Pronunciation and the Assessment of Spoken Language

Abstract

The ACTFL Guidelines for foreign language proficiency, the dominant measure for assessing foreign language proficiency in the United States, describe ten different levels of proficiency.1 Although they are extensive and detailed, the guidelines are strikingly random in describing how pronunciation contributes to speaking proficiency. Four of the levels (Advanced Mid, Advanced Low, Intermediate High, and Novice Mid) do not mention pronunciation, while three others (Intermediate Mid and Low, Novice High) suggest that pronunciation may be important as evidence of L1 influence, and thus, it appears, lower levels of proficiency. Another level, Advanced High, mentions only ‘precise vocabulary and intonation’ (Breiner-Sanders et al., 2000: 15). Only at the top level, Superior, and the bottom, Novice Low, do descriptors suggest a significant contribution for pronunciation. Superior speakers are able to use suprasegmentals to support coherent discourse, while Novice Low speakers may be unintelligible due to poor pronunciation. The overall effect of this haphazard collection of descriptors suggests that pronunciation is relatively unimportant in determining speaking proficiency. Evidence of L1 influence (common in almost all adult learners) automatically places speakers below the advanced level, and being intelligible does not appear to be closely related to pronunci-ation. Yet any experienced teacher knows that L2 speakers can be both very advanced in most elements of speaking ability and still be unintelligible due to pronunciation errors.