Real World Perspective on Language Proficiency

With the number of non-English speaking households in the United States continuing to grow exponentially, schools throughout the nation have witnessed a commensurate increase in the number of students attending English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Many school districts nationwide have struggled to accommodate the needs of children who often enter the educational system with limited or non-existent English.

While we have existing means to measure progress in school, primarily grades, there is ample evidence that exists to support the notion that grades alone do not necessarily indicate proficiency (or lack thereof) in a subject, and language learning is no exception. Standardized testing is yet another existing method to evaluate student learning and readiness for subsequent grade levels, but this to has been widely criticized as inadequate and inaccurate as a true measure of ability. In both cases, grades and standardized testing only provide a very small glimpse into what students can do, and they are not an effective means of getting a comprehensive view of overall proficiency.
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Proficiency Assessments

Language Testing International is proud to be the only company licensed to offer proficiency assessments that meet the rigorous standards of the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). No matter what your motivation for wanting a proficiency assessment, you naturally want to be certain that you are getting the most accurate, comprehensive and reliable test available. Since we know that business owners don’t have the time to create such tests, we have created them for you.
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The Growing Demand for a Multilingual Workforce

With the growing demand for multilingual in today’s increasingly globalizing world, listing “fluency” in several languages on one’s resume has become a significant advantage for job seekers. What does it actually mean when someone says that they are fluent, though? How can companies be sure that the people they are hiring actually have the requisite language skills to fulfill their job functions successfully?

Being able to speak multiple languages, and, more importantly, being able to function in multiple languages in a professional setting, is a highly specialized skill set. As such, it is surprising and disappointing that many companies do not exercise due diligence to ascertain whether the language skills proclaimed on a candidate’s resume actually match up to his or her real world abilities.
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Foreign Language Proficiency Exam

There are many reasons you and your organization may want someone to take a foreign language proficiency exam. Perhaps you are working with particular ethnic communities within your own country, or maybe you need to communicate with firms overseas. Your company may be expanding and opening offices around the world. Whatever the reason may be, having an accurate understanding of your employees’ language capabilities is crucial to your success.

One of the primary aspects of language proficiency is an individual’s ability to read in a given language. At Language Testing International, our reading tests cover everything from basic, everyday language to more complex, subtle texts that incorporate high-level concepts like hypothetical reasoning and abstract concepts. The ability to understand not just the definition of a word, but also any other connotations and associations it may have, is something that distinguishes a person with an elementary understanding of a language from someone who is highly functional in it.
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ACTFL Proficiency Tests

As the exclusive licensee of exams designed by the world-renowned American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Language Testing International can satisfy whatever testing requirements you and your organization may have. Covering all facets of language proficiency, our tests will provide you with the most accurate profile of an individual’s linguistic abilities. This will prove invaluable when determining who the right person for a job is, because, as we all know, just because someone considers themselves “fluent” in a language, doesn’t mean that they really are.

Having someone who has scored well in our reading and writing tests means that you can rest assured that this individual is the right candidate to represent you when dealing with other organizations. Whether you need someone to be able to carry on extensive personal correspondence, or produce complex technical manuals in a given language, our rating system will help you to feel confident in your employee’s capabilities.
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Language Testing and Assessment

There are four major categories of language testing and assessment that Language Testing International provides. As the exclusive test producer for ACTFL, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, LTI has been producing tests that maintain stringent levels of rigor and validity required for over two decades. Any company that offers a second language service must consider using these types of language tests in order to be a competitive employer, as companies typically offer extra incentives for second language skills. As such, you want to be able to ensure that you are getting your money’s worth by employing an individual who can effectively communicate in the second language.

The first element of language testing and assessment is the spoken test. Any company operating in a foreign country wants to make sure that their employees can effectively speak the language without major difficulty as well as being able to be completely understood. A spoken test measures not only how correct the test taker’s word choice is, but also their use of common vernacular, slang, and conversational tone and inflection. Given that they will be the face of your company, you want to be sure that they are the best representatives possible.
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Language Proficiency Exams

Over 20 Years of Experience with Language Proficiency Exams 

Language proficiency exams are generally considered the best way to measure an employee or teaching candidate’s ability to effectively use a language in a professional setting.  Many individuals, both those employed and those seeking employment,  list multi-lingual skills as one of their employment assets. It is difficult to tell from simple conversation, however, if a candidate actually has solid language skills in a given language. If you want to be truly competitive in an increasingly globalized marketplace, you know that you cannot take a chance on candidates with faulty or poor language skills, particularly not when vital communications and reputations are at stake.  Language proficiency exams are a vital way that you can test your employees’ and candidates’ abilities with the assurance that their scores will help you decide who has professional abilities and who does not.
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Language Proficiency Assessments

Valid and Reliable Language Proficiency Assessments

Language proficiency assessments from Language Testing International – whether of reading, speaking, writing or listening – are the pinnacle in language proficiency testing. Our exams focus on language proficiency rather than knowledge, and meet all of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) requirements. As such, our proficiency assessments represent the top of the line in the field of language testing. With over 20 years of experience, over 100 languages tested, and a deep understanding of what constitutes language proficiency, Language Testing International is a leader in the industry today. Language proficiency assessments are not all created equal, and it is important to understand what makes assessments from Language Testing International the most effective and accurate ones that you can get.
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English Language Proficiency Exams

English language proficiency exams are one way that you can accurately place candidates and employees in your company or institution.  With many employees coming to the workplace with multilingual skills, it is important to ascertain whether or not those same employees have proficiency in English, the most important language in the United States.  While having candidates that can speak other languages is valuable, these languages are far less useful if your teacher or employee cannot also communicate effectively in English.  Whether you are an academic institution seeking to certify language ability for teachers or a corporate institution needing to accurately place candidates for available jobs that require language skills, Language Testing International offers English language proficiency exams to ascertain whether your staff members have the language abilities necessary to succeed.
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ACTFL Language Testing

Language Testing International is the exclusive licensee of exams produced by the foremost authority on foreign language acquisition in the United States – ACTFL, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. Decades of research demonstrate unequivocally that ACTFL’s language tests are second to none. By combining decades of experience with cutting edge technology, ACTFL and LTI’s proficiency tests are demonstrably superior to those of our competitors.

We provide tests that cover the four main areas of language acquisition – reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Our reading tests are able to evaluate the full range of candidates’ abilities, ranging from basic texts to complex, in-depth pieces. Even test-takers who have strong spoken skills in a given language may not have the same level of strength when it comes to reading comprehension. By providing a wide variety of text examples, our test provide a detailed profile of how well a candidate can understand what they are reading.
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