
functions:
Expressing:
In this operation testers are required to explain something, ask any question, give thanks to
any other, give our opinions, show our attitude to the test holders. Through these activities,
oral ability can be easy tested.
Narrating:
In this activity, the person who is giving oral test are required to gives narration or tells a
story to something else.
Eliciting:
In this activity, the person who is giving the test is required to share information, gives
directions, offer services, or get permission to do something.
Directing:
Directing means to give instructions. In this operation student is required to give order to
any other person and how he gives instructions to others.
Text types:
Texts may be monologue, dialogue and multi participant interactions normally of a face to
face nature but telephone conversation not excluded.
Addressees and topics:
The addressees and topics for writing are not specified except as under “Topics for
writing”
1.2. Criterial levels of Performance:
The fact that particular grammatical structures are not specified as content, and there is no
reference to vocabulary or pronunciation, does not of course mean that there are no
requirements with respect to these elements of oral performance. These would be dealt
with separately as part of a statement of criterial levels. Thus for the RSA (Royal Society of
Arts) test at intermediate level.
It has included two criterial levels:
 Testing Oral ability according to Objectives.
 Testing Oral skills in general.

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Let us explain these levels in detail.
1.2.1 Testing Oral ability according to Objectives:
Appropriacy:
Use of language generally appropriate to function. The overall intention to the speaker is
always clear.
Accuracy:
Pronunciation still obviously influenced by L1 though clearly intelligible.
Grammatical/lexical accuracy is generally high, though some errors which do not destroy
communication are accepted.
Range:
The range of topic must be short that can be cleared within specific time. Usually a topic
must be cleared in 10 to 15 mints.
Size:
Some topics have more size and some of short range. The topic to check oral ability must
be short but no too much short that cannot be clearly understandable. The passage must
be in specific size that can be spoken within specific time.
1.2.2 Testing Oral skills in general.
Accent:
The accent should be intelligible. The accent must be in native language. Foreign accent
requires concentrated listening, and mispronunciation lead to occasional
misunderstanding.
Grammar:
Grammar must be accurate while speaking. Two errors of grammar can be acceptable but
more than two errors cause failure of communication.
Vocabulary:
Candidate must use general type of words. Complex and difficult words cause failure in
communication process.
Fluency:
Candidate must be speak slowly so that every word can understood easily. If speech is
halting and fragmentary than conversation virtually impossible.

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Comprehension:
Comprehension means understand the meanings of the words. Tester and candidate must
speak slow and use general words so that they understand each other easily.
1.3. Possible test formats:
Listed here are three general formats with brief comments on them.
Interview:
The most obvious format in test conducting is Interview. In its traditional form, however it
has at least one potentially drawback. The relationship between tester and candidate is
usually such that the candidate speaks as to be superior and is unwilling to take the
initiative. And many other functions are elicited. Such as (asking information from tester for
information) are not represented in the candidate’s performance
Interaction with fellow candidates:
Two or more candidates can be asked to discuss a topic, make plans and so on. The problem
with this is that the performance of one candidate can be effected by that of the others.
Responses to tape recordings:
Uniformity of elicitation procedures can be achieved through presenting all candidates only
with the same audio or video tape recordings stimuli. This ought to promote reliability. The
obvious disadvantage of this is that its inflexibility. There is no way of following up
candidates responses.
2. Elicit behavior which truly represents the candidate’s ability:
This section begins with general advice and then goes on suggest techniques for different
formats.
2.1. Advice on planning and conducting an Oral test:
i. Time of the test: as long as feasible.
ii. Have a pattern to follow.
iii. Give as many “fresh starts” as possible.
iv. Avoid reminding candidates they are in a test.
v. Use second tester for interviews.
vi. Set tasks & topics that cause no difficulty in the candidates’ first language.
vii. Carry out the test in a quiet room.
viii. Put the candidates at their ease so that they can show what they are capable of

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ix. Collect enough relevant information.
x. Do not talk too much.
xi. Select interviewers carefully & train them.
2.2. Elicitation techniques:
a. Question and requests for information:
Questions and requests for information is generally be avoided in oral testing. Generally
yes/no questions should be avoided.
b. Pictures:
Single pictures are particularly useful for eliciting descriptions. Series of pictures (or video
sequences) form a natural basis for narration.
c. Role play:
Candidates can be asked to assume a role in a particular situation. This allows the ready
elicitation of other language functions.
d. Interpreting:
It is not intended that candidates should be able to act as interpreters (unless that is
specified). However, simple interpreting tasks can test both production and comprehension
in a controlled way. One of the testers acts as a monolingual speakers of the candidate’s
native language, the other as a monolingual speaker of the language being tested.
e. Comprehension:
Comprehension can be assessed when the candidate attempts to convey what the visitor is
saying, and indeed unless some such advice is used, it is difficult to obtain sufficient
information on candidate’s powers of comprehension.
f. Discussion:
Discussions between candidates can be a valuable source of information. These may be
discussions of a topic or in order to come to a decision.
g. Imitation:
Candidate hear a series of sentences, each of which they have to repeat in turn. This
obviously does not in itself represent a cross section of the oral skills that we are usually
looking for, but there is research evidence that, provided the sentences are not too short.
Techniques not recommended:
a. Prepared monologue:
Some examinations require candidate to present a monologue on a topic after being given
a few minutes to prepare. If this test is to be carried out in the native language, there would
certainly be considerable differences between candidates. For this reason, and because

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leaving the candidate alone to prepare a monologue must create stress, this technique is
not recommended.
b. Reading aloud:
Again, there will be significant differences in native speaker performance, and inevitable
interference between the reading and speaking skills.
3. Advantages of testing Oral ability
1. Direct personal contact with candidate’s opportunity to take mitigating circumstances into
account
2. Flexibility in moving from candidates strong points to weak areas.
3. Requires the candidate to formulate his own replies without clues.
4. Opportunity to question the candidate about how to arrive answer.
5. Ability to test depth and breadth of candidates thinking process and logic of arguments.
6. Opportunity for simultaneous assessment by two examiner.
Disadvantages of testing Oral ability
1. Difficult to evaluate so many things at once (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation...).
2. Difficult to choose what criteria in evaluating oral communication.
3. It is rather time consuming, particularly if taped scored later.
4. Lack objectivity and reproducibility of results (halo effect)
5. Permit favoritism and possible abuse of contact
6. Suffer from undue influence or irrelevant factors.
7. Lack standardization.
4.Obtaining valid and reliable scoring:
Scoring will be valid and reliable only if:
 Clearly recognizable and appropriate descriptions of criterial levels are written and scorers are
trained to use them.
 Irrelevant features of performance should be ignored.
 There is more than one scorer for each performance.
 The scorers must be trained and well known.
Conclusion:
The accurate measurement of an Oral test is not easy. It takes considerable time and efforts to
obtain valid and reliable results. Nevertheless, where backwash is an important consideration, the
investment of such time and effort may considered necessary.
Readers are reminded that the appropriateness of content, description of criterial levels and
elicitation techniques used in oral testing will depends upon the needs of individual institutions or
Organizations.
References:
 Arthur Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers
Cambridge university press.