ACTFL CERTIFIED PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM:
ORAL AND WRITING PROFICIENCY TESTING
FOR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS

Please Note: All relevant applications, forms and information are available through the click-on links within this document. Please read carefully.

THE ACTFL ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW

The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview, or ACTFL OPI, is:

• A standardized procedure for the global assessment of functional speaking ability,
• A face-to-face or telephonic interview between a certified ACTFL tester and an examinee
• A criterion referenced test that compares an individual's performance of specific oral communication tasks with the criteria of each of ten proficiency levels described in the ACTFL Proficiency-Guidelines-Speaking (Revised 1999).

The ACTFL OPI takes the form of a carefully structured conversation between a trained and certified interviewer and the person whose speaking proficiency is being assessed. The interview is interactive and continuously adapts to the speaking ability of the individual being tested. There is no script or prescribed set of question; the topics discussed during the interview are based on the interests and experiences of the speaker.

Through a series of personalized questions, the interviewer elicits from the test candidate examples of his or her ability to handle the communication tasks specified for each level of proficiency in order to establish a clear "floor" and "ceiling" of consistent functional ability. Often candidates are asked to take part in a role-play to prove linguistic functions not easily elicited through the conversational format.

Since the ACTFL OPI is an assessment of functional speaking ability, independent of any specific curriculum, it is irrelevant when, where, why and under what conditions the candidate acquired his/her speaking ability in the language.

The interview lasts from ten to thirty minutes. Each interview is recorded and assigned an initial rating by the tester. Then, a second certified tester blindly rates the interview. Under the supervision of the ACTFL Testing Office, Language Testing International, a final rating is assigned and an ACTFL OPI Certificate is issued via a downloadable form from www.languagetesting.com/individual (I.D. and password to be assigned once application and payment are received.)

THE ACTFL WRITING PROFICIENCY TEST

The ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test, or ACTFL WPT is:

• A standardized procedure for the global assessment of functional writing ability,
• A test that requires the examinee to read prompts in English and compose written responses in the target language without the aid of dictionaries or grammar references.
• A criterion referenced test that compares an individual's performance of specific communication tasks with the criteria for each of ten proficiency levels described in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines-Writing revised by ACTFL in 2001

The ACTFL WPT takes the form of a carefully constructed assessment with four requests for written responses dealing with practical, social and professional topics that are encountered in informal and formal contexts. The writer is presented with tasks and contexts that represent the range of proficiency levels from Novice to Superior on the ACTFL scale. The tasks and prompts are articulated in English with the expectation that the responses be written in the target language. The prompts ask for written constructed responses of paragraph length or longer demonstrating narrative writing, informative writing and persuasive writing.

Since the ACTFL WPT is an assessment of functional writing ability independent of any specific curriculum, it irrelevant when, where, why and under what conditions the candidate acquired his/her writing ability in the language.

The examinee is given 90 minutes to read the directions and complete the test. A completed WPT is reviewed by an ACTFL certified testers to assign the ACTFL proficiency rating that best describes the proficiency demonstrated by the individual. The test is then forwarded to another ACTFL certified tester for a second independent ("blind") rating for final rating confirmation.

THE ACTFL CERTIFIED TESTERS

ACTFL OPIs are conducted and rated by ACTFL certified proficiency testers. ACTFL WPTs are also rated by ACTFL certified raters. These testers and raters are highly specialized language professionals who have completed a rigorous training process that concludes with a tester's demonstrated ability to consistently elicit ratable samples and to rate samples with a high degree of reliability. ACTFL strictly monitors all testing and rating.

ACTFL ASSESSMENT IN 50+ LANGUAGES

As of the printing of this brochure, ACTFL provides certified oral proficiency testing in the 50+ languages listed below. The ACTFL writing proficiency test is offered in the 13 languages that are highlighted.

Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Baluchi, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Cebuano, Chavacano, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Egyptian, English, Filipino, French, German, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hilgaynon, Hindi, Hmong, Ilonggo, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tausug, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Visayan.

PASSING PROFICIENCY RATINGS

The North Carolina State Board of Education has set a requirement of Intermediate High as the qualifying proficiency ratings in Speaking and Writing for lateral entry licensure or for adding a language area to a clear license in another teaching area.

FEES FOR INDIVIDUAL OPI

Individual Certified ACTFL OPI $ 134.00
Individual Certified ACTFL WPT $ 65.00
Rescheduling Fee $ 55.00
Missed OPI appointment/No Show $ 55.00
Express Processing Service $ 50.00

Payment may be made by credit card authorization (MasterCard, Visa or Discover Card), money order, or personal check. Payment must accompany application form(s).

