Multiple Questions in Different Sections of Oral Proficiency Interviews

Year 2018, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 91 - 103, 28.06.2018

Mehmet Abi Eda Üstünel

Abstract

It is generally accepted that
productive skills, i.e. writing and speaking, are hard to evaluate in EFL
classes and they require special training in terms of assuring valid and
reliable assessments. Recently oral proficiency interviews (OPIs) are gaining
popularity as one type of assessment and they seem to provide more valid results
when administered appropriately. One of the main characteristics of OPIs are
multiple questions (MQs). They are used in OPIs to deal with the problems.
Therefore, it may be beneficial to investigate the use of MQs in OPIs to reach
better understanding and increase the validity. In this respect, conversation
analysis which enables researchers track learning and examine micro details makes
it possible to see what is happening in conversations. In scope of the current
study, in which two-hour recording of OPIs administered in a Turkish
University, the use of MQs in OPIs is examined by using conversation analysis
and the findings are discussed.

Keywords

Multiple Questions, Oral Proficiency Exams, Conversation Analysis, Problems in OPIs

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