COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEST

FOR SPEAKING CLASS

Eliza Trimadona, S.S., M. Pd.

Lecturer of English Education Program
Public Islamic College (STAIN) of Kerinci

A. INTRODUCTION is a tool to evaluate students and also the

According to Brown (2004:3) a test instructional programs in school.

is a method of measuring a persons ability, The performance of language test is

knowledge, or performance in a given influenced by many factors, one of those is

domain. There are three components in that communicative language ability. It consists

definition, method, knowledge and of the ability to use language

performance. It means that a test is a tool to communicatively involves both knowledge

measure someones ability in performing a of or competence in the language, and the

language. More over Savignon (1983:231) capacity for implementing this competence.

says that tests are commonly used to It should be implemented on all skills of

measure the outcome of instructional English, such as writing, reading, speaking,

program. Tests may be used to guide the and listening in all students level. This is the

development of instructional programs. By most important aspect in language test.

doing a test the teacher might check the How is it said to be communicative

development of the programs that have been test? The answer is the context and situation.

done to the students. From these two All aspects of English skill should be taught

definition of test above we may say that test based on situational context . Context is the
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key how language in use. Therefore teacher know how to say it in English, some said

should not test students in discrete way but that they have no confidence to say it. In

integrated between text and context, speaking test, the teacher should apply the

knowledge and skill. The students should test communicatively since speaking is the

recognize the full context of language use, skill which person to person interrelated to

as Van Dijk (in Bachman:1990) states that each other. Speaking communicatively

delineation of the relationship between text while studying English is a good

and context, clearly recognize the context of composition to get knowledge and skill, as

discourse. in text and context. Therefore, this paper is

In university, speaking is one of pre- going to describe how communicative

requisite courses that study about English language test applied in speaking 1 class

skills. Each of them should pass this course which use oral test together with

before going up to other courses. Not only communicative context as well.

for speaking but for other English skill, they A. REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE
have to master the vocabulary and also the
1. Language Competence
use of the language itself communicatively.
Developing communicative
Students of Sekolah Tinggi Agama
competence is one of the concepts of
Islam Negeri (STAIN) Kerinci often spend
classroom techniques of teaching English
so much time to answer oral questions. Even
and being applied in the test. Hymes and
the lecturer gives them enough time to think
Gumpers (1972:VII) state that
and write the answer in the piece of paper,
communicative competence means what a
but they still have not got the ideas of the
speaker needs to know to communicate
answer. Some students said that they did not
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effectively in a culturally significant setting. In developing communicative competence,

More over Savignon (1983:9-24) supports the test method should put more emphasis

the idea and discusses the four components on the use rather than usage. Usage is one

of communicative competence which aspect of performance, that aspect which

include grammatical competence, makes evident the aspect to which the

sociolinguistic competence, discourse language user demonstrates his knowledge

competence, and strategic competence. of linguistic rules, while use is makes

Grammatical competence is the ability to evident the extent to which the language

recognize the lexical, morphological, user demonstrates his linguistic rules for

syntactic and phonological features of effective communication.

language. sociolinguistic competence is the 2. The Nature of Speaking

ability to understand the appropriate If we have learned a language other

meaning in social and cultural contexts. than our own, we may feel that speaking in a

Discourse competence is the ability to new language is harder than reading,

interpret the communication of a series of writing, or listening. There are may be

sentences or utterances to form a meaningful caused by two reasons (Bayley in

whole. Finally, strategic competence is the Nunan:2003):

ability to use the strategies to compensate an a. Unlike reading or writing, speaking

imperfect communication such as doing happens in real time, usually the

repetition, avoidance, guessing, or shifts in person we are talking to is waiting

register and style, in sustaining for us to speak right then.

communication

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 b. When you speak, you cannot edit that students are able to interact successfully

and revise what you wish to say, as which also involves comprehension and

you can if you are writing. production. According to Weir (1990:73)

