The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) program is exploring a change in Section 3 of the TOEFL test that would replace the vocabulary subpart with additional reading comprehension questions. This study investigated the proposed revision in terms of the length and timing that would be necessary to address concerns of test speededness of…

Two procedures were developed to determine whether examinees in a given test center were affected by a testing irregularity on the Listening Comprehension section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). One approach employed analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on Listening Comprehension (Section 1) means using scores on Structure and…

A model for testing listening comprehension in English as a Second Language is discussed and compared with the Test for English Majors (TEM). The model in question incorporates listening for: (1) understanding factual information; (2) comprehension and interpretation; (3) detailed and selective information; (4) global ideas; (5) on-line tasks…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences between learning disabled and nonlearning disabled students in skill areas and total scores on the Brigance K & 1 Screen for Kindergarten and First Grade. The study investigated whether students with learning disabilities would show significant weaknesses in language-based…

A study of 401 Chicago State University (Illinois) undergraduate students in elementary Spanish courses investigated the relationship between students' completion of homework assignments, both brief and lengthy, and student achievement on five to six teacher-developed exams administered during the semester. The study spanned six semesters. Results…

Test developers continue to struggle with the technical and logistical problems inherent in assessing achievement across different languages. Many testing programs offer separate language versions of a test to evaluate the achievement of examinees in different language groups. However, comparison of individuals who took different language versions…

Some of the issues involved in validating two English second-language listening comprehension tests are examined. The tests were two different levels of a listening summary-cloze measure developed for use in a battery of language proficiency tests in the second and fourth years of university-level study in China. In them, students listen to a talk…

A preliminary study is reported of the use of new multifaceted Rasch measurement mechanisms for investigating rater characteristics in language testing. Ratings from four judges of scripts from 50 candidates taking the International English Language Testing System test, a test of English for Academic Purposes, are analyzed. The analysis…

A computerized adaptive test for placement of students in postsecondary French second language courses is evaluated for unidimensionality of its three component tests: reading comprehension of a short paragraph; selection of the appropriate statement in a given situation; and a "fill-in-the-blank" section. A variety of statistical…

The purpose of this research was to compare two different forms of a placement test in French as a second language at the post-secondary level, a conventional test and a computerized test. First, expectations regarding a placement test as a measure of general proficiency are discussed and principles of adaptive testing that have been used to…

The purpose of this study was to determine which equating models are appropriate for the Alabama High School Graduation Examination (AHSGE) by equating two previously administered fall forms for each subject area of the AHSGE and determining whether differences exist in the test score distributions or passing scores resulting from the equating…

A discussion of language proficiency focuses on the conceptual framework for assessing proficiency and its implications for educational policy formation at the state and local levels. First, the concept of language is defined in terms of the interaction of these elements: language subsystems, communication skills, language domains, language…

The manual is designed to help Peace Corps language teachers design simple evaluation procedures that will: (1) help them select appropriate classroom activities; (2) encourage students to self-monitor their progress and take responsibility for learning; and (3) give insight into student aptitudes. An introductory chapter examines the relationship…

An assessment battery, measuring multiple aspects of language, was administered to 29 children between 4 and 5 years of age who had been born prematurely. The children, who weighed less than 2,500 grams at birth after less than 37 weeks of gestation, were recruited from a cohort of children originally admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit…

To help postgraduate students find resources for their studies or research, a World Wide Web page was created to provide information about language testing. Although the Web page is intended for people who do not have much knowledge and information about language testing, it is useful for anyone who is doing research in the area of language…