In most universities, speaking skill is assessed during and at the end of the speaking
course which students take, and they have to pass an English proficiency test before they
leave school. The final assessment result is based on their class attendance, class
participation, homework performance, regular tests, middle term test and final-semester
test. To achieve good assessment, learners need to fully attend classes. They also need to
enthusiastically and actively participate in speaking tasks and activities designed and
instructed by lecturers. Besides, students have to finish homework and self-study work
prior to school classes. In other words, they are assessed the progress and achievement
during the course or when the course ends. Finally, students have to sit in an English
proficiency test and pass that test’s cut-score as a prerequisite for graduation approval.
I have interviewed one of my colleagues who is teaching English for both majored and
non-majored students at a university. The questions to interview focus on the difficulties
of assessing the English speaking skill at this school from which I can suggest some
solutions to improving the assessment.
The first difficulty she (the teacher interviewee) has faced in assessing English speaking
skill at the school is the challenge during examining the test takers. She assesses both
majored and non-majored students. Therefore, she occasionally compares the
performance of test takers which can result in scoring inaccuracy. She also finds it hard to
strictly follow the assessment criteria because of HALO effects. She is impressed by the
examinees of nice voice or appearance or fashion or polite behavior from times to time.
This can distort the score and fails to ensure the reliability of the tests. For these issues,
the possible solution is that the examiner must comply with the assessment criteria.
His/her duty is not only assessing English speaking skill but also ensuring the reliability,
validity, and practicality of the tests.
In addition, it challenges her to keep concentrating on scoring all the candidates because
of fatigue. This is due to her busy schedule of teaching and doing relevant school as well

as faculty’s work and other things in life. To solve this problem, it is crucial that the rater
need to arrange their work as well as balance work and relaxation to have good mood and
remain alert and focused throughout the process of Speaking skill assessment especially
during scoring sessions.