Accurate information about foreign language learners’ abilities and performance informs teachers’ decisions about course content and instructional approaches, and gives learners important feedback as well. In this course, students will gain an understanding of the main issues contributing to valid assessment in the foreign language classroom through a review of relevant research. Students will learn about a range of assessment strategies for language (proficiency, reading, writing, listening, speaking, grammar, vocabulary) and content (culture) within the framework of the national Standards for Foreign Language Learning. Finally, students will apply the research and strategies studied to the critique and development of assessment instruments useful to their individual teaching circumstances. (1 unit)

Required texts: 1) A. Hughes, Testing for Language Teachers, 2nd ed. (New York: Cambridge, 2002); 2) E.W. Glisan, B. Adair-Hauck, K. Koda, S.P. Sandrock, and E. Swender, eds., ACTFL Integrated Performance Assessment (New York: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2003); 3) materials in electronic form to be made available upon arrival.