Turkish EFL Teachers’ Beliefs, Practices and Challenges on Assessment

Öz

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore Turkish English teachers' perceptions of assessment, their assessment practices, and the challenges they encounter in the assessment process. In this mixed methods study, the data were collected on both a quantitative and qualitative basis. For the quantitative component, a random sampling method was used to collect data from English teachers through a questionnaire survey (n=257). For the qualitative component (n=25), the data were collected through interviews with English teachers. The findings revealed English teachers' assessment purposes, practices and preferences, their use of technology, and differential assessment methods used for the four skills assessment. In addition, the qualitative data revealed the barriers and difficulties faced by teachers in the assessment process, including students’low motivation, low language proficiency, being undready and insufficient technology in the classrooms.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• English language teaching
• assessment beliefs
• assessment strategies

Kaynakça

1. Abu-rahmah, M., & Al-humaidi, S. (2012). Enhancing ELT through self-assessment. ELT Research Journal, 1(1), 31-52.
2. Babbie, E. (1990). Survey research methods (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
3. Bengtsson, M. (2016). How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. Nursing Plus Open, 2. 10.1016/j.npls.2016.01.001
4. Brown, H. D. (2004). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practices. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education. 324 pp. ISBN 0–13 –098834 –0
5. Brown, H.D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2010). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practice. Pearson Longman.
6. Cheng, L., & Wang, X. (2017). Grading, feedback and reporting in ESL/EFL classrooms. Language Assessment Quarterly, 4(1), 85–107.
7. Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
8. Dashti, S. (2019). Efl Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices about Classroom Assessment: A Multiple Case Study in the Context of Kuwait [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. York University.

9. Dawadi, S., Shrestha, S., & Giri, R. (2021). Mixed-Methods Research: A Discussion on Its Types, Challenges, and Criticisms. Journal of Practical Studies in Education, 2, 25-36. https://doi.org/10.46809/jpse.v2i2.20
10. Elshawara, N. R. M., Abdullah, A. N., & Md. Rashid, S. (2017). Malaysian Instructors’ Assessment Beliefs in Tertiary ESL Classroom. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies, 5(2), 135-141.
11. Ezir, E. (2013). Assessment and Testing in ELT: The Difference between Assessment and Testing. Jurnal SAINTIKOM, 12 (1), 37-42.
12. Good, T., & Brophy, J. (2000). School effects. In: Wittrock, M.C.(Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teaching. (p. 570-602). New York, Macmillan.
13. Graneheim, U.H., & Lundman B. (2004). Qualitative content analysis in nursing research: concepts, procedures and measures to achieve trustworthiness. Nurse Educ Today. 24 (2), 105-12. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2003.10.001. PMID: 14769454.
14. Hakim, B. (2015). English language teachers’ ideology of ELT assessment literacy. International Journal of Education & Literacy Studies, 3(4), 42-48.
15. Harris, L. R., and Brown, G. T. L. (2013). Opportunities and obstacles to consider when using peer- and self-assessment to improve student learning: case studies into teachers' implementation. Teach. Teach. Educ. 36, 101–111. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2013.07.008
16. Hughes, A. (2003) Testing for Language Teachers (2nd Edition). Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511732980
17. Işık, A. (2021). Exploring How ELT Teachers Perceive and Practice English Language Assessment. Journal of Language and Education, 7(1), 109-126.
18. Luoma, S. (2004). Assessing speaking. Cambridge University Press. https://doi:10.1017/CBO9780511733017
19. Muñoz, A. P., Palacio, M., & Escobar, L. (2012). Teachers' Beliefs about Assessment in an EFL context in Colombia. Profile Issues in Teachers' Professional Development, 14 (1), 143 158.
20. Narathakoon, A., Sapsirin, S., & Subphadoongchone, P. (2020). Beliefs and Classroom Assessment Practices of English Teachers in Primary Schools in Thailand. International Journal of Instruction, 13(3), 137-156.
21. Nunan, D. (2007). Standards-based approaches to the evaluation of ESL instruction. In: Cummins, J., Davison, C. (Eds.) International handbook of English language teaching. Springer International handbooks of education. (pp.421-438). Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi:10.1007/978-0-387-46301-8_31
22. Ölmezer-Öztürk, E. & Aydın, B. (2019). Investigating Language Assessment Knowledge of EFL Teachers. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi , 34 (3) , 602-620.
23. Öz, S. (2017). Turkish EFL instructors’ in-class language assessment literacy: perceptions and practices. ELT Journal, 6 (1).
24. Paker, T. & Höl, D. (2012). İngilizce Hazırlık Öğrencilerinin ve İngilizce Okutmanlarının İletişimsel Konuşma Sınavına İlişkin Tutum Ve Algıları. Pamukkale Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 32 (32) , 13-24. Richards, J. (1983). Listening comprehension: Approach, design and procedure. TESOL Quarterly, 17(2). pp. 219-240.
25. Richards, J.C., & Schmidt, R.W. (2011). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833835
26. Weigle, S. (2002). Assessing Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
27. Wicking, P. (2017). The Assessment Beliefs and Practices of English Teachers in Japanese Universities. JLTA Journal, 20, 76-89.
28. Wiliam, D., & Thompson, M. (2007). Integrating assessment with learning: what will it take to make it work? In C.A. Dwyer (Eds.), The future of assessment: Shaping teaching and learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
29. Yetkin, C. (2015). An investigation on ELT teacher candidates' assessment literacy (Unpublished Master's Thesis). Çağ Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Mersin.