The Development of English Oral Proficiency Tests Based on the Communicative Competence Paradigm

In the area of language skills assessment, the testing of oral ability is in all probability the most interesting and challenging aspect to EFL classroom teachers and professional testing experts. Recently, interest in the evaluation of English speaking ability in Korea has grown considerably, in keeping with an increasing emphasis on the development of a functional level of speaking competence on the part of EFL students. The aim of this paper is to review the differences between the direct test and the semi-direct test format of oral proficiency test based on the communicative competence paradigm and to discuss the current models of oral proficiency tests in Korea, such as the SEPT and the ESPT. Furthermore, this paper suggests some new directions for future oral proficiency testing. To improve the method of evaluating the examinee s oral proficiency based on the communicative competence paradigm, for example, future tests should include computer technology because it can provide a more flexible and less threatening individualized experience that may help examinees give their best performance compared to the tape-based assessment instrument.