Language testing must be an integral component of any foreign language program. It should relate closely to the objectives of the program so that students are tested on what they practice in the classroom. Although language testing during the past few decades has been concerned primarily with measuring only linguistic knowledge, more consideration…

Part One of this guide explores issues in English proficiency testing. Tests are discussed in terms of the aspect of language tested, and of different kinds of test tasks. The following kinds of test task defects are treated: (1) tests that required literacy skills, (2) tasks that reduce to a vocabulary test, and (3) errant notions of linguistic…

In an effort to comply with bilingual instruction requirements, school districts throughout California will soon be involved in testing vast numbers of children to determine language proficiency and language dominance. Many language tests will require a child to repeat a sentence or a phrase in exactly the same manner that is stated by an examiner…

THIS STUDY, CONDUCTED IN QUITO, EQUADOR FROM MAY THROUGH JULY, 1966, WAS DESIGNED TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING TRANSFORMATIONAL CONCEPTS, SYMBOLS, AND TERMINOLOGY DIRECTLY IN THE CLASSROOM. FORTY-FOUR GIRLS AGED TWELVE TO FIFTEEN WERE DIVIDED INTO A CONTROL AND AN EXPERIMENT GROUP AFTER BEING GIVEN GENERAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS AND TWO…

THE FIRST SOUTHERN CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE TEACHING ACQUAINTED TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE LEVELS WITH MODERN TECHNIQUES OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED LECTURES, WORK-STUDY SESSIONS, DEMONSTRATION CLASSES, FILMS, AND EXHIBITS OF EQUIPMENT. THIS REPORT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES--(1)…

Tests for the very young child must be nonverbal, and must be fairly brief, inexpensive, and reasonably simple to score and administer. This annotated bibliography represents a selected sample of 109 tests for children aged two through six. The selection covers most of the areas assessed in early childhood programs, including intelligence,…

Neither grammar-translation methods in foreign language learning nor the subsequent emphasis on spoken language paid sufficient attention to the importance of fluent reading with comprehension in a foreign language. However, the introduction of new means of testing, notably by multiple-choice questions, stimulated renewed interest in the…

In recent years, T-unit analysis has been applied in second language research to characterize the syntactic nature of linguistic input and to assess the syntactic maturity of the learners' written production. This measure has been seen to provide an objective and reliable method of determining the overall complexity of language samples. However,…

The Mohawk Language Checklist was developed for the intermediate grades, after the implementation of the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 increased the need for Mohawk language materials. It was designed to: (1) determine the need for bilingual instruction; (2) identify students needing bilingual instruction; and (3) determine the effectiveness of…

Intended for staff of diagnostic-prescriptive centers, the manual is designed to provide information about the Oregon Model Center for Learning Disabilities. Chapters cover the following topics: factors involved with learning; procedures and organization of the Center; assessment of psychological, educational, and language needs; procedures for…

A study was conducted to test the validity of the Linguistic Features Hypothesis, which predicts that unmarked personal pronouns will be learned first by children, yielding the following order of acquisition: first person before second, followed by third; singular before plural; and subjective case before objective or genitive. A review of the…

The second of four documents provides a summary of the scientific literature pertaining to spontaneous language acquisition in handicapped preschool children, and reviews and evaluates procedures for assessing language acquisition in these children. Chapter l focuses on language development in nonhandicapped children after they have acquired their…

Following a review of language research and program results during the previous decade, a projection of ultimate and immediate goals in foreign language teaching during 1965-75 is made. The suggestions are incorporated under the headings of the audiolingual approach, programed instruction, linguists' role, mechanical aids, testing, program…

TWENTY HEAD START PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WERE GIVEN THREE LANGUAGE TASKS DESIGNED TO MEASURE THEIR LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT--(1) A PRODUCTION TASK REQUIRED THE CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN FREE SPEECH. THE CHILDREN WERE ASKED TO ANSWER A QUESTION, TO DESCRIBE A SERIES OF PICTURES, AND TO RETELL A STORY. THE FREE SPEECH OF THE CHILDREN IN RESPONSE TO THESE…

A current exploratory research project is directed toward developing means for gathering systematic data on nonverbal representation in young children. Tasks involving nonverbal representational functioning have been developed, evaluated in preliminary work with fifteen 4-year-old subjects, and revised. The revised series of tasks consists of four…