Online assessment of spoken English skills
The Speaking exam is offered together with the Writing exam as the optional complementary module to the English Core tests.
Online test of English spokenproficiency
The English speaking testis an optional module ofthe TrackTestEnglish level test. You are expected to complete the Core level test before proceeding to the Speaking test.
The S/W exam credit is required for accessing this module and covers both Speaking and Writing exams.
You will need a computer with the internal or external microphone and the modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari or similar).
You will be able try and adjust your microphone and other software and hardware settings before you proceed to the English Speaking test.
Speaking test-how it works
The English Speaking testtakes about10 minutes. You record answers to eight general conversational questions in the English language.
You do not need to prepare specifically before the test, a practice inEnglish conversationis enough. Your audio recordings are saved and evaluated by our trained assessors in four aspects- vocabulary range, accuracy, fluency, and coherence of your spoken performance.
You get the result in 7 business days afterthe test completion. The result includes the Speaking test protocol with comments aboutyour performance from our experienced assessors.
The Speaking test methodology:
using the CEFR Speaking grid tests from the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE)
Duration of the speaking test as a whole:Approximately 10 minutes (this includes 4 minutes of preparation time)
Target CEFR level of the speaking test:Separate tests for A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 proficiency levels
Channel for test delivery:Audio recording
Test content:General English language proficiency test (vocational assessment upon request)
Key test purpose:Proficiency test and placement tests
Other possible test purposes include:
- Achievement tests sometimes called progress tests, which measure what students have learned. ‘The content… is generally based on the course syllabus or the course textbook’.
- Diagnostic tests ‘seek to identify those areas in which a student needs further help’.
- Placement tests are ‘designed to assess students’ levels of language ability so that they can be placed in an appropriate group or class’.
- Proficiency tests, which ‘are not based on a particular language programme. They are designed to test the ability of students with different language training backgrounds.’
Rating method:A combination of a holistic and analytical approach.
It has been claimed that the holistic approach more closely resembles how language production is judged in real life and can be quicker than using an analytic approach. However, analytic marking can offer richer diagnostic information for L2 learners.
The TrackTest Speaking test combines a holistic approach with the analytical for rating. For the purposes of the certificate, it uses quantitative feedback: below the level / meets the level /above the level where is the test taker’s performance judged as a whole.
In the accompanying Speaking test protocol, raters also provide the 3-grade quantitative feedback as well as qualitative feedback for the specificrating criteria: coherence, fluency, lexical and grammatical range, and lexical and grammatical accuracy. However, these are intended mainly for additional diagnostics. The total result is not calculated from these specific ratings.
Performance is rated by manual marking, using 1-2 raters.
Feedback:Both quantitative and qualitative feedback are providedfor test-takers.
Quantitative feedback: below the level / meets the level /above the level
Qualitative feedback: General feedback and optional specific feedback based on rating criteria.
Instructions:Task instructions are provided written and/or via audio prompts. The prevailing discourse type required is in the form of question and answer. The expected response is a short monologue (up to 1 min.) and extended interaction.
Take the Speaking&Writing exam
and get the Complete certificate for all four skills
