The ever increasing explosion of highly attractive multimedia resources on offer has boosted the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of modern languages. The use of ICT to assess languages is less frequent, however, although online testing is starting to develop. This paper examines the national…

Provides examples of listening comprehension tests used in England which take into account communicative skill testing. (AM)

Background: Adequate assessment of "normal variation" versus "abnormal status" is particularly difficult for clinicians working with young children who are under 5 years of age and who present with slow language development. There is therefore clinical motivation to identify possible key difficulties (or "risk…

The BBC's French educational programs are valuable for classroom use. Use of worksheets with essay questions, filling in blanks in a passage, and writing equivalents of phrases can test pupils' comprehension. Tape copying is discussed, and a sample worksheet appended. (CHK)

Presents principles behind the construction of English-as-Second-Language (ESL) standards for schools, drawing on examples of ESL standards developed in Australia, England, Wales, and the United States. Examines how differences in purposes in these standards--planning, professional understanding, and reporting--influence how ESL standards might…

This study examines the effects of foreign students' knowledge of a particular academic area on their comprehension of written texts in English. The students' university majors or areas of study included administration and finance, engineering, math and/or physics, and liberal arts. In two studies, the students performed tasks related to texts in…

Students and teachers are dissatisfied with sixth form language instruction and examinations, claiming that their purposes and goals are confused and not clearly articulated. The suggested new emphasis involves instruction in various specific and practical modes of written and oral language production, written translation, and reading and…

The problems and advantages of multiple-choice tests in German at A-level are discussed. (CHK)

Focuses on a group of bilingual children within a large cohort of children with specific language impairment (SLI) attending language units attached to mainstream primary schools across England. Comparison of the bilingual children with their monolingual peers revealed differential performance on standardized speech and language assessment…

The A-Level literature exams are criticized for using language that is too vague or too difficult, and concepts too involved or sophisticated for the student. It is suggested that examiners confer with teachers and compose questions that are clear and explicit. (CHK)

Analysis of advanced English-as-a-second-language students' responses to proficiency tests and conversational cloze tests after a six-month residency in England revealed that, while written multiple-choice tests clearly showed linguistic improvement, the oral cloze tests separated out subjects more effectively. (Author/CB)

This article presents an interview with Dr. John Trim, which was recorded at his home in Cambridge on January 21, 2005, not long after his 80th birthday in October 2004. Although he would not consider himself a language tester, Dr. Trim has followed the trends in language assessment since the 1960s and his own work, particularly as a coauthor of…

The future of Greek in the English school system is seen to be directly dependent on two major issues discussed in this paper. The author argues in the first instance for the teaching of Greek literature in translation, particularly to the non-specialist. The second issue of importance is treated in a review of program articulation and examination…

This article examines teaching methods for developing foreign language comprehension in students, with attention to methods of testing comprehension. Reading materials should include journals, newspapers, and items concerning teenage culture. The English summary of a French text is recommended for testing comprehension; examples of this exercise…

Describes the criteria behind the development of the English Language Testing Service system, a new language proficiency evaluation instrument developed by the British Council. This system is based on an analysis of foreign students' communication needs in the context of their professional training and academic life. Societe Nouvelle Didier…