Percorremos nessa pesquisa caminhos entre a leitura, tradução e avaliação que muitas vezes se cruzam, como na didática de línguas e nos estudos cognitivos. Os processos e estratégias de tradução, forçosamente, demandam variados tipos de leitura em língua estrangeira que, por sua vez, ativam outras estratégias em diferentes momentos, como a leitura do texto traduzido feita em comparação ao texto original, denominada leitura crítica da tradução. A prática da tradução exercita a leitura, ao mesmo tempo em que faz com que o leitor-tradutor reflita sobre suas próprias atividades e percursos. A avaliação da compreensão escrita de um texto em língua estrangeira é a finalidade dos exames universitários de proficiência que representam uma das etapas exigidas durante processo seletivo para o mestrado e doutorado nos programas de pósgraduação. Esses exames podem ter diferentes modalidades dentro de um mesmo centro aplicador ou universidade, como acontece na USP. Em alguns casos, exige-se a tradução, se não integral, de um trecho do texto para o qual também são feitas outras questões: dissertativas, múltipla escolha ou opção por verdadeiro ou falso. Nessa pesquisa, analisamos as traduções de trechos de textos de exames de proficiência em francês feitas por candidatos aos programas de pós-graduação para o mestrado e doutorado na ECA, nos anos 2002, 2004, 2005 e 2006, e na Faculdade de Letras, nos anos 2004, 2006 e 2007. Os trechos de tradução foram inseridos no programa WordSmith Tools, que ajuda a visualizar um corpus para que seja analisado, por isso muito usual nas pesquisas em Linguística de Corpus. Confrontamos nossas postulações de erros com as soluções, dificuldades, problemas e procedimentos encontrados no corpus. Considerando o objetivo do exame de proficiência e como não há indícios de um método de correção da tradução no corpus, procuramos distinguir os erros de leitura dos de expressão escrita e compreender as estratégias utilizadas pelos candidatos. Essa distinção deveria estar presente nos critérios de correção que deveriam ser explicitados pelos elaboradores para que pudessem ser conhecidos de antemão pelos candidatos. Dentro da USP, é crescente a busca por preparo aos exames de proficiência nos cursos instrumentais, entre eles o de francês, que têm como principal foco a compreensão de textos em língua estrangeira. Para que os atuais alunos leiam suas bibliografias e sendo, alguns desses também futuros candidatos a essas provas, devese atentar para os exercícios de tradução, já que esses trabalham e revelam a compreensão do leitor-tradutor. Nosso objetivo é refletir sobre os critérios de avaliação dos exames e contribuir para o ensino da leitura em FLE, auxiliando os cursos instrumentais a incorporarem a prática da tradução, apresentando seus benefícios para a leitura. / In this research we go through the paths between reading, translation and assessment that often intersect, like in language teaching and cognitive studies. The processes and strategies of translation strongly require different kinds of reading in a foreign language, which, in their turn, activate other strategies at different times, like reading the translated text and comparing it to the original text, which is called critical reading of translation. The practice of translating exercises the reading process, at the same time that it makes the reader-translator reflect on their own activities and pathways. The assessment of reading comprehension of a text in a foreign language is the purpose of the university proficiency exams that represent one of the steps required during the selection process for masters and doctorate programs in graduate school. These exams may have different modalities within a single applying centre or university, as it occurs at USP. In some cases it is required the translation of a texts extract, if not the whole text, and questions about it are made, which can be in form of essay, multiple choice or true or false options. In this research, we analyse the translation of excerpts from texts of French proficiency exams taken by candidates for postgraduate programs for master\'s and doctorate at ECA, in the years 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006, and at the Faculty of Arts, University of Sao Paulo, in the years 2004, 2006 and 2007. The excerpts were entered into the translation program WordSmith Tools, which helps to visualise a corpus that will be analysed, being very used in Corpus Linguistics polls. We confronted our supposed mistakes with the solutions, difficulties, problems and procedures found in the corpus and verified whether the exercise of translation reveals (in) comprehension by the candidates. Inside USP there is an increase of search for reading courses that prepare to the proficiency exams, and that includes the Reading in French course, which focuses on reading comprehension in a foreign language. For the current students to read their bibliographies, and being some of them future candidates to the proficiency exams, it is important that the reading courses give special attention to the translation exercises, since they show and work on the comprehension of the reader-translator. Our aim is to reflect on the assessment criteria of the exams and contribute to the teaching of reading in FFL, assisting reading courses to incorporate the practice of translation, by presenting its benefits for reading.

