Study Guide

Field 258: World Language: Latin 
Presentational Speaking

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Directions for Presentational Speaking Assignment

For this section of the test, you will record an oral reading of a Latin passage presented on-screen.

At the conclusion of these directions, the test will automatically advance and the assignment will be presented on the next screen. Listen to the directions carefully and review the passage. You may take up to 5 minutes to practice reading the passage. Please note that you are not required to take the entire 5 minutes; however, if you choose to advance to the next screen to start your final response before the preparation time is over, you will not be able to go back.

When your preparation time is over, you will be notified that your preparation time is complete and you should be ready to begin recording your final response. Watch the screen as the test advances and a Recorded Answer box is presented. You may take up to 3 minutes to record your final response. Do NOT begin your final response until the screen advances and you see the Recorded Answer box presented on-screen. A sample of the Recorded Answer box appears below.

Monitor your recording time by referring to the Recorded Answer box. The time in the Recorded Answer box will count down from 180 seconds (3 minutes) and the status bar will fill as your recording time progresses.

When your recording time is over, the current status on the Recorded Answer box will change to "Completed," indicating the conclusion of the assignment. You will automatically be advanced to the next screen. Do not click the Next button unless you have finished recording your oral reading with time remaining and wish to move to the next screen. If you advance to the next screen with recording time remaining, you will not be able to go back.

You may use the erasable notebooklet provided to make notes; however, you will be scored only on the response that is recorded in the test.

Your response to the assignment will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria:

• EXPRESSIVENESS: the extent to which the response demonstrates comprehension of the meaning and mood of the Latin passage through the use of appropriate emphasis and expression
• PHRASING: the extent to which the response groups words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and varies the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage
• FLUENCY: the extent to which the response exhibits ease of expression through a consistent and coherent flow of speech
• PRONUNCIATION: the extent to which the response uses clear and appropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation

Your response must be recorded in Latin. You may use either classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation, but whichever you choose, you should use it consistently. You may not use any reference materials during the test.

You will have only ONE opportunity to record your oral reading. Once the recording has begun, it cannot be stopped, nor can you re-record your response. Be sure that your microphone is in a downward position near your mouth before you begin speaking.

The screen will now advance and the assignment will be presented.

Sample Presentational Speaking Assignment

Objective 0008 
Apply knowledge of target-language structures and speaking conventions to deliver an effective, coherent, and clear spoken response to a prompt.

[The examinee will see on screen and hear the following directions:]

You will have 5 minutes to practice reading the passage provided. Then, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. When you see the Recorded Answer box appear on-screen, begin reading the passage aloud at normal speed with appropriate emphasis and expression, and with attention to pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions (as marked by parentheses), and meter. You may use either classical or ecclesiastical pronunciation, but whichever you choose, you should use it consistently. You may take up to 3 minutes to complete your reading. You will be told when the preparation time is over and the recording is about to begin. Begin practicing your reading of the passage now.

[The examinee will see the passage on the left side of the screen.]

[In this passage from Vergil's Aeneid written in dactylic hexameter, Aeneas tells where he has come from, where is he going, and the troubles he has had.]

"Nōs Trōi(ā) antīquā, sī vestrās forte per aurēs
Trōiae nōmen iit, dīversa per aequora vectōs
forte suā Libycīs tempestās appulit ōrīs.
Sum pius Aenēās, raptōs qu(ī) ex hoste Penātēs
classe vehō mēcum, fāmā super aethera nōtus.
Ītaliam quaerō patri(am) et genus ab Iove summō.
Bis dēnīs Phrygium cōnscendī nāvibus aequor,
mātre deā mōnstrante viam, data fāta secūtus;
vix septem, convuls(ae) undīs Eurōque, supersunt.
Ipse ignōtus, egēns, Libyae dēserta peragrō,
Eurōp(ā) atqu(e) Āsiā¹ pulsus."

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¹The "i" in "Āsiā" is consonantal (Āsjā).

[After 5 minutes of silence, the examinee will hear:

Your preparation time is now over. At the conclusion of these directions, the screen will automatically advance and recording will begin. Begin your oral reading when you see the Recorded Answer box presented on the next screen. Prepare to begin reading aloud now.]

