Oral Expression Assessment and Correction in Primary Education

Evaluation of Oral Expression

Any activity related to Oral Expression (OE) should be evaluated. In some exercises, we will focus only on the most important errors and correct them. In others, we will attempt an overall assessment of the student's expressive capacity. Normally, a good diagnostic evaluation or competition of the expressive power of a student combines more than one test. Some of the most common are:

• Maintaining a dialogue or an informal conversation.
• Reading a text aloud.
• Making a brief, self-managed intervention: an argument, a comment, a narrative, etc.
• Reacting to a specific situation that requires a formula, routines, and a special language.

In most modern OE tests, students discuss in small groups and interact. Regarding criteria and assessment scales, we must distinguish two basic lines: analytical systems or bands (which assess each aspect separately) or synthetic or global systems (which associate a general level of language with a grade).

The two scales largely coincide on core issues to assess: the distinction between fluency and correctness in expressive ease and mastery of pronunciation and grammar. In the analytical system, each aspect is analyzed separately, and the expressive grade is the sum of all the sections. Its main advantage is that all evaluable aspects are usually considered. However, it also has drawbacks: it is sometimes difficult to decide which error is next. Moreover, synthetic systems appeal to the general impression of the candidate, the comprehensiveness of their expression. Descriptions of each grade appear. The main drawback is that errors are not listed.

However, it is much faster and more agile than analytics. These tests are the most reliable and comprehensive system to assess the expressive power of our students. It would be convenient for all to have the opportunity to be assessed in this way at least once or twice a year, at the beginning and end of the course.

Correction of Oral Expression

Oral correction is a neglected activity in primary language classrooms. Five points are made on the question, and finally, some correction techniques are presented:

1. Correct the most important errors: The student cannot assume or learn all the mistakes committed in an intervention.
2. Encourage self-correction and peer collaboration: The learner is solely responsible for their expression and its correction, and the teacher cannot keep track of all students in the intervention they do.
3. State errors but do not correct them: Teachers should write down errors but not correct them, since that is a task for the student.
4. Correction and fluency: Teachers pay more attention to grammatical errors than to fluency. We are more used to it, and we have more knowledge of the rules.
5. Measure the degree of correction: We must be aware that oral correction can have an intimidating effect on the learner. If a student is shy when speaking in public, a correction would further affect their poor self-confidence.

In light of this, we should be cautious when we correct the student and always adapt to the characteristics of each individual.