Reflectionon the Quality ofanImpromptu Speech as a Componentof an EAP Evaluation

Abstract

English for Academic Purpose (EAP)courses have been in offer inEthiopian Higher Education. The focus of these courses has changed as the curriculum of the institutions change. In the recent past,there were twocourses (CollegeEnglish I and II)on English for Academic Purpose thatemphasized on writing, reading, listening, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar. Themain objective of the courseshas been to help students developapposite language and academic skills to pursue theirmainstream courses in higher education successfully.The evaluation aspect of the courses, however, used to disregard the speaking skill at least in one higher education institutions (Alemaya University)whereI and other four English language instructors used to work before some yearsago.One of the reasons for this boiled down to practicality question that emerged from the department’s concern to reduce subjectivity in evaluating students’ performance. As a result of this concern, the department’s preference was to administersimilar evaluation instruments across all sections that took the EAP courses.In other words, testing listening, mid and final exams that comprised all the language skills,except speaking,but including vocabularyand grammar used to be prepared centrally and employed to determine students’ achievements based on norm referencing approach.The practice that gave no or little attention to evaluate students’ speaking skill which covered a reasonably good portion of the courses was challenged by many of us who were teaching the courses. Consequently, we started