Investigating Japanese Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Speaking Assessments

抄録

Speaking tests are an important part of assessment in ESP programmes for nursing students. This paper presents two formats of speaking assessment undertaken by third-year students in a Japanese university: a memorized conversation performed in pairs in front of the class, and an unscripted role-play carried out in a private setting with the class instructor. A questionnaire administered at the end of the academic year investigated students’ attitudes toward these speaking tests. As well as highlighting the importance of receiving targeted feedback from students, this research revealed that although students found the more authentic, on-the-spot test format to be more difficult, they also found it more worthwhile and more aligned with their future needs. Additionally, students generally reported feeling less nervous in a one-to-one test setting than when performing in front of the whole class. These findings support the move to more meaningful assessment, while also offering some insight into causes of student anxiety.