Should Fluency be Coupled with Coherence in Second Language Speech Assessment? A Pilot Study Using Exploratory Factor Analysis

초록

In the rating scale for the speaking sub-test of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), fluency and coherence are grouped within one rating criterion. To explore the validity of the coupling of these two features, the current study applied exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to a mini-corpus of speech samples from a group of international students (N = 51) who gave unrehearsed 2-minute monologues during an intensive English language program. EFA was applied to the recorded, transcribed data to estimate covariance among measures for four dimensions of second language (L2) proficiency: fluency, coherence, lexis, and grammar. This study aimed to estimate whether the coherence measures covary more closely with the fluency measures than with lexis and grammar. The EFA found that the coherence phenomena did not covary significantly with the fluency measures, nor with either of the other two constructs. Hence, the EFA did not provide support for the idea that fluency and coherence are part of one latent factor. The paper concludes with some suggestions for future research to further explore the relationships between coherence and other features of L2 speaking proficiency.

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