Foreign Language Assessment Research Articles

CHATGPT IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT: EXPLORING EFL INSTRUCTORS’ EXPERIENCE

The paper presents the results of the first stage of the research into the specifics of ChatGPT application in assessment development for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. The article aims to investigate the perceptions of English language teachers regarding the utilization of ChatGPT in their teaching and assessment practices obtained through a survey in order to establish the degree of their familiarity with the possibilities of ChatGPT for teaching a foreign language and the mechanics of AI-generated test tasks design. The participants are mostly experienced English language instructors, affiliated with higher education institutions in Ukraine, the EU and the USA. Findings reveal varying levels of respondents’ confidence in ChatGPT's functionalities. A considerable proportion of educators appeared to be either unfamiliar with ChatGPT or possess limited knowledge of its capabilities. Hesitancy in implementing ChatGPT in teaching practice primarily stems from a lack of guidance as to its effective utilization closely followed by academic integrity concerns. However, educators who have employed ChatGPT recognize its potential as an assistant in lesson planning, content creation, task design, and assessment, especially for vocabulary, grammar, and writing. Despite acknowledging the tool's benefits, respondents express reservations about ChatGPT-generated tasks’ accuracy for assessment purposes. Challenges include the need for meticulous proofreading, issues with biased information, and insufficient task complexity. Nonetheless, overall satisfaction levels among educators implementing ChatGPT range from moderate to high, substantiating its value in foreign language teaching. Thus the survey stage of the research revealed the growing interest in ChatGPT’s potential for foreign language teaching and assessment among Ukrainian and international EFL and ESP instructors and underscored the need for guidelines and recommendations to create effective ChatGPT-generated test tasks. Future research will develop criteria for evaluating ChatGPT-generated tasks, provide prompt design guidelines, and formulate ethical policies for AI in assessment, addressing educators' concerns and

Διερεύνηση απόψεων ξενόγλωσσων εκπαιδευτικών Α΄ θμιας Εκπαίδευσης για τον ρόλο των ψηφιακών τεχνολογιών στη διδασκαλία της ξένης γλώσσας

In recent years, digital technologies have penetrated all areas of human activity. The foreign language teacher has access to multimodal, multimedia texts that contribute to the development of language and communication skills, while using tools that provide the opportunity for interaction in authentic learning environments. This quantitative research aims to explore the views of foreign language teachers serving in public and private sector primary schools on the role of digital technologies in foreign language teaching. 80 foreign language teachers participated in the survey and an electronic questionnaire was used as a research tool. The main aspects of the survey are related to the extent to which digital tools are used in foreign language teaching and assessment, the technical equipment of classrooms, the identification of obstacles in the pedagogical use of digital media and, finally, the development of specific language skills in foreign language teaching. It emerged that issues of technical support and lack of equipment are of concern to teachers, the need for continuous training was highlighted and difficulties related to classroom management and the formation of a digital culture for students were recorded.

Overview of the Foreign Language Sections in the Matriculation Exam in Poland and the University Entrance Exam in Türkiye

This paper highlights the contrasting approaches to foreign language assessment in high-stakes examinations for university education in Poland and Türkiye, focusing on content, task types, and language skills. In Poland, language acquisition is seen as a tool for effective communication, while in Türkiye, it is often perceived as rote memorization of grammar and vocabulary. This difference in mindset is influenced by prevailing assessment practices, where Türkiye’s evaluation methods prioritize memorization, leading to a diminished emphasis on communication and practical language use. This disparity is reflected in the EF English Proficiency Index, with Poland ranking high and Türkiye ranking low in language proficiency. Neglected language skills, such as speaking and listening, further exacerbate the issue. Despite discussions on transforming assessment practices for decades, Türkiye has made little progress. The practicality of multiple-choice-based tests in Türkiye is noted, but their limitations in testing language skills comprehensively are acknowledged.

