EXPLORING CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT PRACTICES OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTORS

Author (s) : Dr.M.Sathiyaraj, R.Gayathiridevi & P. Sathya

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Abstract :
Assessment of students is an essential part of instruction in both teaching and learning. With recognition of alternative assessment methods, classroom assessment has gained much more attention focusing on learning of students. However, high-stakes testing in some educational contexts turns classroom assessment into teachers’ high stakes decisions that may ignore the development of learners. In the context of language teaching at tertiary level, school of foreign languages serve as gatekeeper by having decision on whether newly enrolled students have enough proficiency of language to start their professional education. Therefore, these schools impose a proficiency exam at the end of two semesters of language education whose impact is relatively high-stakes. Thus, this study aims to explore the classroom assessment practices of instructors by considering their purpose of assessment, assessment methods and procedures of assessment. The participants are English language instructors working at the school of foreign languages of state and private universities. The participants are asked to fill in online Assessment Practices Questionnaire adapted by the researchers. The questionnaire elicited both qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data was analysed through SPSS 15.0 program while quantitative data was exposed to content analysis, where common themes were formed and categorized based on the elicited responses. The results depict that speaking is the least assessed/dealt skill in classroom assessment while the assessment over structural items is mostly preferred and performed by English language instructors. In addition, it is indicated that the instructors in the study have tendency to give way to the administrative purposes while assessing their students in classroom, which implies their summative orientation towards classroom assessment. The study may have some crucial implications for curriculum developers, test designers, instructors, and language learners.

Keywords : questionnaire elicited, developers, test designers, instructors,

Conference Date : 17/09/2021

Pages : 246

Paper ID : IESMDT244