Longman Dictionary of

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1 professionalism refers to an occupation that performs an important
social function
2 it is based upon a high degree of skill
3 the work and practice involved is not dependent upon routine behaviours
4 it is based on a systematic body of theory and knowledge
5 it is learned through education and training
6 it is backed by organizational support and has its own principles and
values
Professional organizations in teaching and language teaching have sought
to obtain greater recognition for teachers and language teachers as professionals
and for improvements in the status and rewards due to them as
a consequence.
proficiency n
see LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
profile
proficiency test n
a test that measures how much of a language someone has learned. The
difference between a proficiency test and an ACHIEVEMENT TEST is that the
latter is usually designed to measure how much a student has learned
from a particular course or SYLLABUS. A proficiency test is not linked to a
particular course of instruction, but measures the learner’s general level
of language mastery. Although this may be a result of previous instruction
and learning, these factors are not the focus of attention. Some proficiency
tests have been standardized for worldwide use, such as the
American TOEFL that is used to measure the English language proficiency
of international students who wish to study in the USA.
see also ACHIEVEMENT TEST
profile 1 n
also profiling
(in assessment) a written or graphic description of someone’s performance
or progress (e.g. of a learner or a student teacher in a teacher training
programme) based on a number of different tests or other information
sets that can be used to provide a broadly based view of someone’s abilities.
For example, a profile of a student teacher may be based on:
a his/her curriculum vitae
b a personal statement of teaching philosophy
c statements by colleagues and supervisors
d a portfolio of assignments
e student evaluations
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