SCHEDULING AN ACTFL OPI

APPLICATIONS, FORMS & INFORMATION

Step 1. Complete an OPI Application for North Carolina Teachers: Click here for a NC Teacher Application and Test-taker Agreement (required)

Step 2. Telephonic OPI Test Site and Proctor

You may request an OPI to be taken telephonically at your own school/university, if you have an appropriate, approved proctor as identified below.

At your school or university.
Telephonic OPI- requires the presence of a required Proctor* who:

• Completes and signs a Proctor agreement form:  Click here for an OPI Proctor Form (required)
• Places the call to the OPI Tester at the schedule time of the test;
• Introduces the test candidate to the OPI Tester
• Confirms the name and identity of the examinee
• Is free to leave after introduction

*K12 Schools and School District Proctors:
A proctor at a K12 school or school district may only be a Principal, Assistant Principal, Dean, Administrative Assistant to the Principal or Dean, School District HR personnel, or Academic Chair. No other administrators or staff may act as proctors.

*University or College Proctors:
A proctor at a college may be a Professor, Department Chair, Dept. Administrative Assistant or Teacher Education Coordinator

* If a long distance call cannot be placed from the Proctor's office telephone, the test candidate should bring a phone card to use in order to place and charge the phone call.

Step 3. Submit Application Package

For your test request to be processed, you must submit ALL the below:

1. A completed OPI application; including a check, money order, or credit card authorization
2. The OPI Proctor Form signed by your proctor, if you are requesting an OPI to take place at your school
3. A completed Test-Taker Agreement

Incomplete application packages will NOT be processed.

Step 4. Wait for notification of your OPI Appointment.

Once your application has been processed you will be sent an e-mail with your confirmed test date, time and other instructions. This e-mail will provide you with a unique ID and PASSWORD to access your test information and status on the LTI Test Candidate Website (www.languagetesting.com/individual). Please keep this important e-mail and website information. Using this website and secure password, you will be able to verify the date and time of your OPI and, after the test, check the status of your test result. On this website, you will be able to print your ACTFL OPI Proficiency Certificate.

The Proctor also will also be notified of the OPI date, time and telephone number by E-mail.

Step 5. Confirm Appointment

Finalize appointment arrangement with Proctor. All appointments are considered confirmed, unless we receive notification from the candidate or proctor.

Rescheduled or missed OPI Appointments

In the event that an appointment needs to be rescheduled:

• Contact the LTI Test Coordinator immediately (800-486-8444 extension 14). There is no charge for appointments that are rescheduled prior to one business day before the scheduled appointment.
• For appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the test, there is a $55.00 rescheduling/cancellation fee.
• For missed appointments there is a $55.00 fee.

Cancelled Application

There is a fee of $55.00 for cancelled applications which will be deducted from your refund should you cancel an application.

NOTIFICATION OF OPI RESULTS

Once the rating of your test is completed (usually within 2 to 4 weeks), you will be able to view the test result and print your ACTFL Oral Proficiency Certificate on the LTI Individual Information Center site (www.languagetesting.com/individual) using your ID and password. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction will receive your test results via an electronic report. Please include a copy of your ACTFL Proficiency Certificates when submitting your credentials to your North Carolina employing school system. Each test becomes a permanent record in the ACTFL Test Archive.

ACE College Credit Recommendation for ACTFL OPI Ratings
The American Council on Education (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service has established college credit recommendations for Official ACTFL OPI ratings. For ACE credit recommendations for OPI scores, read the ACTFL FL Annals article with ACE recommendations at http://www.languagetesting.com/actfl_article.htm For more information on the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service, visit the ACE Website at http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Learners.

SCHEDULING AN ACTFL WPT

APPLICATIONS, FORMS & INFORMATION

STEP 1. Complete a WPT Application for Prospective North Carolina Teachers: Click here for a NC Teacher Application (required)

STEP 2.WPT Test Site and Proctor

You may request a WPT to be administered in test-booklet format, or by Internet in Spanish, French and German only, if you have an appropriate, approved proctor as identified below.

At your K-12 School or University(INTERNET WPT):
An Internet WPT (Spanish, French and German only) must be administered and proctored by an approved Proctor* who:

• Completes the Internet WPT Proctor Form: Click here for a NC WPT Proctor Form (required)
• Follows test proctor instructions for internet administration of the test.
• Confirm the identity of the candidate by checking picture ID on the test date.
• Places the candidate at a quiet computer terminal with Internet access
• Proctor the test for the 90-minute duration of the test.

