Hrabar Ye. V. Summary of Tests to Determine the Level of Development of Foreign Language Competence of Students in the United States

Hrabar Ye. V. English Language Professor, Mukachiv State University (place of the residence: Svalyava, Zakarpats’ka Oblast’).

Abstract
The improvement of instructional assessment is of topical significance for foreign language teachers nowadays. A variety of forms, methods, and techniques are used to measure academic performance. One of the most effective means of instructional assessment in the foreign language learning is testing, which is the subject of our study. This article deals with the test content aimed at measuring academic performance in reading, speaking, listening, and writing as used by American foreign language secondary school teachers.
Testing of students’ foreign language reading skills in the American educational system is aimed to get information on the students’ comprehension of authentic texts over a determined period of time. The purpose of writing tasks is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of students’ communicative competence, i.e. to evaluate students’ use of language skills when writing. Listening tasks are aimed to determine the level of the comprehension of the text content, distinguishing important information, main ideas, and supporting details. Speaking tests are intended to encourage students’ engagement in communication with the help of discussions, debates, interviews, reports, etc.
Thus, a wide range of test assignments allows American teachers to get valid information on the level of the students’ foreign language knowledge and skills.

Key words: test content, text, validity, reading, writing, listening, speaking, communicative competence.

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