Investigated the relationship between language learning strategies and second language proficiency for Korean students of English as a Second Language. Findings indicate that the relationship between strategies and proficiency was linear; strategies were significantly correlated with test scores; and cognitive and social strategies were more…

Examined the validity of the pragmatic approach to test difficulty put forward by Child (1987). This study investigated whether the Child discourse-type hierarchy predicts text difficulty for second-language readers. Results suggested that this hierarchy may provide a sound basis for developing foreign-language tests when it is applied by trained…

Investigates the long-term effects of two national language tests in Israel, one in Arabic as a second language and one in English as a foreign language. The study employed questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis from teachers, students and language inspectors. Findings reveal that washback varies over time, owing to factors such as the…

Discusses the Basque Government's policy requiring its employees to learn the minority, co-official language. Presents reasons for the plan's deficiency, including a lack of incentives for workers, and points to a more comprehensive plan for Basquisation. (16 references) (Author/CK)

A new development in teacher education is the involvement of accrediting agencies, legislatures, and the federal government in mandating standards, curriculum, and assessment at all levels of education. The effects of this development on teacher education are examined, and changes needed within teacher education and administrator education…

Describes two Quebec studies integrating educational diagnosis with classroom assessment to develop learning strategies. Outlines new model based on studies and new mastery learning developments. Argues that the unit of measurement should shift from the student to the teacher-student interaction, and the methodology should be…

Describes five propositions concerning classroom assessment. Uses propositions to review seven conference papers. Propositions refer to the following: nature of achievement; student information necessary to interpret assessments; tension between need to describe and need to praise; distinction between formal and informal assessment; and need for…

Describes the current situation of physical education in American elementary, middle, and high schools, including fitness testing and the influence of outside agencies (state departments of education, professional associations, and colleges and universities). Recommendations are made to improve the situation for physical education, especially in…

Discusses the assessment process in the British National Curriculum. Identifies psychometric issues which are not yet resolved and explores the problem of teacher judgment in assessment. Questions whether the aims of national assessment are compatible with educational goals. Suggests that teachers may not be fully supportive of the program. (KO)

Chronicles the steps taken in developing a curricular project to design, implement, and evaluate a simulation business course for beginners learning Japanese at the university level. The steps in developing the program, from the selection of materials to the evaluation of the entire project, are presented together with insights gained from the…

Reviews factors influencing reversals of expectations for language-learning outcomes. This article touches on psychological and neurological data regarding individual differences in language-learning mechanisms and focuses on cross-linguistic psycholinguistic analysis that indicates that different target languages offer a wide variety of learning…

This study investigated the effects of previewing and providing background knowledge for American short stories on Taiwanese students' comprehension of the stories and attitudes toward the treatments. Implications of the findings for reading instruction in second-language classrooms are discussed. (JL)

Examined gender differences in spatial, verbal, and mathematical ability in 11,000 Israeli elementary school children. In each test the variance for boys exceeded girls by 10% to 20%. Consistent cross-grade differences in mean achievement were found only for mathematical ability. These results contradict American findings that show no gender…

Investigated the relationship between children's failures to produce unambiguous utterances and the mental effort demands in children (ages five, six, seven, and nine years), using finger-tapping and message production tasks, separately and simultaneously. Findings suggest that the relative effort requirements of communication decrease with…

A procedure that allows college faculty to obtain rapid student assessment of lecturing performance is described. A computer program facilitates application of the resulting data for self-evaluation, job applications, promotions, and group discussion. The questionnaire's simplicity and ease of processing have been well received by faculty and…