Advanced Low Language Proficiency–An Achievable Goal?

Arabic language learning textbooks have fulfilled the elements of the learning system. However, the textbooks for Arabic language learning are considered inadequate to meet students' needs and contemporary social changes. This article describes the analysis of al-mahārah al-kalām material in the Madrasah Aliyah (MA) class XII Arabic language textbook published by the Indonesian Ministry of Religion based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) guidelines. This research uses research procedures and qualitative methods. Based on a content analysis approach, this research seeks to reveal al-mahārah al-kalām learning materials for class XII MA students. al-Mahārah al-kalām was chosen as the object of study because Arabic speaking skills are highly important in a person's motivation to learn Arabic. The data analysis technique used in this research follows the content analysis method, which emphasizes a set of procedures for making valid inferences from text. Methodically, the analysis used in this research is qualitative content analysis in discourse analysis, semiotic analysis, and hermeneutic analysis. This research found three things, namely (1) the use of ACTFL as a basis for standardizing Arabic textbooks necessitates harmonization of textbook material, which so far has not been fully oriented towards ACTFL; (2) confirmation of the standardization of Arabic language learning based-on ACTFL has an impact on restructuring the curriculum for Arabic language learning. ACTFL standardization is also seen as an effort to increase Arabic language mastery globally and (3) redefinition of Arabic language learning using teaching materials for class XII MA students. This redefinition is possible to prepare students to enter the higher education market at a global level. This research confirms the significance of using ACTFL in preparing Arabic language learning textbooks at all levels of Islamic education. Future research can utilize ACTFL to analyze various basic Arabic language skills, especially in each Islamic education unit and Islamic boarding school education. Keywords: Analysis, Speaking skill, Textbook, ACTFL Abstrak Kehadiran buku ajar pembelajaran bahasa Arab dalam beberapa hal dianggap telah memenuhi unsur-unsur sistem pembelajaran, namun demikian buku-buku ajar yang saat ini berlaku dianggap kurang memadai lagi untuk memenuhi kebutuhan siswa dan kontemporarisasi perubahan sosial. Artikel ini mendeskripsikan tentang analisis materi al-mahārah al-kalām dalam buku ajar bahasa Arab Madrasah Aliyah (MA) kelas XII yang diterbitkan oleh Kementerian Agama RI berdasarkan pedoman American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Penelitian ini menggunakan prosedur dan cara kerja penelitian kualitatif. Dengan mendasarkan pada pendekatan content analysis, penelitian ini berupaya mengungkap materi-materi pembalajaran al-mahārah al-kalām untuk siswa MA kelas XII. al-Mahārah al-kalām dipilih sebagai objek kajian dengan pertimbangan bahwa keterampilan berbicara bahasa Arab memiliki posisi yang tinggi dari sudut motivasi seseorang belajar bahasa Arab. Teknik anlisis data yang digunakan penelitian ini mengikuti prosedur metode content analysis yang menekankan seperangkat prosedur untuk membuat inferensi yang valid dari teks. Secara metodis, analisis yang digunakan penelitian ini yaitu analisis isi kualitatif, berupa analisis wacana, analisis semiotik dan analisis hermeneutika. Penelitian ini menghasilkan tiga temuan, yaitu (1) penggunaan ACTFL sebagai basis standarisasi buku ajar bahasa Arab meniscayakan penyelarasan-penyelarasan materi buku ajar yang selama ini belum sepenuhnya beroirientasi pada ACTFL; (2) konfirmasi standarisasi pembelajaran bahasa Arab berbasis ACTFL berdampak pada penyusunan ulang kurikulum untuk pembelajaran bahasa Arab. Standarisasi ACTFL juga dipandang sebagai upaya peningkatan penguasaan bahasa Arab dalam konteks global; dan (3) redefinisi terhadap pembelajaran bahasa Arab yang menggunakan bahan ajar untuk siswa kelas XII MA. Redefinisi ini dimungkinkan dilakukan untuk menyiapkan peserta didik memasuki pasar perguruan tinggi pada tataran global. Hasil penelitian ini mengonfirmasi tentang signifikansi penggunaan ACTFL dalam penyusunan buku ajar pembelajaran bahasa Arab pada semua jenjang pendidikan Islam. Penelitian berikutnya dapat memanfaatkan penggunaan ACTFL sebagai basis analisis pada berbagai kemampuan dasar bahasa Arab, terutama pada setiap satuan pendidikan Islam dan pendidikan pesantren. Kata Kunci: Analisis, al-Mahārah al-Kalām, Buku Ajar, ACTFL

