Exchange Risks Essay

The challenging issues in international business within the 20th and 21st century are currency and exchange rate risks. In the late 20th century, for instances, it has been clear that exchange rate risks considerations are critical for business survival. The economics crisis in the U. S. and most of European countries has displayed how the value of currencies in international business settings could alter the faith of millions of people, brought some to welfare and others to poverty. Concerning the business strategy into Brazilian market, the plan to strengthen market in the country is greatly influenced by economical factors such as the inflation figure of Brazil and the global economics crisis. The inflation figure is important since it influence the purchasing power of Brazilian. The global economic crisis also influences the country’s exchange rate of Brazilian currency that further influence the pricing of Bimbo bread products. In the light of this involvement, companies need to perform foreign currency risks assessments regarding the business activities. Most companies generally apply some of the financial tools that would protect them from foreign currency risk exposure, like futures, forward contract, etc. Recommendation The first analysis that Bimbo may take in expanding into foreign market is the country risk analysis. This is important factor for Bimbo since retail industry is low concentrated industry in which many local bread providers. In addition, country risk analysis also helps Bimbo in assessing whether a country has a set of policy that benefits business or vice versa. The figure 1 suggests that the more attractive a country is in terms of FDI index, the more likely that Bimbo must immediately presents in the country. Based on the FDI Index, we assess that Bimbo has performed suitable investment in Brazil. Since a country risk is only one factor in deciding a foreign direct investment, Bimbo must perform the next step that is to define marketing objectives to guide the company in assessing their productivity in foreign market. Figure 1 Top 25 Countries in term of FDI Confidence Index Source: A. T. Kearney Challenges of Grupo Bimbo in the U. S Choose the Suitable Entry Strategy In terms of market entry, there are many ways of entering a foreign market; each has its own economic and legal implications. Some entry strategies that multinational companies usually take are joint venture and foreign direct investment. Joint venture is a type of foreign market penetration strategy has a considerably large investment risk but this method consists of an opportunity to learn and create a greater presence in the targeted markets. Companies prefer to perform this type of market entry strategy when dealing with countries whose government put considerable restrictions on foreign ownership (Quick MBA, 2007). In case of Bimbo, the company may conduct joint marketing, for example, with local retailer named Lojas Americanas, a Brazil leading department store chain. This method provides Bimbo with the capability to learn the Brazilian retail market since at that time Customers’ Preferences Other risks in conducting international expansion are cultural issues. This factor then accumulates into becoming customers’ preferences. According to various studies in the field, culture is often an underestimated factor in managing corporate businesses. These studies also revealed that those companies that failed to place culture as an important business consideration often find themselves in a disappointing circumstance. Business investments that cost millions of US dollars could go down the drain due to such failure (Kwintessential, 2007). For instances, the Brazilian and U. S. customers consider the quality of product as the most important factor when deciding to buy merchandises. The other factors are price, value added and packaging. Today, however, realizing the global environment we are living in, companies are becoming increasingly cultural sensitive. There are various examples of corporations that hired people from various backgrounds and discover a synergy within their cooperation. In terms of Bimbo, in order to cope with cultural issues, the company also makes some cultural adjustment such as the use of advertisement media. If in the U. S. , the company spends many television advertising, in the Brazil, Bimbo takes many radio advertisings since many Brazilian housewives listen to the radio more often then watching television. Reference: Ball, Donald A. et al. (2002). International Business the Challenge of Global Competition. McGraw Hill Holt, David H and Wigginton, Karen W. (2002). International Management. Thomson Kotler, Philip. (2000). Marketing Management. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc Kwintessential. (2007). Cultural Sensitivity in Business. Retrieved October 10, 2008 from http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/cultural-services/articles/cultural-sensitivity. html Quick MBA. (2007). Foreign Market Entry Modes. Retrieved October 10, 2008 from http://www. quickmba. com/strategy/global/marketentry/.

Racial Achievement Gap in the United States Essay

The racial achievement gap in the United States is the educational disparities between various ethnic groups. It is more manifests in African-America and Hispanic. These ethnic groups happen because students of those race are more likely to receive low grade in school, on their standardize test, even drop out of high school and is less likely to even attend college. Each student is independent and gains more equal opportunities as the same as other student who they attend school with. Throughout the American history, the improvement of citizenship in the educational system is the continual process compare with the past, because the minority of the student is even more independent and is equal in the present. However, the unequal economic gap and the different of the individual ability that has led the achievement gap grow in American society today. Over the last couple of years the united states student had make notable in academic achievement but however the racial gap remain the sa me. The favorable academic achievement is necessary to help the student gain the equal access to the education. For most minorities the education would make them have the higher spending on effort, time and money. Particularly, some lower income family student who even give up their education due to financial problem, which lend them to lose the opportunity to accept the higher education. According to the article written by Sabrina Travernise, which quote â€Å"a study that found that gap in the standardized test scores between affluent and lower income students had grown by above 40 percent since the 1960s†. The racial gap testing is now double between the blacks and whites. From 2007 to 2009 the achievement gap for the majority still stayed the same. For example the minority students occupy the large ratio of the poverty student. In many of the lower income families, the student who usually spend much less money in tuition and some of them will still don’t really care abo ut how the education system goes. In situation like this many student have the much weaker academic competition than the students and making most of them get the lower average in the standardized test scores. As a result they are arranged together in the lower level class. Unquestionably they sometime separate most of the white students where they can’t share some of the knowledge with the other kids. Also according to the US Department of Education the event dropout rate is the percentage of high school student who dropped out between beginnings of one school year to the next. Lacking of the educational resource is the most common factor which produces the difference on individual ability between the minority and the white student. Both the family and the school play the essential role in affecting the development the student’s ability. As a presence of the investigation, the children usually have the better IQ number in the good home environment. The difference of the individual ability between the minority student and the white student that makes the achievement gap increase. In today educational system, the student is separated from the different program and school according to their academic degree; this is also the unequal treatment among the different races of students because it never creates the equal opportunity to the lower- GPA minority students. For example, many lower level class students are only taught to use the simple academic skill in class, and then their ability won’t promote in the faster rate. In addition to their natura listic interest are usually ignored due to the less education resource when they are distributed to them. As a result the student won’t have the good prospect in future even if they are educated. The teaching quality and the outcome of the educational resources that both of them have the direct relationship in affecting the achievement gap. Therefore we should make more efforts to improve the current educational system. The educational inequality is differentiating the social class in America. In today’s society, earning the college degree or accepting the higher education have become the foremost condition in finding the job. However, the educational inequality affects the occupational success of people. The most obvious evidence is that the lower income workers have a lot of financial problem. In 2011 72% of African American student structure does affect their educational goal and expectation also they growing up in a single parent homes on educational attainment and success. The government and the people have the responsibility and obligation to aid at the weak group of people. Most Hispanic who is immigrating to American only sees to themselves a high school diploma, where they think it a sufficient amount of schooling. In summary as the circumstances that is placed above, the development of the American economy depend upon the development of the American educational system, which has also the essential impact to people’s life. Therefore, the government should continually improve the rule of educational system. Creating more opportunities and distributing the more educational resources to the minority student no matter how their individual ability is.

Answering questions from the article Questions number 5 and 6 only

Answering questions from the Questions number 5 and 6 only - Article Example Therefore, every worker entered the details of his or her completed order, making them responsible for their actions. Mark distributed a detailed activity sheet specifying how tasks should be structured throughout the day. In addition, he indicated and how much time each task should task. He felt that this would provide more control over the workers and improve their productivity as well as efficiency. In addition, he announced that all future calls from the customers were to be forwarded directly. Specifically, this is because he felt it was inappropriate for employees to take up this role. In turn, this would increase his control over the workers. Mark posted a goal sheet on the break room door listing each employees name and the goal mark for each day to motivate them. He would then display the number of orders completed and compare it to the pre-set goal to gauge their performance against their co-workers. He felt that this would improve their efficiency through competition and predictability of their performance. He ensured the orders were provided, on time, to improve reliability as he often arrives late. He gave new directions that he would enter the shipping data and, therefore, ordered all workers to place their completed shipping orders in the bin provided outside his office. The lack of adequate information about the workers influenced his decision. Therefore, he felt that the employee would take advantage of the situation and use the computer for â€Å"inappropriate† things. Notably, this would reduce their efficiency and company

Fashion Retail in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fashion Retail in the UK - Essay Example The paper "Fashion Retail in the UK"discovers the the ideas behind the BCG business strategy in the context of UK fashion retail. The BCG strategy suggests that the resources of an organization be allocated depending on its relative position on the grid. The grid has four sections/ positions. These are cash cow, star, question mark, and dog. The BCG strategy is diagrammatically represented as follows. The relative market share is a dimension that is utilized in evaluating a business portfolio. A corporate that enjoys high market share would ultimately get a high return of cash. This can be explained in terms of economies of scales. A firm that manufactures large quantities of goods has benefits of economies of scale and thus they enjoy higher profits. On the other hand, the market growth rate is a representation that earnings and profits increase. An increase in the growth rate means that large amounts of cash would be utilized to stimulate further growth. This means that an organiza tion in the rapidly growing industries use up a lot of cash and one should only invest in such organizations when there is an underlying growth or a sustained market share. Dogs: the brand in this quadrant is in a slow growing market. Furthermore, such brands are not the market leaders: they hold a low market share. Such brands generate nil or sometimes negative cash on returns. It is not wise for one to invest in such brands unless one opts for a long-term investment. As such, one may opt for retrenchment.

