Running

Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

The Effects of Oral Examination on Test Scores

Jessica A. Garcia

Loyola Marymount University

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

Introduction

This action research project focuses the effects of giving oral examinations to

a student who has visual and auditory processing issues. Students who face set
backs in both visual and auditory processing have a hard time with interpreting the
words that are given orally and words that are written down. This can make the
student taking a test experience a great number of challenges. I plan to test some
methods to help improve test scores overall for the students struggling.

I teach at a Catholic middle school in the Los Angeles Diocese. There are

three students with IEPs (Individualized Education Program) in my classroom. All

three students have different accommodations such as: more time on tests, extra
time on homework, and different types of homework.

Luke is a student in my English class. He has struggled greatly with his test

scores in grammar and reading Comprehension tests for the novels read in class.
Before beginning the school year, others teachers brought Lukes difficulties to my
attention. Luke has an Auditory Processing (ADP) and Visual Processing (VDP) IEP.
We meet with a representative from the Los Angeles School District every month as
well, who helps give us strategies to assist Luke.

While Luke is in the classroom, I found that he was actively engaged in

learning. Generally, he is eager to learn, but struggles with comprehension. One day
while playing a study game in class where students answered questions orally, I
noticed that Luke was performing quite well and answering everything correctly.
While taking the test the following day, Luke did not do as well.

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

I spoke to the representative from Los Angeles and he encouraged me to try

oral testing for Gerald to see if there would be a difference. Therefore, with this
study, I am hoping to find if oral testing helps test scores.

This action research seeks to answer the following question: What is the

effect of giving oral examinations to a student who has visual and auditory
procession issues. Once the implementation of the new strategy is in place, it will be
taken and compared to the baseline data. This data will include the students score
in three different tests.

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

Literature Review

Today in the world, there is a high value placed on learning and education. In

fact, the right to education is universal and extends to all children, youth, and adults
with disabilities (Smith, 1998). However, over the years it has always been a
challenge to find how to ensure all students are given quality education. In order for
all learners to have access and benefit from learning education must, be inclusive of
all learners, encourage the full participation of all, and promote diversity, (Smith,
1998). Therefore, educators must be well versed in types of disabilities and learn
methods to enable students to achieve success.

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities nearly, one in five

children and adults nationwide have learning and attention issues (Mission and
History, 2015). It is critical for educators to be knowledgeable on different types of
disabilities and study how to best help the students who struggle with them.
Students with learning disabilities should have the same opportunities and rights to
learn as their classmates. Two prominent learning disabilities are auditory
processing deficit and visual processing disorder (Smith, 1998).

Auditory processing is a term that describes what happens when the brain

recognizes and interprets sounds around it. Students with Auditory Processing
Deficit (ADP), have trouble processing, or interpreting this information. This means
they do not recognize differences between sound and words, even though they are
clear. Some of the basic characteristics for ADP are: trouble with attention, trouble
with remembering information given orally, problems with carrying out multistep

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

directions, poor comprehension, and needing more time to process information

(Lucker, 2015).

In order to maximize student success when they have ADP, there are many

methods to be used. Teachers should speak clearly and be direct. Students with
ADP should sit near the front so they can hear well. They can also be given clear
visual aides such as notes, outlines, samples, and rubrics. It also helps if the teacher
uses different materials to reinforce speaking such as videos, audio books, and slides
(Lucker, 2015). Another processing disorder is visual.

Visual processing is when one uses the sense of sight to distinguish the

difference between items written. Visual processing disorders usually occur when
children struggle with classifying the differences between two objects. They can
also struggle with seeing similarities and differences and finding specific
information on a page (Visual Perceptual).

There are many strategies to help those with Visual Processing Disorders.

Some of the strategies include: providing handouts that are clear, provide oral
instruction to reinforce written directions, have students highlight work, and have
them use index cards to block out other information. Another strategy is to have
students dictate and explain their thoughts orally (Visual Processing).

This idea of oral testing has been used traditionally in subjects such as

languages or English, where students have to prove they can pronounce or speak a
certain way. Educators have been seeing benefits of oral tests such as: allowing
direct feedback, encourages in depth studying, demands different skills, and is
valuable practice for the professional world. In this sense, it is practical to use oral

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

testing with all students, as it prepares them for future communication and teaches
them to present their thoughts in a logical manner (Benefits to).

Timothy J. Weston (2002) conducted a study of the NAEP (National

Assessment of Educational Progress) testing the validity of oral accommodation in

testing. He took math students and read the test to them so they could hear the test
as well as see the test visually. Measures were taken to change how the test was
given, not what the test is evaluating. He found that students with disabilities
improved their test scores. Similarly, students who did not have diagnosed
disabilities also improved, but not by as large of a margin (Weston, 2002).

There is a major importance, especially in the United States, to live up to our

belief that all people should have the ability to learn. The National Center for
Learning Disabilities (2015) has a beautiful mantra:
Let no children be demeaned, or have their wonder diminished because of
our ignorance or inactivity. Let no adults be deprived of discovery, because
we lack the resources to discover their learning needs. Let neither children
nor adults, ever, doubt themselves or their minds because we are unsure of
our commitment (Mission and History).

So far there has been success for students with disabilities such as auditory

and visual processing when they are being test in different ways. Therefore, it is
important for educators to commit and try different methods to help students
improve their test scores and general comprehension of material. For this action
research, I will be looking for improvements in Lukes exams when they are given to
him orally.