O crescimento do número de laboratórios acreditados na ISO 17025:2005, ocasionou, por consequência, um aumento na demanda de diversos serviços relacionados a manutenção destes tipos de sistema. Um Item de grande importância da norma ressalta a importância da garantia da qualidade de resultados de ensaio, uma maneira de se verificar isto é através da participação em um tipo de ensaio interlaboratorial conhecido como programa de ensaio de proficiência ou EP. Este tipo de serviços apresentou um crescimento considerável em sua demanda, especialmente no território nacional, devido a um requisito do próprio INMETRO presente na NIT DICLA-026, o qual exige que um laboratório participe de um EP para que o mesmo se torne elegível a obter a sua acreditação em ISO 17025:2005. Com o aumento em sua demanda, surge o interesse por parte dos provedores de ensaios de proficiência de otimizar seus processos sem que os requisitos da qualidade sejam comprometidos. Uma maneira de se atingir este objetivo é através da modernização de seus sistemas de armazenamento de informação e cálculos para um sistema computadorizado. Entretanto o mercado não apresenta ferramentas especialmente desenvolvidas para esta finalidade, e as utilizadas para isto não apresentam todas as características exigidas pelas normas ISO 17025:2005 e ISO 17043:2011 e, para serem utilizadas neste tipo de ambiente, exigem longos processos de avaliação e validação dos sistemas atuais. Em muitos casos o usuário é forçado a utilizar múltiplos softwares ao longo do processo, tornando todo o processo ainda mais passível de erros e, em casos extremos, gerando erros na apresentação de resultados finais. Portanto, surge a necessidade do desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta computacional especializada e desenvolvida com o foco neste tipo especifico de laboratório, atendendo aos requisitos normativos e trazendo características úteis para uma melhor otimização do processo. / The growth in the number of laboratories certified in the ISO 17025:2005 triggered, therefore, an increase in the demand for several services related to the maintenance of these kinds of systems. One very important topic in the standard emphasizes on the importance of the assurance of the quality of the result obtained, which may be verified by participating in a type of interlaboratory tests known as proficiency testing programs or PT. These types of services have grown considerably in demand., especially in the national territory, due to a requirement of INMETRO present on the standard NIT DICLA-026, which demands that laboratories take place on EP to become eligible for an accreditation in ISO 17025:2005. With its increase in demand, it becomes more interesting for proficiency test providers to optimize their systems all the while without compromising their quality, one of the ways of achieving this objective is through and upgrade on their information storage systems and calculation systems to a computerized one. However, the market does not feature specialized tools developed for this specific task, and the ones being used for this goal do not feature all of the characteristics required by the ISO 17025:2005 and ISO 17043:2011 standards, and, therefore, require a long process of evaluation and validation for being used in this type of environment. In a lot of cases its also common that the enterprise is forced to use multiple software\'s throughout the process, making the entire process more susceptible to mistakes and in extreme cases even generating mistakes that might be present on the end results sent to the client. Therefore, the necessity of developing a specialized computer tool arises, one developed focused specifically on these types of laboratories, complying with every requirement made by the standard and bringing with it useful features for a better optimization of the process.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo discutir as características das avaliações de conhecimentos em língua francesa presentes nos processos seletivos para a mobilidade de estudantes de graduação da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Com base nas pesquisas e estudos na área de avaliação (PERRENOUD, 1999; GATTI, 2003; CHUEIRI, 2008; LUCKESI, 2011) e certificação em língua francesa (PORCHER, 1995, 2004; CUQ; GRUCA, 2003; TAGLIANTE, 2005; NOEL-JOTHY; SAMSONIS, 2006; CHARDENET, 1999, 2011 HUVER; SPRINGER, 2011; RIBA; MEGRE, 2014), realizamos uma pesquisa documental referente à identificação dos requisitos exigidos em língua francesa quando da publicação dos editais que definem os critérios das seleções para a candidatura a mobilidade internacional para a França. Além disso, investigamos do ponto de vista dos responsáveis diretos e indiretos pelos processos seletivos, qual o lugar da certificação em francês língua estrangeira na política de internacionalização da USP. O corpus desta pesquisa consiste em editais publicados pela USP no período de 2008 a 2012, nos editais do programa Ciência sem Fronteiras entre 2011 e 2014 e, por último, em entrevistas com representantes institucionais implicados na seleção direta de candidatos e também nas políticas oficiais do governo francês no que