Provides data and discussion about the effect of different kinds of testing upon the distribution of scores for racial minorities. Also considers the issue of direct versus indirect measures of writing ability and the place of usage testing in the measurement of writing ability. (RL)

Describes the nature of recent changes in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and provides a rationale for their introduction. Notes that IELTS is widely accepted as a reliable means of assessing whether candidates are ready to study or train in the medium of English. (five references) (Author/CK)

Ten suggestions are offered for managing disruptive behavior so that optimal test performance is elicited from children (ages 2-12), including: establish rules and teach a ready position; provide praise; give effective instructions; use rewards; time breaks carefully; use active ignoring and redirection; use choice statements; and maintain…

This article highlights alternate assessment scoring and reporting in Delaware and Indiana. Delaware's alternate assessment portfolios are scored by two third parties using a multidimensional rubric. In Indiana, lead teachers use a rubric similar to that used in general education assessments to score alternate assessment electronic portfolios.…

This document, in both English and French versions, is the Biology 30 Grade 12 Diploma Examination from Alberta Education. It is a 2.5 hour closed-book examination consisting of 48 multiple-choice and 8 numerical-response questions of equal value that are worth 70% of the examination, and 2 written-response questions of equal value worth 30% of…

To evaluate test speededness and to derive implications for test program activity, this document presents an annotated bibliography on studies of test speededness. The 64 citations range from 1902 to 1976, and include the seminal articles by Cronbach and Warrington (1951) and Gulliksen (1959); articles which summarize the previous literature on…

This paper reports an attempt to determine experimentally if the use of a textbook for reference during examinations, along with requiring test performance to a criterion, facilitates learning and retention. (JH)

A multiple choice test focusing on the contributions of Black Americans to the development of the United States is presented with an accompanying bibliography. The test is not intended to be an evaluation device but is more of a stimulator, a diagnostic instrument, a reference tool, an awareness motivator, and an incentive for further…

It is suggested in this column that trends in language testing in the last 15 years have followed trends in modern language teaching. Language testing adopted the tenets of audiolingualism and contrastive analysis, then incorporated test-making procedures of psychometrics, and finally became more eclectic in its approach. (SW)

Indicates females perform better on the two color cards of the "Stroop Color and Word Test" but there were no differences on pure measures of performance between males and females. (RB)

Two cases are cited to suggest that problem-solving has more value for the intellectual development of children when compared to the passive virtue of already knowing the answer. (DW)

The paper offers a brief history of adaptive behavior measurement; the concept of adaptation was first introduced by Herber in 1959. An Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) sponsored by the American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD) was applied to schools--the Public School Version (PSV)--about 10 years ago, the first of many such measures. To…

The paper presents one strategy for sequencing the task assessment of severely handicapped individuals to facilitate more precise and concise assessment. The proposed sequence includes the following steps: (1) clarifying the purpose for testing, (2) collecting background information to increase the possibility of obtaining more accurate and…

The study examined the effect of test modifications on the performance of 10 handicapped preschoolers on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Form L-M). Adaptations of both stimulus and response modes were designed and constructed for subtests at the preschool levels on the Stanford-Binet. Attempts were made to maintain the functional…