The Modem LanguageJournal, 70, iv (1986) 0026-7902/86/0004/391 S1. 50/0 @1986 The Modem LanguageJournal IN THE PUSH TOWARDS PROFICIENCY, THE DANGER exists that the concept will be hawked as snakeoil, a cure-all, a panacea. 2 In the other presentations of this forum Kramsch (pp. 366-72 above) questions the need for proficiency in the classroom, recalling the threshold thrust toward communication in Europe and suggesting that "interactional competence" might prove a more suitable focus in the US; Schulz (pp. 373-79 above) welcomes proficiency assessment "for foreign language majors, teachers, and other professionals with a need for fluency in a second language," but questions such goals for nonmajors; Bachman & Savignon (pp. 380-90 above) .treat proficiency in its original use, evaluation, suggesting that in academic settings both the concept of"AEI proficiency" and "communicative competence" are open to misunderstanding. They therefore propose to replace it with "communicative language proficiency" (CLP) -a concept conjoining the best of both while rejecting their negative aspects. 3 This portmanteau concept constitutes the keystone in Bachman & Savignon's six suggestions for revising the ACTFL Provisional Proficiency Guidelines. 4, This healthy skepticism comes at an important juncture in the discussion of proficiency's implications in evaluation, curriculum design, classroom methodology, and program goals IN) all those who got athlete's mouth jumping on&off bandwaggons (MEMORIAM e. e. cummings!
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