How to Test Speaking Skills in Japan

30 Part 1: Why should we bother with speaking tests? of inducing dread, your exams now promote positive attitudes towards English via the sense of achievement they provide Stu dents react favorably to your lessons because they know your tests are fair, consistent, and help them improve Fear of mistakes decreases as everyone realizes what a non-issue that is— they are too busy enjoying new found abilities Some students are con firming their interest in the language, while others are witness ing a sea change in their attitudes toward it As a result, they are expressing themselves more and more all the time As you witness their confidence growing, you feel amazed and renewed And who knew you could learn so much from your students? As you get more familiar with finer points of their linguistic output, your ability to provide clear and cogent feedback increases You’re feeling more accomplished as a teacher And, because your stu dents are expressing themselves more, you find yourself getting to know them better as people Hey, you know what? That feels really nice You’re reminded of why you became a teacher in the first place, and you start looking forward to your job whereas before you may have been struggling with it Having tasted some success, you discover hidden pools of energy and motivation to continue developing your practice in other areas You find your self seeking out other teaching resources, attending conferences just because, and getting active in the local chapter of a teacher’s organization Overall, you take great pride in knowing you have done your best to help your students learn You’ve done your job You’re part of the solution now… …and be the change Teachers who are dedicated to improving all aspects of their craft are essential if we’re to turn this negative EFL system in Japan around