New Praxis World Languages Series

National World Language Teacher Certification SummitDecember 10, 2009

Goals of Session

• Development Process Highlights– Why and how we developed the series– ACFTL Collaboration

• Series Design • State Use – Multi-state Standard Setting Study

Why change the current tests?

• To align with ACTFL Standards which emphasize– Performance-based assessment– Producing competent language users to interact in a

global community

• To adhere to ETS standards for periodic review and if necessary, revision of our assessments

• To improve our delivery system for language tests

Praxis test development focused on:

• National Standards – ACTFL• Practitioner Involvement – National Advisory

Committee (NAC) • 13 states represented • ACTFL representative included

• Job Relevant Content – Job Analysis Survey • 2,159 surveys were returned to ETS• Only competencies judged as relevant to the job of the

beginning teacher are selected for test

• Pilot test for new question prototypes

What are the new offerings?

• World Language: Spanish

• World Language: French

• World Language: German

• World Language: Pedagogy

• World Language: Mandarin (in development)

Praxis WL Language tests uniform design

• Language Tests cover 4 domains:– Listening with Cultural Knowledge

• 36 mc questions

– Reading with Cultural Knowledge• 39 mc questions

– Writing • 3 cr questions

– Speaking• 3 cr questions

Praxis WL: Pedagogy Test Design

• Language Acquisition Theories and Acquisition Instructional Practices

• 18 mc questions or 32 %

• Integration of Standards into Curriculum and Instruction

• 13 mc or 23%

• Assessment of Languages and Cultures• 14 mc or 24%

• Integrated Skills Instructional Practices• 2 cr or 21%

Licensure/Certification

• State regulated process• Grants permission to practice• Indicates that all requirements have been met

– Course requirements– Supervised clinical experience– Testing

• High stakes• Legally defensible• Doesn’t predict performance• Focused on core knowledge important for beginning

State Test Use and Standard Setting

• Each state agency sets its own passing score. How much is enough for beginning practitioner?

• As part of the process they consider:– practitioner recommendations collected in a

Standard Setting Study– any available performance data– supply and demand in their state– access to the profession for sub-group populations

Standard Setting Study

• ETS recently initiated use of multi-state standard setting studies

• Previously all studies were state specific, and each state would need to convene a group of at least 10 practitioners to conduct the study

• Small volume tests presented sometimes insurmountable problems particularly in small states

Multi-state approach for Standard Setting Study

• Reduced state burden to recruit educators• Greater educator input into the passing score

recommendation – up to 50 educators• More efficient process for moving states from old

to new tests• Allows for multiple rounds of panel judgments,

feedback and discussion• More support for states seeking greater

interstate portability

Next Steps for World Language Series

• States are currently making score decisions based on the results of the multi-state study

• Tests will be administered in 2010-2011 testing year

• Questions? Contact:

• Florence Cucchi• Client Relations Director

• 609.683.2147• fcucchi@ets.org