English language assessment: unfolding school students’ and parents’ views

The current study analyzes Chilean students’ and parents’ perceptions of English language assessment. 352 Chilean 10 th graders were surveyed using the Perceptions of the Assessment Tasks Inventory, the Perceived Classroom Assessment Environment Scale, and the Test Anxiety Scale in order to measure their perceptions of English language assessment. A semi-structured interview was also conducted to capture the perceptions of 74 parents about English and the way their children are assessed in the English subject. The quantitative data was analyzed using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient to measure how strong the relationship of the scores was in the three scales, and qualitative data was categorized using content and frequency analysis. The findings suggest that the subscales of the three surveys hold statistically significant relationships and students feel that a Learning-oriented assessment environment benefits them more than a Performance-oriented one. The former is a kind of environment that favors students’ learning and mastery of subject materials, whereas the latter is a type of environment that aligns with classroom assessment practices that emphasize the importance of grades over learning. The qualitative results also suggest that parents have a positive perception of the English language and believe it is useful for their children’s life even though they themselves might find it difficult to learn the language.

Spostrzeżenia nastolatków na temat oceniania ustnych i pisemnych kompetencji językowych – analiza zdarzeń krytycznych

Learners’ perceptions of teacher assessment practices shape a unique classroom assessment environment that affects learners’ willingness to engage in a task and motivation to learn (McMillan & Workman, 1998). Still, there has been limited research on learners’ perceptions of classroom and high-stakes assessment. This article outlines a study exploring adolescent learners’ perceptions of the speaking and writing assessment they experience in the English classroom. The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was used to examine both positive and negative instances of oral and written assessment. During oral interviews, the learners reported and elaborated on the assessment experiences they personally perceived as particularly important, memorable and influential. The transcriptions of the interviews were content analysed in order to identify the properties of oral and written assessment that appeared salient to adolescent learners. The study indicates that the participants held predominantly positive views of oral and written assessment, emphasising such aspects as authenticity of assessment, freedom of expression and fair grading. It is worrying, however, that learners are not always provided with clearly articulated assessment criteria and that oral assessment is visibly neglected in the classroom.

EFL Students’ Perception of Classroom Assessment Environment in Translation Courses

The aim of this study was to explore the students’ perceptions on classroom assessment environment in translation courses. The sample of this study was made of 341 participants studying at an English language department in a Saudi university. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaire which was designed based on Alkharusi’s (2011) scale. Factor analysis was computed and the results revealed the presence of Alkharusi’s two original factors: perceived learning-oriented, and perceived performance-oriented classroom assessment environments. T-test was employed to explore the differences in perceptions between male and female students, but no significance was found between them. Implications and recommendations for classroom assessment as well as for future research have also been discussed. The practical implication of the research is that student outcomes might be improved by establishing classrooms that match those educational environments which have been shown to be associated with students’ learning. A limitation of most classroom learning environment instruments is that they measure an individual student’s perceptions of a whole class, as distinct from students’ perceptions of their own roles in the classroom. It is likely that future classroom and school environment research will be enhanced if personal as well as group assessments are adopted.