Praxis World Languages key terms

A framework describing language ability in four levels-Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Superior-each with sublevels, defined across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Teachers use it to set expectations and judge learner performance.

The framework that organizes language use into interpretive (listening and reading), interpersonal (two-way interaction), and presentational (one-way speaking or writing) communication. It guides how tasks are designed and assessed.

Receiving and understanding meaning from spoken, written, or signed texts without negotiating with the author or speaker. Learners listen to or read material and show comprehension through tasks.

Two-way, unrehearsed interaction in which participants negotiate meaning, ask questions, and respond in real time. It occurs in speaking or writing and requires spontaneous use of language.

One-way communication in which a learner prepares and delivers a spoken or written message for an audience, with time to rehearse or revise. It emphasizes organization, accuracy, and audience awareness.

A spoken or written resource created by and for native speakers for a real communicative purpose, not simplified for learners. Examples include menus, news broadcasts, and social media posts.

Language input slightly beyond the learner's current level but made understandable through context, visuals, or simplification. It supports acquisition and is central to listening instruction.

Temporary supports such as visuals, sentence frames, or guided questions that help learners complete a task they cannot yet do alone. Supports are gradually removed as competence grows.

The organized background knowledge a learner brings to a text or listening passage. Activating schema before reading or listening helps learners predict content and interpret unfamiliar language.

Using prior knowledge, context, and expectations to predict and interpret the overall meaning of a text before focusing on individual words. It contrasts with bottom-up processing.

Decoding a text or utterance from smaller units-sounds, letters, words, and grammar-up to larger meaning. It complements top-down processing during listening and reading.

The main idea or overall meaning of a spoken or written passage, understood without capturing every detail. Comprehension tasks often ask learners to identify the gist first.

Drawing a conclusion not stated directly by combining clues in the text with prior knowledge. It is a higher-order reading and listening skill assessed in interpretive tasks.

A word in one language that resembles a word in another in form and meaning, such as 'familia' and 'family.' Recognizing cognates helps learners guess meaning, though false cognates mislead.

Quickly searching a text for specific information, such as a date, price, or name, without reading every word. It is a targeted reading strategy.

Reading quickly to get the general idea or main points of a text rather than details. It is often used to preview material or decide whether a text is useful.

Restating the meaning of a spoken or written message in one's own words. It demonstrates comprehension and is used in interpretive responses and interpersonal exchanges.

Recording key information from a listening passage or text in abbreviated form to support later recall or task completion. Effective notes capture main ideas and supporting details rather than every word.

Repetition of information in spoken language, such as restatements, synonyms, and filler phrases. It gives listeners extra chances to understand the message.

How fast a speaker talks, often measured in words per minute. Slower rates and pauses make listening easier, while fast native speech is a common comprehension challenge.

The level of formality in language chosen for a situation, such as formal versus informal address. It includes word choice, grammar, and honorifics and affects appropriateness.

The ability to use language appropriately in social contexts, including making requests, apologizing, and interpreting implied meaning. It goes beyond grammar to rules of use.

Describing or defining a word one cannot recall by using other words, such as saying 'the thing you use to cut paper' for scissors. It is a key communication strategy.

The process by which interlocutors clarify, repeat, or rephrase to reach mutual understanding. It includes requests for clarification and comprehension checks and is central to interpersonal communication.

The conversational rules for when speakers take, hold, and yield the floor. It includes cues such as pauses, intonation, and gestures and varies across cultures.

The ability to speak or write with ease and continuity, at a reasonable pace with few disruptive pauses. It is distinct from accuracy, which concerns correctness.

How a speaker produces the sounds, stress, rhythm, and intonation of a language. Intelligibility, rather than native-like accent, is usually the instructional goal.

A speaking task in which learners act out a realistic scenario, such as ordering food or asking directions. It provides practice in interpersonal language under simulated conditions.

A live, recorded interview conducted by a certified tester that elicits speech across levels and rates it against the ACTFL scale. It is a widely used measure of speaking proficiency.

A sustained spoken presentation by one speaker without interaction from listeners. In assessment, it is used to evaluate organization, fluency, and elaboration in presentational speaking.

Adjusting content, tone, and vocabulary to the needs and expectations of intended readers or listeners. It is a defining feature of presentational writing and speaking.

Words and phrases such as conjunctions, pronouns, and transition markers that connect ideas and make a text flow logically. They contribute to coherence in writing.

An approach in which writers plan, draft, revise, and edit over several stages rather than producing a text in one attempt. Feedback and revision are central.

A scoring guide that lists criteria and describes levels of performance for a task. It makes evaluation consistent and gives learners clear expectations.

Assigning a single overall score to a piece of writing or a spoken performance based on general impression and a scoring guide. It is fast but gives limited diagnostic information.

A classroom assessment built around one theme that combines interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational tasks. Performance in each mode informs the overall evaluation.