Study Guide
Field 179: Cherokee
Test Design and Framework
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The test design below describes general assessment information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.
ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines:
For Cherokee, examinees are expected to demonstrate proficiency at least at a level equivalent to the Intermediate-High level as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines.
Test Design
*Does not include 15-minute C B T tutorial
Test Framework
Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.
| subareas | range of competencies | approximate percentage of test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| selected-response | |||
| roman numeral 1 | Interpretive Listening | 0001–0002 | 24 percent |
| roman numeral 2 | Interpretive Reading | 0003–0004 | 23 percent |
| roman numeral 3 | Language Acquisition and Instruction | 0005–0006 | 23 percent |
| this cell intentionally left blank. | 70 percent | ||
| subareas | range of competencies | approximate percentage of test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| constructed-response | |||
| roman numeral 4 | Presentational Writing | 0007 | 15 percent |
| roman numeral 5 | Presentational Speaking | 0008 | 15 percent |
| this cell intentionally left blank. | 30 percent | ||
Subarea 1—Interpretive Listening
Competency 0001–Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of formal and informal spoken messages likely to be encountered in culturally authentic situations (e.g., announcements, dialogues, speeches, poetry).
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- Identify contextual details, such as register; sociolinguistic conventions; and cultural details, such as the products, practices, and perspectives of the target-language cultures.
- Select an appropriate response to a spoken question or comment.
- Recognize greetings, questions, statements, exchanges, or commands likely to be used in the target-language classroom.
- Determine the meaning of words or phrases in context.
- Identify a main idea.
- Identify a sequence of steps.
- Identify a cause-and-effect relationship.
- Identify basic linguistic structures and their function.
Competency 0002–Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of formal and informal spoken messages likely to be encountered in culturally authentic situations (e.g., announcements, dialogues, speeches, poetry).
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- Infer the tone or mood of a speaker or of a message.
- Draw conclusions or predict an outcome on the basis of the context or a situation presented.
- Analyze the social or cultural context, including the relationship between speakers in a conversation or the likely audience of a message.
- Analyze the communicative strategies and the social and cultural context to determine a speaker's point of view or perspective.
- Analyze complex linguistic structures to determine their function or effectiveness in achieving particular effects.
- Interpret idiomatic expressions and figurative language.
Subarea 2—Interpretive Reading
Competency 0003–Demonstrate literal comprehension of a variety of culturally authentic texts (e.g., e-mails, posters, Web sites, maps, graphs, periodicals, literature).
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- Identify contextual details, such as the appropriate formal and informal written language used in various social situations and cultural details, such as the products, practices, and perspectives of the target-language cultures.
- Determine the meaning of words or phrases in context.
- Identify a main idea.
- Identify a sequence of steps or a sequence of events.
- Identify a cause-and-effect relationship.
- Select an accurate summary.
- Identify basic linguistic structures and their function.
Competency 0004–Infer meaning and analyze information from a variety of culturally authentic texts (e.g., e-mails, posters, Web sites, maps, graphs, periodicals, literature).
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- Infer the tone or mood of an author or of a character.
- Draw conclusions or predict an outcome on the basis of the context or a situation presented.
- Infer the intended audience.
- Analyze the communicative strategies and the social and cultural context to determine the author's or a character's point of view or perspective.
- Analyze complex linguistic structures to determine their function or effectiveness in achieving particular effects.
- Analyze the structure of an author's argument and the sufficiency and reliability of evidence presented in support of the argument.
- Interpret idiomatic expressions and figurative language.
Subarea 3—Language Acquisition and Instruction
Competency 0005–Apply knowledge of the process of language acquisition and how it relates to the language learner in the classroom.
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- Demonstrate understanding of the major theories of first- and second-language acquisition.
- Analyze similarities and differences between first- and second-language acquisition.
- Apply knowledge of the cognitive, affective, and social factors (e.g., first language, heritage language, prior knowledge, cultural and educational background, age, developmental level) that can affect second-language acquisition.
- Apply knowledge of the linguistic factors (e.g., language transfer, overgeneralization) that can affect second-language acquisition.
Competency 0006–Select and apply teaching and assessment strategies that provide students with opportunities to communicate in the target language in meaningful and authentic ways and that promote students' ability to make connections and comparisons and to participate in community life.
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- Demonstrate knowledge of the Oklahoma Standards for World Languages, including skills and knowledge expected at each instructional level.
- Apply strategies for selecting and using age-appropriate authentic materials to meet the instructional, linguistic, and cultural learning goals of all students.
- Apply strategies for designing and differentiating instruction to meet students' diverse needs and provide them with opportunities to communicate in the target language in meaningful ways and authentic situations.
- Select appropriate approaches, methods, and strategies to promote students' ability to make comparisons and connections between the target language and cultures and their own language, culture, and other disciplines and to promote students' participation in community life.
- Apply strategies for selecting a variety of development- and age-appropriate language assessment strategies and techniques and for using assessment results to inform teaching and learning.
Subarea 4—Presentational Writing
Competency 0007–In response to a prompt, apply knowledge of target-language structures and writing conventions to compose an effective, coherent, and clear written response.
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- Evaluate the specified situation, cultural context, and audience to determine appropriate writing conventions.
- Compose a logically sequenced, coherent, and effective written response.
- Support ideas and opinions with relevant details and examples, including cultural details, such as the products, practices, and perspectives of the target-language cultures, as appropriate.
- Use appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, contextualized vocabulary, and/or idiomatic expressions to compose an effective written response.
- Apply conventions of standard grammar, orthography, diacritical marks, and mechanics of the target language.
Subarea 5—Presentational Speaking
Competency 0008–In response to a prompt, apply knowledge of target-language structures and speaking conventions to deliver an effective, coherent, and clear spoken response.
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- Evaluate the specified situation, cultural context, and audience to determine appropriate speaking conventions.
- Deliver a logically sequenced, coherent, and effective spoken response.
- Support ideas and opinions with relevant details and examples, including cultural details, such as the products, practices, and perspectives of the target-language cultures, as appropriate.
- Use appropriate narrative time frames, sentence structures, cohesive devices, contextualized vocabulary, and/or idiomatic expressions to deliver an effective response.
- Demonstrate clear pronunciation and appropriate intonation, and maintain a flow of speech with few nonproductive hesitations or pauses that interfere with meaning.