Fergana state university philology and teaching languages

2.3 The evaluation of speaking skills development
The evaluation of speaking skills development is a complex and challenging task that requires a comprehensive and systematic approach. Speaking skills development involves various aspects of speech production and comprehension, such as phonological features, grammatical structures, vocabulary choice, discourse organization, communicative functions, social meaning, and paralinguistic devices. To evaluate speaking skills development effectively, teachers and testers need to consider the following factors:
- The purpose and context of the evaluation: Is it formative or summative? Is it for diagnostic, placement, or certification purposes? Is it for academic, professional, or social settings?
- The construct and criteria of speaking ability: What are the components and subskills of speaking ability? What are the standards and expectations for different levels of proficiency? How are they operationalized and measured?
- The methods and instruments of evaluation: What are the types of tasks and activities that elicit spoken performance? What are the formats and modes of delivery? What are the tools and procedures for rating and scoring?
- The validity and reliability of the evaluation: How well does the evaluation measure what it intends to measure? How consistent and accurate are the results across different raters, tasks, occasions, and contexts?
- The feedback and use of the evaluation: How is the evaluation information communicated to the learners and other stakeholders? How is it used to inform teaching and learning decisions, curriculum design, and policy making?
By addressing these factors, teachers and testers can design and implement more effective and appropriate evaluations of speaking skills development that can enhance learners' motivation, confidence, and performance in spoken communication.
Speaking is one of the most important skills in language learning, as it enables learners to communicate their thoughts, opinions, and emotions in real time. However, speaking is also one of the most challenging skills to develop and evaluate, as it involves many factors such as pronunciation, fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, grammar, discourse, and pragmatics. In this section, we will discuss some of the methods and criteria that can be used to assess speaking skills development in language learners.
One of the most common methods of evaluating speaking skills is through oral tests or interviews, where learners are asked to perform various tasks such as answering questions, describing pictures, narrating stories, giving opinions, or participating in dialogues. These tasks can be designed to elicit different types of speech, such as monologic (one-way) or dialogic (two-way), and to measure different aspects of speaking performance, such as complexity (the range and variety of language used), accuracy (the correctness of language use), and fluency (the smoothness and naturalness of speech). Oral tests can be conducted by teachers or examiners, who can use rubrics or scales to rate the learners' performance based on predefined criteria. Alternatively, oral tests can be recorded and rated by trained raters or by peers or self.
Another method of evaluating speaking skills is through portfolios or journals, where learners collect samples of their spoken output over a period of time. These samples can include audio or video recordings of their oral presentations, conversations, debates, podcasts, or other speaking activities. Portfolios or journals can provide a comprehensive and authentic record of the learners' speaking development, as they reflect their progress, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Learners can also use portfolios or journals to reflect on their own speaking performance and to identify areas for improvement. Portfolios or journals can be assessed by teachers or by peers or self.
A third method of evaluating speaking skills is through observation or feedback, where learners receive comments or suggestions on their speaking performance from various sources. These sources can include teachers, peers, native speakers, or online platforms. Observation or feedback can be given during or after the speaking activities, and can focus on different aspects of speaking performance such as pronunciation, fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, grammar, discourse, and pragmatics. Observation or feedback can help learners to become aware of their strengths and weaknesses in speaking skills development and to adjust their learning strategies accordingly.⁸
In conclusion, speaking skills development is a complex and dynamic process that requires constant practice and evaluation. There are various methods and criteria that can be used to assess speaking skills development in language learners. However, no single method or criterion can capture the full range of speaking abilities and competencies. Therefore, it is advisable to use a combination of methods and criteria that suit the purpose and context of the evaluation and that provide a balanced and comprehensive picture of the learners' speaking skills development.
One of the challenges of teaching and learning speaking skills is how to measure the progress and outcomes of the learners. Speaking skills development involves not only the acquisition of linguistic knowledge, such as vocabulary and grammar, but also the development of communicative competence, such as pronunciation, fluency, accuracy, and interaction. Therefore, the evaluation of speaking skills development should take into account both the linguistic and communicative aspects of speaking performance.
There are different methods and tools for evaluating speaking skills development, such as tests, portfolios, self-assessments, peer-assessments, and teacher observations. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the purpose, context, and criteria of the evaluation. For example, tests can provide a standardized and objective measure of speaking ability, but they may not reflect the authentic and dynamic nature of spoken communication. Portfolios can provide a comprehensive and personalized record of speaking progress and achievements, but they may require a lot of time and effort to compile and assess. Self-assessments can foster learner autonomy and awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses, but they may be influenced by subjective factors such as confidence and motivation. Peer-assessments can promote collaborative learning and peer feedback, but they may be affected by peer pressure and bias. Teacher observations can provide expert feedback and guidance, but they may not capture all the aspects and instances of speaking performance.
Therefore, the evaluation of speaking skills development should be based on a combination of different methods and tools that complement each other and provide a holistic picture of the learners' speaking abilities. The evaluation should also be aligned with the learning objectives, outcomes, and criteria that are clearly defined and communicated to the learners. The evaluation should also be conducted regularly and systematically throughout the learning process, not only at the end of a course or a unit. The evaluation should also be used as a formative tool to inform teaching and learning decisions, not only as a summative tool to measure achievement or proficiency levels. The evaluation should also be constructive and supportive, providing positive feedback and suggestions for improvement, not only negative criticism or grades.
One possible way to evaluate the development of speaking skills in a foreign language is to use a method called "shadowing". Shadowing is a technique where the learner listens to a native speaker's speech and tries to repeat it as closely as possible, mimicking the pronunciation, intonation, rhythm and stress of the speaker. Shadowing can help the learner improve their listening comprehension, fluency, accuracy and confidence in speaking. To evaluate the learner's progress using shadowing, the teacher can record the learner's speech and compare it with the original speech, using criteria such as intelligibility, accuracy, fluency and appropriateness. The teacher can also give feedback and suggestions for improvement based on the comparison. Shadowing is an unusual way to evaluate speaking skills development because it does not involve any interaction or communication with other speakers, but rather focuses on imitating a model of speech.⁹
One unusual way to evaluate speaking skills development is to use a game-based approach. This involves creating a fun and engaging scenario where learners have to use their speaking skills to complete a challenge or solve a problem. For example, learners could be divided into teams and given a role-play situation where they have to negotiate, persuade, or argue with each other. The teacher could observe and assess their performance based on criteria such as fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, pronunciation, and interaction. Alternatively, learners could play a digital game that requires them to use voice commands or chat with other players using their target language. The game could provide feedback and scores based on their speaking skills. This way, learners could practice and improve their speaking skills in a motivating and authentic context.