Oral language testing at tay nguyen university  (Page 17/53)

Reading aloud technique requires the test taker to read aloud to the tester, either a passage of text, or part of a dialogue in which the tester or another testee reads the other part. This technique may consist of reading scripted dialogue with someone else reading the other part, reading text with phonetic markers, reading sentences containing minimal pairs, spelling aloud, and reading from a table. (Underhill, 1987, p. 76-78)

Sentence transformation is the technique in which the test taker is given a stimulus sentence and is asked to orally transform it into a different grammatical pattern. This technique allows rapid testing of particular structural areas and an estimation of the test taker’s ability to correct himself. (Underhill, 1987, p. 84-85)

Sentence repetition technique is used in a test in which the test taker listens to a set of sentences or utterances, and then repeats them as accurately as possible. The technique may include repeating sentences of increasing length and repetition of sentences with specific language areas. (Underhill, 1987, p. 86-87)

Translating/interpreting technique involves the test taker’s target language translation of a short passage of a native-language familiar text. This technique may have such variations as translating in both directions, translating an unprepared passage, translating test in the language laboratory, and translating disconnected words or phrases. (Underhill, 1987, p. 79-81)

Sentence completion technique is associated with test context in which the test taker is asked to complete a series of sentences with the last few words missing from each. The technique may consist of using written tests, using gapfill to check discourse reference, text completion, using spoken cues, and completing a well-known saying. (Underhill, 1987, p. 81-83)

Sentence correction technique presents the test taker with a sentence containing an error. The test taker’s task is to identify the error and to correct it. The test taker can also be given a chance to correct his own errors. (Underhill, 1987, p. 84)

The four types of oral test/test task combined with different elicitation techniques are summarized in table 2.3 below.

Table 2.3: Oral Test Types and Elicitation Techniques

No test type as well as no single elicitation technique is said to be the best for an oral test task or an oral test as a whole, for each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. One elicitation technique may be suitable in a testing situation, but inappropriate in other ones. For example, reading aloud technique may be well used to measure elementary learners’ pronunciation, intonation and stress, but may be improperly used to measure intermediate learners’ speaking ability as this technique is considered to be uncommunicative. Therefore, it is advisable to combine various test types and elicitation techniques in a test of overall oral ability (Underhill, 1987, p. 37-38). This combination depends on the test purpose, and the areas of language competence and ability that intend to be seen in test takers’ performance.