CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS: A RELATIONSHIP STUDY OF ENGLISH TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES IN SEYCHELLES By MARIE-MAI NTEP A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Education Emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction Faculty of Education Asia-Pacific International University Year 2021
i Title: Classroom Assessments: A Relationship Study of English Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices in Seychelles Author: Marie-Mai Ntep Thesis Principal Advisor: Josephine Katenga PhD Thesis Co-advisor: Surapee Sorajjakool PhD Program: Master of Education with Emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction Academic Year: 2021
i ABSTRACT This research study entitled “Classroom Assessments: A Relationship Study of English Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices in Seychelles, set out to find out whether there is a significant relationship between what teachers perceive as good assessment practices and their actual classroom experiences. The objectives were to establish English teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessments and how it relates to their assessment practices and to find out whether variables such as age, educational attainment, length of teaching bracket, and training gained contribute to forming a teacher’s perception. Data for this quantitative study was collected through a teacher questionnaire following the Likert scale model. Analyses of the descriptive statistics revealed a statistically significant relationship between teacher perceptions and classroom assessment practices, but no significant difference in teachers’ perceptions and actual practices when grouped according to profile characteristics. In future, studies analyzing perceptions and actual practices should be carried out qualitatively or using mixed methods to ensure validity of results.
ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The journey to the completion of this study has been a tedious one, marked on the way by discouragements, disappointments, losses, changes of setting and responsibilities which all impacted on the researcher and the project. That is why I am indebted to a number of individuals who have encouraged, assisted and guided me along the way to that end. I would first of all thank the Agency for National Human Resource Development Agency (ANHRD) for the scholarship and the Ministry of Education for granting me a weekly day off for completion of the work for my thesis and for permission granted to conduct the study in our secondary Schools. Dr. Josephine Katenga who made herself available as my advisor to guide me through, despite being so far. Her mentorship and obvious interest in seeing me reach that end will always be remembered. Dr. Surapee Sorajjakool, for the valuable and professional advice given in fine tuning the paper. A special thanks to a faithful friend who became a sister to me Dzizornya Dzuali (DJ) whose obvious concern and chiding “you need to finish, this please,” has kept me going to this end. Lastly, I thank my dear pastor husband Abel Ntep who was always watching out on my schedule. Marielle and Josiah for understanding when I could not join family outings. My son Norris Barra and his wife Iris Murialle Gonzales Barra for accommodating me during the final days to completion. And I thank God for health and sustaining power! Marie-Mai Ntep
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................1 The Teacher’s Role in Assessment ....................................................................1 A Broad View of Secondary Education and Assessment in Seychelles............4 Statement of the Problem...................................................................................7 Rationale and Purpose of the study....................................................................8 Objectives of the Research.................................................................................8 Delimitations......................................................................................................9 Limitations .........................................................................................................9 Research Questions..........................................................................................10 Significance of the study..................................................................................11 Definition of key terms ....................................................................................12 Organization of the chapters ............................................................................13 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................14 Hypotheses and Conceptual Framework..........................................................15 Perceptions Analyzed.......................................................................................16 Perceptions and Practice ..................................................................................17 The Nature of Assessments..............................................................................18 Assessment for learning ...................................................................................21 Assessment in the English Language Classroom.............................................24 Assessing Listening and Speaking Skills.........................................................24 Assessing Writing Skills..................................................................................26 Assessing Reading skills..................................................................................26 Engagement and Learning................................................................................27 Conclusion........................................................................................................29 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................30 Research Design...............................................................................................31 Population and Sampling Frame ......................................................................31 Data Collection Method and Procedures..........................................................32 Data Analysis Techniques................................................................................34 Ethical Considerations .....................................................................................35 Conclusion........................................................................................................35
iv CHAPTER 4 RESULTS OF THE STUDY ............................................................36 Research Question 1.........................................................................................37 Research Question 2.........................................................................................39 Research Question 3.........................................................................................49 Research Question 4.........................................................................................51 Research Question 5.........................................................................................52 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION......................................................................................54 CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................................61 Summary ..........................................................................................................61 Conclusions......................................................................................................62 Limitations .......................................................................................................63 Recommendations............................................................................................63 REFERENCE LIST...................................................................................................66 APPENDICE ..............................................................................................................74 APPENDIX 1...............................................................................................................75 APPENDIX 2...............................................................................................................76
