Developing English Speaking Skills: Enforcing Testing Criteria
Language is product of four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. English language learning and examination has been reduced to reading and writing in Pakistan, at the University level. However, English Speaking Skills (ESS) are in high demand in professional life. ESS require testing and grading like English writing skills. This study is based on developing ESS through testing criteria. A survey of university freshmen was used to collect data. Using Kim's (2010) testing scales, the freshmen's ESS progress was gauged through their speaking performances. As a case study, this research used a longitudinal approach (two academic semesters) with a mixed methods approach. University English Language Teachers' (UELTs) and University Administrators /Management's (UANM) interviews were analyzed textually. A criterion as a yardstick helped the learners to fit in to the optimum.
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Testing Scales, Developing Oral Skills, Recorded Speaking Performances, Pakistan
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(1) Nailah Riaz
PhD Scholar, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2) Sham Haidar
Assistant Professor, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(3) Riaz Hassan
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences,Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.