Multi-Age Education World Languages Licensure

On this page:

• Initial Teacher Licensure
• OPI Test
• Teacher Education Licensure Program
• Writing Proficiency Test (WPT)

Initial Teacher Licensure

Are you a language student interested in pursuing World Languages Licensure? Contact Dr. Melissa Doran (melissa.doran@wright.edu) for more information.

OPI Test

The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is a standardized test designed to measure a student’s proficiency level in a given language based on four major categories of criteria assessment. The OPI is a speaking test oftentimes performed over the telephone. The interview is interactive and continuously adapts to the speaking abilities of the individual being tested. The topics that are discussed during the interview are based on the interests and experiences of the test candidate.

Through a series of personalized questions, the interviewer elicits from the test candidate examples of his or her ability to handle the communication tasks specified for each level of proficiency in order to establish a clear 'floor' and 'ceiling' of consistent functional ability. Often candidates are asked to take part in a role-play. This task provides the opportunity for linguistic functions not easily elicited through the conversational format. The interview may last from 10 minutes to 30 minutes.

All future teacher candidates, who wish to become licensed to teach French or Spanish in Ohio, must take this speaking assessment. At Wright State University, the OPI is an admission requirement for entry into our graduate-level teaching program. Students must achieve minimally at the Advanced-Low proficiency level set by The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). 

Here is a brief description of what it means to be able to communicate at the Advanced-Low level. Speakers at this level:

• handle a variety of communicative tasks, although somewhat haltingly at times.
• participate actively in most informal and a limited number of formal conversations on activities related to school, home, and leisure activities and, to a lesser degree, those related to events of work, current, public, and personal interest or individual relevance.
• narrate and describe in all major time frames (past, present and future) in paragraph length discourse, but control of aspect may be lacking at times.
• can handle appropriately the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events that occurs within the context of a routine situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar, though at times their discourse may be minimal for the level and strained.
• combine and link sentences into connected discourse of paragraph length. When pressed for a fuller account, they tend to grope and rely on minimal discourse.

At Wright State, Dr. Pascale Abadie and Dr. Ksenia Bonch Reeves have been trained by ACTFL to test students for the OPI.  Towards the end of your program of study, you may contact either one of these professors to set up a mock interview. Dr. Bonch Reeves is available to conduct an academic OPI, which can be formally submitted to ACTFL for an official rating. Please contact her for further details.

Visit the Language Testing International website for more information about the OPI test.

Teacher Education Licensure Program

Students who intend to seek MA: World Language Education licensure in the state of Ohio should apply for admission to the Multi-Age Education licensure program in the College of Health, Education, and Human Services. Students typically apply to the licensure program during their junior year. 

Please review the licensure program admission requirements available on the Multi-Age Education licensure program webpage.

Visit the College of Education and Humans Services website to learn more about World Languages (French, or Spanish).

Writing Proficiency Test (WPT)

• WPT Information (PDF)
• Sample WPT questions