Multiple Layers of Meaning in an Oral Proficiency Test: The Complementary Roles of Nonverbal, Paralinguistic, and Verbal Behaviors in Assessment Decisions

This study investigated the influence of nonverbal behavior in the context of interactive talk during the assessment of an oral proficiency interview test. The participants were 4 Spanish–speaking and 4 Chinese–speaking international teaching assistants (ITAs). Microanalysis of videotaped tests indicated that interviewees who employed nonverbal behavior considered appropriate by North American evaluators and who negotiated a degree of control over the interview process were able to compensate for perceived weaker linguistic proficiency. Active nonverbal behavior as listeners and turn–takers, together with appropriate paralinguistic features in their talk in interaction, created for the raters an impression of the test taker's interactional competence. This interplay of behaviors ensured high scores for ITAs perceived to be linguistically proficient and low passing scores for those rated as linguistically weaker. The successful test takers in this study were able to modify the power dynamic and to reduce the interview asymmetry. Those participants who framed the interview as a discussion or conversation among peers were more successful than those who framed it as an examination. Implications for oral proficiency testing and ESL instruction are discussed.