Discusses problems with the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Guidelines and examines inconsistencies relating to three assumptions of oral proficiency (OPT)--hours of study, accuracy/interest, and errors. Further, it is argued that the main problems with OPT arise from an analytic approach and the native speaker yardstick. (SED)

Discusses the problems associated with "grading on a curve," the approach often used for standard setting on language proficiency tests. Proposes four main steps presented in the setting of a non-arbitrary cut-score. These steps not only establish a proficiency standard checked by external criteria, but also check to see that the test covers the…

"Listening Recall" is a listening comprehension test which discriminates over a wide range of proficiency. Unlike traditional tests, requiring multiple choice responses, it is a listening cloze procedure; a narrative passage accompanied by a written version with deletions. Particularly suited to low proficiency learners, test has high…

Provides a bibliography of published research papers that either describe the history of the TOEFL, offer a critical review of the test, or interpret TOEFL research findings. Some topics include: the correlation of TOEFL with other standardized tests of English language proficiency, TOEFL's role as a predictor of academic performance, the…

Defends the use of multiple-choice language tests against Pickering's criticism in a previous issue of this journal. (CHK)

The development, administration, and scoring of a communicative test and its validation with tests of linguistic and sociolinguistic competence in English and Spanish are reported. Correlation with measures of home language use and school achievement are also presented, and issues of test validation for bilingual programs are discussed. (MSE)

This study found that reliable, accurate, time-saving placement information for English as a Second Language students can be derived from a procedure whereby an open-ended cloze is truncated and remodeled into a multiple-choice format. (Author/POP)

Examines standards in language testing, in the context of the legal framework of the United States and the United Kingdom. The article argues that research into test reliability and validity by testing bodies in the United States has a legal basis and examines areas in which examination boards offering English as a foreign language tests in…

Two studies investigated the developmental trends and concurrent validity of the Language Proficiency Profile-2 (LPP-2), a measure of language and communication skills for deaf children. Results indicate that the LPP-2 has good utility not only as a measure of overall language development but also as a predictor of achievement for English language…

This article discusses issues involved in second language testing at the secondary school level in Britain. It focuses on the rationale for second language testing and the need to address criticisms of language tests, such as test validity and authenticity of tasks. (nine references) (MDM)

Presents data from validation study of American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency (OPI). Distinctness of OPI ratings from scores generated by Test of English as a Foreign Language and one other examination is assessed on basis of comparisons among 70 sets of scores from students of English as Second Language who…

Standardized tests in speech and language may be culturally biased for use with rural children. Recommends (1) training school personnel for cultural awareness; (2) purchasing culture-free tests; (3) developing local norms and conducting item analyses on tests; (4) identifying bias and modifying testing procedures; (5) accepting dialectical…

Analysis of spontaneous language samples of 10 children (ages 8-9) with specific language impairments found that interviews were a reliable, valid, and efficient assessment context, eliciting the same profile of behaviors as a freeplay context without altering diagnostic classifications. (Author/JDD)

This paper reviews basic social validity assessment techniques, discusses the constructs underlying direct magnitude estimation (DME), illustrates the use of DME for performing social validity evaluations of spontaneous language samples (with 3 brain-injured children, ages 10-15, and 3 controls), and discusses the relationship between subjective…