Kofi Nkonkonya Mpuangnan; Gladys Phumzile Mngomezulu; Samantha Govender
Abstract
The form of assessment which grade four teachers use to determine the learning outcomes of the learners who are studying English First Additional Language (EFAL) in South African schools demands urgent attention. This urgency stems from the necessity to critically examine the post-apartheid educational ...
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The form of assessment which grade four teachers use to determine the learning outcomes of the learners who are studying English First Additional Language (EFAL) in South African schools demands urgent attention. This urgency stems from the necessity to critically examine the post-apartheid educational system's assessment practices and how effectively they align with the evolving needs of society. To maintain a more discreet approach, this investigation specifically centered on teachers of EFAL and utilized a qualitative case study methodology. A purposive sampling technique led to the inclusion of 10 grade four EFAL teachers from schools in the King Cetshwayo District for data collection. The primary tool employed for this purpose was a semi-structured interview, skillfully developed to explore the perspectives of teachers and beliefs on assessment techniques. The researchers opted for a thematic analysis approach, allowing for a thorough examination of the data while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of the participants. The findings of classwork and teachers predominantly leaned towards traditional approaches such as engaging students through question-and-answer interactions, conducting tests, evaluating classwork, and assessing comprehension abilities. These methods were the primary means through which teachers assessed their students' understanding and performance within the learning environment. The study recommended that diversifying assessment techniques could provide a more comprehensive understanding of learners' development, catering to varying abilities and better addressing individual learning needs.
kaveh jalilzadeh; Adel Dastgoshadeh; Rahele Khosravi
Abstract
Within recent advancement, teachers are required to be able to implement effective assessment in the classroom context. This is applicable by in-service professional development programs that assist teachers to improve and provide them with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and to use it practically, ...
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Within recent advancement, teachers are required to be able to implement effective assessment in the classroom context. This is applicable by in-service professional development programs that assist teachers to improve and provide them with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and to use it practically, especially their knowledge regarding assessment and its concepts and components. Therefore, the present study, which was a quasi-experimental study, was designed to explore the effect of an in-service professional course on teachers` language assessment knowledge (LAK). To this end, a number of 76 EFL teachers, working at private institutes in Sanandaj, Iran, were selected through convenience sampling on the basis of availability to fill in the Language Assessment Knowledge questionnaire developed by Farhady and Tavassoli (2018) in order to estimate their current level of LAK. Then, a three-day workshop was held for the participants on the components and skills of language assessment. The instruction of each session took 6 hours. After 6 weeks, teachers` ALK was tested again after the treatment. The results of the paired T-test and repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the in-service professional development course had a significant effect on teachers` LAK. The participants claimed that their knowledge of different concepts and key terms in assessment was enhanced. Also, based on the findings of data analyses, the course treatment resulted in improving teachers' knowledge of how to design standard tests and use alternative assessment techniques. Details of the findings and implications are discussed.
Fateme Nikmard; Kobra Tavassoli
Abstract
The main purpose of diagnostic assessment is to predict test-takers’ strengths and weaknesses and use the information to provide suitable feedback to them (Jang & Wagner, 2014). Accordingly, the present study focused on investigating the effect of diagnostic assessment on selective and productive ...
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The main purpose of diagnostic assessment is to predict test-takers’ strengths and weaknesses and use the information to provide suitable feedback to them (Jang & Wagner, 2014). Accordingly, the present study focused on investigating the effect of diagnostic assessment on selective and productive reading tasks to help English as a foreign language (EFL) learners improve their performance on these tasks. The quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used and 60 participants were chosen based on the results of a Nelson proficiency test. The learners were chosen from four intact classes who were then divided into two groups of control and diagnostic assessment, each group comprising of two classes. Then, a modified version of the reading section of Key English Test (KET) (2015) with 28 selective and 27 productive items was used in the two groups as the pretest. The diagnostic assessment group received a feedback-based treatment on four reading tests during sixteen sessions of instruction. However, in the control group, the learners focused on reading texts and the corresponding tasks during the course. At the end of the semester, another modified version of KET reading test (2014) with 28 selective and 27 productive items was administered as the posttest. The results showed the diagnostic assessment group showed a significant improvement on both selective and productive tasks. Teachers may be the most beneficiaries of the present study as they can find useful information about their students’ strengths and weaknesses through using diagnostic assessment to help them improve their reading comprehension ability.