The Viewpoint assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Viewpoint assignment - Essay Example The relationship between the United States and Japan had been a complicated mix of completion, cooperation, and conflict. This began in 1853, immediately Commodore Mathew Perry came to Edo Bay and insisted on a termination to over a couple of years of Japanese isolation. Only ten years prior to this, Britain had imposed Nanjing unequal treaty on China following the First Opium War (Doyle & Xiaoming 78). The disposal of Perry’s naval power convinced leaders in Japan to sign the Kanagawa treaty of 1854 that provided for the opening of two ports to ships from the U.S. The first U.S minister to China, Townsend Harris, negotiated extra agreements to extent the rights of the United States to Japan. Thus, the U.S had showed to Japan how economic weak points had left it helpless. The Chinese were further disgraced by having to surrender legal authorities over the foreigners that resided in their nation and the port cities. The Chinese citizens were even forced by the treaties to give way to Christian missionaries from the West to proselytize in the interior parts of China. Hostility to such foreign dictations forced a rebellion that re-established the Meiji emperor and commenced rapid industrialization and modernization in which leaders in Japan borrowed and learned from foreign countries, especially the U.S. The ability of the Westerners to inflict their economic demands on China forcibly was too harsh to the Chinese perception of themselves as an extremely developed civilization. In addition, the Western concept of a structure of international relations carried out among supreme nation-states challenged the identity of the Chinese as universalistic, advanced civilization. It was also hard for the courts in China to adapt to a system that had developed in the West by the 1800 where supreme nation-states interrelated as equals (Doyle & Xiaoming 90) The intellectual history of the Qing dynasty in the late 18th century shows how

Business functions and processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business functions and processes - Essay Example For instance, installing a technology in a firm whose overall internal structures and infrastructure are not compatible with application of the same is wastage of time, money and human resource. Equally important is that fact that technology can be sometimes the only measure, providing means to meet customer needs in the present competitive environment (Shaughnessy, 2013). Operations are strategized in a manner whereby organisation can compete in a competitive marketplace. For instance, these strategies can be in terms of quality, low cost, customisation and delivery. Traditional challenges in operations management such as, choice of only one strategy, are no longer tolerated as performance standard has been raised though technology and its applications. Nevertheless, for proper integration and implementation of technology in any organisation, it is essential to understand relevance of technology (Heizer and Render, 2011). The business environment is filled with examples of failed attempts while installing technology such as, ERP systems. For instance, Hershey Foods faced numerous problems in its product distribution system after implementation of R/3 system of SAP. This resulted in a huge demand-supply gap and Hershey was not able to supply candies during peak seasons of Christmas and Halloween. Similarly, Whirlpool faced shipping delays due to failed implementation of its ERP system. An interesting point to be noted here is that many of the challenges faced in context of ERP in present business scenario are similar to those faced by managers during implementation of MRP 20 years ago (Shaughnessy, 2013; Brown, et al., 2005). Hence, it can be said that challenges faced during technology implementation is more related to intangible forces such as, lack of leadership, commitment, training and understanding compared to tangible forces such as, technological defects in the systems. Few of the major challe nges

CEO Project---Pepsico Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CEO Project---Pepsico - Research Paper Example Employee goals should be defined through job descriptions, which should incorporate employees’ goal responsibilities. This will allow employees to dedicate their time in performing roles that will enable PepsiCo achieve its goals in change strategy. The process of identification of value addition is very important. It involves distinguishing activities that add value and should be retained, activities that do not add value but cannot be avoided by a company and those activities that do not add value and the company should eliminate them (ÄÅ'iarnienÄâ€" and VienaÃ… ¾indienÄâ€", 2012). The process of value identification involves workers, experts and customers in identifying product aspects that are of extreme significance. These are the aspects that should be given priority in this project (Mcleod, 2009). Analysis of the PepsiCo’s aims and objectives shows that the company aims to lead in consumer products in the world that produces convenient foods and beverages. The company also seeks to enrich its employees through growth opportunities and ensure that investors get financial rewards (PepsiCo, 2014). PepsiCo seeks to achieve excellent and sustainable financial performance. The company also aims at ensuring human sustainability through its products, as well as environmental sustainability (PepsiCo, 2011). Based on the above mission, aims vision and objectives of PepsiCo, recommended strategy changes should be implemented on a timely basis to ensure success of the company. These features that require implementation of change include PepsiCo’s policies, functional strategy and business strategy. PepsiCo has invested in research and development and high quality operations to ensure that safe products are provided to consumers (Nooyi & Johnston, 2014). The next step will involve identification of the long term strategic plans and short term strategic plans. In this case, long term strategic

Introducing Paulaner Beer in Indonesia (Demographics sections) Research Paper - 1

Introducing Paulaner Beer in Indonesia (Demographics sections) - Research Paper Example Muslim population, the issue of alcohol consumption in Indonesia has raised debates in the country for a long time with the current debate revolving on the possibility of banning alcoholic drinks in the country. Although the rate of alcohol consumption in the country remains relatively high, strong Islamic beliefs held by most Indonesians has made it difficult for investors to invest in alcoholic beverages. Consequently, most alcoholic beverages consumers in Indonesia are tourists. However, some Indonesian youths engage in alcohol drinking although this is mostly restricted to urban areas (Grant 98). The country’s ban on alcohol advertising on media would also mean that Paulaner has limited platform on which to market its products. As a way of regulating alcohol consumption, the government of Indonesia in 1990 banned alcohol advertising on media which has since made it difficult for new entries in the market to thrive. Other forms of alcohol advertising in the country are also governed by strict rules further making it difficult to reach new markets. Laws on certification on alcoholic products in Indonesia are also strict and can involve a long process before one gets a license. The country further classifies alcoholic beverages in the closed business field meaning that commercialization of any business related to alcoholic beverages is illegal (Grant 98). Consequently, businesses in this industry are restricted from expansion through investment. When the above factors combine, they present a significant challenge to any investor planning to invest the alcoholic beverages industry in Indonesia. Among the factors that might negatively impact on a business is poor quality products coupled with poor customer services. Equally detrimental is the effect of negative actions by an employee within a business more so when it comes to dealing with clients. Additionally, irresponsible financial management that includes ill-advised investment can also impact on a

Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness case 5 Essay

Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness case 5 - Essay Example The Chinese markets have also faces a surge as there has been a huge drop in the social and cultural barriers. This has been a major cause for the businesses to be able to set up the businesses and work more earnestly. Also the SMEs of China have been known for supplying parts and services to the world’s top companies. This has formed a main characteristic of the Chinese SMEs. The fact that the parts are supplied from Chinese SMEs across the world simply means that the demand for the SME depends to a very great extent on the demand of the giants where the company provide for the goods and services. It is quite difficult to ignore the significance of the SMEs in the Chinese economy. It has also been noted that the Chinese foreign exchange markets and the foreign experts have estimated that the country has been contributed as much as 60% of the total industrial output. Also it provides as much as 75% of the workforce of the country. SMEs are responsible for creating most new urb an jobs, and they are the main destination for workers laid-off from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that re-enter the workforce. This fact of the companies providing a high level of jobs to the workforce in the country has been recognised by the government however it has also lead to a number of social unrest within the country. Chinese officials have said that SMEs would be more important for preserving social stability than the nascent social security system once increased foreign competition as a result of Chinas WTO entry forces more layoffs from uncompetitive state-owned firms. It has also been noted by the local experts that the employees aged over 40 and 50s are being removed from the jobs, specially those with a lack of skills to be able to compete in the private ventures. The next essential step is to consider the plausible strategy for Chinese SME in the manufacturing industry. There are two main strategies that need to be

