Abstract:

Introduction:
Speaking problems can be a major challenge to effective learning and communication. Many studies have indicated that oral language development has largely been neglected in the classroom (Richards & Renandya, 2002; Hosni, 2014). To develop knowledge about the difficulties related to oral skills and communication, researchers first need to know the real dimensions of those problems and the circumstances in which “difficulties” are constructed. This presentation aims to propose a tool for the assessment and evaluation of the oral speech of pupils in the three higher grades of elementary school.

Research Methodology – Design:
A mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) research design was developed, which included:
1. One-to-one, Conversational Interviews based on open-ended questions, consisting of two parts (Lewis, 1992):
a. In the first part participants are invited to speak freely on a topic that concerns themselves, choosing one of three topics proposed to them.
b. In the second part participants are invited to speak freely on a topic that concerns fields of knowledge taught to them, depending on their school grade. Participants are incited to use content related closely to their academic knowledge and proper terminology.
2. Focus Interviews Groups (Focus Groups) (Creswell, 2008; Cohen et al., 2000):
Participants take part in a free conversation, expressing thoughts, ideas and opinions. Through the interaction of group members, we capture oral speech as used by the participants in their everyday communication.
A list of criteria (Oral Speech Assessment Rubric) was also proposed to describe oral speech.

Results:
One of the most significant findings of our research is the Oral Speech Assessment Rubric as a research tool by itself. Linear multiple regression analysis obtained indexes that indicate significant statistical predictability of the criteria used for the description of oral speech. With regard to the participants’ speech features, we found that the criteria describing the participants’ oral speech are not diversified in all of the sample size. Judging from the sample that we processed and analyzed, it seems that there is no progress at all in oral speech skills during the last three grades of Elementary School. An analytical description of the participants’ oral speech features indicates that the purpose of communication is realized in an indirect way and that there is no extensive use of vocabulary to express ideas and opinions.

Practical implications:
Το Oral Speech Assessment Rubric can constitute a research tool which not only contributes to the study of oral speech but also brings forth criteria that may work as a predicting indicator of oral speech features. Moreover, based on the findings, we can easily discern the need for a more systematic study of oral speech features in elementary school pupils and for the eventual correlation thereof with other cognitive skills.

Keywords:

Oral skills, research methodology, oral speech, assessment, elementary school.