v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Profile characteristics of respondents...........................................................38 Table 2. Profile characteristics of respondents in terms of perceptions on assessment in English language classrooms...........................................................40 Table 3. Profile characteristics of respondents in terms of their actual ......................44 Table 4. Hypotheses testing summary ........................................................................47 Table 5. Relationship between components of perceptions on assessment and actual practices in the English language classrooms..........................56
vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Conceptual Framework ...............................................................................16 Figure 2. Steps in Instructional Assessment ...............................................................20 Figure 3: Scatter Plot ..................................................................................................50
1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This study was carried out to investigate English teachers’ perceptions and practices of classroom assessments in the context of language teaching in Seychelles. The Teacher’s Role in Assessment Teachers’ perceptions of what constitutes good classroom assessments in the language classroom are crucial to informing their classroom assessment practices and engage students to learn. They will determine how students respond to classroom assessments and whether they learn or not. Fulcher & Davidson (2007) pointed on the crucial role the teacher plays in any learning context. They stated that "The learners are there as learners, and the teacher is there to engage with the learners in the learning process". (p.24) In examining how perception influences practice, Clark & Cutler (1990) affirmed “the personal knowledge the teacher possesses, his beliefs and his values, all make up his teaching culture. This culture is in a sense the internal make-up of the teacher and it guides what we see him doing in the classroom.” (p. 300) Research on classroom assessments internationally have been carried out from various angles. Nietzel and Davis (2011) looked at Middle Grades Classroom assessments in the perspective of self-regulated learning. DeLuca & Pyle (2013) analyzed Kindergarten teachers’ classroom assessment approaches, while Alkharusi, et al., (2014) in their study looked at these three variables namely Teacher Practices, Student Perceptions, and Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs at work in classroom
2 assessments. The research concluded that students’ self-efficacy beliefs were significantly and positively impacted by how they perceived the assessment tasks being given by their teachers; their teachers’ frequent communications about the assessment with them; and their teachers’ frequent use of non-achievement grading. Mertler (2004) investigated into secondary teachers’ assessment literacy to see whether a teacher’s classroom experience makes a difference. It was seen that the more knowledge a teacher has about the principles and use of assessments and also as to what constitutes good assessment practice, the better will be their performance in their classes. Additionally, Susuwele-Banda (2005) studied Assessment in Malawi: Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices in Mathematics. His doctoral research study which was done following the qualitative paradigm concluded that teachers viewed classroom assessments as tests and that their perceptions did influence their practices in their classrooms, in that they made limited use of classroom assessment as a tool for learning. On the other hand, Mussawy (2009) examined both teachers’ and students’ perceptions of classroom assessment practices. Fazlur et al (2011) studied Assessment and Feedback Practices in the English Language Classroom; a study carried out within Junior Secondary Schools in Bangladesh. It concluded that though assessments and feedback were seen to be inseparable in the participants’ classrooms, they were not up to standard, one reason being the head teacher and English teachers’ inadequate knowledge of the English curriculum. Although my research, took a somewhat similar approach to Fazlur et al (2011), their study focused on teachers’ use of feedback in the English language classrooms distinctly from other classroom assessment practices studied, whereas in my research, it was integral. In addition, the context of my study is different.
3 Since the study is concerned with assessment perceptions and practices of English teachers in Seychelles, it is vital that readers understand linguistic development in the Seychelles and the role English plays in the Seychellois Society. Linguistic Developments and the Status on English in the Seychellois Society The development of languages in Seychelles has been influenced by the country’s colonial past. First colonized by the French, then by the British, Seychelles has inherited both languages which have gained the status of national languages in our society together with Kreol (the mother tongue). Although given the same status as Kreol and French in the Seychelles constitution, English is recognized for the position it occupies in the Seychellois society. Most people prefer to speak English rather than French and Kreol in academic settings (Schools, Post-secondary institutions, etc...) and for administrative work in offices. In written form, it surpasses both French and Kreol as the preferred language for written communication. Its status keeps growing as nowadays, younger parents are speaking English to their children in their households. As a country whose economy thrives mainly on the tourism industry, it receives a vast majority of tourists who are English speakers. It is therefore deemed advantageous for the general population to communicate fluently in English both in writing and in speech. Hence this mandate lies with the education sector to make this happen. Educational Institutions, are expected to prepare students to gain that literacy in the English language to be able to participate fully both locally and internationally. In its policy document, The Ministry of Education stated the terminal objectives of Education as “… Education for Empowerment, Education for Productivity, Education for Social Cohesion and Education for Global Participation” “Education for a
