The Nature and Measurement of Competency in English

The Nature and Measurement of Competency in English
Author: Charles Raymond Cooper
Publisher:
Total Pages: 196
Release: 1981
Genre: Education
ISBN:

In an examination of the implications and effects of the competency testing movement on the discipline of English, the six chapters of this book answer major questions concerning what competency in English is, what is known about the assessment of competence in English, and how minimal competency in English can be defined and assessed. The first chapter presents an account of the origins and development of the competency testing movement, while the second chapter provides a comprehensive review of the best current research and theory on the acquisition, development, and use of language. The third chapter examines the limitations of various approaches to testing reading ability and then proposes a four-part competency test composed of several test formats. Chapter four outlines a theory-based procedure for assessing competence, and chapter five explores the problems of assessing media competency. The last chapter discusses the politics of minimum competency. (HTH)

Instruction and Assessment for Struggling Writers

Instruction and Assessment for Struggling Writers
Author: Gary A. Troia
Publisher: Guilford Press
Total Pages: 417
Release: 2011-05-03
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1609180305

This unique book focuses on how to provide effective instruction to K-12 students who find writing challenging, including English language learners and those with learning disabilities or language impairments. Prominent experts illuminate the nature of writing difficulties and offer practical suggestions for building students' skills at the word, sentence, and text levels. Topics include writing workshop instruction; strategies to support the writing process, motivation, and self-regulation; composing in the content areas; classroom technologies; spelling instruction for diverse learners; and assessment approaches. Every chapter is grounded in research and geared to the real-world needs of inservice and preservice teachers in general and special education settings.

International Journal of Language Studies (IJLS) – volume 5(3)

International Journal of Language Studies (IJLS) – volume 5(3)
Author: Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2011-07-16
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1257917749

Papers in this issue:(1) Jesús García Laborda & Miguel Fernández Álvarez: Teachers' opinions towards the integration of oral tasks in the Spanish University Examination; (2)Oksana Laleko:Restructuring of verbal aspect in Heritage Russian: Beyond lexicalization; (3) Yu-Cheng Lee:Comparison of politeness and acceptability perceptions of request strategies between Chinese learners of English and native English speakers; (4) Kunal Kamal Kumar: Development and application of an instrument to find out the linguistic background of employees in MNCs; (5) Amelia Maria Cava: Abstracting science: A corpus-based approach to research article abstracts; (6) Reima Al-Jarf: Helping medical students with online videos; (7) Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan & Nafiseh Khakbaz: Theses 'Discussion' sections: A structural move analysis; (8) Hossein Karami & Mohammad Ali Salmani Nodoushan: Differential Item Functioning (DIF): Current problems and future directions; (9) Forough Rahimi: Book Review

National Assessment of College Student Learning

National Assessment of College Student Learning
Author: Elizabeth A. Jones
Publisher: Department of Education Office of Educational
Total Pages: 196
Release: 1995
Genre: Education
ISBN:

This study used an iterative Delphi survey process of about 600 faculty, employers, and policymakers to identify writing, speech and listening, and critical thinking skills that college graduates should achieve to become effective employees and citizens (National Education Goal 6). Participants reached a consensus about the importance in critical thinking of the ability to detect: indirect persuasion including the use of leading questions that are biased towards eliciting a preferred response, use of misleading language, use of slanted definitions or comparisons, and instances where irrelevant topics or considerations are brought into an argument to divert attention from the original issue. With regard to effective writing respondents thought that graduates should be able to use active or passive voice where appropriate, use correct grammar, use specific language conventions of their academic discipline, and use language that their audience understands. With regard to speech communication skills respondents reached agreement about the importance of information exchange, conversation management, group communication, and using and understanding spoken English and non-verbal signs. Extensive tables detail the Delphi survey results. (Contains 168 references.) (JB)

Construction Versus Choice in Cognitive Measurement

Construction Versus Choice in Cognitive Measurement
Author: William C. Ward
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2012-10-12
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1136472940

This book brings together psychometric, cognitive science, policy, and content domain perspectives on new approaches to educational assessment -- in particular, constructed response, performance testing, and portfolio assessment. These new assessment approaches -- a full range of alternatives to traditional multiple-choice tests -- are useful in all types of large-scale testing programs, including educational admissions, school accountability, and placement. This book's multi-disciplinary perspective identifies the potential advantages and pitfalls of these new assessment forms, as well as the critical research questions that must be addressed if these assessment methods are to benefit education.

