The Study On Marking In Speaking Tests

Testing the ability to speak is a most important aspect of language testing. Now speaking tests find their significance again. However, speaking tests have not the same popularity as objective tests such as reading tests and listening tests. The main reasons are that subjective judgments have played a crucial role in the marking process, which results in low reliability, and that speaking tests are more demanding in terms of human resources --- a great amount of time and a large number people involved. In this dissertation, the special attention is paid on marking in speaking tests. It is pointed out that the marking methods used in speaking tests currently are analytic marking and holistic marking. Basing on the analysis of the two marking methods, this dissertation attempts to explore a new marking method that I prefer to call Fuzzy Marking by introducing fuzzy comprehensive evaluation into speaking tests. The study shows that Fuzzy Marking is feasible and has some special advantages of handling the subjectiveness involved in marking oral proficiency so as to increase the reliability of speaking tests. It also presents that Fuzzy marking is suitable for the small-scale speaking tests since it can decrease the requirements for assessors and provide students and their teachers with comprehensive information about their oral proficiency. Thus Fuzzy marking provides an alternative to the current marking methods in small-scale speaking tests.