OPI Certification Process Frequently Asked Questions

Name: ACTFL
Address: 1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA, 22314, United States
Telephone: (703) 894-2900
Price range: $

The following list is updated a few times a year

Frequently Asked OPI Certification Questions

In order to apply to become an ACTFL OPI Tester, you must meet the following prerequisites:
- Affiliation with an accredited academic institution as defined by ACTFL*
- Possession of an undergraduate degree in a related field
- Minimal proficiency level of Advanced-Mid for Limited Certification and a Superior for Full Certification in the language of training.
*An academic institution is an accredited school, college, or university where foreign languages are taught. The term affiliation with an academic institution is defined as a current faculty and/or staff member who is involved in the instruction or evaluation of language students. Private language companies that offer translation services or language testing do not qualify under ACTFL’s definition of an academic institution. Private for-profit companies also do not qualify.
ACTFL certified Testers are a critical resource to their institutions in the areas of language assessment, curriculum, and instructional practices. Certification as an ACTFL OPI Tester is recognition that an individual understands and can apply the principles and concepts of proficiency testing with consistency and reliability.

Certified ACTFL Testers are authorized to conduct OPIs and assign advisory ratings within their own academic institutions. They may also participate in the official ACTFL Testing Program through LTI, the ACTFL Testing Office.
http://tms.languagetesting.com/CandidateSite/individualTestTracker.aspx

No. Please note that ACTFL does not have access to your personal OPI result. The link will only work for you. Once the personal OPI test is completed, you will receive a message by email (as below example), with your own specific username and password in order to access the result.

Dear XXXX,
The rating for the language assessment you took on xx/xx/xx is now available.
Click on the link below to view the rating and print a certificate.
http://tms.languagetesting.com/CandidateSite
Username: xxxxx
Password: xxxxx
Thanks,
Language Testing International, Inc.
The ACTFL Testing Office
800-486-8444 extension 0
(Outside the US: 914-963-7110 extension 0)
languagetesting.com

Because the personal OPI link is specific to you, ACTFL does not have access to it. You are provided with a username and password from LTI which you can use to access the link. You should download your certificate and forward it to ACTFL via email.

The 45-day deadline is only a suggestion. We do recommend that you stick to the timeline (below) so as not to face delays later in the process. Certification Process should be completed within one year from admission to the program. Trainees may progress through Certification activities faster than suggested timeline provided below:
1. Complete OPI or Modified OPI (MOPI) Assessment training workshop
2. Apply for OPI Tester Certification within 30 days of completing workshop
3. Complete Personal OPI and Rating Activity within 45 days of notification that application has been processed
4. Complete Guided Interviews within 45 days of passing Rating Activity
5. Conduct and submit Independent Interviews within 75 days of completing Guided Interviews. Trainee will receive Feedback on interviews within additional 60 days.
6. Conduct and submit Certification Interviews within 60 days of completing Independent Interviews. Results of Evaluation will be returned to Trainee within 60 additional days.

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OPI Certification Process Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked OPI Certification Questions