SPEAK Test Information Sheet
The SPEAKtest is the institutional
form of the TSE, Test of SpokenEnglish. The SPEAK
consistsof retiredforms of the TSE. This test was developedby the Educational
Testing
Servicesfor the purposeof evaluatingthe spoken Englishof non-nativespeakers. lt is
used in universities
and in the medicalprofessions.
Studentsmay pick up testinginformationand sampletest materials,resisterfor the test
and receivescoresin the EnglishLanguageProgramOffice(205 FairchildHall). nnyone
takingthe test must providea picturelD for registration
and for testing
The EnglishLanguageProgramoffersthe SPEAKtest each month.For dates,please
checkthe ELP web pageat
www.k-state.edu/elp
The fee schedulefor individuals
takingthe test is as follows:
Freefor
.
ror
$10
the first two tests for studentsadmittedto the University (students
need to bring their admissionletterwhen they registerfor the initial
test.)
: $:1ilifi,{?:#k1".1#iTfii:
orresu,artest
sessons
Test scoresare reportedto departmentsvia a secureweb page. Studentswill receivean
individualtest score report. We ask that studentsnot come to pick up their individual
r e s u l t sd u r i ngth e w e e k p ri o rto th e beginningof each semester( i.e.in August,June,and
January).They may come to our officeto requesttheir copiesafterthe firstweek of class.
Studentsmay get additionaltest reportsfor $1.00per report.
Studentswho fail to receivea passingscore two times must take steps to improvetheir
speakingbeforetakingthe test a third time. Studentswho have failedthe test twicewill
have to pay for any subsequenttests. Studentswantingto know their weaknessesmay
schedulean appointment
to go over theirtest results.For remediation,
studentsmay enroll
in DAS 179 Pronunciation
and SpeakingSkills,work with a tutor,or work with the Speech
and HearingCenter in Leasure Hall. Work with a tutor must be documentedwith the
person'snameand a descriptionof the time spentand a listof the activitiesdone.
Scoring
The test lasts 20 minutes and emphasizesspeech functionsand extendedsamplesof
speech. The passingscore is 50 on a scaleof 20-60. Two gradersindependently
score
each tape, and their scores are averaged. Examinees'tapes are identifiedby a number
o n l ya n d n o t b y n a me .
Al l g r a d e r sh a ve g ra d u a ted e g re e sin English,Englishas a secondlanguage,or E ngl i s h
linguistics.All have gone throughthe same trainingprogramthat ETS usesfor its graders.
y e ckth e irgr adingagainstthe gr adingstandar don the tr ai ni ng
E L P g r a d e r sp e ri o d i ca l lch
tapes. On the occasionswhen locallygradedtapes have been sent to ETS for a second
grading,the scoreshave beenthe same.
For sampletest questionsgo to. www.k-state.edu/elpitesting/SPEAKtest.htm
Skills for the SPEAKTest
Task -specificQuestions
Task
preparation Organization
time
Directions 30 seconds spatialorder
Story
Vocabulary
specific
directions
Grammar
to prepositions
imperative
transitions
60 seconds c h r o n o l o g i c a l general
order
Graphs
none
Pronunciation
elicitedby street,
building, room
names
tense
general
prepositions/transi
tionsof time
summarizing/in specificto graphs tense
terpretingvisual / tables
transitions
data
dates
elicited by the
content in chart
numbers
Schedule
60 seconds a n n o u n c r n g general
information in a
schedule
emphasizing
changes
tense
dates,numbers
transitions
elicitedby names,
places,and titles
GeneralQuestions(non preparationtime other than the initial time to
review map, story or schedule)
Skills performed:
- stating / explaining an opinion
- giving / explaining a solution to a problem
- comparing two options
- explaininga field relatedconcept lterm
- discussingan issue of generalinterest
- stating a complaint and requesting a solution
- discussinga future goal / plan
- discussingaltematives/ prevention
Resources:
Maps from phonebooks
Graphs and charts from textbooks and magazines
Comics from newspapers
Schedulesand coursepolicies from classes
A B O U TT H ET s E T E S T
On theda! ofthe test,you will be givena testbookandaskedto listen
to and reai thegeneraldirectionsbeforeyou begin.It is a goodidea.to
becomefamiliai *'ith the directionsbefore the day of the test.The
practicequestionsbetoware similarbut not identicalto questionsyou
to thesepracticequeswill find in the actualtest.Therefore,responses
on an actualtest.DuringtheTSE testyour
tionsmay not be acceptable
r"rponseiwill be recordedon tape.It might be helpfulto recordyour
on tape,thenlistento hearhow your speechactually
practiceresponses
sounds.
Thenthetestwill begin.Be sureto speakclearlyandsayasmuchasyou
to eachquestion.
canin responding
town
The mapbelowis of a neighboring
Imaginethatwe arecolleagues.
I visit. You will have30 secondsto studythe
that you havesuggested
aboutit.
rnap.Then I'll askyou somequestions
GENERALDIRECTIONS
how well
In theTestof SpokenEnglish.you will be ablcto demonstrate
20 minutes.Youwill
you speakEnglish.Thetestwill IastaPproximately
te askedqueslionsby an intervieweron tapc.Thequestionsareprinted
in thetest'bookandthetime you will haveto answereachone.isprinted
to answerthe
after thc question.You are cncouraged
in parentheses
quistionsascompletelyai possiblcin thetime allowed.While mostof
t-hequestionson the testmay not appearto be directlyrelatedto your
or professionalfield, eachquestionis designedto tell the
acad-emic
ability.The raterswill evaluatehow well
ratersaboutyouroral language
you communicate
in English.
