What if listening rooms could become a method of assessment?

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi36.1519

Keywords:

assessment, speaking, oracy, inclusivity, listening rooms

Abstract

This brief communication proposes that Heron’s Listening Rooms data collection method could be adapted for use as an assessment method in higher education (HE), potentially replacing some forms of written assessment. Their adoption would enable students to demonstrate capabilities they may find challenging to evidence in written form. The author offers suggestions for the use of Listening Rooms in assessing different subjects. This is followed by a discussion on the challenges and suitability of using Listening Rooms as an assessment method. The piece concludes by reaffirming the need for a diverse and inclusive range of assessment methods in contemporary HE.

Author Biography

Laura Dyer, University of Leeds

Laura Dyer is a lecturer in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) at the University of Leeds. She holds a master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Laura’s specialisms lie in humanistic approaches to pedagogy that encourage inclusive and accessible learning for all with a specific focus on oracy. She is the author of the forthcoming book A humanistic approach to English for Academic Purposes pedagogy: people, place, compassion, power (Palgrave Macmillan).

References

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Heron, E. (2020) ‘Friendship as method: reflections on a new approach to understanding student experiences in higher education’, Journal of Further and Higher Education, 44(3), pp.393–407. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2018.1541977

Heron, M. (2019) ‘Making the case for oracy skills in higher education’, Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 16(2), pp.1–16. Available at: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1219069.pdf (Accessed: 31 March 2025).

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Lister, K., Riva, E., Kukulska-Hulme, A. and Fox, C. (2022) ‘Participatory digital approaches to embedding student wellbeing in higher education’, Frontiers in Education, 77, pp.1–21. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.924868

Mbalamula, Y.S. (2018) ‘Effect of group versus individual assessments on coursework among undergraduates in Tanzania: implications for continuous assessments in universities’, Pedagogical Research, 3(1), pp.1–8. Available at: https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/85171

Oracy Cambridge (2019) ‘Working with oracy in higher education: what’s going on?’, 2 October. Available at: https://oracycambridge.org/oracy-in-he-whats-going-on (Accessed: 18 February 2025).

Parkin, H. and Heron, E. (2023) ‘Listening works: using the Listening Rooms methodology to explore diversity’, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 26, pp.1–14. Available at: https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi26.914

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Published

15-06-2025

How to Cite

Dyer, L. (2025). What if listening rooms could become a method of assessment?. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (36). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi36.1519

Issue

No. 36 (2025)

Section

Letters

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