This study examined the effect of English grammatical proficiency on the ability of learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to transfer essay organization skills, newly learned in their first language (L1), to the second language (L2). The subjects were 104 inexpert EFL upper secondary school students from three schools in Iceland. The…

This paper reports on a study conducted to determine if comparisons between scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) are justifiable. The test scores of 216 Iranian graduate students who took the TOEFL and IELTS, as well as the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Higher…

Development of oral foreign language proficiency in high school and college instruction is complemented by well-designed writing exercises integrating all skills and providing contact with various language forms. A series of short, text-adaptable, proficiency-based writing activities reinforcing aural, oral, and reading skills throughout the basic…

In the first half of this century, language learning was considered essential in an individual's education, and language study was seen as improving native language comprehension and use, promoting higher levels skill development, and developing discipline. At the time, the training offered, generally in passive language skills, was appropriate…

The ability of the Rasch model computer program BIGSTEPS to perform concurrent calibration and differences in the outcomes between vertical equating using a common item anchoring method and a common item concurrent calibration method was examined. The data for the investigation came from two Chinese language tests that researchers wished to…

In 1990-91, the Austin Independent School District in Texas was awarded a 3-year Title VII grant to serve a population of "newcomers" (defined as students who had been in the United States for 1 year or less). The Newcomers Program was developed to serve the special needs of those students and to improve their English language…

In choosing to have students use the computer in unstructured writing activities, the instructor may prefer to cover basics during classroom sessions and have students use technological aids to expand on these basics in outside assignments. Out-of-class composition assignments force students to create with these basics on their own. Students use…

All students in the new, unique four-year degree program for technical translators at Flensburg Polytechnic (Germany) must study engineering as well as language and cultural skills, language information technology, and theoretical and practical aspects of translation. The program was conceived and established by engineers with an interest in…

This book on language tests and test use for English as a second language is aimed at both experienced and inexperienced teachers in both grade school and adult education. The text begins with an introduction to the history of language testing, including its value for both students and teachers, and its current state and types of tests available.…

A two-year study is reported of the transfer of two literacy skills, narrative comprehension and learning from text, from elementary school children's first language (Spanish) to their second (English). For each skill, the primary research question was the degree to which the students' first language (L1) performance was predictive of their second…

These 25 papers address issues of second language assessment and curriculum planning. The papers are divided into three categories: theoretical foundations, assessment approaches, and research and policy. Among the specific topics discussed are: whether tests measure language or intelligence, additive versus subtractive bilingualism, the…

This report describes a study on the development of children's conceptualizations of written language, that is, their graphic sense. The study investigated three issues: (1) whether acquisition of literacy is a developmental process common to all normal children, (2) whether the levels of graphic sense tend to be associated with particular…

A study was designed to investigate the nature of language proficiency and its cross-lingual dimensions. The focus of the study was on the interdependence hypothesis, that older immigrant students whose first language (L1) cognitive/academic proficiency is better developed on arrival in Canada will acquire English cognitive/academic skills more…

This article describes a language achievement test designed for French students studying English. It evaluates reading and listening comprehension, and grammatical and lexical skills. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Describes a mixture of rigid and flexible grouping by achievement on the basis of the television course "Speak Out" in the 7th school year of a Gesamtschule offering supplementary courses. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)