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[Talkdoc]

Hi Millie:

Aside from the use of proper speech, what "communicative abilities" would be more meaningful in testing students in a class on oral English?

You are correct that these criteria do not factor in the ability to communicate with, for example, the use of mime (which, actually, I've become quite skilled at) or graphic illustrations; nor do they account for the ability to eventually, over time, communicate approximate meaning through improper speech.

My goal here is not to find a creative way to pass everyone (nor is that even an option). But to devise some fair and reliable method for discriminating English speaking and listening abilities between students. Altering the criteria only for the lower ability students would seem to defeat that purpose and reducing the criteria to reflect "communicative ability," aside from speech, would fail to successfully discriminate between anyone (assuming none of the students were deaf, blind and mute).

One very simple way of adjusting for the differences in the testing populations (between IELTS and university students) is to "curve" the results either using a Band 5 as an "A" (as I had previously suggested) or setting the performance level of the top ten percent of the students as the benchmark for an A.

Although all of this, in my particular case, is somewhat academic because I am fairly certain my university converts all grades to a "Pass" or "Fail" with a "60" as the lowest possible passing grade. So all that is actually required of me is some method for determining what constitutes a passing score in an oral English class for university juniors. Between you and me, the grading criteria I have submitted are far more for the university administrators than they are for my benefit in determining a simple Pass or Fail (notwithstanding whatever bragging rights the "A" students might enjoy from knowing they had earned an "A" prior to conversion). Truth be told, if the students have attended regularly, have attempted to speak even a little, have answered direct questions with something other than "dui bu qi, bu dong," and are willing to take the time to practice their topics so I can comprehend most of what they say - they will pass. The students who showed up only once during the semester, to turn in their topics, and who speak English the way I speak Chinese (professional miming abilities notwithstanding) will most definitely fail - and the university president's decree of a minimum five-percent fail rate will more than be satisfied.

Doc

[Twisting in the Wind]

[tarzaninchina]

Good ideas that I have used before, but this is what I'll be doing this year (assuming my voice returns sometime in the next 2 weeks).

I'm teaching first year college students and they're very honest and in most cases, I'm their first foreign teacher! Anyway...we've talked a lot this term and this is what I've accomplished:

- separating reason from culture (i.e. culture isn't always the reason)
- not saying "no why"
- being comfortable in saying things even with mistakes
- knowing something very interesting and new will always happen in-class

What they've responded with are

- teach us things to catch-up with students at the big-name uni's
- help build our confidence levels in speaking English
- let us talk about some interesting things and our ideas about them

What I've done:

- tongue twsiters
- a few pronunciation drills for difficult sounds, like 'th' and 'usually'
- vocab expansion for different topics
- situations and comparing cultural responses
- a few typical conversations (only a few) to get their feet wet in talking with foreigners and what not

What I'll do for the January exams:

- show "Surviving Christmas"
- spend the next class letting them discuss the topics about Christmas presented in that movie without any Chinese
- marks based on participation and use of previously-acquired knowledge

What I'll do next term:

- discuss topics of interest (try track 10 of Kenny G's Christmas album for Auld Lang Syne, lotsa good quotations!)
- spend half of each class after May Day teaching them the NATO English-equivalency to practice tone, pronunciation, fluency, and vocab-building

Final Exam:
- part participation, part reciting the NATO thing (with q's about word meanings)

That should just about do it!

[millie]

Hello TalkDoc,

I have been away for a few days so sorry for the late follow-up.

I think you may have misunderstood “communicative ability” in this context. It does not reduce to the ability to mime or act out words; rather it relates to the ability to get the message through using mostly the devices of spoken language.

As an example, to ask where the post office is, a learner might say:
“Could you find it within the kindness of your heart to direct me to the approximate location of the nearest post office?”
Well, it is all very polite if a little unusual in some respects.
Then compare with:
“Please, where is place for buy stamp … letter?”
Clearly there are a multitude of errors in the second example but the message gets through probably not much less effectively than the first example. Thus high communicative ability despite poor grammar and vocab.

Another non-verbal part of “communicative ability” would be the confidence that the speaker displays in addition to the skill they have in re-phrasing so as to by-pass vocab and grammar deficiencies. It is actually an important part of any learner’s repertoire.

The other problem with IELTS Oral for your situation is that the test covers a very much broader range than the Ss you have. Additionally, it will not discriminate especially well between low level learners in the time you have available.

Given that you have are familiar with some oral IELTS books, I might suggest that you have a close look at the part I questions which relate mostly to personal information and feelings as well as some quite familiar subjects. You might find it very useful to put together a list of these questions (50 or so?) in groups, to present in the exam. Randomise for each speaker. You can make a decision whether you will give prior knowledge of the exact questions or just the general range of questions.

Then you might ask the Ss to speak for (say) one minute on a range of (5 or 10?) simple topics that you have given to all Ss beforehand. Again choose some of the simpler IELTS topics but from part II for this short presentation. You may or may not wish to consider a few simple follow-up questions depending on your time.

Happy testing
M

[Talkdoc]

[millie]

millie wrote:

Quote:

“Please, where is place for buy stamp … letter?” Clearly there are a multitude of errors in the second example but the message gets through probably not much less effectively than the first example. Thus high communicative ability despite poor grammar and vocab.

TalkDoc wrote:

[Talkdoc]

Millie - I am not administering the IELTS exam (if I was, your concerns would be partly justified); I am only using a rough adaptation of the assessment criteria which are applicable and useful for any level of student being tested in oral English (to the degree these criteria distinguish non-users from more advanced ones).

Cheers,

Doc

[millie]

Doc wrote

[Talkdoc]

[millie]

The 4 Assessment Criteria which you presented that I read are:

1) Fluency and Coherence (which includes the indicator “Organised relevant logical and cohesive response”)
2) Command of Vocabulary (which includes the indicator “Precision of Word Usage”)
3) Syntax (Sentence Structure and Grammar)
4) Pronunciation

Thus I wrote:

[Talkdoc]

[joe greene]

[Talkdoc]