JALT2025 - Tokyo

Evaluating EFL speaking communicative adequacy: Through learner perspectives

Oct 31, 2025, 2:15 PM

30m

National Olympics Memorial Youth Center / 国立オリンピック記念青少年総合センター

Research-oriented Presentation (30-minutes) Language Skills Room 505

Speaker

Shzh-chen Nancy Lee (Osaka University)

Description

This study explores EFL communicative adequacy from learner perspectives. Evaluating speaking is complex and time-consuming, making it crucial to understand how learners perceive proficiency. Communicative adequacy, proposed in task-based language teaching, measures task success. Fifty Japanese university students assessed recorded dialogues, rating successful speakers on a five-point Likert scale and providing qualitative feedback. Fluency emerged as a key factor in evaluations. Findings offer insights into improving learner-based speaking assessment in EFL classrooms.

Summary

This study explores EFL communicative adequacy from learner perspectives. Evaluating speaking is complex and time-consuming, making it crucial to understand how learners perceive proficiency. Communicative adequacy, proposed in task-based language teaching, measures task success. Fifty Japanese university students assessed recorded dialogues, rating successful speakers on a five-point Likert scale and providing qualitative feedback. Fluency emerged as a key factor in evaluations. Findings offer insights into improving learner-based speaking assessment in EFL classrooms.