A system of test tasks for self- and peer assessment of English listening competence for future translators

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A system of test tasks for self- and peer assessment of English listening competence for future translators

Krapchatova Ya-А.,

Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences,

Associate Professor,

Associate Professor

at the Romano-Germanic Department National Academy of Security Service of Ukraine

The article is devoted to one of the actual problems of foreign language teaching methods - the development of a subsystem of test tasks for self- and peer assessment of the level of English language competence in listening among future translators.

The test subsystem consists of a group of test tasks for testing listening skills and a group of test tasks for testing listening abilities. The group of test tasks for checking listening skills includes two subgroups: for self- and peer monitoring of lexical skills in listening and for self- and peer monitoring of grammatical skills in listening. The group of test tasks for testing listening abilities includes a subgroup of test tasks for self- and peer assessment of language and semantic anticipation, as well as three subgroups for self- and peer assessment of global, detailed and selective understanding of the audio text.

Tests for self- and peer assessment of the level of formation of English-language competence in listening are performed in accordance with three stages of control during listening - predictive, procedural and resultive. Examples of test tasks for self-monitoring of certain skills and abilities are provided.

During predictive control, test tasks are performed to check language and semantic anticipation. During procedural control, test tasks are performed to check lexical and grammatical listening skills, as well as global, detailed and selective understanding of the audio text. During resultive control, the ability to understand the audio text is tested globally, in details and selectively. All test tasks are performed in a certain sequence together with the use of memos that candidates are guided by before listening to audio texts, as well as checklists for selfassessment of their own listening skills and abilities, which are filled out after completing the test tasks. test task self peer assessment

Key words: test task, self- and peer assessment, skills and abilities in listening.

СИСТЕМА ТЕСТОВИХ ЗАВДАНЬ ДЛЯ САМО- І ВЗАЄМОКОНТРОЛЮ РІВНЯ СФОРМОВАНОСТІ АНГЛОМОВНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ В АУДІЮВАННІ МАЙБУТНІХ ПЕРЕКЛАДАЧІВ

Стаття присвячена одній із актуальних проблем методики викладання іноземних мов - розробці підсистеми тестових завдань для само і взаємоконтролю рівня сформованості англомовної компетентності в аудіюванні у майбутніх перекладачів. Підсистема тестових складається з групи тестових завдань для перевірки навичок аудіювання та групи тестових завдань для перевірки мовленнєвих умінь в аудіюванні. Група тестових завдань для перевірки навичок аудібвання включає дві підгрупи: для само- і взаємоконтролю лексичних навичок в аудіюванні та для само- взаємокнтролю граматичних навичок в аудіюванні. Група тестових завдань для перевірки мовленнєвих умінь в аудіюіванні включає пігрупу тестових завдань само- взаємоконтролю мовної та семантичної антиципації, а також три підгрупи для само- і взаємоконтролю глобального, детального та вибіркового розуміння аудіотексту.

Тести для само і взаємоконтролю рівня сформованості англомовної компетентності в аудіювання виконуться відповідно до трьох етапів котролю під час аудіювання - прогностичного, процедурального та резу- зультативного. Надаються приклади тестових завдань для самоконтролю певних навичок і вмінь.

Ключові слова: тестове завдання, само- і взаємоконтроль, навички і вміння в аудію- ванні.

Formulation of the problem

Analysis of the latest research and publications,The main role in the methodology of teaching foreign languages is assigned to the creation of exercises and to control the competence in all types of speech activities. The method proposed by us for the organization of self- and peer assessment of English listening competence for future translators involves the use of effective means of self- and peer assessment, such as, first of all, test tasks, as well as the involvement of memos, heuristic conversation and checklists for self-assessment of English listening competence. Thus, the understanding of a foreign language will be facilitated by the analysis, comprehension and awareness of one's own algorithms for working with audio text, in other words, arbitrary control of speech activity in listening and a conscious, reflexive approach to performing test control to check the level of English listening competence.

Analysis of the latest research and publications

Many Ukrainian scientists were involved in the development of systems and subsystems of exercises and test control complexes both for teaching and for assessment of the competence in listening: O. Yu. Bochkaryova, S. V. Gaponova, O. V. Kmit, O. A. Matsneva, O. O. Sivachenko and others.

