Development of the Portuguese Speaking Test. Year One Project Report. Development of Semi-Direct Tests of Oral Proficiency in Hausa, Hebrew, Indonesian and Portuguese

The development and validation of a Portuguese oral language test are described. The test consisted of five item types: personal conversation, giving directions, description of picture sequences, topical discourse, and oral task completion based on printed instructions. Three preliminary forms of the test were administered to a group of language students and native speakers, and follow-up questionnaires elicited information about format and item preferences. Based on responses, minor changes were made in test items, timing, and instructions. Two versions of the test's taped portion, one in Brazilian and one in Lusitanian Portuguese, were made. A validation study assessed interrater reliability, interchangeability of the three test versions, and the comparability of responses to the taped interview versus a live interview. Interrater reliabilities were found to be uniform across the test forms and live interview, and interrater reliability was not adversely affected by the semi-direct format. Feedback on test construction and difficulty was generally supportive, although most respondents preferred the live interview to the taped version. The test has been operationalized and is currently available. Development of similar tests for Hausa, Hebrew, and Indonesian will follow. Nine figures are provided; test forms and test administration information, comprising two-thirds of the document, are appended. (MSE)