It's not news that testing experts are increasingly repudiating multiple-choice, computer-scorable tests because they fail to evaluate higher order learning and merely rank and compare students numerically according to old "norms." But good alternatives in evaluation require teachers to know what to look for, to "detect growth" by understanding how it manifests itself in talking, reading, and writing.

Detecting Growth in Languageaims to help teachers assess for themselves their students' growth in language, offering an alternative to standardized testing and enabling teachers to better use portfolios, projects, and authentic regular performance as assessment. Using a "what-to-look-for" approach, James Moffett describes growth in all aspects of language.