Book Review: Handbook of research on perspectives in foreign language assessment, edited by Dinçay Köksal Çanakkale, Nurdan Kavaklı Ulutaş, Sezen Arslan Bandırma (2023). IGI Global, 418 pages, $243, ISBN13: 9781668456606

In recent academic research, foreign language assessment practices have received much focus. As a vital component of instructional efforts, assessment is essentially characterized as the tasks assigned to learners by teachers to evaluate their proficiency in learning or achievement, which is directly influenced by their learning experiences (Cheng et al., 2008). Handbook of Research on Perspectives in Foreign Language Assessment comprehensively covers a wide range of topics related to foreign language assessment.

DIGITALIZATION OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT

The study explores the digitalization of foreign language curricula and assessment in Uzbekistan, focusing on the perspectives of EFL students and professors. The findings reveal positive attitudes toward incorporating digital tools and resources, with implications for enhancing engagement, competencies, and institutional support.

European foreign language policies, national language testing and ambivalence towards the introduction of the logics of standardisation

Educational policies and priorities shaped at the supranational level by European and global agencies and players impact the processes of national policymaking in complex ways. In this study, recontextualisations of European foreign language education and language assessment policies in the Greek policy and pedagogical contexts are examined. Specifically, the politics of foreign language education and assessment are explored with a focus on English language teaching in public schools and the expected introduction of the Greek National Certificate of Language Proficiency (known as KPG) which is a state-led testing system formed by adopting the six-level scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages. Drawing on Bernstein’s theory of symbolic control and pedagogic discourse, it is shown that extensive recontextualisations of European (and global) discourses on English language teaching and assessment in the Greek context project competency and outcome-based curricula and learning as the desirable pedagogic model. Furthermore, attempts to introduce certification procedures in public schools derive from market-driven discourses that sanction a standardised system of student performance while the implications of standardisation for schools, teachers and students alike are downplayed.

Совершенствование профессиональных компетенций преподавателя иностранного языка в условиях непрерывного педагогического образования

Pedagogy is currently a priority area of Russian higher education. The authors analyzed research publications, regulatory documents, and international foreign language assessment standards to determine professional competencies of a foreign language teacher. Pedagogical qualifications were studied in the context of pedagogical education as a structure. Any complete level of pedagogical education allows for professional activity; however, each level has a different pedagogical trajectory. Bachelor’s degree is the basic level of teacher education while Master’s degree provides a universal pedagogical trajectory for any education level. Competence is defined as a set of competencies that allow the teacher to organize an effective academic process. Pedagogical competence is a combination of professional and methodological competencies, which are of utmost importance for any teacher. The article introduces a number of ways to improve these competencies in line with formal and informal models. For a foreign language teacher, foreign language communication is the core competence. Its improvement is effective if it follows the system of international exams, e.g., the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages. Higher pedagogical education provides a foundation for continuous professional development in an informal learning model, i.e., advanced training programs based on international exams.

Enhancing English writing competence in higher education: a comparative study of teacher-only assessment versus teacher and student self-assessment approaches

Despite the critical role of academic English writing proficiency in higher education, existing research has inadequately addressed the comparative impact of teacher-led and student-involved assessments on writing outcomes. To address the research gap, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of 'Teacher-Only Assessment' compared to 'Combined Teacher and Student Self-Assessment' in English writing at a university in southern Thailand. Additionally, the study examined the viewpoints of students regarding the implementation of these approaches. It utilized a sequential explanatory research design in conjunction with a quasi-experimental design. The research instruments included a series of writing tasks, a teacher assessment rubric, a self-assessment form, and a questionnaire with open-ended questions. A group of 62 first-year English majors was divided into two groups: a control group and an experimental group, consisting of 31 students each. Both groups were taking an English Composition I course for 12 weeks and were assigned the same writing tasks. The experimental group was provided with both self-assessments and teacher evaluations, whereas the control group solely received teacher evaluations. The quantitative data was analyzed using an independent sample, while the qualitative data was examined through a thematic analysis. Quantitatively, the independent t-test results indicated that there was no statistically significant distinction in overall writing performance between both groups, except for narrative paragraphs. Moreover, the qualitative findings emphasized the merits of incorporating teacher-led and student-involved assessments. This study suggests various implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction and assessment practices.

