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CHAPTER 2
LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOLS AND
ORGANIZATION
Globalization is a buzz word understood by many people, students and professionals
alike, who are becoming highly mobile, moving from one region of the world to another.
Learning now often takes place online, and language learning is no different. The field of
language learning has moved towards integrative, performance based assessment by means
of online tests. One of the best examples of a computer based performance assessment test is
of one the world’s largest tests, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) since 1998 [6].
As discussed in Chapter 1, The CAST test uses recognized ACTFL standards to
award scores. Various foreign language proficiency and diagnostic tests have been
constructed which are informed by ACTFL standards, in addition to guidance from the CAL.
CAL uses the Standard Oral Proficiency Interview (SOPI), and this is the best known such
test.
2.1 ACTFL GUIDELINES
ACTFL employs the OPI, a proficiency test, which is currently used worldwide by
academic institutions, government agencies, and private corporations for purposes such as:
academic placement, student assessment, program evaluation, professional certification,
hiring, and promotional qualifications. ACTFL is recommended for college training by the
American Council on Education and it supports language tests in 65 languages. The ACTFL
OPI is a valid and reliable means of assessing how well a person speaks a language, and tests
their language skills. It is a 20-30 minute face-to-face or telephonic interview (OPI) between
a certified ACTFL tester and an examiner. The interview is double rated and an Official
ACTFL Oral Proficiency Certificate stating the candidate’s proficiency level is issued to the
candidate [4].