How to Assess Speaking and Pronunciation

Topic 2: Assessing Speaking and Pronunciation

How to Assess

When assessing speaking activities, such as those in the chart in Topic 1, it is a good idea to use a rubric. A rubric, as you learned in Unit 2, Lesson 5, gives a description of a standard of quality for the criteria you want to assess. You can use a rubric for formative purposes (to guide your teaching), or for summative purposes (to track your students' progress). It is a good way to show students what they need to work on or why they received a certain score.

It can also be useful to audio record speaking activities and assessments. This will allow you (or your class) to spend more time judging each student or group. Posting audio or video recordings on a class website, for example, can be a good way to get students interested and involved.

Look at the first rubric on screen 4, 1. Rubric to Assess Conversations or Role-Plays. The criteria on this rubric deal with accuracy, fluency, appropriacy, and comprehensibility. Such a rubric could also include additional categories, such as creativity, organization of ideas, or body language. Eye contact with the class, for example, is an important part of giving a presentation and may be something your students should work on.

Look at the second rubric on screen 5, 2. Rubric for Self Assessment or Peer Assessment. Self and peer assessments can help students develop awareness. These examples show easy-to-use rubrics that can help students become more aware of their own and their classmates' strengths and weaknesses. This helps to develop learner autonomy.

Speaking often causes a lot of anxiety for students. To create a relaxed atmosphere for your students during any speaking assessment, try the following:

Ask warm-up questions before the assessment.

Make sure students are familiar with the type of activity.

Tell students in advance the criteria that they will be assessed on (you may want to give them a copy of the rubric you will use).