ACCESS Speaking Proficiency 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ACCESS Speaking test, when a student is asked to 'describe a picture,' what language function is primarily being assessed?
- Reading comprehension of captions
- Oral description using present tense and vocabulary (Correct answer)
- Writing sentences about images
- Listening for details in a scene
Correct answer: Oral description using present tense and vocabulary
Picture description tasks assess a student's ability to use oral language, present tense verbs, and content vocabulary to communicate what they observe.
Question 2: A student at ACCESS Speaking Level 2 would most likely respond to a question using:
- Extended paragraphs with complex grammar
- Single words or very short phrases
- Simple sentences with basic vocabulary (Correct answer)
- Detailed narratives with varied syntax
Correct answer: Simple sentences with basic vocabulary
Level 2 (Emerging) speakers produce simple sentences with high-frequency vocabulary but have not yet developed extended discourse.
Question 3: Which ACCESS Speaking task requires a student to compare and contrast two objects or situations?
- Oral retell
- Compare/contrast prompt (Correct answer)
- Sentence repetition
- Vocabulary labeling
Correct answer: Compare/contrast prompt
Compare/contrast prompts specifically ask students to identify similarities and differences, requiring higher-order language functions.
Question 4: What does 'discourse competence' refer to in the context of ACCESS Speaking scores?
- The ability to pronounce words correctly
- The ability to organize ideas into coherent, connected speech (Correct answer)
- The ability to understand spoken directions
- The ability to write grammatically correct sentences
Correct answer: The ability to organize ideas into coherent, connected speech
Discourse competence measures how well a student connects ideas logically and maintains topic coherence across multiple utterances.
Question 5: In ACCESS Speaking, a student who uses mostly memorized chunks of language with little flexibility is demonstrating which proficiency level?
- Level 5 – Bridging
- Level 3 – Developing
- Level 1 – Entering (Correct answer)
- Level 4 – Expanding
Correct answer: Level 1 – Entering
Level 1 (Entering) speakers rely heavily on memorized phrases and formulaic language with minimal productive flexibility.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'recount' task in ACCESS Speaking?
- Predicting what will happen next in a story
- Retelling events from a personal experience or story in sequence (Correct answer)
- Defining vocabulary words aloud
- Summarizing a written passage
Correct answer: Retelling events from a personal experience or story in sequence
A recount task asks students to narrate past events in sequence, demonstrating control of past tense and narrative structure.
Question 7: ACCESS Speaking scores are reported on which scale?
- 0–100 percent correct
- 1–6 proficiency levels (Correct answer)
- A–F letter grades
- 1–36 composite scale
Correct answer: 1–6 proficiency levels
ACCESS reports Speaking on a 1–6 proficiency level scale (Entering through Reaching) aligned with WIDA standards.
ACCESS Speaking Proficiency 2
On the ACCESS Speaking test, when a student is asked to 'describe a picture,' what language function is primarily being assessed?