Intercultural competence is a crucial element of foreign language education, yet the multifaceted nature of this construct makes it inherently difficult to assess. Although several tools for evaluating intercultural competence currently exist, research on their use in secondary school settings is scarce. This study reports on the development and…

This study investigated the elicited imitation task (EIT) as a tool for measuring linguistic proficiency in a second/foreign (L2) language, focusing on French. Nonnative French speakers (n = 94) and native French speakers (n = 6) completed an EIT that included 50 sentences varying in length and complexity. Three raters evaluated productions on…

Addresses modern language teachers, especially of French, on the notions of objectivity and subjectivity, and the problems of testing knowledge. Specific written and oral measures are discussed, and a glossary of testing terms is provided. (Text is in French.) (MSE)

A scale of processes found most constructive for second-language learning was validated with two groups of adult French students. Instruction of one group included use of the scale. Pre- and posttests of language learning and use of processes suggest that unsuccessful language learners can be taught to improve performance. (31 references)…

Some empirical data are presented concerning the use of cloze tests to measure children's proficiency in a bilingual educational program. The subjects were grade five students in their sixth year of a primary French immersion program. (Author/CFM)

Because foreign language placement at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is based solely on College Entrance Examination Board Foreign Language Placement Test scores, first semester courses are composed of students with heterogeneous foreign language backgrounds. French 101 was chosen to study the relationship between two entering…