Game-Based Spoken Interaction Assessment in Special Need Children

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to explore whether it is possible to collect high-quality data about children’s spoken interaction skills using the Fischerspiel board game as an entertaining, non-threatening means to evoke conversations between children in special elementary education. The game was administered to a total of 681 eleven- and twelve-year-old children with varying educational needs. The quality of the conversations between the children was evaluated with a specially designed observation form. The observation forms were filled in by trained test leaders and four independent expert raters. Video recordings showed that almost all children were willing to participate in the game, even the children who usually barely speak in class. Moreover, the game provided more than sufficient data to assess different dimensions of spoken interaction skills. Analyses further showed that the observation form functioned well and provided reliable scores. A group effect was nevertheless present and two test leaders deviated largely from the expert raters. These test leaders may have been insufficiently equipped to cope with the task. Application of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology in a (computer-based) spoken interaction assessment might ease the task and increase rating quality.