This is an activity used during the final quarter of the school year to check how students are improving their conversation skills in the target language.  The beginning tasks are relatively easy and then increase in the amount of information that needs to be conveyed along with the complexity of the tasks.  Allowing students time to practice these tasks throughout the quarter allows them to develop confidence, vocabulary and fluency.  I incorporated some of the tasks from the wonderful web site listed below.  I did not use all the topics.  I felt some were more appropriate than others.  When it came down to the final couple of weeks, I reduced the size of the list to allow students to concentrate on fewer tasks.  My final list is at the bottom of this page.  You can develop your own rubric to put a numerical value to the student's performance

This is the sheet given to the students:

    This quarter we will be working on improving oral Spanish through the use of this list of tasks taken from the web site listed below.  Each week we will devote time to oral practice using this list.  Near the end of the quarter you will be evaluated using this checklist - parts A, B & C.  Each student will draw a specified number of tasks at random and prepare an audio recording for evaluation.  List D contains some very advanced tasks - you and a partner will select one and practice it ahead of time.  This will also be included as a part of your individual evaluation.  The evaluation will have a maximum value of 100 points, so it is important for you to practice and prepare yourself as best you can ahead of time. 
    This web site has examples of native speakers speaking about each of the tasks.  You can get ideas from the site and also listen to native speakers from a variety of countries to improve your listening skills at the same time.  Transcripts and translations are shown on the screen.  Click on one of the topics at the top of the page (i.e. negotiations, social situations, etc.)

A)    Spanish Proficiency Checklist Beginning Range

1. Identify basic objects
2. Count from zero to 100
3. Identify basic colors
4. Do simple arithmetic
5. Describe what you like to do
6. Describe your parents' or relatives' work
7. Describe the physical characteristics of different people
8. Introduce yourself and a friend to others
9. Describe yourself to others
10. Identify the days of the week
11. Describe what and where you study
12. Identify ordinal numbers
13. Describe your family
14. Describe what you have in common with at least 3 other people
15. Describe your typical daily activities

B)    Spanish Proficiency Checklist Intermediate Range

1. Make an appropriate social introduction
2. Ask and tell time
3. Ask and tell day, date
4. Ask and tell months
5. Count to 1000 by 10’s
6. Order a simple meal
7. Negotiate a taxi ride
8. Ask and give directions
9. Follow directions
10. Buy an item of clothing
11. Buy a bus or train ticket
12. Buy a ticket for a theater or show
13. Talk about yourself (nationality, age, occupation, etc.)
14. Give appropriate leave-taking expressions
15. Talk about your favorite food
16. Tell about where you are from
17. Ask the price of an item
18. Ask if an item exists in a store
19. Answer questions about your family
20. Ask simple questions about someone else's family
21. Talk about your TV viewing habits
22. Talk about your favorite movies, actors, singers
23. Describe a physical aliment to a doctor
24. Talk about your favorite restaurant
25. Describe an experience you have had in a library
26. Tell about how long it has been since you took a break
27. Compare your physical characteristics to those of another
28. Talk about the climate of various distinct geographic regions
29. Describe your feelings about society's use of medicine
30. Describe an invention that will make you rich some day
31. Talk about when you were the coldest you have ever been
32. Talk about what part of high school you are happy not to do again 

C)    Spanish Proficiency Checklist Advanced Range

1. Describe your present or most recent job in detail
2. Describe your first airplane ride
3. Describe in detail an experience in an auto accident
4. Tell a story about an animal or one of your pets
5. Describe a favorite Christmas or special holiday
6. Give detailed information about your family (hopes, interests)
7. Describe your house
8. Describe the weather today
9. Give and take messages over the phone
10. Describe what you hope to do and where you hope to be in 10 years
11. Describe the different sections of a newspaper
12. Ask someone what they know about America business practices
13. Talk about your hobbies or special interests in detail
14. Describe your background before becoming a student
15. Explain your feelings about some current event
16. Answer questions about some current event
17. Ask questions to get to know somebody
18. Describe the geography of your country
19. Describe the purpose and function of an organization
20. Tell the story of The Little Red Hen
21. Tell the story of The Three Little Pigs
22. Tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood
23. Describe in detail your worst day ever
24. Describe why you listen to the radio station you do.
25. Describe how you would go about preparing dinner for friends
26. Describe in detail what you do to stay in shape
27. Describe the house you grew up in and what you thought of it
28. Tell the plot of your favorite movie
29. Relate an experience about trying to register for university courses
30. Relate an experience where you were a victim of a "computer" error