Design and Application of Virtual Simulation Teaching System under Artificial Intelligence Orientation

Abstract This paper builds a virtual simulation teaching system based on the Unity simulation platform, which contains a network connection module, resource loading module, and so on. Using the combination of natural interaction and virtual simulation teaching system, the design of Kinect depth information and SVM classifier for gesture recognition classification is integrated with the virtual simulation teaching scene to realize cross-platform collaborative interaction. The virtual simulation teaching process involves a large number of gesture interaction processes, using mf-score multi-feature selection of features that play a vital role in the classification of the data set, eliminating the raw noise of the customized gesture data and improving the contrast of the gesture image. The results of the practical application of the virtual simulation teaching system show that the discipline to which the virtual simulation course belongs (0.008) and the time of identification (0.047) have a significant effect on its application activity. The multisensory, immersive, and interactive nature of virtual simulation teaching (P < 0.001) all have a highly significant positive effect on learners’ foreign language useability. The foreign language assessment score at the end of the virtual simulation course is (92.74±3.32), which is significantly different from the traditional teaching method (P<0.01). The teaching system in this paper meets the requirements of most learners in terms of interactive interface, function, and content.

English language assessment practices in Chinese universities: A critical examination of testing methods and their implications for student learning

English, as an essential skill for cross-cultural communication, underpins China’s globalization efforts. Currently, English assessment methods in Chinese universities primarily rely on traditional paper-and-pencil tests and standardized examinations. While these methods are effective in evaluating vocabulary, grammar, and reading skills, they fall short in assessing practical skills such as listening and speaking. This paper examines the current state and challenges of English language assessment in Chinese universities, highlighting its limitations and proposing improvements. The study finds that the current assessment system places excessive emphasis on test scores and neglects practical language application abilities. Through a literature review, this paper identifies existing problems in university English teaching, discusses the feasibility of diversifying assessment forms, increases the weight of listening and speaking tests, and suggests innovative evaluation methods. The paper also recommends learning from advanced foreign language assessment practices, enhancing practical tests, and utilizing modern technology for assessments to improve fairness and effectiveness, thereby promoting the comprehensive development of students’ language abilities.

Exploring patterns of lexical variation in the use of epistemic stance markers in written L2 English across task types and levels of proficiency

Abstract The present study examines the lexical patterning of altogether 4,022 instances of epistemic stance markers (EDs) across four levels of L2 proficiency (B1–C2) and three types of writing tasks (‘opinion’, ‘complaint’, and ‘letter’) by using the exploratory technique of Multiple Correspondence Analysis. The data stem from a Finnish learner English corpus, comprising of 1,773 texts. The results of the study showed that while the lexical patterns of EDs in the data seemed to be mostly related to task type, some proficiency-related patterns of ED use were observed across all tasks. In some cases, proficiency-related patterns could also only be observed in some of the tasks, suggesting task type and proficiency are, to some extent, interrelated when examining the use of EDs. The results thus suggest that both task- and proficiency-related constraints of EDs should be considered in both foreign language teaching and assessment.

Assessing Listening Comprehension Skills in Indonesian Islamic Higher Education EFL Classrooms: Current Practices, Challenges and Solutions

The present study aims to examine the current practices, constraints, and potential enablers when assessing students' listening skills in Indonesian Islamic higher education EFL classrooms. This study used a qualitative approach with a case study research design. The selection of the participants used purposive sampling. The study used interviews as a data gathering technique, involving six EFL lecturers in one Indonesian Islamic higher education institution in South Sulawesi. The findings show participants’ awareness of the various alternative methods to assess students’ listening skills. However, their discussions tend to focus on what is easiest to use as opposed to what matters most for students’ listening skills. Furthermore, participants’ descriptions of EFL lecturers’ constraints in assessing listening skills encompass various educational aspects, which could be classified into resources and practical constraints. The former includes a lack of representative language laboratories and learning resources for conducting quality listening assessment practices. The latter relates to time constraints, auditory surroundings, and designing and developing listening assessment instruments. Therefore, the participants raised several key strategies to enhance quality listening assessment practices, ranging from resources to practical strategies. This includes a high quality and sufficient quantity of educational resources, the use of diverse and authentic assessment tasks, and more collaborative work to share best practices and experience in conducting quality listening assessment practices. These findings imply the need for reformulation of existing practices and policies related to foreign language assessment that could have significant impacts on EFL students, teachers, and classrooms.

