TaskFourteen -- Communicative approach

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Date Posted: 19:05:35 08/07/03 Thu
Author: Danilo Crist�faro Alves da Silva
Subject: TaskFourteen

TaskFourteen � August 4th to 8th.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Faculdade de Letras LET 076C Professora: Vera Menezes
Aluno: Danilo Crist�faro Alves da Silva - No: 2002026917
_____________________________________________________________________
Read the text below (from link provided) and say how we can test communicative competence.
In communicative competence we have the speaker being able not only to produce correct sentences but also to be able to use the language as it is normally used.

If we depart from that point of view, we need to consider the same elements when testing communicative competence. So, following this line of thinking, testing should primarily assess how students are able to communicate in real life situations, in a given language.

Only few tests are truly communicative. Most have some parts of it and may present different degrees of �communicativeness�. Tests should also consider what the needs of the testees are and bring them closer the actual use of the language they are preparing themselves for. In these terms, realism and reliability are essential in order to achieve best results.

Testing, obviously, implies grading. What the author proposes is the set up of band scales. These band scales would correspond to the receptive or the production of the testee.

The author provides examples of what communicative approch testing. Information Gap is a good way of evaluating students on communicative competence. This kind of activity (listening/Speaking) involves, normally, two or three participants. They are given information on a task but the not all the information is passed to any of the participants. By doing this the testees are made to find answers for questions.

In Reading and Writing, again, students should only be given tests that have to do what they have been studying. One good example is that if the teacher is to ask his students to write a letter they need to know (and to have seen it) what is behind it.

In conclusion, communicative language is about using the language how it should be used. Therefore the testing should be a reflexion of this.

Bibliography:
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kitao-Testing.html
_____________________________________________________________________
TaskFourteen � August 4th to 8th.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Faculdade de Letras LET 076C Professora: Vera Menezes
Aluno: Danilo Crist�faro Alves da Silva - No: 2002026917

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