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1. The Roles of Assessment in Language Teaching

   In: English Teaching Forum 2012, Volume 50, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This piece makes a case for using assessment to understand and identify the needs of learners and introduces the three reprints that follow: “Twenty Common Testing Mistakes for EFL Teachers to Avoid,” Coming to Grips with Progress Testing: Some Guidelines for Its Design,” and “Purposeful Language Assessment: Selecting the Right Alternative Test.”

2. Differentiating Instructions (Online!) for Equity in Learning

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   The American English Webinar and Facebook Live sessions are hosted by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of English Language Programs in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

3. The Communicative Approach: Addressing Frequent Failure

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 1 Format(s): Text

   The author found that student and teacher beliefs about error correction support a teacher-centered classroom environment. However, the notion of interlanguage suggests that language is acquired through trial and error in communicative settings. Too much correction means decreased confidence and less time for students to use the language. The author proposes that teachers reduce the amount of time they talk. Teachers need to learn more about the benefits and techniques of a communicative approach and ways to adapt material.

4. English Proficiency Test: The Oral Component of a Primary School

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article discusses the various problems found when teachers try to design the oral production part of English proficiency tests for young learners. The authors discuss matters such as intimidation or the possibility of relating the test too much to other conventional tests. They offer ways to address these issues, including testing for fluency, using elicitation procedures, and changing the view of the test into a more relaxed game-like scenario. The authors provide examples of where these ideas have been implemented.

5. Shaping the Way We Teach English: From Observation to Action

   Format(s): Text

   Shaping the Way We Teach English: From Observation to Action is a series of video-based training materials for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educators.

6. Department of Education Literacy Information and Communication System

   Format(s): Website

   Teachers, are you looking for more online professional development opportunities? Then check out the English Language Learner University from LINCS.

7. Needs Assessment for Course or Curriculum Design

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   In this webinar, we will first examine the needs assessment process by reviewing several methods, techniques, and options for gathering data about student needs.

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