Money - is the second most important Essay Example for Free

Money is the second most important Essay Money is the second most important thing in the world, Says Margaret on p. 134. To what extent do you feel your reading of Howards End has confirmed or undermined this view of the world Forster creates in his novel. Forster sets the novel in Edwardian times. This setting is one of great industrial and cultural advances that reflect greatly upon the characters in the novel. During the Edwardian period the first motorcar was developed for public use, there was a great divide between the upper classes and the lower and women did not yet have the right to vote. I will be exploring how money and other privileges affect characters behaviour. As well as describing how Forsters portrayal of these characters driven by money affects the novels story and readers perspective of how ones lifestyle was in Edwardian times. The Shlegels and the Wilcoxs both have very different views on life. Though from similar social status the Shlegels are of German origin and are interested more by culture, whereas the Wilcoxs are deeply involved in the world of business. The Wilcoxs wealth is demonstrated at the start of the novel as Charles drives Mrs Munt from the station to Howards End. It is clear straight away to the reader that the Wilcoxs must be of great wealth as a motorcar was a great privilege in Edwardian times and only the elite would have them. Helen and Pauls affair at the beginning of the novel also allows for the reader to see how much the Wilcoxs care for money as Charles states that Paul hasnt a penny, dooming the relationship barely before they even knew it had begun and finished. Pauls lack of financial substance gives an interesting contrast to a modern audience. As in modern times most couples would not let money divide their love, whereas in Edwardian times it would ruin relationships in an instant. Mrs Munts first reaction to the affair is one of a pessimistic nature; she exclaims, What do you think of the Wilcoxs? Are they are sort? Are they likely people? This shows Mrs Munts interest is more in the Wilcoxs financial and social background. Forster portrays the different interests of the two families in an interesting way, which affirms Margarets view that money is the second most important thing in the world. The Shlegels love for literature and music is demonstrated when the Shlegels go to a lecture on music and meaning. This is where Forster cleverly introduces Margarets interest in Leonard Bast. The Clerk is in the lowest rank of the middle classes but strives to better himself and his social status and cultural bacground. The two meet rather awkwardly as Helen accidentally steals Mr. Basts umbrella. Helen immediately takes an interest in Mr Bast as she realises he is not very well off but she see his desire for the arts. Helen does not seem to understand how strong willed Mr Bast is, as she tries to help his financial situation by giving him money. He is offended by this as he wants to make his way in life, but he wants to do it by himself. This is when Helen learns that money is not as important as happiness. It is clear from the way Helen and Margaret react to Mr Bast that the Shlegels are committed to personal relations. Helens interest in Mr Bast soon turns into something more as she begins to really admire his desire to climb the social ladder. Even when the Shlegels try to help Leonard by giving him money he returns the money out of principle showing that he does not want hand outs. The ironic factor in this section of the novel is that Helen invests the money and subsequently makes a profit. This portrays how for some of the upper classes money is inescapable. F. R. Leavis stated that although the portraits of the Schlegels and Wilcoxes were reasonably accurate, Leonard Bast was an unreal creation, a mere external grasping at something that lies outside the authors firsthand experience, This critique is interesting as it shows Forsters portrayal of Bast as a generalisation of what he assumed of a class he knew little about. Forsters depiction of the two families in the novel helps the reader understand how important happiness and culture is. The Wilcoxs unfortunately seem too involved in money to behave in a more ethical manner. When Ruth Wilcox dies, she leaves Howards End to Margaret Shlegel. Henry Wilcox knows from the beginning that the scrap of paper Mrs Wilcox has written on is no forgery, but Charles and the other Wilcoxs money driven personalities come in to play. Charles says My dear father, consult an expert if you like, but I dont admit that is my mothers writing Why, you just said it was! cried Dolly. Never mind if I did, he blazed out. This confusion represents the Wilcox selfishness and in a way lack of respect for their departed mothers wishes. Although the piece of paper is not legally binding there is certainly a moral issue that would be looked upon far more seriously in modern times than in Edwardian. Again this demonstrates how Forsters depiction of the Wilcoxs is far more based around money and material goods than morals and personal relations. I think that too many readers, one is quite shocked at when Margaret agrees to marry Henry Wilcox after having read about his families deceitful ways Leavis, also cannot believe, in other words, that a sensitive, imaginative, cultivated woman like Margaret Schlegel could ever be attracted to an obtuse, egotistic, unscrupulous, self-deceiving businessman like Henry Wilcox. The material artefacts in Howards End have a great impact on the readers understanding of Edwardian times, as well as what portraying the two families interests. Motorcars represent class divides and the restless, money driven, modern civilization that the Wilcoxs are involved in building. They are cut off from the natural world as they travel at abnormal speeds again giving the impression of the Wilcoxs care for only one thing. They also are brutally unsympathetic when they kill a girls pet cat and made no effort to comfort the child. The Schlegels books and sword portray the powerful, expensive European culture that Leonard Bast aspires to but cannot reach. In the end, the interfering of the Shlegels seems just as responsible for Leonards unhappy fate as the Wilcoxs lack of sympathy for Mr Bast throughout the novel, and the part the books and sword play in his death dramatizes.