Online learning environments are changing the landscape of education, with evidence supporting their efficacy (Means, Toyama, Murphy, Bakia, & Jones, 2009). However, research that focuses entirely on online distance English-language programs is sparse, especially in regards to oral proficiency. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of an online distance-learning program in helping students develop oral English-language proficiency as they prepare to attend a university in the United States. The curriculum for the distance-learning program was built upon Moore’s (1993) transactional distance theory, with an emphasis on interpersonal dialogue as a key tool in promoting oral proficiency. Students participated in synchronous and asynchronous interaction with fellow students, tutors, and their instructors. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) computer-assisted Oral Proficiency Interview (OPIc) provided the pretest and posttest measures for this study. To supplement this data, course surveys provided information concerning student opinions of course activities. OPIc results showed that students made significant gains in their oral proficiency from pretest to posttest. In surveys, students rated interaction with other tutors and teachers as instrumental in assisting them with their language learning, but rated interaction with their peers as less helpful.

Language is a means of communication among human beings. Such communication among non-native and/or native language users can be facilitated through language learning and teaching. Language education professionals have developed guidelines for teachers and learners to measure the linguistic performance of these two groups. One of the prestigious international frameworks established in the field of foreign language teaching and assessment is the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) proficiency guidelines developed by a team of foreign language education professionals. The Arabic speaking skill, along with listening, is one of the main language skills used to orally communicate with Arabic speakers. Non-native students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature learn the required vocabulary and structures/styles to speak Arabic. But many of them face challenges in applying what they have learned when speaking Arabic. The present study, in particular, attempts to find an answer to the following two questions: What is the proficiency level of undergraduate students of Kharazmi University majoring in Arabic Language and Literature based on ACTFL guidelines for assessing speaking skill? What difficulties do Arabic language majors face in learning Arabic? The statistical sample of the study consisted of 30 undergraduate senior students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature at Kharazmi University, Tehran. To determine the students’ speaking level and discover the reasons for their possible deficiencies, a field (qualitative) research was conducted while adopting a descriptive and inductive approach. The research instruments included both the test and observation. The most prominent finding of the research was that while Arabic students take a total of 12 credits under the courses of Listening and Speaking 1 to 3 as well as Language Lab 1 to 3, they do not achieve a desirable level of speaking skill. There are many reasons for this weakness among which one can point out limited hours and credits allocated to the courses on language skills. The test results in particular revealed that the students did not perform well in the speaking skill. The contributing factors were the lack of confidence in speaking Arabic, fear of making lexical mistakes while speaking, and insufficient daily use of Arabic, among others.

Journal of the International Network for Korean Language and Culture 16-2, 171-197. This study aims to suggest a methodology for the development of an assessment framework and tool for intercultural communication. The following three studies, created by the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), were examined: (1) “ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners,” (2) “2017 NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements,” and (3) “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements for Intercultural Communication.” According to the ACTFL, proficiency benchmarks and performance indicators for ACTFL proficiency level are composed of two facets: “investigate” and “interact.” Next, ”Narrative” as a methodological alternative for measuring the learner’s evaluation performance is presented by considering precedent studies. Thus, this study has developed a process-focused performance assessment that combines the narrative-based assessment for intercultural communication. (Semyung University)

In 1981, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) published its Provisional Proficiency Guidelines (generic and language-specific descriptions) for the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). In 1986, ACTFL published its updated and sometimes expanded Proficiency Guidelines (general descriptions only). The changes in the descriptions were by and large improvements. This paper focuses on the reading guidelines with specific reference to their theoretical underpinnings.

