Designing Assessment Tasks: Imitative Speaking

1# Word and sentence repetition tasks (L,S)

Test-takers hear: repeat after me:

   Beat pause bit pause

   Bat pause vat pause

   I bought a boat yesterday

  The glow of the candle is growing

  When did they go on vacation?

  Do you like coffee?

Test-takers repeat the stimulus.

Scoring scale for repetition tasks:

    2 acceptable pronunciation

    1 comprehensible, partially, correct pronunciation

    0 silence, seriously, incorrect pronunciation

The longer the stretch of language, the more possibility for error and therefore the more difficult it becomes to assign a point system to the text.

2# Versant

-Formerly called PhonePass.

-Among a number of speaking tasks on the test, repetition of sentences occupies a prominent role.

-Versant has supported the construct validity of its repetition tasks not just for a test-taker’s phonological ability but also for discourse and overall oral production ability.