SELF-ASSESSMENT IN SECOND LANGUAGE SPEAKING ABILITY: AN EVALUATION OF STUDENTS' ACCURACY AND PERCEPTION OF GROWTH

Öz

The purpose of this study was to investigate the function and impact of self-assessment process on the second language speaking ability of B1 (intermediate) Turkish EFL learners at a language preparatory school of a foundation (non-profit, private) university in Istanbul, Turkey. A sample of 46 students participated in this quasi-experimental research study. Quantitative data was gathered through the students’ eight-week long self-assessment scorings, the teacher’s scorings for experimental and control group and pre-post L2 speaking motivation questionnaire while the qualitative data was obtained from the think aloud protocols and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the self-assessment process was very helpful for students for gaining awareness of their own learning and improving L2 speaking skills, and also had a positive impact on the motivation for speaking ability. Although no significant difference was found between the experimental and control group in terms of improvement of speaking skills, experimental group still proved a considerable progress. The findings also pointed out that students perceived self-assessment process as an encouraging and engaging way to improve themselves in L2 speaking while taking part in their own learning. Consequently, the results of the study indicated that self-assessment can be utilized as an effective learning strategy promoting L2 speaking skills and motivation in foreign language education.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• self-assessment, L2 speaking skill, motivation, EFL classrooms

İKİNCİ DİL KONUŞMA BECERİSİNDE ÖZ DEĞERLENDİRME: ÖĞRENCİLERİN ÖZ-DEĞERLENDİRME SÜRESİNCEKİ DOĞRULUĞU VE GELİŞİM ALGISI ÜZERİNE DEĞERLENDİRME

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, yabancı dil olarak İngilizce öğreten özel (vakıf, kar amacı gütmeyen) bir üniversitenin hazırlık programında, öz değerlendirme uygulamasının işleyişini ve bu uygulamanın seviyeleri orta düzeyde olan öğrenciler üzerindeki etkisini araştırmaktır. Bu yarı-deneysel araştırma çalışmasında, toplamda 46 öğrenci katılmıştır. Öğrencilerin sekiz haftalık öz değerlendirme skorları, öğretmenin hem deney hem de kontrol grubu için notlandırmaları ve ikinci dilde konuşma motivasyonuna yönelik ön ve son anketi aracılığıyla çalışmanın nicel verisi ve öğrencilerle yapılan sesli düşünme protokolü ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelerden nitel verisi elde edilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın sonunda edinilen bilgiler, öz değerlendirme sürecinin, öğrencilerin yabancı dil öğrenimini geliştirmede ve kendi öğrenme süreçleri hakkında daha bilinçli hale gelmelerine yardımcı olduğunu ve ayrıca öğrencilerin konuşma becerilerine yönelik motivasyonlarını arttırdığını ortaya koymuştur. Deney ve kontrol grupları arasında konuşma becerisi gelişimi bakımından hiçbir anlamlı fark bulunamamasına rağmen, deney grubu kendi içerisinde kayda değer bir ilerme göstermiştir. Çalışmada yer alan öğrenciler, yabancı dil konuşma becerisi hususunda kendilerini geliştirmede ve öğrenimlerinde aktif rol alma konusunda, öz değerlendirme sürecinin teşvik ve motive edici bir rolü olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışmanın bulguları yoluyla, öz değerlendirme yönteminin yabancı dilde konuşma becerisi gelişimine yardımcı olan ve bu doğrultuda motivasyonu artıran etkin bir öğrenme stratejisi olarak benimsenebileceği görülmüştür.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Öz Değerlendirme, Yabancı Dil Konuşma Becerisi, Motivasyon, Yabancı Dil Olarak İngilizce Eğitimi Alan Sınıflar

Kaynakça

1. AlFallay, I. (2004). The role of selected psychological and personality traits of the rater in the accuracy of self- and peer-assessment. System, 32, 407-425.
2. Andrade, H., and Valtcheva, A. (2009). Promoting learning and achievement through self- assessment. Theory into Practice, 48(1), 12-19.
3. Banlı, S. (2014). The Role of Self-Assessment Practices in the Improvement of Freshman Students’ Writing Performance and Awareness. Unpublished MA Thesis, Çağ University, Turkey.
4. Brindley, G. (1989). Assessing achievement in the learner-centred curriculum. Sydney: National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research.
5. Butler, Y. G., and Lee, J. (2010). The effects of self-assessment among young learners of English. Language Testing, 27(1): 5-31.
6. Cassidy, S. (2006). Learning style and student self-assessment skill. Education and Training, 48(3), 170-177.
7. Cohen, A. (1994). Assessing language ability in the classroom. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
8. Dickinson, L. (1993). Aspects of autonomous learning: Interview with T. Hedge. English Language Teaching Journal 47(4), 330-336.

9. Diltz, J. (2006). Words to voice: Three approaches for student self evaluation. Teaching English in the Two-Year College 34, 41-45.
10. Donham, J. (2010). Creating personal learning through self assessment. Teacher Librarian
11. Graves, K. (1996). A framework of development processes. In K. Graves (Ed.), Teachers as course developers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
12. Hill, T. (2013). Student Perceptions of a Self-assessment Environment. Unpublished Dissertation University of Pretoria.
13. Iwamoto, N. (2015). Effects of L2 Affective Factors on Self-assessment of Speaking. Unpublished Dissertation, Temple University.
14. Langendyk, V. (2006). Not knowing that they do not know: self-assessment accuracy of third- year medical students. Medical Education 40, 173-179.
15. Larsen-Freeman, D. (1986). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. New York: Oxford UP.
16. Lawson, R.J., Taylor, T.L., Thompson, G.D., Simpson, L., Freeman, M., Treleaven,
17. L. and Rohde, F. (2012). Engaging with graduate attributes through encouraging accurate student self-assessment, Asian Social Science 8(4), 3-12.
18. Lee, H. (2008). Students’ Perceptions of Peer and Self Assessment in a Higher Education Online Collaborative Learning Environment. Unpublished Dissertation, The University of Texas.
19. McMillan, J. H. and Hearn, J. (2008). Student Self-assessment: The key to Stronger Student Motivation and Higher Achievement. Educational Horizons 87(1), 40-49.
20. Mousavi, S. A. (2012). An encyclopedic dictionary of language testing. Tehran: Rahnama.
21. Nunan, D. (1988). The learner-centered curriculum. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
22. Orhon, Y. (2016). Investigating the Impact of Blogging and Portfolio-Keeping on English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Level of Autonomy, Self-assessment and Language Achievement. Unpublished MA Thesis, Pamukkale University.
23. Oscarson, M. (1989). Self-assessment of language proficiency: Rationale and applications. Language Testing 6(1): 1-13.
24. Paris S.G. and Paris A. H. (2001). Classroom applications of research on self-regulatedlearning. Educational Psychology 36(2), 89–101.
25. Rolfe, T. (1990). Self-and-peer-assessment in the ESL curriculum. In G. Brindley (Ed.), The second language curriculum in action. Sydney: National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research.
26. Ünaldı, İ. (2016). Self and teacher assessment as predictors of proficiency levels of Turkish EFL learners. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 41(1), 67-80.
27. Yashima, T. (2002). Willingness to communicate in a second language: The Japanese EFL context. The Modern Language Journal 86, 54-66.
28. Yıldırım, İ. K. (2001). The Effect of Training Students on Self-assessment of their Writing.” Unpublished MA Thesis, Bilkent University.
29. Zimmerman, B.J. (2002). Becoming a self-regulated learner: An overview. Theory into Practice