Reliability of Speaking Proficiency Tests

Reliability of Speaking Proficiency Tests Introduction Testing, as a part of English teaching, is a very important procedure, not just because it can be a valuable source of information about the effectiveness of learning and teaching but also because it can improve teaching, and arouse the students motivation to learn. Testing oral proficiency has become one of the most important issues in language testing since the role of speaking ability has become more central in language teaching with the advent of communicative language teaching (Nakamura, 1993). However, assessing speaking is challenging (Luoma, 2004). Validity and reliability, as fundamental concerns and essential measurement qualities of the speaking test (Bachman, 1990; Bachman Palmer, 1996; Alderson et al, 1995), have aroused widespread attention. The validation of the speaking test is an important area of research in language testing. Test of oral proficiency just started in China 15 years ago, and there are a few very dominant tests. An increasing number of Chinese linguists are putting their attention and efforts on analysis of their validity and reliability. Institutions began to introduce speaking tests into English exams in recent years with the widespread promotion of communicative language teaching (CLT). Publications that deal with speaking tests within institutions provide some qualitative assessments (Cai, 2002). But there is relatively little research literature relating to the reliability and validity of such measures within a university context. (Wen, 2001). The College English Department at Dalian Nationalities University (DLNU) has been selected as one of thirty-one institutions of the College English Reform Demonstration Project in the Peoples republic of China. In College English (CE) course of DLNU, the speaking test is one of the four subtests of the final examination of English assessment. The examination uses two different formats. One is a semi-direct speaking test, in which examinees talk to microphones connected to computers, and have their speeches recorded for the teachers to rate afterwards. The other is a face-to-face interview. This research in this paper aims to ascertain the degree of the reliability and validity of the speaking tests. By analyzing the results of the research, teachers will become more aware of the validity and reliability of oral assessments, including how to improve the reliability and validity of speaking tests. I, as a language teacher, will gain insight into the operation of language proficiency te st, In order to better degree of reliability and validity of a particular test, I will also take other qualities of test usefulness into account when designing the language proficiency test., such as practicality and authenticity. Research questions: This study mainly addresses the questions of validity and reliability of the speaking test administered at DLNU. They are comprehensive concepts that involve analysis of test tasks, administration, rating criteria, examinee and testers attitudes towards the test, the effect of the test on teaching and teacher or learner attitudes towards learning the tests (Luoma, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to answer the following research questions: 1. Is the speaking test administered at DLNU a valid and reliable test? This question can involve the following two sub-questions: 1) To what extent is the speaking test administered at DLNU reliable? 2) To what extent is the speaking test administered at DLNU valid? 2. In what aspects and to what extent may the validity and reliability of the speaking test administered at DLNU be improved? Literature Review This chapter presents a theoretical framework of speaking construct, ways of testing speaking, marking of speaking test and the reliability and validity of speaking test, also introduces the situation of speaking test in China. Analyzing Speaking And Speaking Test The Nature Of Speaking Speaking, as a social and situation-based activity, is an integral part of peoples daily lives (Luoma, 2004). Testing second language speaking is often claimed to be a much more difficult undertaking than testing other second language abilities, capacities or competencies, skills ¼Ã‹â€ Underhill, 1987). Assessment is difficult not only because speaking is fleeting, temporal and ephemeral, but also because of the comprehensibility of pronunciation, the special nature of spoken grammar and spoken vocabulary, as well as the interactive and social features of speaking (Luoma, 2004), because of the â€Å"unpredictability and dynamic nature† of language itself (Brown, 2003). To have a clear understanding of what it means to be able to speak a language, we must understand that the nature and characteristics of the spoken language differ from those of the written form (Luoma, 2004; McCarthy OKeefe, 2004; Bygate, 2001) in its grammar, syntax, lexis and discourse patterns due to the nature of spoken language. Spoken English involves reduced grammatical elements arranged into formulaic chunk expressions or utterances with less complex sentences than written texts. Spoken English breaks the standard word order because the omitted information can be restored from the instantaneous context (McCarthy OKeefe, 2004; Luoma, 2004; Bygate, 2001; Fulcher, 2003). Spoken English contains frequent use of the vernacular, interrogatives, tails, adjacency pairs, fillers and question tags which have been interpreted as dialogue facilitators (Luoma, 2004; Carter McCarthy, 1995). The speech also contains a fair number of slips and errors such as mispronounced words, mixed sounds, and wrong words due to inattention, which is often pardoned and allowed by native speakers (Luoma, 2004). Conversations are also negotiable, unpredictable, and susceptible to social and situational context in which the talks happen (Luoma, 2004). The Importance Of Speaking Test Testing oral proficiency has become one of the most important issues in language testing since the role of speaking ability has become more central in language teaching with the advent of CLA (Nakamura, 1993). Of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), listening and reading occur in the receptive mode, while speaking and writing exist in the productive mode. Understanding and absorption of received information are foundational while expression and use of acquired information demonstrate an improvement and a more advanced test of knowledge. A lot of interests now in oral testing is partly because second language teaching is more than ever directed towards the speaking and listening skills ¼Ã‹â€ Underhill, 1987). Language teachers are engaged in â€Å"teaching a language through speaking† (Hughes, 2002:7). On one hand, spoken language is the focus of classroom activity. There are often other aims which the teacher might have: for instance, helping the student gain awareness of practice in some aspect of linguistic knowledge (ibid). On the other hand, speaking test, as a device for assessing the learners language proficiency also functions to motivate students and reinforce their learning of language. This represents what Bachman (1991) has called an â€Å"interface† between second language acquisition (SLA) and language testing research. However, assessing speaking is challenging, â€Å"because there are many factors that influence our impression of how well someone can speak a language† (Luoma, 2004:1) as well as unpredictable or impromptu nature of the speaking interaction. The testing of speaking is difficult due to practical obstacles and theoretical challenges. Much attention has been given to how to perfect the assessment system of oral English and how to improve its validity and reliability. The communicative nature of the testing environment also remains to be considered (Hughes, 2002). The Construct Of Speaking Introduction To Communicative Language Ability (CLA) A clear and explicit definition of language ability is essential to language test development and use (Bachman,1990). The theory on which a language test is based determines which kind of language ability the test can measure, This type of validity is called construct validity. According to Bachman (1990:84), CLA can be described as â€Å"consisting of both knowledge or competence and the capacity for implementing or executing that competence in appropriate, contextualized communicative language use†. CLA includes three components: language competence, strategic competence and pyschophysiological mechanisms. The following framework (figure 2.1) shows components of communicative language ability in communicative language use (Bachman,1990:85). Knowledge Structures Language Competence Knowledge of the world Knowledge Of Language Strategic Competence Psychophysiological Mechanisms Context Of Situation This framework has been widely accepted in the field of language testing. Bachman (1990:84) proposes that â€Å"language competence† essentially refers to a set of specific knowledge components that are utilized in communication via language. It comprises organizational and pragmatic competence. Two areas of organizational knowledge that Bachman (1990) distinguishes are grammatical knowledge and textual knowledge. Grammatical knowledge comprises vocabulary, syntax, phonology and graphology, and textual knowledge, comprises cohesion and rhetorical or conversational organization. Pragmatic competence shows how utterances or sentences and texts are related to the communicative goals of language users and to the features of the langue-use setting. It includes illocutionary acts ¼Ã…’or language functions, and sociolinguistic competence, or the knowledge of the sociolinguistic conventions that govern appropriate language use in a particular culture and in varying situations in t hat culture (Bachman, 1987). Strategic competence refers to mastery of verbal and nonverbal strategies in facilitating communication and implementing the components of language competence. Strategic competence is demonstrated in contextualized communicative language use, such as socialcultural knowledge, real-world knowledge and mapping this onto the maximally efficient use of existing language abilities. Psychophysiological competence refers to the visual and auditory skill used to gain access to the information in the administrators instructions. Among other things, psychophysiological competence includes things like sound and light. Fulchers Construct Definition To know what to assess in a speaking test is a prime concern. Fulcher (1997b) points out that the construct of speaking proficiency is incomplete. Nevertheless, there have been various attempts to reflect the underlying construct of speaking ability and to develop theoretical frameworks for defining the speaking construct. Fulchers framework (figure 2.2) (Fulcher, 2003: 48) describes the speaking construct. As Fulcher (2003) points out that there are many factors that could be included in the definition of the construct: Phonology: the speaker must be able to articulate the words, have an understanding of the phonetic structure of the language at the level of the individual word, have an understanding of intonation, and create the physical sounds that carry meaning. Fluency and accuracy: these concepts are associated with automaticity of performance and the impact on the ability of the listener to understand. Accuracy refers to the correct use of grammatical rules, structure and vocabulary in speech. Fluency has to do with the ‘normal speed of delivery to mobilise ones language knowledge in the service of communication at relatively normal speed. The quality of speech needs to be judged in terms of the gravity of the errors made or the distance from the target forms or sounds. Strategic competence: this is generally thought to refer to an ability to achieve ones communicative purpose through the deployment of a range of coping strategies. Strategic competence includes both achievement strategies and avoidance strategies. Achievement strategies contain overgeneralization/morphological creativity. Learners transfer knowledge of the language system onto lexical items that they do not know, for example, saying â€Å"buyed† instead of â€Å"bought†, Speakers also learn approximation: learners replace an unknown word with one that is more general or they use exemplification, paraphrasing (use a synonym for the word needed), word coinage (invent a new word for an unknown word), restructuring (use different words to communicate the same message), cooperative strategies (ask for help from the listener) , code switching (take a word or phrase from the common language with the listener in order to be understood) and non-linguistic strategies (use gestur es or mime, or point to objects in the surroundings to help to communicate). Avoidance or reduction strategies consist of formal avoidance (avoiding using part of the language system) and functional avoidance (avoiding topical conversation). Strategic competence includes selecting communicative goals and planning and structuring oral production so as to fulfill them. Textual knowledge: competent oral interaction involves some knowledge of how to manage and structure discourse, for example, through appropriate turn-taking, opening and closing strategies, maintaining coherence in ones contributions and employing appropriate interactional routines such as adjacency pairs. Pragmatic and sociolinguistic knowledge: effective communication requires appropriateness and the knowledge of the rules of speaking. A range of speech acts, politeness and indirectness can be used to avoid causing offence. Ways Of Testing Speaking Clark (1979) puts forward a theoretical basis to discriminate three types of speaking tests: direct, semi-direct and indirect tests. Indirect tests belong to â€Å"procommunicative† era in language testing, in which the test takers are not actually required to speak. It has been regarded as having the least validity and reliability, while the other two formats are more widely used (OLoughlin, 2001). In this section, the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the direct and semi-direct test are presented, The Oral Proficiency Interview Format One of the earliest and most popular direct speaking test formats, and one that continues to exert a strong influence, is the oral proficiency interview (OPI) –developed originally by the FSI (Foreign Service Institute) in the United States in the 1950s and later adopted by other government agencies. It is conducted with individual test-taker by a trained interviewer, who assesses the candidate using a global band scale (OLoughlin, 2001). It typically begins with a warm-up discussion of a few easy questions, such as getting to know each other or talking about the days events. Then the main interaction contains the pre-planned tasks, such as describing or comparing pictures, narrating from a picture series, talking about a pre-announced or examiner-selected topic, or possibly a role-play task or a reverse interview where the examinee asks question of the interviewer (Luoma. 