ERT-Based EFL Instruction and Assessment: Student Reflections on L2 Skill Development

Abstract

This paper presents a reflective account of tertiary level Turkish learners of English language about their emergency remote learning experiences amid Covid-19 pandemic. The participants of this case study were the preparatory year students of the English Language and Literature undergraduate programme at Iğdır University in two successive years, covering the second half of the 2019–2020 spring semester and the entire 2020–2021 academic year. In an online survey form of open-ended questions, the students were asked to reflect on their experiences during the instruction and assessment processes of pandemic-driven Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) with a specific focus on the development of foreign language skills. Student answers were coded through thematic analysis, and the main themes and categories were determined. The findings indicated both the affordances and shortcomings of ERT. Reflecting on their performance in the instruction and assessment practices, the students reported improvement in all language skill areas to varying extents, most effectively in writing, along with challenges, especially in the development of oral skills (speaking and listening) and in the assessment of productive skills (writing and speaking). The reasons are discussed in the light of available literature, and implications for future experiences are provided.