Looks at some of the methods of testing foreign language learning which are closely related to, yet pre-date, Wilson Taylor's cloze procedure. These include the Ebbinghaus Completion Method, which was first reported in 1897 and was used to test mental ability. Describes later modifications of the Ebbinghaus Method. (SED)

Describes the "Texas Project," a project to train a cadre of Texas-based college-level teachers of French, German, and Spanish to serve as oral-proficiency interviewers and raters. Discusses the four goals of the project and reports on its current status. (SED)

Describes a first-year German course at Portland State University whose dominant feature is regular, frequent individual oral testing using the Interagency Language Roundtable model of the oral interview. Each student was individually tested every two weeks. Describes the testing procedure, giving sample test scripts and the transcript of an…

Discusses a study of the reliability of a categorical instrument for evaluating compositions written by upper intermediate university English as a second language students. The instrument tests organization, logical development of ideas, grammar, mechanics, and style. Results indicate that the scoring instrument is moderately reliable. (SED)

A study determining that a single test incorporating several special features can adequately place and evaluate native speakers and nonnative learners of Spanish is described. The description of native speaker proficiency is also refined. (MSE)

Describes a test developed by the Foreign Language Monitoring Project in Great Britain to obtain a national picture of pupils' performance in their first foreign language at age 13. The tasks included in the test are designed to reflect the language needs and experience of the pupils being tested. (SED)

The Nordic Test Development Group prepared proficiency tests of English designed to provide reliable information on which to base decisions as to whether a candidate would be able to function in a job as described or whether he could be trained to do so. Two subtests used a modified cloze procedure. (Author/CFM)

Examined was the relationship between the presence of articulation disorders and performance on the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA) with 30 elementary grade children with either mild-moderate or moderate-severe articulation disorders. (DB)

The Teacher Rating of Oral Language and Literacy (TROLL) is an instrument that measures skills identified as critical in the New Standards for Speaking and Listening. In 5 to 10 minutes and without prior training, teachers can assess an individual child's current standing with respect to skills that research has identified as critical for literary…

This paper focuses on the rationale and underlying processes of an Inter/intranet tool designed to evaluate oral tests and especially the university entrance examination according to the national minimal requirements. This exam is taken by up to 100,000 students simultaneously. This presentation gives information of the tool design and up-to-now…

Recently, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) changed by including a writing section that gives the examinee an option between computer and handwritten formats to compose their responses. Unfortunately, this may introduce several potential sources of error that might reduce the reliability and validity of the scores. The seriousness…

Recently, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) changed by including a direct writing assessment where examinees choose between computer and handwritten composition formats. Unfortunately, examinees may have differential access to and comfort with computers; as a result, scores across these formats may not be comparable. Analysis of…

Investigates differences in the performance of Spanish-speaking children on alternate forms of the Oral Vocabulary Subtest of the Inter-American Test of General Abilities (Manuel, 1967) in Spanish and English that may be attributed to the factors of practice effect, language level, and chance errors of measurement. (Author)

Through example, shows that the accuracy of the assessment of language competence, performance, and dominance of the potentially bilingual student may be seriously impaired by inappropriate conditions of observation and lack of knowledge by the assessor. (TO)

Based on a paper by H. Schenk presented at 3. Arbeitstagung der Gesellschaft fur Angewandte Linguistik, Stuttgart, West Germany, 7-9 October, 1971 (Third Workshop of the Society for Applied Linguistics). (DD)