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THE RELEVANCE OF FOUR SKILL ASSESSMENT IN

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

(A Study on the English Language Assessment followed in SSC, CBSE,

ICSE & IGCSE schools in Dubai, Mysore and Calicut )

A Brief Report of the Minor Research Project completed with the

Financial Assistance of University Grants Commission,

South Western Regional Office, Bangalore – 560009.

Under XI th plan

By

Dr. Sajitha M.A.

Assistant Professor,

Centre for Advanced Studies and Research

in English Language and Literature,

Farook College, P.O. Farook College, Calicut.

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THE RELEVANCE OF FOUR SKILL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

ABSTRACT

The greatest curse of modern educational system is the lack of harmony between what is taught and what is tested. Up-to-date methods are implemented, curriculum is innovated, but the question paper remains traditional and unchanged. Most of the questions in the communicative English paper give emphasis to the rules and regulations; practical oriented questions are ignored.

Language testing at any level is a highly complex undertaking that must be based on theory as well as practice. The project presents the exigency of assessing the oral skills at the secondary, higher secondary and the undergraduate levels in India. It explores the language assessment system presently followed in CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education), SSC (Secondary School certificate, Kerala Board) and IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) Curriculum of University of Cambridge. An English test which assesses the four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing was conducted among the students of Grade Nine and Ten of these curricula. The test was also conducted amongst the students of Arts and Science Colleges of the University of Calicut.

The information presented here is based on my study held at Dubai, Mysore and Kerala. Though the CBSE/SSC/ICSE students are able to keep up their standard in Reading and Writing, they are not able to excel in Listening and Speaking. While IGCSE tests the four skills, other streams give priority to written skills-Reading and Writing. The study establishes that the language assessment system focusing only on Reading and Writing is outmoded and need to be modified.

INTRODUCTION

In the past English was considered to be a library language in India. So only Reading and Writing were given emphasis in English Language Teaching. But with technological advancement and globalization, English has become a world language linking the different parts of the world. Hence, the skills of Listening and Speaking also have to be strengthened. Language learning is associated with particular area of the brain called the speech centre. Language is a skill and any skill development employs the sensory motor organs.

The Higher Education Department of Kerala has received commendable acclaim for the quality of education it imparts. A proper scrutiny of the syllabi followed at the school levels and the university levels substantiate the sophisticated

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content. Though reformations in syllabi take place from time to time, a proper change in the assessment system has not taken place. So the Keralites become unfit for many posts in the job market. The Government of Kerala and the Higher Education Departments of Kerala have recognized that most of the educated graduates and postgraduates lack employability skills and have introduced the programme called Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP). It is an innovative project to develop the skills of the students with special emphasis on Communicative skills in English. The root cause for the poor standard of English is the poor assessment system followed in schools.

Four skill assessment will be beneficial to students of different intelligence level. In a classroom, there may be some students who are good at Listening; some may be good at Speaking, some at Reading and others at Writing. When the four skills are tested independently, the integrated purpose of language learning will be fulfilled. Each student will understand in which skill she excels and in which one she requires improvement.

In the language assessment system of CBSE syllabus only Reading and Writing are tested, whereas IGCSE curriculum of the University of Cambridge assesses Reading and Writing along with Listening and Speaking (LS). A child will be given a pass certificate in English only if he goes through all these assessments. But in other systems a student who can memorise some part of literature will be able to get through the examination. Hence, after 10 years of English language learning, in order to perform marvellously in an interview or a job by conversing in good English, students need to join some spoken English classes. They may be proficient in writing but the first impression of a man is formed through the words he utters rather than the words he writes.

Assessment in SSC

In SSC examination, there is only one paper in English. It includes questions from poem, passages, supplementary reader and language elements. In short, it gives importance to Reading and Writing; Listening and Speaking are neglected.

Assessment in CBSE

In CBSE there is only one paper in English; it consists of four sections:

Section A: Reading

Section B: Writing

Section C: Grammar

Section D: Literature

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The focus is on to Literature and Writing. Hence, Listening and Speaking are not tested. Literature can be considered as a comprehension passage given in advance to the students, the answer to which can be memorised even by weak students. Any student who mugs up the literature content will be able to get through the English examination.

Assessment in ICSE

In ICSE there are two papers in English.

a) English – I is for two hours.

There will be 4 broad questions.

A composition of 450 to 500 words A letter An unseen passage and related questions Questions to test grammar

b) English – II is also for two hours, but purely based on literature

Section – A (2 questions from As You Like It or any other play) Section – B (2 questions from Golden Lyre or any other work) Section – C (2 questions from Treasure Trove of short stories or any

other work)

E2L Assessment in IGCSE

In IGCSE E2L students have three English examinations in 10th grade:

a) Oral communication: The students are given a test card based on which they have to converse with examiner for nearly 15 minutes.

b) Reading and Writing: Students have to comprehend passages, brochures, advertisements etc. which they have to do in their daily life too. Moreover they must do some creative writing in this paper.

c) Listening: Students have to listen to the audio clippings and answer the questions provided in the question paper.

