The oral proficiency scale of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) and the Educational Testing Service is reviewed as an instrument for measuring the levels of language proficiency for college undergraduates and high school students. The scale is a modification of the U.S. Government's Foreign Service Institute Scale,…

The effect of collaborative testing on junior high school students' scores was investigated. Twenty-two students in grades 7, 8, and 9 were given curriculum-based tests in their pre-algebra classes. Some tests were taken individually in the traditional manner, and others were taken collaboratively by students in pairs over a 10-week period.…

The National Teacher Examination (NTE) was given to a sample of 64 new trades and industrial (T&I) teachers attending 6-week workshops in Maryland during three summers. Each summer 18 to 25 teachers took the three tests in the Core Battery of the NTE, as well as a selection of other tests. The project sought to determine the pass-fail ratio of…

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) published a new learning style instrument in 1986--the NASSP Learning Style Profile (LSP). The LSP yields independent scores on 24 discrete elements of learning style. Its purpose is to provide educators with a well-validated and easy to use instrument for diagnosing cognitive styles,…

This review of the literature on testing urban students indicates that standardized tests may not reflect accurately the ability and achievement of poor minority children. Further, new research in cognition makes clear that both teaching and testing could be structured to better prepare students for the complex thinking required by life. Since…

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…

This guide presents ratings of assessment instruments for use by speech-language pathologists with preschool students. Tests are reviewed in alphabetical order on forms filled out by practicing speech-language pathologists, including data on speech components covered by each test, age range, factors of norms where norms are used, reliability,…

Legal issues at the state and constitutional levels and associated misconceptions related to written preemployment integrity tests are addressed. Common misconceptions include the beliefs that: (1) such tests fall within the purview of state antipolygraph statutes; (2) unfair discrimination doctrines are violated by integrity testing; and (3)…

This review of issues involved in the use of intelligence tests in Alberta (Canada) schools included consideration of: the nature of intelligence; the measurement of intelligence (instrument variables, examiner variables, and interpretation variables); student rights; implications of intelligence test results in decision making (labeling of…

Statewide minimum competency testing programs have emphasized basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing. However, continuing concerns are expressed in national reports about the level of achievement, particularly in mathematics and science, and increased testing has been suggested as a means of encouraging curriculum change and evaluating…

A number of challenges will be faced by the school testing community in the future. The content of achievement tests must match the curriculum, which changes its focus over the years. Test content should reflect expanding curriculum areas such as computer literacy, consumer skills, and critical thinking. Test publishers will provide data for…

In response to concerns raised by principals at both the elementary and intermediate levels regarding the amount of instructional time consumed by students taking tests which were not related to day-to-day instruction, a study was conducted of the amount of time spent preparing to give such tests and actually administering them, and the manner in…

The purpose of the conference, "Wagging the Dog, Carting the Horse: Testing vs. Improving California Schools," was to discuss alternative perspectives on testing and evaluation in education and their role in improving teaching and learning. Four papers were presented: (1) "Using Educational Evaluation for the Improvement of California Schools," by…

The papers in this monograph address an issue of importance to educational policy and practice: the use of testing and evaluation to assess the quality of education and to facilitate school improvement. The authors consider the traditional role that testing has played in accountability and the role that assessment and evaluation can and should…

This paper describes the Multiple Assessment Programs and Services (MAPS) Placement Research Service. Students entering nonselective colleges show a wide range of ability. The College Board offers these colleges a number of tests of reading, writing, and mathematics skills for use in placing students appropriately. The MAPS Placement Research…