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

Cycle I- Baseline Data

For this action research project, I am exploring how oral examinations can

influence students test scores. In my 8th Grade English class at a small private
school in Los Angeles, there are three students that have IEPs. While our school
does not have support for IEPs, the Los Angeles school district does assist with
testing and diagnosing of students.
Luke is the student who I am studying. Luke comes from a strong Pilipino
family. He lives with his mother and father in the Los Angeles area and has been
attending our school since preschool. Luke has a strong work ethic and wants to
succeed. During my observations he has struggled with reading comprehension,
reading skills, and listening comprehension. His IEP lists these are areas he
struggles in as well as oral expression and math reasoning.
As a baseline, Luke took three tests on the book, Fever, 1793. These tests
each had 10-15 multiple choice reading comprehension questions about the novel.
Figure 1 shows the data from all three of his test scores. For the tests Luke received
extra time on the exam. He also had previewed the questions from a study
questions all students receive.
From the data collected, it is apparent that the student needs more support
in order to succeed and receive a passing score. Luke is able to answer about half of
the questions asked correctly.

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

Figure 1

Luke Cycle 1
Test

Out Of

Percentage

Letter Grade

Test 1

9/15

60%

Test 2

8/15

53%

Test 3

6/15

40%

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

Cycle II- Intervention and New Benchmark

This action research project uses oral examination as the intervention. The

class is currently in the middle of studying poetry and figurative language. Students
have been creating poetry as well as examining key points of figurative language.
Throughout the unit students were given written quizzes and lastly a test at the end
of the unit.

Since Luke has problems with auditory and visual processing, the first step in

the intervention was for me to read the test out loud to him. I pulled Luke aside
during lunch break and gave him a copy of the test. I read each question out loud to
him. Following me reading out loud, Luke would respond verbally to me. Once he
was done responding verbally, I would ask him questions to help him explain why
he picked the answer he did. Once Luke orally answered the test questions, I had
him write his answers down on the test paper.

I assessed his test by taking notes on what he told me orally and grading that

as his test score. The written test was also used to see if he had comprehended any
corrections that I had given him while discussing his answers more in depth.

Luke was open and tried his best during the testing. During the first quiz I

could tell he was a little bit nervous discussing the questions with me one on one.
However, by the third test he seemed more at ease. Since figurative language is
something extremely challenging for him to comprehend, he made significant
strides.

Lukes scores are shown in a similar format to those in Cycle 1. Figure 2

shows the two quizzes and one test he completed and scores collected. The

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

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implementations of this strategy did improve his scores slightly. He received on C

and a 75%, which was his best and also received a 63% and a 69%. This is a
significant improvement from his scores in Cycle 1, which were all Fs and below
61%. While he did show a considerable amount of improvement, I still hope to
work with him to have his exam grades in the C range, or even B range.

For the new benchmark, data will be collected for a third time. I hope to

make the exams multiple choice instead of open ended for Luke. I plan to sit down
and orally talk to him about all the material on the exam and have him write it down
on paper. Following that discussion, I plan to have Luke go home, study it, and take
the test the following day on the material. This will help see if the one on one
discussion makes a difference in his test scores.
Figure 2

Luke Cycle 2
Test

Out Of

Percentage

Letter Grade

Quiz 1

5/8

63%

Quiz 2

6/8

75%

Test 1

11/16

69%

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Analysis of Intervention and Reflection

Making sure that every type of learner can be successful is a part of being a

great teacher. It is vital for educators to help ensure that education is universal and
all students have that same chance to learn and grow in a good environment (1998).
During this action research, I attempted to see how students could benefit from oral
examination in the classroom. Specifically, I studied the effects of oral testing on
students with disabilities, to improve test scores.

This action research project is being conducted within a private Catholic

School in the Los Angeles area. By following my focus student, Luke, I was able to
receive input into the effects of oral testing on test scores.

The accommodation used to observe this behavior was orally reading the

test to the student one on one. The student would reply orally and finally write his
answers down after oral discussion. The goal was for Luke to improve his test
scores. Quantitative data reveal that oral testing does make a difference to his
grades. In Cycle 1 Lukes average percentage score was a 51%, following the
intervention his average score increased to a 69%.

The data prove that the intervention did work. However, there could be

other factors pertaining to Lukes score that should also be taken into consideration.
Luke had already been showing great strides in effort as he seemed to work very
hard on his Poetry Anthology and all the group work he did in class. While, his
scores were still not average, they were a significant improvement to what he
already had. His written Poetry Anthology and Presentation were very well done
and he received an A on those assignments. Before these changes, I had several

Running Head: EFFECTS OF ORAL EXAMINATION

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discussions with his Mother about his work habits, which could also be a
contributing factor. In order to reach a more solid conclusion, more research needs
to be done to see if he continues to improve.

Aside from the data, I noticed an increase in motivation for Luke in the

classroom. He seemed more willing to work hard and started to turn all his
assignments in on time. Two other students expressed interest in being tested
orally as well to see if they can improve their test scores that way.

To further evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention, I plan to test other

students using this method. In the future, I plan to sit down with Luke before a test
and orally go over the questions and answers with him so that he can study from the
information discussed one on one. I also plan to create more quizzes and tests that
are multiple choice for Luke.

Preliminary findings show that using oral testing did work and was

successful. This action research project has provided invaluable data on the effects
of oral testing on test scores, which I plan to utilize to better help all students.

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Works Cited
Benefits to Oral Examinations. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from
http://www.speaking.pitt.edu/instructor/oral-benefits.html
Lucker, J. (n.d.). Causes and Treatment. Retrieved March 2, 2015, from
http://www.ncapd.org/Causes_and_Treatment.html
Mission and History. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from
http://www.ncld.org
Smith, T. (1998). Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Settings (2nd ed.).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from
http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/visual-perceptual-
visual-motor-deficit/
Visual Processing Disorders: In Detail. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/25152/
Weston, T. (2002). The Validity of Oral Accommodation in Testing. Retrieved March
1, 2015, from http://www.air.org