Designing oral assessment rubrics for ESP courses: A collaborative workshop approach in a Chilean university

Abstract

This study examines a collaborative, workshop-based process for developing standardized oral assessment rubrics in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses at a Chilean university. Thirty instructors from a range of academic programs jointly engaged in iterative rubric design, drawing on contextualized workplace communication needs and global proficiency standards. Through structured discussions, peer review, and norming exercises—including input from an ESP specialist—the participants collectively refined assessment criteria, achieving greater clarity, fairness, and reliability. Mixed data sources revealed consistently positive evaluations, highlighting how collaborative engagement—including expert input as a dialogic component—enhanced the calibration of elements such as pronunciation weighting and proficiency differentiation. While developed within a Chilean university context, the initiative demonstrates the transferable value of teacher-led co-construction, expert-informed dialogue, and ongoing iteration for oral assessment design in ESP courses across diverse educational settings.