se refere à certificação na língua. Para as análises, além do referencial teórico mencionado sobre avaliação, consideramos os trabalhos na área do francês para objetivos universitários (MANGIANTE; PARPETTE, 2004). Os resultados de nossas análises indicam que há uma diversidade de entendimentos sobre o nível exigido em relação à língua francesa para a seleção do estudante que integrará o sistema universitário francês, assim como o valor social atribuído ao documento que atesta os conhecimentos na língua, com o objetivo de validar a candidatura. Além disso, constatamos a ausência de uma política linguística adequada ao contexto de internacionalização da USP, que se expressa na falta de clareza de dispositivos de formação e de avaliação para a preparação dos estudantes que vão realizar estudos em meio universitário na França. Esta pesquisa nos ajudou a compreender a complexidade das relações entre formação, avaliação e certificação em contexto específico de mobilidade internacional. Nosso trabalho contribui com uma visão crítica que pode vir a colaborar no desenvolvimento de ações concretas para a reformulação de critérios de avaliação de competências linguísticas em francês língua estrangeira que sejam mais condizentes com as necessidades especificas às quais um estudante de graduação da USP será confrontado. / This dissertation aims to discuss the characteristics of knowledge evaluation in the French language that is current on selective processes for the mobility of undergraduate students in the University of São Paulo (USP). Based on the researches and studies in the area of evaluation (PERRENOUD, 1999; GATTI, 2003; CHUEIRI, 2008; LUCKESI, 2011) and French language certification (PORCHER, 1995, 2004; CUQ; GRUCA, 2003; TAGLIANTE, 2005; NOEL-JOTHY; SAMSONIS, 2006; CHARDENET, 1999, 2011 HUVER; SPRINGER, 2011; RIBA; MEGRE, 2014), weve performed a documentary research for the identification of the requirements of the French language when the publication of the notices the define the criteria of selection for applying for international mobility to France. Furthermore weve delved the point of view of those directly and indirectly responsible for selective processes which is the place of French certification, an international language, on the internationalization policy of USP. The corpus of this research consists on notices published by USP between 2008 and 2012, in the notices of the Science Without Frontiers between 2011 and 2014 and, at last, on interviews with institutional representatives involved on the direct selection of the candidates and also on the official policy of the French government with regard in certification in language. For the analysis, beyond the theoretical framework mentioned about evaluation, weve regarded the work in the area of French for college goals (MANGIANTE; PARPETTE, 2004). Our analysis results indicate that there is diversity of understanding about the level required in relation to French language for the selection of the students that will integrate the French college system, as well as the social value assigned to the document attesting knowledge in the language, in order to validate the candidacy. Moreover, weve noticed the lack of a linguistic policy that adequate to the context of internationalization of USP, which is expressed in the lack of clarity of training and evaluation devices for the preparation of students who will conduct studies in the French Academy. This research helped us to understand the complexity of the relations between training, assessment and certification in the specific context of international mobility. Our work contributes with a more critical vision that might cooperate with the development of concrete actions to reformulate the evaluation criteria of linguistic proficiency in French, foreign language, that are more consistent with the specific needs to which an USP undergraduate shall be confronted.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Linguistics, Language and Communication) / At independence, Namibia chose English as its official language and therefore its language of learning and teaching (LOLT). This decision has been well supported and therefore there has been an expectation among Namibians that learning English as early as possible is important because it will open many doors to the future (Harris, 2011). However, since the introduction of English as LOLT, government documents and other relevant literature have revealed poor performance of learners and falling standards of teaching (Iipinge, 2013). Despite this revelation, no study has been done in Namibia to investigate the effects of the current Language in Education Policy (LEP) on the teaching and learning of different school subjects. Therefore, this study focuses on critical questions regarding the effects of the current Namibian LEP on the teaching and learning of English Second Language (ESL) in Northern Namibia, with a special focus on one of the most demanding skills in second language learning: essay writing. Besides this, the study looks at the writing problems of learners and the intervention strategies that teachers are using to help learners overcome or reduce writing problems.

