Speaking Proficiency Flashcards

On the ACCESS Speaking test, when a student is asked to 'describe a picture,' what language function is primarily being assessed?

Answer: Oral description using present tense and vocabulary

Picture description tasks assess a student's ability to use oral language, present tense verbs, and content vocabulary to communicate what they observe.

A student at ACCESS Speaking Level 2 would most likely respond to a question using:

Answer: Simple sentences with basic vocabulary

Level 2 (Emerging) speakers produce simple sentences with high-frequency vocabulary but have not yet developed extended discourse.

Which ACCESS Speaking task requires a student to compare and contrast two objects or situations?

Answer: Compare/contrast prompt

Compare/contrast prompts specifically ask students to identify similarities and differences, requiring higher-order language functions.

What does 'discourse competence' refer to in the context of ACCESS Speaking scores?

Answer: The ability to organize ideas into coherent, connected speech

Discourse competence measures how well a student connects ideas logically and maintains topic coherence across multiple utterances.

In ACCESS Speaking, a student who uses mostly memorized chunks of language with little flexibility is demonstrating which proficiency level?

Answer: Level 1 – Entering

Level 1 (Entering) speakers rely heavily on memorized phrases and formulaic language with minimal productive flexibility.

Which of the following best describes a 'recount' task in ACCESS Speaking?

Answer: Retelling events from a personal experience or story in sequence

A recount task asks students to narrate past events in sequence, demonstrating control of past tense and narrative structure.

ACCESS Speaking scores are reported on which scale?

Answer: 1–6 proficiency levels

ACCESS reports Speaking on a 1–6 proficiency level scale (Entering through Reaching) aligned with WIDA standards.