4 Learning Society (2000). This further indicates the important responsibility given to Educational institutions to ensure that the delivery of its programs contribute to achieving these objectives. Considering this study was carried out in state secondary schools in Seychelles, it is worth looking at their programs of learning and how they contribute to preparing students to interact successfully in different situations using English. A Broad View of Secondary Education and Assessment in Seychelles Students enter secondary schools in Secondary1 (S1) and exit from Secondary education at Secondary 5 (S5). Cycle 4 starts at S1 and culminates with an end of cycle examination at S3. This summative assessment is aimed at getting academic information about students’ ability to follow either the Academic Pathway or the General Education and Skills Development Pathway when they get to Secondary 4(S4). This end of Cycle 4 formal assessment, comprises examination of students’ academic performance in English, French, Maths, Science, History and Geography. Students in both pathways follow a two- year programme, which concludes at Secondary 5(S5) at the end of which they will either sit the Cambridge International Examination for Secondary Education (IGCSE), or National Examinations, both being high stakes exams which are used for making decisions on whether students will be eligible to be offered placements in Post-Secondary Institutions or go straight to the world of work. Eligible candidates can sit IGCSE Examinations in English (as a first or Second Language), Maths, Pure Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) History, Geography, and Information and communication Technology (ICT), Design and Technology and Art and Design. Others can sit National Examinations in all
5 above stated examinations except Art and design. Students with lower academic abilities will sit General Maths, English and French examinations only. Since English is the medium of instruction for all these subjects mentioned above, except French, good grasp of the language in both its spoken and written form, is crucial to students’ performance and achievement in other subjects. As a result, English in secondary schools in Seychelles is taught as a second language and its assessments encompass the four skills: Reading Writing, listening, and Speaking, which allows for full interaction with the language. At the culmination of secondary education in S5, students are “…expected to demonstrate competence in the four skills, which will reflect the status that English occupies as one of our three official national languages. (Assessment and Certification, 2020) It follows therefore that English teachers will need to provide students with the learning experiences in English that will increase learning at each level. It is indeed expected that curriculum and assessment regulatory documents would provide guidelines to schools and teachers, clarifying how this can happen in line with teaching and assessment. Assessment Principles in Seychelles In Seychelles, principles of Assessment and curriculum delivery are set by the Ministry of Education through these two main documents; The National Assessment Framework (NCF) and the National Curriculum Framework (2013) The Seychelles National Assessment Framework (NAF) 2013 is intended to be a framework from which schools can structure their own assessment policies and from which teachers are guided in planning and delivering their own assessments. The NAF, in its section under Classroom and School-Based Assessments stipulates that
6 Classroom and school-based assessment will serve primarily formative purposes. These assessments should a. be fair, transparent and equitable for all students b. support all students, including those with special education needs c. be carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students; d. be communicated clearly to students and parents and guardians at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course; e. be ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning; f. provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement; g. develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning. (P. 10) The accompanying National Curriculum Framework (NCF) (2013), a document that guides curriculum decisions and implementation at National level, states in its section on Assessment that The primary purpose of assessment is to enhance students’ learning and improve teachers’ teaching. As both students and teachers respond to the information that assessment results provide, they can gain insights into and make decisions about progress towards the desired outcomes of the national curriculum. Assessment is therefore an integral part of learning and teaching. (p. 39)
7 Pearce et al (2015) stated “In an assessment framework the purposes of assessment can be articulated in greater clarity and theoretical assumptions and desired outcomes can be made explicit.” (p 111) Same can be said of other frameworks such as the NCF or other policies guiding curriculum implementation in schools. Therefore, if the principles outlined in these documents are followed, teaching and learning experiences which involves adherence to expected assessments practices will be improved; teachers and schools will also have clear guidelines that can be used as a baseline for examining compliance. Statement of the Problem Although the NCF and the NAF, have clear views on the importance of classroom assessment, my search for evidence of research done in the area of classroom assessments in Seychelles in general or how assessment is being carried out in specific subject areas, has yielded no specific results. The only investigation into a particular aspect of English Language Teaching I was able to come across was from Moumou (2005) entitled An Action Research Study into the Teaching of Literature in the Junior Secondary Classes of the Seychelles. An interesting finding from her study was that students’ opinions of reading did not match their experiences and habits. She further found that “As their class reading experiences deepened and were valued, students’ desire to read increased.”(p. 197). In line with assessments, she concluded that “participants particularly liked the possibility of choosing their best work to submit for assessment.” (p. 214) With such significant findings, one would have expected this research to have prompted a larger scale research in the area of classroom learning and assessment, since Moumou’s research was limited to one class, in one school only and the researcher as the teacher herself. Unfortunately, there was no indication that it did.
8 Furthermore, as English is not only being taught as a subject in our secondary schools, but is also the medium of instruction for the teaching of other subjects, priority needs to be given into investigating how it is being taught and assessed to maximize learning; of which the success will also impact the teaching of other subjects. In addition, since these two policy documents, namely the NCF and NAF place great importance on classroom assessment, it is my view that there should have been formal investigations in the form of research studies on perhaps the classroom assessment practices being used by teachers; investigations into whether they adhere to current trends in classroom assessments and possibly on how students are responding to their teachers’ classroom assessment practices. Rationale and Purpose of the study The main aim of the study was to explore Secondary School English teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessments and whether their perceptions influence their classroom assessment practices. It was also aimed at establishing (1) The English teacher’s knowledge of what constitutes good classroom assessment practices and (ii) the types of assessment experiences that students are exposed to in English language classrooms. Objectives of the Research The objectives of the research were as follows: 1. To establish English teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessments and how it relates to their assessment practices. 2. To find out whether variables such as age, educational attainment, length of teaching bracket, and training gained contribute to forming a teacher’s perception.