How to Measure Performance and Use Tests

How to Measure Performance and Use Tests
Author: Lynn Lyons Morris
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 178
Release: 1987-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780803931329

The "CSE Program Evaluation Kit" is a series of nine books intended to assist people conducting program evaluations. This volume, the seventh in the kit, provides an overview of a variety of approaches to measuring performance outcomes. It presents considerations in deciding what to measure and in selecting or developing instruments best suited to an evaluation's goals. Methods for ensuring validity and reliability are also discussed. Chapter 1, "Measuring Performance for Program Evaluation: Preliminary Considerations," presents an overview of various strategies to systematically measure the attainment of performance objectives. Chapter 2, "Locating Existing Measures," describes the types of performance tests that might already be available, from commercially published instruments, curriculum embedded tests, and state- or local-mandated measures. Chapter 3, "Determining How Well a Test Fits the Program," provides assistance in determining the appropriateness of an existing instrument. Chapter 4, "Constructing a Test for Program Evaluation," describes the basic steps in developing a performance measure. Chapters 5, "Validity and Reliability of Performance Instruments," and 6, "Using Performance Test Data," deal with the technical quality and use of tests. One appendix contains a table for program-test comparison, and the other presents a reminder of some common item construction errors. (Contains 20 tables, 16 figures, and 19 references.) (SLD)

Interests and Opportunities

Interests and Opportunities
Author: Steve Lamos
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Pre
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2011-09-30
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0822977400

In the late 1960s, colleges and universities became deeply embroiled in issues of racial equality. To combat this, hundreds of new programs were introduced to address the needs of "high-risk" minority and low-income students. In the years since, university policies have flip-flopped between calls to address minority needs and arguments to maintain "Standard English." Today, anti-affirmative action and anti-access sentiments have put many of these high-risk programs at risk. In Interests and Opportunities, Steve Lamos chronicles debates over high-risk writing programs on the national level and, locally, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Using critical race theorist Derrick Bell's concept of "interest convergence," Lamos shows that these programs were promoted or derailed according to how and when they fit the interests of underrepresented minorities and mainstream whites (administrators and academics). He relates struggles over curriculum, pedagogy, and budget, and views their impact on policy changes and course offerings. Lamos finds that during periods of convergence, disciplinary and institutional changes do occur, albeit to suit mainstream standards. In divergent times, changes are thwarted or undone, often using the same standards. To Lamos, understanding the past dynamics of convergence and divergence is key to formulating new strategies of local action and "story-changing" that can preserve and expand race-consciousness and high-risk writing instruction, even in adverse political climates.

International Encyclopedia of Education

International Encyclopedia of Education
Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 6964
Release: 2009-04-17
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0080448941

The field of education has experienced extraordinary technological, societal, and institutional change in recent years, making it one of the most fascinating yet complex fields of study in social science. Unequalled in its combination of authoritative scholarship and comprehensive coverage, International Encyclopedia of Education, Third Edition succeeds two highly successful previous editions (1985, 1994) in aiming to encapsulate research in this vibrant field for the twenty-first century reader. Under development for five years, this work encompasses over 1,000 articles across 24 individual areas of coverage, and is expected to become the dominant resource in the field. Education is a multidisciplinary and international field drawing on a wide range of social sciences and humanities disciplines, and this new edition comprehensively matches this diversity. The diverse background and multidisciplinary subject coverage of the Editorial Board ensure a balanced and objective academic framework, with 1,500 contributors representing over 100 countries, capturing a complete portrait of this evolving field. A totally new work, revamped with a wholly new editorial board, structure and brand-new list of meta-sections and articles Developed by an international panel of editors and authors drawn from senior academia Web-enhanced with supplementary multimedia audio and video files, hotlinked to relevant references and sources for further study Incorporates ca. 1,350 articles, with timely coverage of such topics as technology and learning, demography and social change, globalization, and adult learning, to name a few Offers two content delivery options - print and online - the latter of which provides anytime, anywhere access for multiple users and superior search functionality via ScienceDirect, as well as multimedia content, including audio and video files