Highlighting previously unresolved parts of the overall problem

If we are talking about the control of a separate type of speech activity in the appropriate conditions and on the specified material, then the concept of "subsystem" of the test assessment is used. Within the scope of our research, only listening comprehension training for future translators will take place.

Formulation of the goals of the article (statement of the task)

So, we aim to develop the test control subsystem for listening comprehension of future translators. We distinguish the test subsystem for the self and peer assessment of the English listening competence as a set of test tasks, united in certain groups and subgroups, which take into account the regularities of the formation of speech skills and the improvement of speech skills in listening and ensure the highest possible level of English listening competence under the given conditions.

Presentation of the main research material

A prerequisite for the organization of the self and peer assessment of English listening competence was the presence of a clear idea of the correlation between the types of self and peer assessment with the stages of work with the audio text during the lesson and the distribution of test tasks, which would ensure the assessment of the level of English listening competence in practice. Therefore, the test subsystem was divided into three stages, in accordance with the main stages of working with audio text, which are generally accepted in the methodology of teaching foreign languages [1, p. 182]. These are: Pre-listening, While-listening and Post-listening stages.

Since the main task of the pre-listening stage is preparation for further listening to the audio text, at this stage it is necessary to check the development of language anticipation skills, which contributes to the activation of already existing phonetic, lexical and grammatical skills and knowledge. Also at this stage it is necessary to relieve language difficulties. In addition, at the pre-listening stage, the skill of semantic anticipation is tested, which involves understanding the main idea of the text, which contributes to the development of the skills of global understanding of the audio text.

Therefore, at the pre-listening stage, predictive self assessment should be formed and developed by students. This means it consists of self organization, motivation, and planning of one's own speech activity in listening. For the development of prognostic self assessment, memos or heuristic conversation are used, as well as memos created by students themselves regarding the planning of auditory activities. At this stage, a necessary condition is the internal motivation of students, which directs them to the goal - the actual performance of listening. Performing at the pre-listening stage of test control in relation to linguistic and semantic anticipation, students form and develop reflective skills of self and peer assessment - to implement self- and peer verification, analyze, correct, evaluate, realize and comprehend.

At the while listening stage, actual listening takes place, while the teacher provides various communicative tasks: listen to the text in order to extract the main idea, details or specific information. Communicative tasks help students to orient themselves and develop the ability of global, detailed and selective understanding of audio texts. At the text stage, students carry out internal self control, in other words, procedural self control. At this stage, particularly during re-listening, one can do a gap-filling test, alternative or true I false test tasks, multiple-choice tasks and others. Procedural self control is a component of a listening skill, therefore, at this stage, we will use tests for self control of lexical and grammatical skills, as well as the ability to global, detailed, selective understanding of the audio message, in particular, the definition of key words, the so-called semantic milestones of each logical part. Test control can be performed both on the computer as well as on paper.

At the while-listening stage, for the development of internal self assessment, memos made by a teacher, or heuristic conversation are used, and students also learn to make memos-advice on the actual performance of listening. We believe that they are an perfect algorithm, a conscious guideline for the performance of listening activites, which will contribute to a better perception and understanding of information.

Since the mechanisms of the procedural self control can be checked with the help of the effective self and peer assessment, the next logical part is the post-listening stage, at which the external self and peer assessment of the English listening competence will be carried out by means of computer and non-computer test tasks. At this stage, the reflective skills of the self and peer assessment are improved. During the implementation of test control, students' reflection is expressed in memos, which are created by the students themselves as a result of a heuristic conversation or based on the memos adviced by a teacher. At the post-listening stage, skills of global, detailed and selective understanding of audio texts are mainly tested. Since the success of the formation of the mechanisms of procedural SC can be checked with the help of an effective self and peer assessment, the speech, lexical and grammatical skills of listening can be tested as well. Compensatory skills, consisting in the involvement of background knowledge, extra- linguistic and non-verbal information, ignoring certain unfamiliar vocabulary and grammatical structures, guessing about the meaning of unknown words from the context, etc. So, students are tested to check their skills of global, detailed and selective understanding.