Students may choose core or extended paper depending on their calibre. The core paper is easier than the extended paper.

In IGCSE oral communication examination, there are 3 phases.

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Phase-1: Warm-up.

Candidate is asked a few questions about herself/himself, the school etc. to give her/ him time to get used to the exam situation. This phase is not marked.

Phase-2: Initial Task.

The test card is given to the candidate to go through the instructions. The candidate is given a few minutes to prepare on the task. He/she is not supposed to make any written notes.

Phase-3: Development.

The candidate discusses his/her ideas and suggestion with the examiner.

Assessment at the Undergraduate Level

At the undergraduate level, the curriculum has been revised and kept in balance with the international standards. A student studies six English papers during his / her graduation in University of Calicut. The papers are :

A01: Communication Skills in English

A02: Critical Reasoning and Presentation

A03: Reading Literatures in English

A04: Reading on Indian Constitution, Secularism and Sustainable Environment

A05: Literature and Contemporary Issues

A06: History and Philosophy of Science

The common course of the University of Calicut, A01: Communication Skills in English is aimed at the development of four skills of students. But unfortunately in the real sense it tests only writing. The main emphasis of the syllabus is placed on the use of language in communicative situations. Some of the questions asked are purely based on theory. Though there are presentations and seminars to be held as part of the internal assessment, it becomes a monotonous activity of recollection.

It is unfortunate that even the pattern of NET/JRF examinations, the competitive examinations of University Grants Commission, is restructured and gives opportunities only to those students who can memorise the answers. The students are not given a chance to exhibit their language proficiency. Only objective type questions are included in the question paper.

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The real problem of English Language Teaching lies in the assessment system followed. The international standard in the assessment is compromised because of the constraints of time, energy and money. Assessment in many parts of the world has focused primarily on high stake examination. Writing a three hour theory examination is of no significance. Question paper should not be prepared during the last hour. Much care and attention should be given in the setting of the question paper so that it really tests the skills of the students rather than their memory.

The real tragedy of English Language Teaching is reflected in the words of E.V.Gatenby who strongly advocates,

There is certainly no other school subject in which more has been abandoned through despair of success. One cannot imagine an arithmetic teacher deciding to avoid multiplication and division on account of their difficulty, and devote his attention to perfecting his pupils in addition and subtraction; yet a very similar procedure is adopted by the linguistic teacher who, exasperated by the inability of his pupils to learn or of himself to teach, a foreign language as used by native speakers of it, cuts out hearing, speaking and writing and concentrates on reading only. (9)

Even after decades of practising CLT, teachers are not ready to sacrifice their dominant role in the classroom. A language class should be noisy with full of students’ involvement in pair work, group work, role play etc. The amount of time spend in teacher class mode will depend on factors such as the standard of students, how much they know, the stage of lessons, the time of day and what is being taught. If the students are given clear and guiding questions, they often need not be told what to do. This kind of guided discovery leads to better understanding and more successful learning.

The project work THE RELEVANCE OF FOUR SKILL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH

LANGUAGE TEACHING submitted to the UGC has seven chapters. They are:

I. ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: AN INTRODUCTION

II. LSRW : THE CORNER STONES OF LANGUAGE

III. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT: THEORY AND PRACTICE

IV. FOUR SKILL ASSESSMENT IN MIXED ABILITY CLASSROOM

V. STUDENT TALKING TIME (STT) VERSUS TEACHER TALKING TIME (TTT)

VI. THE REALITY OF ASSESSMENTS: FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

VII. A COURSE MODEL ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE

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METHOD

As part of this project, a qualitative approach has been used to collect data by using classroom observations and checklists. Interviews with students, teachers, principals and members of various educational boards have helped the study considerably. A detailed study has been carried out on the language assessment system presently followed in the Grade X of CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), Kerala State syllabus –SSC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate), ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) and IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) Curriculum of University of Cambridge. An English test which assesses the four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing was conducted among the students of Grade Nine and Ten of these curricula. The test was also conducted amongst the students of Arts and Science Colleges of the University of Calicut.

