Describes techniques for measuring and developing the syntactic fluency of students learning French. (P M P)

Various claims have been made about the efficiency of different composition scoring schemes. This paper reports the results of a systematic analysis of the robustness of holistic scoring, analytical scoring, and an obective diagnostic test, Davidson's "Test of the Ability to Subordinate." Compositions from an advanced English as a Second…

This paper concerns issues related to testing English for Science and Technology in Germany. One problem is that both teachers and students are trained primarily in literary English and so have little knowledge of the content and the conventions of scientific writing. Another problem is the difficulties that arise when needs, aims, and methods…

This report describes research in progress at Duisburg University on a modification of the cloze principle in language testing. Four problem areas in classical cloze tests are isolated and discussed, namely, text selection, test construction, scoring, and interpretation. The "C-tests" in the process of development use the theoretical…

Three arguments are generally advanced about why language testing is not more familiar to teachers. The arguments are that the material on testing is not readily available or relevant to teaching, that it is out of date, and that it is not taught in teacher training or in-service training. A review of research led to inconclusive evidence on the…

Communicative competence in a given language is not guaranteed by competency in the understanding and use of linguistic structures. As part of the testing corpus of an individual's communicative competence in a second language, an oral proficiency interview may provide some insight into the individual's communicative ability in a variety of…

High school students in Quebec city were tested for their ability to choose Standard French as opposed to Anglicized modes of expression. Lexical, syntagmatic, and phrase Anglicisms were covered. Both direct lexical borrowings from English and translations of idiomatic English terms were included. Students were divided into categories according to…

Advanced level French syllabuses of the nine GCE Boards in the United Kingdom are examined. The Southern Universities Joint Board has recently introduced the most radical innovations. As an alternative to its traditional examination it offers Syllabus "B" which dispenses with prescribed tests, but where each student must produce for the…

Five language assessment tests (LATs) are used for identifying children of limited English speaking ability in Texas: Basic Inventory of Natural Language; Bilingual Syntax Measure; Language Assessment Scales; Primary Acquisition of Language; and Schutt Primary Language Indicator Test. Interrelationships between LATs and relationships between the…

AN INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING LANGUAGE MATURITY SHOULD BE EASILY ADMINISTRABLE AND SCOREABLE AND SHOULD BE BASED ON VALID INDICES OF LANGUAGE MATURITY. A RECENT STUDY BY KELLOG W. HUNT SUGGESTED THAT THESE INDICES BE BASED ON A NEW SYNTACTIC UNIT, THE T-UNIT, CONSISTING OF 1 MAIN CLAUSE TOGETHER WITH ANY CLAUSES SUBORDINATED TO IT. COORDINATED MAIN…

AN EXPERIMENTAL COLLEGE COURSE WAS DEVELOPED TO TEST THE EFFICACY OF TWO MODERN APPROACHES OF TEACHING FRENCH. THE EXPERIMENTAL CLASSES USED A TEXT WHICH INCORPORATED THE USE OF AUDIOVISUAL TECHNIQUES FOR MORE COMPLETE CONVERSATIONAL MASTERY. THE CLASSES WERE GIVEN SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS AND PRE- AND POST-TESTED ON (1) COMPREHENSION, (2)…

THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION'S "COOPERATIVE CLASSROOM PROFICIENCY TESTS" WERE USED IN THE CONDUCT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MODERN LANGUAGE HONORS PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN INDIANA. THESE TESTS WERE USED IN (1) DETERMINING THE LANGUAGE LEARNING SITUATION IN THE STATE, (2) SELECTING THE POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS FOR THE HONORS…

A project is described that was undertaken to investigate: (1) how long a cloze test has to be to achieve optimum reliability without wasting anyone's time; and (2) how cloze tests should be scored in order to obtain maximum reliability. The literature recommended 50 deletions in order to provide for an adequate sample of examinee's abilities; it…

A test was constructed to measure a person's ability to produce Spanish sounds which are considered difficult but which must be mastered for fluency in Spanish. The test was used with learners from kindergarten to college. It was consensually validated by a panel of bilingual specialists after analyzing it according to contrastive analysis…

Results of some of the Modern Language Association (MLA) Cooperative Foreign Language Tests, administered to students of Spanish, German, and French in grades 9-12 in the Pennsbury School District of Pennsylvania are compared with the national norms. Although most of the comparison is set up in tablees a summary of the analysis is included.…