SPEAK Test Information

The next SPEAK test will be offered:
November 19, 2009

Please contact the office of Dean Richard Sleight at 203-432-2744 for registration information.

Frequently Asked Questions About the SPEAK Test

1. Who needs to take the SPEAK test?
   The SPEAK test is required for all international Ph.D. students who are non-native speakers of English. Students must score a 50 before being offered a TA position at Yale. Students who achieve less than 50 are considered for grading positions only.
2. How do you define non-native speaker?
   A speaker of a language other than English who has spoken that language as the primary language since childhood.
3. How often is the SPEAK test offered?
   The test is given only three times a year: in August, November, and April. See the Academic Calendar for exact dates.
4. How do I register for the SPEAK test?
   Approximately two weeks before each exam the Graduate School sends registration forms to each Director of Graduate Studies. In most departments, the DGS forwards an electronic version of the registration form to each student. After the forms are returned to the Graduate School, students are contacted by e-mail and informed of the test time and location. If you do not receive a registration form from your department within 7-10 days of the exam, or if you have other questions about registration, contact grad.sci.deans@yale.edu.
5. Where is the SPEAK test given?
   Each SPEAK test is given at the Center for Language Study, 370 Temple Street , Room 100.
6. How much does the SPEAK test cost?
   There is no charge for a graduate student to take the test.
7. If I take SPEAK and do not achieve the score I need, how soon can I take the test again?
   We recommend that you improve your English for at least six months and that you enroll in courses offered by Yale's English Language Institute to continue language training before the next test.
8. Is there a limit to how many times I can take the SPEAK test?
   There is currently no limit, but students who retake the test only when they feel they are well prepared and can perform will do best. Taking the test repeatedly without careful preparation can result in poorer performances as student anxiety levels increase with each failing performance.
9. Are there test procedures that I need to observe?
   Bring photo identification with you, such as a student ID card or a passport. You do not need to bring a pencil or paper for the test. Your answers will be recorded for later scoring.
10. What is the SPEAK test?
    The SPEAK test is an oral proficiency test that measures how well you understand and express yourself in spoken English. The key to remember is that test-takers are scored on how comprehensible they are, which usually revolves around how “natural” they sound. “Natural” does not mean perfect, but it does mean that the test-taker should be easy to understand even for a listener with little or no experience with non-native speakers. In the test, your responses to questions that you hear are recorded. The responses are then rated by trained evaluators.

    The timed test consists of 12 short sections and takes 20 minutes. It is designed to evaluate your general language proficiency so you will be asked questions about many topics, including those unrelated to your field of study. You will listen to the exam through a microphone headset which records your responses onto a tape. Once the exam begins, you must keep pace with the timed questions. The time allotted for each question is printed on the test booklet.

    The SPEAK test is administered in a language-lab environment, and you will be speaking into a microphone. Other people will be in the room taking the test at the same time. When you practice, keep in mind this environment, which is different from speaking to a person or practicing in a quiet room alone.

11. What kinds of questions appear on SPEAK?
    There are several different forms of the SPEAK, but all have similar types of questions:
    
    • A warm-up with general questions; the tape announces that this section will not be scored. It is important, however, that the test-taker reply to the questions to make sure that the tape is working properly.
    • A map-reading section, where the test-taker describes how to get from one place to another.
    • General questions about a hypothetical town, based on the map.
    • A story-telling section where the test-taker looks at a series of pictures and tells the story from the pictures.
    • Follow-up questions based on the story.
    • General opinion questions, often related to the test-taker's field of study.
    • A chart or graph-reading section, where the test-taker explains the information given on a chart or graph.
    • Follow-up questions based on the chart or graph.
    • A schedule with modifications where the test-taker explains the schedule and the changes.
12. If I do not finish an answer or have extra time left and have nothing more to say, will I receive a low score on the SPEAK test?
    Not necessarily. If you address the question well and run out of time, this will not affect your score. If you have extra time but have answered completely, again, this will not affect your score.
13. Suggestions for SPEAK test-takers during the test
    
    • Relax and get plenty of sleep the night before the test. Relaxed students tend to perform better on this exam.
    • Focus on being as natural-sounding as possible. It is better to sound smooth, even if you make a few pronunciation mistakes than to speak very slowly and haltingly with no pronunciation errors. Speaking clearly is better than speaking quickly; those who speak very quickly are harder to understand than those who speak smoothly but a bit more slowly.

