Effect Of Context Visuals In Speaking Test

This study is conducted to validate the effect of visual condition (present or absent) and test-takers'language proficiency (high or low) on test takers'performance on scenario part in ESL Speaking Placement Test (hereafter ESLSPT) held in Meiya College of Hunan University. To answer the research questions, two kinds of data, including test performance data and questionnaire feedbacks are collected and analyzed. Besides, a systematic analysis about the cognitive process during meaningful learning is carried out with reference to Mayer's Generative Theory of Multimedia Learning.The main findings of this study include (1) As predicted by generative theory of multimedia learning, there is a contiguity effect in which students who receive concurrent presentation of verbal instruction and visual instruction perform better on the scenario task than did students who receive no visual instruction. For high proficiency participants, the test-takers who are accompanied with pictures behave a litter better than those who are not accompanied with pictures. But there is no significant difference between these two groups. For low proficiency participants, pictures do facilitate this group and the difference was statistically significant between with context visuals and without context visuals. (2) This study provides further evidence to the Generative Theory of Multimedia Leaning proposed by Mayer. According to the theory, learners are viewed as a knowledge constructor who actively selects and connects pieces of visual and verbal knowledge. Meaningful learning occurs when a learner builds coherent mental representations in verbal short-term memory and in visual short-term memory, and builds systematic connections between the verbal and visual representations. (3) The whole ESL speaking placement test shows itself better measurement quality, more authentic, and more cohere between scenario tasks and the other tasks. So suggestion is made to include pictures along with scenario tasks in the following tests.The significance of this study lies in its revealing the relation between visual and verbal information processing and oral production. The validity information about speaking test scores is of great importance for test development and evaluation. Suggestion to revise the task is raised to improve the overall validity of ESL speaking placement test. Meanwhile, the experiment in this study gives evidence to the Generative Theory of Multimedia Learning, and cognitive process in meaningful learning. The findings of this study are informative for other similar tests. What's more, the study provides direction for English teaching through the discussion of cognitive process of meaningful learning. The methodology adopted in this study which involves quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis may shed light on other similar production studies.