1. SPEAKING TESTS IN THE CONTEXT OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

2. WHY SPEAKING? Skills have been a central focus in language teaching and there have been attempts to identify the microskills underlying the use of the four macroskills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking as a basis for syllabus design. Skills have been a central focus in language teaching and there have been attempts to identify the microskills underlying the use of the four macroskills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking as a basis for syllabus design. (Richards, 2003, p. 160)

3. ADVANTAGES Skills-based syllabuses have the advantage of focusing on performance in relation to specific tasks, and therefore provide a practical framework for designing courses and teaching materials. Skills-based syllabuses have the advantage of focusing on performance in relation to specific tasks, and therefore provide a practical framework for designing courses and teaching materials. (Richards, 2003, p. 161)

4. POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGES Skills-based syllabuses have been criticized on the following grounds: Skills-based syllabuses have been criticized on the following grounds: -There is no serious basis for determining skills. -They focus on discrete aspects of performance rather than on developing more global and integrated communicative skills. -(Richards, 2003, p. 161)

5. SPEAKING TEST Independent Task - 2 Speakers, 2 Questions

6. SPEAKING TEST What are the benefits of studying this course? Give examples to support your answer. (You have 15 seconds to prepare).

7. SPEAKING TEST What steps would you take to improve this course? Provide details to support your answer. (You have 15 seconds to prepare). What steps would you take to improve this course? Provide details to support your answer. (You have 15 seconds to prepare).

8. EVALUATION What criteria would you use to rate their speech? What criteria would you use to rate their speech?

9. ARTICLE FOR ANALYSIS Ockey, G., Koyama, K., Setoguchi, E., & Sun, A. (2015). The extent to which TOEFL iBT speaking scores are associated with performance on oral language tasks and oral ability components for Japanese university students. Language Testing, 32(1), 39-62. Ockey, G., Koyama, K., Setoguchi, E., & Sun, A. (2015). The extent to which TOEFL iBT speaking scores are associated with performance on oral language tasks and oral ability components for Japanese university students. Language Testing, 32(1), 39-62.

10. OVERVIEW Purpose was to discover how TOEFL speaking scores correlate with overall English speaking ability Purpose was to discover how TOEFL speaking scores correlate with overall English speaking ability Japanese university students – English majors in a Japanese university (sample size = 226) Japanese university students – English majors in a Japanese university (sample size = 226) TOEFL speaking scores are good overall indicators of academic oral ability, especially pronunciation, fluency and vocabulary/grammar TOEFL speaking scores are good overall indicators of academic oral ability, especially pronunciation, fluency and vocabulary/grammar

11. METHOD Participants were enrolled in the English department of a Japanese university specializing in foreign language study Participants were enrolled in the English department of a Japanese university specializing in foreign language study Students were from various regions of Japan (226 in total), 169 indicated they hoped to study abroad where English is the primary language Students were from various regions of Japan (226 in total), 169 indicated they hoped to study abroad where English is the primary language Test-takers have plenty of formal and informal exposure to English, most likely an ideal sample for this study Test-takers have plenty of formal and informal exposure to English, most likely an ideal sample for this study

12. MATERIALS/ PROCEDURE 3 university oral tasks 3 university oral tasks Group oral discussion Group oral discussion Picture and graph description Picture and graph description Oral presentation Oral presentation Purpose of these oral tasks is to provide an objective measure of academic oral proficiency Many institutions now rely on their own testing instruments

13. NEXT STEP Administer TOEFL speaking test (students were compensated for taking this portion of the test) Administer TOEFL speaking test (students were compensated for taking this portion of the test) To ensure high ethical standards, all students were allowed to opt out of this portion of the test (none chose to do so) To ensure high ethical standards, all students were allowed to opt out of this portion of the test (none chose to do so)

14. RATING CRITERIA Pronunciation Pronunciation Fluency Fluency Lexis/grammar Lexis/grammar Presentation delivery skill Presentation delivery skill Descriptive Skill (picture and graph description) Descriptive Skill (picture and graph description) Question answering (Oral presentation) Question answering (Oral presentation) Interactional competence: participation and smoothness of interaction, ability to sustain a discussion based on an assigned topic Interactional competence: participation and smoothness of interaction, ability to sustain a discussion based on an assigned topic