    Before the test

    • Talk in English as much as possible. Getting plenty of informal speaking practice will help you feel more relaxed and sound more natural.
    • Practice giving directions from a map, telling stories from pictures, and describing a chart or graph (see materials section below).
    • Practice with a timer so that you gain a feeling for how long 30 seconds, 60 seconds, and 90 seconds are.
    • Pay attention to the time allotted for each question. Bring a watch with a second hand so that you can see how much time you have left. Watches that beep are not allowed.
    • Listen to native speakers and notice how they communicate. How do they organize their ideas? What types of discourse techniques do they use? How do they adjust the formality of their language for different situations?

    After the test

    • Relax and congratulate yourself on getting through the SPEAK.
    • Your score will be sent to your department within 7-10 days of the test. If you do not receive your score from your department within 10 days of your test date, first contact your department, then e-mail the English Language Institute at eli2@pantheon.yale.edu or jan.hortas@yale.edu
14. What will my SPEAK results mean?
    If you receive a score of 50 or above (Pass), you may be considered for a TA position. For scores below 50, you should continue language training. Yale's English Language Institute courses, offered during fall, spring, and summer terms, are described on our web site (www.yale.edu/eli) along with a recommended sequence of courses to follow.
15. Can I practice for the test?
    Yes, practicing for the test will be very beneficial! Even if you feel your oral skills are good, you should practice. This type of test has a particular format which may be unfamiliar. Practicing will help you feel more comfortable on the day of the test. You can practice by
    • Reading the information for the Test of Spoken English (TSE), a modified version of the SPEAK test, on ETS's website. Note that the while the TSE has listening comprehension questions, Yale’s versions of SPEAK do not.
    • Using the SPEAK test practice materials on reserve at the Center for Language Study, 370 Temple Street, which include:
      • SPEAK Official Practice Test Packet (CD of SPEAK and accompanying test booklets)
      • Practice Tests 1 and 2 from Toward Speaking Excellence (CD with recordings of each test, with pauses for students responses
      • Practice Tests 1 and 2 booklets
      PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LAB IS NOT OPEN IN LATE AUGUST TO PROVIDE THESE MATERIALS.

    Consulting the book Toward Speaking Excellence. This guide is on reserve at the Center for Language Study, 370 Temple Street. Be sure to use the 1998 version of this book, not the new version. The new version has listening comprehension sections that students do not need to practice for the SPEAK test.

16. Who rates SPEAK tests and how are they rated?
    The SPEAK test is rated by qualified and trained language specialists. Each test is rated by at least two different raters, who do not know the score that each other has given to your test. The test is rated not only for pronunciation but for how well you address the question.
17. Have studies been conducted on SPEAK?
    Yes, many studies have been done. You can see the abstract of one of them, for example, at www.toefl.org/research/rrpts.html#rr49.
18. If I pass SPEAK, should I continue to take English courses?
    SPEAK is a minimum standard for teaching at Yale, so students are encouraged to continue taking courses for personal and career development. Funding varies by department.
19. What courses are offered for prospective TAs who do not speak English as a native language?
    Please see the information on the English Language Institute web site: www.yale.edu/eli.
20. Besides SPEAK, is there a way to satisfy the TA language requirement?
    Yes, under some circumstances students can take a presentation exam. For information about this exam and which students may qualify to take it, visit the Presentation Exam Page.