At your K-12 School or University (TEST-BOOKLET WPT):
A test-booklet WPT must be administered and proctored by an approved Proctor* who:

• Completes the Test-Booklet WPT Proctor Form: Click here for a NC WPT Proctor Form (required)
• Follows test proctor instructions for Test-Booklet administration of the test
• Confirms the identity of the candidate by checking picture ID on the test date
• Proctor the test for the 90-minute duration of the test.

*K-12 Schools and School District Proctors (Test-booklet format):
A proctor at a K-12 school or school district may only be a Principal, Assistant Principal, Dean, Administrative Assistant to the Principal, School District HR personnel, Academic Chair, Curriculum Coordinator or School Assessment Officer. No other administrators or staff may act as proctors.

*University or College Proctors (Test-booklet format):
A proctor at a college may be a Professor, Department Chair, Department Administrative Assistant, Teacher Education Coordinator, Registrars Office Staff, or College Assessment Officer. No other administrators or staff may act as proctors.

* If a long distance call cannot be placed from the Proctor's office telephone, the test candidate should bring a phone card to use in order to place and charge the phone call.

Step 3. Submit Application Package
For your test request to be processed, you must submit ALL the below:

1. A completed WPT application; including a check, money order, or credit card authorization
2. The WPT Proctor Form signed by your proctor, if you are requesting an internet WPT to take place at your school
3. A completed Test-Taker Agreement

Incomplete application packages will NOT be scheduled.

STEP 4. Wait for notification your WPT assignment

Once your application has been processed, you will be sent an e-mail that your WPT may be scheduled with your proctor. The same e-mail will provide a unique ID and PASSWORD for you to use on the LTI Test Candidate website (www.languagetesting.com) to be able to access your test status and results.

Your WPT proctor will also receive an e-mail with WPT instructions. You will then need to determine with your proctor the weekday and time (between 8am and 5pm Eastern Time) for the proctor to administer the WPT to you by computer in his or her office. If you or your WPT proctor have any questions regarding the administration of the WPT, please write us as testing@languagetesting.com

NOTIFICATION WPT RESULTS

Once the rating of your test is completed (usually within 2 to 4 weeks), you will be able to view the test result and print your ACTFL Writing Proficiency Certificate on the LTI Individual Information Center site (www.languagetesting.com/individual) using your ID and password. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction will receive your test results via an electronic report. Please include a copy of your ACTFL Proficiency Certificates when submitting your credentials to your North Carolina employing school system. Each test becomes a permanent record in the ACTFL Test Archive.

PREPARING FOR AN OPI AND WPT

To prepare, make opportunities to speak the target language, making sure to tell stories (in as much detail as possible) about personal and professional experiences that have happened, are happening and will happen. Do the same thing in writing by writing essays about personal and professional experiences that have happened, are happening and will happen, making sure to give background information as well as details of the experience.

Read the ACTFL Proficiency Descriptions for Speaking and Writing found on the ACTFL website. The North Carolina State Board of Education has set a requirement of Intermediate High as the qualifying proficiency ratings in Speaking and Writing for lateral entry licensure or for adding a language area to a clear license in another teaching area. Make sure that you fully understand the functions that you will need to be able to demonstrate that you can handle and with what level of accuracy and discourse length in order to be obtain a satisfactory proficiency level.

TEST TAKING TIPS FOR AN OPI AND WPT

When taking the oral proficiency interview, listen carefully to the questions asked by the interviewer before answering. When answering, give as detailed a response as possible. Saying little to avoid making mistakes will not improve your rating. If you do not know a specific term in the target language, describe it and try not resort to another language or making up words. (If you do use a foreign word or slang term, do not be surprised if the interviewer asks you to describe what that word means in the target language.)

When taking the writing test, read the directions for each of the four prompts carefully. Make sure that your written response addresses the tasks and specifications outlined in the prompt. For example, if the prompt asks you describe a specific work experience you have had, be sure to recount the details of a specific work experience and not just give a general description of your work experience. It is also very important that you follow the time allocation specified for each prompt. If a prompt asks you to give a brief description of a paragraph in length that should not take more than ten minutes to write, do not respond to that prompt by writing five paragraphs and taking twenty-five minutes. If you do this, you will not have enough time to address later prompts fully.

LTI: The ACTFL Testing Office
Tel: 914-963-7110 ext. 10
Fax: 914-963-7113
testing@languagetesting.com
www.languagetesting.com

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