2004). An important example of this type of test is the speaking component of the International English L anguage Testing System (IELTS), which is adopted in 105 different countries around the world each year. The Advantage Of An Interview Format The oral interview was recognized as the most commonly used speaking test format. Fulcher (2003) suggests that it is partly because the questions used can be standardized, making comparison between test takers easier than when other task types are used. Using this method, the instructor can get a sense of the oral communicative competence of students and can overcome weakness of written exams, because the interview, unlike written exams, â€Å"is flexible in that the questions can be adapted to each examinees performance, and thus the testers have more controls over what happens in the interaction† (Luoma, 2004:35). It is also relatively easy to train raters and obtain high inter-rater reliability (Fulcher, 2003). The Disadvantage Of An Interview Format However, concern and skepticism exist about whether it is possible to test other competencies or knowledge because of the nature of the discourse that the interview produces (van Lier, 1989). a. Issue of time For the instructor, time management can be quite an issue. For instance, using a two-hour period for exams for 20 students means each student is allowed only six minutes for testing. This includes the time needed to enter the room and adjust to the setting. With such a time limit the student and instructor can hardly have any kind of normal real-world conversation. b. Issue of asymmetrical relationship The asymmetrical relationship between examiners and candidates elicits a form of inauthentic and limited socio-cultural contexts (van Lier, 1989; Savignon, 1985; Yoffe, 1997). Yoffe (1997) commented on ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) OPI that the tester and the test-taker are â€Å"clearly not in equal positions† (Yofee, 1997). The asymmetry is not specific to the OPI but is inherent in the notion of an interview as an exchange wherein one person solicits information in order to arrive at a decision while the interlocutor produces what he or she perceives as most valued. The interviewee is, in most cases, acutely aware of the ramifications of the OPI rating and is, consequently, under a great deal of stress. Van Lier (1989) also challenges the validity of OPI in terms of the asymmetry between them because â€Å"the candidate speaks as to a superior and is unwilling to take the initiative† (van Lier, 1989). Under the unequal relationship, the speech discourse, such as turn –taking, topic nomination and development, and repair strategies are all substantially different from normal conversational exchanges (see van Lier 1989). c. Issue of interviewer variation Given the fact that the interviewer has considerable power over the examinee in an interview, concerns have been aroused about the effect of the interlocutor (examiner) on the candidates oral performance. Different interviewers vary in their approaches and attitudes toward the interview. Brown (2003) warns the danger of such variation to fairness. OSullivan (2000) conducts an empirical study that indicated learners perform better when interviewed by a woman, regardless of the sex of the learner. Underhill (1987:31) expresses his concern on the unscripted â€Å"flexibility†¦ means that there will be a considerable divergence between what different learners say, which makes a test more difficult to assess with consistency and reliability.† Testing Speaking In Pairs There has been a shift toward a paired speakers format: two assessors examine two candidates at a time. One assessor interacts with the two candidates and rates them on a global scale, while the other does not take part in the interaction and just assessesusing an analytic scale. The paired oral test has been used as part of large-scale, international, standardized oral proficiency tests since the late 1980s (Ildikà ³, 2001). Key English Test (KET), Preliminary English Test (PET), First Certificate in English (FCE) and Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) make use of the paired format. In a typical test, the interaction begins with a warm-up, in which the examinees introduce themselves to the interlocutor, followed by two pair interaction task. The talk may involves comparing two photographs by each candidate at first, such as in Cambridge First Certificate (Luoma, 2004), then a two-way collaborative task between the two candidates based on more photographs, artwork or computer gra phics, and ends up with a three-way discussion with the two examinees and the interlocutor about a general theme that is related to the earlier discussion. The advantages of the paired interview format Many researchers claim that the paired format is preferable to OPI. The reasons are: a. The changed role of the interviewer frees up the instructors in order to pay closer attention to the production of each candidate than if they are participants themselves (Luoma, 2004). b. The reduced asymmetry allows more varied interaction patterns, which elicits a broader sample of discourse and increased turn-takings than were possible in the highly asymmetrical traditional interview (Taylor, 2000). c. The task type based on pair-work will generate a positive washback effect on classroom teaching and learning (Ildiko, 2001). In the case of the instructor following Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology, where pair work may take up a significant portion of a class, it would be appropriate to incorporate similar activities in the exam. In that way the exam itself is much better integrated into the fabric of the course. Students can be tested for performance related to activities done in class. There may also be benefits in regards to student motivation. If students are aware that they will be tested on activities similar to the ones done in class, they may have more incentive to be attentive and use class time effectively. The disadvantages of the paired interview format There are, however, also concerns voiced regarding the paired format. a. Mismatches between peer interactants The most frequently raised criticisms against the paired speaking test relate to various forms of mismatches between peer interactants (Fulcher, 2003). Ildiko (2001) points out that when a candidate has to work with an incomprehensible or uncomprehending peer partner, it may negatively influence the candidates performance. As a consequence, in such cases it is quite impossible to make a valid assessment of candidates abilities. b. Lack of familiarity between peer interactants The extent to which this testing format actually reduces the level of anxiety of test-takers compared to other test formats remains doubtful (Fulcher, 2003). OSullivan (2002) suggests that the spontaneous support offered by a friend positively reduces anxiety and task performance under experimental conditions. However, the chances are quite high that the examinee will meet with strangers as his or her peer interactant. It is hard to imagine how these strangers can carry out some naturally flowing conversations. Estrangement, misinterpretation and even breakdown may occur during their talk. c. Lack of control of the discussion Problems are generated if the examiner loses control of the oral task (Luoma, 2004). When the instructions and task materials are not clear enough to facilitate the discussion, the examinees conversation may go astray. Luoma (2004) points out that testers often feel uncertain about what amount of responsibility that they should give to the examinees. Furthermore, examinees do not know what kind of performance will earn them good results without the elicitation of the examiner. When one of the examinees has said too little, the examiner ought to monitor and jump in to give help when necessary. Semi-Direct Speaking Tests The term â€Å"semi-direct† is employed by Clark (1979:36) to describe those tests that are characterized â€Å"by means of tape recordings, printed test booklets, or other ‘non-human elicitation procedures, rather than through face-to-face conversation with a live interlocutor.† Appearing during 1970s, and being an innovative adaptation of the traditional OPI, the semi-direct method normally follows the general structure of the OPI and makes an audio-recording of the test takers performance which is later rated by one or more trained assessors (Malone, 2000). Examples of the semi-direct type used in the U.S.A. are the simulated oral proficiency interviews (SOPI) and the Test of Spoken English 2000 (TSE) (Ferguson, 2009). Examples in U.K. include the Test in English for Education Purpose (TEEP) and the Oxford-ARELS Examinations (OLoughlin, 2001). Another mode of delivery is testing by telephone as in the PhonePass test (the test mainly consists of reading sentenc es aloud or repeating sentences), or even video-conferencing (Ferguson, 2009). The Advantages Of The Semi-Direct Test Type First, the semi-direct test is more cost efficient than direct tests, because many candidates can be tested simultaneously in large laboratories and administered by any teacher, language lab technician or aide in a language laboratory where the candidate hears taped questions and has their responses recorded (Malone, 2000). Second, the mode of testing is quite flexible. It provides a practical solution in situations where it is not possible to deliver a direct test (OLoughlin, 2001), and it can be adapted to the desired level of examinee proficiency and to specific examinee age groups, backgrounds, and professions (Malone, 2000). Third, semi-direct testing represents an attempt to standardize the assessment of speaking while retaining the communicative basis of the OPI (Shohamy, 1994). It offers the same quality of interview to all examinees, and all examinees respond to the same questions so as to remove the effect that the human interlocutor will have on the candidate (Malone, 2000). The uniformity of the elicitation procedure greatly increases the reliability of the test. Some empirical studies (Stansfield, 1991) show high correlations (0. 89- 0. 95) between the direct and semi-direct tests, indicating the two formats can measure the same language abilities and the SOPI can be the equivalent and surrogate of the OPI. However, there are also disadvantages. The Disadvantages Of The Semi-Direct Test Type First, the speaking task in semi-direct oral test is less realistic and more artificial than OPI (Clark, 1979; Underhill, 1987). Examinees use artificial language to â€Å"respond to tape-recorded questions situations the examinee is not likely to encounter in a real-life setting† (Clark, 1979:38). They may feel stressful while speaking to a microphone rather than to another person, especially if they are not accustomed to the laboratory setting (OLoughlin, 2001). Second, the communicative strategy and speech discourse elicited in these semi-direct SOPIs is quite different from that found in typical face-face interaction – being more formal, less conversation-like (Shohamy, 1994). Candidates tend to use written language in tape-mediated test, more of a report or narration; while, they focus more on interaction and on delivery of meanings in OPI. Third, there are often technical problems that can result in poor quality recordings or even no recording in the SOPI format (Underhill, 1987). In conclusion, one cannot assume any equivalence between a face-to face test and a semi-direct test (Shohamy, 1994). It may be that they are measuring different things, different constructs, so the mode of test delivery should be adopted on the basis of test purpose, accuracy requirement, practicability, and impartiality (Shohamy, 1994). Stansfield (1991) proposes the OPI is more applicable to the placement test and evaluation test of the curriculum, while SOPI is more appropriate for large-scale test with requirement of high reliability. Marking Of Speaking Test Marking and scoring is a challenge in assessing second language oral proficiency.. Since only a few elements of the speaking skill can be scored objectively, human judgments play major roles in assessment. How to establish the valid, reliable, effective marking criteria scales and high quality scoring instruments have always been central to the performance testing of speaking (Luoma, 2004). It is important to have clear, explicit criteria to describe the performance, as it is important for raters to understand and apply these criteria, making it possible to score them consistently and reliably. For these reasons, rating and rating scales have been a central focus of research in the testing of speaking (Ferguson, 2009). Definition Of Rating Scales A rating scale, also referred to as a â€Å"scoring rubric† or â€Å"proficiency scale† is defined by Davies et al as following (see Fulcher, 2003):  ·consisting of a series of band or levels to which descriptions are attached  ·providing an operational definition of the constructs to be measured in the test  ·requiring training for its effective operation Holistic And Analytic Rating Scales There are different types of rating scales used for scoring speech samples. One of the traditional and commonly used distinctions is between holistic and analytic rating scales. Holistic rating scales also are referred to as global rating. With these scales, the rater attempts to match the speech sample with a particular band whose descriptors specify a range of defining characteristics of speech at that level. A single score is given to each speech sample either impressionistically or by being guided by a rating scale to encapsulate all the features of the sample (Bachman Palmer, 1996). Analytic rating scales: They consist of separate scales for different aspects of speaking ability (e.g. grammar / vocabulary; pronunciation, fluency, interactional management, etc). A score is given for each aspect (or dimension), and the resulting scores may be combined in a variety of ways to produce a composite single overall score. They include detailed guidance to raters, and rich information that they provide on specific strengths and weakness in examinee performance (Fulcher, 2003). Analytic scales are particularly useful for diagnostic purposes and for providing a profile of competence in the different aspects of speaking ability (Ferguson, 2009). The type of scale that is selected for a particular test of speaking will depend upon the purpose of the test Validity And Reliability Of Speaking Test Bachman And Palmers Theories On Test Usefulness The primary purpose of a language test is to provide a measure that can be interpreted as an indicator of an individuals language ability (Bachman, 1990; Bachman and Palmer, 1996). Bachman and Palmer (1996) propose that test usefulness including six test qualities—reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact (washback) and practicality. Their notion of usefulness can be expressed as in Figure2.3: Usefulness=Reliability + Construct validity + Authenticity + Interactiveness + Impact +Practicality These qualities are the main criteria used to evaluate a test. â€Å"Two of the qualities reliability and validity are critical for tests and are sometimes referred to as essential measurement qualities† (Bachman Palmer, 1996:19), because they are the â€Å"major justification for using test scores as a basis for making inferences or decisions† (ibid). The definitions of types of validity and reliability will be presented in this section. Validity And Reliability Defining Validity The quotation from AERA (American Educational Research Association ) indicates: â€Å"Validity is the most important consideration in test evaluation. The concept refers to the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of the specific inferences made from test scores. Test validation is the process of accu ­mulating evidence to support such inferences. A variety of inferences may be made from scores produced by a given test, and there are many ways of accumulating evidence to support any particular inference. Validity, however, is a unitary concept. Although evidence may be accumulated in many ways, validity always refers to the degree to which that evidence supports the inferences that are made from the score. The inferences regarding specific uses of a test are validated, not the test itself.