Assignment 3

Universidad Católica de la Santísima ConcepciónFacultad de Educación Departamento de Lenguas Language Assessment

Speaking test

Poulette Gutiérrez

Nataly Muñoz

Professor: Roxanna Correa

Concepción, 2014

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Task 1:

Get in pairs; you are going to see two pictures, each of you will have to describe one of it, (healthy, unhealthy, “junk food,” properties, when do you eat that kind of food “context”) give the most information that you can provide about the food.

Task 2:

With your partner, compare these two pictures in terms of similarities and differences. Use the vocabulary studied in class (qualifying adjectives, connectors, and adverbs)

(Provide 3 examples of similarities and 3 differences according to the pictures)

Task 3:

Which one of these two pictures do you prefer? Why? Discuss with your partner and give a final answer to the teacher. Use the most vocabulary studied in previous classes.

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Speaking test

Luoma’s Specifications

1. – Test’s Purpose: At the end of the lesson students will be able to describe different kinds of food, compare it according to its similarities and differences and discuss their opinion in order to reach a final agreement.

2. - Description of the examinees: This test will be applied to 1 st year students of English pedagogy at UCSC. The level of the students is intermediate since they have had English from kindergarten to now.

3. - Test level: Intermediate level.

4. - Definition of construct: The three tasks imply communicative actions. It is a communicative approach since students have to exchange opinions and ideas.

6. - Number of sections: This test has three sections.

7. - Time for each section: The three tasks will take a total of 20 minutes. The first and the second task will take a total of 6 minutes in total (3 minutes each student). The last task (number 3) will take a total of 8 minutes in total.

8. - Weighting for each section: The first task will have a score of 10 points; the second task will have a score of 24 points and the third task will have a score of 24 points. The Total score of the test is 58 points that will be tested individually.

9. - Target language situation: In the first task, students will have to describe the picture with the most information that they can provide using the previous knowledge they have (qualifying adjectives). In the second task, students will have to come up with similarities and differences of the food, using expressions such as “On one hand…on the other hand”; “Whereas/ While”; “At the left/At the right”; “As well as” among other ones studied in class (conjunctions of addition and replacement and conjunctions of comparison “and, also, in addition, not only … but also, moreover, further, besides”). In the third task students will have to express their opinion and choose a type of food they prefer, and then reach an agreement with their partner.

10. - Text type: Images.

11. - Text length: The first task has the same instruction for both students and two different pictures; one for each student. The second task has two instructions and two different pictures, one for each student. The third task has three instructions and the same two pictures for both students.

12. - Language skills to be tested: Speaking.

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13. - Language elements to be tested: The elements that we are going to asses are adjectives (qualifying adjectives), comparison conjunctions (“On one hand…on the other hand”; “Whereas/ While”; “At the left/At the right”; “As well as” among other ones studied in class), conjunctions of addition and replacement (“and, also, in addition, not only … but also, moreover, further, besides”), structure and fluency.

14. - Test tasks: In the first task student have to describe the picture with the most information that they can provide (e.g. healthy, unhealthy, color, texture, and any information related to the picture). In the second task, students have to compare both pictures giving its similarities and differences of the pictures. In the third task students have to express their preferences for one type of food and explain their choice. Then the students have to reach an agreement and present the final answer to the teacher.

15. - Test methods: Looking at pictures and answering according to the instructions.

16. - Rubrics: See rubrics

17. - Criteria for marking: Analytic rubric, checklist,

18. - Description of typical performance at each level: see rubrics on pages 6-7-8-9

19. - Description of what candidates at each level can do in the real world: See rubrics on page 10-11-12-13-14-15-16

20. - Sample papers: See piloting test on page 2

21. - Sample on students’ performance on task: See piloting test on page 17

Fulcher’ Specifications

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Task orientation Guided Closed Guided

Interactional relationship

Non-interactional Two ways Two ways

Goal orientation There is There is There is

Interlocutor status Balanced Balanced Balanced

Familiarity Balanced Balanced Balanced

Topic Types of food Types of food Types of food

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On one hand the first and third tasks are guided since students are presented with specific information to complete the tasks adding extra details. On the other hand, task 2 is closed since students have to complete the task using a specific structure given.

Task 2 and task 3 have a two ways interaction since students have to answer the task communicating with their partner. However, task 1 has a non-interactional relationship since students do not interact and they just describe the food aloud (monologue)

Since the tasks are communicative oriented all of them have a goal orientation.

The students and the teacher know each other, therefore; their interlocutor status and familiarity is balanced.

The topic of the three tasks is “types of food”.

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Rubrics

Task 1:

Does the student?... (2 points each)

Yes No

Use qualifing adjectives?

Describe the pictures clearly?

Has an appropriate pronunciation for intermediate level?

Stick to the topic?

Use a wide vocabulary to express ideas, such as connectors, adverbs and previous contents studied in class?

Total score: ____/10 points.

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Task 2:

Rubric 1

Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)

Acceptable(2 points)

Weak(1 point)

Content Content according to the topic

Good use of content with two or three mistakes

Content is good, but it contains more than four errors

Lack of content and/or too many errors

Use of vocabulary

Wide range of appropriate vocabulary with no mistakes

Some variety of vocabulary and a few mistakes

Many vocabulary errors

Too many vocabulary errors and/or lack of vocabulary

Pronunciation Clear understanding of ideas with no pronunciation errors

Some pronunciation errors but ideas are clear

Many pronunciation problems and ideas are difficult to understand

Too many pronunciation problems and understanding is impossible

Examples of similarities

Speaker provides three examples related to the pictures

Speaker provides two examples related to the pictures

Speaker provides just one example related to the pictures

Speaker does not provide any example related to the pictures

Examples of differences





Total score: ____ / 20 points

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Rubric 2 (specific information)


Yes No

Use conjunctions of addition and replacement“and, also, in addition, not only … but also, moreover, further, besides”.Use conjunctions of comparison“On one hand/On the other hand”, “In the same way…” etc.

