Testing deviance must begin with the adoption of new views on the significance of testing. If language is viewed as a means of communicating, then instruction should focus on teaching students to use language for communication, and language tests should be designed so students can demonstrate their abilities in the language coupled with new…

In this study, performance on Author and Magazine Recognition Tests were found to predict second-language vocabulary among high school English-as-a-Foreign-Language students in Korea. Reported free reading in English was also related to vocabulary development, but the effect of the author and magazine recognition tests was independent of free…

Study investigated whether poor performance on the case history portion of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry clinical skills examination was due to candidates' failure to inquire about major issues or explore issues thoroughly. Data from tests administered to 1,266 candidates were analyzed. Results indicate candidates generally…

A study examined the conditions necessary to construct appropriate sentences and sequential responding in three Japanese students with autism using a computer-based training and testing procedure. Construction of the correct sentence for 24 untrained stimuli emerged after only three sentences were trained in a matrix training procedure.…

Charts the trends and challenges that 1998 has brought to popular search engines such as AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Infoseek, Lycos, and Northern Light. Highlights testing strategies used, use of real (not artificial) intelligence, innovations, online market pressures, barriers to use, and tips and recommendations. (AEF)

A feature shown to affect learners' performance on tests of spoken interaction is the gender of the person with whom the learner interacts. To test this hypothesis, 12 Japanese learners were interviewed, once by a man and once by a woman. Comparison of scores indicated that in all but one case the learners performed better when interviewed by a…

Draws attention to the validity of the Oakland School Board's resolution on Ebonics and to the value of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL)-based approaches to teaching standard American English to speakers of other dialects. Demonstrates validity of comparisons made between monodialectal speakers of African-American language/Ebonics and ESL…

A team of French language teachers across Canada developed prototype evaluation instruments congruent with recent curriculum changes for core French. A series of formative evaluation instruments for beginning level students was refined and field tested. Results of the test highlight a positive response to the experimental nature of the evaluation…

Offers an account of the origins of the Regents examination system in New York providing an assessment of the preliminary examination results from 1866 to 1885 and a description of the development of advanced examinations. Discusses the implications of the New York case for understanding the emergence of credential markets. (CMK)

Describes a test used to assess the critical thinking ability of psychology majors. Asserts that the ability to engage in psychological critical thinking separates psychology majors from other students and provides evidence demonstrating that senior psychology majors scored higher on the test than students of other majors and introductory…

Examines geometry language used in K-6 textbooks and compares the findings to language used in modern mathematics standards documents. Finds a substantial misalignment between the geometry presented in textbooks, the geometry teaching expectations of mathematics education professionals, and the geometry being assessed in student performance…

Explains that the English Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) has built an extensive database of information through inspections of secondary schools. Analyzes various factors from database scales at the school and student levels through factor analysis. Explains that the findings indicate the usefulness of the OFSTED database for school…

Considers effect of language distance--how distant the language is from English--on attainment of English language literacy, as measured by performance on an Australian English-as-a-Second-Language end-of-school examination for non-English speaking background students, who also sat for another examination in their first language. Study concludes…

Transcribes a colloquium among doctoral candidates in rhetoric and composition at the CUNY (City University of New York) Graduate School--participants are also teachers advocating for their students. Discusses current and proposed assessment practices at CUNY. (PA)

Investigates the utility of the Early Screening Profiles to differentiate between preschoolers at risk for cognitive delays and non-risk preschoolers. The Total Screening score, by itself, was found to correctly classify approximately 81% of the preschoolers. In separate analysis, the Cognitive/Language and Motor profiles were required to maintain…