Students' Pre-Speaking Drafts: Exploring Idea Organisation and Preparation Strategies in an English Speaking Test

Speaking assessment requires learners to communicate fluently in the second language (L2). Before the actual assessment, pre-task planning is always preceded, whereas this time is important for students to organise their ideas related to the topics, that it may reduce their cognitive load when having the L2 assessment. One strategy to do pre-task planning is by having drafts. It is crucial to scaffold learners to prepare themselves with accuracy, fluency, and coherence of the ideas by having drafts before the assessment. This study aims to conceptualise the role of content in the drafts. This is because even pre-task planning has always been researched, less attention is given to the content of the drafts (Park, 2021). The content not only materialises the ideas but also conveys the discourse organisation that helps listeners follow the ideas. The ideas can be structured in linear sequencing (point - example - conclusion) problem - solution or listing format. In addition, translanguaging strategy or flexible language also may appear, which enhance planning efficiency. However, a minority of learners provided drafts with unclear structure, which may justify why planning is not always guaranteed learners to produce good performance in the assessment. This conceptual study discusses on students’ pre-speaking drafts in preparing for speaking assessments. By understanding this, teachers can decide whether students genuinely organise their ideas or rely too heavily on notes, thereby providing targeted intervention for the students.