ASSESSMENT OF ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR NON-MAJOR STUDENTS AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, VIETNAM

ASSESSMENT OF ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS FOR NON-MAJOR STUDENTS AT THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, VIETNAM

Nguyen Quoc Thuy

Lecturer of  Thai Nguyen University of Education,

Vietnam, Thai Nguyen

ABSTRACT

Today, the general trend of education is to develop learners' capacity. Assessment in education has also been changed in the direction from focusing on testing knowledge to assessing learners' abilities. In Thai Nguyen University of Education (TNUE), after a foreign language course, students' foreign language ability is assessed in all 4 skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This article discusses the process and steps to follow in the assessment of English speaking skills and gives some recommendations on the assessment of speaking skills for non-major English students at TNUE.

Keywords: assessment, speaking skill, language ability, education, learners' capacity.

1. Introduction

Along with the general trend of the world, Vietnamese education has recorded a shift from focusing on one-way knowledge and skills transmission to education towards developing learners' operational capacity. Evaluation activities in education have also had changes in the direction from focusing on testing knowledge (what learners can remember) to assessing competence (what learners can do and put into the practice).

At TNUE, students' foreign language ability is assessed in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the final exams of the English course. However, the assessment of speaking skills has always been considered the most difficult, just as Sari Luoma (2009) stated: “Speaking is also the most difficult language skill to assess reliably”. This difficulty is also mentioned by E.Y Holocsi (2022) “Speaking is an extremely difficult skill to test, as it is a skill far too complex to permit any reliable analysis”. In this article, we mention the process and steps to follow in the assessment of English speaking skills and give comments and some notes on the assessment of speaking skills in non-major English modules at TNUE.

2. Difficulties in assessing speaking skills

Speaking skills cause the most difficulties in teaching and assessment. It can be classified into three main groups of causes: the nature of the assessment of speaking skills, difficulties on the part of the teacher, and difficulties on the part of learners.

Firstly, speaking skill is difficult to accurately assess because this skill includes many linguistic factors such as phonetics, grammar, coherence…Emma Fox wrote about this as follows: “Speaking isn’t all about knowing the words, saying them correctly and putting them in the right order. And it doesn’t just ‘come naturally’. Speaking is inextricably linked with social norms and practices, which includes the ability to match up the right language with the appropriate non-verbal cues.” (Emma Fox (2019). Therefore, many linguistic aspects need to be examined when assessing speaking skills. The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) (Council of Europe (2011) gives the factors to be evaluated: the most important of which are range, accuracy, fluency, interaction, and coherence. Kitao & Kitao (1996) provide aspects of the assessment of speaking skills, which include grammar, pronunciation, fluency, content, organization, content, and vocabulary. The authors also assert that the scale depends on the speaking task of each section used for the test. The question-and-answer test for testing the learners' speaking response will have a different scale than the one that tests their ability to present a problem.

Secondly, the assessment of learners' speaking skills is also a problem that causes many difficulties for teachers due to a number of factors: 1) the subjectivity of the assessment of speaking skills: there is no only one true answer for the speaking test, so the evaluator needs to make a very objective, accurate judgment based on detailed criteria and in line with the assessment objectives. 2) Overcrowding due to students results in teachers not being able to have enough time to conduct a thorough assessment of each student in order to understand the speaking skill level.

Thirdly, the assessment of speaking skills encounters another obstacle from learners. The anxiety of students in the speaking test greatly affects the results of this skill test. Hembree, R. (1988) pointed out that exam anxiety is a major contributor to many negative outcomes, including psychological instability, poor academic performance, academic failure, and feelings of insecurity. Many students have the cognitive ability to do well on tests, but they may not have done well because of too high anxious levels on their tests.

3. Assessment of speaking skills in non-major English courses at TNUE

3.1. Factors to keep in mind to ensure the reliability and validity of the assessment process for speaking skills

There are some differences between the two language production skills: speaking and writing. Understanding the differences between them will make assessments more flexible and fair. C.A. Coombe, K.S. Folse, and N.J. Hubley (2007, p.111-133) have shown the differences between speaking and writing in the following table 1:

Table 1.