† (AERA et al., 1985: 9) Messick stresses that â€Å"it is important to note that validity is a matter of degree, not all or none (Mess Reliability of Speaking Proficiency Tests Reliability of Speaking Proficiency Tests Introduction Testing, as a part of English teaching, is a very important procedure, not just because it can be a valuable source of information about the effectiveness of learning and teaching but also because it can improve teaching, and arouse the students motivation to learn. Testing oral proficiency has become one of the most important issues in language testing since the role of speaking ability has become more central in language teaching with the advent of communicative language teaching (Nakamura, 1993). However, assessing speaking is challenging (Luoma, 2004). Validity and reliability, as fundamental concerns and essential measurement qualities of the speaking test (Bachman, 1990; Bachman Palmer, 1996; Alderson et al, 1995), have aroused widespread attention. The validation of the speaking test is an important area of research in language testing. Test of oral proficiency just started in China 15 years ago, and there are a few very dominant tests. An increasing number of Chinese linguists are putting their attention and efforts on analysis of their validity and reliability. Institutions began to introduce speaking tests into English exams in recent years with the widespread promotion of communicative language teaching (CLT). Publications that deal with speaking tests within institutions provide some qualitative assessments (Cai, 2002). But there is relatively little research literature relating to the reliability and validity of such measures within a university context. (Wen, 2001). The College English Department at Dalian Nationalities University (DLNU) has been selected as one of thirty-one institutions of the College English Reform Demonstration Project in the Peoples republic of China. In College English (CE) course of DLNU, the speaking test is one of the four subtests of the final examination of English assessment. The examination uses two different formats. One is a semi-direct speaking test, in which examinees talk to microphones connected to computers, and have their speeches recorded for the teachers to rate afterwards. The other is a face-to-face interview. This research in this paper aims to ascertain the degree of the reliability and validity of the speaking tests. By analyzing the results of the research, teachers will become more aware of the validity and reliability of oral assessments, including how to improve the reliability and validity of speaking tests. I, as a language teacher, will gain insight into the operation of language proficiency te st, In order to better degree of reliability and validity of a particular test, I will also take other qualities of test usefulness into account when designing the language proficiency test., such as practicality and authenticity. Research questions: This study mainly addresses the questions of validity and reliability of the speaking test administered at DLNU. They are comprehensive concepts that involve analysis of test tasks, administration, rating criteria, examinee and testers attitudes towards the test, the effect of the test on teaching and teacher or learner attitudes towards learning the tests (Luoma, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to answer the following research questions: 1. Is the speaking test administered at DLNU a valid and reliable test? This question can involve the following two sub-questions: 1) To what extent is the speaking test administered at DLNU reliable? 2) To what extent is the speaking test administered at DLNU valid? 2. In what aspects and to what extent may the validity and reliability of the speaking test administered at DLNU be improved? Literature Review This chapter presents a theoretical framework of speaking construct, ways of testing speaking, marking of speaking test and the reliability and validity of speaking test, also introduces the situation of speaking test in China. Analyzing Speaking And Speaking Test The Nature Of Speaking Speaking, as a social and situation-based activity, is an integral part of peoples daily lives (Luoma, 2004). Testing second language speaking is often claimed to be a much more difficult undertaking than testing other second language abilities, capacities or competencies, skills ¼Ã‹â€ Underhill, 1987). Assessment is difficult not only because speaking is fleeting, temporal and ephemeral, but also because of the comprehensibility of pronunciation, the special nature of spoken grammar and spoken vocabulary, as well as the interactive and social features of speaking (Luoma, 2004), because of the â€Å"unpredictability and dynamic nature† of language itself (Brown, 2003). To have a clear understanding of what it means to be able to speak a language, we must understand that the nature and characteristics of the spoken language differ from those of the written form (Luoma, 2004; McCarthy OKeefe, 2004; Bygate, 2001) in its grammar, syntax, lexis and discourse patterns due to the nature of spoken language. Spoken English involves reduced grammatical elements arranged into formulaic chunk expressions or utterances with less complex sentences than written texts. Spoken English breaks the standard word order because the omitted information can be restored from the instantaneous context (McCarthy OKeefe, 2004; Luoma, 2004; Bygate, 2001; Fulcher, 2003). Spoken English contains frequent use of the vernacular, interrogatives, tails, adjacency pairs, fillers and question tags which have been interpreted as dialogue facilitators (Luoma, 2004; Carter McCarthy, 1995). The speech also contains a fair number of slips and errors such as mispronounced words, mixed sounds, and wrong words due to inattention, which is often pardoned and allowed by native speakers (Luoma, 2004). Conversations are also negotiable, unpredictable, and susceptible to social and situational context in which the talks happen (Luoma, 2004). The Importance Of Speaking Test Testing oral proficiency has become one of the most important issues in language testing since the role of speaking ability has become more central in language teaching with the advent of CLA (Nakamura, 1993). Of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing), listening and reading occur in the receptive mode, while speaking and writing exist in the productive mode. Understanding and absorption of received information are foundational while expression and use of acquired information demonstrate an improvement and a more advanced test of knowledge. A lot of interests now in oral testing is partly because second language teaching is more than ever directed towards the speaking and listening skills ¼Ã‹â€ Underhill, 1987). Language teachers are engaged in â€Å"teaching a language through speaking† (Hughes, 2002:7). On one hand, spoken language is the focus of classroom activity. There are often other aims which the teacher might have: for instance, helping the student gain awareness of practice in some aspect of linguistic knowledge (ibid). On the other hand, speaking test, as a device for assessing the learners language proficiency also functions to motivate students and reinforce their learning of language. This represents what Bachman (1991) has called an â€Å"interface† between second language acquisition (SLA) and language testing research. However, assessing speaking is challenging, â€Å"because there are many factors that influence our impression of how well someone can speak a language† (Luoma, 2004:1) as well as unpredictable or impromptu nature of the speaking interaction. The testing of speaking is difficult due to practical obstacles and theoretical challenges. Much attention has been given to how to perfect the assessment system of oral English and how to improve its validity and reliability. The communicative nature of the testing environment also remains to be considered (Hughes, 2002). The Construct Of Speaking Introduction To Communicative Language Ability (CLA) A clear and explicit definition of language ability is essential to language test development and use (Bachman,1990). The theory on which a language test is based determines which kind of language ability the test can measure, This type of validity is called construct validity. According to Bachman (1990:84), CLA can be described as â€Å"consisting of both knowledge or competence and the capacity for implementing or executing that competence in appropriate, contextualized communicative language use†. CLA includes three components: language competence, strategic competence and pyschophysiological mechanisms. The following framework (figure 2.1) shows components of communicative language ability in communicative language use (Bachman,1990:85). Knowledge Structures Language Competence Knowledge of the world Knowledge Of Language Strategic Competence Psychophysiological Mechanisms Context Of Situation This framework has been widely accepted in the field of language testing. Bachman (1990:84) proposes that â€Å"language competence† essentially refers to a set of specific knowledge components that are utilized in communication via language. It comprises organizational and pragmatic competence. Two areas of organizational knowledge that Bachman (1990) distinguishes are grammatical knowledge and textual knowledge. Grammatical knowledge comprises vocabulary, syntax, phonology and graphology, and textual knowledge, comprises cohesion and rhetorical or conversational organization. Pragmatic competence shows how utterances or sentences and texts are related to the communicative goals of language users and to the features of the langue-use setting. It includes illocutionary acts ¼Ã…’or language functions, and sociolinguistic competence, or the knowledge of the sociolinguistic conventions that govern appropriate language use in a particular culture and in varying situations in t hat culture (Bachman, 1987). Strategic competence refers to mastery of verbal and nonverbal strategies in facilitating communication and implementing the components of language competence. Strategic competence is demonstrated in contextualized communicative language use, such as socialcultural knowledge, real-world knowledge and mapping this onto the maximally efficient use of existing language abilities. Psychophysiological competence refers to the visual and auditory skill used to gain access to the information in the administrators instructions. Among other things, psychophysiological competence includes things like sound and light. Fulchers Construct Definition To know what to assess in a speaking test is a prime concern. Fulcher (1997b) points out that the construct of speaking proficiency is incomplete. Nevertheless, there have been various attempts to reflect the underlying construct of speaking ability and to develop theoretical frameworks for defining the speaking construct. Fulchers framework (figure 2.2) (Fulcher, 2003: 48) describes the speaking construct. As Fulcher (2003) points out that there are many factors that could be included in the definition of the construct: Phonology: the speaker must be able to articulate the words, have an understanding of the phonetic structure of the language at the level of the individual word, have an understanding of intonation, and create the physical sounds that carry meaning. Fluency and accuracy: these concepts are associated with automaticity of performance and the impact on the ability of the listener to understand. Accuracy refers to the correct use of grammatical rules, structure and vocabulary in speech. Fluency has to do with the ‘normal speed of delivery to mobilise ones language knowledge in the service of communication at relatively normal speed. The quality of speech needs to be judged in terms of the gravity of the errors made or the distance from the target forms or sounds. Strategic competence: this is generally thought to refer to an ability to achieve ones communicative purpose through the deployment of a range of coping strategies. Strategic competence includes both achievement strategies and avoidance strategies. Achievement strategies contain overgeneralization/morphological creativity. Learners transfer knowledge of the language system onto lexical items that they do not know, for example, saying â€Å"buyed† instead of â€Å"bought†, Speakers also learn approximation: learners replace an unknown word with one that is more general or they use exemplification, paraphrasing (use a synonym for the word needed), word coinage (invent a new word for an unknown word), restructuring (use different words to communicate the same message), cooperative strategies (ask for help from the listener) , code switching (take a word or phrase from the common language with the listener in order to be understood) and non-linguistic strategies (use gestur es or mime, or point to objects in the surroundings to help to communicate). Avoidance or reduction strategies consist of formal avoidance (avoiding using part of the language system) and functional avoidance (avoiding topical conversation). Strategic competence includes selecting communicative goals and planning and structuring oral production so as to fulfill them. Textual knowledge: competent oral interaction involves some knowledge of how to manage and structure discourse, for example, through appropriate turn-taking, opening and closing strategies, maintaining coherence in ones contributions and employing appropriate interactional routines such as adjacency pairs. Pragmatic and sociolinguistic knowledge: effective communication requires appropriateness and the knowledge of the rules of speaking. A range of speech acts, politeness and indirectness can be used to avoid causing offence. Ways Of Testing Speaking Clark (1979) puts forward a theoretical basis to discriminate three types of speaking tests: direct, semi-direct and indirect tests. Indirect tests belong to â€Å"procommunicative† era in language testing, in which the test takers are not actually required to speak. It has been regarded as having the least validity and reliability, while the other two formats are more widely used (OLoughlin, 2001). In this section, the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the direct and semi-direct test are presented, The Oral Proficiency Interview Format One of the earliest and most popular direct speaking test formats, and one that continues to exert a strong influence, is the oral proficiency interview (OPI) –developed originally by the FSI (Foreign Service Institute) in the United States in the 1950s and later adopted by other government agencies. It is conducted with individual test-taker by a trained interviewer, who assesses the candidate using a global band scale (OLoughlin, 2001). It typically begins with a warm-up discussion of a few easy questions, such as getting to know each other or talking about the days events. Then the main interaction contains the pre-planned tasks, such as describing or comparing pictures, narrating from a picture series, talking about a pre-announced or examiner-selected topic, or possibly a role-play task or a reverse interview where the examinee asks question of the interviewer (Luoma. 