O tema desta dissertação de mestrado está focado nas questões propostas nos exames de Proficiência em Língua Brasileira de Sinais (Prolibras) realizados em nível nacional, elaborados e executados pela Comissão Permanente de Vestibular da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (COPERVE/ UFSC), através de uma equipe de professores surdos e intérpretes que se dedicam à elaboração e avaliação das provas. O objetivo principal é analisar as provas realizadas nas quatro edições (2006, 2007, 2008 e 2009) e discutir os conhecimentos específicos da Língua de Sinais que são avaliados na prova, através de entrevistas com candidatos que realizaram o Exame, da análise do Edital e das questões propostas nas provas. As reflexões decorrentes das análises trazem concepções, tendências e olhares de um novo lugar para a realização do Exame Prolibras: a evidência de aspectos relacionados a língua de sinais, cultura surda e identidade surda. / The subject of this dissertation of master's degree is focused on the objective questions of the examinations of Proficiency in Brazilian Sign Language (Prolibras) carried out in national level, prepared and executed by the Constant Commission of entrance exam of the Federal University of Saint Catarina (COPERVE / UFSC), through a team of deaf teachers and interpreters who devote themselves the preparation and evaluation of the proofs. The principal objective is to analyse the proofs carried out in three publications (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and to look for the specific knowledges of the Sign Language that are valued at the proof. The reflections resulting from the analyses bring conceptions, tendencies and glances of a new place for the realization of the Examination Prolibras: the evidence of aspects that are related to language of signs, deaf culture and deaf identity.

Os ensaios de proficiência têm sido utilizados, por laboratórios de ensaio e calibração acreditados sob a norma ISO/IEC 17025 (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories), como principal mecanismo para garantia da qualidade de seus resultados. Além de atender a um requisito normativo, a participação satisfatória neste tipo de atividade é utilizada, por organismos acreditadores, como condição à obtenção e manutenção da acreditação. Entretanto, existe uma carência por provedores de ensaios de proficiência acreditados de acordo com a norma ISO/IEC 17043 (Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing), o que causa dificuldades aos laboratórios. Esta dissertação teve como objetivo analisar a viabilidade de que laboratórios acreditados à ISO/IEC 17025 atuem, simultaneamente, como provedores de ensaios de proficiência, acreditados à ISO/IEC 17043. Para isso, foram estabelecidas as relações entre os itens das normas, identificadas e analisadas as exigências adicionais e adaptações necessárias no sistema de gestão, identificados os potenciais conflitos de interesses e estabelecidas propostas de atendimento para cada item normativo afetado. Os artigos que constituem esta pesquisa foram validados por um grupo de especialistas na área da metrologia, sendo as suas opiniões consideradas nos estudos realizados. Conclui-se, ao final, que a atuação simultânea proposta é viável, exigindo adaptações no sistema de gestão e procedimentos complementares referentes à confidencialidade e à imparcialidade. Como resultado prático, espera-se minimizar a carência por este serviço, sem comprometer sua confiabilidade. / Proficiency tests have been used by testing and calibration laboratories accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories) as the main mechanism for assuring the quality of their results. Besides attending to a normative requirement, the satisfactory participation in this kind of activity is used by accreditation bodies as a condition to obtaining and maintaining the accreditation. However, there is a lack of proficiency testing providers accredited according to the ISO/IEC 17043 standard (Conformity assessment — General requirements for proficiency testing), which causes laboratories to have difficulties. This thesis had as its goal to analyze the viability of laboratories accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 acting simultaneously as proficiency testing providers, accredited to the ISO/IEC 17043. For that, relations between the items of both standards have been established, additional requirements and necessary adaptations in the management system have been identified and analyzed, potential conflicts of interest have been identified and solutions have been proposed for each normative item. A group of experts in the field of metrology validated the articles that constitute this research and their opinions have been considered in the studies. At the end, the conclusion was that the proposed simultaneous acting is viable, requiring adaptations in the management system and complementary procedures referring to confidentiality and impartiality. As a practical result, it is hoped to minimize the shortage for this kind of service, without compromising its reliability.

