scholarly journals A phenomenographic study on language assessment literacy: hearing from Iranian university teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Afsheen Rezai ◽  
Gudarz Alibakhshi ◽  
Sajjad Farokhipour ◽  
Mowla Miri
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Assessment ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Acceptable Level ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Traditional Assessment

AbstractThis study aims to disclose the Iranian university teachers’ perceptions of the fundamentals of language assessment literacy (LAL). To this aim, using purposive sampling, eighteen university teachers from two Iranian universities were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Their viewpoints were audio-recorded, transcribed, and subjected to a phenomenographic analysis. Findings yielded two overarching LAL domains: knowledge (e.g., having an acceptable level of digital LAL, satisfying ethical requirements, benefiting more from performance assessment, considering students’ individual differences, making assessment valid, assuring that tests are reliable, and having an acceptable level of pedagogical content knowledge) and skills (e.g., involving students in assessment, using alternative assessment methods, employing logically traditional assessment methods, informing students about test results, administering tests in standardized ways, using valid grading procedures, and bringing positive wash-back effects). After discussing the results, the study concludes with proposing a range of implications for different testing stakeholders and highlighting some avenues for further research.

scholarly journals Moroccan EFL Public High School Teachers’ Perceptions and Self-Reported Practices of Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-135
Author(s):  
Abderrahim Mamad ◽  
Tibor Vígh
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Teachers ◽  
Alternative Assessment ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Public High School ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Traditional Assessment ◽  
Support Students

This study aims to investigate the perceptions and self-reported practices of Moroccan EFL public high school teachers towards traditional and alternative assessment. The data were collected from 51 teachers in Northern Morocco using a self-developed online questionnaire. The questionnaire items about teachers’ perceptions and self-reported practices were valid and both their data and sampling were acceptable for factor analysis of three subscales (traditional assessment, alternative assessment related with assessment as learning, and assessment for learning), and all scales proved to be reliable. Based on the three research questions, the study yielded the following results: (1) Teachers perceived the objectives of alternative assessment to be significantly more important than those of traditional assessment. (2) Based on their self-reported practices, teachers mainly used traditional assessment methods more often than alternative assessment methods associated with assessment as and for learning. (3) When comparing teachers’ perceptions with their self-reported practices, we found that teachers’ perceptions regarding traditional assessment matched their practices; while the majority of teachers admitted that they found alternative assessment important even though they did not often use it in order to support students to be able to reflect on their own learning or to enhance their performance in the learning process. Thus, these findings are significant for researchers, teachers, and educators to help them reconsider their perceptions of alternative assessment and how they should be enacted in practice with the aim of resolving the mismatches found in this study.

Young learners’ voices: Towards a learner-centered approach to understanding language assessment literacy

2021 ◽  
pp. 026553222199227
Author(s):  
Yuko Goto Butler ◽  
Xiaolin Peng ◽  
Jiyoon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Language Assessment ◽  
Sixth Grade ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Young Learners ◽  
Assessment Tasks ◽  
Sixth Grade Students ◽  
Assessment Skills

Language assessment literacy (LAL) has recently gained substantial attention among language educators and other stakeholders. However, existing models focus almost exclusively on teachers, test developers, and administrators, and lack students’ perspectives in their conceptualizations. To address this gap, with this exploratory study we aimed to understand young learners’ LAL. The participants were fourth- and sixth-grade students (ages 9–10 and 11–12, respectively, with 10 participants in each age group) in China. After taking English mock tests, the children participated in individual, semi-structured interviews that covered their understanding of the following: (a) assessment purposes and theories (their knowledge about how assessment works); (b) assessment skills (their views of assessment designs, procedures, and content); and (c) assessment principles (their notion of fairness, cheating, and feedback). The data were analyzed qualitatively in line with current LAL models. The results suggest that the children already had substantial assessment literacy in knowledge, skills, and principles. Although their teachers’ assessment practice remains form-focused, children generally want more communicative-based and diagnostic assessment. They also want more cognitively challenging and enjoyable assessment tasks. Our findings provide solid supporting evidence for the importance of considering students’ perspectives, along with the views of other stakeholders, in order to have a more balanced understanding of LAL.

