Shao-Ting Alan Hung

Topical knowledge in L2 speaking assessment: Comparing independent and integrated speaking test tasks:

Integrated speaking test tasks (integrated tasks) provide reading and/or listening input to serve as the basis for test-takers to formulate their oral responses. This study examined the influence of topical knowledge on integrated speaking test performance and compared independent speaking test performance and integrated speaking test performance in terms of how each was related to topical knowledge. The researchers derived four integrated tasks from TOEFL iBT preparation materials, developed four independent speaking test tasks (independent tasks), and validated four topical knowledge tests (TKTs) on a group of 421 EFL learners. For the main study, they invited another 352 students to respond to the TKTs and to perform two independent tasks and two integrated tasks. Half of the test takers took the independent tasks and integrated tasks on one topic combination while the other half took tasks on another topic combination. Data analysis, drawing on a series of path analyses, led to two major findings. First, topical knowledge significantly impacted integrated speaking test performance in both topic combinations. Second, the impact of topical knowledge on the two types of speaking test performances was topic dependent. Implications are proposed in light of these findings.

Test-Taker Characteristics and Integrated Speaking Test Performance: A Path-Analytic Study

ABSTRACT This study explored the relationships among language proficiency, two selected test-taker characteristics (i.e., topical knowledge and anxiety), and integrated speaking test performance. Data collection capitalized on three sets of instruments: three integrated tasks derived from TOEFL-iBT preparation materials, the state anxiety inventory created by Spielberger, and three topical knowledge tests constructed and validated by the researchers on a group of 421 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. For the main study, another 352 EFL learners answered the topical knowledge tests, took two integrated tasks (i.e., one practice task and one focal task), and responded to the state anxiety inventory. Furthermore, half took the focal task on one topic while the other half dealt with another topic. Path analyses revealed that in integrated speaking assessment, language proficiency did not represent a primary source of anxiety, whereas the impact of topical knowledge on anxiety varied, depending on the topics used. In addition, language proficiency and the two selected test-taker characteristics all exerted a significant influence on integrated speaking test performance. These findings disclosed the antecedents of anxiety in integrated speaking assessment, supported the inclusion of test-taker characteristics on second/foreign language (L2) theoretical models, and highlighted the validity threat posed by test-taker characteristics to test-score interpretations based on integrated speaking test performance.