O crescimento do número de laboratórios acreditados na ISO 17025:2005, ocasionou, por consequência, um aumento na demanda de diversos serviços relacionados a manutenção destes tipos de sistema. Um Item de grande importância da norma ressalta a importância da garantia da qualidade de resultados de ensaio, uma maneira de se verificar isto é através da participação em um tipo de ensaio interlaboratorial conhecido como programa de ensaio de proficiência ou EP. Este tipo de serviços apresentou um crescimento considerável em sua demanda, especialmente no território nacional, devido a um requisito do próprio INMETRO presente na NIT DICLA-026, o qual exige que um laboratório participe de um EP para que o mesmo se torne elegível a obter a sua acreditação em ISO 17025:2005. Com o aumento em sua demanda, surge o interesse por parte dos provedores de ensaios de proficiência de otimizar seus processos sem que os requisitos da qualidade sejam comprometidos. Uma maneira de se atingir este objetivo é através da modernização de seus sistemas de armazenamento de informação e cálculos para um sistema computadorizado. Entretanto o mercado não apresenta ferramentas especialmente desenvolvidas para esta finalidade, e as utilizadas para isto não apresentam todas as características exigidas pelas normas ISO 17025:2005 e ISO 17043:2011 e, para serem utilizadas neste tipo de ambiente, exigem longos processos de avaliação e validação dos sistemas atuais. Em muitos casos o usuário é forçado a utilizar múltiplos softwares ao longo do processo, tornando todo o processo ainda mais passível de erros e, em casos extremos, gerando erros na apresentação de resultados finais. Portanto, surge a necessidade do desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta computacional especializada e desenvolvida com o foco neste tipo especifico de laboratório, atendendo aos requisitos normativos e trazendo características úteis para uma melhor otimização do processo. / The growth in the number of laboratories certified in the ISO 17025:2005 triggered, therefore, an increase in the demand for several services related to the maintenance of these kinds of systems. One very important topic in the standard emphasizes on the importance of the assurance of the quality of the result obtained, which may be verified by participating in a type of interlaboratory tests known as proficiency testing programs or PT. These types of services have grown considerably in demand., especially in the national territory, due to a requirement of INMETRO present on the standard NIT DICLA-026, which demands that laboratories take place on EP to become eligible for an accreditation in ISO 17025:2005. With its increase in demand, it becomes more interesting for proficiency test providers to optimize their systems all the while without compromising their quality, one of the ways of achieving this objective is through and upgrade on their information storage systems and calculation systems to a computerized one. However, the market does not feature specialized tools developed for this specific task, and the ones being used for this goal do not feature all of the characteristics required by the ISO 17025:2005 and ISO 17043:2011 standards, and, therefore, require a long process of evaluation and validation for being used in this type of environment. In a lot of cases its also common that the enterprise is forced to use multiple software\'s throughout the process, making the entire process more susceptible to mistakes and in extreme cases even generating mistakes that might be present on the end results sent to the client. Therefore, the necessity of developing a specialized computer tool arises, one developed focused specifically on these types of laboratories, complying with every requirement made by the standard and bringing with it useful features for a better optimization of the process.

