Resumen

When assessing EFL students in comparison to a framework based on native-like proficiency, speaking is a controversial issue to be tested in a world where most speakers of English are non-natives. In these contexts, the native-like ability has been recently questioned towards an intercultural ultimate goal, given that many aspects of the speaking skill, which reflects characteristics of one's culture, do not interfere in communicative situations (Byram 1997, 2009, Corbett 2003, Liddicoat & Scarino 2013). This suggests that alternative methods and theoretical frameworks for assessing (Cf. Luoma 2004), where continuous assessment is seen as a contributor to learning, can shed some light on how to test students' speaking skills when English is spoken as a lingua franca. Without neglecting many of the aspects of more traditional methods, we will develop and suggest practical tools for assessing speaking through an intercultural approach in university EFL courses in Argentina. We will reflect on the different ways to assess speaking, bearing in mind an intercultural speaker and the social functions of the language.