15. RESULTS Score reliability was estimated using the Cronbach Alpha formula. Score reliability was estimated using the Cronbach Alpha formula. Preparation was logged prior to TOEFL test, showing minimal impact on test results. Preparation was logged prior to TOEFL test, showing minimal impact on test results. Scores on interactional competence for group oral discussion and the picture and graph description tasks were “substantially less related to TOEFL iBT scores than pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary/grammar”. Scores on interactional competence for group oral discussion and the picture and graph description tasks were “substantially less related to TOEFL iBT scores than pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary/grammar”. Similar results for oral presentation task Similar results for oral presentation task

16. DISCUSSION Scores on the TOEFL speaking section may be more associated with unprepared than prepared tasks Scores on the TOEFL speaking section may be more associated with unprepared than prepared tasks Aim of TOEFL iBT is to “assess iBT oral ability to communicate immediately.” Aim of TOEFL iBT is to “assess iBT oral ability to communicate immediately.” “The findings suggest that TOEFL iBT speaking scores measure interactional competence, descriptive skill, and presentation delivery skill to a lesser extent than they do the oral ability components of pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary/grammar common to the three oral ability tasks.” “The findings suggest that TOEFL iBT speaking scores measure interactional competence, descriptive skill, and presentation delivery skill to a lesser extent than they do the oral ability components of pronunciation, fluency, and vocabulary/grammar common to the three oral ability tasks.” (Ockey, G., Koyama, K., Setoguchi, E., & Sun, A., 2015)

17. INTEGRATED SPEAKING TASK What are the main points or ideas of this video? What are the main points or ideas of this video? What are the main What are the main

18. 3 RD PARTY LANGUAGE TESTS – IMPLICATIONS FOR IMMIGRATION What third-party language tests will CIC accept as proof I have adequate knowledge of English or French when I apply for citizenship? A third-party test is a test done by an organization that is not CIC. We will accept third-party test results as proof of your language ability if it is from one of the following organizations: CELPIP General (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program General test) CELPIP General CELPIP General-LS - a two-skills (listening and speaking) version of the CELPIP General test CELPIP General-LS IELTS - General training - General training (International English Language Testing System) IELTS - General training Test d'Évaluation de Français (TEF) (in French) Test d'Évaluation de Français Test d'Évaluation de Français (TEFAQ) (in French) or TEF pour la naturalisation – a two-skills (listening and speaking) version of the TEF Test d'Évaluation de FrançaisTEF pour la naturalisation http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=572&t=5 http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=572&t=5 http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=572&t=5

19. REFERENCES Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A. S. (2010). Language Assessment in the real world. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A. S. (2010). Language Assessment in the real world. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bridgeman, B., Powers, D., Stone, E., & Mollaun, P. (2012). TOEFL iBT speaking test scores as indicators of oral communicative language proficiency. Language Testing, 29, 91–108. Bridgeman, B., Powers, D., Stone, E., & Mollaun, P. (2012). TOEFL iBT speaking test scores as indicators of oral communicative language proficiency. Language Testing, 29, 91–108. Hill, K., & Sabet, M. (2009). Dynamic speaking assessments. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect, 43, 537-545. Hill, K., & Sabet, M. (2009). Dynamic speaking assessments. TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect, 43, 537-545. Ockey, G., Koyama, K., Setoguchi, E., & Sun, A. (2015). The extent to which TOEFL iBT speaking scores are associated with performance on oral language tasks and oral ability components for Japanese university students. Language Testing, 32(1), 39-62. Ockey, G., Koyama, K., Setoguchi, E., & Sun, A. (2015). The extent to which TOEFL iBT speaking scores are associated with performance on oral language tasks and oral ability components for Japanese university students. Language Testing, 32(1), 39-62.

20. YOUTUBE VIDEOS Dr Richards – Communicative Language Teaching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwMii_YtEOw Cambridge TV – Measurement https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnXqRankqlC47qzXcYMazKA

21. LINKS Main article http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/pdf /02655322/v32i0001/39_tetwtiacfjus.xml http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.proxy.bib.uottawa.ca/pdf /02655322/v32i0001/39_tetwtiacfjus.xml