RESULT

The tables below show the result of the four skill assessment conducted as part of this project in various schools following SSC/CBSE/ICSE/IGCSE:

Table 1 LSRW of SSC Students

SSC

GRADES LISTENING SPEAKING READING WRITING

A 1 18 36 7

B 29 52 32 32

C 70 30 32 61

Table 2 LSRW of CBSE Students

CBSE

GRADES LISTENING SPEAKING READING WRITING

A 7 26 42 20

B 53 46 41 53

C 40 28 17 27

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Table 3 LSRW of ICSE Students

ICSE

GRADES LISTENING SPEAKING READING WRITING

A 28 35 23 66

B 41 30 64 25

C 31 35 13 09

Table 4 LSRW of IGCSE Students

IGCSE

GRADES LISTENING SPEAKING READING WRITING

A 48 58 53 20

B 30 30 44 49

C 22 12 03 31

GRADES OBTAINED BY THE STUDENTS IN THE FOUR SKILL ASSESSMENT

LISTENING

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SPEAKING

READING

10

WRITING

This study based on the language assessment followed in different schools in various cities within and outside India was really informative. Some of the most important observations are given below:

Most of the students preferred written assessments because it gave them ample time to organise and express their ideas.

Interviews with students, teachers, principals and members of various educational boards were really useful.

Most of the students were reluctant to speak as they lacked confidence and fluency.

Most of the students commented that the listening test conducted as part of this project was a unique experience.

A change in the traditional mode of assessment is required. Students stated that they hardly got time to speak in the classroom as the teachers were more concerned about completing the portions.

Teachers strongly recommended that Listening and Speaking tests be included within the assessment system.

Greatest threat in the classroom was the teacher – student ratio which really limited the teaching learning process.

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Each curriculum has advantages and disadvantages. In some curriculum, students simply mug up the difficult words and structures.

Students lack creativity of expression which is fundamental in language learning.

Students who excel in speaking were not able to excel in writing and vice versa.

Handling a mixed ability class is not easy because each student has his own interest, attitudes, level of intelligence, learning style and linguistic background knowledge.

The teacher has to set a platform for her students to speak in English in each English class by reducing her own talking time and thereby increasing the student talking time.

Teacher’s feedback may be limited to problematic questions.

Silence is important for students to work individually, to respond to a question, during explanations and monitoring of activities.

Though the CBSE/SSC/ICSE students were able to keep up their standard in Reading and Writing, they were not able to excel in Listening and Speaking.

Most of the students in CBSE/SSC/ICSE had inhibitions and only very smart and confident students were ready to speak. Those students who excelled in speaking are the ones who get frequent exposure in the class.

Since Listening and Speaking are not tested in CBSE/SSC/ICSE, they consider those skills irrelevant.

ICSE/CBSE students excel IGCSE students in Writing and it indicates that students’ poor performance in Listening and Speaking is due to the lack of proper method of teaching and assessment in LS.

The teacher student ratio is a barrier in introducing spoken English.

Teachers are confused about whether to use Received Pronunciation or Indian English.

Another important reason for the poor standard of English amongst the students in Kerala is the lack of competent and confident teachers to teach English. Unfortunately in a state like Kerala, English was being taught for decades by teachers who are not graduates in English, but who have obtained graduation in other disciplines like Science and Humanities. Only in 2002, the Government of Kerala made it mandatory that English should be taught in government schools and government aided schools by graduates in English. The

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same situation exists even now in unaided schools. As a result, the students are taught wrong structures, usages and pronunciation which become difficult to be rectified.

The communicative approach has introduced radical changes in syllabus, methodology and curriculum design. But evaluation has not gone through any practical change. The future of testing holds out great promises and challenges the whole process because if it moves in the right direction, the entire process of language learning will be benefited. The acquisition of oral skills would not be a problem for students of affluent families because they get enough exposure to the language. But the middle class category relies only on their school teaching and testing in order to strengthen their language skills. With the advent of globalization, English has become the language of opportunities and the main motivation for the language learner is to communicate successfully. Instead of teaching our students the toughest words which they hardly use in their daily life, my suggestion is to make language learning practical oriented. Or else, our students who have mastered Shakespeare will fail to comprehend an ordinary pamphlet and brochure and will be bewildered to speak in English, when they go for higher studies in Indian universities or abroad.

Testing and teaching are closely linked and one can influence the other either positively or negatively. The text books should be incorporated with cassettes providing ample listening exercises. Students should be made familiar with phonetics in lower grades itself as the language acquisition device is more active during the young age. This will build up confidence in students who are good at listening and weak at other skills. The students who have poor listening skills will get a chance to improve their skill. In India, English links different states. Though it is a foreign language, it is widely used. Four-skill-assessment will improve English competency. It will increase job opportunities and promote tourism.

REFERENCE

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Brooks, Nelson.Language and Learning. New York: Harcourt Brace.1960. Print.

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Carroll, John B., “Fundamental Considerations in Testing For English Language Proficiency of Foreign Students.” Teaching English as a Second Language: A Book of Readings. McGraw: New York,1965. Print.364-372.

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