D)    Spanish Proficiency Checklist Superior Range

1. Describe how your life would be different if there were no electricity
2. Tell about things 10 year old children do that you no longer can
3. If you were dying in a hot desert, describe the mirage you would have
4. If you were asked to give a talk to a high school sociology class, what would you talk about
5. Tell of an experience when you should have had a camara, but didn't
6. Describe the environment you wish you would have been raised in
7. Tell of another time period you would have liked to have lived in
8. Talk about some stereotypes that you would like to see eliminated
9. Role-play: Call to make an appointment to see the manager
10. Role-play: Calling on the phone to make an appointment with a doctor
11. Role-play: Talking to a friend about a possible purchase of a car
12. Role-play: You have just misplaced your boarding pass...  

Here is the final list the students used to prepare for the oral evaluation:

         Spanish Proficiency Exercises – University of Texas

(http://www.laits.utexas.edu/spe/)

Tasks: Beginning Level

Task 01               Identify basic objects.              

Task 02               Count to ten.              

Task 03               Identify basic colors.               

Task 04               Do simple arithmetic.                  

Task 05               Describe what you like to do.            

Task 06               Describe your parent's or a relative's work.                 

Task 07               Describe the physical characteristics of different people.                  

Task 08               Introduce yourself and a friend to others.               

Task 09               Describe yourself to others.               

Task 10               Identify the days of the week.                 

Task 11               Describe what and where you study.         

Task 12               Identify ordinal numbers.           

Task 13               Describe your family.               

Task 14               Describe what you have in common with at least

Task 15              Describe your typical daily activities.           

 

Tasks: Intermediate Level

Task 01               Identify basic objects.              

Task 02               Count to ten.              

Task03                Identify basic colors.               

Task 04               Do simple arithmetic.                  

Task 05               Describe what you like to do.            

Task 06               Describe your parent's or a relative's work.                 

Task 07               Describe the physical characteristics of different

Task 08               Introduce yourself and a friend to others.               

Task 09               Describe yourself to others.               

Task 10               Identify the days of the week.                 

Task 11               Describe what and where you study.         

Task 12               Identify ordinal numbers.           

Task 13               Describe your family.               

Task 14               Describe what you have in common with at least three other people.                  

Task 15               Describe your typical daily activities.

Task 16                Ask the price of an item.              

Task 17               Ask if an item exists in a store.                 

Task 18               Ask and answer simple questions about someone

Task 19               Talk about your TV viewing habits.               

Task 20               Talk about your favorite movies, actors, singers.              

Task 21               Describe a physical ailment to a doctor.            

Task 22               Talk about your favorite restaurant.                  

Task 23               Describe an experience you have had in a library.

Task 24               Tell about how long it has been since you took

Task 25               Compare your physical characteristics to those of another

Task 26               Talk about the climate of various distinct geographic regions.                  

Task 27               Describe your feelings about society's use of medicine.                  

Task 28               Describe an invention that will make you rich some day.                  

Task 29               Talk about when you were the coldest you have ever been.                  

Task 30               Talk about what part of high school you are happy not to do again.         

                          

Tasks: Advanced Level

Task 01               Describe your present or most recent job in detail.

Task 02               Describe your first airplane/train/taxi ride.          

Task 03               Describe in detail an experience in an auto accident.            

Task04                Tell a story about an animal or one of your pets.

Task 05               Describe a favorite Christmas or special holiday.

Task 06               Give detailed information about your family  (hopes, interests). 

Task 07               Describe your house.                

Task 08               Describe the weather today.                

Task 09               Give and take messages over the phone.               

Task 10               Describe what you hope to do and where you hope to be in 10 years.                  

Task 11               Describe the different sections of a newspaper.

Task 12               Ask someone what they know about American business practices.

Task 13               Talk about your hobbies or special interests in detail.                  

Task 14               Describe your background before becoming a student.         

Task 15               Explain your feelings about some current event.

Task 16               Ask (8-10) questions to get to know somebody.                  

Task 17               Describe the geography of your country.             

Task 18               Describe the purpose and function of an organization.                  

Task 19               Tell the story of The Three Little Pigs.          

Task 20               Tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood.                 

Task 21               Describe in detail your worst date ever.          

Task 22               Describe why you listen to the radio station you do.                  

Task 23               Describe how you would go about preparing dinner for friends.                  

Task 24               Describe in detail what you do to stay in shape

Task 25               Describe the house you grew up in and what you thought of it.