Language Teachers Attack College Placement Exams

Officials of the language departments yesterday condemned language placement tests for their failure to reflect the content of University courses.

"The present placement test is not very accurate or well conceived," charged Edward J. Geory, associate professor of Romance Languages and Literature. Placement tests are written by University instructors and resemble College Board tests in general format.

Geary, who is coordinator of Romance Languages, argued "The tests are comprised mostly of word lists which can be misleading." He would prefer questions on words taken in the context of a paragraph.

Students who have had two or more years of a language in high school can meet the language requirement by scoring 560 on the College Board tests, by passing one year of an intermediate language course, or by scoring 560 on the University placement test which is given at mid-year by the intermediate courses as a part of their exam.

Only 50 of 185 students passed the test after a term of French Ra; 60 of 130 students after a term of French Ca scored 560.

Stein Also Attacks Exams

Like Geary, Jack M. Stein, professor of German, contended "the tests aren't adequate." "The German tests were devised some years ago and no longer fit the instruction that goes on in the classroom," Stein declared.

One innovation in German testing which Stein recommended is a listening comprehension test. German classes are now conducted almost entirely in German.

Stein, the only member of the language departments on the Committee on Educational Policy, said a revision of the test must wait until the CEP recommends a new policy on language requirements. He said he felt that the College Board test in German is better suited to the department's needs than the one now given.

But the College Board charges 50 cents apiece for rental of tests. Another solution, according to Dean K. Whitla, Director of the Office of Tests, would be for the instructors in the various language departments to compose new tests.