ROLE PLAY
Target Features / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1Individual sounds (Vowels)
Individual sounds (Consonants)
Syllable stress
Fluency (frequency of pauses)
Intonation and important word stress
Linking and reduction
Name______Score______/24
Comments:
INDIVIDUAL SOUNDS (Vowels and consonants):
4 = Almost error-free pronunciation of vowels/consonants
3 = Occasional mispronunciation of vowels/consonants, but meaning usually comprehensible
2 = Frequent mispronunciation of vowels/consonants, sometimes requiring listener to guess the meaning
1 = Lacks control of many vowels/consonants, often incomprehensible
SYLLABLE STRESS:
4 = Syllable stress is consistently placed correctly
3 = Syllable stress is often placed correctly
2 = Syllable stress is often misplaced
1 = Syllable stress is consistently misplaced
FLUENCY:
4 = Very few word-by-word pauses
3 = Some word-by-word pauses
2 = Frequent word-by-word pauses
1 = Always speaks word-by-word (pause after each word)
INTONATION/WORD STRESS:
4 = Variation in tone of voice for Y/N and Wh-Q and word stress or length almost always reflecting important word(s)
3 = Variation in tone of voice for Y/N and Wh-Q and word stress or length sometimes reflecting important word(s)
2 = Variation in tone of voice for Y/N and Wh-Q and word stress or length shows little ability to reflect important word(s)
1 = Variation in tone of voice for Y/N and Wh-Q and word stress or length almost never reflecting important word(s)
LINKING/REDUCTION:
4 = Almost always links or reduces words appropriately
3 = Sometimes links or reduces words appropriately
2 = A little use of linking or reduction
1 = No use of linking or reduction
Instructor created separate role play cards using the attached card file (BigTownRolePlayingCards.pdf from http://www.mes-english.com/games/bigtown.php). Students choose a role play card and study their character. They practice playing roles during part of one class session. They ask and answer questions (i.e., the context was that they were at a party and getting to know people; they had to speak with at least six different people in the class and find out about their jobs, hobbies, favorites, and so on). The following week, students were given the attached rubrics and the target features were briefly reviewed. Students were asked to record themselves with one of the instructor's two digital recorders or to use their own iPhone as a recording device during the role playing conversation. If students used their iPhone, they sent the recording to the instructor's e-mail for assessment. Students recorded themselves in casual conversation in English for 2.5 to 3 minutes. Question prompts were written on the whiteboard to ensure that students asked and answered a range of yes/no and information questions. Each student was given his/her score with the rubrics and comments about individual weaknesses and strengths.