As English is widely accepted as a lingua franca in today's world, the importance of the language has been acknowledged globally in the present case. To rank the countries in terms of their English language proficiency, the EF Proficiency Index is prepared each year. In this study, five countries having the highest scores according to the Index…

The Charleston County School District (CCSD) has recently begun development of criterion-referenced tests (CRT) in different subject areas and for different grade levels. This paper outlines the process that CCSD followed in the development of math and language arts tests for grades one through eight and area exams for required high school…

This manual is intended to serve as a step-by-step guide to writing criterion-referenced tests. It includes directions on constructing and scoring various types of test items to measure each level of cognitive function. The manual gives a method for writing, analyzing and rewriting instructional objectives; preparing a content outline; matching…

Objective referenced tests were scaled using the Rasch latent trait model to measure Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) in grades one through eight. The tests, in the areas of reading, language and math, were scaled and linked through students, blocks of items, and test item banks. The study tests latent trait theory in a public school setting.…

Papers on second language testing in Japan include: "Differences Between Norm-Referenced and Criterion-Referenced Tests" (James Dean Brown); "Criterion-Referenced Test Construction and Evaluation" (Dale T. Griffe); "Behavioral Learning Objectives as an Evaluation Tool" (Judith A. Johnson); "Developing Norm-…

Behavioral objectives and how they are to be evaluated in the first year of teaching Russian are discussed. A model test for evaluating stated objectives is given and discussed. (RM)

The nature of educational accountability, seen as an organized, systematized process of self-evaluation, and a review of available standardized tests for foreign language programs are examined in this paper. Teacher accountability is seen to rely exclusively on the judgement of the teacher and administration within the school itself. The author…

This guide is designed as a reference for District and School personnel working with English learners (ELs). The content of the guide represents a compilation of information, examples, and resources. This guide is a living document and subject to frequent updates. It is recommended to review the document online rather than printing a hard copy.

The French as a Second Language model tests for junior high school instruction presented here were designed to evaluate students' language performance as outlined in the learner expectations of the Alberta (Canada) second language curriculum. They focus on the specific fields of experience of these levels, but may be adapted for local contexts. An…

A collection of papers on evaluation and testing in language learning and teaching for communicative competence includes: "Evaluation in Relation to Communicative Language Teaching" (Viljo Kohonen); "On Determining the Function and Quality of Language Tests" (Jan van Weeren); "On the Trail of Everyday Experience...The Individual Learner's…

A description of the revised baccalaureate examination. The performance objectives for modern languages in oral and written expression, especially for French, comprehension and critical judgment of a text are discussed. Results of the inter-ministerial study and sample sections from examinations are given. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Hitherto, the People's University Certificate examinations were largely vocabulary and structure lists; the skills were weighted very differently. The new examinations define "behavioral objectives" much more exactly. Content guidelines are given, as well as text types, topics and "situations." A later article will discuss…

Results are summarized of research on a program instituting graded objectives and tests in French. The research project was conducted during the 1979-80 school year by the Language Teaching Council at York, England. Two experimental groups and two control groups were formed of students aged 13 and over. Pupils, parents, and teachers completed…

Summarizes a study into the feasibility, problems, benefits, and implications of using mastery learning in teaching French to students in Scottish secondary schools. Examples are provided of target objectives, specimen test materials, progress cards, and class activity records, and implications on class organization are discussed. (EAO)