The document describes a speaking assessment for students at a university in Chile. It includes 3 tasks to evaluate students' speaking skills. In task 1, students discuss pictures in pairs to choose the best workspace and agree on their choice. In task 2, each student individually chooses a technological device from the pictures and gives 3 reasons for their choice. In task 3, students discuss the same pictures to agree on a gift for a friend's birthday. Rubrics are provided to evaluate pronunciation, vocabulary, fluency, organization and other criteria. The assessment aims to evaluate students' communicative competence through collaborative and individual speaking activities.

1. Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
Faculty of Education
Language Department
Language Assessment
Assessing Speaking
Assignment III
Diego Paredes Cid
Rocio Vargas
Alexander Vera
Professor
Andrés Hunter
Concepción, 2016

2. Introduction
Nowadays the English language is a necessary language to manage
ourselves in a society which is constantly changing accordingly with the
technology, medicine, politics and economy. One of the many advantages of the
speaking skill is the socialization of the language, with a speaking task all the
members of a language class can produce, practice and participate; even if they
have a low base on English. Another advantage, is the spontaneous act of speak,
what brings to the teacher the opportunity to save up time at the time to assess a
speaking task. According to Luoma (2004), the pronunciation and fluency are not
the only aspects or criteria to assess in a speaking task, always considering that
we are not assessing native speakers because our job is to assess students
acquiring a foreign language. Grammar and syntax can be assessing in a speaking
task too, but most of the teacher let this two criteria to the writing tasks. The
objective of this assignment is to expose the importance to know how correctly
assess a speaking task with different criteria and objectives, and even learn how
important is the modification and adaptation of the materials, ads, instructions and
rubrics.

3. Speaking Task
Warm up.
To start this speaking task, I want you to introduce yourselves with your
name, age, family members, hobby and preferences. You have plenty of time, feel
relax and try to speak with confidence.
Discussion.
1. Look at the two following pictures. In pairs, discuss and get to an agreement of
which workspace is the best in terms of using technology, comforting and
organization. (student A, Student B).
2. According to the unit “Technology” viewed in class. Individually, choose one
technological device and describe it. Why would you choose that one? Give
reasons.
3. Student A and student B
Look at the same pictures for 10 seconds. You and your brother are invited
to your friend’s birthday next weekend, he really likes using technology, and you

4. and your brother are guessing which of the two working stations more close to your
friend’s profile is. You have to get to an agreement on a gift. Which of these
desktops represent more your friend’s personality? Which technological device in
the picture that you have chosen will be the present to your friend? You must get
to an agreement; decide one option for your friend. You have 3 minutes max.
Wind-Down.
To conclude this speaking task, expose your opinion about your experience
during this task. In your opinion, which were your strengthen and weaknesses at
the moment of speak? Do you think you make any mistake in this task? Which one
and why?
Finally, tell us what are you going to do finishing this task? Now give your
classmate a handshake in sign of gratitude because of his or her participation.

5. Task 1 Rubric
GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT: 1
Content task
oriented
The student covers all the
questions related to the
topic successfully
accomplishing the task.
The student did not
covers all the
requirements needed but
is enough to complete the
task.
Irrelevant content. Student
did not complete the task.
Pronunciation
(x2)
The Student’s pronunciation
is clear, few mistakes.
Proper intonation and stress
patterns.
The student’s
pronunciation is
sometimes correct, with
frequent errors. However,
this did not affect the
completion of the task
The student’s pronunciation
is rarely. Difficult to
understand.
Vocabulary The student uses the
vocabulary appropriately.
Great use of collocations
and adjectives. Accurate
Grammar.
The student uses a
limited range of
vocabulary and
expressions. Basic
Grammar structures.
Basic Vocabulary and
Grammar structures with
frequent errors.
Organization
of ideas
The student organizes its
ideas properly. Good use of
connectors.
Most ideas are well
organized. Simple
sentences, few
connectors.
Lack of organization. Lack
of connectors. Too many
mistakes.
Turn taking
and teamwork.
Student is eager to speak.
Moreover lets the other
candidate develop its ideas
as well. Good interaction.
Fluent conversation
between classmates.
Student respect its
partner turn. Adequate
interaction between the
students.
Student shows little respect
for its classmate turn. Bad
interactions.

6. Task 2 Rubric
GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT: 1
Content task
oriented
The student covers
all the questions
related to the topic
successfully
accomplishing the
task.
The student did not
covers all the
requirements needed
but is enough to
complete the task.
Irrelevant content. Student
did not complete the task.
Pronunciation
(x2)
The Student’s
pronunciation is
clear, few
mistakes. Proper
intonation and
stress patterns.
The student’s
pronunciation is
sometimes correct, with
frequent errors.
However, this did not
affect the completion of
the task
The student’s pronunciation
is rarely. Difficult to
understand.
Vocabulary The student uses
the vocabulary
appropriately.
Great use of
collocations and
adjectives.
Accurate Grammar.
The student uses a
limited range of
vocabulary and
expressions. Basic
Grammar structures.
Basic Vocabulary and
Grammar structures with
frequent errors.
Fluency
(x2)
Student is able to
keep flow of
language with low
hesitation.
Some hesitation and
short pauses,
sometimes speech are
disconnected.
Not connected speech. Not
easy not follow.
Organization of
ideas
The student
organizes its ideas
properly. Good use
of connectors.
Most ideas are well
organized. Simple
sentences, few
connectors.
Lack of organization. Lack of
connectors. Too many
mistakes.

