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LTI The ACTFL Testing Office
www.languagetesting.com
6 Executive Plaza, Yonkers, NY 10601 testing@languagetesting.com
ACTFL CERTIFIED PROFICIENCY TESTING PROGRAM
ORAL PROFICIENCY TESTING
FOR GA COMMISSION ON INTERPRETERS
A PROGRAM OF THE SUPREME COURT
THE ACTFL ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW
The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview or ACTFL OPI is:
• a standardized procedure for the global assessment of functional speaking ability,
• a face-to-face or telephonic interview between a certified ACTFL tester and an examinee
• a criterion referenced test that compares an individual’s performance of specific oral communication tasks with the criteria of each of ten proficiency levels described in the ACTFL Proficiency-Guidelines-Speaking (Revised 1999).
The ACTFL OPI takes the form of a carefully structured conversation between a trained and certified interviewer and the person whose speaking proficiency is being assessed. The interview is interactive and continuously adapts to the speaking ability of the individual being tested. There is no script or prescribed set of question; the topics discussed during the interview are based on the interests and experiences of the speaker.
Through a series of personalized questions, the interviewer elicits from the test candidate examples of his or her ability to handle the communication tasks specified for each level of proficiency in order to establish a clear “floor” and “ceiling” of consistent functional ability. Often candidates are asked to take part in a role-play to prove linguistic functions not easily elicited through the conversational format.
Since the ACTFL OPI is an assessment of functional speaking ability, independent of any specific curriculum, it is irrelevant when, where, why and under what conditions the candidate acquired his/her speaking ability in the language.
The interviews are typically conducted by telephone and last between ten to thirty minutes. Each interview is tape recorded and assigned an initial rating by the tester.
ACTFL OPIS IN 58 LANGUAGES
As of the printing of this brochure, ACTFL provides certified oral proficiency testing in the 39 languages listed below:
Afrikaans, Albanian, Armenian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Cebuano, Chavacano, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Egyptian, English, Filipino, Flemish, French, German, Georgian, Modern Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hilgaynon, Hindi, Hmong, Ilokano, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Khmer, Korean, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Serbian, Slovak, Somali Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tamil, Tausug, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese
5/2/2006
CHOICE OF OPI RESULT
The State of Georgia Commission of Interpreters has stated that they would accept only Official ACTFL OPI.
• Official ACTFL OPI: An Official ACTFL OPI is a test conducted, recorded and rated by an ACTFL certified OPI tester. The tape of the interview is then rated blindly by second certified ACTFL certified OPI tester to confirm the rating. An ACTFL Oral Proficiency Certificate is issued for the name of the candidate, language and oral proficiency rating. The cost of an Official ACTFL OPI is $143. Results are available in 2-4 weeks from taking the test. Official ACTFL OPI ratings are widely accepted by universities, corporations and government agencies as proof of proficiency in a target language.
FEES FOR INDIVIDUAL OPI
Official/Certified ACTFL OPI per language $143.00
Rescheduling Fee $ 25.00
Missed OPI appointment/No Show $ 55.00
Payment may be made by credit card authorization (MasterCard, Discover or Visa), money order, or personal check. Payment must accompany application form(s).
ADMINISTRATION OF THE TEST FOR THE GA COMMISSION
Specific universities and institutions in the State of GA have been identified as test sites for interpreters to go to take a telephonic OPI in the target language. Once an interpreter has completed an OPI Application for GA Court Interpreters Form we will notify the individual by e-mail of possible test sites and dates that he or she may register for to take their Oral proficiency interview.
APPLYING FOR AN ACTFL OPI
Step 1. Complete an Application Form
Use an ACTFL OPI APPLICATION FORM FOR GA COMMISSION OF INTERPRETER. Fill out all the relevant personal contact information. As of January 2006, you will be required to take the OPI in English and the target language.
Step 2. On the application form, indicate that you are taking the Official OPI.
You will need to indicate on your application form that you want official OPI.
Step 3. Submit Application
Submit a completed application; include check, money order, or credit card authorization. No application will be accepted without full payment.
Step 4. Wait for notification by LTI of the Test Site Schedule
Once your application has been processed, you will be notified by email of upcoming test dates and sites in Georgia. From the list, select a test site and date to take the test.
Step 5. Appointment Confirmation
Once LTI receives your selection of a test site and date, LTI will register for an OPI that day and send you a confirmation of the site, day, time and place to go at the site for actual interview. On the e-mail you will be given a website, log-in and password for you to use to check your test schedule and retrieve rating results.
