How to Test Speaking Skills in Japan

Part 3 Three speaking test ideas

Chapter 7: Write & Perform a Conversation Chapter 8: Random Partner Conversation Chapter 9: Record & Transcribe a Conversation

I ’m quite keen in this book on promoting the idea that regular classroom language practice activities can be turned into tests by simply adding a feedback loop to them (Brown, 2013) Language practice task + Feedback loop = Assessment activity Approaching oral assessment like this opens up a world of creative possibilities for evaluating speaking skills in ways that closely match your context, course objectives, and teaching style However, this wide-open sense of possibility and choice can actually feel over whelming if you are at the beginning of your career or lack expe rience with oral assessment Language testing books are filled with all sorts of ideas, such as interviews (Genesee & Upshur, 1996), role plays (Hughes, 1989), picture descriptions (Underhill, 1987), peer and self-assessment (Brown, 2013), and even cloze speaking tests (Na tion, 2013) Each approach has its pros and cons, and it can be

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