Preparing Learners for the AAPPL

Should I teach to the test?

That sounds like the wrong approach, at least wrong if the test is not the right evidence of learners reaching the learning goals. But what if the test is the right test? What if the test accurately represents your learning targets, that is, what you want learners to be able to do as a result of the learning you guide every day?

During my 16 years teaching Spanish to middle school and high school students, I was on a constant quest to ensure that my assessments mirrored how students were developing their language proficiency. As a result, assessments changed from focusing on specific vocabulary and grammatical structures to engaging tasks through which learners could demonstrate their application of what they had learned. Feedback also changed to highlight specific things that learners did to show how they were approaching, meeting, or exceeding the targeted proficiency level. I wish the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) had existed when I was teaching, as it represents the kind of evidence of growth along the proficiency continuum that I was trying to capture through my unit level formative and summative assessments. What a great match; of course I want to teach to this test!

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Implementing ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test: A Tool for Research and Assessment of Biliteracy – LTI Blog

By Dámaris Mayans, PhD

For many heritage speakers of Spanish—those who grew up hearing and speaking the language at home but received most of their formal education in English (Valdés, 2000) —reading and writing in Spanish can feel like uncharted territory. While oral fluency may come naturally, academic writing often does not. So, what happens when you give these students just one semester of targeted instruction focused on academic writing in Spanish? Our recent study set out to answer exactly that—and the results are both hopeful and illuminating.

How Much Can One Semester Do? ACTFL Results Reveal Growth in Spanish Heritage Learners’ Writing Proficiency

In a world where heritage language learners often navigate complex bilingual realities, the classroom can be a powerful space for transformation. A recent study conducted at Colby College set out to measure that transformation—specifically, the growth in academic writing among Spanish heritage learners after just one semester of formal instruction. The findings, drawn from ACTFL’s Writing Proficiency Test (WPT), offer a compelling look at the measurable gains possible with a thoughtfully designed curriculum.

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Beyond the Seal: Why Language Credentialing Must Go Further for Today’s Graduates – LTI Blog

The Seal of Biliteracy is an important and meaningful recognition of learners’ achievements in language learning. It celebrates linguistic diversity, honors learners’ heritage languages, and promotes the value of multilingualism in our schools and communities.

But to truly support learners’ futures in college, careers, and beyond, it’s essential to look further than the Seal itself and focus on what underpins it: the assessment used to demonstrate language proficiency.

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How a Credit Union Boosted Member Retention by Embracing Multilingual Services

I have noticed that financial institutions are recognizing more and more each day the importance of language accessibility and cultural fluency in serving their communities. One notable example is the Latino Community Credit Union (LCCU) in North Carolina, which has demonstrated in recent years how implementing multilingual services can lead to increased customer loyalty and expanded community reach. 

Established in 2000 in Durham, North Carolina, the LCCU was founded in response to a series of violent crimes targeting Latino immigrants who, lacking access to traditional banking services, were forced to carry large amounts of cash when they got paid by their employers. This vulnerability highlighted the urgent need for a financial institution that could serve the Latino community’s unique needs. 

Multilingual Services and Cultural Fluency 

From its inception, LCCU prioritized language accessibility. Recognizing that many of its members were more comfortable communicating in Spanish, the credit union ensured that all services, including account management, loan applications, and customer support, were available in both English and Spanish. Additionally, LCCU provided financial education programs tailored to the cultural contexts of its members, helping them navigate the U.S. financial system more effectively. 

Of utmost importance, the credit union attributes its success to the bilingual staff they have hired from within the community who have the ability to help customers regarding financial matters in English and Spanish. I truly admire this decision, because in my experience not all institutions take serious measures in providing clear communication, mitigating risk, and fostering trust by prioritizing the language skills of their customer-facing employees as an operational imperative. 

This is why ACTFL® assessments delivered through Language Testing International® (LTI), are so valuable because they are the gold standard in determining language proficiency, helping financial organizations like LCCU ensure that their teams can consistently meet the needs of clients of all backgrounds. 

Impact on Member Retention and Community Reach 

The implementation of multilingual services had a profound impact on LCCU’s growth and member retention. To date, the credit union has over 135,000+ members from 137 different countries and has given out $1.9 billion in life-changing loans. 

These figures underscore the credit union’s success in building trust within the Latino community. By addressing language barriers and providing culturally relevant services, LCCU not only attracted new members but also fostered long-term loyalty. 

Broader Implications for Financial Institutions 

LCCU’s experience illustrates the broader benefits of embracing multilingual services in the financial sector. By investing in language accessibility and cultural fluency, financial institutions can: 

Enhance Customer Trust 

Communicating in a customer’s preferred language demonstrates respect and understanding, fostering trust and confidence in your expertise. 

Improve Financial Literacy 

Tailored financial education programs can empower underserved communities, leading to more informed financial decisions. 

Expand Market Reach 

Multilingual services can attract a more robust customer base, opening up new markets and opportunities for growth, especially if no one else is catering to them, as in the case of LCCU. 

Increase Member Retention 

Providing culturally relevant services can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

Strengthen Generational Loyalty 

When financial institutions build trust with first-generation customers through language access and cultural respect, they often gain the loyalty of future generations. Children and grandchildren of initial members tend to stay within the trusted institution, resulting in sustained growth and a deeper community footprint. 

