1 Introduction

This section introduces the background and influence of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as a global comprehensive language proficiency assessment standard, points out that its 2024 fourth edition has made significant adjustments to the four-skill language proficiency evaluation system, and explains that this article focuses on the updated content of the reading proficiency standards, integrating them into a three-tier system of assessment contexts, assessment parameters, and assessment indicators, with the aim of providing reference for the development of Chinese reading proficiency standards.

2 Overview of the Development of the ACTFL Guidelines

This section reviews the development of the ACTFL Guidelines since the 1980s. In 1982, ACTFL collaborated with ETS and other institutions to release the ACTFL Provisional Proficiency Guidelines, which only included draft standards for three skills: "listening," "reading," and "writing"; the first official edition was launched in 1986, covering four skills: "listening," "speaking," "reading," and "writing." Since then, ACTFL has adhered to the principle of dynamic revision: the "speaking" and "writing" sections were revised in 1999 and 2001 respectively, forming the second edition, with main changes including descending order of levels and subdivision of advanced sub-levels; the third edition in 2012 comprehensively revised all four skills, unified the descending order of levels, added the "Distinguished" level, and increased summary descriptors. The fourth edition in 2024 maintains the same level structure as the third edition but makes substantial content adjustments: for the first time, it adds instructional context assessment content, descriptor parameter explanations, adjusts some descriptor wording, and adopts a more positive language style.

3 Innovations in the Reading Proficiency System of the Fourth Edition ACTFL Guidelines

This section examines the innovations in the reading proficiency system of the fourth edition ACTFL Guidelines compared to the third edition, constructing a three-tier analytical framework of assessment contexts, assessment parameters, and assessment indicators for comparative analysis. The study finds that the third edition reading proficiency system contained 1 assessment context, 4 assessment parameters, and 239 assessment indicators, while the fourth edition has expanded to 2 assessment contexts, 11 assessment parameters, and 247 assessment indicators.

In terms of assessment contexts, the fourth edition distinguishes between "Proficiency" and "Performance" for the first time, forming two parallel assessment scales. "Proficiency" is applicable to assessing language ability in natural interaction and unrehearsed, typical situations, with content based on minor modifications to the third edition; "Performance" is specifically designed to assess language ability acquired and practiced in instructional contexts, with relevant content adapted from the ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners. This innovation reflects ACTFL's attempt to integrate the Guidelines with its supporting resources.

In the parameter settings for the "Proficiency" section, the fourth edition explicitly proposes four component parameters of "FACT" for the first time: Functions, Accuracy, Context and content, and Text type. Under the Functions parameter, the fourth edition contains 40 indicators, 5 of which are new, including at the Novice level "recognizing familiar formulaic language" and "beginning to learn basic linguistic knowledge," at the Superior level "recognizing tone, feeling, emotion, and stance in literary works," and at the Distinguished level "recognizing the meaning of figures of speech," while also improving the conciseness and precision of the language. Under the Accuracy parameter, there are 28 indicators, 5 of which are new, mainly manifested as replacing examples to make them more relevant to everyday life, strengthening connections between different levels, raising requirements for advanced-level readers, and refining the descriptors. Under the Context and content parameter, there are 22 indicators, 2 of which are new, mainly making minor adjustments to indicators at the Superior and Distinguished levels, removing qualifiers such as "real world" to broaden the scope of topics, and eliminating redundant descriptions to make the language more concise. Under the Text type parameter, there are 44 indicators, 10 of which are new, mainly manifested as more everyday and era-reflecting indicator selection (such as adding online text types like text messages and blog posts), further precision of language, and expansion of reading text ranges at the Intermediate and Advanced levels.

In the analysis of the "Performance" section, this section shares commonalities with and differences from the "Proficiency" section. In indicator settings, the "Performance" section distinguishes according to communication modes (interpersonal and interpretive) and emphasizes qualifiers such as "learned" and "practiced." In level settings, the "Performance" section only includes three main levels—Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced—with no sub-levels, because ACTFL believes that readers at the Superior and Distinguished levels no longer need to distinguish whether their reading ability was acquired through instruction. In parameter settings, the "Performance" section includes four main parameters: Functions, Context and content, Discourse type, and Comprehensibility and comprehensibility, with "Comprehensibility and comprehensibility" containing four sub-parameters, which are expansions of the "Proficiency" parameters.

4 Conclusion and Discussion

This section summarizes two revision approaches in the development of the ACTFL Guidelines: the gradual increase in the number of main levels and the progressive refinement of advanced levels, to meet American foreign language assessment needs. Through constructing a three-tier system of assessment contexts, assessment parameters, and assessment indicators, it analyzes the characteristics of the fourth edition in distinguishing "Proficiency" from "Performance," explicitly defining parameters for the first time, using concise and accurate language in indicators, and classifying by communication mode. It also proposes four implications for the development of Chinese reading proficiency standards: distinguishing assessment contexts, clarifying parameter settings, using concise and precise language that reflects contemporary characteristics, and referring to "communication mode" to classify reading activity types.