5/2/2006
Step 6. Take the test
On the scheduled date, go to the test site and arrive 15 minutes for your appointment. Bring with you two forms of picture ID to show the proctor of the test. No telephonic interview will be conducted unless you present two forms of picture ID.
Rescheduled or missed OPI Appointments
In the event that an appointment needs to be rescheduled: Contact the LTI Test Coordinator immediately (800-486-8444 extension 10). There is no charge for appointments that are rescheduled prior to one day before the scheduled appointment. For appointments that are rescheduled on the day of the appointment, there is a $25.00 rescheduling fee. For missed appointments there is a $55.00 no-show fee.
NOTIFICATION OF OPI RESULTS
Official ACTFL OPI Ratings are issued two to four weeks from the date of the test. You will be able to check on the status of your rating and print your rating certificate from our website www.languagetesting.com/individual with your login and password. Your login and password is issued to you by e-mail when LTI confirms your test appointment day and time.
QUESTIONS:
All questions regarding scheduling OPIs and retrieving results are to be submitted in writing to mccurdy@languagetesting.com.
PREPARING FOR AN OPI
Read the ACTFL Proficiency Descriptions for Speaking, which are attached. As of July 2006, The GA Commission on Interpreters: a Program of the Supreme Court has set a minimum level of Superior as acceptable. This means that during the interview you must demonstrate your ability to perform the following communication tasks:
o Speak the standard form of the language without using English or slang.
o Speak the language informally and formally.
o Speak the language with a very high degree of accuracy, exhibiting few, non-patterned errors.
o Give very detailed and accurate explanations and descriptions of things that have happened, are happening and will happen in cohesive paragraphs.
o State and support a point of view in an organized manner in an extended discussion.
o Speculate and hypothesize about possible causes, outcomes, and/or occurrences in extended discourse.
o Discuss topics from a general (abstract) non-personal perspective.
TEST TIPS
When taking the oral proficiency interview, listen carefully to the questions asked by the interviewer before answering. When answering, give as detailed a response as possible. Saying little to avoid making mistakes will not improve your rating.
Remember that the tester’s questions are not arbitrary; they are carefully framed to elicit the above communication tasks and functions. Therefore, if the tester asks you your general opinion on a topic, state and support your opinion – don’t tell them a story about a personal experience you have had – speak about the topic in general, impersonal term. If you are asked to elaborate about a hypothetical situation, be sure to do so in hypothetical and not concrete terms. The tester will NOT be assessing the factual accuracy of the content of your opinions, statements or conclusions; they will only be assessing how well you express yourself in the target language.
5/2/2006
ACTFL PROFICIENCY DESCRIPTIONS – SPEAKING ( REVISED 1999)
SUPERIOR
Speakers at the Superior level are able to communicate in the language with accuracy and fluency in order to participate fully and effectively in conversations on a variety of topics in formal and informal settings from both concrete and abstract perspectives. They discuss their interests and special fields of competence, explain complex matters in detail, and provide lengthy and coherent narrations, all with ease, fluency, and accuracy. They explain their opinions on a number of topics of importance to them, such as social and political issues, and provide structured argument to support their opinions. They are able to construct and develop hypotheses to explore alternative possibilities. When appropriate, they use extended discourse without unnaturally lengthy hesitation to make their point, even when engaged in abstract elaborations. Such discourse, while coherent, may still be influenced by the Superior speakers’ own language patterns, rather than those of the target language.
Superior speakers command a variety of interactive and discourse strategies, such as turn-taking and separating main ideas from supporting information through the use of syntactic and lexical devices, as well as intonational features such as pitch, stress and tone. They demonstrate virtually no pattern of error in the use of basic structures. However, they may make sporadic errors, particularly in low-frequency structures and in some complex high-frequency structures more common to formal speech and writing. Such errors, if they do occur, do not distract the native interlocutor or interfere with communication.
ADVANCED HIGH
Speakers at the Advanced-High level perform all Advanced-level tasks with linguistic ease, confidence and competence. They are able to consistently explain in detail and narrate fully and accurately in all time frames. In addition, Advanced-High speakers handle the tasks pertaining to the Superior level but cannot sustain performance at that level across a variety of topics. They can provide a structured argument to support their opinions, and they may construct hypotheses, but patterns of error appear. They can discuss some topics abstractly, especially those relating to their particular interests and special fields of expertise, but in general, they are more comfortable discussing a variety of topics concretely.