2004). An important example of this type of test is the speaking component of the International English L anguage Testing System (IELTS), which is adopted in 105 different countries around the world each year. The Advantage Of An Interview Format The oral interview was recognized as the most commonly used speaking test format. Fulcher (2003) suggests that it is partly because the questions used can be standardized, making comparison between test takers easier than when other task types are used. Using this method, the instructor can get a sense of the oral communicative competence of students and can overcome weakness of written exams, because the interview, unlike written exams, â€Å"is flexible in that the questions can be adapted to each examinees performance, and thus the testers have more controls over what happens in the interaction† (Luoma, 2004:35). It is also relatively easy to train raters and obtain high inter-rater reliability (Fulcher, 2003). The Disadvantage Of An Interview Format However, concern and skepticism exist about whether it is possible to test other competencies or knowledge because of the nature of the discourse that the interview produces (van Lier, 1989). a. Issue of time For the instructor, time management can be quite an issue. For instance, using a two-hour period for exams for 20 students means each student is allowed only six minutes for testing. This includes the time needed to enter the room and adjust to the setting. With such a time limit the student and instructor can hardly have any kind of normal real-world conversation. b. Issue of asymmetrical relationship The asymmetrical relationship between examiners and candidates elicits a form of inauthentic and limited socio-cultural contexts (van Lier, 1989; Savignon, 1985; Yoffe, 1997). Yoffe (1997) commented on ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) OPI that the tester and the test-taker are â€Å"clearly not in equal positions† (Yofee, 1997). The asymmetry is not specific to the OPI but is inherent in the notion of an interview as an exchange wherein one person solicits information in order to arrive at a decision while the interlocutor produces what he or she perceives as most valued. The interviewee is, in most cases, acutely aware of the ramifications of the OPI rating and is, consequently, under a great deal of stress. Van Lier (1989) also challenges the validity of OPI in terms of the asymmetry between them because â€Å"the candidate speaks as to a superior and is unwilling to take the initiative† (van Lier, 1989). Under the unequal relationship, the speech discourse, such as turn –taking, topic nomination and development, and repair strategies are all substantially different from normal conversational exchanges (see van Lier 1989). c. Issue of interviewer variation Given the fact that the interviewer has considerable power over the examinee in an interview, concerns have been aroused about the effect of the interlocutor (examiner) on the candidates oral performance. Different interviewers vary in their approaches and attitudes toward the interview. Brown (2003) warns the danger of such variation to fairness. OSullivan (2000) conducts an empirical study that indicated learners perform better when interviewed by a woman, regardless of the sex of the learner. Underhill (1987:31) expresses his concern on the unscripted â€Å"flexibility†¦ means that there will be a considerable divergence between what different learners say, which makes a test more difficult to assess with consistency and reliability.† Testing Speaking In Pairs There has been a shift toward a paired speakers format: two assessors examine two candidates at a time. One assessor interacts with the two candidates and rates them on a global scale, while the other does not take part in the interaction and just assessesusing an analytic scale. The paired oral test has been used as part of large-scale, international, standardized oral proficiency tests since the late 1980s (Ildikà ³, 2001). Key English Test (KET), Preliminary English Test (PET), First Certificate in English (FCE) and Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) make use of the paired format. In a typical test, the interaction begins with a warm-up, in which the examinees introduce themselves to the interlocutor, followed by two pair interaction task. The talk may involves comparing two photographs by each candidate at first, such as in Cambridge First Certificate (Luoma, 2004), then a two-way collaborative task between the two candidates based on more photographs, artwork or computer gra phics, and ends up with a three-way discussion with the two examinees and the interlocutor about a general theme that is related to the earlier discussion. The advantages of the paired interview format Many researchers claim that the paired format is preferable to OPI. The reasons are: a. The changed role of the interviewer frees up the instructors in order to pay closer attention to the production of each candidate than if they are participants themselves (Luoma, 2004). b. The reduced asymmetry allows more varied interaction patterns, which elicits a broader sample of discourse and increased turn-takings than were possible in the highly asymmetrical traditional interview (Taylor, 2000). c. The task type based on pair-work will generate a positive washback effect on classroom teaching and learning (Ildiko, 2001). In the case of the instructor following Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology, where pair work may take up a significant portion of a class, it would be appropriate to incorporate similar activities in the exam. In that way the exam itself is much better integrated into the fabric of the course. Students can be tested for performance related to activities done in class. There may also be benefits in regards to student motivation. If students are aware that they will be tested on activities similar to the ones done in class, they may have more incentive to be attentive and use class time effectively. The disadvantages of the paired interview format There are, however, also concerns voiced regarding the paired format. a. Mismatches between peer interactants The most frequently raised criticisms against the paired speaking test relate to various forms of mismatches between peer interactants (Fulcher, 2003). Ildiko (2001) points out that when a candidate has to work with an incomprehensible or uncomprehending peer partner, it may negatively influence the candidates performance. As a consequence, in such cases it is quite impossible to make a valid assessment of candidates abilities. b. Lack of familiarity between peer interactants The extent to which this testing format actually reduces the level of anxiety of test-takers compared to other test formats remains doubtful (Fulcher, 2003). OSullivan (2002) suggests that the spontaneous support offered by a friend positively reduces anxiety and task performance under experimental conditions. However, the chances are quite high that the examinee will meet with strangers as his or her peer interactant. It is hard to imagine how these strangers can carry out some naturally flowing conversations. Estrangement, misinterpretation and even breakdown may occur during their talk. c. Lack of control of the discussion Problems are generated if the examiner loses control of the oral task (Luoma, 2004). When the instructions and task materials are not clear enough to facilitate the discussion, the examinees conversation may go astray. Luoma (2004) points out that testers often feel uncertain about what amount of responsibility that they should give to the examinees. Furthermore, examinees do not know what kind of performance will earn them good results without the elicitation of the examiner. When one of the examinees has said too little, the examiner ought to monitor and jump in to give help when necessary. Semi-Direct Speaking Tests The term â€Å"semi-direct† is employed by Clark (1979:36) to describe those tests that are characterized â€Å"by means of tape recordings, printed test booklets, or other ‘non-human elicitation procedures, rather than through face-to-face conversation with a live interlocutor.† Appearing during 1970s, and being an innovative adaptation of the traditional OPI, the semi-direct method normally follows the general structure of the OPI and makes an audio-recording of the test takers performance which is later rated by one or more trained assessors (Malone, 2000). Examples of the semi-direct type used in the U.S.A. are the simulated oral proficiency interviews (SOPI) and the Test of Spoken English 2000 (TSE) (Ferguson, 2009). Examples in U.K. include the Test in English for Education Purpose (TEEP) and the Oxford-ARELS Examinations (OLoughlin, 2001). Another mode of delivery is testing by telephone as in the PhonePass test (the test mainly consists of reading sentenc es aloud or repeating sentences), or even video-conferencing (Ferguson, 2009). The Advantages Of The Semi-Direct Test Type First, the semi-direct test is more cost efficient than direct tests, because many candidates can be tested simultaneously in large laboratories and administered by any teacher, language lab technician or aide in a language laboratory where the candidate hears taped questions and has their responses recorded (Malone, 2000). Second, the mode of testing is quite flexible. It provides a practical solution in situations where it is not possible to deliver a direct test (OLoughlin, 2001), and it can be adapted to the desired level of examinee proficiency and to specific examinee age groups, backgrounds, and professions (Malone, 2000). Third, semi-direct testing represents an attempt to standardize the assessment of speaking while retaining the communicative basis of the OPI (Shohamy, 1994). It offers the same quality of interview to all examinees, and all examinees respond to the same questions so as to remove the effect that the human interlocutor will have on the candidate (Malone, 2000). The uniformity of the elicitation procedure greatly increases the reliability of the test. Some empirical studies (Stansfield, 1991) show high correlations (0. 89- 0. 95) between the direct and semi-direct tests, indicating the two formats can measure the same language abilities and the SOPI can be the equivalent and surrogate of the OPI. However, there are also disadvantages. The Disadvantages Of The Semi-Direct Test Type First, the speaking task in semi-direct oral test is less realistic and more artificial than OPI (Clark, 1979; Underhill, 1987). Examinees use artificial language to â€Å"respond to tape-recorded questions situations the examinee is not likely to encounter in a real-life setting† (Clark, 1979:38). They may feel stressful while speaking to a microphone rather than to another person, especially if they are not accustomed to the laboratory setting (OLoughlin, 2001). Second, the communicative strategy and speech discourse elicited in these semi-direct SOPIs is quite different from that found in typical face-face interaction – being more formal, less conversation-like (Shohamy, 1994). Candidates tend to use written language in tape-mediated test, more of a report or narration; while, they focus more on interaction and on delivery of meanings in OPI. Third, there are often technical problems that can result in poor quality recordings or even no recording in the SOPI format (Underhill, 1987). In conclusion, one cannot assume any equivalence between a face-to face test and a semi-direct test (Shohamy, 1994). It may be that they are measuring different things, different constructs, so the mode of test delivery should be adopted on the basis of test purpose, accuracy requirement, practicability, and impartiality (Shohamy, 1994). Stansfield (1991) proposes the OPI is more applicable to the placement test and evaluation test of the curriculum, while SOPI is more appropriate for large-scale test with requirement of high reliability. Marking Of Speaking Test Marking and scoring is a challenge in assessing second language oral proficiency.. Since only a few elements of the speaking skill can be scored objectively, human judgments play major roles in assessment. How to establish the valid, reliable, effective marking criteria scales and high quality scoring instruments have always been central to the performance testing of speaking (Luoma, 2004). It is important to have clear, explicit criteria to describe the performance, as it is important for raters to understand and apply these criteria, making it possible to score them consistently and reliably. For these reasons, rating and rating scales have been a central focus of research in the testing of speaking (Ferguson, 2009). Definition Of Rating Scales A rating scale, also referred to as a â€Å"scoring rubric† or â€Å"proficiency scale† is defined by Davies et al as following (see Fulcher, 2003):  ·consisting of a series of band or levels to which descriptions are attached  ·providing an operational definition of the constructs to be measured in the test  ·requiring training for its effective operation Holistic And Analytic Rating Scales There are different types of rating scales used for scoring speech samples. One of the traditional and commonly used distinctions is between holistic and analytic rating scales. Holistic rating scales also are referred to as global rating. With these scales, the rater attempts to match the speech sample with a particular band whose descriptors specify a range of defining characteristics of speech at that level. A single score is given to each speech sample either impressionistically or by being guided by a rating scale to encapsulate all the features of the sample (Bachman Palmer, 1996). Analytic rating scales: They consist of separate scales for different aspects of speaking ability (e.g. grammar / vocabulary; pronunciation, fluency, interactional management, etc). A score is given for each aspect (or dimension), and the resulting scores may be combined in a variety of ways to produce a composite single overall score. They include detailed guidance to raters, and rich information that they provide on specific strengths and weakness in examinee performance (Fulcher, 2003). Analytic scales are particularly useful for diagnostic purposes and for providing a profile of competence in the different aspects of speaking ability (Ferguson, 2009). The type of scale that is selected for a particular test of speaking will depend upon the purpose of the test Validity And Reliability Of Speaking Test Bachman And Palmers Theories On Test Usefulness The primary purpose of a language test is to provide a measure that can be interpreted as an indicator of an individuals language ability (Bachman, 1990; Bachman and Palmer, 1996). Bachman and Palmer (1996) propose that test usefulness including six test qualities—reliability, construct validity, authenticity, interactiveness, impact (washback) and practicality. Their notion of usefulness can be expressed as in Figure2.3: Usefulness=Reliability + Construct validity + Authenticity + Interactiveness + Impact +Practicality These qualities are the main criteria used to evaluate a test. â€Å"Two of the qualities reliability and validity are critical for tests and are sometimes referred to as essential measurement qualities† (Bachman Palmer, 1996:19), because they are the â€Å"major justification for using test scores as a basis for making inferences or decisions† (ibid). The definitions of types of validity and reliability will be presented in this section. Validity And Reliability Defining Validity The quotation from AERA (American Educational Research Association ) indicates: â€Å"Validity is the most important consideration in test evaluation. The concept refers to the appropriateness, meaningfulness, and usefulness of the specific inferences made from test scores. Test validation is the process of accu ­mulating evidence to support such inferences. A variety of inferences may be made from scores produced by a given test, and there are many ways of accumulating evidence to support any particular inference. Validity, however, is a unitary concept. Although evidence may be accumulated in many ways, validity always refers to the degree to which that evidence supports the inferences that are made from the score. The inferences regarding specific uses of a test are validated, not the test itself.† (AERA et al., 1985: 9) Messick stresses that â€Å"it is important to note that validity is a matter of degree, not all or none (Mess

