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Speaking Task Design and Complexity and Fluency Features of Adolescent English Learners

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Title: Speaking Task Design and Complexity and Fluency Features of Adolescent English Learners
Language: English
Authors: Mark Chapman (ORCID 0000-0002-3192-2564), Meg Montee (ORCID 0009-0009-3516-9889), Yangting Wang (ORCID 0000-0002-7366-8023), Gordon Blaine West (ORCID 0000-0002-8956-136X), Jason A. Kemp (ORCID 0000-0001-5676-4526), Ahyoung Alicia Kim (ORCID 0000-0001-7857-0503)
Source: Language Testing. 2026 43(1):37-65.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 7
Descriptors: English Learners, Language Tests, Language Proficiency, Language Fluency, Difficulty Level, Oral Language, Middle School Students, Grade 7, Computer Assisted Testing, Articulation (Speech)
DOI: 10.1177/02655322251328665
ISSN: 0265-5322
1477-0946
Abstract: This paper reports the results of a study designed to explore the relationships between speaking test task variables and linguistic features of spoken responses on a speaking assessment for Grade 7 multilingual English learners (age 12-13) in U.S. public schools. Speaking task responses from 30 high-proficiency test takers were transcribed and coded for 14 complexity measures and 9 fluency measures. Subsequent analyses of simple main effects indicate that many of the complexity and fluency measures significantly differ by task variables. We observed more meaningful differences in the complexity measures, but fluency features also varied in the key area of pause time. The findings reveal that tasks designed to elicit extended spoken responses did indeed prompt spoken language with more complex features than tasks designed to elicit shorter, simpler responses across academic disciplines. Results of the effects of task variables on fluency measures indicate that Grade 7 students pause more in response to more complex tasks. The results provide some preliminary validity evidence for the assessment by indicating expected performance differences based on target task difficulty level and have implications for the design and scoring of speaking assessment tasks for young learners.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1493274
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Speaking Task Design and Complexity and Fluency Features of Adolescent English Learners
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mark+Chapman%22">Mark Chapman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3192-2564">0000-0002-3192-2564</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Meg+Montee%22">Meg Montee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3516-9889">0009-0009-3516-9889</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yangting+Wang%22">Yangting Wang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7366-8023">0000-0002-7366-8023</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gordon+Blaine+West%22">Gordon Blaine West</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8956-136X">0000-0002-8956-136X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jason+A%2E+Kemp%22">Jason A. Kemp</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5676-4526">0000-0001-5676-4526</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ahyoung+Alicia+Kim%22">Ahyoung Alicia Kim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7857-0503">0000-0001-7857-0503</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Language+Testing%22"><i>Language Testing</i></searchLink>. 2026 43(1):37-65.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 29
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Learners%22">English Learners</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Tests%22">Language Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Proficiency%22">Language Proficiency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Fluency%22">Language Fluency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Difficulty+Level%22">Difficulty Level</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oral+Language%22">Oral Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Assisted+Testing%22">Computer Assisted Testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Articulation+%28Speech%29%22">Articulation (Speech)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/02655322251328665
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  Data: 0265-5322<br />1477-0946
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This paper reports the results of a study designed to explore the relationships between speaking test task variables and linguistic features of spoken responses on a speaking assessment for Grade 7 multilingual English learners (age 12-13) in U.S. public schools. Speaking task responses from 30 high-proficiency test takers were transcribed and coded for 14 complexity measures and 9 fluency measures. Subsequent analyses of simple main effects indicate that many of the complexity and fluency measures significantly differ by task variables. We observed more meaningful differences in the complexity measures, but fluency features also varied in the key area of pause time. The findings reveal that tasks designed to elicit extended spoken responses did indeed prompt spoken language with more complex features than tasks designed to elicit shorter, simpler responses across academic disciplines. Results of the effects of task variables on fluency measures indicate that Grade 7 students pause more in response to more complex tasks. The results provide some preliminary validity evidence for the assessment by indicating expected performance differences based on target task difficulty level and have implications for the design and scoring of speaking assessment tasks for young learners.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1493274
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        Value: 10.1177/02655322251328665
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 29
        StartPage: 37
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: English Learners
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Tests
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      – SubjectFull: Language Proficiency
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      – SubjectFull: Language Fluency
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      – SubjectFull: Difficulty Level
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      – SubjectFull: Oral Language
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      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 7
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Assisted Testing
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      – SubjectFull: Articulation (Speech)
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