In 2017, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funded Mathematica to conduct the Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) project. The project aims to examine existing efforts across states, institutions of higher education, professional organizations, and…

The group discussion test has gained prominence as a measure of oral interaction skills in second-language learning. This article reviews test types and administration, the communicative nature of the test, development of criteria and rating scales, and advantages. A sample rating scale is appended. (Contains 15 references.) (LB)

A discussion of language testing focuses on how proficiency scales are constructed and applied to communicative language assessment in Australian secondary schools. A variety of rating scale types are described and distinguished according to how they are constructed, what they attempt to measure, and what criteria they contain. A more detailed…

Many educational institutions are currently attempting to improve their attention to speaking and listening in curriculum and instruction, and this guide is intended to assist educators to become more knowledgeable about tools for assessing speaking and listening. Designed for those somewhat knowledgeable in the areas of assessment and language…

Describes an experiment designed to determine which language errors interfere to the greatest degree with comprehension by native speakers of the language. For this purpose, an instructor prepared a list of most serious Spanish language errors which was submitted to native speakers for evaluation in terms of comprehension and acceptability. (MES)

This evaluation package contains two model tests, one for the Alberta (Canada) French 20 course (intermediate 4/5) and one for French 30 (intermediate 5/6). The tests were designed for holistic evaluation of high school students' language performance based on an experiential/communicative approach. They allow teachers to obtain a sampling of…

The article describes the capabilities and features of basic microcomputer systems and describes special education applications: computer assisted instruction, prosthesis, testing, communication, and enhancing personal relations. Problems such as the availability of authoring languages, high quality educational software, and computer safety are…

A discussion of the role of cultural education in the advanced Chinese language course first outlines a communicative approach to second language teaching and testing, defines culture and looks at its importance to the second language learner, and describes methods for creating a language classroom environment reflecting Chinese culture. The…

Materials to be used in workshops to teach language teacher trainees the communicative approach to language testing are presented. The materials were developed from a 1985 Council of Europe workshop held in York, England. They include preliminary notes for workshop organizers, an introductory "ice-breaker" activity, and six content…

Asserts that evaluating cooperative learning experiences is both traditional in the tools used and innovative in the way the results benefit students and teachers. Provides suggestions for encouraging interdependence, grading group projects, and evaluating both academic achievement and group process skills. (CFR)

The objectives, construction, and use of the lowest and most general test of the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris series of business French proficiency tests are outlined, and the centers authorized to administer the test in the United States are listed. (MSE)

Describes the functional/notional approach to language instruction, discussing key features, misconceptions, and practical applications of the model. (AM)

A study assessed the applicability of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) procedures' Performance-Against-Standard form for use in personnel evaluation by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service. The study also compared relevant test construction approaches identified in the literature to those used in the AIR study in attempting to confirm…

An oral testing method used in an intensive high school Spanish program is based on a model of communicative competence positing four forms of competence: strategic; sociolinguistic; discourse; and linguistic. All oral domains but linguistic are tested in the first and second years. In the first year, benchmark testing occurs. The rubric used has…

An intermediate level course in a university French program, entitled "Problems in Language and Style," is intended to develop students' skills in reading, writing, and speaking French through extensive work in building vocabulary and idioms. After a thorough and methodical reading of one novel and one play, the students are expected to read most…