Reports the procedure followed by members of the Testing and Evaluation Section, Schools Council Modern Languages Project, York, in producing test batteries to accompany the Nuffield/Schools Council language courses, the French course "En Avant" in particular. (RM)

The two parts of Alberta's sixth-year French achievement test are in test booklet form. Part A, the writing test, requires the development of a composition from a story for which the beginning is provided. The booklet contains instructions concerning the procedure and the criteria to be used in evaluating the composition. Space is provided for a…

A list of 1,036 terms and definitions used in native and second language acquisition and instruction, linguistics, language testing, and bicultural-multicultural education, including identical items with different meanings, is presented. The terms were derived from manual searches of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics and ERIC…

The kinds of testing of listening skills that could be introduced for Foreign Languages in Elementary Schools (FLES) in the early stages of instruction (e.g., in the third grade at the end of 10-20 clock hours of instruction) are discussed. It is suggested that listening is rarely tested in isolation, but normally is mixed with speaking or…

It is suggested that models of human problem solving are useful in the analysis of word fluency (WF) test performance. In problem-solving terms, WF tasks would require the subject to define and clarify the conditions of the task (task acquisition), select and employ appropriate strategies, and monitor one's performance. In modern neuropsychology,…

Correlational studies establishing the validity of language skill tests have traditionally described how well the tests have converged, that is, yielded equivalent results. Convergent and discriminant validation is a logical extension of these traditional procedures. However, since it requires evidence of discriminant as well as convergent…

The use by interviewers of a deliberate, prearranged, and consistent overall structure, comprising warm-up, level check, probes, and wind-up, can strengthen the content validity of interview tests. Moreover, the flexibility necessary for elicitation is increased if an established battery of well-structured tasks exists for candidates to perform.…

Abridged version of Tolstoy's story, "A Shark," is used for reading and listening comprehension tests. The tests stress correct pronunciation, accent, and memorization of phrases. (HK)

Advocates the study of poetry in FL classes and suggests methods by which students could be tested on poetry. (KM)

Following a review of the procedures involved in the establishment of norms for standardized tests, the specific procedures used to establish norms for three tests commonly used in speech and language pathology are critically examined. (LS)

A case is made for the use of "banding" as a method of assessing language progress. In a banding system, the range of language proficiency from beginner to native speaker is divided into bands, each one representing a distinct, discernible, and describable level of ability. Banding seems to be most useful in circumstances when the specific purpose…

The first part of the paper presents theoretical arguments in favor of more student-centered approaches to the evaluation of progress in foreign language learning. It is argued that subective self-assessment procedures are not necessarily less reliable than objective tests and that the language student cannot assume full responsibility for the…

Several articles of interest to teachers of English as a second language (ESL) are included. The Institute of Languages at the University of New South Wales describes "Projects for a 'Survival' English Course for Overseas Students." Howard Tucker and Barbara Harley discuss an educational series of 24 television programs for immigrant…