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Stuck at Level 3: How Diagnostic Assessment Finds the Patterns You Can’t See

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  Most learners at Level 3 think they know what their problems are. They’ll say, “I need more vocabulary,” or “My listening is bad,” or “I always mess up the grammar.” But here’s the truth: What you think your gaps are, and what your gaps actually are , rarely match. That’s where Diagnostic Assessment — DA — comes in. If Level 4 is the land of nuance, precision, and near‑native control, DA is the mapmaker. It shows you the terrain of your own language use: the habits, the blind spots, the micro‑skills you’ve been skipping over for years. 🔍 What DA Actually Does DA is not a test. It’s an X‑ray. Instead of ranking you on a scale, it breaks your performance into skills , subskills , and micro‑operations — the tiny things that make the difference between “advanced” and “near‑native.” Research in cognitive diagnostic assessment shows that DA can reveal fine‑grained patterns that traditional tests completely miss. Even learners with identical scores often have totally diffe...
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Publisher's Pride: Books on Bestseller Lists - How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately (Shekhtman)

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  Today's Publisher's Pride is  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman, which reached  #6 in study and teaching references . the successful practices of diplomats and international journalists now available to any language learner Book description: This is the fifth edition of a popular book that provides a unique set of tools designed to enhance an individual's success in communicati0n in a foreign language environment. The devices presented allow the speaker of a foreign language to demonstrate the level of his/her language more impressively, so impressively, in fact, that it appears that the speaker's language itself has improved overnight. These techniques were developed and tested by the author with adult professionals in such varied fields as journalism, diplomacy, government, and international business. Many of these professionals have attested to the efficacy of these tools in their own columns. "This book provides the most ban...
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Availab le now on pre-order: You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late

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  Available on pre-order through January 28, 2026:  You're Not Too Old, and It's Not Too Late  by Ilene Berns-Zare. Book Description Designed as an accessible 52-week companion, this inspiring guide invites Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to reimagine aging with confidence, vitality, and purpose. Drawing on research-informed tools and practical reflections, it encourages readers to tap into inner strengths, embrace meaningful shifts, and discover everyday “ah-ha” moments that spark renewal. Whether you seek greater wellbeing, deeper meaning, or renewed fulfillment from midlife through older adulthood, this uplifting resource reminds us that aging well is an active journey—and that the best chapters may still lie ahead. Keywords: midlife transformation; aging with purpose; positive aging book; Baby Boomer wellness; Gen X wellbeing; 52‑week self‑growth guide; midlife reinvention; aging well strategies; vitality after 50; personal growth after 50; midlife mindset shift; healthy ag...
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Books on Discount: An Afternoon's Dictation (Greenebaum)

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  In commemoration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, MSI Press is making the award-winning ecumenical book,   An Afternoon's Dictation  (Greenebaum), available on Kindle countdown January 18-25. In addition, the paperback edition is available from the MSI Press webstore at 1/3 off for this week:  An Afternoon's Dictation: Inclusive Revelation for the Twenty-First Century - MSI Press MSI Press Book Description:  In 1999 Steven Greenebaum felt he'd hit the wall. Fifty years old, he could not make sense of his life or the world around him. For several months he angrily demanded answers from God, if God were there. One afternoon, an inner voice told him to get a pen and paper and write. Steven then took dictation - three pages, not of commandments but guidance for leading a meaningful life.   An Afternoon's Dictation  grapples with, organizes, and deeply explores the revelations Steven received and then studied for over ten years. His sharing is N...
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