The Impact of Pre-Task Planning on Speaking Test Performance for English-Medium University Admission

Autor/in	O'Grady, Stefan
Titel	The Impact of Pre-Task Planning on Speaking Test Performance for English-Medium University Admission
Quelle	In: Language Testing, 36 (2019) 4, S.505-526 (22 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0265-5322
DOI	10.1177/0265532219826604
Schlagwörter	Language of Instruction; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Student Placement; Rating Scales; Language Tests; Scores; Speech Communication; Language Planning; College Entrance Examinations; Task Analysis; Narration; Evaluators; Language Proficiency; College Admission; Foreign Countries; Second Language Instruction; College Preparation; Turkey + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Schülerpraktikum; Rating-Skala; Language test; Sprachtest; Sprachwechsel; Aufnahmeprüfung; Aufgabenanalyse; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Hochschulzugang; Hochschulzulassung; Zulassung; Ausland; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Türkei
Abstract	This study investigated the impact of different lengths of pre-task planning time on performance in a test of second language speaking ability for university admission. In the study, 47 Turkish-speaking learners of English took a test of English language speaking ability. The participants were divided into two groups according to their language proficiency, which was estimated through a paper-based English placement test. They each completed four monologue tasks: two picture-based narrative tasks and two description tasks. In a balanced design, each test taker was allowed a different length of planning time before responding to each of the four tasks. The four planning conditions were 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 10 minutes. Trained raters awarded scores to the test takers using an analytic rating scale and a context-specific, binary-choice rating scale, designed specifically for the study. The results of the rater scores were analysed by using a multifaceted Rasch measurement. The impact of pre-task planning on test scores was found to be influenced by four variables: the rating scale; the task type that test takers completed; the length of planning time provided; and the test takers' levels of proficiency in the second language. Increases in scores were larger on the picture-based narrative tasks than on the two description tasks. The results also revealed a relationship between proficiency and pre-task planning, whereby statistical significance was only reached for the increases in the scores of the lowest-level test takers. Regarding the amount of planning time, the 5-minute planning condition led to the largest overall increases in scores. The research findings offer contributions to the study of pre-task planning and will be of particular interest to institutions seeking to assess the speaking ability of prospective students in English-medium educational environments. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01