Situational contexts as a means of enhancing low frequency and high-frequency lexical items use in speech acts

AUTHOR:BIANCA MORAR
SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR:LUCIA PAVELESCU, Ph.D.
1

Chapter 1
THE TEACHING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND
THE ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES
1.1The Standardization Agreement Multi-level Criteria
1.1.1 The Standardization Agreement overview
1.1.2 Military personnel target levels
1.1.3 General English and general military English
1.2 The Advanced Listening and Speaking Course
1.2.1 The course syllabus
1.2.2 Assessment
2

Chapter 2
TEACHING SPEAKING SKILLS
2.1 Goals and techniques for teaching speaking
2.2 Developing speaking activities
2.2.1 Structured output activities
2.2.2 Communicative output activities
2.3 Applications
2.3.1 Topic-related vocabulary
2.3.2 Building critical thinking skills
2.3.2 Activity sets: methodological considerations
3

Chapter 3
TESTING
3.1 Test characteristics
3.2 Vocabulary testing : VEUT
The Vocabulary and Expression Usage Test
3.2.1 Procedure description
3.2.2 Context presentation and analysis
a. VEUT-tester sheet
b. VEUT-testee sheet
c. VEUT-scoring grid and sample analysis
d. VEUT-result analysis and interpretation
4

3.1 VEUTP –Test description
-type of test: achievement test
-purpose: testing oral production of lexical items
-characteristics: -interaction between language knowledge and
background knowledge
-authenticity of the task: testing performance
as ability in a specific language situation when testee is exposed to
tasks authentically representative of that situation
-congruence between the types of knowledge
and the tasks demanded by the situation
-test specifications: -blueprint
-statement
-contexts
-tasks
-scoring procedure
-score interpretation
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3.2.1 Procedure description
-The testee participates in 10 conversations/role-playing
contexts.
-Chooses the word/expression that he considers appropriate to
be used in the context provided from four choices given.
-The tester participates/initiates the conversations, records
answers and evaluates .
6

3.2.2a Tester sheet-Sample situation
Situation # 4
Vocabulary :
to pin down the enemy ; to sit tight ;
to play with fire ; to put someone on the spot
You think that geneticists assume a great responsibility in
dealing with the double helix. They are trying to either improve
it or change it in order to cure certain diseases such as the
Down Syndrome. You talk with a friend of yours about
geneticists and the unpredictable results of their experiments.
I am the friend whom you are talking with about the geneticists
and their experiments.
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Tester sheet- Guided structure
 Tester: Have you heard about the geneticists’ latest achievements?
 Student: ……………………………………………………………..
 Tester: I consider that the results of their most recent experiments will help cure
a lot of diseases in the future.
 Student: ……..........................................................................................
 Tester: But I am sure that there are some side effects too.
 Student: ………………………………………………….. ...
 Tester: Some scientists admit unofficially that such experiments could lead
anywhere which is not totally predictable.
 Student: …………………………………………………………......
 Tester: If we are to consider both the good sides and the bad sides of these
experiments, the outcome might prove to be positive still.
 Student: …………………………………………………………………………………
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3.2.2 b Testee sheet
 Situation # 1
 Vocabulary : coma naysayer
 trauma might

 Situation # 2
 Vocabulary : indelible disenfranchised
 abject lofty

 Situation # 3
 Vocabulary : to swallow one’s pride to have on hand
 to make a big fuss to open the door to
 Situation # 4
 Vocabulary : to be assimilated to be fed up with to be towed away to be lined up

 Situation # 5
 Vocabulary : to pin down the enemy to sit tight
 to play with fire to put someone on the spot

 Situation # 6
 Vocabulary : school of thought public charges
 common thread living will

 Situation # 7
 Vocabulary : to relieve to enlist
 to bone up on to be disenfranchised

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 7- uses the target word , but creates his context

 Our personnel empathizes with the homeless. ( situation : you feel sorry for the
homeless)

 6- uses a non-target word with errors in the sentence

 I think they are addicted to the old one. ( situation : talking about the criticism people
have towards the new Constitution and their dissatisfaction with it; target word-to run
the gauntlet of …)

 5-uses a non-target word with errors in the usage or mispronunciation


 I think they is addicted to the new one.( explanation as above )

 4-target word used incomprehensibly

 I was a little setback.
 My surgery cost is a drop in the bucket for his money.
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3- uses a non-target word incomprehensibly

 A week ago that store give me some business to do…That’s why I had to make a quantum
leap and change the situation in better.
 (situation :You have business problems; target word –setback )

 2- uses neither a target, nor a non-target word in a comprehensible conversation

 I have some problems with my business.

 ( choices given : quantum leap ; metaphor ; setback ; demise )

 1- as mentioned above, but the conversation is incomprehensible

 I have, still…………go my business.

 0- doesn’t say anything


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Sample response analysis
 Situation # 1 (VEUTP 2)

 You are in charge of taking care of the supplies for your
unit. You are not really happy about this as you don’t enjoy
being responsible for the supplies. You talk with a peer
about this, trying to find a way out.

 Vocabulary: to go by the book to be one’s bag
 to get to the bottom to shoot from the hip


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Different responses and scoring
 Testee utterance
 Score

 ...because it isn’t my bag, but if I must to do, I do it.
 Score=9
 The use of the term is correct, but there is an error in the utterance
 I really don’t like it. It’s not my bag.
 Score=10


 I’m in charge of supplies and it’s my bag.
 Score=7
 The student didn’t understand the context. He created his own context to use the term.
 It’s not my bag.
 Score=10

 To take care of my unit supplies is not my bag.
 Score=9
 The use of the term is correct, but there is an error in the utterance.
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Yes, it isn’t my bag.
 Score=9
 The student should have said “No, it isn’t my bag.”
 .....supply and it isn’t my bag.
 Score=9
 The student should have used ‘supplies’ rather than ‘supply’.
 It’s not may bag to be involved in logistics.
 Score=10
 I’m afraid that’s not may bag.
 Score=7
 The testee considered the assessor as his supervisor. Hence, he changed the
context and forced the term into it.
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Results interpretation
Composition of the three tests administered :
Test 1 –a set body of target vocabulary items
Test 2 -70% of the target vocabulary from test 1 + 30% new
vocabulary
Test 3-70% of the vocabulary tested in test 2 + 30% new
lexical items
The pass mark: 70%
Results : homogenous groups-74.2% and 77.5 %(test 2)
89 %and 91%(test 3)
mixed group-66.5 %(test 2)
78%(test3)
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Reasons for improvement:
-familiarity with the test format
-development of consistent ability in the use of lexical items
-provided feedback
-increased comprehension of previously items used
incorrectly
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CONCLUSIONS
Role-plays:
-useful means of assessing meaning, form , and use
of high and low-frequency items
-promote interaction resulting in comprehensible input
-opportunity to create with the language
-context appropriateness
17

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
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Situational contexts as a means of enhancing low frequency and high-frequency lexical items use in speech acts

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Situational contexts as a means of enhancing low frequency and high-frequency lexical items use in speech acts