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Thread: Is having an oral too stressful?

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    Is having an oral too stressful?

    I see in the news GCSE Foreign Language Orals Set To Be Dropped: 'Too Streessful' |Sky News|UK News that it looks like orals will disappear from language assessments for GCSEs.

    Is this another case of cocooning kids against the rigours of modern life or will it encourage more children to study to languages - or.....?

    Personally, I was quite happy with having a French oral.

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    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Personally, I was quite happy with having a French oral.


    Anyway..... I had several oral exams throughout my education, both in secondary school and high school, and I generally did better in my oral exams than in the written ones, despite the nerves! I think oral exams in languages are quite essential, really, and it's just silly to try to 'protect' kids by dropping oral exams! REALITY CHECK!!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    I really should read thread titles more carefully!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    I didnt find my oral any more stressful than any other exams. Maybe tomorrow's students will find the accusation that their exam was dumbed-down so their results are useless more stressful than having to do an oral?

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Why on Earth would we want to educate our young with another language... then expect to test their ability to speak it?!?!? That's just crazy talk!!

    Hell, they might even have to speak some French if they go to France!!! Let's not prepare them for that... that's faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar too stressful!!!

    ***!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ View Post
    Why on Earth would we want to educate our young with another language... then expect to test their ability to speak it?!?!? That's just crazy talk!!

    Hell, they might even have to speak some French if they go to France!!! Let's not prepare them for that... that's faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar too stressful!!!

    ***!
    I might just be too old to worry about it, but all you young folk had better start learning Chinese and even oralising it (or is that verbalising?).

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jhutch View Post
    I didnt find my oral any more stressful than any other exams. Maybe tomorrow's students will find the accusation that their exam was dumbed-down so their results are useless more stressful than having to do an oral?

    Sure, it's not easy if you're a nervous speaker, but I meet enough graduates (let alone school-leavers) without any ability to communicate as it is, without reducing their experience in this arena even more!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    I'm going to Guildford for a 45 minute oral on Thursday, wish me luck!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Yes, orals were easily the most stressful exams I've done, but that's not a reason to get rid of them! Foreign language education in Britain is absolutely abysmal as it is, removing the speaking tests would really make us bottom of the linguistic pile.

    Quote Originally Posted by dep View Post
    I might just be too old to worry about it, but all you young folk had better start learning Chinese and even oralising it (or is that verbalising?).
    I've already started learning (and oralising) Chinese, and it's (syntactically at least) much simpler than French or German, so one is never too old to start learning! Plus, it means you can better appreciate taiwanese pop...

    Dan

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    What a mixed up world we live in.

    Being able to speak the language, being able to read signs and menu's in that language... is so much more important than being able to write in that language.

    I would say cut out the writing in the language, focus more on speaking and understanding basic reading.

    Or am I being tooooo practical...

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    that said... has been a while since I didn't pass any oral test without flying colours!!!!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ View Post
    that said... has been a while since I didn't pass any oral test without flying colours!!!!
    I knew you couldn't resist forever, but surprised you lasted two whole days!
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    I knew you couldn't resist forever, but surprised you lasted two whole days!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by gebandemuishond View Post
    Yes, orals were easily the most stressful exams I've done, but that's not a reason to get rid of them! Foreign language education in Britain is absolutely abysmal as it is, removing the speaking tests would really make us bottom of the linguistic pile.

    I must say I couldn't help laughing when this was mentioned on the news. Total madness!

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by JiveLad View Post
    I see in the news GCSE Foreign Language Orals Set To Be Dropped: 'Too Streessful' |Sky News|UK News that it looks like orals will disappear from language assessments for GCSEs.
    I've just read the story about this on the BBC News.

    By my reading of this, pupils will still be tested on their ability to speak the language...
    "The new oral tests will be just as challenging but will also be fairer and give a true reflection of students' ability."
    So what's all the fuss?
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by batnurse View Post
    I'm going to Guildford for a 45 minute oral on Thursday, wish me luck!
    Looks like you already have all the luck if you're having a 45 minute one.

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    Looks like you already have all the luck if you're having a 45 minute one.
    Actually only lasted 20 minutes, and I got a merit

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by batnurse View Post
    Actually only lasted 20 minutes, and I got a merit
    Well done!!

    I started to learn Japanese at night school. Now there's a language that's easy to speak but not write (kanji style )

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    Re: Is having an oral too stressful?

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    I've just read the story about this on the BBC News.

    By my reading of this, pupils will still be tested on their ability to speak the language...

    So what's all the fuss?
    I wouldn't claim the current system is perfect, but:
    1) An oral may cause some stress, but so does talking to someone in another language in everyday life.
    2) Even if an oral test is no longer considered to be a "reliable test of a candidate's ability", I don't believe that "moderated teacher assessment" will be any more reliable.
    3) The general trend is to cut down or phase out coursework - not before time - for various reasons (see Move to end more GCSE coursework). In the face of such problems it seems strange that language teaching is heading in the opposite direction. The situation is not identical, but has nothing been learned?

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