Turning Speaking Tasks Into Assessment Activities
Jerry Talandis Jr.
The presentation outlined a number of ways to bridge the theory of testing in English classes in Japan into practical applications that teachers can use to promote language acquisition through testing. Mr. Talandis argued that since testing in English classes in schools in Japan is a fact, then we as teachers should embrace that fact and use it to our advantage. By promoting positive washback, we can turn testing into a positive experience for the students by emphasising motivation, personalized feedback and use testing to diagnose problems in the classroom.
He outlined the qualities of a good test – Reliability, Validity and Practicality. When teachers create rubrics, the teacher should ensure that the test is actually focusing on what needs to be tested – either holistically or analytically. He then gave numerous examples of test evaluation forms and gave a number of suggestions for aiding in evaluation, such as recording speaking tests and having the students evaluate each other.
In conclusion, Mr. Talandis argued that testing is an art, not so much a science, so, being creative in testing is to be valued. There is a balance that must be struck between reliability, validity and practicality that teachers must be aware of when creating tests for the classroom.
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