Introducing a new comprehensive test of oral proficiency

The study reported in this article attempted to experiment with and develop a new oral proficiency test which could replace the existing EFL Oral Matriculation test administered by the Ministry of Education in Israel. The deficiencies of the existing Oral Matriculation test are specified, and the components of the experimental test are described.The analysis of the data showed that the experimental test had better linguistic, educational, and testing qualities than the existing Oral Matriculation test; namely, it produced a better distribution of scores, showed reasonable rater-reliability, tested a broader range of speech styles, and produced favourable attitudes on the part of the test-takers.The recommendation to replace the existing test by the new experimental test has since been accepted by the Ministry of Education.