This paper traces developments in educational psychology and measurement that led to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) and the application of educational measurement terms such as validity and reliability to testing. Use of a table of specifications for planning…

This paper discusses the construction of language tests, particularly for English as a Second Language (ESL), that focus on language use in real situations. Linguistic theories that provide background for language test construction are reviewed, and application of those theories to ESL instruction in Japan is examined, with attention to the…

A collection of essays addresses issues in alternative assessment in English as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Chapter 1, "Toward a Definition of Alternative Assessment," (Priscilla Butler) gives an overview of the concept of alternative assessment and introduces some theoretical considerations. Chapter 2, "The Roots of…

A study investigated alternative methods of assessing student language skills in Arlington County (Virginia) public schools' Spanish/English two-way bilingual partial immersion program, with the objective of improving information for developing more effective teaching. A team of teachers from each participating school worked with researchers to…

This document consists of the separately published test booklet, two student answer booklets, and test administration guide for Alberta's beginning-level French as a second language test. The student test booklet contains instructions, largely in English, and questions, largely in French, on aspects of daily life in and out of school. Three…

This resource guide is designed for teachers and others interested in fostering Spanish instruction in the schools of the United Kingdom, especially at the secondary level. The first of nine chapters looks at the status of and rationale for Spanish language instruction in the United Kingdom. The second chapter addresses topics in instructional…

A study investigated the hypothesis that topic familiarity and assessed difficulty of a second language text correlated positively with performance on reading comprehension tests in languages for special purposes (LSP). Subjects were 177 advanced students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at Ben Gurion University (Israel). Faculty from the…

Louisiana's elementary school French second language program is described. An introductory section gives background information about program history. The second contains a statement concerning the foreign language crisis in American education, written to be used as a public awareness presentation. Section 3 outlines the state's overall program…

The evolution of a British communicative language teaching project at the University of Leicester is chronicled. The project brought together local education agencies, examination boards, advisors, teachers, and researchers to develop three levels of graded instructional objectives across the ability range in grades 7-9 and a standardized test,…

A discussion of second language program evaluation focuses on the interpretability of test scores as a criterion in program evaluation. It looks at both test design and research design issues. First, eight method-comparison, program evaluation studies that compare acquisition-based and analysis/practice based methods are described. Acquisition…

Articles and reports in this issue include the following: "Co-text or No Text: A Study of an Adapted Cloze Technique" (Dave Coniam); "Small-Corpora Concordancing in ESL Teaching and Learning" (Bruce K.C. Ma); "Interdisciplinary Dimensions of Debate" (S. Byron, L. Goldstein, D. Murphy, E. Roberts); "Can English…

This guide contains descriptive and evaluative information on 47 major commercially-available English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tests in current use around the world. For each test, the following information is provided: complete title; acronym; publication date; targeted audience; intended purpose; scoring method; administration type (group or…

The relationship between instructional treatment manifested as mastery learning and non-mastery learning strategies and various measures of Spanish proficiency was studied with 41 freshmen at an all-female high school in the New Orleans (Louisiana) area. Subjects were grouped homogeneously into 2 classes of 22 and 19 students, representing the…

In a response to the National Governors Association (NGA) goals and objectives related to second language study, the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) makes a case in support of 10 NGA principles for change. It is emphasized that the study of a second language must remain an essential component of any efforts to improve the quality of…

An instructional guide for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers is presented in this volume. The 18-week program contains the following modules, each of which includes sections on civics and structure: human relations; general information; housing; consumer education (money, banking, and shopping modules); occupations; health (two modules…