This study aims to design a portfolio-based speaking assessment model centered on research summary presentations as an alternative and educationally valid method for assessing the speaking ability of learners of Korean for Academic Purposes (KAP), and...
This study aims to design a portfolio-based speaking assessment model centered on research summary presentations as an alternative and educationally valid method for assessing the speaking ability of learners of Korean for Academic Purposes (KAP), and to empirically examine its effectiveness through classroom application. Conventional assessments of academic Korean speaking have largely relied on one-time summative evaluations, which have limitations in reflecting learners’ developmental processes, changes in performance strategies, and self-reflection. To address these limitations, this study applies a portfolio-based assessment approach, which emphasizes both process and performance, to the domain of academic speaking.
As the theoretical background, this study reviews the concept and components of academic Korean speaking, the genre characteristics of research summary presentations, the principles and procedures of portfolio assessment, and the functions of rubric-based assessment. Based on previous studies, academic speaking is identified as an integrated performance ability composed of linguistic, discourse, sociolinguistic, strategic, and cognitive competencies. Research summary presentations are considered a representative task for comprehensively assessing these competencies. Portfolio assessment is also theoretically justified as an appropriate method for academic speaking assessment as it enables the evaluation of both learning outcomes and learning processes.
The participants were four advanced-level learners of Korean for academic purposes, all of whom were graduate students with limited experience in research summary presentations. The experiment was conducted over a five-week period beginning in October 2025. In each session, learners performed a research summary presentation and participated in self-, peer-, and instructor evaluations. All presentation videos, evaluation scores, feedback, and reflection records were collected and analyzed. Post-experiment interviews were also conducted to examine learners’ perceptions of portfolio-based assessment.
The results show that all learners demonstrated continuous improvement in their academic speaking performance across the five sessions. Notable improvements were observed in discourse organization, use of academic vocabulary, and responsiveness during question-and-answer sessions. Analysis of descriptive feedback indicated that learners’ initial difficulties in logical organization, understanding of research structure, and use of academic expressions gradually improved through repeated presentation, feedback, and reflection. Post-interview findings further revealed that portfolio-based assessment enhanced learners’ confidence in academic speaking and promoted their ability to regulate presentation strategies through self-assessment.
In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence that a portfolio-based academic speaking assessment model centered on research summary presentations is effective in improving learners’ academic speaking ability and enhancing the quality of the teaching–learning process. The findings suggest that portfolio-based assessment offers a practical alternative to summative assessment in academic Korean speaking and can be utilized as an integrated instructional and assessment framework in Korean for academic purposes education.