SPEAK Testing

What is the SPEAK Test?

The SPEAK test (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) is the institutional version of the TSE (Test of Spoken English) produced by Educational Testing Service. The SPEAK Test is given to evaluate the oral proficiency of incoming graduate students for whom English is not their native or primary language. In order for a graduate student to be assigned as a teaching assistant, administrative assistant, or laboratory assistant, the student must achieve a minimum passing score on the SPEAK test.

When will the next SPEAK Test be given?

The next SPEAK test will be held from 9:00am to 12:45pm from Monday, August 18 through Wednesday, August 20 in the ILRC in Irvin Hall 60. Please contact Dan Meyers in the ILRC, Irvin Hall 47, by calling (513) 529-2510 or emailing at meyersde@muohio.edu if you have any questions or concerns regarding the test location.

What should I bring to the test?

Please do not bring pens or pencils to the test site. You will not need them. Bring only yourself. All you will need to do is to listen and speak into the provided headset during the test.

What happens during the test?

Please allow 20-30 minutes to take the test. All materials will be provided to you. Sometimes the test may have to be retaken if technical difficulties occur (i.e. the test does not record for some reason or if the computer crashes during the exam). Please be patient and the staff administering the test will do all they can to ensure you have a valid test. The testing supervisor will check to make sure you have a valid test before you leave the facility.

Are there materials available to practice for the test?

If you wish, you can take a Practice Test to see what the format of the test is like. Log into the SPEAK Practice Test by using your Miami UniqueID and MUNet Password. Then download the PDF file and audio file that is found on this site. Windows users can Right-Click on the materials to download them. Mac users can Control-Click to download them.

When will results become available?

The grading committee will meet at 1:00pm the day of the test. Results are usually given to the Graduate School by the Monday morning following the test.

What do the results mean?

Students scoring from 0-30 have failed the test. They may not teach courses and will be assigned other graduate duties if they were originally assigned to teach. Dialect modification therapy is required and the student will have an opportunity to retake the test at the end of the semester to see if s/he has improved over the course of the semester. If a student fails the test a second time, they will not be able to teach while attending the university.

Students scoring between 31 and 45 have conditionally passed the test and may teach for one semester only while attending dialect modification therapy. The student will have an opportunity to retake the test at the end of the semester to see if they have improved over the course of the semester. If the student fails the test the second time, they will not be permitted to teach courses and will be assigned other graduate duties. If the student conditionally passes the second time, they may teach for one more semester while continuing dialect modification therapy.

Students scoring 46 or higher have passed the test and may teach at the university. Dialect modification therapy is not required.