13.8
Appendices

Appendix 3

A. Criteria for Speaking Tasks

The Open University

Comprehension (content 1): showing understanding of the stimulus material

20-25 All or almost all of the main points successfully communicated.
15-19 At least three-quarters of the main points successfully communicated.
10-14 At least half of the main points successfully communicated.
5-9 At least a third of the main points successfully communicated.
0-4 Less than a third of the main points successfully communicated.

Organization and personal input (content 2)

  1. structure (organization and presentation of material)

  2. development and originality of ideas (extending the theme, expressing opinions and making judgements)
20-25
  1. Very good organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Very good development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Very good level of analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
15-19
  1. Good organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Good development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Good level of analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
10-14
  1. Adequate organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Adequate development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Adequate analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
5-9
  1. Limited organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Insufficient development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions, analysis and conclusions.
0-4
  1. Very little evidence of organization (progression and coherence).
  2. Ideas hardly developed and/or no personal input, opinion, analysis or conclusions expressed.

Quality of language

  1. accuracy

  2. range of expression
20-25
  1. Nearly always appropriate complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses) with few errors.
  2. Very good range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task. Good use of idiomatic language.
15-19
  1. Appropriate complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses) mostly accurate. Simple structures usually accurate.
  2. Good range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
10-14
  1. Adequate use of simple and complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses, agreements) but with some inaccuracies that do not generally impede comprehension.
  2. Satisfactory range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
5-9
  1. Frequent basic errors (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses, agreements) that may hinder comprehension.
  2. Limited range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
0-4
  1. Frequent basic errors that hinder comprehension. Below acceptable standard for this course.
  2. Range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures insufficient at this level.

Pronunciation and fluency

20-25 Very good pronunciation and intonation. Communication is clear and unimpeded, except for minor errors. Flows very well.
15-19 Good pronunciation and intonation. Communication is generally clear and unimpeded although there are some errors. Flows well.
10-14 Acceptable pronunciation and intonation. Communication can at times be impeded. Reasonable flow.
5-9 Inadequate pronunciation with errors that impede communication. Little success at appropriate intonation. Does not flow well.
0-4 Not enough language produced to assess pronunciation and fluency, or pronunciation such that it is (almost) impossible to understand.

(Reproduced with kind permission of The Open University)

 

B. Criteria for Written Work

The Open University

Comprehension (content 1): showing understanding of the stimulus material

20-25 All or almost all of the main points successfully communicated.
15-19 At least three-quarters of the main points successfully communicated.
10-14 At least half of the main points successfully communicated.
5-9 At least a third of the main points successfully communicated.
0-4 Less than a third of the main points successfully communicated.

 

Organization and personal input (content 2)

  1. structure (organization and presentation of material)

  2. development and originality of ideas (extending the theme, expressing opinions and making judgements)
20-25
  1. Very good organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Very good development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Very good level of analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
15-19
  1. Good organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Good development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Good level of analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
10-14
  1. Adequate organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Adequate development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions on the theme where required. Adequate analysis and conclusions, using relevant examples from the materials and/or elsewhere.
5-9
  1. Limited organization (progression and coherence) of the material.
  2. Insufficient development of ideas, personal input and/or opinions, analysis and conclusions.
0-4
  1. Very little evidence of organization (progression and coherence).
  2. Ideas hardly developed and/or no personal input, opinion, analysis or conclusions expressed.

 

Accuracy

20-25 Appropriate complex structures and other elements of the language (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses, agreements, spelling) with few or no errors.
15-19 Appropriate complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses) accurate in at least two thirds of the written work. Simple structures and other elements of the language (e.g. spelling, agreements) accurate in almost all cases.
10-14 Appropriate complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses) attempted and accurate in about half the cases. Simple structures and other elements of the language (e.g. spelling, agreements) accurate in two thirds of the written work, except for minor errors.
5-9 Few successful attempts at appropriate complex structures (e.g. tenses, subordinate clauses). Frequent basic errors in simple structures (e.g. verb forms, genders) and other elements of the language (e.g. spelling, agreements).
0-4 Frequent basic errors that hinder comprehension. Below acceptable standard for this course.

 

Range of expression

20-25 Very good range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task. Good use of idiomatic language.
15-19 Good range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
10-14 Satisfactory range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
5-9 Limited range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures appropriate to the task.
0-4 Range and variety of vocabulary, expressions and complex structures insufficient at this level.

(Reproduced with kind permission of The Open University)

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