Teacher Cognition of EFL Assessment: A Case Study of Professional Development on Performance-based Language Assessment in Japan

This qualitative study, conducted in Hokkaido, Japan, concerns the investigation of the teacher cognition and practice of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) assessment and the impact of a professional development (PD) program on the participants. The PD program was carried out as a series of seven in-service workshops with five native speakers of English teaching in Japanese schools and universities. The workshops aimed to provide these teachers with a basic theoretical and practical understanding of performance-based language assessment. Another major purpose of the PD was for the teachers to conduct research and publish a paper concerning language assessment. In the study, the recording of teacher reflections was used as the data collection method. From the analysis of the data, the findings show that the PD program has positively affected the teachers. They have learned about alternative ways to assess the students, gained greater self-reliance, and became confident as teacher-assessors.

I like language assessment: EFL learners’ voices about self-assessment, self-efficacy, grit tendencies, academic resilience, and academic demotivation in online instruction

Self-awareness and self-evaluation are at the heart of both core of self-assessment, self-efficacy, and grit tendencies. Although there is a lot written about self-assessment, self-efficacy, and grit tendencies, academic resilience, and motivation, very little is known about how self-assessment, self-efficacy, and grit tendencies contribute to the academic resilience and academic demotivation of the learners, especially in online English as a foreign language (EFL) assessment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate a structural model of core of self-assessment, self-efficacy, grit tendencies, academic resilience, and academic demotivation among EFL students. Consequently, 385 EFL students took surveys measuring their language-learning endeavors using the Core of Self-assessment Questionnaire (CSAQ), the Self-Efficacy Scale (S-ES), the language-domain-specific grit scale (L2-Grit S), the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS), and the Academic Demotivation Scale (ADS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) findings revealed that highly resilient and motivated EFL students had high core of self-assessment. Additionally, grit tendencies and self-efficacy displayed effectiveness in elevating academic resilience and motivation in online assessment. The results of this study may have worthwhile pedagogical implications for incorporating technologically enhanced learning and assessment into the classroom.

Research on foreign language learning, teaching, and assessment in Sweden 2012–2021

AbstractThis review provides an account of salient research topics in current Swedish research in the field of foreign language (FL) education, with the aim of making locally published work available outside Sweden. A corpus of work on English and other FLs published between 2012 and 2021 has been scrutinized. Focus has been placed on research conducted and disseminated in Sweden, in some cases adding international publications, in order to portray the work in a wider context. Research on FL learning, teaching, and assessment is reviewed in light of recent policy changes as well as a changing linguistic situation characterized by a plethora of languages spoken in society, among which Swedish as majority language and English as lingua franca share indisputable sovereignty, but where a newly-born interest in the role of other background languages than Swedish can be discerned. The study ends with a discussion of trends observed in the reviewed material and considerations in view of future research.

ELT Scholars’ Attitudes towards Inclusion of Intercultural Competence Assessment in Language Proficiency Tests

Intercultural Competence Assessment (ICA) has recently become a central issue in applied linguistics in general, and language testing and assessment in particular. The present paper aims to investigate the difference between native and non-native assessment experts’ beliefs about incorporating ICA in the Language Proficiency Assessment (LPA). Basic qualitative research design was employed and questions were emailed to 97 native and non-native language testing and assessment experts of whom 32 participants returned their responses (response rate = 33%). Moreover, 10 of the experts were interviewed to triangulate the data. The data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences between native experts and non-native experts’ attitudes towards whether ICA should be included in the LPA. Despite this finding, some native speaker experts strongly disagreed with the notion while some other non-native scholars supported it. This study may be helpful to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) assessment experts who argue for the inclusion of ICA in the LPA, believing that such an inclusion would benefit not only second language proficiency assessment but also efforts in designing more effective instructional syllabuses.