Advanced-High speakers may demonstrate a well-developed ability to compensate for an imperfect grasp of some forms or for limitations in vocabulary by the confident use of communicative strategies, such as paraphrasing, circumlocution, and illustration. They use precise vocabulary and intonation to express meaning and often show great fluency and ease of speech. However, when called on to perform the complex tasks associated with the Superior level over a variety of topics, their language will at times break down or prove inadequate, or they may avoid the task altogether, for example, by resorting to simplification through the use of description or narration in place of argument or hypothesis.
ADVANCED MID
Speakers at the Advanced-Mid level are able to handle with ease and confidence a large number of communicative tasks. They participate actively in most informal and some formal exchanges on a variety of concrete topics relating to work, school, home, and leisure activities, as well as to events of current, public, and personal interest or individual relevance.
Advanced-Mid speakers demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present, and future) by providing a full account, with good control of aspect, as they adapt flexibly to the demands of the conversation. Narration and description tend to be combined and interwoven to relate relevant and supporting facts in connected, paragraph-length discourse.
Advanced-Mid speakers can handle successfully and with relative ease the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar. Communicative strategies such as circumlocution or rephrasing are often employed for this purpose. The speech of Advanced-Mid speakers performing Advanced-level tasks is marked by substantial flow. Their vocabulary is fairly extensive although primarily generic in nature, except in the case of a particular area of specialization or interest. Dominant language discourse structures tend to recede, although discourse may still reflect the oral paragraph structure of their own language rather than that of the target language.
Advanced-Mid speakers contribute to conversations on a variety of familiar topics, dealt with concretely, with much accuracy, clarity and precision, and they convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion. They are readily understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives. When called on to perform functions or handle topics associated with the Superior level, the quality and/or quantity of their speech will generally decline. Advanced-Mid speakers are often able to state an opinion or cite conditions; however, they lack the ability to consistently provide a structured argument in extended discourse. Advanced-Mid speakers may use a number of delaying strategies, resort to narration, description, explanation or anecdote, or simply attempt to avoid the linguistic demands of Superior-level tasks.
5/2/2006
ADVANCED LOW
Speakers at the Advanced-Low level are able to handle a variety of communicative tasks, although somewhat haltingly at times. They participate actively in most informal and a limited number of formal conversations on activities related to school, home, and leisure activities and, to a lesser degree, those related to events of work, current, public, and personal interest or individual relevance.
Advanced-Low speakers demonstrate the ability to narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present and future) in paragraph length discourse, but control of aspect may be lacking at times. They can handle appropriately the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar, though at times their discourse may be minimal for the level and strained. Communicative strategies such as rephrasing and circumlocution may be employed in such instances. In their narrations and descriptions, they combine and link sentences into connected discourse of paragraph length. When pressed for a fuller account, they tend to grope and rely on minimal discourse. Their utterances are typically not longer than a single paragraph. Structure of the dominant language is still evident in the use of false cognates, literal translations, or the oral paragraph structure of the speaker’s own language rather than that of the target language.
While the language of Advanced-Low speakers may be marked by substantial, albeit irregular flow, it is typically somewhat strained and tentative, with noticeable self-correction and a certain ‘grammatical roughness.’ The vocabulary of Advanced-Low speakers is primarily generic in nature.
Advanced-Low speakers contribute to the conversation with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion, and it can be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, even though this may be achieved through repetition and restatement. When attempting to perform functions or handle topics associated with the Superior level, the linguistic quality and quantity of their speech will deteriorate significantly.
INTERMEDIATE HIGH
Intermediate-High speakers are able to converse with ease and confidence when dealing with most routine tasks and social situations of the Intermediate level. They are able to handle successfully many uncomplicated tasks and social situations requiring an exchange of basic information related to work, school, recreation, particular interests and areas of competence, though hesitation and errors may be evident.
Intermediate-High speakers handle the tasks pertaining to the Advanced level, but they are unable to sustain performance at that level over a variety of topics. With some consistency, speakers at the Intermediate High level narrate and describe in major time frames using connected discourse of paragraph length. However, their performance of these Advanced-level tasks will exhibit one or more features of breakdown, such as the failure to maintain the narration or description semantically or syntactically in the appropriate major time frame, the disintegration of connected discourse, the misuse of cohesive devises, a reduction in breadth and appropriateness of vocabulary, the failure to successfully circumlocute, or a significant amount of hesitation.
Intermediate-High speakers can generally be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, although the dominant language is still evident (e.g. use of code-switching, false cognates, literal translations, etc.), and gaps in communication may occur.
