A Scrutiny of Oracy as a Key Competency
Author(s):
Anne-Grete Kaldahl (presenting / submitting)
Conference:
ECER 2017
Network:
31. LEd – Network on Language and Education
Format:
Paper

Session Information

31 SES 07 B, Teaching/Development of Language Skills

Paper Session

Time:
2017-08-23
17:15-18:45
Room:
W4.20
Chair:
Ana Sofia Pinho

Contribution

In order to meet the new challenges, like globalization and liberal economy, of the postindustrial society, OECD developed some key competencies (DeSeCo) which were necessary in order to live a successful life in a well-functioning society (Rychen, 2003) and empower students as future active citizens in a democratic society (Berge & Heldal Stray  2012). The DeSeCo competencies were adapted into the Norwegian curriculum (LK06) for grade 1-12 through five key competencies (oracy, writing, reading, numeracy, and digital competency) (Berge, 2007).

The goal for this study is to gain an understanding of what oracy as a key competency at the secondary level in Norway has become after LK06. The project is embedded within a social cultural understanding of oral utterances (Halliday, 1989; Bachtin, 1986; Vygotsky, 1978). In accordance with this view, language and other mediating tools used through oral interaction plays a central role in the learning process together with, as well as, the social learning environment. Rhetoric theory is used as an analytic tool in order to systematize oracy and give oracy a language (Andersen, 1995). Terminology from rhetoric is used to develop the digital survey on the evaluating phase of the oral exam.

 Research questions:

1)      How do teachers on a 10th grade oral exam at the lower secondary level in Norway understand the constructs to be evaluated?

2)      What is the teachers’ general understanding of the notion of the oracy concept across a number of subjects on a final oral exam at the 10th grade level in Norway?

Method

In this study, the actual definition of the oracy concept in Norway is examined. One thousand and thirty three (1033) teachers, who were censors on the oral exam in 10th grade in the spring of 2016, were invited by email to participate in this study. In total, 494 teachers participated in this study. This study has a total response rate on 49%. Among the participating teachers, there were 92 Norwegian as a first language teachers (18,62%), 79 English as a second language teachers (15,99%), 76 Mathematics teachers (15,38%), 62 Social sciences teachers (12,55%), 68 German/French/Spanish as a third language teachers (13,77%), 68 Natural sciences teachers (13,77%), and 49 Religion teachers (9,92%). The amount of teachers participating from each subject is consistent with population data values. The definition of the concept of orality is under scrutiny. In order to define the concept of orality a multiple regression analysis using SPSS statistics is preformed

Expected Outcomes

The tentative results reveal that the content and presentation of content is most valued part of oral competency on the oral exam across a number of subject domains. Furthermore, the results indicate that the censors follow the national guidelines for subject objectives in the grading process. A consequence of this practice is that discourse competency in Norwegian schools on the 10th grade level is reduced to the ability to communicate subject content. Rhetorical skills such as the ability to display character (i.e. etos), engage and persuade the audience (i.e.patos), discuss, argue, be context-sensitive and creative (i.e. logos) etc. are reduced to a minimum.

References

References: Bachtin, M. (1986). The problem of speech genres. In M. Holquist& C. Emerson (Eds.), Speech genres and other late essays (pp. 60-102). Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Berge, K. L. (2007). Grunnleggende om de grunnleggende ferdighetene. I: H. Hølleland (red.), På vei mot kunnskapsløftet: begrunnelser, løsninger og utfordringer (s. 228-250). Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk forlag. DeSeCo. (2005). Definition and Selection of Key Competencies - OECD •Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1989). Language, context, and text: Aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford UniversityPress. Hertzberg, F. (2003). Arbeid med muntlige ferdigheter. I K. Klette (red.) Klasserommets praksisformer etter Reform 97. (s. 137-172) Oslo: Pedagogisk forskningsinstitutt. Hertzberg, F. (2010). Arbeid med grunnleggende ferdigheter. I E. Ottesen & J. Møller (red.) Underveis, men i svært ulikt tempo. Et blikk inn i ti skoler etter tre år med Kunnskapsløftet (s. 77-89). Delrapport 3 Underveisanalyse av Kunnskapsløftet som styringsform, vol. 37. Oslo: NIFU STEP. Rychen D.S. & Salganik L.H. (Eds.) (2003). Key Competencies for a Successful Life and a Well-Functioning Society Göttingen: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers. Svenkerud, S., Hertzberg, F. & Klette, K. (2012). Opplæring i muntlige ferdigheter. Nordic Studies in Education, 1 (32), 35-49. •Vygotskij, L. S., Cole, M., John-Steiner, V., Scribner, S., & Souberman, E. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Author Information

Anne-Grete Kaldahl (presenting / submitting)
HIOA Oslo and Akershus University College, Norway
education
Borgen

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