9 Delimitations The research confined itself to studying English teachers in state-owned secondary schools (83 in total as per EMIS statistics) only as the privately-owned secondary schools run on different school calendars which poses certain difficulty organizing for data collection. Using the quantitative research paradigm to research on language teaching is a choice the researcher made for conclusive information on the prevalence of teacher perceptions informing their practices. The decision was also found to be the best one in a time when there has been constant uncertainties as to when schools could operate normally in view of the threat of the Coronavirus and the probability that it could surge at any time and cause school closures. The use of questionnaire for data collection also facilitated data collection in all the state-owned secondary schools which are all located far from one another; two of which are located on two islands separate from the main one Mahe, which are accessible by boat or by plane. Limitations The researcher acknowledges the following limitations to the research. (1) Statistical or data limitation due to the choice of doing the research quantitatively and using questionnaires for data collection. Statistical or data limitation was impacted because of the number of respondents. Not all English teachers employed by the Ministry of Education, participated in the study. Only 41 sent their responses but 39 were deemed valid .The population for the study was 83 (all English teachers in Seychelles’ state schools). The sample size was 39 (the number of respondents). With the confidence level set at 95%, the margin error was calculated at 11.49%. The large margin of error indicated that the confidence that the result reflected the
10 entire population was diminished. (2) Because of school closures last year, the questionnaires which were supposed to be printed and sent in hard copies to Heads of departments to take the leadership in getting teachers to fill during school time and returned to the researcher, had to be sent by e-mail. This delayed the entire data collection process. (3) The questionnaire yielded self-reported responses from the respondents and thus the honesty of their responses can only be assumed. (4) Finally, questions that include options as choices are limited to four (4) Likert scale options thus narrowing the choices available for respondents. Moreover, groupings in the profile characteristics were done arbitrarily, thus bracketing is limited to the inequality of the range among groups. Research Questions The study will therefore seek to answer the following questions. 1. What are the profile characteristics or respondents in terms of: a. gender, b. cultural identity, c. age group, d. length of teaching bracket, e. educational attainment, and f. levels taught? 2. What are the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of: a. perceptions on assessment, and b. actual practices in the English language classrooms? 3. Are the teachers’ perceptions on assessment significantly related to their actual practices in the English language classrooms?
11 4. Are there significant differences in teachers’ perceptions on assessments when grouped according to profile characteristics? 5. Are there significant differences in the teachers’ actual practices in English language classrooms? 6. Based upon the results of the study, what interventions can be proposed? Significance of the study The findings of this study will yield great significance to local policy makers as they in the future seek to revise various policies such as the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and the National Assessment Framework (NAF). It will ensure that good assessment practices are not merely stipulated but encouraged in the way other decisions that impact on teaching and learning are made. In addition, The Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE), our teacher training institution will have results from this study to make the training of English Language teachers more relevant taking into consideration worldwide trends and perceived learner needs. It will also provide tangible information to curriculum advisors and educational coordinators as to what is actually happening in English Language classrooms in the area of classroom assessments. Subsequently, practicing teachers who will use these findings in their teaching experience which will maximize their learning experiences of the learners in their classrooms. Finally, as an English teacher, this study has enabled me to see the importance of occasionally looking into how I am teaching and if it is impacting student’s learning. It has been an eye opener to the fact that often, one can get so used to
12 teaching the subject that at some point it matters not whether one is moving with time or incorporating new trends. Additionally, as the researcher and also the manager of one of the secondary schools which participated in the study, these results will facilitate my attempt in the near future to promote those language classroom assessment practices that have been seen to engage students more and develop further their reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities in English. Definition of key terms The researcher has chosen to define some terms which have been used either quite frequently or singly in different parts of the study so as to facilitate understanding on what has been discussed or analyzed. Classroom Assessment: Assessment developed or carried out by teachers within their own classroom environment. Dynamic Assessment: an assessment done through an active teaching process that focuses on a student’s perception, learning, thinking, and problem solving. Performance Assessment: Assessment that constitutes activities or tasks which allow students to perform real situations to show what they have learnt. Teacher Perceptions: Ideas and/or beliefs a teacher possesses that influences his/her values and impact on his/her practices. Perception on Assessment: This refers to the self-rated view of English teachers appertaining measurement of student learning in an English class. In this study, it is assessed using 4-item portion B of a self-constructed and validated questionnaire which focuses on the perceived reasons regarding assessment, type of document used in assessment of student learning, attendance to an assessment training, and selfperception on adeptness in terms of assessment.
13 Actual practices: This refers to application of assessment done by teachers in an English class. In this study, it is assessed using a 4-item portion C of the questionnaire which focuses on the frequency of the utilization of common assessment of learning methods, use of innovative approaches to classroom assessment, and details regarding methods of provision of learning assessment feedback. Organization of the chapters Chapter 2 will review different literature, study on the subject of classroom assessment, focusing particularly on the new trends in language teaching assessment. It made a case for the importance of teachers keeping abreast with the new developments in classroom assessments, with a focus on Assessment for learning, performance and the dynamic assessments; as opposed to traditional approaches which focused on summative assessments involving mainly paper and pencil tests Chapter 3 will give a detailed outline of the methodology used in the study. It will give details of the research method and data collection instruments used, the demographics of the study and the sample size for the study. It also explains how data was analyzed and ethical considerations that were taken when the study was undertaken. The results of the study and the discussions are outlined in Chapters 4 and 5 of the study. A statistical analysis of the data and the findings will be included. These will be followed by Chapter 6 where the researcher will summarize, and make recommendations and directions for future research.