INTERMEDIATE MID
Speakers at the Intermediate-Mid level are able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. Conversation is generally limited to those predictable and concrete exchanges necessary for survival in the target culture; these include personal information covering self, family, home, daily activities, interests and personal preferences, as well as physical and social needs, such as food, shopping, travel and lodging.
Intermediate-Mid speakers tend to function reactively, for example, by responding to direct questions or requests for information. However, they are capable of asking a variety of questions when necessary to obtain simple information to satisfy basic needs, such as directions, prices and services. When called on to perform functions or handle topics at the Advanced level, they provide some information but have difficulty linking ideas, manipulating time and aspect, and using communicative strategies, such as circumlocution.
Intermediate-Mid speakers are able to express personal meaning by creating with the language, in part by combining and recombining known elements and conversational input to make utterances of sentence length and some strings of sentences. Their speech may contain pauses, reformulations and self-corrections as they search for adequate vocabulary and appropriate language forms to express themselves. Because of inaccuracies in their vocabulary and/or pronunciation and/or grammar and/or syntax, misunderstandings can occur, but Intermediate-Mid speakers are generally understood by sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to dealing with non-natives.
INTERMEDIATE LOW
Speakers at the Intermediate-Low level are able to handle successfully a limited number of uncomplicated communicative tasks by creating with the language in straightforward social situations. Conversation is restricted to some of the concrete exchanges and predictable topics necessary for survival in the target language culture. These topics relate to basic personal information covering, for example, self and family, some daily activities and personal preferences, as well as to some immediate needs, such as ordering food and making simple purchases. At the Intermediate-Low level, speakers are primarily reactive and struggle to answer direct questions or requests for information, but they are also able to ask a few appropriate questions.
5/2/2006
Intermediate-Low speakers express personal meaning by combining and recombining into short statements what they know and what they hear from their interlocutors. Their utterances are often filled with hesitancy and inaccuracies as they search for appropriate linguistic forms and vocabulary while attempting to give form to the message. Their speech is characterized by frequent pauses, ineffective reformu-lations and self-corrections. Their pronunciation, vocabulary and syntax are strongly influenced by their first language but, in spite of frequent misunderstandings that require repetition or rephrasing, Intermediate-Low speakers can generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors, particularly by those accustomed to dealing with non-natives.
NOVICE HIGH
Speakers at the Novice-High level are able to handle a variety of tasks pertaining to the Intermediate level, but are unable to sustain performance at that level. They are able to manage successfully a number of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. Conversation is restricted to a few of the predictable topics necessary for survival in the target language culture, such as basic personal information, basic objects and a limited number of activities, preferences and immediate needs. Novice-High speakers respond to simple, direct questions or requests for information; they are able to ask only a very few formulaic questions when asked to do so.
Novice-High speakers are able to express personal meaning by relying heavily on learned phrases or recombinations of these and what they hear from their interlocutor. Their utterances, which consist mostly of short and sometimes incomplete sentences in the present, may be hesitant or inaccurate. On the other hand, since these utterances are frequently only expansions of learned material and stock phrases, they may sometimes appear surprisingly fluent and accurate. These speakers’ first language may strongly influence their pronunciation, as well as their vocabulary and syntax when they attempt to personalize their utterances. Frequent misunderstandings may arise but, with repetition or rephrasing, Novice-High speakers can generally be understood by sympathetic interlocutors used to non-natives. When called on to handle simply a variety of topics and perform functions pertaining to the Intermediate level, a Novice-High speaker can sometimes respond in intelligible sentences, but will not be able to sustain sentence level discourse.
NOVICE MID
Speakers at the Novice-Mid level communicate minimally and with difficulty by using a number of isolated words and memorized phrases limited by the particular context in which the language has been learned. When responding to direct questions, they may utter only two or three words at a time or an occasional stock answer. They pause frequently as they search for simple vocabulary or attempt to recycle their own and their interlocutor’s words. Because of hesitations, lack of vocabulary, inaccuracy, or failure to respond appropriately, Novice-Mid speakers may be understood with great difficulty even by sympathetic interlocutors accustomed to dealing with non-natives. When called on to handle topics by performing functions associated with the Intermediate level, they frequently resort to repetition, words from their native language, or silence.
NOVICE LOW
Speakers at the Novice-Low level have no real functional ability and, because of their pronunciation, they may be unintelligible. Given adequate time and familiar cues, they may be able to exchange greetings, give their identity, and name a number of familiar objects from their immediate environment. They are unable to perform functions or handle topics pertaining to the Intermediate level, and cannot therefore participate in a true conversational exchange.
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