Tag: AAPPL

ACTFL® Assessments: The Gold Standard in Higher Education

Why ACTFL Assessments Are the Gold Standard in Higher Education Language Assessment When it comes to language assessment, accuracy of scoring and credibility are non-negotiable. For institutions making key decisions about student placement, waiver, and graduation requirements, ACTFL assessments are one of the most trusted measures of language abilities globally. Delivered exclusively through Language Testing International® (LTI), ACTFL assessments are the only tests that deliver ACTFL scores and […]

Understanding the Mission: Getting Families on Board with the AAPPL

In my line of work, I often have to deal with two sides of education – explaining content to students, and then interpreting matters to parents. The two can often follow similar paths, but because contact with parents can be infrequent and fleeting, I try to give family members a bird’s eye view of the student’s educational plan; meanwhile, the pupil […]

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Machine Scoring in World Language Assessment: What Educators Need to Know

An FAQ for Educators, Administrators, and Assessment Leaders about the Machine Scoring System for the Spanish AAPPL Presentational Writing and Interpersonal Listening and Speaking As AI becomes more visible in education, machine scoring is gaining attention in language assessment. But one fact is often overlooked: not all automated scoring systems are built with the same […]

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Getting the Whole Picture: How Language Education Fits into the Portrait of a Graduate

My fellow educators and I did an interesting exercise at a workshop entitled “Chairing Your Department” that was both cynically eye-opening and kind of hilarious; they had us all put our schools’ description for what a successful graduate of ________ (insert whatever your school’s name is here) can do, the skills they’ve mastered, and the […]

AAPPL Future Ready Portrait of a Graduate

Why Language Is STEM. Redefining Education as Math, Engineering, Language, Technology, and Science (MELTS)

I’ve always been a left-brained math and science guy who loves rules, systems, and geometric proofs, which is why I’ve never quite understood my own proclivity towards the humanities, literature, storytelling, and languages. And yet, since the myth of brain hemispheres has long been debunked, why has no one exorcised the lingering haunts that foreign […]

AAPPL MELTS STEM

Did You Read the Directions? Five Ways to Lower Test Anxiety.

“So, if I just memorize all the vocabulary, I’ll be fine, right?” “Exactly how many questions will be on the quiz?” “I’m so cooked for this test; I don’t understand anything.” “How many sentences should I write?” I hear manifestations of anxiety like these all the time in the days leading up to an assessment. […]

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From Classroom to Career: Meeting Perkins V Outcomes with Language Proficiency and ACTFL Credentials

What is Perkins V? Perkins V (officially Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act) provides federal funding to states and local school districts to strengthen career and technical education (CTE). The legislation emphasizes raising both academic and technical outcomes for CTE students, improving alignment between secondary and postsecondary education, and increasing accountability. Through Perkins V, states and […]

AAPPL CTE language credentialing Perkins V

From Uncertainty to Confidence: Building Clearer Pathways in World Language Learning

Across secondary and postsecondary education, world language programs are grappling with a familiar challenge: helping students understand what they can actually do with the language they are learning, and why it matters. Student feedback across a range of standardized assessments has surfaced recurring themes. Learners have signaled uncertainty about expectations, uneven confidence in their skills, […]

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13 Language Proficiency and Assessments Myths Debunked

When it comes to language proficiency, misconceptions are everywhere. From how proficiency is defined and developed to how it’s assessed, common myths can lead to inaccurate assumptions, flawed decisions, and missed opportunities. In a crowded landscape of tests, tools, and claims, not all approaches to measuring and understanding proficiency are created equal. Let’s separate myth […]

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The Human Side of the Gold Standard: An Interview with an AAPPL Rater

Among many things that make AAPPL the Gold Standard for measuring performance toward proficiency is how it’s scored: student spoken and written submissions are evaluated by ACTFL-certified raters using rigorous protocols, so educators can trust the results and use them with confidence. Below, an AAPPL rater shares what it’s like to earn certification, stay calibrated, and score with a “what students can do” mindset. Read more: Are You Truly Assessing […]

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