Working with the Oral Exam in English Key Stage 8-10

1. Working with the Oral Exam in EnglishKey Stage 8-10 Lynell Chvala

2. Kviss!

3. Overview Part 1: • Issues of validity and reliability • Role of teacher, Role of examiner • Procedure • Spoken Production vs. Spoken Interaction Part 2: • Overview of descriptive criteria for oral skills • Suggested descriptive criteria (analytical) • Application of descriptive criteria

4. Part 1Reliability/Validity and Roles and Procedures

5. Issues of Validity • Validity • Assessment addresses the task/skill to be assessed • Spoken Production and Spoken Interaction • Content – relevant to LK06 • Genre – purpose, as defined in LK06

6. Issues of reliability • Reliability • the assessment would yield consistent results • same task would get same evaluation from a variety of examiners • Requires: • Use of the same evaluation criteria • Awareness of task validity • Training in what the different descriptors mean

7. A good Oral Exam should… • Test and evaluate the skills identified in LK06 • Provide a reliable assessment / grade to the pupil Should have a positive effect on teaching and learning throughout the years of the Key Stage

8. ”Rettningslinjer” – Procedure • Procedure should be predictabe and known (”fair”) • Up to 30 minutes per pupil – individual exam • In pairs or groups – up to XX minutes (see LK06) • Notes – • not to be evaluated • should be only used as support material (not to be read from) • ICT – • pupil’s repsonsibility to notify if and what type of equipment is needed in good time before the exam • the school is responsible to supply this to the degree that they are capable of doing so

9. ”Rettningslinjer” – Procedure (cont.) • Individual grades – • given to each pupil according to the criteria; informed individually and immediately (possible role of self-assessment) • Grade – • should reflect the degree to which the pupil has mastered the different levels of competency in LK06 • Rector/Principal • Responsible for sending in a list of grades signed by both the teacher and the examiner • ”Elever som trekker seg på selve eksamensdagen skal bli vurdert.”

10. Advantages of good Exam organization: • Involves teachers at all levels of the Key Stage • Descriptive criteria provides a framework for current level of mastery, as well as providing clear direction • Work in relation to the Oral Exam should develop pupil’s ability in spoken English over the 3 year Key Stage • Work over time allows for not just a description of what good Oral Skills are in LK06 but what they are in terms of the use of English in the ”real world”

11. Things to remember… • Clarity of the task (clearly defined purpose, form and audience) • Consistency– in procedure and information • Ample practice • Predictability (”fair”) • Self-assessment(should have opportunity to see/hear examples – both their own and from past years)

12. Common responsibilities: Teacher and Sensor • Positive atmosphere (lowering the affective filter) • Should not be interrupted during their presentation • Presentation should not take more than ½ the time available to ensure both spoken production and spoken interaction (responding to questions and discussion) • Each pupil should be included in the follow-up discussion

13. Teacher’s role: Creation of a task • Directly related to course content • Room for all pupils to reach their full potential (allowing for a range from reproduction of knowledge to critical and independent understanding) • Agree on the task together with the external examiner – it is your job to contact them (if they don’t hear from you, they should contact you) • Teacher/senor will get message re: exam a week before, enough time to discuss the exam task • Task must be connected to competence aims Criteria • Grading criteria should be given (together with the task)

14. Teacher’s role (cont.) Guidance to pupils • answer eventual questions • approval of basic ”problem stillinger” (pupil-centered – they decide how they will respond to the task and which level of competence they are aiming for) Information to the pupils • accepted hjelpemidler and use of ICT • timeframe for the presentation • what will happen in the discussion after the presentation • should get information on the different role of teacher and external examiner during the exam • should know the form of the exam – individual, group or pair – well in advance

15. Teacher’s role (cont.) Conversation with the pupil (during Exam) • pupil’s teacher has main responsibility • needs to be determined beforehand to what degree the external examiner will participate in this discussion Time • 30 minutes individual – group enough time to be able to ensure a valid assessment

