The Application of the Multiple Assessment to Oral English Teaching

韋婷婷

【Abstract】Instruction and assessment are two important aspects of modern education.Based on the rationales of multiple means of assessment，this paper explores the necessity of a shift from oral tests to the assessment of speaking skills through multiple measures.It also discusses how to implement multiple means of assessment in the regular oral English teaching.

【Key words】language assessment； multiple assessment； oral English teaching

Linguistic evaluation plays an important role in foreign language teaching.The evaluation of students study is an effective way to advance the development of students.For a long time，there is a problem that English teaching pays more attention on teaching than on evaluation.From the 1980s，as the development of the study of language evaluation，more and more people criticize the traditional testing.They put forward a new evaluation method—the Multiple Assessment.The Multiple Assessment is the requirement of education for all-rounded development，the requirement of teaching students in accordance of their aptitude and the development of students personality.Moreover，the Multiple Assessment can help making better evaluation of students study，inspiring their learning interests and improving their learning efficiency.On the basis of the tendency of language evaluation and the importance of the Multiple Assessment，this thesis discusses the theory of the Multiple Assessment and its application to the oral English teaching.

Summative evaluation provides information on the products efficacy （it is ability to do what it was designed to do）.For example，did the learners learn what they were supposed to learn after using the instructional module？ In a sense，it lets the learner know ‘how they did，but more importantly，by looking at how the learners did，it helps you know whether the product teaches what it is supposed to teach（Howard Gardner，1993：211）.Summative evaluation is typically quantitative，using numeric scores or letter grades to assess learner achievement.Formative Evaluation is done with a small group of people to “test run” various aspects of instructional materials.Formative evaluation is conducted to provide program staff evaluative information useful in improving the program.Testing evaluation refers that teachers evaluate students study by examinations and scores.However，non-testing evaluation lays less attention on the scores.There are less examinations in non-testing evaluation.

Evaluation not only includes cognitive developing standard of students，but also refers to the condition of students sensibility development.Cognitive standard contains students English linguistic knowledge and the ability of language practice.It also includes the ability of obtaining the information actively，the ability of independent thinking，the ability of asking questions and deeper thinking.Sensibility condition involves the students learning interests，attitudes，and habits and so on.

The content of English teaching multiple evaluation is of many aspects.It not only pays attention to the evaluation of students cognitive ability，for example，the evaluation of the quantity of knowledge the students have obtained and whether the students handle the various skills skillfully.It also lays emphasis on the evaluation of the non-intellective factors to students，for example，the evaluation of students interests，attitude，confidence，cooperative spirit，etc（Crystal Pratt，2002：18）.Therefore，it can supply all round，multi-level and comprehensive learning information for students，teachers and parents.

The traditional testing is only applied in the mid-term and the final of a term.Sometimes，it is only applied in the final of a term.It can not fully measure the level of students learning.However，multiple assessments could appear in any time during the term if the teacher and student want.It can make test in the final of a term and make regularly dynamic evaluation during the term，in class or out of the class，by the teacher or by the students themselves.

To sum up，in respect of the application of the Multiple Assessment to oral English teaching being confronted with the problems about the establishing of curriculum，class dimensions，concepts and level of teacher evaluation and matching funds facilities，more academic discussion and teaching practice should be done on the combination of evaluation and teaching.

References：

[1]Crystal Pratt.Using Multiple Assessments[M].London： Longman，2002，18-25.

[2]Gardner and Hatch.Educational Implications of the Theory of Multipl Intelligence[J].ELT Journal，1989，（3）：4-10.

[3]Gardner，H.Frames of Mind：The Theory of Multiple Intelligences[M].New York：Basic Books，1983，175-177.