CAST
CAST: Computer Assisted Screening Tool
The purpose of this project is to assemble a consortium of five institutions (three universities, one military language training unit and professional association) to create oral diagnostics screening instruments on a nationwide scale for Arabic, Spanish and later Persian descents. The purpose of these CAST diagnostic screening tools are to 1) elicit an adequate speech sample from examinees to assure a reliable floor (or baseline) rating, 2) provide feedback to the examinees on how their score can be improved, 3) estimate examinees likely score on the ACTFL OPI, and 4) Provide positive wash back for proficiency-based teaching. Much of the ground work (database for test items, user questionnaire and language data forms, rater evaluation forms) is complete. This new proposal will add critical languages, dialects, and language levels to the existing CAST tool, as well as on-line authentic materials and media used in SDSU courses taught through the Center for the Advancement of Distinguished Language Proficiency and LARC. CAST tests advanced level speaking proficiency in nine languages.
LINK: CAST