This chapter describes a brief history of the use of service-learning in the second language classroom and defines the terms used in the field of service-learning, as well as addresses some the general benefits found through service-learning in the different areas of language development. This chapter additionally addresses the role that service-learning plays in the proficiency standards established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and other professional organizations (communities, connections, comparisons, cultures, and communication) as the competencies that language students should have at different levels of acquisition. Abbott and Lear (2008) address these areas in a case study, which this chapter comments on along with other research that pertains to meeting language standards. Since service-learning includes the elements of reciprocity, reflection, meaningful service, diversity, and development, its use in the second language classroom can contribute to meeting the goals of language acquisition for teachers and students. Finally, this chapter outlines the subsequent chapters in the text.

This article provides a detailed examination of the oral proficiency interview and its underlying assumptions of validity and value. An attempt is made, by looking at the interview from the inside, to understand what OPIs are and what the participants in them do. The similarities and differences between interviews and conversations are examined, and some of the major problems of proficiency interviewing are illustrated and discussed. Finally, some specific proposals are made that may lead to more effective oral interviewing procedures. In this article I want to look at oral proficiency interviews (OPIs) as instances of conversation between people. Two questions are central to this discussion: (a) Are OPIs examples of conversational language use? and (b) Is conversational language use the appropriate (or the only, or the best) vehicle to evaluate oral proficiency? The tentative answer to the first question is a qualified no, the qualification being that an OPI can and may be designed to elicit conversational language use but frequently is not. The second question is far more difficult to answer: It addresses the central issue of the construct validity of oral tests in general. However, I propose that conversation is an appropriate vehicle for the all-around display of speaking ability in context. If the latter is a definition of oral proficiency, then I think we can be reasonably sure that conversation is the best vehicle for its evaluation. To address the questions I have posed, one must obtain an insider's view of the OPI. To do this, I have relied on three sources of data: (a) the analysis of several OPIs I have taken as an interviewee, (b) the study of transcripts and tapes of a variety of

Conversations about culture: How Korean and Japanese cultural products, practices and perspectives are discussed to co-construct cultural understanding in talk

This study aims to explore the use of ACTFL standards in Arabic language listening comprehension tests at the Novice level. The ACTFL standards for the Novice level are divided into three sub-levels: Novice High, Novice Mid, and Novice Low. This research employs a qualitative approach through literature review, analyzing the "Skills Guide" by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and other relevant literature such as articles and books. The analysis reveals that a well-structured Arabic listening comprehension test for Novice learners consists of 5 questions based on ACTFL standards: 20% of the questions are at the Novice High level (3 questions), 50% are at the Novice Mid level (4 questions), and 30% are at the Novice Low level (3 questions). The findings highlight the importance of aligning language proficiency assessments with ACTFL standards to ensure effective learning outcomes at the beginner level. The implications of this research suggest that such tests can better gauge the listening comprehension skills of novice learners, thus improving the quality of language instruction.

As in almost any other discipline, foreign language teachers have the need of providing an assessment of students' progress at the end of a learning period. To obtain data to support such assessment, teachers on all levels measure student progress periodically through tests and quizzes. Chapter/unit tests provided with textbooks and standardized tests are designed to measure primarily achievement in the skills of reading, writing, and listening. Descriptions of many foreign language courses state as another learning objective the development of speaking skills. However, only very few tests are available to the average teacher for measuring speaking proficiency. The Oral Proficiency Interview (01) is an assessment of an individual's foreign language speaking ability. The 01 measures what an individual is able to do with and in a foreign language by sampling the person's speech production on various topics and at different levels rather than determining what a person may know about a foreign language. The focus of the 01 is on overall language competence rather than on achievement in any specific course or program. In order to conduct an Oral Proficiency Interview, the tester must have appropriate professional training. I was trained in oral proficiency testing and related curriculum design at the ACTFL/ETS Oral Proficiency Summer Institute at Haverford College, Pennsylvania in the summer of 1983. I participated in the institute because of two decades of interest and involvement in the assssment of students' abilities to communicate in a