Metaphors Of The Mind :: essays research papers

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/vaksam/">Sam Vaknin's Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign Affairs Web Sites The brain (and, by implication, the Mind) has been compared to the latest technological innovation in every generation. The computer metaphor is now in vogue. Computer hardware metaphors were replaced by software metaphors and, lately, by (neuronal) network metaphors. Such attempts to understand by comparison are common in every field of human knowledge. Architects and mathematicians have lately come up with the structural concept of "tensegrity" to explain the phenomenon of life. The tendency of humans to see patterns and structures everywhere (even where there are none) is well documented and probably has its survival value added. Another trend is to discount these metaphors as erroneous, irrelevant, or deceptively misleading. Yet, these metaphors are generated by the same Mind that is to be described by them. The entities or processes to which the brain is compared are also "brain-children", the results of "brain-storming", conceived by "minds". What is a computer, a software application, a communications network if not a (material) representation of cerebral events? In other words, a necessary and sufficient connection must exist between ANYTHING created by humans and the minds of humans. Even a gas pump must have a "mind-correlate". It is also conceivable that representations of the "non-human" parts of the Universe exist in our minds, whether a-priori (not deriving from experience) or a-posteriori (dependent upon experience). This "correlation", "emulation", "simulation", "representation" (in short : close connection) between the "excretions", "output", "spin-offs", "products" of the human mind and the human mind itself - is a key to understanding it. This claim is an instance of a much broader category of claims: that we can learn about the artist by his art, about a creator by his creation, and generally: about the origin by any of its derivatives, inheritors, successors, products and similes. This general contention is especially strong when the origin and the product share the same nature. If the origin is human (father) and the product is human (child) - there is an enormous amount of data to be safely and certainly derived from the product and these data will surely apply to the origin. The closer the origin and the product - the more we can learn about the origin. The computer is a "thinking machine" (however limited, simulated, recursive and mechanical). Similarly, the brain is a "thinking machine" (admittedly much more agile, versatile, non-linear, maybe even qualitatively different).

life after 9/11 :: essays research papers

or most of us, airports are the only places where life has really changed since 9/11. The terminal has become a vast theater of the absurd where aspiring passengers line up halfway back to town. The shoes of little old ladies are gravely removed and inspected. Men in suits take their cell phones out of the bag and put their laptop computers into the bag—no, wait, cell phones in and computers out. Random passengers stand spread-eagled while strangers say to them softly, "Now I'm going to run my hands around your waist. Is that all right?" Somewhere unseen, a food-service worker is assembling plastic knives but metal forks in meals headed for first class. And all the while the public-address system hectors us to "report any suspicious activity." Many people, understandably skeptical about these quasi-religious rituals, have stopped flying instead. Others are thinking about moving out of New York and other big cities, and some have done so. These are responses more in keeping with the scale and drama of the episode that provoked them, but they may not make any more sense. David G. Myers of Hope College in Holland, Mich., calculated that terrorists would have to hijack 50 planes a year and kill everyone aboard before flying would be more dangerous than driving an equal distance. The steps we have taken to protect ourselves from terrorism (not counting the military effort to stop it at the source) seem either farcically trivial or farcically excessive. Is there a rational middle ground? Dealing rationally with the risks of terrorism is hard for several reasons. First, human beings are bad at assessing small risks of large catastrophes. And Americans are especially bad at this because we are Americans, and catastrophes are not supposed to happen to us. Our legal culture, our political culture and our media culture all push us toward excessive caution by guaranteeing that any large disaster will produce an orgy of hindsight. Lawyers will sue, politicians will hold hearings, newspapers and newsmagazines will publish overexcited revelations about secret memos that could be interpreted as having warned of this if held up to the light at a certain angle. Second, the actual risk of being a terror victim is not merely small—it is unknown and unknowable. Economists make a distinction between "risk" and "uncertainty." Risk refers to hard mathematical odds. Uncertainty refers to situations in which the odds are anybody's guess