scholarly journals Training the Trainers in Language Assessment via Mentoring: Building Expertise to Promote Language Assessment Literacy of Ukrainian University Teachers

Languages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 194
Author(s):  
Viktoriya Osidak ◽  
Olha Drahinda ◽  
Olga Kvasova
Keyword(s):  
Professional Growth ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Informal Mentoring ◽  
Organizational Skills ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Successful Model ◽  
Research Questions

This mixed-methods study described a case of group-based informal mentoring, a conceptual model of which was aligned with an effective mentoring program found in the literature. The research questions that were addressed in the study included: (1) Will mentoring training, conducted within a short (1-month) period, enable inexperienced presenters to develop and conduct an effective workshop in LTA? (2) In what way(s) has mentoring training impacted the mentees as prospective trainers in LTA? The training was implemented by one mentor and two mentees, with the immediate purpose to organize a platform to disseminate the results of an Erasmus+ staff mobility program. The data were collected via a questionnaire, a self-efficacy scale and reflection logs about the mentoring procedure, as well as the workshop in LTA conducted by the mentees with the purpose to enhance Ukrainian university teachers’ LAL. The outcome of the training reported a high success level of the workshop among 37 attendees. In addition, the participants of the mentoring training (n = 2) demonstrated improvement in their organizational skills and professional growth. The mentoring framework proved to be an effective strategy for implementing study objectives and can be recognized as a successful model for the promotion of language assessment literacy.

Impact of Interactive Online TESOL Practicum Course on EL Teachers' Professional Growth

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-98
Author(s):  
Kim H. Song
Keyword(s):  
English Learners ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Discussion Board ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Coaching Model ◽  
Online Coaching ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Active Interaction

This mixed-methods study examined how an online practicum course could enhance teaching for English learners (ELs). Based on research on collaborative and nonjudgmental supervision, a guided online coaching model was adopted with technology-based tools such as Discussion Board, Kaltura, and VoiceThread. Three online coaching cycles were; preconference, observation of teaching videos, and post-conference. Posting frequency and exit-interview transcripts were data sources. There were two research questions: 1) What interactions occurred among online TESOL practicum course participants? and 2) What was the impact of the online TESOL practicum course on participants' EL teaching? The results showed that students interacted more among themselves than with the instructor. Three themes emerged from qualitative data analysis; acknowledgment, impact of cyclic coaching, and linguistically responsive EL-teaching. The results ensured students' active interaction at the virtual communal spaces with some challenges and enhancement of their EL-teaching due to cyclic online coaching.

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 ENHANCING TEACHERS’ LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT LITERACY VIA ACTIVITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

2021 ◽  
pp. 4-9
Author(s):  
Olga Kvasova
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Professional Organization ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Past ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Language Testing And Assessment ◽  
The University

The paper discusses the issues related to the language assessment literacy (LAL) of Ukrainian university teachers of English. The author overviews the development of LAL beginning in 2010 when the first survey of LAL state was conducted by her. The surveys conducted later enabled the comparison of teacher respondents’ perceptions of the advances and/or issues in LAL. Although the surveys were not large-scale, the samples were quite fully representative of the university teacher community which allowed to capture the major trends of LAL development. The author further describes the activities of a professional non-for-profit organization – Ukrainian Association for Language Testing and Assessment (UALTA) who made a major contribution to LAL development in the past 6 years by regularly holding training events. The latest event was an in-service teacher training (INSETT) course conducted online. The course has laid theoretical and organizational bases for the future events of such kind.

Language Assessment Literacy Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kremmel ◽  
Luke Harding
Keyword(s):  
Language Assessment ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Literacy Survey

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 Embedding Formative Assessment in Blended Learning Environment: The Case of Secondary Chinese Language Teaching in Singapore

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Kwong Tung Chan
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Formative Assessment ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Lesson Delivery ◽  
Teaching Learning

The fast global spread of COVID-19 has resulted in the mass disruption of teaching, learning, as well as assessment, in mainstream schools in Singapore. Teachers were caught unprepared and this jeopardised the quality of classroom delivery and assessment. The Ministry of Education has since shifted to an online asynchronous mode of teaching whilst attempting to keep the face-to-face method of lesson delivery, to which it is called ‘blended learning’ (BL) in the local context. Besides being propelled to learn and use new technology tools for online lessons, teachers also need to quickly explore to embed formative assessment (FA) in the new BL environment to substitute traditional classroom assessment. In this context, I argue that teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and e-pedagogy are vital to the success of embedding FA in BL. Following, I also describe some tentative predictions for future challenges and opportunities of embedding FA in the BL environment of secondary Chinese Language (CL) teaching in Singapore. On this basis, I discuss the ways in which current conceptualisations of language assessment literacy will need to shift in response to these challenges. Finally, I make some recommendations for practice based on this argument.

scholarly journals Language Assessment Literacy and the Professional Development of Pre-Service Language Teachers

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-259
Author(s):  
Frank Giraldo ◽  
Daniel Murcia Quintero
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Teaching Programme ◽  
Assessment Design ◽  
Development Of Language ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) research has focused on defining the knowledge, skills, and principles that the stakeholders involved in language assessment activities are required to master. However, there is scarce research on the relationship between LAL and the professional development of language teachers. Therefore, this exploratory action research study examined the impact of a language assessment course on pre-service teachers in a Colombian language teaching programme. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, teacher and researcher journals and class observations. The findings show that the course promoted theoretical, technical and operational dimensions in the language assessment design practices of the participants. In addition, it enhanced their LAL and professional development. Consequently, this study contends that the LAL course changed language assessment perceptions radically and encouraged pre-service teachers to design assessments conscientiously, a feature not explicitly stated in LAL research involving this group of stakeholders elsewhere.

scholarly journals Language Teacher Assessment Literacy: A Current Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurdiana Nurdiana Nurdiana
Keyword(s):  
Language Assessment ◽  
Teacher Assessment ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Good Test ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Test Specifications ◽  
Alternative Assessments ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Teacher Assessment Literacy

<span>H<span>Half of the language teachers’ time is spent on assessing students’ performance. Therefore, they should be literate to language assessment in terms of how to make a good test or knowing which method appropriate to assess their students’ learning. Without having assessment literacy, they may not be able to help their students achieve the best results of their performance. For this reason, the present study attempts to examine language teacher assessment literacy and how it has been measured. Besides, suggestions and recommendations for language teachers regarding assessment literacy are discussed in this study. A literature review was employed to conduct this research. Findings suggest that language teachers need more training on language assessment due to their lack of knowledge of language assessment. Although some of them are assessment literate, they do not practice the knowledge in their classroom. This implies that the training they need could be on how to select appropriate assessments for their students, how to design a test,  alternative assessments, and test specifications.</span></span>

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document