scholarly journals The Significance of Non-traditional and Alternative Assessment in English Language Teaching: Evidence From Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 210
Author(s):  
Mazin Mansory
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Alternative Assessment ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Traditional Assessment ◽  
Static Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning in educational organizations that requires teachers to prepare tests in order to evaluate their learners’ performance. In language teaching contexts, traditional assessment often evaluates learners’ knowledge of previously learned language items. It is a mandatory process that determines the progress of language learners and the effectiveness of teaching/learning materials. This theoretical article reviews the literature on the notion of traditional assessment or static assessment which has certain shortcomings. Owing to the various drawbacks of static assessment, the review of related literature on the topic highlights and proposes alternative assessment methods, such as authentic assessment, dynamic assessment, peer assessment, and self-assessment.  In contrast to traditional assessment, these different forms of alternative assessment share a common purpose that is to provide language learners with an opportunity to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses and set their future learning goals. The most common of the assessment methods that encourage learners' reflection were peer assessment and self-assessment which involve learners to assess their own progress as well as engage with peers in classrooms to give each other feedback on their language learning tasks assigned by teachers. The studies reviewed in this article illustrate that alternative assessment methods in the form of peer and self-assessment have a positive influence on the language learners' performance and their learning outcomes. 

STUDENT-CENTERED CLASROOM ASSESSMENT: PERCEPTION AND NEW METHODS

2019 ◽  
pp. 4-10
Author(s):  
Irini-Renika Popokammenou
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Alternative Assessment ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Written Comments ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Improve Instruction

One of the important roles and responsibilities of teachers is to conduct assessment to assess students’ progress. The implementation of alternative assessment methods can be frustrating and rather difficult for teachers. This paper discusses teacher and student perceptions on using alternative assessment. It focuses on how young learners of English perceived three different alternative assessments: peer-assessment, conferencing and the use of students’ drawings as assessment materials. The data sources comprised classroom observations, interviews with teachers and written comments from students. Analysis of the data provided insights on how teachers choose assessment techniques in A1 and A2 level classes. Teachers’ perceptions on the specific assessment methods are discussed. The written comments from students identified how students perceived the combination of the assessment methods employed by teachers and which assessment method they favored. The results show that teachers and students have positive perceptions on alternative assessment. Students’ needs and age are important factors for selecting assessment methods and individual needs must be taken into consideration when choosing alternative assessment methods. This paper highlights the importance of alternative assessment in A1 and A2 level classes since it can improve instruction. Results on the drawings used in the study as assessment materials indicate that students value personalized assessment. Alternative assessment can be a vital component in educators’ efforts to improve education.

scholarly journals Interconnections between Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge of a University Lecturer in Linear Algebra

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (20) ◽  
pp. 2542
Author(s):  
Diana Vasco-Mora ◽  
Nuria Climent-Rodríguez ◽  
Dinazar Escudero-Ávila
Keyword(s):  
Pedagogical Content Knowledge ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Linear Algebra ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Classroom Performance ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Learning Capabilities

The aim of this study is to deepen our understanding of the practice of a lecturer in linear algebra by exploring the connections he makes between his content knowledge and his pedagogical content knowledge while working on the topic of matrices. Data were collected through video recordings of his classes and semi-structured interviews, and were analysed with the Mathematics Teacher’s Specialised Knowledge model. Instances of classroom performance, supported by the teacher’s own affirmations, provided evidence relating to the categories comprising the model, and enabled us to establish connections between the lecturer’s knowledge, his understanding of his students’ learning capabilities, and his knowledge of teaching mathematics, which together account for his classroom practice: the use of varied examples to introduce new content, the highlighting of the most salient aspects of the topic, and alerts about potential errors and difficulties. The contribution that these results could make to the training of university teachers, which would be done with the knowledge of the areas of difficulty shown by the teacher in mind, could be used to deepen other elements of their pedagogical content knowledge. The interconnections between areas of knowledge identified by the study also serve to validate the usefulness of a theoretical model for studying teachers’ knowledge.

scholarly journals EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of their language assessment knowledge

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Farhady ◽  
Kobra Tavassoli
Keyword(s):  
Language Assessment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Meaningful Relationship ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
High Level

AbstractResearch on language assessment knowledge (LAK) of teachers has focused on two major topics: identifying the LAK needs of teachers and developing appropriate LAK tests. Although the prior research findings significantly contributed to our understanding of the parameters of LAK, they were mostly quantitative and did not provide much information about EFL teachers’ perceptions and applications of their LAK in a direct and face-to-face situation. Therefore, this qualitative study was designed to shed light on some key issues related to teachers’ LAK using semi-structured interviews. The issues included EFL teachers’ perception of their LAK and their utilization of LAK in their teaching. The participants were 11 teachers with a high level of LAK and 10 teachers with a low level of LAK determined by their performance on a LAK test. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed. The findings did not reveal significant differences in the responses provided by the two groups of teachers. Further, to investigate the extent of teachers’ application of LAK in classroom contexts, some of the tests made by the participating teachers were collected and content analyzed. The results showed that teachers with high LAK wrote longer tests with more varied sections and tasks. Finally, no meaningful relationship was found between the teachers’ level of LAK and their students’ performance on classroom achievement tests. The findings imply that the language assessment field needs more research on multiple dimensions of LAK.