[If examinee clicks "Next" before the preparation time is over, the following warning appears in a pop-up: "You have chosen to begin speaking before your 5 minutes of preparation time has ended. If you click "Yes" below, the screen will advance and recording will automatically begin. Are you sure you want to begin speaking now?"]

DO NOT click the Next button unless you have finished recording your response.

[After 2 minutes of recording, the Current Status on the Recorded Answer box will change to "Completed" and the examinee is automatically advanced to the next screen.]

Description of a Strong Response to the Presentational Speaking Assignment

A strong response to this assignment would present an effective oral reading of the Latin passage that demonstrates comprehension of the meaning and mood of the passage through the use of appropriate emphasis and expression.

A strong response would be delivered with ease of expression with a consistent and coherent flow of speech, and with careful attention to Latin pronunciation conventions, syllabic stress, elisions, intonation, and, where applicable, meter (poetry). Pronunciation used would be either consistently classical or consistently ecclesiastical.

A strong response would effectively express the meaning of the Latin passage, grouping words that are syntactically and semantically linked and varying the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter (poetry) of the Latin. Minor errors and occasional nonproductive pauses, if present, would not interfere with the overall comprehensibility.

Performance Characteristics for Presentational Speaking Assignment

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the Presentational Speaking assignment.

Expressiveness	the extent to which the response demonstrates comprehension of the meaning and mood of the Latin passage through the use of appropriate emphasis and expression
Phrasing	the extent to which the response groups words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and varies the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage
Fluency	the extent to which the response exhibits ease of expression through a consistent and coherent flow of speech
Pronunciation	the extent to which the response uses clear and appropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation

Score Scale for Presentational Speaking Assignment

A score will be assigned to each response to the Presentational Speaking assignment according to the following score scale.

Score Point	Score Point Description
4	The "4" response demonstrates effective oral reading skills in Latin. The response demonstrates thorough comprehension of the meaning and mood of the Latin passage through the use of appropriate emphasis and expression. Minor errors do not interfere with overall comprehensibility. The response effectively groups words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and appropriately varies the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage. The response exhibits ease of expression through a consistent and coherent flow of speech, presenting the passage as whole phrases and clauses rather than as isolated words. Occasional repetitions or nonproductive pauses do not interfere with comprehensibility. The response effectively uses clear and appropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation. Minor errors do not interfere with comprehensibility.
3	The "3" response demonstrates generally effective oral reading skills in Latin. The response demonstrates general comprehension of the meaning and mood of the Latin passage through the use of generally appropriate emphasis and expression. Some errors may interfere with comprehensibility. The response generally groups words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and varies the rhythm of speech in a way that is generally in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage. The response exhibits general ease of expression through a generally consistent and largely coherent flow of speech, presenting most of the passage as whole phrases and clauses but isolating a few words. Some repetitions and/or nonproductive pauses may interfere with comprehensibility. The response uses generally clear and appropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation. Some errors may interfere with comprehensibility.
2	The "2" response demonstrates partially effective oral reading skills in Latin. The response demonstrates limited comprehension of the meaning and mood of the Latin passage through the use of only partially appropriate emphasis and expression. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility. The response groups only some words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and only partially varies the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage. The response exhibits a flow of speech that is inconsistent and only partially coherent, presenting a portion of the passage as whole phrases and clauses but isolating many words. Frequent repetitions and/or nonproductive pauses interfere with comprehensibility. The response uses only partially clear and appropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation. Frequent errors interfere with comprehensibility.
1	The "1" response demonstrates ineffective oral reading skills in Latin. The response demonstrates little to no comprehension of the meaning or mood of the Latin passage and uses little to no appropriate emphasis or expression. The response groups few, if any, words that are syntactically and semantically linked, and fails to vary the rhythm of speech in accordance with the sense and/or meter of the Latin passage. The response exhibits little to no coherence and little to no flow of speech, presenting the passage as a string of isolated words. Constant repetitions and nonproductive pauses significantly interfere with comprehensibility. The response uses largely unclear and inappropriate pronunciation, syllabic stress, elisions, and intonation. Constant errors significantly interfere with comprehensibility.
U	The response is unscorable because it is unrelated to the assigned topic, inaudible/ incomprehensible, not spoken in the required language, or not of sufficient length to score.
B	There is no response to the assignment.

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