Analysis of the oral-proficiency examination given to screen students admitted to the ELT department in the 1989-1990 academic year

Abstract

The study is aimed at analyzing the oral- prof iciency examination given to applicants to the English Language Teaching <ELT) Department in the 1989-1990 academic year. The primary concern was to investigate the inter- rater reliability. The student interviews were evaluated by a four- member jury who conducted the actual test. They were also recorded on audio-cassette, and then re-rated by a second four- member jury. Statistical analysis of the ratings showed that there was very little agreement omong the raters. Interview assessment was apparently impressionistic and subjective with minimal inter-rater reliability.