If you major in French and Francophone Studies, Linguistics and Cultural Studies, 俄罗斯的研究, 或西班牙语研究, you are required to complete an 口语水平面试 (OPI) before graduation.
它是什么
The 口语水平面试 is a reliable assessment of a speaker’s ability to communicate effectively in a language he or she did not grow up speaking. It was developed over the course of many years by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which provides descriptions of what speakers at the various levels — Novice, 中间, 先进的, Superior and Distinguished — are able and are not able to do in the language they have studied. Here is a link to these descriptions.
The OPI is conducted over the telephone by a highly trained and certified tester. It is an interactive conversation that the tester continuously adapts to the interests and abilities of the examinee. The conversation generally lasts for 20 to 30 minutes, though it may be much shorter if the examinee has a very low level of proficiency. The examinee receives an official ACTFL Certificate stating his or her proficiency level.
The format of the OPI includes a fairly brief, 低调的热身, where the examinee has a chance to get accustomed to speaking the language on the phone, and the tester makes a preliminary estimate of the speaker’s proficiency level. This is followed by a level check, to establish a base line of what the examinee is able to do. Then the tester does a probe to see whether the speaker can handle the tasks characteristic of the next higher level; if the examinee is successful, 这就成了新的基线. There will typically be several probes, 然后是更多的等级检查, to enable the tester to make an accurate assessment. 最后, the tester returns to the highest level at which the examinee can communicate comfortably and confidently, so that the interview ends on a positive note.
如何准备
Plan to do the OPI when you are at your highest level of proficiency during your time at SPU, ideally shortly after you return from a 出国留学 program. 如果这不是一个选择, do everything you can to put yourself in situations where you use the language with people who have been speaking it all their lives. Since we rely a lot on seeing the faces of people we talk to, doing the interview on the phone may feel intimidating. Practice having conversations on the phone, so that you are used to it and don’t get flustered.
The OPI assesses your ability to communicate, not whether you know specific vocabulary. 如果你想不起某个单词, that’s not a big problem; just explain what you mean in a different way. Practice narrating to yourself what you see while walking to classes, in the language in which you are going to be tested. If you are going to watch a movie to relax, watch it in that language. Since the interview may include a role play, think about how you would handle various situations in the language.
一旦你参加了面试, realize that it’s your job to give the tester the best sample you can of what you are able to do. Chat freely; now is not the time to be a reticent introvert. If the tester asks whether you have any brothers or sisters, 不要只是说, “是的,” but tell as much about them as you can. If asked about your views on the health care system, be a strong advocate for what you believe, providing specific evidence or even statistics if you can. Above all, STAY IN THE LANGUAGE! Do not revert to English, no matter what. You have prepared, and so has the tester, so you can be relaxed and confident.
如何报名
To sign up for your oral proficiency interview, contact the Humanities administrative assistant, 玛丽莲·汉考克, at mhancock@shisanyiyuan.com.
在你的邮件中，包括:
- 您的全名.
- 被测试的语言.
- 两个可能的日期, Monday-Thursday, when you would be available during a 3-hour window between 8:30 a.m. 下午12:30.m. The interview will last 30 minutes.
It is recommended that you complete your interview when your oral skills may be strongest, such as just after completing study abroad.