Oral Proficiency Interview Workshops

Since 1982, ACTFL has conducted Oral Proficiency Interview Workshops for teachers of Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and others. More than 10,000 language professional have participated in these workshops.

The benefits of participation in OPI Workshops are many. As a result of these professional development experiences educators are better able to:

• apply key principles of teaching and testing for proficiency to curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices
• establish program goals in terms of performance outcomes
• determine student placement, progress, and performance
• articulate within and across language programs

ACTFL offers a range of proficiency training workshop options:

The OPI Familiarization Workshop 
Intended for all language professionals. Can be customized to address specific needs

This one-day workshop is an introduction to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, ACTFL Rating Scale, and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. Participants observe and rate live demonstration interviews by the trainer. They discuss the implications of proficiency for academic and professional purposes.

Full OPI Assessment Workshop (4 days)
Prerequisite: Affiliation with an academic institution as defined by ACTFL, undergraduate degree in a related field, minimal proficiency level of Advanced in the language training.

This four-day workshop is an introduction to the techniques of administering and rating the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Participants observe and conduct live practice interviews across all proficiency levels (Novice through Superior). They critique and discuss interview elicitation, structure, and rating. Participation in a Full OPI Assessment Workshop is the first step toward becoming an ACTFL Certified OPI Tester with Full Certification.

Modified OPI Assessment Workshop (MOPI) (2 or 3 days)
Prerequisite: Affiliation with an academic institution as defined by ACTFL, undergraduate degree in a related field, minimal proficiency level of Intermediate High in the language training.

This two or three-day workshop is an introduction to the techniques of administering and rating the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) at the Novice and Intermediate levels. Participants observe and conduct live practice interviews. They critique and discuss interview elicitation, structure, and rating. Participation in a Modified OPI Assessment Workshop is the first step toward becoming an ACTFL Certified OPI Tester with Limited Certification.

How to Register for OPI Workshops

For Individuals:
ACTFL Sponsored Workshops are scheduled throughout the year in various geographic regions. See the Workshops section of this Web Site for further information.

For Institutions:
ACTFL On-Site Workshops can be arranged with a school, univerisity, district, or consortium and customized to address specific needs and requirements. See the Workshop section of this Web Site for further information.