| Oral tests could be dropped from language GCSEs because they are "too stressful", according to a report. | Oral tests could be dropped from language GCSEs because they are "too stressful", according to a report. |
| The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority could adopt a recommendation to rely on teacher assessments instead, reports the Sunday Telegraph. | The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority could adopt a recommendation to rely on teacher assessments instead, reports the Sunday Telegraph. |
| The QCA would not confirm the story, but said its report next week would follow the line of last year's review of language teaching by Lord Dearing. | The QCA would not confirm the story, but said its report next week would follow the line of last year's review of language teaching by Lord Dearing. |
| The review said one-off oral tests were not a reliable guide to ability. | The review said one-off oral tests were not a reliable guide to ability. |
| Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove told the Sunday Telegraph: "After being told they could get a pass without writing a word in a foreign language, now pupils are being told they can pass without speaking it. | Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove told the Sunday Telegraph: "After being told they could get a pass without writing a word in a foreign language, now pupils are being told they can pass without speaking it. |
| "Once again, this government is moving the goalposts on examinations and instead of proper rigour we have got a watering down of standards." | "Once again, this government is moving the goalposts on examinations and instead of proper rigour we have got a watering down of standards." |
| 'Unreliable test' | 'Unreliable test' |
| Lord Dearing's report affirmed the importance of speaking and listening in language GCSEs and recommended these skills should make up half of the marks. | Lord Dearing's report affirmed the importance of speaking and listening in language GCSEs and recommended these skills should make up half of the marks. |
| But he warned that the stress of oral exams might deter young people from signing up to take languages. | But he warned that the stress of oral exams might deter young people from signing up to take languages. |
| "It is interesting that when people spoke about the oral test, that however long ago it may have been, it is often remembered as a stressful experience," he wrote. | "It is interesting that when people spoke about the oral test, that however long ago it may have been, it is often remembered as a stressful experience," he wrote. |
| "We therefore proposed that these parts of the examination should be over a period through moderated teacher assessment." | "We therefore proposed that these parts of the examination should be over a period through moderated teacher assessment." |
| Lord Dearing emphasised that any change should not weaken the "validity of the assessment". | Lord Dearing emphasised that any change should not weaken the "validity of the assessment". |
| But he said: "That has to be balanced against the risk that a test that is often highly stressful and over a short period, whilst accurate in its awards against performance on the day, is not a reliable test of the candidates' capability." | But he said: "That has to be balanced against the risk that a test that is often highly stressful and over a short period, whilst accurate in its awards against performance on the day, is not a reliable test of the candidates' capability." |
| The report was accepted by the then-Education Secretary Alan Johnson in March 2007. | The report was accepted by the then-Education Secretary Alan Johnson in March 2007. |
| A sharp fall in students taking language GCSEs had prompted the review. | A sharp fall in students taking language GCSEs had prompted the review. |
| The drop came after the government ended compulsory modern languages up to the age of 16 in 2004. | The drop came after the government ended compulsory modern languages up to the age of 16 in 2004. |
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| Are you teaching or studying a language? Do you think the oral exams should be dropped because they are too stressful? Are teacher assessments a better measurement of a child's ability? Send us your comments using the form below |
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