The prime contention of this paper is that applied linguists are capable of making a more substantial contribution than they have hitherto to the field of Language Skills Measurement. (Author)

The transfer of students at 13+ from middle to high school requires high school teachers to assess heterogenous groups of children from different middle schools. Ways of predicting students' success at further language study are suggested. (RM)

Discusses differences between A'' level and O'' level foreign language examinations currently administered in English schools. (RL)

Students and teachers are dissatisfied with sixth form language instruction and examinations, claiming that their purposes and goals are confused and not clearly articulated. The suggested new emphasis involves instruction in various specific and practical modes of written and oral language production, written translation, and reading and…

Alternatives to prose translation as a language test are discussed, and an experimental reorientation test in French given to 128 prospective A level candidates is described in detail. (RM)

Listening comprehension exercises in second language instruction are expected to: (1) increase students' efficiency at message extraction, and (2) lead to assimilation of new vocabulary and expressions. Data from a small experiment using such exercises illustrate the distinctions drawn and the limitations. (CHK)

The typical day of a student travelling in France is outlined, with discussion of the different types of language he would be exposed to. Ways in which classroom teaching can provide similar experience are suggested, and abilities involved in listening and reading which are not language-specific are discussed. (RM)

An experiment with the British 16-plus examinations in French was intended to investigate the principle of an incline of difficulty in language testing and the problems facing an examiner in setting different tests on an incline. The test contained sections on reading comprehension and writing. Results are discussed. (CHK)

This article examines teaching methods for developing foreign language comprehension in students, with attention to methods of testing comprehension. Reading materials should include journals, newspapers, and items concerning teenage culture. The English summary of a French text is recommended for testing comprehension; examples of this exercise…

Ways to use classroom tests as an aid to students of foreign languages are discussed, with particular reference to retesting. (RM)