Pragmatic and strategic competence in the assessment of oral proficiency
K. Haastrup
1986
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Semantic Scholar
Key Takeaway Key Takeaway: This study improved the construct validity and interscorer reliability of oral exams in Danish schools by focusing on strategic and pragmatic competence, and promoting a wider range of speech acts.
Abstract
Abstract The present study, which is related to English as a foreign language in Danish schools, was designed to improve the construct validity and interscorer reliability of the oral exam after the completion of compulsory education. Focus in the article is on the description of expected pupil performance with regard to strategic and pragmatic competence. Strategic competence (Canale and Swain, Faerch and Kasper), i.e. the pupils' ability to use communication strategies, is seen as a means of overcoming communication problems as well as an important teaching objective in its own right. With a view to pragmatic competence the main aim was to create a situation that would challenge the pupils to employ a wider range of speech acts than has traditionally been the case. An important aspect of the study was to test whether or not language teachers were able to use the descriptions of performance levels. ∗