THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENTS TO DEVELOP L2 SPEAKING: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE YOUNG LEARNERS OF BANGLA AND ENGLISH MEDIUM EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN BANGLADESH

Assessment, the most fundamental and traditional way to make decision on learners? potential, provides an undeniable contribution in the field of second language teaching and learning. This study aims at finding out any relevant impact of assessments in improving the level of speaking competence of EM and BM students. To analyze this hypothesis, a survey was conducted as an instrument for obtaining data from students of Bangla Medium and English Medium schools. The findings of this paper contradict the popular beliefs about the curriculum which Bangla Medium Schools follow. Students feel assessment has significant role in their L2 speaking performance albeit they aren?t evaluated on regular basis. Most surprisingly, any sort of achievement in ESL speaking doesn?t affect learners? academic life. A very contrastive figure is observed in English Medium School where learners? performance in L2 speaking is closely linked to their academic life until grade 7. In EM schools, teachers evaluate students? speaking and record their performance on regular basis which keep them focused and motivated to improve L2 speaking competence though students aren?t much aware about the assessment criteria. Finally, the study ends with the decision that ensuring practice of different assessments is the most affecting factor for the development and hindrance of L2 speaking fluency in EMS and BMS respectively.