I’d like to present the next offers to change the way of grading student’s spoken English.
During all the studying term We could make the favorable conditions where students could practice their speaking skill into the debates, real performances, role-play lessons and another different realistic situation. Those ways could accelerate the exam time and can be graded a few students at the same time. This kind of process is close to real situations, where can be developed students creative side. Moreover, this way when students work in groups together is more comfortable, and not stressful and nervous, then passing exams face to face with teacher. For example, for upper-intermediate level students, we can use meeting format of lesson (political, economical, ecological and etc.). Let’s say we choose political debate: the class is divided into two groups – they are members of two delegations, and from one to three students are interviewer. Teacher writes on the boar the term of the debate. One group think about advantages arguments; the second group think about disadvantages points. And interviewers also prepare questions and their role is leading the debate. They are given some minutes for preparing. In this way, teamwork is also worked out. Presentation is also good way to grade. Students are divided into two groups or more, choose the theme of presentations. Every student have to make a speech ( it is one of the conditions).
One more ways is speaking about news, currents affairs, about movie. Students choose stories which they like, bring text to the class and tell this to others. They class start discuss, what they think about. And speaker also tells why he/she chooses this news. And we can add this performance with recording every speaker. Then class will watch it and grade themselves.
Thus, there is an opportunity to assess students in different situations that reveal the potential of each student, give the opportunity to use their own knowledge.
I hope these suggestions are helpful, and we can realize successful ways to test spoken skills of the students.