The 146 tests described in this bibliography include measures of expressive language, language development, articulation, language or communication problems, morpheme development, receptive skills, language proficiency, and social-communication skills. Types of tests include achievement, aptitude, screening, and diagnostic instruments. Various…

This publication presents an overview of international teaching assistant (TA) training programs at universities in the United States, along with analyses of major themes that emerge from these program descriptions. Section 1, the bulk of the document, consists of one- to two-page descriptions of programs for international TAs that are in place at…

A Scottish study investigated qualities contributing to or detracting from an oral foreign language test's ability to test communicative competence in conversation. The study was undertaken in French, German, and Spanish second language classes in the third and fourth years of secondary school. Pupil discourse competence was assessed during verbal…

Pronunciation is an important subskill in second language learning, therefore worth evaluating. Its quality is commonly assessed in a global, impressionistic way by having learners read aloud. While this allows comparison of examinees' skills, ability to read aloud is a possible confounding variable. An alternative method is to have learners read…

The symposium from which these papers are gathered was one component of the Assessment of Bilingual Persons Project to pursue research on the nature of language proficiency and to keep teachers informed of related assessment issues for classroom assessment improvement. The papers include: "A Sociolinguistic/Discourse Approach to the…

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the English language proficiency of foreign students who apply for higher education in the United States. It is administered according to a strict schedule through the International and Special Center (I&SC) testing program or at ad hoc intervals by institutional users as part of the…

A study examined the errors in the use of prepositions, particularly of prepositional verbs, made by native Greek speakers learning English. Two tests were constructed, one a translation of a Greek text into English and the other a series of English sentences to be completed with the appropriate prepositional word based on the Greek equivalent…

Developments in one major corporation's ongoing program to evaluate employees' English language proficiency are discussed. The testing program was developed by the multinational E. I. DuPont de Nemours corporation for use with international employees. The history and rationale for the selection of the five English tests used are outlined, the…

Computerized adaptive testing for language teaching and learning takes advantage of two properties of the computer: its number-crunching and multiple-branching capabilities. Adaptive testing has also been called tailored testing because it aims at presenting items that suit the student's competence and that are informative, using an item bank and…

Three research studies conducted at Thai universities involving language testing and courses in General English and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) are discussed. The first study examined the predictive validity of different types of language tests on academic achievement in General English and EAP courses. It found that the test format, as…

The second step of implementation of the legalization program of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) began on November 7, 1988. This second step is the process by which undocumented immigrants, initially granted temporary residence, may adjust to their status change to permanent resident. Certain aspects of the adjustment are…

The Netherlands' secondary education system is highly differentiated, with four different school types for four scholastic ability levels. Final examinations must accommodate these four levels, and require a test-independent definition of the intended final ability levels as well as a sample-free evaluation of the range of ability levels at which…

This study investigates the validity of second language vocabulary tests, and whether or not test scores accurately reflect the quality of language behavior in real-life situations. It attempts to prove the validity of vocabulary testing by comparing test scores to indices of vocabulary richness in second language production. The student subjects…

The first in a planned series of three annual evaluations of an innovative French second language program in a Quebec (province) school district includes a brief program description, discussion of the evaluation methodology, and presentation of the results of the Spring, 1984 testing that is the focal point of the evaluation. The evaluation…

The development of the oral component of the Test in English for Educational Purposes (TEEP) for foreign students in British universities was undertaken using information from previous oral test development efforts and a survey of 645 university admissions officers concerning students' communication skill needs. The resulting test is intended to…