To meet the instructional needs of the hundreds of children who speak the Ladin and Surselvan Raeto-Romance dialects of Switzerland, spelling categories pertinent to the two dialects were established based on the spelling test concept of Rudolf Mueller. Following classic test analysis procedures, three diagnostic dictation tests (one in Ladin, two…

This catalog describes 342 tests appropriate for identifying the needs of bilingual students, for diagnosing their ability, and for assessing programs. The tests are appropriate for ages kindergarten through adult, and are written in the following languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Cambodian, Cantonese, Chinese, Cherokee, Chamorro, Crow,…

One hundred twenty first-grade Mexican-American students (60 from each Fort Worth and Laredo, Texas) were subjects of an experiment which attempted to determine whether bilingualism inhibits verbal ability in one or both of the children's languages. The PPVT-A (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Form A) was used to test verbal ability and…

A handbook for use by curriculum supervisors, teachers, and administrators presents guidelines for the establishment, operation, and evaluation of foreign language programs in California. The first part outlines the state's legal provisions for foreign language study while the second section deals with sources of assistance in language programs.…

Distractors, the incorrect responses to an item on a multiple-choice test, should be designed to create confusion in the minds of some students and to permit a competent student to be able to see that they are wrong. It is possible, by close scrutiny, to isolate the sources of this confusion and, by looking at a statistical analysis, to find out…

This document reports on the foreign language training offered in the Peace Corps. Following a brief introductory statement, a list of languages taught by the Peace Corps in the years 1961-67 is provided, as well as a brief description of Peace Corps language training methods. Guidelines for language coordinators are outlined, and the approach to…

This paper presents a preliminary model for a table of specifications for Language Curricula Development Center Language Arts materials. Description of the development of the Criterion-Referenced Unit Achievement Tests, including the tests' design, precedes the recommended model. The model categorizes the main components and behaviors of the SCDC…

This guide first points out the difficulty and the lack of reliability involved in using tests to evaluate the abilities of children from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds. Suggestions are then given for using existing evaluation techniques to test the English language proficiency of children at kindergarten level. The following…

This publication is a compilation of the papers presented at the 1974 Washington Language Testing Sumposium. The volume also includes much of the discussion that followed each paper. The participants were an international group of language testing specialists from academic institutions, research centers, and government agencies. The primary focus…

This report is a summary of the results of the administration of the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) Proficiency Tests to native speakers in Chile, Columbia, France, German, Italy, and Spain. The notion of a "superior" level of competence in reading, writing, aural comprehension, and speaking a second language is specified…

Four- and six-year language programs emphasizing the development of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural understanding are outlined in this guide. Major sections cover guiding principles in the development of the foreign language curriculum, teaching techniques, and evaluation. Subclassified materials include coverage…

In an attempt to deal with the current foreign language enrollment and learning problems created by the number of students who discontinue foreign language study after the sixth to eighth grade learning sequence, this pilot study seeks to identify, through the use of the Modern Language Aptitude Test and the Foreign Language Attitude Scale with…

The focus of this conference on the classroom teacher and the dynamics of his professional growth is introduced in the principal address delivered by F. Andre Paquette and is expanded in the four other papers comprising the bulk of this document. The latter include--(1) "The Role of the Teacher in the Dynamics of Continuing Professional…

Intended as a comprehensive introduction to the construction and use of foreign language tests, this book utilizes modern linguistic knowledge as a base for scientific language testing. Major attention in testing is focused on such integrated language skills as auditory and reading comprehension, speaking, writing, translation, and over-all…

This cooperative research project, supported by the Office of Education Bureau of Research, attempts to answer questions on the effectiveness of reading instruction during a sixth grade beginning Spanish program. Major areas studied include: (1) the effects of reading instruction on listening, speaking, and reading skills, (2) the amounts of…