16. Teacher Checklist – Information to pupils • Information to the pupils • accepted “hjelpemidler” • timeframe for the presentation • what will happen in the discussion after the presentation • should get information on the different roles of teacher and external examiner during the exam • should know the form of the exam – individual, group or pair – well in advance • Criteria description

17. External Examiner’s (Sensor’s) role: Task • Can suggest changes but must do so at the latest 2 days before the tasks is distributed • Approves the format of the exam • Disagreement on how the exam should be conducted should be referred to the rector of the examining school Notes/Records • should take notes during the exam which should be stored for up to one year after the exam. Grades • decides the grade together with the local teacher • If unable to come to a consensus, the external examiner decides • gives a grade based on the day’s performance • (sensor should not be informed of the pupil’s ”standpunktkarakter”)

18. 48 Hour Preparation Time • normally school days with mandatory attendance • opens for a wide variety of tasks • NO evaluation or teaching allowed; only guidance • Pupils should collect and use information from outside sources • should have been given experience/information on good sources for outside information in advance (Webquests)

19. Assessment: Involvement of Students Low Student Involvement (Tasks are assigned) Vs. High Student Involvement (Task proposals are submitted by pupils; task proposals are suggested by teachers and revised by pupils)

20. Oral Task – purpose of the assigned genre • Low: reproduction of course material / outside sources • Medium: use of course material / outside sources • High: analysis and evaluation of course material / outside sources

21. Bloom’s taxonomySource: http://www.officeport.com/edu/blooms.htm • Knowledge: define, list, memorize, name, recognize, recall, repeat, state. • Comprehension:describe, discuss, explain, express, identify, indicate, select, compare (personal experience) • Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret • Analysis: analyze, appraise, compare (two abstract ideas), contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine. • Synthesis: compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, plan, prepare, propose. • Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, defend, judge, predict, rate,, support, evaluate.

22. Oral Task – Checklist Genre of the Oral Task should: • clearly identifies the Purpose of the task by using a verb from LK06 (discuss, explain, describe or compare) • Form – either defines or leaves open to the students to define (if so, make sure they are given guidance) • Audience – audience is clearly identified, either by the task or by the pupils

23. Oral Task – Checklist Content of the Oral Task should: • be directly related to course content • allow room for all pupils to reach their full potential • depending on their own ambitions in relation to criteria descriptions • ideally not a reproduction of knowledge but an opportunity to show what they know and understand independently

24. Feedback to Pupils - Checklist • Be specific, in both the positiveand the critical • Be descriptive, rather than consist of a judgment alone • Offer alternatives or ask the learner to do so • Focus on the individual and not on a comparison with other pupils • Focus on the oral task not on the person • Discuss the final grade in relation to the given criteria

25. Part 2Criteria Descriptions and Application

26. Process from last time…

27. Overview of categories…

28. Common European Framework • Spoken Production • Productive Skills • Speaking, Writing • Spoken Interaction • Productive Skills • Speaking, Writing • Receptive Skills • Listening, Reading

29. Spoken Interaction Assessing • Spontaneous production of language • Reflects acquired language more than ”learned” language • Importance of strategic competence

30. Methods of Assessment (Scoring): Holistic • Holistic – general description of a grade level (also called ”global assessment”)

31. Methods of Assessment (Scoring): Analytical • Analytical– list of general criteria for a category of assignments of tasks (see Table in Workshop Materials)

32. Methods of Assessment (Scoring): Primary Trait • Primary Trait – specific criteria for one specific assignment

33. Connection between assessment methods:

34. Analytical Assessment – for Formative Assessment • Ipsative or value-added • Setting SMART targets • As a basis for teacher-pupil discussions

35. Setting Targets The SMART plan • S- Specific • M - Measurable • A - Achievable • R - Relevant • T - Time-related (include some deadlines, ”by___”)

36. Assessment of Oral Skills: Application/Practice

37. Samples • Sample 1 • Sample 2 • Sample 3 • Oral Exam 1 • Oral Exam 2

38. Sum-up: • Reliablity / Validity • Roles and Procedures • Criteria Description – Analytical Table • Application of Criteria

39. Thank you! It has been a pleasure! Good luck!