MOPT / COPT

Conversational Chinese/Malay Programme
Chinese Oral Proficiency Test (COPT) and Malay Oral Proficiency Test (MOPT)
 

Background /Objectives of COPT and MOPT

 1. As part of an overall strategy to prepare Singaporeans for a multilingual globalized world, the Ministry of Education, Singapore is consolidating and widening its initiatives of offering both Conversational Malay and Chinese as enrichment language programmes at all levels of education, ranging from primary schools to tertiary institutions as depicted in the table below.

   Table 1:  Structure of Conversational Chinese / Malay Programmes

2. To allow students to track their progress, the Regional Language Centre (RELC) will administer an optional Oral Proficiency Award for Conversational Chinese/Malay for interested secondary students. Chinese Oral Proficiency Test (COPT) and Malay Oral Proficiency Test (MOPT) are specially designed to address the assessment needs of these two language programmes.

3. The Chinese Oral Proficiency Test (COPT) and Malay Oral Proficiency Test (MOPT) aim to provide a reliable, valid and practical indicator of student’s conversational competence to use the target language effectively and appropriately in real life situations at the programme’s three levels of Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced.

4. Chinese Oral Proficiency Test (COPT) and Malay Oral Proficiency Test (MOPT) for the Elementary Module will be made available from Nov 08 whilst that for the Intermediate and Advanced Modules will only be offered from 2009.

Speaking Profiles for COPT and MOPT   ^top

Components of the test   ^top

1. Chinese Oral Proficiency Test (COPT) and Malay Oral Proficiency Test (MOPT) have two distinct modes of testing, namely the Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview (henceforth refers as SOPI) and the Oral Proficiency Interview (henceforth refers as OPI) which are adapted from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Figure 1 below diagrammatically represents the testing modes with the three module levels.

Figure 1: Testing Modes with Module Levels

2. The two testing modes are:

(a) SOPI - Elementary Level

The SOPI is a semi-direct, performance-based and tape-mediated test of oral language proficiency taken by groups or individuals in a language laboratory. SOPI relies on audio-taped instructions to elicit language from candidate. The candidate hears the directions and items for all parts of the test from a master test tape. The master test tape sets the pace of the test, which lasts approximately 15 minutes. The candidate speaks in Malay/Chinese during timed pauses throughout the test. The candidate response tape is subsequently evaluated by trained raters following the examination.

 (b) OPI - Intermediate & Advanced Levels

In contrast, OPI is the typical face-to-face or ‘live’ interview mode of testing speaking ability. Unlike the SOPI, it is conducted on a one-to-one basis (an interviewer with an interviewee) and with increasing complexity of language requirements with each module levels.

3. The four parts of the test are:

Part 1: Warm-Up

The Warm-up is the first part of the test and is designed to put the candidate at ease, to allow the candidate to make the transition to speaking in the target language, and to become accustomed to the test situation. The Warm-up is basically a getting-to-know-you kind of interaction where a native speaker of the target language welcomes, greets and asks the candidate several personal background questions. 

Part 2: Situational Talk

The Situational Talk engages the candidate to demonstrate the ability to respond to real-life communicative situations.  Candidates playing the role/s assigned in the given situation/s are prompted to perform language functions appropriate to the situation/s. These language functions could range from simple greeting to complex negotiating. Situational Talk thus requires candidates to tailor their talk in a socio-linguistically appropriate manner to the individuals and circumstances presented in the situation. 

Part 3: Problem-solving Talk

The Problem-solving Talk engages the candidate to demonstrate the ability to talk about a problem posed and how to solve it convincingly. The candidate is prompted to discuss advantages and disadvantages of a certain proposition, such as using public transportation, to give someone step by step directions on how to do something and to present and support an opinion on a topic related to society or education.

Part 4:  Wind-down

The Wind-down is the final part of the test. The Wind-down engages candidate to talk about his/her future plans and to end the test naturally. Here, candidates are prompted to share with the examiner about something they would like to do, places they would like to go and future birthday, study and career plans.

Procedures for Registration   ^top

1.       Download registration form from MOE or RELC web site.

      MOE : http://intranet.moe.gov.sg/clu/conversational.htm;

      RELC :http://www.relc.org.sg/Special%20Projects/conversational.html

2.       All parts of the form must be completed before submission to RELC via email.

3.       Email the completed forms to RELC

         Joyce Swee (Miss)

         Email address: Joyce.Swee@relc.org.sg

                 or

         Wayne Toh (Mr)

         Email address: hwtoh@relc.org.sg

4.       The test fee per test per student from mainstream schools is S$15/-.

5.       Allocation of places for each test slot is on a first-come-first-served basis. RELC will allocate places to each candidate based on his/her preference, subject to availability. RELC will communicate with the school contact person indicated on the registration form for alternative slots, if available.

6.       Upon confirmation of places by RELC with the school contact person via email, schools will be requested to make payment to RELC within 14 days. Government and Government-aided schools should make payment through IFAAS to RELC. Independent school should make payment directly to RELC using cheque.

7.       Upon receipt of payment, RELC will send the soft copy of Notification Letter to each candidate via email with the school contact person at least 1 week before actual test date.

8.       There will be no refund of test fee upon sending out of the Notification Letters.

Certification and Announcement of Results   ^top

1.       The test results of the candidates in a particular batch will be sent to schools (through the school contact person) via email once these results are ready.

2.       Candidates who pass the test will be awarded a Certificate ('Distinction', 'Merit' or 'Pass') by RELC. When the certificates are ready, RELC will send an email to the school contact person to request a school representative to collect the certificate/s from RELC (Examinations Bureau Counter).

3.       All the test results of the year will be uploaded into School Cockpit from back-end by end of September of the year.

Registration Forms   ^top

1. MOPT

2. COPT

Information Booklet

1. Elementary MOPT - Candidate Information Booklet

2. Elementary COPT - Candidate Information Booklet