Study Guide

Field 253: World Language: German 
Presentational Speaking

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Directions for Presentational Speaking Assignment

For this section of the test, you will record a spoken response to an assignment presented on-screen. You must respond to the assignment in the target language.

The assignment will be presented on the next screen, and the screen timer in the upper right corner of the screen will count down the allotted preparation time. Note that the assignment includes a prompt and exhibit. You may take up to 8 minutes to review the assignment and to prepare your response. You are not required to take the entire 8 minutes; however, if you choose to advance to the next screen to start your response before the preparation time is over, you will not be able to go back.

When the prepartion time is complete, the screen will automatically advance, and you will record your response to the assignment. Do NOT begin speaking until the screen advances and you see the recorder box presented on-screen. After 3 seconds, a tone will indicate when to begin speaking and the recorder box will show "Recording." The assignment will remain on the screen during recording. You will have two minutes to record your response. A sample of the recorder box appears below.

Screenshot of Recorded Answer box.

You can monitor your recording time by referring to the timer, which will count up from 00:01 to 02:00. Bars will appear with the sound of your voice while recording is in progress.

At the conclusion of your response time, the recorder box will change to “Complete” indicating the conclusion of the assignment.

Screenshot of Recorded Answer box showing a complete recording.

Once the recorder box shows "Complete," you may select the Next button to continue with the remainder of the test. Do NOT click Next until you have finished recording your response. If you advance to the next screen with recording time remaining, you will not be able to go back.

Your response will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Your response will be evaluated on the criteria above, not on any personal opinions expressed in the response.

You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to make notes; however, you will be scored only on the response that is recorded in the exam.

You will have only ONE opportunity to record your response. Once the recording has begun, it cannot be stopped, nor can you re-record your response.

Select the Next button to begin the assignment.

Sample Presentational Speaking Assignment

Objective 0008 
Apply knowledge of target-language structures and speaking conventions to deliver an effective, coherent, and clear spoken response to a prompt.

[The examinee will see on screen and hear the following directions:]

You may take up to 8 minutes to review the assignment and the exhibit provided and to prepare your response. Then, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. The assignment and the exhibit will remain on the screen during recording. You may take up to 2 minutes to record your response. You will be told when the preparation time is over and the recording is about to begin. Begin reviewing the assignment and preparing your response now.

[The examinee will see an exhibit on the left side of the screen.]

Exhibit

sample speaking assignment exhibit

Schweiz Tourismus

Stadt basel

Eine urige Basler Tradition: der «Morgestraich» – früh aufstehen lohnt sich!

Montag nach Aschermittwoch, Schlag 4.00 Uhr morgens. Alle Lichter in der Stadt weden gelöscht. Aus der dunklen Innenstadt das Kommando: «Achtig! Morgestraich! Vorwärts, marsch!»

So beginnt die Basler Fasnacht

Der «Morgestaich»

Marsch der Fasnachts-Cliquen durch die Stadt: schaurige Masken, Trommeln und Piccoloflöten. Das größte Pfeifkonzert der Welt!

Üer 100,000 Zuschauer!

Kneipen und Wirtschaften geöffnet!

Traditionelle Fasnachtsspeisen, z. B. Mehlsuppe, Zwiebel- und Käsewähe!

Von Freiburg startet ein Sonderzug der Deutschen Bahn unter der Nummer RE 26864:

Freiburg 2.33 Uhr, Bad Krozingen 2.43 Uhr, Heitersheim 2.48 Uhr, Müllheim 2.55 Uhr, Basel Badischer Bahnhof 3.17 Uhr.

Rückfahrt mit dem Zug Nummer RE 26865 um 6.20 Uhr ab Basel.

Das Ticket für Hin- und Rückfahrt: 15 bis 20 Euro

Kontakt Impressum Datenschutzhinweise

[The examinee will see corresponding assignment on the right side of the screen.]

Imagine that you are currently living in Freiburg and you are planning a visit to Basel to experience the "Morgestraich." You want to invite a German-speaking friend to join you. Drawing on information from the provided exhibit and your knowledge of German speaking conventions, leave a message in German on your friend's voice mail in which you:

Your response must be in your own words, except for quotations and paraphrases from the exhibit used as evidence to support your ideas.

[After 8 minutes of silence, the examinee will hear:

"Your preparation time is now over. At the conclusion of these directions, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. Begin speaking when you see the recorder box presented on the next screen. Prepare to begin speaking now."]

[If examinee clicks "Next" before the preparation time is over, the following warning appears in a pop-up: "You have chosen to begin speaking before your 8 minutes of preparation time has ended. If you click "Yes" below, the screen will advance and recording will automatically begin. Are you sure you want to begin speaking now?"]

DO NOT click the Next button unless you have finished recording your response.

