FROM COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS TO COMMUNICATIVE OUTCOMES: RETHINKING LISTENING ASSESSMENT IN TBLT
Keywords:
Keywords: Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), listening assessment, communicative competence, task-based assessment, listening pedagogy, authentic tasks, language evaluationAbstract
Abstract
Listening assessment in many English language classrooms remains dominated
by comprehension-based questions that prioritize discrete-item understanding over
communicative ability. This paper argues that such practices are misaligned with the
principles of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), which emphasize meaning-
focused communication and real-world language use. Drawing on key theoretical
frameworks in TBLT and listening pedagogy, the paper critiques traditional listening
assessment formats and proposes a shift toward communicative, task-based outcomes.
Practical examples of alternative assessment models are provided, highlighting how
listening can be evaluated through interaction, decision-making, and performance. The
paper concludes that rethinking listening assessment is essential for developing
learners’ functional communicative competence.
References
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