Student perceptions of the CEFR levels and the impact of guided practice on Aptis Oral Test performance

Abstract

This study compares students' scores on an Aptis Speaking Test to their results during an informal oral interview and a mock speaking test. First, it examines differences in the testing of oral skills between in-person paired interviews and a computer-delivered test, both following the British Council Aptis test, the former rated by university professors and the later rated by Aptis. Second, it analyses whether there are significant differences in performance due to repetition of the test and guided practice. In addition, it looks at the participants? different skill scores from the test to determine whether there are any consistent variations within the group. Finally, the study examines the students' impressions of their level on the CEFR. A total of 86 students took part in this exploratory study that has a quasi-experimental design. The data for the study include initial speaking interviews conducted by the research team, Aptis Test scores, and qualitative along with quantitative questionnaires. The study found that guided practice and repetition of the test lead to slightly higher scores, and that there were mixed results compared to the two measures.