TESTING SPEAKING AND VOCABULARY

1. TESTING SPEAKING AND VOCABULARY • Testing is not only getting marks but it is also used as a feedback. It gives teachers important information concerning their teaching methods and whether the students mastered everything.

2. TESTING SPEAKING • Testing the ability to speak is a most important aspect of language testing. • However, it is an extremely difficult skill to test because this kind of testing is subjective. • The teacher is working under great pressure, making subjective judgements as quickly as possible. • Frequently, it is also impossible to test large number of students because of the time limits.

3. Types of oral tests • reading aloud • conversation/discussion • describing pictures • interview • role-play • question and answer • giving instructions/description/explanation • re-telling a story

4. Reading aloud • The student is given a short time to glance through an extract before being required to read it aloud. • This kind of testing is used when we want to assess pronunciation. • It is good to use situations which can occur in real life – how to cook certain dishes or to read aloud part of a letter.

5. Conversation/discussion • The result of the interaction between people that are involved in a kind of negotiation. • Not only the words but also tone of voice, intonation, expressions of face and body language contribute to this negotiation. • Testing in pairs is better for students. They are more relaxed and less stressed.

6. Possible themes • likes and dislikes • social situations • real-life situations • conversations based on everyday situations (restaurant, shopping, etc.)

7. Describing pictures • The students are given a picture to study for a few minutes. Then they are asked to describe it. • Careful selection of the pictures helps in controlling the basic vocabulary. • The pictures can also depict a story or sequence of events. • This sequence of events can be cut into pieces and the students are asked to put them in the correct order.

8. Describing pictures • We can use similar pictures – the students are asked to find the differences • A cartoon can be also used – we delete the text in bubbles and the students try to reconstruct the story • Maps can be used to teach directions

9. Interview • A direct, face-to-face exchange between learner and interviewer. • It follows a pre-determined structure but still allow both people a degree of freedom to say what they think. • We should not interrupt the student while speaking when he or she makes mistakes. If we do it can discourage him or her from speaking.

10. Role-play • The task is to take on a particular role and to imagine us in that role in a particular situation. • The student is given a set of instructions that explain exactly what he is supposed to do. Imagine you are a foreign tourist in Britain, and you want to visit Edinburgh. You are talking to a travel agent. Find out how to get there. Make your own decision about how to travel.

11. Question and answer • This is a very common general-purpose test technique. • It is really good for lower levels. • Asking and answering questions are the two most basic functions of a foreign language.

12. Question and answer • It starts with short simple questions (Where do you live?)and goes on to long and complex sentences (If you hadn't been taking this test this morning, what would you have been doing instead?). • We can use factual questions or we can require some imagination (You've just inherited a few hundred pounds. What will you do with the money?).

13. Types of questions • yes/no questions • either/or questions • simple factual questions • descriptive questions • narrative questions • speculative questions • hypothetical questions • justification or opinion questions

14. Giving instructions/description/explanation • We can choose something that is familiar to everybody and let the students describe it. • The students are given the list of between five or seven topics to choose from and a few minutes to prepare it.

15. Giving instructions/description/explanation • How do you make a good cup of tea or coffee? • Describe a bicycle. • Describe how to prepare a favourite dish from your country. • Give instructions for using a public pay-phone. • Explain how you would advise someone to look for a job. • Describe how people in your country celebrate the New Year. • How does the education system work in your country?

16. Re-telling a story • The students read series of short passages to themselves then they are asked to re-tell it in their own words.

17. TESTING VOCABULARY • We test the vocabulary that had been already explained and practised. • Grammatical structures used in these kinds of tests should be simple. If the students do not understand grammatical structures they will not solve the test correctly, even if they understand its vocabulary.

18. Types of tests • Synonyms • Definitions • Gap filling • Set of words • Word formation • Guessing the meaning from the context

19. Synonyms • We choose words with a similar meaning but the usage is different (different context). Choose the alternative which is closest in meaning to the word given: gleam A. gather B. shine C. welcome D. clean

20. loathe means A. dislike intensely B. become seriously ill C. search carefully D. look very angry A ……….. is a person who looks after our teeth. ………….. is frozen water. ………….. is the second month of the year. Definitions

21. Gap filling • with multiple choice The strong wind …………. the man´s efforts to put up the tent. A. disabled B. hampered C. deranged D. regaled

22. Gap filling • fill in the words according to the meaning of the sentence Because of the snow, the football match was ……….. until the following week. I …………. to have to tell you this, Mrs Jones, but your husband has had an accident.

23. Gap filling • words are offered above the text, there are gaps in the text to be completed A. completely C. busily E. quickly B. politely D. carefully F. angrily “Write …. “ the teacher shouted …. “but don't waste time. You must get used to working …. “. “Please, sir,“ a student said …., “I've finished.“ “No, you haven't,“ answer the teacher. “You haven't …. finished until you've ruled a line at the end.“ Meanwhile, the boy sitting next to him was …. engaged in drawing a map.

24. circle the word that does not fit dollaryenpoundmoney write down the subject that each group of words is related to bedroomliving roomkitchendining room Set of words

25. Word formation • write the correct form of the word in capital letters in the blank HONESTDarren says he didn't cheat, but I _________ don't know what to think.

26. Guessing the meaning from the context • 1) a synonym in another clause, for example: "Your explanation doesn't need to be so convoluted. Such complex explanations just confuse people." • 2) an antonym or contrasted word in another clause, for example: "May was indignant about the problem, and I had to calm her down."

27. Guessing the meaning from the context • 3) a cause or effect of the word in question, for example: "Pollution from that factory is contaminating the local farmers' fields." • 4) an illustration of the word in question, for example: "Jeff is so parsimonious that he won't spend a penny if he doesn't have to. "

28. Guessing the meaning from the context • 5) the use of an object, for example: "I used a pitter to remove the seeds from the cherries."

29. Duration of the test • It can be from three to thirty minutes but the most often length is between eight and twelve minutes. • An oral test at a higher level of language usually lasts longer than at a lower level. • The personality and background of the students also influence the length of their speech.

30. Instructions • Clear instructions are crucial for the whole procedure of the test. It is better to have written instructions so that everyone can easily become familiar with the test. • The instructions are given at the beginning of the test and should be read aloud. This ensures that the instructions will be read right to the end. It is also advisable to ask the students whether they understand the instructions.

31. Friendly things that we can do • Try to be human – testing is a direct meeting between two or more people. Present ourselves as an interested and friendly person. • Before the test: • use the student's name • describe the purpose of the test • mention the likely duration of the test

32. Friendly things that we can do • During the test: • say something about yourself, too (interests, experiences, opinion) • show that you want to talk to the student • At the end of the test: • announce the end • ask the student if he has any questions • give the result • thank him!

33. Features of a good test • Validity – it tests what is intended to be tested (if we want to test vocabulary the test has to test vocabulary) • Reliability – we can rely on the results of the test. If we give the same test to the same student the student must get the same (or very similar) results. The results can be better but not worse. • Practicality – the test should be easy to correct and interpret.

34. Features of a good test • The test should be so difficult that most students will manage it. • It has to be clear what the task is. • One item should not be tested more than once in the test.