Speaking,as a productive skill,is a priority for many foreign-language learners.They often evaluate their success in language learning on the basis of how much they feel they have improved in their spoken language pro...Speaking,as a productive skill,is a priority for many foreign-language learners.They often evaluate their success in language learning on the basis of how much they feel they have improved in their spoken language proficiency.Consequently,testing of oral skills has hardly been neglected in college English examination.The communicative testing theory in 1970s greatly influenced language testing,especially the oral tests.This essay briefly explores the theory of communicative language testing and discusses the methods of TOEFL oral test and college English oral test and proposes ways to the latter one for further improve ment.展开更多
English oral test aimsto provide a fair and valid measure of a testee'soral proficiency so asto give an accurate description of his/her oral communicative ability.This paper analysesthe validity and reliability of...English oral test aimsto provide a fair and valid measure of a testee'soral proficiency so asto give an accurate description of his/her oral communicative ability.This paper analysesthe validity and reliability of the college entrance English oral test paper of Guangdong province of 2005.In designing an oral test,in order to make the test reliable,the teacher should take the following factors into consideration:test content,test method,testees'mood,rating scales and rater characteristics.展开更多
To make oral test accurately reflect the actual English spoken ability of candidates and play its role in guiding and promoting the improvement of English learners in the teaching, we must ensure that the design of sc...To make oral test accurately reflect the actual English spoken ability of candidates and play its role in guiding and promoting the improvement of English learners in the teaching, we must ensure that the design of scientific questions, the feasibility and validity of judgments to make an accurate and fair measurement of testers' language ability.展开更多
Speaking is the main purpose and most important skill for second language learning.This paper reviews the important validity considerations in designing a test,such as face validity,content validity,on the basis of wh...Speaking is the main purpose and most important skill for second language learning.This paper reviews the important validity considerations in designing a test,such as face validity,content validity,on the basis of which the author analyzes the oral test paper for the postgraduate entrance interview in Shaanxi University of Technology,thus putting forward some methods to improve the test paper.展开更多
This paper intends to give a brief overview of oral English testing for non-English major students in Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) University, which is located in a minority autonomous province in the sou...This paper intends to give a brief overview of oral English testing for non-English major students in Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) University, which is located in a minority autonomous province in the southern part of P.R. China. It arises from the concrete problems facing Chinese teachers of English who feel troubled when offering an oral English test to an ever increasing number of non-English major students at the end of each semester. The frustration comes not only from the labor intensive and time consuming activity but also from the surrounding ethical issues of subjectivity by the teachers and of injustice to the students to give and receive fair marks. Moreover, there is a conflicting gap between the criteria used by the foreign native English speaking teachers and Chinese teachers of English because of their different cultural background and concept of testing. Nevertheless, an oral English test was designed and the procedures were devised, adopted, and administered to assess the student’s performance. The test and procedures, based on the national course syllabus for testing non-English majors, the level of attainment in oral English of the students, and the limited number of teaching personnel in the TCM University, utilized two different approaches. The native English speakers follow their own concept of devising formats of group testing procedures and assessment criteria forms highlighting communicative interaction. Meanwhile, the Chinese teachers of English emphasize individual rehearsed presentations and ask the student to follow up questions, to make further comment, and inquire about learning experience from the passage in order to make assessment and evaluation. Final student scores were calculated by combining daily participation of the student, the assessment foreign teacher, and the evaluation of Chinese teachers.展开更多
The purpose of this study was to investigate how washback effect of a reformed test influenced students'perspectives in their spoken English learning. This study was expected to enrich the existing literature in t...The purpose of this study was to investigate how washback effect of a reformed test influenced students'perspectives in their spoken English learning. This study was expected to enrich the existing literature in testing washback in English as a foreign language context.Findings indicate that the adding of oral part in achievement test does have a positive washback effect on students'learning. However, such a washback effect on students'learning is quite superficial and limited.展开更多
In 2004,Guangzhou Education Bureau introduced an English oral test into its existing Guangzhou Senior Secondary School Entrance Examination(hereafter,SSSEE)with the intention of shifting from grammar-based English tea...In 2004,Guangzhou Education Bureau introduced an English oral test into its existing Guangzhou Senior Secondary School Entrance Examination(hereafter,SSSEE)with the intention of shifting from grammar-based English teaching at junior secondary school to a communication-based teaching approach.This paper presents preliminary research findings related to the washback effects of the oral test on teaching.The data were collected via focus groups and questionnaires.The nature of the washback effects of the SSSEE English oral test is discussed from six dimensions.The study shows that washback is a complex phenomenon and it can be conceptualised via a multidimensional model.展开更多
Technical college students often commit different oral errors in their English learning. The type of students'spoken English errors is analyzed in this paper and the common errors are classified into four groups: ...Technical college students often commit different oral errors in their English learning. The type of students'spoken English errors is analyzed in this paper and the common errors are classified into four groups: phonological errors, lexical errors, grammatical errors and pragmatic errors. The result shows that lexical errors and grammatical errors are more common for learners from technical colleges.展开更多
The paper analyzes the characteristics of the spoken English class and proposes the suggestions to the teachers in term of how to design the spoken English class, organize and administrate the class and assess the lea...The paper analyzes the characteristics of the spoken English class and proposes the suggestions to the teachers in term of how to design the spoken English class, organize and administrate the class and assess the learners' oral English ability. The paper introduces the various classroom activities and how to conduct them in teachers' teaching process as well.展开更多
Low rating reliability has long been the primary concern in school-based oral English achievement tests. In this study, a computer-aided rating system （CARS） was developed to improve inter- and intra-rater reliabili...Low rating reliability has long been the primary concern in school-based oral English achievement tests. In this study, a computer-aided rating system （CARS） was developed to improve inter- and intra-rater reliability through the instantiation of rating criteria, task division and random distribution, on-line training, reliability verification and sound wave ＂reading＂ and ＂writing.＂ A rating experiment was conducted among six raters to compare intra- and inter-rater reliability between traditional rating and rating with CARS. At the end of each round of rating, a conference was held. Both quantitative an~ qualitative analyses show that CARS can significantly improve inter- and intra-rater reliability, mainly through helping raters use criteria more accurately and focus more attention on rating. In addition, the research has also shed light upon further study on improving rating reliability.展开更多
文摘Speaking,as a productive skill,is a priority for many foreign-language learners.They often evaluate their success in language learning on the basis of how much they feel they have improved in their spoken language proficiency.Consequently,testing of oral skills has hardly been neglected in college English examination.The communicative testing theory in 1970s greatly influenced language testing,especially the oral tests.This essay briefly explores the theory of communicative language testing and discusses the methods of TOEFL oral test and college English oral test and proposes ways to the latter one for further improve ment.
