Speaking

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the assessment of oral performance in a second language (L2), viewed from the perspective of task-based language assessment and instructed second language acquisition. The notion of L2 proficiency, as presented in the Common European Framework of References (Council of Europe, 2001), rests on two pillars that have to be taken into account when measuring L2 speaking: (1) the linguistic dimension, referring to the complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of the speaker’s utterances; and (2) the communicative dimension, concerning the appropriateness and effectiveness of the message to be conveyed, labeled functional adequacy (FA). Whereas the majority of studies on the assessment of learner performance have focused on CAF, little attention has been devoted to the functional aspects of L2 performance. The rationale underlying the present chapter is that assessing L2 speaking is impossible without considering both CAF and FA (henceforth, CAFFA) and the mutual relationship between the two constructs. It is argued that L2 speaking should not only be assessed by measures along the CAF-triad but also in terms of FA. The chapter discusses the theoretical underpinnings and applicability of a rating scale for FA (Kuiken & Vedder, 2017, 2018).