Yourscorefor thetestwill be
As you speali,your voicewill be recorded.
Uasldon your speechsample.Be sureto spcakloudly enoughfor the
machineto recordclearlywhat you say.Do not stopyour taperecorder
at any time during the test unlessyou are told to do so by the test
supervisor.
TSEPRACTICEQUESTIONS*
First,theinterviewerwill askyou somequcstionsaboutyounelf.These
questionsarefor practiceandwill not be scored'but it is imponantthat
you answerthem.
Samplequestions:
Whar is the ID numberon the coverof your testbook?( I 0 ,..ond.,
How long haveyou beensrudyingEnglish?( I 0 seconds)
Why areyou uking theTestof SpokenEnglisl? ( l0 scconds)
YOUR TSESCORE
Your scorerecordwill consistof one scorcof communicativelanguage
ability, which is rcported on a scale of 20-60. Raterscvaluateeach
qucstion and assignscore levels using descriptorsof'communicative
effectivenessrelatedto languageusk/function, coherenceand use of
of rcsponseto audience/siruatior,,
cohesivedevices,appropriateness
and linguistic accuracy.The assignedscorelevelsfor eachquestionarc
averaged.Becauseof this averaging,the scoresare reponed in increl'
ments of five (i.e., 20, 25, 30,35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60). Score level
pcrformanceis describedbelow.
Scale
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
I . Chooseoneplaceon the mapthatyou think I shouldvisit andgive
this place.(30 seconds)
me somereasonswhy you recomrnend
2. I'd like to see a movie. Pleasegive me directions from the bus
stationto the movie theater.(30 seconds)
3. One of your favoritemoviesis playing at the theater.Pleasetell me
aboutthe movieandwhy you'likeit. (60 seconds)
Description
Communicationalmostalwayseffective
generallyeffective
Communication
Communicadonsomewhateffective
Communicationgenerallynot cffective
No effectivccom.municatioo
English Language Program
532-7324
Now pleaselook at rhc six picrurcs below. I'd like you to rell me the
story that-thepicures show,starting with picturc number I and going
tfuoughpicture number6. pleasetakeoneminureto look at the oiJrurei
and think abourrhesrory.Do not begin rhesroryunril I tell you to do so.
10.The graphbetowpresentstheactualandprojectedpercentageofthe
world populationliving in citiesfrom 1950to 2010.Describeto me
the informationgiven in the graph.(60 seconds)
PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPTJLATION
LIVING IN CITIFS 1950-2010
I
o!
o
,)
o
1950
1960
1970
1980
Year
1990
2000
2010
I l . Now discuss what this information might mcan for the future.
(45 seconds)
4. Tell me the story thar the picturesshow.(60 seconds)
5. What could the paintcrshavedone to prcvcnt this? (30 seconds)
6. Imagine that rhis happcnsto you. After you have taken thc suit to
the dry cleaners,you find out that you nccdto wear tbe suit thc next
moming. The dry cleaningserviceusuallytakesnro days.Call ttre
dry cleancrsand try to persuadethem to have thc suit rcady later
today. (45 seconds)
7. The man in the picturesis readinga newspap€r.Both ncwspapers
and tclcvision news prograrnscan bc gbod sourcesof informa-tion
about current cvents.What do you think arc thc advantagcsand
disadvantages
of cachof thcscsources?(60 seconds)
12. Norv pleasclook u thc informari-onbclow abouta rip to Washington,
organizcdfor thc rrcmbcrs of tl,. Fo..rttity
P'C.' Fu: l* 9*n
Historical Sociery. Imagine rhat you are ihe president of thii
organization.At the last meetingyou gave out i schedulefor the
trip, but there havc been somc changes.you must remind the
members about dre details of tire trip and rcll them about the
changesindicatedon the schedule.In ybur presenrationdo notjusr
rcad the informatio-nprinted,but presentir its if you were talking to
a gr.oupofpeople.Youwill haveoneminuteto planyour presentaion
and will be told when ro beginspeaking.
FORE5TCITY HISTORICALSOCIETY
TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Datc:
Saturday,April,f y!
Tranrportatlon:
ChartcrcdBus
Dcpart
ltlncraqr:
Now I'd like to hearyour ideasabut a varietyof ropics.Be surc to say
as much as you can in rcspondingto eachquestion.Aftcr I ask each
questioq you may take a few secondsto prcpareiour answer,and thcn
bcgin speakingwhenyou'rc ready.
8. Many people enjoy visiting zoos and sceing the animals. Other
peoplebelievc that animalsshouldnot bc taken from their natural
surroundingsand put into zoos. I'd likc to know what you think
about this issue.(60 seconds)
9. I'm not familiar with your field of srudy. Select a tcrm used
.frcquently in your field and defrneit for me. (60 scconds)
f,r$$fSea-rn-CommuniryCcnrerparkinglot
10:30a.rn - GuidcdTour of Whirc House
12:30p.rn - Lunch* - Rock Crcck Park
3:00 p.rn -
NationalMuscumof History and
Tcchnology(ccrurc --4:00p.rn)
-Oinno-g-ffir,
6:30p.rn
Gcorgctown
Return:
Cort:
I 0:00 p.rn (approxinutcly)
5?&€d (cxcludingadmissiorsand dinncr)
$uoo
'Bring yoor own
(90 seconds)