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one of three testing centers in Tokyo. About 100 the two versions of the TOEFL are concurrent and
people attended, the great majority of whom were scores remain valid for two years, the two versions
Japanese. of the test have non-overlapping score ranges to
To inform participants of the theory behind differentiate them. However, results on one version
TOEFL-CBT, Professors Randy Thrasher and Youichi can be matched with the other using concordance
Nakamura of JLTA gave a lecture in Japanese on tables provided by ETS.
Basic Concepts in Language Testing. This was The room where the seminar was held will con-
supplemented by both a booklet and slides in En- tain the computer testing center, which has not yet
glish. They first reviewed classical test theory and been installed. While Mr. Everson demonstrated
then went on to explain how item response theory how to answer questions on a screen projected from
can be used to yield sample-free calibration, where his laptop, participants could not get any hands-on
the estimate of a candidate s level of ability does not experience themselves. This would have been useful
depend on the particular items he or she was tested - one person announced she would take the first
on. This forms the basis of TOEFL-CBT s computer- available computer test in order to explain the pro-
adaptive testing, where the program selects ques- cedure to her students.
tions suitable to the apparent level of the candidate Further information on TOEFL-CBT is available
from a large pool of test items. from the TOEFL website http://www.toefl.org, and
In the second part of the seminar, Gena Netten sample material, the computer tutorial, and practice
and Phil Everson of ETS reviewed the history of the tests are available on CD-ROMs from ETS.
The Language Teacher 24:8
26
A Chapter in Your Life
edited by joyce cunningham & miyao mariko
This month highlights the efforts of Himeji President Bill Balsamo to help his chapter by way of a special service: that of
a highly successful newsletter which provides useful information on chapter activities and so on. The coeditors encour-
age 800-850 word reports (in English, Japanese, or a combination of both).
A Chapter s Newsletter
by William M. Balsamo
When the economic slump hit Japan in the early mit reviews of textbooks they may be using for the
90s, the tremors of that quake affected JALT s mem- first time as well as ones recently published. I also
bership and financial stability. Memberships began solicit articles from English teachers in foreign
to dwindle and chapters suffered a reduction in countries inviting them to write about teaching
budget. Gradually, Himeji too was faced with this situations abroad. I myself report on workshops and
problem for we realized that only a third of the en- papers presented at international conferences. Fur-
rolled members were actually attending meetings; thermore, useful information can easily be acquired
others were simply unaware of what happened at from newspapers and surfing the Net can lead to
our venues. It had become a matter of survival. helpful educational websites of interest to English
Consequently, three years ago, the officers of the teachers.
chapter decided to publish a newsletter in order to As mentioned above, our chapter newsletter is now
reach new members and keep established members in its third year of publication. We have reached a
informed of chapter activities. point where the newsletter has integrated itself into
The initial effort was modest: a four-page paper the very identity and function of the chapter. How-
with basic information published four times a year ever, as the paper develops, we also need to find a
and focusing mainly on chapter affairs as well as the permanent home for it so that past issues can be
contents of general presentations at meetings. How- stored and accessed. This presents another problem,
ever, since then, our four-page newsletter has for our chapter is currently searching for a home on
evolved into sixteen pages and is distributed to the Internet in order to create an archive where past
teachers throughout Japan as well as educators issues can be catalogued and recalled. For this to hap-
working in Laos, Pakistan and so on. The paper now pen, it is expedient that someone with sufficient ex-
includes book reviews, interviews with teachers, perience be willing to maintain a homepage and keep
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