INTO EUROPE The Speaking Handbook by Ildik Cspes

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INTO EUROPEThe Speaking Handbookby Ildikó
Csépes Györgyi Együd
Presentation by Ildikó Csépes
Into Europe - European Standards in Language
Assessment Conference Budapest, February 9-10,
2006
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THE SPEAKING HANDBOOK IS MEANT TO REFLECT
ILLUSTRATE GOOD PRACTICE IN ORAL ASSESSMENT

• MODEL EXAM
• developed by the Hungarian Examinations Reform
  Teacher Support Project of the British Council
• aimed at A2 B1, and B2 levels of the Common
  European Framework

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GOOD PRACTICE IS REFLECTED THROUGH

• careful test development procedure constantly
  revised test specifications
• strictly controlled item production procedure
  (tasks were revised and edited several times)
• piloting all tasks with real students (DVD)
• training item-writers
• the use of item writer guidelines

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GOOD PRACTICE IS REFLECTED THROUGH

• standardised examination procedure (the use of an
  Interlocutor Frame)
• examiner training focusing on both interlocutor
  assessor training
• the use of benchmarked performances in examiner
  training

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WHO IS THE HANDBOOK FOR?

• LANGUAGE TEACHERS
• who need to learn how to design, administer or
  prepare students for tests of speaking ability

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WHATS IN THE HANDBOOK?

• PART ONE INTRODUCTION
• Background to the assessment of speaking ability
• modern speaking examinations what and how?
• CEF scales for speaking
• standardisation importance of benchmarking
• description of speaking skills
• what may influence the test takers oral
  performance

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WHATS IN THE HANDBOOK?

• PART TWO DESIGNING ORAL EXAMINATION TASKS IN
  THE INDIVIDUAL AND PAIRED MODE
• the Interview
• the Individual Long Turn based on picture prompts
• role plays
• discussion activities

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WHATS IN THE HANDBOOK ?

• PART THREE STEP-BY-STEP DESRIPTION OF
  INTERLOCUTOR AND ASSESSOR TRAINING
• guidelines for interlocutor and assessor
  behaviour
• standard and non-standard interlocutor behaviour
  on DVD
• role plays raising interlocutors awareness of
  how to handle difficult exam situations
• benchmarked sample performances with detailed
  justifications for the marks

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WHATS IN THE HANDBOOK ?

• PART FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOOD PRACTICE
• classroom assessment
• general guidelines for designing speaking tasks
• differences between testing and teaching tasks
• washback
• measures of ongoing quality control

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• TRUE or FALSE?
• Speaking tasks can be used with any candidates
  irrespective of their level of proficiency.
• Good speaking tasks try to replicate real life
  language use.
• In role play tasks the interlocutor and the
  candidate should have an opportunity to
  contribute equally to the exchange.

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• TRUE or FALSE?
• Speaking tasks should generate a rateable
  language sample from candidates.
• Speaking activities in course books can be used
  as test tasks.
• Any classroom teacher can write speaking tasks
  for assessment purposes.

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• INTO EUROPE
• Series Editor J. Charles Alderson
• The Speaking Handbook
• Ildikó Csépes Györgyi Együd
• The Handbook is accompanied by a 5-hour DVD
• Published by Teleki László Foundation
• The British Council
• Distributor Libro Trade
• Info books_at_librotrade.hu