Despite educational reforms, the annual results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress continue to indicate that the majority of American fourth-graders struggle to master the crucial skill of reading. In the last decade, the percentage of students who read at or above a proficient level hovers around 30 percent, which draws attention to the fact that the academic institutions may not be fully to blame for the decline of reading competency (NAEP, 2011). The real reason for the incompetency could be attributed to the amount of time that children spend reading as average fourth-graders spend less than two hours a week reading (Juster, Ono, & Stafford, 2004, p. 11). This Digital Generation lives in a world full of distractions in which reading cannot compete. Although the American educational system is stressing reading instruction, children are not putting what they are learning into practice outside of school. Instead of reading, children immerse themselves into the world of interactive digital media and electronic devices. If children do not increase the time they spend reading, their proficiency will not improve. To revive reading within the Digital Generation, authors of children’s literature may need to reevaluate their role in the literacy problem because their traditional print-form content appears to be unsuccessful in reaching their young audience. To create reading material that children are eager to read, authors need to produce content in a format that will entice a response from the newest generation. One way children’s authors can accomplish this is by publishing transmedia storytelling ecosystems. By combining storytelling with digital media to meet the modern literary needs of today's children reading proficiency should begin to improve, along with a renewed interest in literature. This research provides insight into today’s “digital children” and suggests a methodology for creating transmedia literature using the Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Mathematics Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The purpose of the study is to explore the effectiveness of Annual National Assessment (ANA) in monitoring the standard of mathematics education and to assess the mathematical proficiencies tested and exhibited by Grade 9 learners in South Africa. The research problem was premised on the dearth of data that justifies ANA as an evaluative assessment. As such, the study utilised five strands which were; procedural fluency, conceptual understanding, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning and productive dispositions as a theoretical framework to assess mathematics that was tested and exhibited by learners. To explore the research problem, the study used mixed methods in the context of exploratory sequential design. Document analysis was used first to capture mathematics content and cognitive levels examined by ANA. Second, learner responses were explored using four variables of achievement levels; no response, correctly answered, incorrectly answered and partially answered. First, the results from the analysis of ANA questions indicated that ANA mostly tested questions of low complexity. Second, the results from the learners’ responses revealed that the majority of learners were not proficient to ANA irrespective of low complexity testing. Third, the Porter’s alignment index for ANA and TIMSS was between moderate and perfect. Subsequently, content and cognitive levels were misaligned in the three consecutive years of ANA testing. It implies that learners were most likely to show a deficit of higher order problems solving skills which are a prerequisite of courses in advanced mathematics. Additionally, the results suggest that ANA had challenges of reliability and validity as an evaluative assessment due to inconsistency in the testing. As such, it is recommended that the complexity of ANA be addressed, the content areas where learners are not proficient be addressed and the alignment of ANA must be frequently calculated to monitor the standard of mathematics education in South Africa effectively. Keywords Alignment index, mean deviation, strands of mathematical proficiency, systemic assessment.

Language assessments are increasingly being leveraged for the purposes of educational reform and accountability, yet relatively little is known about how teachers respond to their implementation or what impact they have on the learning outcomes of students. Drawing on theories of educational innovation, this mixed methods study explores the interplay between testing, teaching, and learning in an urban Midwestern K-12 world languages program. Specifically, it investigates the washback effect of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL), and the potential for its influence on teachers’ practices to complement strategic efforts to introduce and manage curricular innovation at the local level. The study was divided into three distinct but complementary phases. In Phase 1, teachers (n=47) responded to an online survey addressing their background, instructional practices, and the potential influence of the AAPPL therein. In Phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a subset of teachers (n=12) in order to more richly describe their instructional and assessment-related practices. Finally, in Phase 3, AAPPL scores were obtained for all students (n=846) who took the assessment. Quantitative analyses predominantly involved the use of descriptive statistics to depict teachers’ practices and students’ performance on the AAPPL, as well as bivariate correlations to measure the relationship between the two. Qualitative analyses of interview data were aimed at identifying categories and themes leading to a rich description of teachers’ behaviors and activities in response to the AAPPL. In the final stages of analysis, both qualitative and quantitative data sources and analyses were synthesized in an attempt to develop a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between assessment, instruction, and learning. Findings suggested a moderately positive washback effect of the AAPPL, which was manifested through individual and collective efforts to refine curricula and instruction with the goal of further enhancing students’ language performance and proficiency development. Key findings included teachers’ increased use of ACTFL’s core documents to guide their planning, and an adjustment to the amount of instructional time devoted to the four modalities (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). This evidence for positive washback of the AAPPL was observed among teachers across languages and levels, and extended beyond those immediately implicated in its administration. Furthermore, the strength and direction of the influence was mediated by the close link between testing and teaching, individual differences among teachers, and the collaborative approach to managing the innovation. Evidence connecting teachers’ practices with student outcomes on the AAPPL was diffuse, with bivariate correlations indicating a potential relationship between the use of target language and explicit grammar instruction and students’ composite scores. This investigation has contributed to a greater understanding of how external language performance assessments may serve as a catalyst for refining and improving language teaching in K-12 contexts. Those seeking to promote the adoption of similar innovative practices should ensure that the assessment is aligned with the pedagogical goals of the curriculum and that their approach to introducing and managing change is responsive to the local context. While more research is needed in order to determine the potential influence of innovation on the learning outcomes of students (Green, 2013), world language programs should be encouraged to implement standards-based external assessments as a means by which to promote teachers’ adoption of proficiency-oriented instructional practices.