I'll be giving final exams until December 31 (started last week). It takes quite some time to evaluate 421 students, especially when the exam is an spoken one.
China is very test-oriented. Many students either "make it or break it" based on a test score. This holds true for getting into middle school, high school, and university. Getting OUT of university means passing some tests in English (College English Test (CET) 4 for undergraduates and CET 6 for graduate students). If these tests aren't passed, then the student receives only a diploma instead of a degree. Many jobs require passing some sort of test. Keeping a job means passing a test. Tests, tests, tests! No one likes them and most students get quite uptight over them.
While English is a required subject beginning in third grade (which means most of my graduate students have been studying English for 14 or more years), the standardized tests do not include any oral evaluation. My students may know grammar like the back of their hands, but speaking can be a real trial for them. Therefore, when I announced that my class (a listening and speaking class) would have a spoken final, the groans were quite audible.
I do make it somewhat easy for them. After all, all of my students are non-English majors and many of them will never use English in their careers. I allow them to choose their topics based on what we've studied this semester and I try to create a relaxed setting. Overall, I think it's working. I've had some obviously nervous students, but most students have passed the exam quite easily. I've only had to "fail" a couple of them and that was due to their complete inability to say anything beyond some memorized lines. However, they have enough points accumulated from their attendance and other class evaluations that they will both pass the class anyway (even if it is with a "D").
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