Research On CET-SET From A Communicative Perspective

Testing of speaking is an indispensable part of language testing. However, due to the complex nature of communicative competence and the difficulty in ensuring test reliability, the testing of speaking has always been relegated to a position of secondary importance in the history of language testing. The same case is with college English in China. Testing of oral English is generally excluded from tests of English in most colleges and universities. Most teachers lack the information as to how to give students an oral test and students who score highly speak poor English. With the development of society, the skill of fluent spoken English has been vital in social and international exchanges. To satisfy the increasing needs from the society, the New Requirements for College English Teaching Program(2003) places higher standards on college English teaching and testing, particularly teaching and testing of spoken English. As a communicative test, CET-SET (College English Test-Spoken English Test), which started in 1999, has created a workable model for testing spoken English in college. What's more, CET-SET gives useful insight into communicative language teaching.To get a clear idea of the test of spoken English from communicative perspective, the author makes a survey of CET-SET, including the test itself, test takers, examiners and its effects on students and educational system to determine the qualities of reliability and validity and backwash effect. The research reveals that CET-SET is essentially a reliable and valid test. It has produced beneficial backwash effect on college English learning and teaching. On the other hand, the research suggests improvement on CET-SET.The thesis covers four chapters. Chapter One discusses on the nature of speaking, focusing on the componential analysis of communicative competence, which is the key to a communicative language test. Chapter Two deals with testing of speaking. Some important characteristics of a communicative test are listed. Chapter Three gives a detailed introduction of the survey made on CET-SET. Statistical methods are used to analyze the data obtained. Chapter Four discusses the implication of CET-SET on college English testing and teaching. Suggestions are made to improve college English testing and teaching.