Developing Evaluation Scales for Japanese EFL Learners’ Oral Reading Performance: A Suggestion for a Rubric-Based, Binary-Choice, Boundary-Definition (RBB) Scale

Abstract

This study aims to develop a practical and straightforward oral reading evaluation scale for Japanese EFL learners. The oral reading method is widely used in English classes. Teachers need to give immediate feedback to improve our learners’ oral reading abilities in English classes. Thus, an understandable and reliable evaluation scale is needed for effective language teaching. Two evaluation methods—a rubric with three items (i.e., correctness, naturalness, and listenability) and a “rubric-based, binary-choice, boundary-definition (RBB) scale”—were developed for the study. The data from 35 Japanese university students showed that the RBB scale could reflect the components of the rubric.