[After 2 minutes of recording, the recorder box will change to “Complete” and the examinee is automatically advanced to the next screen.]

Description of a Strong Response to the Presentational Speaking Assignment

A strong spoken response would thoroughly achieve the objective of the assignment, be delivered in the form of a message left on a friend's voice mail, effectively address the three outlined tasks, and use appropriate speaking conventions for the context and audience. The response would demonstrate strong engagement with the exhibit, and explanations and descriptions would be effectively elaborated with relevant details from the exhibit as well as the candidate's own ideas.

With the exception of quotations and paraphrases from the exhibit, the response would be in the candidate's own words and effectively use vocabulary and idiomatic language appropriate for the context and audience. Narrative time frames, sentence structures, and cohesive devices would be used effectively to communicate a logically sequenced and coherent spoken message, delivered with a consistent flow of speech and appropriate pronunciation and intonation. Minor errors and/or occasional nonproductive hesitations or pauses would not interfere with comprehensibility.

Performance Characteristics for Presentational Speaking Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the Presentational Speaking assignment.

Purpose the extent to which the response achieves the objective of the assignment, demonstrates engagement with the exhibit, and uses speaking conventions appropriate for the specified context and audience
Support the extent to which the response is elaborated with relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas
Fluency the extent to which the response communicates a logically sequenced and coherent spoken message delivered with a consistent flow of speech and appropriate pronunciation and intonation
Vocabulary the extent to which the response uses word choice and idiomatic language appropriate for the specified context and audience
Grammar the extent to which the response uses appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, and cohesive devices

Score Scale for Presentational Speaking Assignment

A score will be assigned to each response to the Presentational Speaking assignment according to the following score scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response demonstrates effective presentational speaking skills.
  • The response thoroughly achieves the objective of the assignment, demonstrates strong engagement with the exhibit, and uses speaking conventions appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is effectively elaborated with relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response effectively communicates a logically sequenced and coherent spoken message. There is a consistent flow of speech and appropriate pronunciation and intonation. Minor errors and/or occasional nonproductive hesitations or pauses do not interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response effectively uses a range of words and idiomatic language appropriate for the specified context and audience. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response effectively uses a range of appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, and cohesive devices. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility.
3 The "3" response demonstrates generally effective presentational speaking skills.
  • The response largely achieves the objective of the assignment, demonstrates general engagement with the exhibit, and uses speaking conventions generally appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is generally elaborated with largely relevant details from the exhibit and the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response communicates a largely effective, sequenced, coherent spoken message. The flow of speech and pronunciation and intonation are generally appropriate. Some errors and nonproductive hesitations or pauses interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses words and idiomatic language largely appropriate for the specified context and audience. Some errors interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses largely appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, and cohesive devices. Some errors interfere with comprehensibility.
2 The "2" response demonstrates partially effective presentational speaking skills.
  • The response partially achieves the objective of the assignment, demonstrates limited engagement with the exhibit, and uses speaking conventions that are partially appropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is partially elaborated, with few relevant details from the exhibit and/or the candidate's own ideas.
  • The response communicates a spoken message that is partially effective and/or partially coherent. The flow of speech and pronunciation and intonation are partially appropriate. Frequent errors and nonproductive hesitations or pauses interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses basic words and idiomatic language that are partially appropriate for the specified context and audience. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses basic and/or partially appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, and cohesive devices. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility.
1 The "1" response demonstrates ineffective presentational speaking skills.
  • The response does not achieve the objective of the assignment, demonstrates little or no engagement with the exhibit, and uses speaking conventions that are inappropriate for the specified context and audience.
  • The response is ineffectively elaborated, with few or no details from the exhibit or the candidate's own ideas. Any support present may be irrelevant.
  • The response communicates an ineffective, incoherent spoken message. The flow of speech is inconsistent, and pronunciation and intonation are inappropriate. Constant errors and nonproductive hesitations and pauses significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses few or no words and little or no idiomatic language appropriate for the specified context and audience. Constant errors significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
  • The response uses few or no appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, or cohesive devices. Constant errors significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
U The response is unscorable because it is unrelated to the assigned topic, inaudible/incomprehensible, not spoken in the required language, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.

Acknowledgements:

Evison, David. Old Alarm Clock isolated on white, in black and white, showing four o'clock. Credit Line: David Evison. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: David Evison.

Bienewald, Frank. Many different groups of masked people walk through the... Collection: LightRocket. Credit: Frank Bienewald / Contributor. Getty Images.

Lazar, Mihai-Bogdan. Basel Rathaus (town-hall, Switzerland (HDR image). Credit Line: Mihai-Bogdan Lazar. Shutterstock. Copyright Notice: Mihai-Bogdan Lazar.