Basic Types of Speaking

IMITIATIVE, performance is the ability to simply parrot back (imitative) a word or phrase or possibility a sentence. The only role of listening here is in the short-term storage of a prompt, just long enough to allow the speaker to retain the short stretch of language that must be imitated.

INTENSIVE, it employed in assessment contexts is the production of short stretch of oral language designed to demonstrated competence in a narrow band of grammatical, phrasal, lexical, or phonological relationships. The speaker must be aware of semantic properties to be able respond, but interaction with an interlocutor or test administrator is minimal at best.

RESPONSIVE, it includes interaction and test comprehension but at the somewhat limited level or very short conversation, standard greetings and small talk, simple requests and comments, and the like.

INTERACTIVE, the difference between responsive and interactive speaking is in the length and complexity of the interaction, which sometimes includes multiple exchanges and/or multiple participants.

EXTENSIVE (monologue), extensive oral production tasks include speeches, oral presentations, and storytelling, during which the opportunity for oral interaction from listeners is either highly limited or ruled out altogether.