Authors

The article is devoted to the issue of preparing science students for an oral exam in English. The author analyzed the data of research considering the relationship between Teacher Talking Time and Student Talking Time in a foreign language classroom, conducted by C. Chaudron, V. Cook, D. Nunan, R. Ellis, C. Pesce, A. Korenev and D. Babaeva. The ratio of 30% to 70% was determined as optimal for oral speech practice and the conclusion is made that it is possible to increase Student Talking Time with the help of pair and group work.

The methods of preparing students for an oral foreign language examination are analyzed on the basis of teaching strategies at the biological faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University. The English language oral exam for undergraduate students consists of the following three tasks: a prepared monologue on the subject of personal and scientific interests of the examinee; an impromptu monologue-description based on visual materials on biological topics, and a dialogue with the teacher to continue the discussion of the topic presented in the visual materials. The possible difficulties that students face doing each task during an oral foreign language exam are listed. The author has proposed some solutions to overcome the difficulties associated with the insufficient practice of oral speech.

The article is devoted to the prospect of conducting a foreign language internet-based exam at the Department of Biology and the Faculty of biotechnology at Lomonosov Moscow State University on the e-learning platform “University without Borders” (LMS MOODLE). The authors refer to the experience of authorized international English language test centers. The above mentioned faculties designed and gradually introduced their self-established format of the final “Foreign Language” exam for undergraduate students based on the international standard. The structure of the exam includes the following sections: Listening, Reading, Use of English, Writing and Speaking. Under the conditions of the urgently required shift to distant learning due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ways to introduce the online exam are presented. The LMS MOODLE platform allows assessing all types of tasks in Listening, Reading and Use of English in the automated mode, and tasks in the Writing and Speaking – in the manual mode. The authors analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the exam in the electronic format. Immediate and simultaneous coverage of a large audience of examinees, high speed and objectivity of assessment are distinguished among the advantages. However, a number of drawbacks of the technical and psychological sort were identified including students’ desire to cheat. The authors suggest using proctoring to monitor the examination process to prevent violation of the rules when taking the test. The authors come to the conclusion that the Internet-based exam is a worthy substitute for the traditional paper one and it allows for a successful assessment of the knowledge acquired by students.