14 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The objectives of the research were to establish English teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessments and how it relates to their assessment practices; and to find out whether the variables of age, educational attainment, length of teaching bracket, and training gained contribute to forming a teacher’s perceptions. In an endeavor to meet these objectives these research questions were analyzed in depth (1) What are the profile characteristics or respondents in terms of gender, cultural identity, age group, length of teaching bracket, educational attainment, and levels taught? What are the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of perceptions on assessment, and actual practices in the English language classrooms? Are the teachers’ perceptions on assessment significantly related to their actual practices in the English language classrooms? Are there significant differences in teachers’ perceptions on assessments when grouped according to profile characteristics? Are there significant differences in the teachers’ actual practices in English language classrooms? And finally, based upon the results of the study, what interventions can be proposed? Therefore, the review of literature which this chapter focuses on considers studies on the subject of classroom assessments. Its main concern is in establishing through theories and studies what constitutes more innovative assessment practices in the English language classrooms that crucial to maximizing students’ learning experiences. Since teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessments are seen as
15 significant in determining the types of assessment practices they adopt in their classes, the term perceptions is explored in the context of teachers and how their teaching beliefs which translate into actual experiences are formed. Subsequently, the chapter also brings to light new trends in assessment of English language skills being adopted in the 21st century which take into account how learning experiences are maximized. Hypotheses and Conceptual Framework The review of literature and data analysis were guided by the following hypotheses. (1) There is no significant relationship between the teachers’ perceptions on assessment and their actual practices in the English language classrooms. (2) There are no significant differences in teachers’ perceptions on assessments when grouped according to profile characteristics. (3) There are no significant differences in teachers’ actual classroom assessment practices when grouped according to profile characteristics. The conceptual framework was designed to indicate the intended findings of the research; that there is a relationship between teacher perceptions and their classroom assessment practices but that that relationship is not statistically significant. Moreover, that the moderator variable profiling characteristics of the participants classified as categorical and quantitative moderator variables do not affect the independent variable teacher perceptions. (See figure 1: conceptual framework)
16 Figure 1. Conceptual Framework Perceptions Analyzed Collins online dictionary states “Your perception of something is the way you think about something or the impression you have of it. Teferede et al (2012) defined perception as the “sorting out, interpretation, analysis and integration of stimuli involving our sense organs and brain, and our behavior is essentially a reflection of how we react to and interpret stimuli from the world around us.”(p 30) In terms of teacher perceptions, it can be argued that it may be shaped by internal factors related to their own thoughts, feelings and self-motivation on any aspect of teaching, namely assessment for the purpose of this research; and external factors such as knowledge gained primarily through training, and the adoption of concepts, activities suggested in guidelines or policy documents. In the introduction to their study entitled “Teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards professional activity,” Bentea & Anghelache (2012) stated that Teachers
17 make decisions in teaching activity based on their experiences, perceptions, values and beliefs about their roles, activities, and responsibilities in schools. They further added findings from Eggen & Kauchak (2001) which indicated that positive teachers’ attitudes and perceptions are fundamental for effective teaching, and teachers’ beliefs, perceptions and attitudes affect their practice and influence the students’ performance. Perceptions and Practice Several studies in education have established the close relationship between teacher perceptions and their classroom practices. Link (2018) concluded in her study that elementary teachers viewed grading as a formative process and were thus not scoring homework assignments done for completion but were giving students several opportunities to show evidence that they have mastered the subject. Lalani & Rodrigues (2012) studied a teacher's perception and practice of assessing the reading skills of young learners. One of the findings was that the participant “perceived assessment as a means to make children perfect; therefore, she chose strategies which would eventually lead to memorisation of the text (e.g. read aloud, reference to context, monthly assessment).” (p 30) Ryu & Boggs (2016) concluded from their study that teachers had positive attitudes towards teaching multimodal compositions. They added “Therefore, all teachers in the study have used multimodal composition as one of several teaching strategies by allowing students to respond using diverse modes other than language, instead of accepting responses in the linguistic mode only.”(p 58) Findings from above studies reveal that whether positive or negative, perceptions teachers have any aspect of teaching and in this c ase classroom assessments, will impact what they do in their classrooms.
18 The Nature of Assessments Miller, Linn and Gronland (2009) defined assessment as a general term that includes the full range of procedures used to gain information about student learning... and the formation of value judgements concerning learning progress. Cohen (1994), noted that assessments serve three main purposes which are administrative, instructional and research. Salvia and Ysseldyke (2004) added that assessment is performed to gain an understanding of an individual learner’s strengths and weaknesses in order to make appropriate educational decisions. These decisions include establishing classroom equilibrium, planning and conducting instruction, placing students, providing feedback and incentives, diagnosing pupil problems and disabilities, and judging and grading academic learning and progress (Airasian, 2005). Since assessments are of such importance and they form a major part of activities in the classroom, a teacher’s perceptions of what are good assessments and how they should be tackled is crucial to his actual engaging with such activities. Educational literature on assessments distinguishes amongst three types or ways of handling classroom assessment activities. Assessment of learning whereby students are assessed at the end of specified points, for example, at the end of a unit, term or learning cycle. These are more summative types of assessments most of which take the form of high stakes exams conducted for grading or certification purposes. Assessment as learning have students reflect on and monitor their progress to inform their future learning goals; and Assessment for learning (Gardner, 2006) which advocates for the use of information from any assessments conducted by teachers to determine the approaches they need to take to their teaching so as to enable students to learn and succeed in their learning. This is done through the use of formative Assessments which are sometimes but not always equated with Assessment for
19 learning. Haines’ (2004) definition of formative assessment pointed to assessment that is used to help teachers and learners gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the learner’s performance while there is still time to take action for improvement. In its book entitled How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School, The Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education added “The use of frequent formative assessment helps make students’ thinking visible to themselves, their peers, and their teacher” (p.19) Witte, (2012) resonated (Beck, 2007; Chen & Hyman, 1991) that assessment is most effective and useful when it matched with the instructional content that is taught in the classroom, thereby providing instructionlearning-assessment alignment. (p. 12) This corroborated Arasian’s (2005) term instructional assessments. In the diagram below, he illustrated what goes on in a classroom where instructional assessment is practiced. The diagram illustrates two paths taken by learners in their learning cycle. Path A is the instructional assessment’s normal path of teaching – assessment –- decision-making based on outcome of assessment and then teaching of new material considering the fact that the one previously taught has been grasped. Path B is the path taken when the decision-making reveals that the assessment objectives have not been met, therefore teaching the subject matter again is a necessity. Thus, following Path B, a teacher teaches, then assesses what has been taught and learnt and makes a decision. If the teacher realizes that the subject matter has not been grasped as it should have, the course of action will then be the revision of the teaching method or strategy and then teach again to maximize the success rate when students are again assessed.
