Two experiments were designed to see (1) if a cloze procedure is a valid measure of language proficiency (it seems to be) and (2) whether a cloze procedure can distinguish accurately between groups at various instructional levels (it distinguishes levels but the levels overlap). (EKN)

Outlines the foreign language requirements of the University of Michigan's Residential College, including the five-part proficiency exam, covering all four language skills. (EKN)

Presents the results of a study of the role of self-determined performance standards (stringent versus lenient) and locus of control beliefs (self versus external) on children's self-regulation of academic behavior. The experimental method of the study is described and a 16-item reference list is included. (Author/JL)

Different experimental techniques for empirical assessment of children's linguistic ability have produced conflicting evidence. A number of such contradictions are discussed, in the context of an analysis of the potential weaknesses, and consequent requirements, of both comprehension and production tasks. (A commentary by P. L. Harris appears on…

Presents study to determine students' attitudes toward testing procedures and any relationship between attitude toward procedures and achievement on tests. Results show students' attitudes toward oral interview test more favorable than cloze test. Their attitude toward cloze test was directly related to their achievement on it, while positive…

Examines theoretical and practical issues in ESL testing including inadequacies of definitions of language proficiency with respect to test taker characteristics; empirical evidence in support of relationship between test taker characteristics and performance on language tests; and guidelines to dealing with test taker characteristics and language…

A test measuring the teachers' Spanish proficiency was developed as part of a battery of tests for teachers in bilingual education programs--the CERAS Teacher Tests for Spanish/English Bilingual Education. Two independent studies indicated that the relationship between pupils' achievement in Spanish and English and their teachers' Spanish…

Describes a simple teacher-scored method which can be used to determine the proportion of correct usage in freshman ESL compositions. Concludes Correctness Scores provide a useful tool for investigation of hierarchy of significant errors in English and is a technique well-suited to supply data for future work along these lines. (Author/BK)

The paper examines the need to analyze free expression as part of an overall expressive language evaluation in school aged children. Seven language characteristics are identified which may help in recognizing disorders of self-expression. (Author/PHR)

The article describes a 10-stage symbolic play language scale and relates the language concepts and structures associated with each developmental play stage. (PHR)

The report describes a Prescreening Checklist which has been used to supplement speech, hearing, and language screening tests of preschool children. The Checklist is designed to gain information from the preschool teacher about the child's linguistic functioning in the classroom. (Author/PHR)

This article discusses the controversy between advocates of the discrete-point test and the integrative test as measures of the language proficiency of students of English as a second language. (CFM)