Using Response Tokens as a Criterion in an Oral Assessment

Authors

  • Rubini Radza School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  • Afza Diyana Abdullah School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  • Qiu XiaoTing School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37134/ajatel.vol14.1.10.2024

Keywords:

response token, oral assessment, interactive model, speaking skill, listening skill, active listening

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the use of response tokens as a criterion in an oral assessment. A few research instrument is used in this study to find out the types of response tokens used by English speakers and the reasons behind using them. Besides, this study also helps  to determine whether the use of response token has effects on oral assessment and to discover the validity and reliability of their usage. Osgood-Schramm’s Model of Communication is used in the assessment; as in to evaluate speaking skills, listening skills and also the use of response tokens as a part of active listening strategies. Listening skills are often assessed on its own without the integration with other skills in most standard testing, thus this research studies the role of active listening in the oral test. An assessment based on  interactive speaking and listening model involving the use of response token is carried out and the results are thematically categorised. The findings from this research proved that the response tokens are actively used as a listening strategy for several different reasons or to convey different meanings and the use of response token as a component  in assessment are both valid and reliable. The most significant implication of this finding is on assessment and pedagogical aspect where the importance of response token as one of the measuring components in communicative competence when conducting oral assessments is highlighted.

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Published

2024-06-30

How to Cite

Radza, R., Abdullah , A. D., & Xiao Ting, Q. (2024). Using Response Tokens as a Criterion in an Oral Assessment. Asian Journal of Assessment in Teaching and Learning, 14(1), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.37134/ajatel.vol14.1.10.2024