Periodic language proficiency assessments can help you become a better, more confident world language teacher. In fact, certified language proficiency can even earn you a higher salary. A recent paper published in the Empirica journal indicates, “the advanced command of a foreign language yields a wage premium of 11% on average,” with proficiency in Spanish […]
Continue readingEmpowering Agentive Learning with ACTFL OPIc Tests and Diagnostic Grids
Historically, as students were preparing to exit their language program as majors or minors at Brigham Young University, we would assess the students with an ACTFL OPITM with Diagnostic Comments which provides details around the rating/evaluation of their language. It was a tool in their toolbelt, but one that we gave them when they were […]
Continue readingAdvocating for Multilingualism and Language Education: 2023 Language Advocacy Days
On February 8-10, a few of LTI’s colleagues had the privilege of participating in the JNCL-NCLIS Language Advocacy Days. This annual event, delivered virtually, brings language educators, students, and leaders together to discuss issues surrounding language education and to advocate for multilingualism and quality language education. Participating in this event was an incredibly inspiring experience. […]
Continue readingRaising the Bar: Building Confidence in Teaching World Languages
The demand for skills in languages other than English among employers in the United States continues to grow. As stated in a 2019 survey commissioned by the ACTFL, about six in ten employers in different fields, including education services, expect the demand for language skills to increase in the next five years. According to the […]
Continue readingLearning from AAPPL Results
I cried real tears the first time I received my students’ AAPPL scores. I had much to celebrate: great accomplishments on the Interpretive components, with several students obtaining scores high enough for our state’s Seal of Biliteracy, and those “surprise kids” performing better than expected. But they weren’t just the happy kind of tears; for […]
Continue readingYour multilingualism can help you get your college degree faster
Are you proficient in more than one language and looking to attend or finish college? If so, did you know that you may be able to utilize your multilingual capabilities to earn college credits? Here’s how it’s possible. ACTFL language assessments, delivered exclusively by Language Testing International (LTI) are approved by the American Council on […]
Continue readingTop 10 Tips Before Administering the AAPPL
In preparation for your fall AAPPL testing season, we have pulled together a list of Top Ten Tips to help ensure that your AAPPL experience this year is a smooth one. 1. Choose your proctoring mode and think through the steps you will need to take to set yourself and your students up. These resources can […]
Continue readingHow will I share the AAPPL results with parents?
By Francesco L. Fratto, Director of World Languages, Language Immersion, & English as a New Language, LTI AAPPL Educator Panel The Herricks Public Schools (NY) believes that monolingualism can be cured! Our small yet powerful district offers Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish; in addition, we have a K-12 Spanish immersion program. The questions that parents […]
Continue readingWhat I Love about ACTFL
It’s always an exciting time right before Thanksgiving…not because of time off, yummy food, and time with family and friends (while those are exciting) but because it means that the Annual ACTFL Convention has arrived! As a district coordinator, my ACTFL week is a bit different from many; my learning starts on Tuesday afternoon. By […]
Continue readingPlan Now for AAPPL
The beginning of the school year provides teachers and students alike, a fresh perspective and endless possibilities for changing the way things “have been done.” The AAPPL offers teachers an external measurement as their student move towards proficiency, which can be used for a multitude of different reasons.
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