Task 14 -- Communicative approach

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Date Posted: 16:02:47 08/08/03 Fri
Author: Simone Couto Gomes
Subject: Task 14

FOURTEENTH CLASS

August 4 th to 8th

Testing

Read the text below and say how we can test communicative competence.
Testing Communicative competence http://iteslj.org/Articles/Kitao-Testing.html

First and foremost it is always important to remember that when testing communicative competence, what is being tested is the student�s ability to make use of the language in an appropriate manner when dealing with real (or near-real) circumstances, whether in a more passive or more active position.

There are two basic principles that ought to be followed: accuracy should not be as relevant as appropriateness, unless it interferes with the comprehension of the meaning that is being put across; and understanding of the whole should always be given preference, in relation to the understanding of minute points. It is consequently, very interesting to elaborate tasks which will be assessed taking these two aspects into consideration and demanding these skills from the learners.

Besides that, there is a broader issue that must also be taken into consideration: the subject of the test. For assessing communicatively, it is ideal that the tests be context-specific so as to reproduce as much as possible real circumstances where the students would actually need to use the language learnt. Nonetheless, the subject cannot be arbitrary, it must be in accordance with what was taught in class and with the material available for study too.

As for grades, teachers must not penalize students for accuracy mistakes (such as spelling and pronunciation) if the message, opinion or information is comprehensible and if the students are managing to understand what is being received by them. Having in mind that, to evaluate in a more complete way, it is relevant not to demand only productive skills, nor only receptive skill, but a combination of the two - but always in communicative situations.

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