{"id":1705,"date":"2026-03-30T13:40:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T12:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/learning-matters\/?p=1705"},"modified":"2026-03-30T13:42:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T12:42:01","slug":"oral-assessments-used-in-modern-languages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.sussex.ac.uk\/learning-matters\/2026\/03\/30\/oral-assessments-used-in-modern-languages\/","title":{"rendered":"Oral assessments used in Modern Languages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Beno\u00eet Guilbaud,<\/a> Language Pathways Convenor, Associate Professor in French <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oral assessment is embedded across Modern Languages teaching at Sussex, spanning eight languages within the 15-credit undergraduate modules offered through both a two and three-year beginners\u2019 pathway and a post A-level pathway. Across these programmes, oral assessments typically account for\u202f30\u201350%\u202fof the overall grade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than treating spoken communication as an add-on, the Modern Languages curriculum positions oracy as a core academic capability. Assessments are intentionally scaffolded across years of study, moving from structured, supported speaking tasks towards more complex, fluid and autonomous communicative performances. This blog post outlines the oracy assessment structure in Modern Languages with the aim of inspiring other educators to embed oracy skills in their own assessments, whatever their discipline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assessment structure for the beginner\u2019s pathway <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Year 1 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Semester 1 \u2013 Semi-prepared conversations (3 mins per student)<\/strong> 
A low-stakes, student to student format encourages early confidence and reduces anxiety. These conversations draw on familiar topics and build the ability to sustain dialogue rather than recite memorised content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Semester 2 \u2013 1-minute presentation + 3-minute class questions (linked to a writing task)<\/strong> 
Students present an organised event and respond to peer questioning. This task deliberately integrates oral and written assessment, reinforcing that ideas must be transferable across modes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year 2 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Graduate job interview (5 mins with tutor)<\/strong> 
Slides emphasise the shift to professional-facing interactions, requiring students to respond spontaneously and manage the pragmatics of interview communication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visitor guide presentation (1 min + 4 mins questions)<\/strong> 
Students simulate guiding visitors through a cultural site. This requires clarity, structure, and responsiveness, all key to authentic communicative competency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year 3 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Group discussion of a seen article (7 mins per student)<\/strong> 
Here students are assessed on their ability to sustain a group conversation, negotiate meaning, and demonstrate comprehension of source material and summarise the meaning of their allocated section of the text to the rest of the group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book\/film review presentation (3 mins + 4 mins questions)<\/strong> 
Students develop critical argumentation orally, not just descriptive recounting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liaison interpreting task – post-A-level – (10min with two tutors) <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students have to spontaneously relay meaning, tone and pragmatics back and forth between speakers of two languages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accents and identity <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While comprehension and intelligibility remain central, awareness of how accent bias may shape students\u2019 confidence, as well as markers\u2019 perceptions, is vital. This applies equally to disciplines such as Law, Business, or Education, where students are expected to perform orally in ways that may amplify concerns about identity and belonging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of oral assessment  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n