Performance-Based Tasks as a Mean to Assess the Speaking Skills of Learners of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Performance-based tasks enable students’ to demonstrate their learning progress in authentic ways. They also provide foreign language teachers with opportunities to challenge their students to use the language and therefore, assess the development of their skills. Acknowledging the advantages that these activities provide, this work aims at suggesting a set of performance-based tasks to evaluate the speaking skills of students of English as a Foreign Language. Examples of performance-based tasks that have been implemented with Spanish speakers learning English illustrate how these tasks can be put into practice. For the development of the work, the authors conducted a review and analysis of articles, texts and other sources that included relevant information to the subject, including theoretical foundations, educational policies on evaluation, and examples of performance-based tasks. Suggested performance-based tasks include oral presentations, discussions, debates, demonstrations, among others. Both literature and the authors` experience indicate that performance-based tasks boost students` confidence and motivation towards speaking. Most performance-based tasks for assessing students' oral skills are collaborative in nature. Nonetheless, they can be also adjusted to individual assessments.