Abstract
In China, English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers seem to be in a dilemma because of the discrepancy existing in classroom teaching and assessment, the new curriculum requirement, and the paucity of language assessment knowledge. To tackle these problems, there is an urgent need to evaluate EFL teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL) and mitigate the possible obstacles that EFL teachers face. Since the term assessment literacy (AL) was firstly suggested, the concept has been derived in other specific fields, such as LAL. Different theories, models, and research on LAL have been examined to study language teachers’ LAL in many countries; however, LAL is still a new concept in China. Thus, the study aims to investigate and analyze the possible reasons behind the current LAL level of in-service EFL teachers in China.
Highlights
High-stake exams in China, such as Zhongkao (High School Entrance Examination) has raised a high demand for the ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to design in-class assessment, analyze and evaluate test results from which they can receive feedback, and utilize the data to reflect and make improvements to their teaching methods and materials to ensure that students will be well prepared for those crucial exams (Bachman & Palmer, 1996; Tan & Ng, 2018; Zhang & Yan, 2018)
To understand what language assessment literacy (LAL) and its models were, the review started with an introduction of the background of the high-stake examination Zhongkao and its impact on both micro and macro levels in China
With the intention of assisting their students to get a perfect grade in Zhongkao, in-service EFL teachers have been using Zhongkao exam questions as the major assessment to evaluate their students’ learning process and outcome
Summary
High-stake exams in China, such as Zhongkao (High School Entrance Examination) has raised a high demand for the ability of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to design in-class assessment, analyze and evaluate test results from which they can receive feedback, and utilize the data to reflect and make improvements to their teaching methods and materials to ensure that students will be well prepared for those crucial exams (Bachman & Palmer, 1996; Tan & Ng, 2018; Zhang & Yan, 2018). Language pedagogy is most likely to be the most crucial aspect for classroom teachers 4, followed by local practices, sociocultural values, personal beliefs/attitudes, and technical skills 3, indicating that teachers should always be aware of the test environment and any policy changes regarding high-stake examinations in one particular context (see Figure 1). It is interesting that the data for item 102: using ready-made tests was higher than that of item 101: preparing classroom tests (teachers’ perceived LAL level), the participants expected to design their own tests This may indicate that in-service EFL teachers in junior high schools in China rely more on premade tests and lack the ability to design tests on their own. As the models discussed above suggested, teachers’ personal beliefs regarding language assessment can be another factor causing the comparatively low LAL level of EFL teachers in China and hindering LAL development in the future. This might be a plausible explanation of why it is a norm that Chinese parents and students prefer senior teachers and are unwilling to learn with young teachers
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