Language Proficiency Certification

I applaud LCCU for serving as an example of a compelling business model that demonstrates how to leverage language accessibility and cultural fluency to drive customer loyalty, generational engagement, and community empowerment. As financial institutions seek to attract untapped market segments, embracing multilingual services is not just a matter of compliance or goodwill—it’s a strategic imperative that can lead to sustained growth, deeper relationships, and success across generations. 

To maximize these efforts, I recommend that financial institutions evaluate the language proficiency of their teams through ACTFL® assessments. Verifying true language capabilities ensures that institutions meet regulatory expectations in over 120 languages through objective, ACTFL-certified evaluations of an individual’s reading, writing, speaking, and listening proficiency.  

By eliminating ambiguity, organizations can make informed staffing and development decisions, while bilingual professionals gain clear validation of their capabilities—strengthening the foundation for operational excellence and sustainable growth. For more information visit languagetesting.com. 

What’s New with AAPPL for 2025–2026

At ACTFL® and Language Testing International® (LTI), we are committed to delivering the best possible assessment experiences for educators and learners. We always innovate, always listen, and always improve. As we kick off the new school year, here’s what’s new and updated with the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL).

AAPPL Test Content Refresh

The AAPPL content is reviewed and refreshed every year; the 2025-26 version of AAPPL will be released Sept. 15. Please note that any test orders placed before Sept. 15 will receive the version used in the 2024-25 academic year.

ASL AAPPL

The first ACTFL assessment of American Sign Language (ASL) is launching this September, just in time for the new school year! The ASL AAPPL assesses Interpersonal Interaction (II) and Receptive Comprehension (RC) and is designed for d/Deaf learners, CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults), and ASL language learners. It provides an ACTFL score that can be used for the attainment of the Seal of Biliteracy as well as for benchmarking and progress tracking.

The ASL AAPPL is fully accessible to all learners, and accommodations are available through the standard request process.

Developed in collaboration with d/Deaf and hearing ASL experts across the country from high school and university settings, ASL AAPPL honors the visual-spatial nature of the language and brings equity and recognition to ASL classrooms.

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ASL AAPPL: A Groundbreaking ACTFL Assessment for American Sign Language – LTI Blog

The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) for American Sign Language (ASL) is launching this fall, bringing the trusted ACTFL® gold standard to ASL for the very first time. The test was developed in collaboration with d/Deaf and hearing ASL experts and educators from across the country, as well as psychometricians and ACTFL’s Assessment and Research team, to ensure appropriateness of content, inclusiveness in all test resources, and test validity and reliability. The ASL AAPPL offers learners, educators, and institutions a research-based, culturally responsive, and interactive way to evaluate learners’ performance toward proficiency in American Sign Language.

Available in Form A and B and designed for learners in grades 9-12, the ASL AAPPL can support:

  • Seal of Biliteracy qualification
  • Benchmarking and tracking growth over time
  • ASL course placement in higher education

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Speaking the Language of Care: Why Nursing and Health Professions Programs Should Teach and Credential Language Skills – LTI Blog

In today’s world, nearly every profession benefits from multilingual communication. But in healthcare, it’s not just a bonus. It’s often a matter of safety, equity, and legal responsibility. Whether it’s a nurse caring for a Spanish-speaking patient, an EMT responding to a call in a multilingual neighborhood, or a clinic receptionist helping a Chinese family navigate care options, the ability to communicate across languages can be the difference between misunderstanding and healing.

While academic institutions across the country make the tough decision to cut language programs, the demand for a language-proficient workforce, especially in healthcare, is growing. Employers are actively seeking nurses, technicians, and other frontline workers who can connect with diverse patient populations. By embedding Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP), such as Spanish for Health Professionals, into nursing and health sciences programs, institutions can meet this growing demand while offering students an unparalleled career advantage and preserving the language programs.

And when paired with ACTFL® language proficiency credentials, these programs become even more powerful, turning students’ multilingual skills into professionally recognized assets.

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7 Language Pro Tips to Elevate Customer Service in Any Industry

It’s no secret that if you deliver exceptional customer service, you will have the true competitive edge—and language skills are at the heart of it. Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, healthcare, or travel, the ability to communicate clearly and warmly across languages transforms everyday service into memorable experiences that drive loyalty and business growth.  

As a communications and marketing expert, I have traveled to most major U.S. cities and internationally, talking to professionals across a wide variety of industries. I’m always curious to learn how important language proficiency is to the customer service imperatives of their companies.  

Here are seven language pro tips that I’ve learned throughout the years that can elevate customer service in any industry, along with my personal experiences from hospitality, travel, healthcare, and retail contexts.

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Career-Ready in Two Languages: How a CTE Program Is Preparing Students to Succeed in Today’s Workforce

The demand for multilingual professionals is growing fast. In industries such as healthcare, hospitality, construction, and emergency services, the ability to communicate across cultures isn’t just an asset; it’s a workforce necessity. As communities become more diverse and industries more globally connected, employers are increasingly seeking workers who can speak the language of their customers and colleagues.

At Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS), we believe in preparing students for the real world, where showing up on time, mastering your craft, and communicating are essential to long-term success. That’s why, through a partnership with Language Testing International® (LTI), the exclusive licensee of ACTFL® assessments, and NOCTI (the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute), we’re helping students graduate not just career-ready, but bilingual, credentialed, and confident.

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