Assessing Speaking
Current and Future Perspectives
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara [+–]
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
Vivien Berry [+–]
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
As demonstrated in Fulcher’s (2015) research timeline article on assessing second language speaking, research into speaking assessment has advanced rapidly in recent years. New ways of assessing speaking are now available due to stakeholder demands, construct expansion and technological advances. However, since Fulcher’s (2003) and Luoma’s (2004) books, published at the beginning of the 21st century, there has not been a book devoted to assessing speaking in a comprehensive manner, and therefore there is a need for such a book to cover current and future developments in speaking assessment.
Assessing Speaking provides a clear description and discussion on several emerging issues and their implications. The main emerging themes discussed are the relationship between the classroom and high-stakes oral testing, the expanding construct(s) of speaking tests, and the uses of technology in speaking assessment. Each section is focused on one of these three issues and starts with a short preface presenting an overview of the theme. Each chapter includes discussion of the literature of the specific aspect of L2 speaking assessment, presents empirical research on the topic with some examples while highlighting recent developments in research and practice in that aspect, and then identifies areas for future research.
Series: British Council Monographs on Modern Language Testing
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction [+–]
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
A concise introduction to the book including a brief description of how the research on L2 speaking assessment has evolved in recent years and why it was necessary to write this book. The authors also discuss rationales for selecting the themes included in this book.
Section 1: Current Perspectives
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 1 describes a range of classroom assessment practices in various educational contexts (e.g. School-based assessment in Hong Kong, KEPT in Japan) as well as learning-oriented approaches to language testing taken by international and national language examination boards (e.g. Cambridge English, Trinity, Eiken Foundation of Japan, Language Training and Testing Center in Taiwan).
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 2 discusses the use of Weir’s (2005) socio-cognitive framework to systematically guide speaking test development. It highlights the importance of a priori validation as an essential starting point of test development projects. It shows how a series of studies on context and cognitive validity can inform the development of test specifications. It also focuses on the development and validation of rating scales based on empirical evidence from test-takers’ output language, as well as describes different rating systems and their pros and cons. This chapter exemplifies some large-scale test development projects, such as Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) examinations, Eiken’s Test of English for Academic purposes (TEAP), and the British Council’s Aptis test. Chapter 2 also demonstrates how these tests, that addressed context and cognitive validity at the early test development phases rather than relying solely on a posteriori validation, can respond to the concept of ‘impact by design’, and contribute to building a bridge between large-scale high-stakes tests and classroom assessment, as discussed in Chapter 1.
Section 2: Changing Nature of the Construct
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 3 discusses how our understanding of interactional competence has advanced, following a proliferation of studies into paired and group oral tests.
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 4 deals with interactive speaking tests that are tapping into an interactive listening construct. The chapter shows the extent to which interactive speaking tests (e.g. the interview format, peer-peer format) are testing test-takers’ listening ability as well as speaking ability, and how interactive listening skills can be assessed through speaking tests. In both chapters, the authors discuss how rating scales and rating systems can cater for the assessment of interactional competence and interactive listening skills.
Section 3: Looking into the Future
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 5 describes how technology can be used not only to deliver semi-direct speaking tests, but also direct, face-to-face speaking tests. It refers to a series of IELTS research projects that explored the use of video-conferencing technology to conduct and deliver the IELTS Speaking test.
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
Chapter 6 discusses how technology can now be effectively used for enhancing scoring validity of tests, by minimizing potential unfairness to test-takers related to construct irrelevant variables such as rater severity, and by facilitating electronic transfers of recorded test performances and on-line rater standardization training. It also describes how technology can aid interlocutors’ test administration in face-to-face speaking tests (e.g. TEAP’s use of iPads to facilitate test administration) and how ratings of video-recorded performances compare to ratings of audio-recorded performances.
Conclusion
Ways Forward [+–]
University of Bedfordshire
Fumiyo Nakatsuhara is Reader in Language Assessment at CRELLA, University of Bedfordshire.
British Council
Vivien Berry is Senior Researcher in Language Assessment at the British Council.
This final chapter summarizes and synthesizes the different aspects of speaking assessment developments covered in this book, and discusses possible future trends in L2 speaking assessment and the areas of research that future studies need to address.
ISBN-13 (Hardback)
9780000000000
Price (Hardback)
£75.00 / $100.00
ISBN-13 (Paperback)
9780000000000
Price (Paperback)
£24.95 / $32.00
ISBN (eBook)
9780000000000
Price (eBook)
Individual
£24.95 / $32.00
Institutional
£75.00 / $100.00
£24.95 / $32.00
Institutional
£75.00 / $100.00
Publication
01/11/2021
Pages
224
Size
234 x 156mm
Readership
language testing professionals; students and scholars
Illustration
30 figures
