Assessing Young Language Learners’ Oracy Skills: Developments, Challenges, and Promises

Assessing young language learners (YLLs) appears to be a complex issue, given the developmental characteristics that these learners possess and the challenges which they pose for assessment. However, over the past 25 years, researchers have examined many aspects of this learner population from various perspectives, and research results from previous studies have revealed interesting points regarding YLLs. Despite the theoretical discussions and empirical research studies, we still know very little about how best to assess their diverse needs and abilities, which tasks and activities suit their ages, what strategies they follow to learn an additional language, and what role assessment literate language teachers may play in fostering their abilities. These, and other, points deserve further analysis and more empirical research to help researchers better understand the subtle nuances of language learning development. Oracy skills of these language learners have received comparatively less attention, possibly because of the complexities they may have presented for their assessment. In this chapter, building on previous research and available information, we have attempted to discuss the various aspects of oracy. In doing so, we have explained why it is challenging to assess listening, speaking, and interaction skills. The challenges, as we have explained, include the wide age ranges, among others. Next, we have focused on the tasks and activities researchers have used and recommended for the assessment of listening and speaking. This discussion is followed by a relatively full presentation and explanation of recent developments for assessing oracy. Finally, we have outlined the implications for pedagogy and presented suggestions for further research in this young subfield of applied linguistics.