In communicative language teaching testing speaking ability offers plenty of

students should learn through interacting, scope for meeting the criteria for

lessons should consist of opportunities to communicative testing, they are:

communicate In the target language. The a. tasks developed within this paradigm

same as in communicative language test, should be purposive,

followed up of what students have got from b. interesting, and motivating, with a

the class the test should give opportunities to washback effect on teaching that

the students to be assessed by using precedes the test;

contextual and situational test items, so that c. interaction should be a key feature;

they can be tested naturally as if they are in d. there should be a degree of

a real life. Even in the speaking test, it intersubjectivity among participants

should be emphasized that the test must be e. the output should be to a certain

natural and situational. extent unpredictable

3. Speaking Assessment f. a realistic context should be provided

The objective of teaching spoken g. processing should be done in real

language is the development of the ability to time

interact successfully in that language, and From those criteria the test are expected to

that this involves comprehension as well as cover all recommended ones which is very

production. The same as its objective of useful to test students in order to have

assessing speaking ability, it should describe communicative language test.

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4. Concept of validity and reliability in b. Irrelevant features of performance

Oral Test are ignored

A test is said to be valid if it measures c. There is more than one scorer for

accurately what is intended to measure. each performance.

According to Bachman (1990:274) in oral Therefore, based on these criteria the

interview test of speaking, for example, the oral test would be valid and reliable if the

definition of communicative language items of tests which are given to the students

ability includes the productive modality and are relevant with items that have been

oral channel, as does the definition of the studied in the classroom. While in the class

response facet of the test method. In this they are trained to use such activities like

case, these trait and method factors are question and answer activities with their

inextricably bound together, making it friends, describing picture based on the

impossible to distinguish between them, and book, and giving direction of using

hence to make a neat distinction between something. They are all communicative

reliability and validity. activities which scores are taken by the

However Hughes (2002: 110) teachers.

proposes that the scoring of oral test will be B. PROCEDURES OF

valid and reliable only if: CONSTRUCTING THE

a. Clearly recognizable and appropriate COMMUNICATIVE TEST

descriptions of criteria levels are In the communicative language test,

written and scorers are trained to use there must be covered by some

them qualification:

1. should be interactive
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 2. Direct in nature with tasks reflecting irrespective of differing views on the most

realistic discourse processing appropriate methodology for doing so.

activities These parameters are useful to the tester, as

3. Texts and tasks should be relevant to a checklist against which the appropriacy of

the intended situation of the target performance based test task can be

population evaluated. If the intention is to simulate in

4. Ability should be sampled within the testing situation those events and

meaningful and developing context component activities students are to be faced

and with in the real world then it id necessary to

5. The test should be based on an have a systematic basis for describing these.

explicit a priori specification If a set of general descriptive parameters

In order to pursue the applicable to events in the target situation

communicative paradigm, tasks should, as are established these can then be used to

far as possible, be included in the testing evaluate the degree of similarity between the

operation with due regard to their directness test tasks and the activities candidates are

of fit with criteria which accurately and involved in, or are likely to be involved in,

adequately describe the significant aspects in their real-world situations.

of the target activities and the condition The parameters that it would be

under which they are normally performed. important to collect information on include:

The starting point for testing within a. Activities the sub-tasks students

this paradigm is the specification of the have to cope with while

general descriptive parameters of the target participating in events

test populations context of situation,

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 b. Setting the physical and psycho- according to OMalley (1996:63) in

social contexts of the events preparing the oral assessment we need to

c. Interaction the role set and prepare some aspects, they are:

social relationships candidates are 1. Identifying Purpose

involved in 2. Planning for assessment

d. Instrumentality the medium, 3. Developing rubrics and/or scoring

mode and channel of the activities procedures, setting standards,

within events involving students in self- and peer

e. Dialect the dialects and accents assessment

candidates are exposed to 4. Selecting assessment activities, and

F. Enabling skills the underlying recording information

skills which appear to be So based on these steps, the writer

necessary to enable students to will try to apply them into speaking test

operate in the various activities done to English Students of STAIN Kerinci

ORAL LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT on the first year at Speaking 1 class so they

In communicative test we should aim can speak up confidently and fluently.