20 Figure 2. Steps in Instructional Assessment Note: Adapted from Arasian (2005) Pages 125-126. Given that the main purpose of classroom assessment is to ensure that both students and teachers learn in the process, it is no coincidence that Twenty-first century education is marked by an increased advocacy on Assessment for learning (AFL) as an effective assessment strategy in the classroom that aims at maximizing the learning that takes place. It is worth therefore understanding how AFL works. Readers’ understanding the nature of assessment, and how it works, is critical in making sense of this study, as the latter will seek to establish whether teachers being themselves aware of what constitutes 21st century classroom assessment are exposing their students to these assessment activities. TEACH REVISE ASSESS DECISION - MAKING A B
21 Assessment for learning Assessment for Learning advocates the use of information from any assessments conducted by teachers to determine the approaches they need to take to their teaching so as to enable students to learn and succeed in their learning. In addition, the student’s role in an Assessment for learning environment is to strive to understand what success looks like and to use each assessment to determine how to do better the next time (Stiggins, 2006). AFL is active at all stages of the learning and teaching process. At the beginning of the process, pre-assessment is crucial. Teachers need to know what prior knowledge their students have. According to Witte (2012) a classroom assessment experience in which AFL is the goal starts with the teacher asking herself these questions “Where are my students”, “Where do my students need to be?” and “How are they going to get there?” He further added “Addressing and answering these questions requires a teacher to enter into a process of self-assessment as part of any instructional event.” (p. 169) At this stage, students are also taught to self-assess and set themselves learning goals to inspire them in their learning experience and to establish where they are. After having established what their students already know, teachers’ lesson plans become more focused. The instruction is now geared at getting students to get to where they need to be in their learning. For this to happen, teachers have to ensure that they set learning objectives and learning outcomes for students to start their learning journey with learning outcomes and objectives that serve as a road map to their learning destination. Gavriel (2013) defined the next task as being the outlining of good learning objectives which describes the learning that will take place and clear learning
22 outcomes that provides the learner with a great deal of information about what they are expected to learn. Consequently, as Miller et al., (2009) pointed out that effective classroom assessment ensures that assessment procedures match the learning outcomes that were intended at the beginning of instruction. Assessment for learning also impacts the frequency of assessment activities. Davies (2010) stated that to be most effective, good teachers assess pupils’ work on a regular basis. He further asserted “Delivering a good lesson is only 50% of teaching. To be most effective, good teachers assess pupils’ work on a regular basis.” (p. 208) AFL views feedback as crucial to helping learners establish what they need to do to improve. Hawe & Parr (2014) pointed out that contemporary notions of feedback involve the teacher and student(s) working together to construct achievement and effect improvement. This kind of feedback is very specific and can take the form of informal conversations with the teacher or can be written comments that help students to know what they need in order to improve. Black et al. (2003) supported this view and advocated that an assessment activity can help learning if it provides information to be used as feedback by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves and each other to adjust the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. Other assessment data such as how interested individuals or the class find the lesson; behavior problems that may arise possibly due to lack of interest or which student should be called to give a response to check learning, can be retrieved by other methods of assessment. Milex & Linn (2009) proposed some observational techniques such as anecdotal reports, peer appraisal, self-reports to measure attitudes and interest inventories (p. 306), which are useful in providing data that are noncognitive in nature but which are nonetheless very useful. Butler & McMann (2006)
23 added to the importance of teacher observation by stating that “Teacher observation whether formal or informal, can serve as excellent data sources on student achievement.” (p. 48) Questioning is viewed as another effective assessment tool during instruction by AFL advocates. Asking questions open up opportunities for different ideas and opinions to be shared, increase brain activity through deep thinking, and to clarify ideas; all of which contribute to enhanced learning. According to Jones (2005), teachers question learners so that through thinking, they can participate in the learning process and also to give the teacher an awareness of how far they have learned. (p. 11) Assessment for Learning gets both assessment and learning to work hand in hand so that after good lessons are delivered, good assessments are given, regular marking is done, timely and descriptive feedback are given, and corrections or amendments are made to improve learning. Through the researcher’s analysis of what AFL entails, it demonstrates that it is a needful assessment experience for both teachers and learners as it does not merely assume that learners have no prior knowledge, but on the other hand makes use of that knowledge they start their learning experience with to develop that experience further. Additionally, no longer should students have to wait on a single assessment experience which usually labels them as below average, average or above average performers. On the other hand, through various formative assessment opportunities, mistakes are remedied even before a summative assessment is administered, and success rates are maximized, while labelling is lessened.
