Test-Takers’ Strategic Behaviors in Independent and Integrated Speaking Tasks

Abstract

This study investigated the strategic behaviors that test-takers reported using when responding to integrated and independent speaking tasks in an English oral proficiency test [the Speaking Section of the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language™ (TOEFL iBT)] and the relationship between test-takers’ strategic behaviors and their test scores. Each of 30 Chinese-speaking engineering students responded to two independent and four integrated speaking tasks and provided stimulated recalls about the strategies they used when performing each task. The integrated tasks elicited a wider variety of reported strategy use than did the independent tasks. Additionally, the integrated tasks were more alike with respect to reported strategy use than were the independent and integrated tasks. Overall, we found no relationship between the total number of reported strategic behaviors and total test scores, regardless of task type. Our finding that the more skills involved in a task, the greater the reported strategy use supports the inclusion of integrated tasks in oral proficiency tests. However, the relationships between strategy use, task type, and task performance are varied and complex.