Exploring Differences Between Chinese and American EFL Teachers' Evaluations of Speech Performance

Abstract

This study explored whether American and Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers differ in their evaluations of student oral performance by examining the assessments of two groups of raters in an undergraduate speech competition. Each of the 21 contestants presented a 3-min prepared speech on a required topic, responded to a follow-up question, and gave a 1-min impromptu speech on a new topic. Three Chinese and three American EFL teachers rated the speech performances and recorded their comments for the individual contestants as well as for the contestants as a group. Immediately following the competition, the researcher interviewed the raters. The results revealed that American and Chinese EFL raters showed a high degree of agreement on the competition winners and the scores for the contestants. Qualitatively, however, the raters differed in their comments about the students' pronunciation, usage of English expressions, and speech delivery. The Chinese raters unanimously offered positive comments in these three areas, whereas the American raters gave varied and extensive critical comments. These results suggest a need for increased communication between Chinese and American EFL teachers, especially regarding their perceptions of what constitutes good English speech and their pedagogical priorities for oral English instruction.