The differences between speaking and writing

Pronunciation is often considered one of the criteria for assessing speaking skills. However, it is difficult to give a standard concept in pronunciation because English, as well as other languages, has regional diversity. Moreover, the reality shows that most students who learn English as a foreign language have been taught pronunciation, but very few can speak it as standard as native speakers. Besides pronunciation, the diverse use of volume, intonation, speed of speech, pauses... also helps speakers to express better what they want to say. Therefore, when putting the pronunciation criterion into the assessment, it is possible to combine pronunciation ability and communication efficiency flexibly rather than focusing too much on one aspect.

Spoken grammar should be evaluated differently from written grammar. Sentences in writing are often complex sentences with tight structure and use linking words because the article will be read later without the writer present for further explanation or explanation. In speaking, the speaker mainly focuses on conveying the ideas to be said. The sentences used are usually simple sentences with connecting words like 'and,' 'or'…. Even if the speaker can use only short phrases such as noun phrases, verb phrases, or prepositional phrases and there are no verbs in the sentence, the conversation is still successful because it is a direct form of communication and the speaker speakers can use more intonation, attitude, facial expressions, ... to support communication.

Vocabulary in spoken words is also not quite the same as words in writing. When writing, writers often have time to refine and choose unique vocabulary. When speaking, to present a problem, the speaker often has to insert words or phrases to fill in the blanks, words for hesitation, chant, or repeat, ... to have time to think about what continues to say, for example: well, oh, yes, ... The ability to use these words fluently will contribute to the fluency of the speech. In casual speech, the natural and contextual use of simple common words must also be appreciated.

According to Arthur Hughes (1997, p.114), an accurate assessment of speaking ability is not easy, it requires a lot of effort and time. However, if we need a fair outcome to make an important decision, it is still worth the investment of time and effort.

3.2. The process of designing and implementing the test and assessment of speaking skills at TNUE

At TNUE, the Life-Intermediate A2-B1 book is used in 3 modules of the English program for non-major students. At the end of each module, students have to take tests to assess foreign language ability in 4 skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in VSTEP (Vietnamese Standardized Test of English Proficiency) format with the goal that students will achieve a B1 level after graduating. VSTEP is an English proficiency test according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework used in Vietnam (equivalent to levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 according to CEFR). This is the first English proficiency test developed by Vietnam in accordance with the strict English proficiency test construction process researched and introduced by ALTE (Association of European Language Testing). VSTEP is built to suit the learning and working needs of Vietnamese students, with some content about Vietnamese culture, economy, and society integrated into the test.

The testing process will become objective and accurate when the assessment satisfies the right purpose and reflects the learner's level. The assessment test must be easy to use in practice, reflect the results of the teaching and learning process, be transparent in terms of the test format and grading scale, and be highly confidential. According to C.A. Coombe, K.S. Folse, and N.J. Hubley (2007, p.111), it is recommended to choose the format of the speaking test that has a positive impact on the teaching and learning process and is close to the learners' real situations.

The speaking test for non-major English courses is built in the same format as the VSTEP speaking test. However, in module 1, the speaking test consists of only two parts: part 1- Social interaction and part 2- Discussion of solutions. Part 3 - Topic development is reduced in module 1 to match new students just getting used to the way of studying and taking exams at university. In modules 2 and 3, the speaking test is built with three full parts in accordance with the VSTEP format. The topics of the 1-2-3 exams are not only selected corresponding to the topics of the lessons in the Life-Intermediate A2-B1 book but also related to Vietnamese life and society.

The design of the test is an important first step in the assessment process of speaking skills. Dr. Jamie Dunlea , a senior researcher in the British Council (UK) Language Testing Research Group, said that behind the tests, the quality test must have a standard design called a technical description of the test. At that time, the exam questions must be designed in a way that is useful for learning activities, supporting teaching, and developing practical language skills instead of simply teaching for exam preparation (National Foreign Language Project 2020. (2017). A technical specification of the speaking test is prepared with input from all teachers through seminars. The specification will detail the characteristics of the test and list the requirements to be met by the sections of the specific speaking test, including information about time, content, question and answer formats, and evaluation criteria...

Table 2.

