Oral tests could be dropped from language GCSEs because they are "too stressful", according to a report.
Schools Minister Jim Knight has rejected as "ridiculous" a claim that modern language GCSEs could be gained without candidates taking oral tests.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority could adopt a recommendation to rely on teacher assessments instead, reports the Sunday Telegraph.
A report in the Sunday Telegraph had suggested the exams watchdog was planning to drop orals because they were supposedly "too stressful".
The QCA said its report next week would follow the line of a previous review which concluded one-off oral tests were not a reliable guide to ability.
England's Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said it was making the oral assessment of languages more rigorous.
A former chief inspector of schools has condemned the idea as "stupid".
It plans to follow a report which said current orals are not good tests.
Chris Woodhead said the idea of abolishing oral tests was "predictable" and "stupid".
It's changing the way it's done, not getting rid of it or dumbing it down QCA spokesman
'Watering down'
Lord Dearing, who was commissioned by the government to look at modern language teaching, affirmed in his review the importance of speaking and listening in language GCSEs.
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.
These skills should make up half of the marks for the qualification, Lord Dearing said.
It's another example of removing from our examination system anything that students find stressful or too demanding Chris Woodhead, former chief inspector of schools
But he also warned that the stress of oral exams might deter youngsters from taking languages.
"Once again, this government is moving the goalposts on examinations and instead of proper rigour we have got a watering down of standards."
Mr Knight said: "It is ridiculous to suggest that a GCSE in a modern foreign language would be awarded without any kind of oral assessment.
While the QCA would not confirm the story, it said its report would concur with last year's review of language teaching by Lord Dearing.
"Any proposals must be designed to improve the confidence and competence of young people at speaking foreign languages."
Mr Woodhead said: "It's predictable because it's another example of the current fashion for removing from our examination system anything that students... find stressful, don't like, or find too demanding.
He said the Dearing Review suggested that continuous speaking assessment of pupils in controlled conditions was a better way of finding out which grade pupils were at than one "hit or miss" exam.
"And it's stupid because if one is wanting to know if someone has mastered a foreign language in any context, then clearly the student has got to be able to speak that language in any context."
"Those who would like to put forward dumbing down arguments seem to be misguided or misinformed in this case," he added.
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 Lord Dearing
'Not dumbing down'
He said continuous assessment was "completely unrealistic" and not necessarily fair as one teacher's evaluation could differ from another's.
In his report, Lord Dearing said: "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.
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.
Stress risk
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.
"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."
The QCA, which is publishing a report on the issue on Wednesday, said it was looking at changing the emphasis of how the oral part of modern languages are assessed.
The report was accepted by the then-Education Secretary Alan Johnson in March 2007.
"It's changing the way it's done, not getting rid of it or dumbing it down.
"In fact, we will see a more rigorous assessment."
Currently GCSE oral tests are carried out by teachers, recorded and sent to external examiners for marking.
Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove told the Sunday Telegraph pupils were being told they could pass GCSE languages without speaking them.
"Once again, this government is moving the goalposts on examinations and instead of proper rigour we have got a watering down of standards."
Lord Dearing's 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.
Here are a selection of your comments on this story
What a ridiculous proposal. Having sat a number of language exams in my time, I can agree that the oral is 'stressful' (isn't life itself 'stressful'?), but having ongoing assessments by staff members, paid by a school trying to maintain its place in a league table, may not be the most objective or effective way of testing student's oral ability.Paul Whitehead, Brighton
So, having removed competitiveness, we must now remove stress from children's lives. We are not talking about 4 year olds, but teenagers about to enter the world of work. What on earth is the point of learning a language without a speaking test. Teacher assessment is subject to enormous pressures and, speaking as an external moderator, I can say often wildly inaccurate.Phil, Bourne UK
I am studying French, and I agree the orals are stressful. During my prep time in my mock, I was placed in a classroom full of loud children. I'd been predicted an A* for my mock and ended up with an F. Every single person in my class dropped at least 3 grades. They're not a true reflection of talent: a native French speaker got a C. I rest my case.Rafanna J, Cambridge, England
The exams need to be revisited. I took A level french as a "mature student" last year. Yes the oral was stressful, but it just about the most important part of the course. I did French to communicate! However, the exam and course does need revisiting, I had to spend far too long trying to remember facts about Albert Camus works - time that would have been better spent trying to remember conjugations.John Marshall, Swindon
I have recently taken my GSCE French course and I didn't find the oral too difficult. The only reason the oral exam is stressful is because pupils fail to prepare for it. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.Tom Coleman, Stowmarket, England
As someone who studied French up to university level (graduating last year), I think that oral exams are stressful. But then so are most exams! Yes, a one-off 5-10 minutes of speaking is not an accurate reflection of years of study, but nor is a 1-3 hour written exam, in any subject! Considering you can get coursework for written work, maybe there should be some form of oral coursework, and/or multiple oral tests so that you get used to them - plus each one wouldn't count for as much, thus reducing the pressure. The 'moderated teacher' assessment may be a form of this, I suppose.James Connolly, London, England
Again a situation where we are going mad! Exams are stressful whether oral or written. Life is stressful and the earlier children are exposed to what life is about the better they will be able to cope when in the real world. I have now moved to Dubai because, quite frankly, this is another case of the downfall of Britain! When is someone going to sort this country out and bring common sense back into the equation.Andrew R, Tonbridge, Kent
As a linguist, ex teacher and lecturer in modern languages and as an active user of foreign languages, as well as a retired teacher trainer, I can say that the ultimate goal of language teaching is to produce people with the ability to communicate with the speakers of the foreign language. Tests that do not take this fundamental aim into account do not test language ability; they amount to a deception or a cover up of weaknesses. It would be similar to testing mathemetical achievements without testing the understanding and use of numbers.Mr. J.Lemagnen, Derby
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