I have 10 classes of 2nd Grade high school boys with 36 students in each class. My co-teachers want me to do speaking tests but they want me to test all the students in a class in the same 50 minute class. This is so there are no complaints from parents and students about getting an unfair advantage by getting more time than another.

However, I did this last year and it didn't work. I want to test each class over two periods over two weeks.

Has anyone had a similar problem? If so how did you get round it?

Im in the same situation. Students and teachers get sensitive if other classes have more time to prepare. Since you have done this before, you have a good idea of your their abilities. Make a test that would be easy enough for them finish within an 1:15 time limit if they prepared for it.

For example, i have around 21 students. I do a mock job interview. If they have not finished at the 2 min time mark i stop them and lower them 1 grade. Not perfect by any stretch but it seems to work.

Thanks people! 

Stuman: I've been told I HAVE to test them individually. Although I might try negotiating that again. I think it would help. Cheers!

Toddingum: Nice to know someone else is having similar issues. ;) I do set the test at a level which is low enough for them to answer BUT the time constraints don't allow them any thinking time at all. If they have a little time then they can really shine on their answers. A minute for a speaking test is just too short.

Courtneym: Thanks but my problem is I don't have enough time for the test so I want to split the students over two weeks. Sorry, I probably didn't explain it very well in my original post.

 

I tested my students at the end of the semester, so the content in my speaking test was stuff they had spent the semester learning and should already know.  I'll show you my rubric though, because it'll give you a good idea of how I broke down my scoring.

It's basically divided into three sections, and is designed so that is students at least make an attempt at answering, they'll be rewarded with points.

Listening Comprehension (does the student understand the question, and is that reflected in their answer?)
Speaking comprehension (does the student know how to properly formulate a grammatically correct response?)
Pronunciation (my class focused on native speaking, using words like "gotta" or "wanna" and connecting that pronunciation to their textbook speech, so this would mark how well they incorporated those words or smoothly spoke using contractions and natural intonation)

So, for example...
Question asked: "Whaddaya wanna do?"
Student answer: "I'm wanna eat lunch."
Listening comprehension: 5/5 since they understood exactly what I was asking them
Speaking comprehension 3/5 because they've learned that "am/is/are" only accompany "-ing" verbs in what we were studying, and "wanna" never uses them.
Pronunciation: 5/5 because they used "wanna" and "I'm".  If it took them a while to answer I'd dock it to 4/5 for fluidity, but in general they had the correct native answer.

Question asked: "Whaddaya doin'?"
Student answer: "I'm good."
Listening comprehension: 0/5 because they didn't understand at all what I was asking.  Sometimes I'll live them 1pt if they thought I said "How're you doing?"
Speaking comprehension: It's grammatically correct, so 5pts
Pronunciation: 3/5 if they replied in a stilted way and didn't use a contraction, but 5/5 if they responded quickly and smoothly using "I'm".

Basically, it's designed to encourage those kids who constantly feel like they're failing to at least try and give an answer.  I altered my questions for each class level (A/B/C ability) but the questions were in the same general subject "Whaddaya doin'?" (easy) vs. "Whadda yupto?" (hard).

You can see in my documents how I broke down their grades, and exactly what my grading rubric was for the speaking.  I also have three levels of the exam for the kids since some speak next to no English while others caught on pretty quickly to the material.

Do random order. Put everyone's student number in a bag and draw numbers the day of the test so that way everyone has to prepare for the first day. No one will know if they have to go until their number is called.