A detailed description of the parts of the speaking test

Here is a sample speaking test:

The design of a scale for an exam is also a very important step. The more detailed the scale, the better the assessment and the more reliable. Arthur Hughes (1997, p.113) has shown that the grading is only reliable and valid when the specific assessment and grading scale for each level and each criterion are given clearly and appropriately. All parts of the speaking test are scored, and each section is scored according to many small aspects of the speech, such as organization of content, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and pronunciation (see table 2). C.A. Coombe, K.S. Folse, N.J. Hubley (2007, p.83) affirmed that the grading method according to small criteria helps lecturers know the strengths and weaknesses of students, and it is easy for inexperienced examiners to grade. The scale is very clear and detailed, but this grading method is time-consuming due to having to score many small details. Here is a score sheet for English-speaking skills with a built-in partial scale:

The issue to pay attention to is the grading guide, especially the content criteria. This will make it easier for the examiners to grade, the accuracy of the assessment will be higher, and avoid a lot of differences between the examiners.

The way by which the exam is organized can affect the candidate's psychology, so to ensure fairness, this work must be carefully prepared before the exam. All candidates, examiners, and responsible people else must know in advance what and when they have to do it. Everything for the exam must be ready, including the exam room, waiting room, and support staff such as supervisors and assistants, ... The speaking test is conducted on the same day, along with the test of listening, reading, and writing skills in interlaced form. Students who test listening, reading, and writing skills in the morning will take the speaking test in the afternoon and vice versa. In an exam room, there usually are two examiners and one supervising. Students waiting for their turn to take the exam are arranged to sit in the exam waiting room, helping them to stabilize their psychology and prepare for their turn.

3.3. Some recommendations

- Training the examiners is also very important in the examination process. Arthur Hughes (1997, p.110) emphasized: "... the effectiveness of the criteria and grading scale depends on the training of the examiners". After being trained, the examiners must follow the correct steps and stick to the criteria and scale that have been given.

- A key factor in ensuring the reliability of the assessment of speaking skills is that a candidate must be evaluated by at least two examiners. This has been confirmed by the authors C.A. Coombe, K.S. Folse, and N.J. Hubley (2007, p.116): “ Since subjectivity is a major problem in marking speaking exams, a common solution is to use multiple raters. The more teachers you use, the more reliable a test score will be."

- The assessment must focus on language ability and should not be affected by other factors such as the form, dress, ... of the candidate. Interviews should be conducted in a quiet room with good soundproofing, especially when the candidate's speech is required to record. Teachers need to give students a sense of comfort before the exam. They can start with everyday questions such as weather, health, and hobbies... Teachers should not talk or explain when they ask the candidate because this will reduce the student's speaking time.

4. Conclusion

Testing and assessing skills, including speaking skills, are always the driving force to promote students' learning of foreign languages. Accurately assessing speaking skills is difficult because it is affected by many factors. The assessment must be carried out according to the correct process at many stages, such as designing the test, building the scale, compiling the exam questions, conducting the test, etc. Through testing and assessment, teachers can determine students' ability, level of knowledge acquisition, language skills, and problems that exist in their speaking skills. Thereby, teachers adjust and improve teaching methods, helping students solve the difficulties. Accurate assessment of speaking skills will promote students' learning motivation and help them self-assess their level of acquisition of skills of reception, interaction, language production, planning, and self-directed methods, practice, and consolidate knowledge.

References:

1. Council of Europe (2011). Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment Structured overview of all scales. http://ebcl.eu.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CEFR-all-scales-and-all-skills.pdf
2. C.A. Coombe, K.S. Folse, N.J. Hubley. (2007). A practical guide to Assessing English Language Learners. The University of Michigan Press.
3. E.Y. Holocsi. (2022). Fun Ways to Assess Speaking. TESOL connections. Keeping English professionals connected. http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolc/print/2022-09-01/4.html
4. Emma Fox. (2019). Advancing Learning: The challenges of speaking. Professional development. https://www.onestopenglish.com/professional-development/advancing-learning-the-challenges-of-speaking/557576.article
5. Hembree, R. (1988). Correlates, causes, effects, and treatment of test anxiety. Review of Educational Research, 58, 47-77.
6. Hughes Arthur (1997). Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.
7. Kitao, S. Kathleen; Kitao, Kenji. (1996). Testing Speaking. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED398261.pdf.
8. Luoma Sari (2009). Assessing Speaking. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521804876
9. National Foreign Language Project 2020. (2017). Testing and assessing foreign language ability is not just an exam. http://ngoainguquocgia.moet.gov.vn/kiem-tra-danh-gia-nang-luc-ngoai-ngu-khong-chi-la-thi-1709405.html