This study aims to provide foreign language professionals with a sound methodology for selecting a suitable lexicon apropos of their students’ level in the language. The justification of said selection is, herein, rooted in a cognitive argument: If we are able to observe the manner in which words are organized within the mind, we will be better able to select the words needed for the natural process of communication. After analyzing over lists of lexical availability compiled by previous analyses, this study puts forth a glossary filtered by way of an objective procedure based on the mathematical concept known as Fuzzy Expected Value. I begin first by rigorously defining the concept of lexical availability and then thoroughly examining and explaining the manner in which I have obtained the results. Next, I employ the cognitive theory of prototypes to expound upon the organizational apparatus which arranges words within speakers’ minds. Subsequently, and in accordance with objective criteria, a lexical selection is proposed. To end, I contemplate and muse upon the significance of a program that would enable us to identify the most appropriate vocabulary according to the students’ level of linguistic competence. In order to further substantiate this study, it will be juxtaposed with the specific notions outlined by the curriculum of The Cervantes Institute. Moreover, it will relate to the teaching levels proposed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

<p>Language assessments are increasingly being leveraged for the purposes of educational reform and accountability, yet relatively little is known about how teachers respond to their implementation or what impact they have on the learning outcomes of students. Drawing on theories of educational innovation, this mixed methods study explores the interplay between testing, teaching, and learning in an urban Midwestern K-12 world languages program. Specifically, it investigates the washback effect of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL), and the potential for its influence on teachers’ practices to complement strategic efforts to introduce and manage curricular innovation at the local level.</p> <p>The study was divided into three distinct but complementary phases. In Phase 1, teachers (n=47) responded to an online survey addressing their background, instructional practices, and the potential influence of the AAPPL therein. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subset of teachers (n=12) in order to more richly describe their instructional and assessment-related practices. Finally, in Phase 3, AAPPL scores were obtained for all students (n=846) who took the assessment. Quantitative analyses predominantly involved the use of descriptive statistics to depict teachers’ practices and students’ performance on the AAPPL, as well as bivariate correlations to measure the relationship between the two. Qualitative analyses of interview data were aimed at identifying categories and themes leading to a rich description of teachers’ behaviors and activities in response to the AAPPL. In the final stages of analysis, both qualitative and quantitative data sources and analyses were synthesized in an attempt to develop a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between assessment, instruction, and learning.</p> <p>Findings suggested a moderately positive washback effect of the AAPPL, which was manifested through individual and collective efforts to refine curricula and instruction with the goal of further enhancing students’ language performance and proficiency development. Key findings included teachers’ increased use of ACTFL’s core documents to guide their planning, and an adjustment to the amount of instructional time devoted to the four modalities (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). This evidence for positive washback of the AAPPL was observed among teachers across languages and levels, and extended beyond those immediately implicated in its administration. Furthermore, the strength and direction of the influence was mediated by the close link between testing and teaching, individual differences among teachers, and the collaborative approach to managing the innovation. Evidence connecting teachers’ practices with student outcomes on the AAPPL was diffuse, with bivariate correlations indicating a potential relationship between the use of target language and explicit grammar instruction and students’ composite scores.</p> <p>This investigation has contributed to a greater understanding of how external language performance assessments may serve as a catalyst for refining and improving language teaching in K-12 contexts. Those seeking to promote the adoption of similar innovative practices should ensure that the assessment is aligned with the pedagogical goals of the curriculum and that their approach to introducing and managing change is responsive to the local context. While more research is needed in order to determine the potential influence of innovation on the learning outcomes of students (Green, 2013), world language programs should be encouraged to implement standards-based external assessments as a means by which to promote teachers’ adoption of proficiency-oriented instructional practices.</p>

