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Article
The potential of the L2 group oral to elicit discourse with a mutual contingency pattern and afford equal speaking rights in an ESP context
English for Specific Purposes (2014)
  • Gary Ockey, Iowa State University
Abstract
The second language group oral, a test method in which a small group of test takers is expected to discuss a topic without any interlocutor support or interference, has been used primarily to measure a test taker’s ability to engage in a real world discussion on general or academic English topics. The degree to which the method can provide test takers sufficient opportunity to demonstrate their oral proficiency in addition to their content knowledge in English for Specific Purposes contexts, however, has received little attention. To provide insight into this question, this study employed a discourse topic approach in which the analyst identified shifts in the discourse topic to determine the extent to which the discourse showed mutual contingency patterns and afforded test takers equal speaking rights and duties. The group oral discourse of four groups of test takers with three members in each of the groups was investigated. The test takers were graduate students who were studying in an English for international business program. The findings suggest that the group oral may be appropriate for assessing L2 oral ability as well as content knowledge of a particular field of study.
Keywords
  • discourse analysis,
  • oral assessment,
  • group oral
Publication Date
2014
DOI
10.1016/j.esp.2013.11.003
Publisher Statement
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in
English for Specific Purposes. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as
peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control
mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to
this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently
published in English for Specific Purposes, [35, (2014)] DOI:10.1016/j.esp.2013.11.003
Citation Information
Gary Ockey. "The potential of the L2 group oral to elicit discourse with a mutual contingency pattern and afford equal speaking rights in an ESP context" English for Specific Purposes Vol. 35 (2014) p. 17 - 29
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gary-ockey/10/