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 certificates, credentials recognized by K–12 schools, universities, employers, and government agencies worldwide. While some tests claim to be “ACTFL-aligned,” only ACTFL assessments provide validated, industry-recognized proficiency ratings evaluated by ACTFL-certified raters. 

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Language Is a Strategic Business Asset: Why HR Leaders Are Rethinking Language Proficiency in Workforce Strategy

Language Is a Strategic Business Asset: Why HR Leaders Are Rethinking Language Proficiency in Workforce Strategy

Organizations routinely invest in leadership development, technical certifications, workforce analytics, and professional training because these capabilities contribute directly to business performance. They can be measured, developed, and aligned with organizational goals.

Language deserves the same consideration.

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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 trudging along needs only to know what’s coming around the bend. So, while we’ve talked about approaches to encouraging students towards approaching, undertaking, and eventually, succeeding at language proficiency exams, we’ve not yet explored approaches to getting the families on board. 

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Best AI Tools and Apps for Language Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has enhanced language learning, providing customized, interactive experiences and real-time feedback. The best AI tools for language learning help you expand your vocabulary, memorize useful phrases, and practice your conversational skills in lifelike scenarios.

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How to Prepare for a Language Proficiency Test

A language proficiency assessment measures how well you can use a language in real-life conversations or applications, regardless of how you learned it. Understanding how to prepare for a language proficiency test helps you sharpen your skills and increase your chance of getting a higher score. Since these proficiency-based tests focus on what you can do with a language, practice is more important than memorization. You must dive beyond vocabulary and use strategic preparation to become comfortable in your target language.

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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 level of evidence, oversight, or language-specific validation.

In world language assessment, credibility depends on more than technology. It depends on whether a scoring system has been trained on enough representative responses, aligned to recognized proficiency standards, validated against certified human raters, and continuously monitored after launch. The questions and answers below explain what that means in practice and why it matters for schools and programs making assessment decisions.

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When Languages Open Doors: Celebrating Students Who Turn Multilingualism into Impact

Announcing the Recipients of the 2026 LTI Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship

Each year, Language Testing International® (LTI) proudly recognizes outstanding Seal of Biliteracy recipients through the LTI Seal of Biliteracy Achievement Scholarship. The scholarship celebrates students who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to language learning and who use their multilingual skills to build connections, serve their communities, and create opportunities for themselves and others. Continue reading

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 traits they’ve developed.

And then, one by one, the instructor called out a list of the buzziest of buzzwords, asking us to cross the word out if we had it in our description. Wouldn’t you know, by the end of the exercise, no one had any legible words left!

That’s how universal, ubiquitous, and uniform this concept of depicting the ideal alumni is for educators; just walk into just about any school today and you’ll see some version of it: a polished infographic labeled “Portrait of a Graduate.” Continue reading

“Trust Us” Isn’t Enough: Why Third-Party COPPA Certification Matters

Schools Need More Than Privacy Claims from EdTech Providers

As schools continue expanding their use of digital learning tools and online assessments, one question is becoming impossible to ignore:

How do educators know which platforms truly protect student privacy?

That question is especially important when younger learners are involved. Schools are increasingly expected to evaluate not only whether a tool is effective, but whether it responsibly handles student data and safeguards children online. Continue reading

Transform Bilingual Pay from Cost Center to Competitive Advantage

International meeting

How language verification helps organizations maximize ROI, strengthen retention, and unlock the full value of multilingual talent.

By Marilyn Burgos, MS, CDMP, and Renée Tarrant

As the U.S. workforce becomes more diverse, many employers offer a bilingual pay differential to attract, hire and retain bilingual talent.

Bilingual employees connect their organizations with the diverse communities they serve across sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, government, banking, transportation, and customer support.

Businesses value multilingual communication skills as a competitive advantage. According to ACTFL, 90% of U.S. employers rely on employees with language skills beyond English, and 56% expect demand for multilingual talent to increase over the next five years.

Employers are recognizing that multilingual demand is rising. Many are adopting new bilingual pay policies and most are revisiting and updating the ones in place to meet changing workforce needs. With these investments growing, many leaders are asking a critical question:

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