LANGUAGE INSTITUTE

SCHEME FOR THE ORAL EXAM ADMINISTRATIONi

Thinking about improving more and more not only our service (education) but also our
dexterity as teachers/evaluators; and, since rubrics make expectations and criteria explicit,
which facilitates feedback and self-assessment; the Language Institute has decided to
standardize a rubric to evaluate the students’ performance during the Oral Exams.

So that, it’s important to keep in mind that assessment rubrics are there to accomplish three
goals:
• inform the students of standards and expectations
• inform the students about levels of achievement
• inform the students about specific areas in need of improvement.

In addition, teachers may prefer to distribute assessment rubrics at the beginning of the
semester, so that students are aware of expectations and understand how their work will be
evaluated.

Consequently, the following chart is the scoring table which is going to be included in the Exam
Answer Sheet. There are listed 4 criteria which must be evaluated during the Oral Exam; each
one has a grading scale ranging from 0,5 ii to 2 points.

There’s also a place where the teacher could either take notes of all the mistakes the student
makes during his/her performance, or write some recommendations to the student.

At the end of this evaluation, it’s necessary to write down the final GRADE of the exam.

In order to have a better administration of this scoring table, it’s important to understand what
each criterion means or represents.

In simple words, here are the definitions:

CRITERION DEFINITION
Comprehensio ability to understand questions and respond appropriately
n
Grammar ability to use correct grammar and sentence structures
Vocabulary ability to understand and use vocabulary words and phrases
Fluency and, ability to speak quickly, naturally, and without many pauses

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Pronunciation ability to use correct stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns

CRITERION 0.5 1 1.5 2

Seriously Produces responses Produces extended Produces extended
incoherent which are stretches of stretches
responses. extended beyond short language despite some of language with very little
phrases, hesitation. hesitation.
despite hesitation. Contributions are Contributions are relevant
Comprehensio Contributions are relevant and and
n mostly relevant, there is very little there is a clear organisation
despite some repetition. of
repetition. Uses a range of ideas.
Uses basic cohesive cohesive devices. Uses a range of cohesive
devices. devices
and discourse markers.
Severely Shows a good degree of Shows a good degree of Shows a good degree of
restricted control of control control
command of simple grammatical of simple grammatical of a range of simple and
simple forms. forms, some
Grammar grammatical and attempts some complex grammatical
forms. complex forms.
grammatical forms.

No evidence of Uses a range of Uses a range of Uses a range of appropriate

range of appropriate appropriate vocabulary to give and
vocabulary even vocabulary when talking vocabulary to give and exchange
Vocabulary when talking about exchange views on a wide range of
about everyday everyday situations. views on a range of familiar
situations. familiar topics. topics.
Very poor control; Is mostly intelligible, Is intelligible. Is intelligible.
difficult to and has Intonation is generally Intonation is appropriate.
understand. Many some control of appropriate. Sentence and word stress is
gross errors; phonological Sentence and word accurately placed.
Fluency and, frequently features at both stress is Individual sounds are
Pronunciation incomprehensible utterance and generally accurately articulated
. word levels. placed. clearly.
Individual sounds are
generally
articulated clearly.

Please, remember that students must:

 be explained how they will be evaluated

 understand the used criteria
 have this scoring table in advance, so that they have a clear understanding of the
expectations the teacher has on their performance, which would help to improve the
teaching-learning process.

SALESIAN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

LANGUAGE INSTITUTE
i This scheme and rubric are based on the one stablished by © Cambridge University Press 2015 (Interchange and Passages).
ii The lowest grade a student could get during this evaluation is 0.5 points; although some of the best known exams as Cambridge
exams (KET, PET, FCE) is 0 (zero).