Assessment in the CSWEProfessional Development Kit

Speaking

Developed by Marian Hargreaves for NEAS 2013 © NEAS Ltd 2014 1

© NEAS Ltd 2014 2

Aims of this workshop

• To consider issues specific to assessing speaking skills

• To develop skills in designing and developing assessment tasks for speaking skills for the CSWE

• To validate materials for a speaking assessment task

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Specific issues related to assessing speaking: the sections of this presentation

1. Designing the task2. Administering the task: issues relating to the

interlocutor3. Assessing the learner: issues relating to

rating/reliability

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1. Designing the task

• Requirements of the Learning Outcome need to be explicit

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CSWE 2 Module C LO 2 Participate in a spoken transaction for information/goods and services

1. Participate effectively in a spoken transaction to obtain information or goods and services.

2. Initiate transactional exchange or respond to opening appropriately.3. Request information or goods and services using questions or

statements - wh and yes/no questions.4. Explain requirements/needs.5. Respond to requests for information appropriately.6. Record relevant details.7. Use appropriate strategies.8. Close transactional exchange or respond to closing appropriately.9. Use appropriate vocabulary.10. Pronounce key vocabulary and formulaic expressions/utterances with

sufficient sound clarity and stress to be intelligible to the interlocutor.

Assessment criteria

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Designing the task cont.

• Opportunity to meet requirements• Context and motivation• Collaborative/non-collaborative speech acts• Comparability

Learner card 1You want information about English classes for yourself. You inquire at a local teaching centre.Ask about the following and write the information in the spaces provided.

Cost _______________________________________________________________________________________

Starting dates_______________________________________________________________________________

Class times _________________________________________________________________________________

Length _____________________________________________________________________________________

Class size __________________________________________________________________________________

Certificate __________________________________________________________________________________

Learner card 2You want information about English classes for yourself. You enquire at a local teaching centre.Ask for the information you need and write it on the lines below.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________7© NEAS Ltd 2014

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Designing the task cont.

• Planning and pre-teachingintegrated programpracticepeer-assessmentformative evaluationconstructive feedbackfamiliarity informal assessmentusing recording for pre-teaching and preparation

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2. Administering the task

• Interlocutors and raters/assessors• The Interlocutor– Who is an interlocutor?– What qualities and skills does an interlocutor

need? – What qualifications and experience does a

successful interlocutor need? – What are the responsibilities of an interlocutor?– General advice to interlocutors

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Administering the task cont.

• Recording– equipment: tape recorder or digital?– labelling– administration

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3. Assessing the learner

• Rating/reliabilityAssessment gridRaters – inter rater; intra-raterInterpretation and moderation

• Intelligibility

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Intelligibility: questions to consider:

• Difference recognisable/ intelligible?• Is there a scale of intelligibility?• How do you account for listener factors?– Familiarity– Sympathy– Interlocutor knowledge of the task/cues

• How do you identify sound clarity?• Does pausing and intonation only matter at CSWE 3?• How do you help less experienced teachers cope

with assessing pronunciation?

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Feedback

• An important part of the learning process• Written/verbal• Individual/group• Confidential• Security of materials for summative

assessment

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Activities

• Activity 1. Brainstorming• Activity 2. Build a bank of materials

(Preliminary and CSWE I)• Activity 3. Designing a task for CSWE II G2

Participate in a simple interview• Activity 4. Design a task for CSWE III C2

Negotiate a complex spoken exchange

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Reminder!

•Validity•Reliability•Practicality

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Resources and References

• City & Guilds, Guide to Interlocutors, 2008. www.cityandguilds.com

• Hargreaves, M. Professional Development Kit for Assessment Task Development, 2008.

• Yates, L. Pronunciation, professional development and assessment. Workshop presentation, 2010.

• Yates, L, Springall, J. Assessing Intelligibility, 2008.• CSWE II G2 Assessment Grid