to provide the opportunity for what

Widdowson (in Weir:1990) termed authentic 1. Identifying Purpose

language use, i.e. putting the learner in The oral language of English

positions when he is required to deal language learners is typically assessed for

with genuine instances of language use in one of three purposes:

a way that corresponds to his normal a. For initial identification and

communicative activities. More over placement of students in need of a

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 language-based program such as students to practice in peer which give them

ESL or bilingual education as much conversational practice as is

b. For movement from one level to possible in classroom situation. since it is a

another within a given program communicative test the students should be

c. For placement out of an free to speak naturally based on the context.

ESL/bilingual program into a 2. Planning for Assessment

grade-level classroom. Part of planning for assessment is

Based on these three purposes, the deciding when to assess students

speaking test done to first year students is individually and when to assess them in

purposing for movement from speaking 1 group. One important step in planning

class to speaking 2 class. The test is the final assessment is to outline the major

examination, so the students are required to instructional goals or learning outcomes and

pass Speaking 1 class to continue taking match these to learning activities and/or

Speaking 2 class since Speaking course is performance test. Another important part of

prerequisite courses. Besides that, the goals planning for assessment is deciding how

of Speaking 1 class is that by the end of often to collect information. However, in

Speaking class, students should be able to this test since its purpose for movement so

listen to native speakers and practice in the test is only taken once but the score still

carrying out many conversational functions. considers to students progress from the

This class tries to convince students that beginning to the end of the class.

learning to speak and understand English is However the following is the

not as difficult as you think, but, like any procedures to conduct the test

skill, it involves practice. This class lets (Hughes:2002)

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 a. The teacher makes the oral test as performance, and the criteria for each task.

long as is feasible (as attached in Setting criteria is a crucial part of

Appendice 1) assessment. Without criteria of standards of

b. The teacher select what she regards performance, performance task remains

as a representative sample of the simply a collection of instructional

specified content. activities. Based on student performance

c. The teacher plans the test carefully. teachers can revise assessment task and

d. The teacher gives many fresh starts standards as well as instructional objectives

as possible and activities to better meet learners need.

e. The teacher select the students to be Score rubrics are needed to check the

tested carefully. Two students are dimensions or aspects of oral language,

required to enter the test room for 8 these might typically include communicative

minutes. effect of general comprehensibility,

f. Carry out the test in a quiet room grammar, and pronunciation. The rubrics

g. The teacher collect enough will be shared with the students, so that they

information will get effort to do their best. In this test,

h. The teacher does not talk too much the writer uses holistic scale rubrics adapted

unless giving questions and from a rating scale developed by ESL

directions teachers Portfolio Assessment Group

3. Developing rubrics and/or scoring (OMalley: 1996) to evaluate the students.

procedures the writer uses this since English is not the

Students needs to know the purpose first language for the students, so it is

of the assessment activities, the expected suitable for first year students.
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 Holistic Oral Language sentences in sustained
conversation; requires
Scoring Rubric:
repetition
Rating Description
a. Initiates and sustains a
a. Communicates
conversation with
competently in social and
descriptors and details;
classroom settings
exhibits self-confidence in
b. Speaks fluently
social situations; begins to
c. Masters a variety of
communicate in classroom
grammatical structures
6 settings
d. Uses extensive vocabulary
b. Speaks with occasional
but may lag behind native-
hesitation
speaking peers
c. Uses some complex
e. Understands classroom
sentences; applies rules of
discussion without 4
grammar but lacks control
difficulty
of irregular forms (e.g.
a. Speaks in social and
runned, mans,not never,
classroom settings with
more higher)
sustained and connected
d. Uses adequate vocabulary;
discourse; any errors do
some word usage
not interfere with meaning
irregularities
b. Speaks with near-native
e. Understands classroom
fluency; any hesitations do
5 discussions with repetition,
not interfere with
rephrasing, and
communication
clarification
c. Uses a variety of structures
a. Begins to initiate
with occasional
conversation; retells a
grammatical errors
3 story or experience; asks
d. Uses varied vocabulary
and responds to simple
e. Understands simple
questions