24 Assessment in the English Language Classroom As the shift in assessment changes to a focus on Assessment for learning, classroom assessment in the English language classroom is being aligned not only to the context of 21st century English language teaching, but learner types and learning styles. Since we have established that assessment is primarily for learning and learning takes place when students are engaged in whatever they are doing, Marzano et al (2001) ascertained that teachers who engage students have a powerful impact on achievement.” Thus, 21st century language classrooms have revolutionized assessments in that performance assessments have found their place amongst well known engaging assessment practices in the language classroom. Cohen, et al., (2004) defined performance assessment as that assessment which is undertaken of activities or tasks in which students can demonstrate that learning through performance in real situations. Another insight into performance assessment came from Miller et al., (2009) who added that performance assessment should be used primarily to measure those learning outcomes that cannot be measured well by objective test items. Assessing Listening and Speaking Skills In assessing language learners’ communicative competence, performance assessment is not merely suitable but essential for communicative competence cannot be tested through an objective test. Lukluk (2019) stated “It consists of problems that are targeting the students’ knowledge and content as well as their ability in using these skills for reasoning and problem-solving. It also should reflect the real problems that appear in the real-world (authentic). (p. 522)
25 In the context of assessing speaking and listening skills, production is necessary to allow the teacher to know whether the learners are able to communicate orally in the target language, and their level of fluency and accuracy through performing those experiences. Fulcher & Davidson (2007) expounded on the necessity of maximising the use of performance assessments in the language classroom by stating that "...in the classroom the activities and assessment are almost entirely performance-based, and completely integrated. This is not surprising, because it is a social learning environment that encourages interaction, communication, achieving shared goals and providing feedback from learner to learner as well as teacher to learner." (p 29) Performance assessment tasks in the language classroom comprise of but are not limited to role plays, skits, speeches, interviews, debates and other oral presentations, designing and evaluating information on charts, graphs, and tables, responding to oral commands and sequencing illustrations given by the teacher. In highlighting the effectiveness of role plays, a performance activity of which the benefit is under rated, Rollings (2014) remarked that through role-playing, one can take a concept that is far removed from students and make it about them. Other methods such as Active learning which incorporates the performance aspect of assessment and learning has also been the subject of much study. Yusuk (2020) cited one of the advantages of active learning advocated by Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Malik , 2011; Soltanzadeh et al., 2013 as promoting learning through activities that relate to real life situations and learning environments. (p. 39)
26 Assessing Writing Skills Writing involves a process of which production of the written piece is the last stage. Most often, this daunting task for most English language learners is done individually and once only and therefore positive washback is hindered. Dynamic assessment does not only measure what the child can do on his own but also what the child can do with the assistance of an adult or a peer with more knowledge. The latter is referred to as “the zone of proximal development.” (Gunning, 2012). In their research entitled “Dynamic Assessment of Writing: The Impact of Implicit/Explicit Mediations on L2 Learners’ Internalization of Writing Skills and Strategies,” Alavi & Taghizadeh (2014) reported their findings on the use of Dynamic Assessment in the assessment of student essays. They observed that students performed better in their writing in the third and fourth essays. This they attributed to the mediation of the instructor helping the learner to move from other regulation at which stage they did the task with the help of others, to self-regulation, which is doing the task independently. (p 13) Assessing Reading skills The assessment of reading skills allows learners to interact with texts, draw, do reading projects, share their thoughts in writing or through group thinking trying to find evidence from opposing views of a current issue, analyzing literature, comparing and contrasting fiction and nonfiction texts, using main idea and supporting details, all based on assigned reading material. Reading of their journals to their peers is also a relevant performance reading task. It is useful in the development of reading fluency and mastery, developing critical thinking and analytical skills and useful in the preparation for writing. Through these tasks, learners are able to interact with the text at different levels. Kazemi et al (2020), cited, Hamavandi et al (2017) whose study
27 supported the usefulness of Dynamic Assessment (DA) in enhancing the reading comprehension skills of learners of English as a Second Language. It stated that when morphological knowledge was assessed through DA, it predicted more accurately the level of the learner’s reading comprehension knowledge than does a traditional assessment. (p 4) Good questioning is crucial to the assessment of reading tasks. Whether questions are asked and answered orally or in a written format, the appropriateness of the questions will determine the success of the assessment task. McTighe & Wiggins (2013) coined the term ‘Essential Questions’ to refer to questions that “…point toward important transferable ideas that are worth understanding; … are ‘elemental’ or ‘foundational’ and make sense of seemingly isolated facts and skills or important but abstract ideas and strategies…” (p. 5-6) Answering these types of questions allow learners to grow in their reading and critical thinking experiences. To help students to become independent learners and thinkers should be the goal of education. Language teachers have this obvious possibility to make that happen for their students, through giving them more assessment opportunities; enabling them to interact more; perform real life scenarios and take responsibility for their own learning as they also learn to self-assess. That is why one cannot study the classroom assessment practices of language teachers without laying the foundation by enumerating the various innovative approaches of teaching and assessing learners’ grasp of the four macro skills that should be present in 21st century language classrooms. If students are to learn more, teachers need to grow out of traditional assessment approaches, mainly characterized by norm-referenced tests and grow into more innovative ones. Engagement and Learning
