Oral assessment: the views of language teachers

Abstract

Summary The interviews were not planned primarily to provide comprehensive information on all the aspects of oral assessment at GCSE but more specifically to complement the results of the experimental study. Some Examination Groups are more frequently mentioned, partly because they were the groups with which these teachers happened to be familiar. In another part of the country, other Groups would have been more frequently used (NISEC, WJEC, LEAG or NEA). The interviews concentrated on the conversation test and the oral assessment criteria for this test. However, teachers also expressed opinions about other aspects of the oral examination. The main points to emerge are listed below. 1. Oral assessment in Modern Languages as a component of national examinations is perceived by the teachers interviewed as fraught with difficulties. Many of these, such as the organisation of the examination during school hours and on school premises, are of a practical nature. There are also criticisms of some tasks, althoug...