Below are answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Designing Effective Foreign Language Placement Tests Summer Institute workshop. Please contact us at nflrc@hawaii.edu if you have any further questions.

1. How can I find out more information about the workshop content, activities, and schedule?
A general description of workshop content and activities is listed on the workshop's homepage. If you would like more specific information, please contact the workshop facilitators. The workshop schedule will appear in a new section called "Schedule" around the end of March. For all other enquiries, contact us at nflrc@hawaii.edu.

2. Are there any planned social events during the workshop?
Typically we have an welcoming reception on the first day of the workshop and a closing reception on the final day of the workshop for participants. There is also generally another optional social event planned during the course of the workshop. Further details can be found in the "Schedule" section that will appear on this website around the end of March.

3. Who is the sponsor and organizer of the Designing Effective Foreign Language Placement Tests workshop?
The National Foreign Language Resource Center at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa is pleased to sponsor this event. Organizers for this workshop include the workshop facilitators and staff at the NFLRC.

4. Who is eligible to apply to the workshop?
This workshop is specifically aimed at foreign language teaching professionals with placement testing responsibilities who feel they have had limited training and experience in language testing concepts. If this is your case and especially if you teach a LCTL (less commonly taught language), we encourage you to apply! If you already have significant knowledge and training in language testing (i.e., taken some language testing courses, published works on testing), this workshop would not be for you.

5. How do I apply for the workshop?
An online application form for the workshop will be available for submissions starting in early November. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2005 . If you experience any difficulty with the online form, please contact us at nflrc@hawaii.edu for assistance.

6. How many applicants will be invited to participate in the workshop?
We will be accepting a total of 20-25 participants for this workshop.

7. How much does it cost to attend the workshop? Is there any financial support?
There are no tuition fees to attend the Designing Effective Foreign Language Placement Tests workshop. However, workshop participants are required to pay a non-refundable $100 registration fee. Please DO NOT SEND PAYMENT UNTIL NOTIFIED OF ACCEPTANCE. To help defray expenses, partial financial support (up to $800 for participants from the U.S. mainland) will be offered to successful applicants. Because this partial financial support will likely not cover all costs involved in attending the workshop, we recommend that participants look into various forms of financial or travel support from their home institutions if needed.

8. Where will the workshop be held?
The June 20-July 1 workshop will be held in the Moore Hall 153A (PC Lab) on the University of Hawai'i at Manoa campus. The UH Manoa campus is 3 miles from Waikiki (about a 10-minute drive). If you are coming from the Honolulu International Airport, it is about a 20-minute drive (non-rush hour traffic). For directions, please check out our Getting There section.

9. What housing options will be made available to participants in the workshop?
There are a number of housing options available. Rooms in the East-West Center residence halls (Lincoln Hale & Hale Manoa) on the University of Hawai'i at Manoa campus can be reserved by workshop participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Room rates range from $35-49/night and are limited in availability during the busy summer months. Participants may also enjoy special rates at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel (moderate room - $58/night; superior room - $63/night; ocean view room - $72/night) or the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel ($117/night) on the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. More information about housing options will be made available to workshop participants once they are accepted.

10. Are meals provided?
Workshop participants will be provided with continental breakfast refreshments each morning as well as afternoon snacks. Apart from that, participants are responsible for their own meals throughout the Institute. Extensive information regarding on-campus and off-campus dining options will be provided to participants upon their arrival.

11. Is transportation provided?
No transportation is provided. Information regarding various economical transportation options can be found in our Getting There section.

12. Is childcare provided at the Institute?
No childcare is provided. Also, there are some restrictions regarding children in the East-West Center residence halls. Please contact us at nflrc@hawaii.edu for more information.