Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Speaking Rubrics
Submitted by: Kimi
The premier ESL test available is the TOEFL exam (Test of English as a Foreign Language). This exam, running four hours in length, is designed to prove that you can survive and succeed in an English speaking, academic environment. The main goal for takers of the TOEFL exam is to study at a university in an English speaking country, such as England, Canada, United States, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand. The test therefore examines your ability to communicate with academic English, not conversational English like in other exams.
One part of the TOEFL exam that causes a lot of confusion with ESL students is the grading scheme. In a previous article, I explained how the test is scored: each of the four target areas are worth 30 points each for a grand total of 120. But how do the judges determine how many points to award per section? The answer is not simple: each of the four sections has their own grading system. Each individual Task – whether it is in Speaking, Writing, Listening, or Reading – is graded out of 4. Here is the breakdown of each grade for the Speaking section. This is known as the Speaking Rubrics.
Four areas of focus
There are four requirements for each of your six Speaking Tasks: 1) General Description of your answer, which involves how well you addressed the question directly and if you included all of the elements of the question; 2) Delivery, in which you are judged on your ability to speak clearly with a good pace and rhythm as well as pronunciation; 3) Language Use, in which you are judged on your ability to use proper grammar and a large vocabulary; and finally 4) Topic Development, in which you are judged on your ability to speak coherently with good transition from one idea to the next.
Scoring from Zero to Four
Each of your six Speaking Tasks is given a grade of zero to four for each of the above areas of focus. Let’s look at the definition for each of those individually.
Zero
A zero is incredibly rare. This grade is only given if you fail to even speak at all or if you don’t answer the question directly; for example, the question is “What is 2+2?” and your answer is “Apple”. The answer does not address the question.
One
You will receive a score of One in any of the four areas of focus if your answers are extremely limited. In regards to the General Description category, you will receive a One if your content is incoherent or if your answer is not specific enough to the question. Significant pronunciation problems or difficulties with rhythm and pace will result in a score of One for the Delivery component. If you have trouble conveying your ideas because you cannot properly use grammar or find the correct vocabulary to express yourself, you will likely receive a One. You will be given only one point for Topic Development if your answer is too short, you repeat a lot, or if you did not link your ideas in a logical and coherent fashion.
Two
Scores of Two are given for the following reasons: 1) General Description: Your response addresses the task directly, yet some of your ideas are unintelligible or incoherent, or if your overall meaning has been obscured and hard to follow. 2) Delivery: your overall speech is hard to follow and a lot of words are either mispronounced or misused. Or if your pace and rhythm is choppy and forced (in other words, unnatural). 3) Language Use: your answer only shows a limited or fractured understanding of grammar coupled with a low vocabulary level. These problems are the reason why you cannot convey your ideas accurately. These language problems include a lack of sophistication. 4) Topic Development: Once again, basic ideas and conveyances are the problem and therefore you will receive a score of Two. Your connections between ideas may be unclear to the judges.
Three
Receiving a score of Three is very common and shows a strong understanding of the Task. Scores of Three are given for the following reasons: 1) General Description: your general understanding of the text is obviously clear, yet some further development may be necessary. At this level, you have summarized and proven your understanding of the Task with near perfection; only some problems exist. 2) Delivery: your speech is clear with proper pronunciation, pace, and rhythm; however, some minor problems may have surfaced. You didn’t receive Four points because the judge still needed to focus intently to understand you. 3) Language Use: you have proven that you can use proper English grammar and vocabulary in a natural way without pauses or lapses in concentration. Your limited grammar however may prevent you from conveying your ideas to their fullest. 4) Topic Development: Your response flows naturally with clear transitions between ideas; however, your links between ideas may not be clear from the beginning.
Four
Receiving a score of Four shows that you have no problems with the English language and that your answer addressed everything that is required. Here are the reasons for each of the four focus areas: 1) General Description: You have fully and accurately addressed the demands of the question without leaving anything out. 2) Delivery: you speak fluidly with an excellent pace and rhythm that makes it a breeze to follow your ideas. Although you may make a few mistakes, so long as it doesn’t affect comprehension, your grade is not lowered. 3) Language Use: you have proven that you possess a strong understanding of English grammar and vocabulary. You can automatically speak with complete sentence with impeccable grammar; however, even small mistakes in grammar that do not affect comprehension will not result in a lower grade. 4) Topic Development: you have effectively used all of the time allotted and have linked your ideas in a coherent and logical way. All of your points are related to each other in such a way that the judges understand everything.
Latest Articles about: TOEFL
1: Preparing for TOEFL – Building your English speaking skills2: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Integrated Writing Rubrics
3: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Independent Writing Rubrics
4: Preparing for TOEFL – Explaining the Speaking Rubrics
5: TOEFL Test Score: How the test is scored
Word Count: 1048 Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 Time: 2:23 AM
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