Test Information Guide

Field 30: Italian
Oral Expression

The following materials contain:

Sample Test Directions for the Oral Expression Assignment

For this section of the test, you will speak in response to an assignment presented on-screen.

At the conclusion of these directions, the test will automatically advance and the speaking assignment will be presented on the next screen. Listen to the directions carefully and review the assignment. You will have one minute to read the assignment and consider your response. When your preparation time is over, you will be notified that your preparation time is complete and you should be ready to begin speaking. Watch the screen as the test advances and a Recorded Answer box is presented. You will have two minutes to record your response. Do NOT begin speaking until the screen advances and you see the Recorded Answer box presented on-screen. A sample of the Recorded Answer box appears below.

A blue box with a progress bar and text: Recorded Answer, Current Status:, and time remaining.

Monitor your recording time by referring to the Recorded Answer box. The time in the Recorded Answer box will count down from 120 seconds (2 minutes) and the status bar will fill as your recording time progresses.

When your recording time is over, the current status on the Recorded Answer box will change to "Completed," indicating the conclusion of the oral expression assignment. You will automatically be advanced to the next screen. Do not click the Next button unless you have finished recording your response with time remaining and wish to move to the next screen. If you advance to the next screen with recording time remaining, you will not be able to go back.

You will be provided with a list of suggestions to help direct your response. It is not necessary that you address every point in the list, nor are you limited to the points mentioned. However, what you say must be relevant to the situation with which you are presented, and part of your score will be based on the degree to which you elaborate on the topic by addressing either the suggested points or points of your choosing.

You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to make notes; however, you will be scored only on the response that is recorded in the test.

Your response will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

You will have only ONE opportunity to record your response. Once the recording has begun, it cannot be stopped, nor can you re-record your response. Be sure that your microphone is in a downward position near your mouth before you begin speaking.

The screen will now advance and the speaking assignment will be presented.

Description of the Oral Expression Open-Response Item

In this section of the test, the candidate is required to provide a spoken response to a prompt, which is presented in written form. Each assignment describes a situation requiring oral communication with a specified audience in the target language (e.g., a response to a hypothetical problem encountered within the context of common life situations, a narration of a past experience, or a discussion of the advantages and/or disadvantages of a proposed idea). Candidates are given one minute to formulate their response and two minutes to speak. The candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to communicate in an appropriate register that displays cultural knowledge and sensitivity, produce an articulate and smooth flow of speech, and use an appropriate range of vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and simple and complex language structures.

Sample questions are provided in the Italian sample items PDF.

Scoring Rubric

Performance Characteristics

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the oral expression assignment.

Table outlining performance characteristics.
Content Adequacy of the information presented, including the number of ideas, the development of ideas, and the depth and specificity of supporting details.
Coherence Organization and clarity of the ideas communicated.
Grammar Accuracy of grammatical and syntactic constructions (e.g., conjugation of verbs, appropriate use of tenses, subject/pronoun and article/noun agreement).
Vocabulary Command of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions and appropriateness of word choice.
Fluency Ability to maintain a flow of speech, without hesitations or pauses which affect the overall comprehensibility of the response.
Pronunciation Comprehensibility of articulation and the appropriateness of stress.

Scoring Scale

The scoring scale below, which is related to the performance characteristics for the tests, is used by scorers in assigning scores to responses to the oral expression assignment.

Score Scale with description for each score point.
Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thorough application and strong command of the performance characteristics for the speaking assignment.
  • The speaker's ideas are well developed and elaborated.
  • The candidate's ideas are logically sequenced, well connected, and consistently clear.
  • The response shows a comprehensive command of syntax and grammar, making only minor errors that do not interfere with the comprehensibility of ideas.
  • The candidate demonstrates extensive command of appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
  • The candidate maintains a strong flow of speech, with few, if any, hesitations or pauses.
  • The speaker's pronunciation is easily intelligible, with few, if any, errors.
3 The "3" response reflects an adequate application and satisfactory command of the performance characteristics for the speaking assignment.
  • The speaker's ideas are adequately developed, with some elaboration.
  • The candidate's ideas are adequately organized and are generally clear.
  • The response shows good command of syntax and grammar, though some errors may cause minor interruptions in the comprehensibility of ideas.
  • The candidate demonstrates a good command of generally appropriate vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
  • The candidate generally maintains a steady flow of speech, with only occasional hesitations and pauses.
  • The speaker's pronunciation is generally intelligible, with only minor errors.
2 The "2" response reflects a partial application and limited command of the performance characteristics for the speaking assignment.
  • The speaker's ideas show limited development and elaboration.
  • The candidate's ideas are only partially organized and are at times unclear.
  • The response shows a limited command of syntax and grammar, with frequent errors that partially impede the comprehensibility of ideas.
  • The candidate demonstrates a limited range of expression, using very simple vocabulary and lacking some key words and phrases.
  • The candidate does not maintain a consistent flow of speech, having frequent hesitations and pauses.
  • The speaker's pronunciation contains several errors and is occasionally difficult to understand.
1 The "1" response reflects an inadequate application and a lack of command of the performance characteristics for the speaking assignment.
  • The speaker's response provides few, if any, comprehensible ideas, with minimal development.
  • The candidate's ideas are not organized and are largely unclear.
  • The response shows little command of basic elements of grammar or syntax, with numerous and frequent errors that make ideas incomprehensible.
  • The candidate demonstrates little knowledge of vocabulary beyond the most common words, and may misuse and misform numerous words and expressions.
  • The candidate fails to maintain any flow of speech, with frequent hesitations and pauses that interrupt comprehensibility.
  • The speaker's pronunciation contains numerous errors and is at times unintelligible.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, inaudible/incomprehensible, not spoken in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.