Student testing in Japan is not effectively used. In many cases test results are used only for ranking and sorting students into whatever the designated purposes of the tests are. They are not focused on monitoring individual student progress. This is an especially inadequate approach for teaching oral communications courses. This paper proposes a different assessment tool which emphasizes monitoring individual student progress and achievement on a daily basis: the oral portfolio. Part one of this paper explains the present situation in oral language instruction and assessment in Japanese high schools. Part two defines authentic assessment as well as key factors and technical qualities. Part three focuses on key concepts in portfolios that are essential to authentic assessment, and how these processes could be implemented in Japanese high school classrooms. The final part demonstrates how authentic oral portfolio assessment can be incorporated into classroom instruction and provides sample activities. Oral portfolios also help learners become more self-directed and self-starting by encouraging them to take more responsibility for their own learning. Appended are three forms appropriate for handouts: an analytic scoring rubric for formal speaking; formal speaking peer-assessment sheet; and sheet for Self-Assessment of Process. (Contains 14 references.) (KFT)