Towards an Examiners Training Model for Standardized Oral Assessment Qualities in Vietnam

Abstract

There are many variables that may affect the reliability of speaking test results, one of which is rater reliability. The lessons learnt from world leading English testing organizations such as International English Testing System (IELTS) and Cambridge English Language Assessment show that oral examiner training plays a fundamental role in sustaining the highest consistency among test results. This paper presents a model of oral examiner training presently at its early stage in standardizing the English speaking test in Vietnam, as part of the country’s National Foreign Languages Project 2020. Training sessions have been conducted using localized training materials, aiming to guarantee the professionalism of English teachers as oral examiners to enable maximum reliability when marking speaking tests using a standardized procedure. A post-training study on EFL university teachers shows that the model has generally met the teachers’ professional development demands in oral assessment, though more research into real speaking test scores is needed to be able to guarantee that the goals of the model could be accomplished.