Specifications Format of the SBA component Oral text-types to be assessed Range of assessment tasks Mandatory assessment conditions Domains for assessing learning Standardisation and reporting

Oral text-types to be assessed

In the SBA component an important distinction is made between two kinds of oral text-types, designated for HKEAA purposes as an individual presentation and an interaction.


Individual Presentation:

• Individual speaker presents ideas or information over a sustained period (2-3 minutes).
• May be quite informal, depending on task and audience.
• Requires comparatively long turns, hence requires a more explicit structure.
• May be followed by questions or comments from audience. Although this will not form part of the assessment, it can provide students with more opportunities to interact with others/exchange ideas, which can encourage assessment for learning.
  
  

To view an individual presentation promoting a film called Amelie. The student tries to promote the film by showing her classmates pictures related to the film as well as describing the most interesting part of it. Note how she manages to maintain a clear structure without relying too heavily on any notes.

• An exchange of short turns or dialogue between two or more speakers.
• Comparatively short turns, hence needs less explicit structuring.
• Usually quite informal.
• Needs attention to turn-taking skills and planning of how to initiate, maintain and control the interaction through suggestions, questions and expansion of ideas.
  

To view group interaction from Tsang Shiu Tim Secondary School. Students had watched a film called Forrest Gump. They were asked to choose a gift for a character in the film. Note how their interaction is very natural and informal.

For effective communication, both text-types also require the following skills:

• capacity to speak intelligibly and reasonably fluently with suitable intonation, volume and stress, using pauses and body language such as eye contact appropriately and effectively.
• a range of vocabulary and language patterns that are accurate and varied.
• some use of formulaic language when appropriate for structuring (but overuse of set phrases is discouraged).
• language that is natural and interactive, not memorised or read aloud.