earticle

영어

This study focuses on learners studying for academic purposes and aims to develop a speaking assessment tool using a task-based approach that can evaluate speaking skills for use in professional academic activity. Specifically, the author performed an analysis on tasks featured in a current textbook on speaking for academic purposes, and the results were used in the examples provided with the speaking assessment questions. The task analysis was conducted in three ways; analysis toward main speech functions, ways of participation, and topics of each task. According to the result, the specific speech contents were different for each main speaking function, such as presentation and discussion. For former, the main content was delivery of facts and for the latter, opinion statement was more important. In addition, a pilot test was conducted to verify validity of the given question. An assessment tool developed from such procedures offers the following benefits. First, the questions are developed through a cyclical process. Second, the results of the assessment can provide respondents with information on their weaknesses and strengths for each speaking function. Third, the study adopts a method of group participation rather than individual participation for the function that involves interaction between learners in a speaking environment for actual academic purposes.