Oral English test returns

The oral English test will be included in Haidian district's primary school graduation exam in January of 2014, constituting 20 percent of the entire English test, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The test will be administered through an electronic platform. The oral English test had been part of the larger exam for years, but was canceled last year to ease the burden on students; because teachers were administering the test face-to-face, it had extended the duration of the exam.

The oral English test is divided into four parts, including self-introductory conversation, reading a text aloud, description of images, and storytelling based on pictures and instructions.

Experts said that it is necessary to include the testing of oral English in the examination because students' English language skills should be emphasized.