6 Assessing productive and interactive skills Personal refl ection

 Part 
II
score is accurate. Where there are minor differences – one level on a 
nine-level scale, for example, an average is often taken as the fi nal score. 
If more substantial disagreements occur, a third independent rating 
should be obtained. The two closest scores may be averaged to give the 
fi nal score. Again, if one rater often seems to be out of step in his or her 
judgements, he or she may be rejected or given further training.
Task 6.4
Many testing organisations now provide recordings of assessees 
taking their speaking tests.
Search the internet and fi nd three examples of assessees taking the 
same test. If the scores are provided, do not look at them yet. 
Use the scales in 
Table 6.5
 to award scores to each performance.
Which of the criteria – Range, Accuracy, Fluency, Interaction, Coherence 
– did you fi nd it easiest to judge? Why?
Which score category did you award fi rst?
Did you feel there were other features of the performance that were 
important but that were not included on the scales?
If you found details of the scores awarded by the testing organisation, 
do they agree with your judgements concerning the rank order of the 
three performances?