scholarly journals EFL Teachers’ and Learners’ Perceptions of Grammatical Difficulties

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maha Alhaysony ◽  
Eid Alhaisoni
Keyword(s):  
Rank Order ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
English Grammar ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The One

This paper investigates grammatical difficulty from the perspective of Saudi university students, of EFL as well as from the perspective of university teachers. It aims to find out which English grammar features are more difficult/less difficult than others. Furthermore, it attempts to determine the reasons and causes that account for such grammar difficulty. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were the two research instruments used in this study. A total number of 103 students and 85 university teachers took part in the questionnaire, while only 20 teachers and 25 students responded in the interview. All the participants were from Aljouf University (males and females). The results showed that some English grammar features were more difficult and some were less difficult than others. The obtained difficulty order determined by EFL learners and the one obtained by the teachers’ perceptions were compared. Some similarities and differences were found to exist in the rank order of the features for the two groups. The findings of the study may be beneficial to syllabus designers, material developers, teachers and EFL learners. 

Teaching Writing to Tertiary EFL Large Classes: Challenges and Prospects

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 28-35
Author(s):  
Lalla Meriem Ouahidi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Large Groups

The rapid population growth, the excessive demand for higher education, and the increasing interest in English are behind the appearance of large classes at the Moroccan Departments of English in higher education institutions. The current study sheds light on teachers' experiences and probes into the challenges they encounter in teaching writing to large groups. Additionally, it seeks to provide some insights into how teachers approach this thorny issue. To achieve this end, the researcher opted for semi-structured interviews as a qualitative tool to cast light on teachers' perceptions of this issue and disclose the strategies they deploy to make teaching and learning of the writing skill conducive to productive outcomes. The findings reveal that university teachers face various problems in over-sized cohorts, including feedback, assessment, and classroom management. In the light of the findings, some suggested strategies will be set so that teachers working in similar contexts can implement them successfully.

“Am I qualified to be a language tester?”: Understanding the development of language assessment literacy across three stakeholder groups

2020 ◽  
pp. 026553222092992
Author(s):  
Xun Yan ◽  
Jason Fan
Keyword(s):  
Language Assessment ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Stakeholder Groups ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Development Of Language ◽  
The Individual

Recent investigations into language assessment literacy (LAL) suggest that stakeholder groups might differ in interests, needs, and expectations in assessment practice, resulting in different LAL profiles. This qualitative study furthers this line of research by examining the effect of contextual and experiential factors on the LAL profiles and development of different stakeholder groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 20 participants from three stakeholder groups in China, including language testers, EFL teachers, and graduate students. Results indicate that LAL profile differences existed at both group and individual levels. At the group level, language-testing researchers and students demonstrated greater familiarity with assessment concepts than did EFL teachers; however, EFL teachers were able to understand and link those concepts with assessment practices. At the individual level, each participant experienced a different LAL development process; yet, these processes share some common patterns. Based on these patterns, a common LAL development model for all stakeholders is proposed. Assessment training should consider the resources in stakeholders’ assessment contexts and their experiences in assessment development, use, and research and develop realistic expectations in LAL development for different stakeholders.

scholarly journals Engaging Instructions in History Classrooms: Exploring University Teachers' Perceptions and Practices

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (III) ◽  
pp. 38-48
Author(s):  
Gouhar Pirzada ◽  
Yaar Muhammad ◽  
Saba Zaka
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Engaging Instruction ◽  
Positive Learning Environment ◽  
Student Relationship

This interview study aimed to explore the perceptions and practices of the university teachers regarding student engagement in History & Pakistan Studies classrooms. Data were collected from four PhD professors from a public sector university. A qualitative research design was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was done to extract findings from the qualitative data. The finding is arranged into three themes, i.e., student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. The finding suggested that teachers use different strategies and practices to improve student engagement. Moreover, teachers used different practices to make their classes interesting. It is reported that having a cordial teacher-student relationship is beneficial for enhancing student engagement level and overall performance at the postgraduate level of education. Effective classroom management plays a significant role in creating a positive learning environment for engaging instruction.

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