7. Task 3 Rubric
GOOD: 5 ADEQUATE: 3 NEEDS
IMPROVEMENT: 1
Content task
oriented
The student covers all the
questions related to the
topic successfully
accomplishing the task.
The student did not
covers all the
requirements needed but
is enough to complete the
task.
Irrelevant content. Student
did not complete the task.
Pronunciation
(x2)
The Student’s pronunciation
is clear, few mistakes.
Proper intonation and stress
patterns.
The student’s
pronunciation is
sometimes correct, with
frequent errors. However,
this did not affect the
completion of the task
The student’s pronunciation
is rarely. Difficult to
understand.
Vocabulary The student uses the
vocabulary appropriately.
Great use of collocations
and adjectives. Accurate
Grammar.
The student uses a
limited range of
vocabulary and
expressions. Basic
Grammar structures.
Basic Vocabulary and
Grammar structures with
frequent errors.
Organization
of ideas
The student organizes its
ideas properly. Good use of
connectors.
Most ideas are well
organized. Simple
sentences, few
connectors.
Lack of organization. Lack
of connectors. Too many
mistakes.
Turn taking
and teamwork.
Student is eager to speak.
Moreover lets the other
candidate develop its ideas
as well. Good interaction.
Fluent conversation
between classmates.
Student respect its
partner turn. Adequate
interaction between the
students.
Student shows little respect
for its classmate turn. Bad
interactions.

8. Luoma’s Specifications(2004).
● The test purpose: The objective of the test is to assess the oral skills of the
students by describing, reasoning and coming to agreements.
● Description of the examinees: Two students from second year of High
school.
● Test level: Basic/Intermediate.
● Definition of construct: Communicative approach.
● Description of suitable language course or textbook: Taking from Planes y
Programas….(EXPLICITAR PAGINA Y UNIDAD)
● Number of sections/papers: Two sections.
● Time for each section/paper: Task one: 3-6 minutes, second task: 2-5
minutes each student.

9. ● Weighting for each section/paper: Both sections have 15 points. The task
has a total of 30 points.
● Target language situation: In the first picture students have to get to an
agreement to which workplace they think that is the best in terms of using
technology. Students will use adjectives, tenses and vocabulary related to
unit under assess. The second task is individual. They have to choose one
technological device and explain how it works and why he/she choose that
instead of the others. Hence, they must use adjectives and vocabulary
related to unit.
● Text types: Pictures.
● Text length: Two images for each pair of students.
● Language skills to be tested: Speaking.
● Language elements to be tested: task 1(content task oriented,
pronunciation, use of vocabulary, fluency, organization of ideas, turn taking
and teamwork), task 2 (content task oriented, pronunciation, use of
vocabulary, fluency, organization of ideas).

10. ● Test tasks: In the first task students have to describe the pictures in pairs
and get to an agreement of which workspace is the best for them. In the
second task each student has to think in one technological device and give
reasons explaining why he or she would choose that device instead of the
others in the picture given by the assessor.
● Test methods: First and foremost students will be assessed in pairs while
they describe the pictures to get to an agreement as it is explained in the
first task. In the second task, pupils will be assessed individually; meanwhile
each student will think in technological device. The students will explain why
they would choose that device instead the ones given by the teacher.

11. After Pilot notes
TASK 1
First of all, one of the students asked the assessor to read the instructions
again. However, the two pupils were successfully able to accomplish the task
within the established period of time.
Further, Student B showed a great performance, while Student A had some
troubles organizing its ideas. At any rate, both students showed a great teamwork
that help disguising the lack of knowledge that Student A had.
Finally, both candidates did not show any problem when understanding the
task. Even when Student B showed more knowledge, the two pupils were really
good fulfilling the task.
TASK 2
To begin with, both students asked for clarification. The candidates did not
know how many reasons they should give to fulfill the task. As a result of that, the
assessor had to tell them to give 3 reasons.
As in the first task, Student B showed a better performance than Student A.
Student A completed the task with little trouble. However, both students were
above the standard level of normal high school students in this country.

12. At last but not the least, the criteria and descriptors of both rubrics proved to
be relevant, and covered all the aspects present in the development of the
assignment.
TASK 3
Students did not understand perfectly what they have to do. They expressed
that the instructions for the activity were too long. Student B showed a better
performance than Student A. Student A completed the task with less difficulty than
in the task 2. However, both students fit in standard level of normal high school
students in Chile.

13. Task after pilot
Warm up.
To start this speaking task, I want you to introduce yourselves with
your name, age, family members, hobby and preferences. You have plenty
of time, feel relax and try to speak with confidence.
1) Look at the pictures. In pairs, discuss and get to an agreement of which
workspace is the best in terms of using technology. (student A, Student B)
2) Individually, choose one technological device from the picture that you
choose and describe it. Why would you choose that one? Give 3 reasons.
3) Look at the same pictures for 10 seconds. You and your brother are invited
to your friend’s birthday next weekend, he really likes using technology. You
have to get to an agreement on a gift, a technological device. You must get to
an agreement; decide one option for your friend. You have 3 minutes max.
Wind down
To conclude this speaking task, expose your opinion about your experience
during this task. Finally, tell us what are you going to do finishing this task? Now
give your classmate a handshake in sign of gratitude because of his or her
participation.

14. References
Luoma, S. (2004).Assessing Speaking. Cambridge University Press, United
Kingdom.
Ministerio de Educación de Chile. (2013) Bases Curriculares 7° y 8° básico - 1° y
2° medio, Ministerio de Educación.