Total score: ___/4 points.

Task 3:

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Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)


Weak(1 point)





Use of vocabulary


Some variety of vocabulary with a few mistakes







Choice Speaker chooses a picture and explain his/her decision properly

Speaker chooses a picture but the explanation of his/her choice has some errors

Speaker chooses a picture but the explanation of his/her choice is not clear enough

Speaker does not choose a picture and/or is not able to explain his/her decision

Discussion Speaker discusses with his/her partner and expresses his/her ideas properly

Speaker discusses with his/her partner but expresses his/her ideas with some errors

Speaker discusses with his/her partner but his/her ideas are not clear enough

Speaker does not discuss with his/her partner and/or is not able to express his/her ideas properly

Agreement Speaker reaches an agreement and explain his/her final opinion properly and with no mistakes

Speaker reaches an agreement and explain his/her final opinion with some mistakes

Speaker reaches an agreement but his/her final opinion is not clear to understand

Speaker does not reach an agreement and/or is not able to explain his/her final opinion properly

Rubric adapted from the book “A practical guide to assessing English language learning”

Total score: ____ / 24 points.

Piloting

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Task 1:

Student A


Yes No


X

Describe the pictures clearly? X

Has an appropriate pronunciation for intermediate level? X

Stick to the topic?

X


X

Total score: 10/10 points.

Student A gave a suitable answer using a wide vocabulary and a good organization of ideas, good pronunciation and fluent. Student A has had English since kindergarten until now, his first year of university. All his classes have been in English, therefore; he is involved and motivated with the language.

Student B

10


Yes No


X

Describe the pictures clearly? X

Has an appropriate pronunciation for intermediate level? X

Stick to the topic?

X


X

Total score: 6/10 points.

Student B had problems with pronunciation and vocabulary. His description was clear, but limited to basic language. Student B also has had English since kindergarten until now, however; the level of his English’ classes were not as well as the English classes of the Student A, therefore; the pronunciation of Student B was not an intermediate level.

Task 2:

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Student A

Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)


Weak(1 point)





Use of vocabulary



















Total score: 17 / 20 points

Student A provides good examples of differences and similarities of the pictures, although his presentation was not outstanding, the student provides an acceptable presentation for the level and shows no problems understanding the topic or hesitating at the moment of speaking. Good.

Student B

12

Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)


Weak(1 point)





Use of vocabulary



















Total score: 12 / 20 points

Student B shows no problems understanding the instructions, but many problems trying to explain the similarities and differences of the pictures. He shows many hesitation marks and not good pronunciation for the level.

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Rubric 2 (specific information)

Student A


Yes No

Use conjunctions of addition and replacement“and, also, in addition, not only … but also, moreover, further, besides”.

X

Use conjunctions of comparison“On one hand/On the other hand”, “In the same way…” etc.

X

Total score: 2 /4 points.

Student A uses conjunctions when it was appropriate, but even though was fluent and clear, does not provide conjunctions of comparisons.

Student B


Yes No

Use conjunctions of addition and replacement“and, also, in addition, not only … but also, moreover, further, besides”.

X

Use conjunctions of comparison“On one hand/On the other hand”, “In the same way…” etc.

X

Student B presents the same problems as student A, therefore; it can be expressed that the vocabulary thought in previous classes was not completely acquire by the students.

Task 3:

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Student A

Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)


Weak(1 point)





Use of vocabulary





















Rubric adapted from the book “A practical guide to assessing English language learning”

Student A presents a clear and fluent opinion about his choice, however express some minimal errors. He shows is command on the topic and a good pronunciation.

Total score: 19 / 24 points.

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Student B

Very good(4 points)

Good(3 points)


Weak(1 point)





Use of vocabulary





















Total score: 11 / 24 points.

Student B presents many errors and a very poor discussion. Even though he could express his choice, he is not able to reach a clear agreement.

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Both students present almost no problem understanding the tasks. On one hand, student A presents a better understanding of the topic and a wide vocabulary, on the other hand, student B shows some difficulties understanding tasks 1 due to his lack of vocabulary and study of previous contents that were thought in classes.

Task 1:

Get in pairs; you are going to see two pictures, each of you will have to describe one of it, (healthy, unhealthy, “junk food,” properties, when do you eat that kind of food “context” give the most information that you can provide about the food).

Task 2:

With your partner, compare these two pictures in terms of similarities and differences. (Provide 3 examples of similarities and 3 differences according to the pictures)

Task 3:

Which one of these two pictures do you prefer? Why? Discuss with your partner and give a final answer to the teacher.

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References

Coombe, C. A., Folse, K. S., & Hubley, N. J. (2007). A practical guide to assessing English language learners. University of Michigan Press/ESL.

Fulcher, G. (n.d) Language Testing Resources Website. Retrieved on June 6th, 2013 from http://languagetesting.info/

Luoma, S. (2004) Assessing Speaking. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdome.

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http://languagetesting.info/

Assignment 3

Education

task students

pictures task

task orientation

task number

fulcher specifications

students performance

test level

test tasks