文摘English oral test aimsto provide a fair and valid measure of a testee'soral proficiency so asto give an accurate description of his/her oral communicative ability.This paper analysesthe validity and reliability of the college entrance English oral test paper of Guangdong province of 2005.In designing an oral test,in order to make the test reliable,the teacher should take the following factors into consideration:test content,test method,testees'mood,rating scales and rater characteristics.
文摘To make oral test accurately reflect the actual English spoken ability of candidates and play its role in guiding and promoting the improvement of English learners in the teaching, we must ensure that the design of scientific questions, the feasibility and validity of judgments to make an accurate and fair measurement of testers' language ability.
文摘Speaking is the main purpose and most important skill for second language learning.This paper reviews the important validity considerations in designing a test,such as face validity,content validity,on the basis of which the author analyzes the oral test paper for the postgraduate entrance interview in Shaanxi University of Technology,thus putting forward some methods to improve the test paper.
文摘This paper intends to give a brief overview of oral English testing for non-English major students in Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) University, which is located in a minority autonomous province in the southern part of P.R. China. It arises from the concrete problems facing Chinese teachers of English who feel troubled when offering an oral English test to an ever increasing number of non-English major students at the end of each semester. The frustration comes not only from the labor intensive and time consuming activity but also from the surrounding ethical issues of subjectivity by the teachers and of injustice to the students to give and receive fair marks. Moreover, there is a conflicting gap between the criteria used by the foreign native English speaking teachers and Chinese teachers of English because of their different cultural background and concept of testing. Nevertheless, an oral English test was designed and the procedures were devised, adopted, and administered to assess the student’s performance. The test and procedures, based on the national course syllabus for testing non-English majors, the level of attainment in oral English of the students, and the limited number of teaching personnel in the TCM University, utilized two different approaches. The native English speakers follow their own concept of devising formats of group testing procedures and assessment criteria forms highlighting communicative interaction. Meanwhile, the Chinese teachers of English emphasize individual rehearsed presentations and ask the student to follow up questions, to make further comment, and inquire about learning experience from the passage in order to make assessment and evaluation. Final student scores were calculated by combining daily participation of the student, the assessment foreign teacher, and the evaluation of Chinese teachers.
文摘The purpose of this study was to investigate how washback effect of a reformed test influenced students'perspectives in their spoken English learning. This study was expected to enrich the existing literature in testing washback in English as a foreign language context.Findings indicate that the adding of oral part in achievement test does have a positive washback effect on students'learning. However, such a washback effect on students'learning is quite superficial and limited.
文摘In 2004,Guangzhou Education Bureau introduced an English oral test into its existing Guangzhou Senior Secondary School Entrance Examination(hereafter,SSSEE)with the intention of shifting from grammar-based English teaching at junior secondary school to a communication-based teaching approach.This paper presents preliminary research findings related to the washback effects of the oral test on teaching.The data were collected via focus groups and questionnaires.The nature of the washback effects of the SSSEE English oral test is discussed from six dimensions.The study shows that washback is a complex phenomenon and it can be conceptualised via a multidimensional model.
文摘Technical college students often commit different oral errors in their English learning. The type of students'spoken English errors is analyzed in this paper and the common errors are classified into four groups: phonological errors, lexical errors, grammatical errors and pragmatic errors. The result shows that lexical errors and grammatical errors are more common for learners from technical colleges.
文摘The paper analyzes the characteristics of the spoken English class and proposes the suggestions to the teachers in term of how to design the spoken English class, organize and administrate the class and assess the learners' oral English ability. The paper introduces the various classroom activities and how to conduct them in teachers' teaching process as well.
文摘Low rating reliability has long been the primary concern in school-based oral English achievement tests. In this study, a computer-aided rating system （CARS） was developed to improve inter- and intra-rater reliability through the instantiation of rating criteria, task division and random distribution, on-line training, reliability verification and sound wave ＂reading＂ and ＂writing.＂ A rating experiment was conducted among six raters to compare intra- and inter-rater reliability between traditional rating and rating with CARS. At the end of each round of rating, a conference was held. Both quantitative an~ qualitative analyses show that CARS can significantly improve inter- and intra-rater reliability, mainly through helping raters use criteria more accurately and focus more attention on rating. In addition, the research has also shed light upon further study on improving rating reliability.
