An Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) may be evaluated either during the interview procedure (direct-method) or from a tape-made oral interaction (semi-direct method). Such variety in methods of assessment can influence test takers' scores extensively. However, it is not conclusive whether such differences are due to test format or something else.…

For linguistically diverse communities, researchers have long questioned assessment approaches that disregard learners' multilingualism. Our study offers potential approaches that center contextualized, multilingual knowledges and skills within classroom-based language assessments with one teacher and his English foreign language courses for…

Across stages of acquisition, second language (L2) competencies are contingent on the variation among individuals learning the language, in both informal and formal learning contexts. This study investigates a group of outliers whose extreme test scores serve as a foundation to examine them as individuals. The study addresses the outliers'…

Commissioner's Rules Concerning the State Plan for Educating English Language Learners (ELLs) states that all school districts that are required to provide bilingual education and/or English as a second language (ESL) programs establish and operate a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC). The LPACs are charged with reviewing all…

The topic of silence and "the Chinese learner" has been extensively studied often in relation to cross-cultural adjustment, intercultural issues, learning styles, language ability and differences of classroom expectations. These studies have often led to recommendations to understand silence and "the Chinese learner" in more…

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has organized the standards for accomplished teachers of world languages into nine standards, which are presented in this report: (1) Standard I: Knowledge of Students; (2) Standard II: Knowledge of Language; (3) Standard III: Knowledge of Culture; (4) Standard IV: Knowledge of Language…

Suggests that, to understand the relationship between grammatical competence and actual communicative language use, a model is needed of classroom language processing that considers learners' own connections between meaning and form as a major factor in language use and language acquisition. (nine references) (GLR)

Discusses whether the proficiency approach to teaching Arabic, which is now advocated, is really functional enough to suit true needs of students, and whether the debate concerning proficiency is becoming so polarized as to make impossible real discussion of the issues. Trends and changes that have occurred in the Arabic language over the decades…

Examines two proficiency testing models, the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Interview and another model developed at the University of Wisconsin, to determine which is more appropriate for use in academic settings and whether it is possible to combine the best of both models. (GLR)

This first of a two-part article looks at the language learning-acquiring distinction, discussing the consequences of teaching at either end of the learning-acquiring continuum. Describes the distinction between the two, discusses the learning versus acquiring of grammar, and compares the two. The second part of the article will focus on memory…

Examines the role of American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines in language proficiency testing, focusing on Japanese language instruction and discussing how effective that system is in relation to university classroom instruction. Two main issues are addressed: viewing ACTFL Proficiency Tests as having the…

While proficiency tests make a positive statement about the language ability of those who pass, it says nothing about those who don't. Since the proficiency test's questions are too general, a "sufficiency" test was developed to determine if students had "enough" English to meet the needs that motivated their study. (PJM)

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) tested the high school populations of a number of foreign countries in English as a foreign language. The test is described and results are reported. A variety of specific findings and their implications for curriculum development in English as a foreign language are…

Examines the rating scale and the testing procedure of the oral interview for evidence of discourse competence. The paper suggests that a careful examination of the processing capabilities might serve as a valid indicator of their discourse competence. (24 references) (GLR)

Discusses the utility of the German Speaking Test (GST) as a general test of German foreign-language proficiency, examining whether it can be used effectively in classroom and institutional foreign-language settings and how proficiency ratings based on the GST relate to examinees' real-world German communicative abilities. Caveats regarding the…