Transformation of Arabic Assessment in Indonesia: Conventional Assessment Toward Digital Assessment

Since 1960, digital assessment has been developed and implemented in foreign language assessments, but there are still few studies that discuss Arabic digital assessment because most of them follow a traditional paper and pencil assessment. The study investigates the transformation of Arabic assessment in Indonesia from conventional to digital. It further describes the factors influencing the transformation. This study employs a qualitative-case study involving Indonesian Islamic State Universities. Data collection techniques used are interviews and observations. Then the data is analyzed interactively with data reduction, data display and conclusion. The results show that the transformation of the Arabic language assessment has begun in 2016 at UIN Maliki Malang but it faced constraints regarding its TOAFL implementation. Implementing the digital Arabic assessment is comprehensively done during the online learning policy. Two factors influence the shift in Arabic assessment culture: the rapid development of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic. There are two models of digital assessment: web-based assessment and mobile-based assessment

On The Convenience of Teaching Languages Based on the Foreign Language Assessment System and the CEFR System

Abstract: Through this article, we have discussed how and when and where the CEFR system, the most convenient and knowledge-based language learning system in the world today, was created and improved. Keywords: The Common European Framework, comprehensive way, knowledge and skills, professionals working, taxonomic nature.

Identifying the Speaking Proficiency Level of Arabic Learners in Accordance with the International Guidelines of ACTFL for Assessing Proficiency in Foreign Languages

Language is a means of communication among human beings. Such communication among non-native and/or native language users can be facilitated through language learning and teaching. Language education professionals have developed guidelines for teachers and learners to measure the linguistic performance of these two groups. One of the prestigious international frameworks established in the field of foreign language teaching and assessment is the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) proficiency guidelines developed by a team of foreign language education professionals. The Arabic speaking skill, along with listening, is one of the main language skills used to orally communicate with Arabic speakers. Non-native students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature learn the required vocabulary and structures/styles to speak Arabic. But many of them face challenges in applying what they have learned when speaking Arabic. The present study, in particular, attempts to find an answer to the following two questions: What is the proficiency level of undergraduate students of Kharazmi University majoring in Arabic Language and Literature based on ACTFL guidelines for assessing speaking skill? What difficulties do Arabic language majors face in learning Arabic? The statistical sample of the study consisted of 30 undergraduate senior students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature at Kharazmi University, Tehran. To determine the students’ speaking level and discover the reasons for their possible deficiencies, a field (qualitative) research was conducted while adopting a descriptive and inductive approach. The research instruments included both the test and observation. The most prominent finding of the research was that while Arabic students take a total of 12 credits under the courses of Listening and Speaking 1 to 3 as well as Language Lab 1 to 3, they do not achieve a desirable level of speaking skill. There are many reasons for this weakness among which one can point out limited hours and credits allocated to the courses on language skills. The test results in particular revealed that the students did not perform well in the speaking skill. The contributing factors were the lack of confidence in speaking Arabic, fear of making lexical mistakes while speaking, and insufficient daily use of Arabic, among others.

Exploring General Versus Academic English Proficiency as Predictors of Adolescent EFL Essay Writing

Language learning is context-dependent and requires learners to employ different sets of language skills to fulfill various tasks. Yet standardized English as a foreign language assessments tend to conceptualize English proficiency as a unidimensional construct. In order to distinguish English proficiency as separate context-driven constructs, I adopted a register-based approach to investigate academic English proficiency (i.e., specific set of language skills that support academic literacy) and general English proficiency (i.e., wide range of language skills undifferentiated by context that are measured by traditional assessments) as separate predictors of overall essay quality. In the study, students completed a general English proficiency assessment and an academic language proficiency assessment, and essays were coded for academic writing features at the lexical, syntactic, and discourse levels. Beyond the contribution of academic writing features and general English proficiency, academic English proficiency emerged as a significant contributor to essay quality. Findings suggest that academic English proficiency scores more precisely identified a subset of academic language skills that is relevant to essay writing. The article concludes by discussing implications for strategic writing instruction that articulates the key expectations of academic writing used in and beyond school contexts.