Understanding Assessment Tutorial
Welcome!
Understanding Assessment: A Guide for World Language Educators is a tutorial on language testing for world language educators.  It is designed to help new users of the Foreign Language Assessment Directory,
This tutorial introduces key assessment concepts while guiding educators though the test selection process, and it covers a variety of topics, including how to use test results appropriately and efficiently. also known as the FLAD, and it is also an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about language testing.
What is the FLAD and what can it do for you?
The FLAD is the Foreign Language Assessment Directory. The FLAD is a free, searchable directory that serves as a starting point for teachers and educators to search for world language assessments. Available information about assessments includes grade and proficiency levels, languages for which each test is available, skills targeted by a test, information about the test’s development, and the publisher’s or developer’s contact information for further inquiries.
What can I learn from this tutorial?
This tutorial will prepare you to select a test from the FLAD that best meets your needs and the needs of your students. By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to answer the following questions to guide you through the test selection process:
- What do I want to know about my students?
- What types of tests will help me gain this information?
- How do I know that a test is reliable?
- What are the practical factors involved in test selection?
- What are the possible effects of tests on various stakeholders?
How should I use this resource?
As you move through the tutorial, you will walk through the test selection process while thinking about your own context and assessment needs. The tutorial has four modules covering the four principles of assessment: validity, reliability, practicality, and impact. Within each module, you will find example learning scenarios for five areas of focus: elementary education, secondary education, post-secondary education, heritage language education, and professional purposes. In addition, you will complete a needs assessment and learn about different resources to support you as you prepare to select an appropriate assessment for your students.
Click here to start the tutorial!
