An Overview of Language Assessment Literacy Research within English Language Education Context

Abstract

Language assessment literacy (LAL) is the indication of language teachers’ familiarity with assessment processes and ability to perform successful assessment procedures in foreign language education. In recent years, its importance has increased due to the developments in such education. The research into this concept have already begun to define and conceptualize it. However, empirical research on LAL, especially about educational contexts, has not been much widespread. So, this review mainly aims to present an overview of LAL concept within the scope of foreign language education. In particular, this review firstly illustrates its conceptual side by exemplifying the definitions, components and characteristics. Then, focusing on English language teachers, it evaluates the most up-to-date empirical studies conducted in EFL in-service or pre-service teaching contexts to show its place in foreign language assessment and the recent trends in LAL research. Lastly, it discusses the findings to suggest implications for practice and further study about LAL.

Keywords

• language assessment literacy,foreign language education,English language teaching,foreign language assessment

İngiliz Dili Eğitimi Bağlamında Yabancı Dilde Ölçme-Değerlendirme Okuryazarlığı Araştırmasına Genel Bir Bakış

Öz

Yabancı dilde ölçme-değerlendirme okuryazarlığı, dil öğretmenlerinin ölçme-değerlendirme süreçlerine aşina olmasının ve yabancı dil eğitiminde başarılı ölçme-değerlendirme yöntemlerini uygulama becerisinin bir göstergesidir. Son yıllarda bu tür eğitimdeki gelişmeler nedeniyle bu kavramın önemi artmıştır. Bu kavrama yönelik yapılan araştırmalar, onu tanımlamaya ve kavramsallaştırmaya çoktan başlamış bulunmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, özellikle eğitim bağlamında yabancı dilde ölçme-değerlendirme okuryazarlığı üzerine yapılan ampirik çalışmalar çok yaygın değildir. Dolayısıyla, bu derlemenin temel amacı, yabancı dil eğitimi kapsamında yabancı dilde ölçme-değerlendirme okuryazarlığı kavramının genel bir değerlendirmesini sunmaktır. Özellikle, bu derleme öncelikle bu kavramın tanımları, bileşenleri ve karakteristik özelliklerini örneklendirerek onun kavramsal yanlarını göstermektedir. Sonrasında bu derleme, İngilizce öğretmenlerine odaklanarak kavramın yabancı dilde ölçme-değerlendirmedeki yerini ve bu kavrama bağlı güncel araştırma eğilimlerini ortaya koymak için hizmet içi ve hizmet öncesi öğretmenlik bağlamlarında gerçekleştirilen en güncel ampirik araştırmaları değerlendirmektedir. Son olarak, bu derleme, söz konusu kavramın uygulama alanları ve onun hakkında daha çok araştırma önerilerinde bulunmak için bulguları tartışmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• yabancı dilde ölçme-değerlendirme okuryazarlığı,yabancı dil eğitimi,İngiliz dili eğitimi,yabancı dil değerlendirmesi

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