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 b. Speaks hesitate because of The scoring procedures are following
rephrasing and searching
the holistic oral language rubrics above.
for words
Whatever the students do are considered and
c. Uses predominantly
present tense verbs; valued based on the rubrics above.
demonstrates errors of
4. Selecting assessment activities, and
omission (leaves words
recording information
out, word endings off)
d. Uses limited vocabulary The assessment activities should
e. Understand simple
assess authentic language use in context,
sentences in sustained
both communicative and academic language
conversation; requires
repetition functions, and the ability to communicate
a. Begins to communicate meaning. It is more effective that the
personal and survival
students are assessed based from their
needs
b. Speaks in single-word performance on the task. The students are
utterances and short required to do something in response to
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patterns
what they hear, whether its taking notes,
c. Uses functional
vocabulary charting a route on a map, or answering
d. Understands words and questions. They should challenge the
phrases; requires repetition
proficiency level of the students without
a. Begins to name concrete
objects frustrating them.
1 b. Repeats words and phrases Since the students are the first year
c. Understands little or no
so it is possible to use combination between
English.
intensive and responsive speaking

assessment task to test them, the responsive

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speaking assessment involves students to brought together with the teacher in

give any responds towards: the classroom. Then they should be

a. Question and answer able to give question and/or answer

The students are asked to answer about the directions their partner

the questions related to the students asks. For example:

themselves such as their family, o How do we use this telephone?

their hobbies, their towns, their o Can you tell me how to use this

schools and so on. this activities are camera?

done alone. The example of the o I dont know how to use this

questions are: computer, would you like to tell

Can you tell me about your family? me?

Describe what you did last weekend? c. Picture-cued descriptions of stories

What is your favorite class and why? The students are asked to describe

How does your town look like? the picture which is provided by the

b. Giving instructions and directions teacher in the classroom. The

The students are asked to give pictures may be very simple,

instructions and directions. This designed to elicit a word or a

activities are done in pair. The phrase. It is used individually.

students are asked to give According to OMalley (1996: 79)

instruction to operate electronic picture cues require no prior

tools, such as telephone, computer, preparations on the part of the

television, radio, tape recorder, student and can be used to elicit the

camera, and so on. The things are following language functions:

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 describing, giving information , or All aspects of English skill should be taught

giving an opinion. Pictures should based on situational context . In speaking

be the real people rather than of test, the teacher should apply the test

cartoon characters in order to communicatively since speaking is the skill

ensure appropriate interpretation. which person to person interrelated to each

C. CONCLUSION other. in preparing the oral assessment we

A test is a tool to measure someones need to prepare some aspects, they are:

ability in performing a language. The 1. Identifying Purpose

performance of language test is influenced 2. Planning for assessment

by many factors, one of those is 3. Developing rubrics and/or scoring

communicative language ability. It consists procedures, setting standards,

of the ability to use language involving students in self- and peer

communicatively involves both knowledge assessment

of or competence in the language, and the 4. Selecting assessment activities, and

capacity for implementing this competence. recording information

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 DAFTAR REFERENSI

Bachman, Lyle F. 1990. Fundamental Consideration in Language Testing. Oxford:

Oxford University Press

Brown, H. Douglas. 2004. Language Assessment:Principles and Classroom Practices.

NY: Pearson Education

Hymes, Dell and J.J. Gumpers. 1972. Directions in Sociolinguistics: The Ethnography of
Communication. New York: Halt, Rinehart and Winston

Hughes, Arthur. 2002. (2nd Ed). Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press

Nunan, David. 2003. Practice English Language Teaching, First Edition.

Singapore:McGraw-Hill companies

OMalley, J. Michael & Pierce, Lorraine Valsdez. 1996. Authentic Assessment for English
Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers. United States of America:
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

Savignon, Sandra J. 1983. Communicative Competence: Theory and Classroom Practice.

United States of America

Weir, Cyril. 1990. Communicative Language Testing. New York: Prentice Hall

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