A Study of Korean Oral Proficiency Test
Based on Web
Park, Seung-Jae
Major in Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language
Graduate School of Education
Sun Moon University
Adviser : Professor Woo, In-Hye
The purpose of this research is to suggest a web-based...
A Study of Korean Oral Proficiency Test
Based on Web
Park, Seung-Jae
Major in Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language
Graduate School of Education
Sun Moon University
Adviser : Professor Woo, In-Hye
The purpose of this research is to suggest a web-based Korean oral proficiency test using a new testing method for an oral test introduction to Test Of Proficiency In Korea (TOPIK). In other words, this means that its purpose is to be able to help a language learner express his/ her ideas accurately by understanding his/ her thought patterns while he/she is learning a language. A person’s reading and listening abilities are necessary factors to understanding his/her thought patterns while writing and speaking abilities are key elements to expressing what a person intends to say. Therefore, in terms of oral communication, these four abilities of reading, listening, writing and speaking should be improved. Furthermore, there should be an effective evaluation method to be able to interpret the findings gathered in the data.
At the moment, the evaluation methods used for TOPIK consist of the following areas: vocabulary, grammar, writing, listening, and reading. There has not been, as of the present time, an oral proficiency test or an evaluation method used to assess a person’s communication/ speaking skills. Several previous researchers point out the need for such a test considering that many of the problems encountered by language learners stem from the area of speaking the language being acquired. However, problems arise with the introduction of an oral proficiency test mainly in terms of its practicality and its administration.
The problems presented by several of the researchers regarding the initiation of an oral proficiency test can be summarized into 2 ways: (1) the difficulty of holding the said examination if the aforementioned test requires a face-to-face interview with the evaluator and (2) the problem of choosing competent and credible evaluators who could give not only an accurate but also an impartial assessment of a person’s language skills.
These problems are seen to be temporary and are viewed to be present only at the first stages of the introduction of the oral proficiency test. Not employing an oral proficiency test will compound already existing problems and will result in further setbacks in the implementation of TOPIK.
For these reasons, this research presents a web-based Korean oral proficiency test, not a face-to-face oral proficiency test, as the new evaluation method for communication skills.
The first chapter of this research cites the need for a web-based Korean oral proficiency test, its purposes and its contents. It also examines the limitations found in previous researches regarding the introduction of a Korean oral test as a communication evaluation method.
The second chapter of the research details the nature of a web-based oral proficiency test, the factors that it evaluates, the methods used in the assessment, and so on.
The third chapter analyzes the online English materials used for oral proficiency tests. These materials include ACTFL OPIc, TOEFL iBT Speaking, TOEIC Speaking. It also examines the materials used in Korean oral proficiency tests. Examples of these are the contents, types and practical tests found in KPE Speaking.
The fourth chapter is a preparation of an effective oral proficiency test method using the results gathered in the third chapter.
The fifth chapter shows examples of a web-based Korean oral proficiency test for the beginners’ level. The test to be used will have been the result of the analysis of data gathered in the fourth chapter.
Finally, the sixth chapter is an arrangement of the discussions and results of the research. It is also an analysis of the limitations of the said study.