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Developing Practical Speaking Tests for the Foreign Language Classroom: A Small Group Approach
Author(s) -
Robison Robert E.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1944-9720.1992.tb01132.x
Subject(s) - foreign language , mathematics education , class (philosophy) , language assessment , limiting , test (biology) , computer science , psychology , pedagogy , artificial intelligence , engineering , mechanical engineering , paleontology , biology
A major goal of foreign language learning is acquiring oral facility in the target language. Methods of instruction and testing must correlate with each other to achieve the goal. The Columbus Public Schools Level I Foreign Language Oral Assessment Project has created a systematic oral testing program, and the department is practicing with at least one strategy that can enable foreign language teachers to achieve the goal within a reasonable amount of class time. Foreign language classroom testing can be enhanced by limiting the paper‐and‐pencil portion of the test and by using a small‐group or team approach, so that the oral production of large numbers of students can be evaluated quickly and efficiently with brief, real‐life samples from the “universe” of tasks students have been asked to accomplish over the course of the week, unit, semester, or school year.