We suggest grouping all test tasks into a subsystem by the objects of assessment. Therefore, the subsystem for the test control of the English listening competence consists of two groups: the Test Group 1 for the test assessment of English listening skills and the Test Group 2 for the test assessment of English listening abilities. We remind you that the knowledge (phonetic, lexical, grammatical and background) is tested in the context of testing both skills and abilities. Compensatory skills are tested in the context of global, detailed and selective comprehension of audio text as well. Therefore, the Test Group 1 for the test assessment of English listening skills contains:

1.1. Test Subgroup 1.1. for the self and peer assessment of English lexical listening skills;

1.2. Test Subgroup 1.2. for the self and peer assessment of English grammartical listening skills;

Test Group 2 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities includes: one subgroup of test assessment that prepares students for listening and three subgroups of test assessment that provide control of the level of understanding of the listened audio text, namely:

2.1. Test Subgroup 2.1 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities of:

a) language anticipation; b) semantic anticipation;

2.2. Test Subgroup 2.2 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities of global understanding;

2.3. Test Subgroup 2.3 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities of detailed understanding;

2.4. Test Subgroup 2.4 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities of selective comprehension;

Below we offer the examples of the test tasks.

Test Subgroup 1.1. for the self and peer assessment of English lexical listening skills.

Example 1. The object of the self and peer assessment is to recognize, differentiate and understand the meaning of the words, which a student has to fill in while listening. The type of test control is a gap filling task.

Instruction. It is very important for the future interpreter to hear and understand the details of what was said. While listening to the story about pain, fill in the gaps with the exact words you can hear. The first one is done for you.

My parents took me to my (0) paediatrician where he took a lighter, placed it underneath my (1), held it there for a moment until my skin began to (2)and then he had a pretty good idea of what it was that my condition was. And because the child didn't (3)in any way he was able to figure out that he had this rare medical (4) which is called Congenital Analgesia.

Steve's brother shares this condition, so what kinds of problems did it (5)them when they were growing up?

Steve Pete: we were always getting into trouble, we kind of (6)things to the extreme. We'd always end up with (7) bones, we'd be visiting the (8) frequently, wearing (9) throughout most of our childhood. So it was quite (10)

Answer key: 1 - foot; 2 - blister; 3 - react; 4 - condition; 5 - cause; 6 - pushed; 7 -broken; 8 - hospitals; 9 - casts; 10 - difficult.

Test Group 2 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities. Test Subgroup 2.2 for the self and peer assessment of English listening abilities of global understanding;

Example 2. The object of self and peer assessment is the ability to understand the main content of the audio text. The type of test control is the alternative test.

Instruction. You are going to hear an interview with the chief editor of the newspaper. First you will have 30 seconds to study the statements below. After listening, mark the statements (1-5) true (T) or false (F) in your answer sheet.There is one example (0) at the beginning. You will have 30 seconds to finalise your answers.

0. Debbie has two children. F

1. It's Wednesday and `The Hunts Post' newspaper is published on a Wednesday

2. Monday is Debbie's busiest day.

3. Christina has made it to the front page because her job has made her as smart as the Princess is reported to have been.

4. You might be in the paper because you have done something different.

5. “WicKid” covers topics of interest for children and it's “interactive” - the children are involved.

Answer key: 1 - T; 2 - F; 3 - F; 4 - T; 5 - T.

Conclusions

As for self and peer assessment, we consider the feedback implemented during the execution of computer test control as a connection between the computer learning tool and the subject of learning, which provides the formation, control, assessment and correction of a student's listening skills and abilities, as well as managing his I her educational and cognitive activities. So, based on the main phases of any test control (task, sample, task execution, control), we can note that in the process of performing computer test control, the last phase - control - is implemented in the instant implementation of the feedback, precisely in the reaction to the answer and evaluations, for example: Excellent! Your score is 100! and coordination for further actions, for example: Try again!

We developed the electronic test tasks for self and peer assessment of future translators' English listening competence. The feedback is carried out in the following way: the student performs the test task, and after that he instantly receives the points for the completed test tasks by pressing the "Check" button. He may also receive an stimulation for further actions, such as "Sorry! Try again”, if the task is performed incorrectly (there may be many attempts, but as a result, a greater number of points are lost) or “Correct!” in case of correct performance of the task. Thus, the student can move on to the next test task. At the end of the test tasks, each student records his result in an electronic folder under his own name, and during his or her (homework) work, he I she fills out checklists for the self evaluation of English listening competence, in which he I she indicates how he I she is satisfied with his I her own result.

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