Two studies that compare the use of analysis of patterns in time (APT) (formerly non-metric temporal path analysis) and the linear models approach (LMA) are reported. In the first study, scores on the College Entrance Examination Board French Achievement Test (CEEBFAT), number of years of study of high school French (YHSF), and course achievement…

An adaptation of an impressionistic scoring method developed for use on student placement in an English as a second language (ESL) program is described and a correlational study of its reliability is presented. The method was chosen because of its efficiency and apparent reliability. The original emphasis of organization, length, and content of…

Where English as a Second Language is taught as part of the regular school curriculum, student motivation may be limited. One solution is to encourage involvement in learning by having students write their own tests. For classroom tests used in formative evaluation, this approach can be applied to both group and individual work. A unit from an…

A study investigated the reliability and validity of the partial dictation test, a combination of dictation and cloze procedure, to measure foreign language listening comprehension. Subjects were 78 students of English as a Foreign Language in the second year of high school in Spain. Students listened to a passage from a commercial reader three…

This study investigates the strength of relationships between direct measures (holistic scores for free writing samples) and indirect measures (the Test of Ability to Subordinate) of attained writing proficiency in English as a second language. Subjects were 67 undergraduate foreign language students enrolled in Basic Composition for Foreign…

The traditional upper-level course in French civilization at Utah State University was abandoned in favor of a course entitled "France Today," taught once a year to a consistent enrollment of students majoring in a wide variety of disciplines. The content varies somewhat each year, but the class typically begins with several class…

A discussion of the ease or difficulty of learning vocabulary words in a second language looks at a variety of issues in second language instruction. Research on factors in vocabulary learning is discussed, focusing on such factors as similarity in form and morphology, deceptive morphological structure, different syntactic patterning in the native…

The importance of assessing language proficiency levels and the relationship of this priority to the teaching of Russian at the university level are discussed. Serious concerns about the value of language-specific proficiency guidelines are raised, and an argument is presented suggesting that language-specific guidelines may lead to undue emphasis…

A study was carried on to analyze a data set in order to determine whether evidence can be found to support or refute the unitary factor hypothesis of language proficiency, which asserts that there is a single language dimension or factor underlying different language tests. The subjects were 50 advanced adult learners of English as a second…

The development of a Spanish computerized adaptive placement test at Brigham Young University (Utah) is described. The test is based on an approach that locates an examinee's ability along a continuum of latent ability rather than determining the degree to which an individual's ability differs from the abilities of others taking the test, as in…

A study evaluated a composition grading scale used in the University of California at Los Angeles' program of English as a second language (ESL). It looked at (1) the comparative difficulty of the subscale categories; (2) the interrelationships of the subscale categories; (3) the incremental arrangement of the subscale categories and performance…

Findings from an interdisciplinary research project, Methods of Analyzing Samples of Elicited Discourse in English and Spanish for Determining Student Language Proficiency, are presented. The research project was designed to develop a unified framework for the analysis of audiotaped discourse samples elicited from Spanish/English bilingual…

The paper examines aspects involved in providing an accurate evaluation of speech and language of culturally different preschool children. Dialectical differences of Spanish and Black English speakers are detailed. Culturally based nonverbal behaviors and situational factors, including touching behavior and eye contact, are considered. Cultural…

This is an account of some of the issues raised during 5 years of design, development and operation of the English Language Testing Service (ELTS). The measures in question are made up of five sub-tests: two general tests of reading and listening comprehension, and three modular tests of language study skills in reading, writing, and speaking. The…

The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is a multiple-choice test of English for non-native speakers of English. It consists of two sections: listening comprehension and reading. There are 100 questions in each section. Separate scaled scores are provided for each section, the part score scales ranging from five to 495 and the…