What type of test would be designed specifically to assess a student's language skills?

Language proficiency tests are specifically designed to assess a student's language skills, focusing on various aspects such as speaking, listening, reading, and writing capabilities. These tests measure how well a student can communicate and comprehend in the target language, evaluating their overall fluency and ability to use the language in practical situations.

The primary goal of a language proficiency test is to determine the student's level of competence and how effectively they can use the language for communication, both in academic and everyday contexts. This type of assessment helps educators understand a student's abilities and tailor instruction to meet individual needs.

Other types of tests, while related to language skills, do not specifically focus on assessing language proficiency. For example, language placement tests are often used to determine the appropriate level for a student to begin their language study based on their existing knowledge. Criterion-referenced tests measure a student's performance against a specific set of criteria or learning standards, which might not solely reflect their overall language proficiency. Norm-referenced tests compare a student's performance to that of a larger group, which may not accurately indicate how well they can use the language on a practical level.