--- Forwarded Message from Jim Duber <[log in to unmask]> --- >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> >References: <[log in to unmask]> >Cc: "David Pankratz" <[log in to unmask]> >From: Jim Duber <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #7781 Moving from Placement to Proficiency >Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 13:22:11 -0800 >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> Hello David and LLTI-readers, You might be interested in reading an article entitled "Grow Your Own: Online Placement Testing" that I co-wrote with Maggie Sokolik. It describes the online placement test that we designed and developed for our summer ESL program at UC Berkeley. You'll see that it includes a listening component (see "Figure 3" for a sample). http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/tesl-ej/ej21/int.html In fact, we're just now starting work on the new revision for next summer and plan on introducing a speaking component using Flash Communication Server (FCS) technology. I've got quite a bit of information and links to demo voice-enabled FCS-based applications that might interest you on my blog at: http://duber.com/oncall/ (see the archives for additional links to information on "LetsTalk" and "Project We Say Tomato" in particular) Hope that helps, Jim ____________________________________________ Jim Duber [log in to unmask] duber dot com http://duber.com Interactive Media Development, Training and Consulting See the LetsTalk Discussions: http://duber.com/LetsTalk/ ____________________________________________ On Feb 7, 2005, at 12:42 PM, LLTI-Editor wrote: > --- Forwarded Message from "David Pankratz" <[log in to unmask]> --- > >> Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 14:39:36 -0600 >> From: "David Pankratz" <[log in to unmask]> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: Moving from Placement to Proficiency > > Dear LLTIers, > > My university has used the BYU placement exam for years to help place > students into the appropriate language course. Now a new chapter has > started. We need to start testing proficiency not only for placement, > but to determine if students are knowledgeable enough to be exempt from > having to take additional courses. > > This means that in the past only students who were motivated to take > the exam (happily) did so. Now we will soon have to test 5 times the > number of students, many of whom will not be happy at the prospect of > having to take language courses. > > My other thought is that our placement exam is not adequate to really > test competency when the stakes for the student are this high. I feel > we > need to incorporate a listening component at the least, perhaps a > speaking component, if feasible. > > If any of you have made such a daunting transition, or have advice > about the mechanics of testing large numbers of students in various > languages when "exemption" is at stake, I would really like to hear > from > you. Please share your thoughts here or with me personally at > [log in to unmask] > > Thank you. > David Pankratz > Loyola University Chicago *********************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning, and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://consortium.dartmouth.edu). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ***********************************************