Abstract: This qualitative case study explores how collaborative teacher research serves as a professional development model for practicing teachers. The purpose of the study is to examine how participation in a collaborative teacher research group affected three French teachers' understandings of one state's foreign language standards, and to look at how those understandings were realized in a collaborative teacher research (CTR) project. This article specifically focuses on the results emanating from how the three French teachers individually and collaboratively interpreted and implemented foreign language standards while participating in CTR. Data were collected from workshops, journal entries, classroom observations, lesson plans and materials, workshop evaluations, the teachers' research, and e-mail conversations. Results show that the teachers learned about the standards primarily from collaborating with their students. Introduction New Visions in Action (NVA), sponsored by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the National Foreign Language Resource Center (NFLRC) in Iowa, is moving forward a national agenda for foreign language education in an effort to meet goals set forth in the national K-12 foreign language standards (Met, 2000). These standards provide a vision of instruction for which teachers need a high level of language proficiency, extensive cultural competence, a repertoire of approaches that are learner centered and focused on communication, and knowledge about implementing strategies for working with diverse learners who have not traditionally enrolled in foreign language classes (Phillips, 1998). Foreign language pedagogy, described in the manner of the National Standards (1999), will not be realized without sustained professional development for practicing teachers. Past professional development programs have been criticized for their one-shot structure, top-down approach, and failure to address the specific needs of foreign language teachers, resulting in little or no effect on classroom instruction. This professional development paradigm is changing. Current literature discussing professional development concurs that it must be long term, collaborative, content specific, job embedded, inquiry based, and focused on the needs of teachers and the goals we are setting for our students (Alien, 2004; Clair, 2000; Diaz-Maggioli, 2003; Klonsky 2002; Kreeft Peyton, 1997; Lewis, 2000; lieberman & Miller, 2000; McCarthy & Riley, 2000). Further, teachers must be actively involved in both its design and implementation (Bartz & Keefe Singer, 1996; Darling Hammond, 1997; Glisan, 1996; Kreeft Peyton, 1997). The Teacher Development Task Force-one working group of the NVA project-is in the process of establishing a national framework that defines effective professional development for foreign language teachers. Part of the work of the task force involves identifying criteria for the creation and evaluation of professional development programs and subsequently identifying and showcasing exemplary program models. Empirical data from studies investigating the effectiveness of professional development programs are needed to inform the group's ongoing work. NVA has, in particular, called for research on the effectiveness of alternative professional development models (Curtain, 2000). Action research offers a viable solution. Although this type of research, from here on referred to as collaborative teacher research (CTR), is recognized for promoting teacher development and change in teaching practice (Anderson, Herr, & Nihlen, 1994; Burns & Hood, 1995; Freeman, 1998; McNiff, 1993), and as an insightful means for contributing to the knowledge base of teaching (Allwright; 1993; Somekh, 1993; Stenhouse, 1981) we are only beginning to know how foreign language teachers carry out this type of research (Burns, 1999). In addition, while collaboration is the critical component of successful teacher research, it has tended to be promoted and conducted in an individualistic way (Burns, 1999). …

The renewed national focus on teacher quality and effectiveness has resulted in more rigorous standards that describe the knowledge and skills required of teacher candidates across all disciplines. In the area of foreign languages, three sets of professional standards address the oral proficiency of teachers in the target languages they teach across the career continuum. For teacher candidates, the ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers (2002) establish minimum oral proficiency levels based on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines—Speaking (2012). Utilizing ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) data, this study examines to what extent candidates are attaining the ACTFL/NCATE Oral Proficiency Standard of Advanced Low in most languages or Intermediate High in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Findings indicate that 54.8% of candidates attained the required standard between 2006 and 2012 and that significant differences emerged for language, year tested, and university program results. Further research that takes into account additional contextual information about candidates and programs will inform continuing professional dialogue about the oral proficiency of teacher candidates entering the profession.

Abstract: Since their initial publication in 1982, the ACTFL Guidelines and oral proficiency interview (OPI) have enjoyed widespread use by foreign language educators. They have also been the target of much criticism by researchers of second language acquisition and testing. Much of this criticism has focused on validity claims for the OPI. Other research (e.g., Thompson, 1995) has investigated the interrater reliability of the test. This article provides an overview of research (both critical analyses and empirical studies) conducted on the ACTFL OPI and Guidelines from 1990 to present. The author identifies trends in this research, discusses lessons learned from research in other proficiency test areas, and provides recommendations for areas of future study.