Re: oral assessment

It really depends on the students you wish to test.

I found, that video recording monologues, dialogues and roleplays
gave more lattitude in assessing oral performance BECAUSE it 
facilitates post assessment. 

The teacher can focus on directing the activity and then later, at
their leasure, assess a variety of criteria, one being general 
performance, perfomance rating within the group/class, and specific
linguistic ability for beg. int. adv. speaker level distinctions.

Young learners may find individual, one to one assessments 
particularly threatening. At the same time, keeping a class quiet 
while trying to assess individual performance is also excedingly 
difficult and divides the teacher's attention. One could argue 
that a fair and reasonable assessment may not be untirely possible.

Audio recording requires clear identification of the student. Use 
of a language lab facility may help with this, but I feel the 
sterile effect of language in isolation, separation via desks and 
technology, is a deterent to natural language proficiency.

With older learners, being able to watch their own performance and
compare against subsequent video recordings give excellent 
feedback not only on specific language performance, but also on 
personal growth and confidence within a group. It helps them to 
self-assess the reality of their own self-image. It also allows 
parents to 'see' their children in action.

As for assessment criteria, there are many available. The IELTS is
one, another is available in the New Interchange Passages Teacher's 
Resource Pack [an excellent intro training kit for new teachers] 
and of course as other's have stated, the many posts on this list 
with helpful advice.

One last note on the video approach, it may not really matter what 
criteria you use to group/grade/level assess your students, as far 
as the school management is concerned, but the impact that comes 
from being able to show two, or more, consecutive video performances
actively demonstrating improvement in your class, is fantastic. 

Regards,

Tsc Tempest DCA
__________________________
People's Republic of China
Zhuhai SEZ, Guang Dong


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