28 Learning is all about engagement’ is a recognition that is taking its deserved place in education. The National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine (2004) used major works in student engagement, from namely, Connell & Wellborn, 1991; Johnson, Crosnoe, & Elder, 2001; Newmann, 1992; Skinner & Belmont, 1993; Smerdon, 1999; Turner, Thorpe, & Meyer, 1998 to explain that engagement involves both behaviors (e.g. persistence, effort, attention) and emotions (e.g., enthusiasm, interest, pride in success). The research on student engagement further added that it is deceiving to only rely on observable behaviors for evidence of student engagement. Thus, classroom assessment practices in the language classroom have to be such that it encourages and promotes student engagement and motivation to learn. Lent (2012) advocated for providing choice of even assessments as often as possible as a key to engaging students. This view is authenticated by Aubrey et al (2020) who made mention of more recent studies in learner engagement, specifically citing works by Mercer & Dörnyei, 2020; Philip & Duchesne, 2016; Butler, 2017; Lambert et al., 2017; Phung, 2017; Qiu & Lo, 2017, validating the multi-faceted nature of learner engagement impacting on the behavioral, affective, cognitive and social aspect of learner development, especially when the task to be performed has been chosen by the learner. (p. 3) Finally, Bransford et al, (2000) analyzed, “The roles for assessment must be expanded beyond the traditional concept of testing. The use of frequent formative assessment helps make students’ thinking visible to themselves, their peers, and their teacher.” (P 19) That is why Greenstein (2012) asserted that assessments in the 21st century will incorporate multiple methods and will be responsive to individual student’s abilities. This will ensure that through sound teacher perceptions and classroom assessment practices influenced by these perceptions in all classrooms in
29 general and in the language classroom in particular, the main purpose of assessments which is in improved students’ learning will be prioritized. Conclusion This chapter has been a platform on which trends in assessment, and aspects of good classroom assessment practices have been expounded on; with a precise view of what comprises good assessment practices in the English language classroom. These combined, formed the focal point from which the researcher through a quantitative study of the perceptions and practices of English language teachers in Seychelles, sought to establish whether there exists a significant relationship between their perceptions and their actual practices.
30 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY As mentioned in Chapter 1, this study was carried out to investigate English teachers’ perceptions and practices of classroom assessments in the context of language teaching in Seychelles. It sought to find out whether there is a significant relationship between English teachers’ perceptions of classroom assessment and their classroom assessment practices. The following research questions were considered: 1. What are the profile characteristics or respondents in terms of: a. gender, b. cultural identity, c. age group, d. length of teaching bracket, e. educational attainment, and f. levels taught? 2. What are the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of: a. perceptions on assessment, and b. actual practices in the English language classrooms? 3. Are the teachers’ perceptions on assessment significantly related to their actual practices in the English language classrooms? 4. Are there significant differences in teachers’ perceptions on assessments when grouped according to profile characteristics?
31 5. Are there significant differences in the teachers’ actual practices in English language classrooms? 6. Based upon the results of the study, what interventions can be proposed? The chapter will first explain the research design used for the study. It will further discuss the setting and how the target population of the study was chosen, including the sample and sampling technique. An explanation of the data collection instrument used will be given and the sequence of activities for data collection that was charted. Research Design The research followed the quantitative paradigm in which the descriptive correlational design was used. Morrell & Carroll (2010) stated "A correlational study is used when you want to determine if a relationship exists between two or more variables." (13) Mackey & Gass (2005) added that it can also in addition to testing a relationship, make predictions and that the predictions depend on the variables having a strong relationship between them. (p. 29) The correlational method was thus preferred over others for the intention of the research was not to find any causal relationship but to merely investigate whether some form of relationship exists between the independent variable teacher perception and the dependent variable classroom assessment practices, and the strength of that relationship. Population and Sampling Frame The setting for the study was the government-owned Secondary schools in Seychelles. English teachers from eight out of the ten Secondary schools participated in the study. The schools are located in different regions of the main island Mahe and
32 on the two inner islands Praslin and La Digue. Teachers placed in all the government schools are recruited by the Ministry of Education. Subsequently, they also follow the same curriculum for the teaching of English and other subjects. Purposive sampling was used as the basis of this study. Sekaran (2003) stated that “The sampling here is confined to specific types of people who can provide the desired information, either because they are the only ones who have it, or conform to some criteria set by the researcher.” (p. 277). Purposive sampling falls under the category of non-probability sampling. Kothari (2004) informed “In this type of sampling, items for the sample are selected deliberately by the researcher; his choice concerning the items remains supreme.” (p. 59) It is worthy of note that in addition to the elaborations on what constitutes purposive sampling that made it suitable for the study, the researcher has found it to be the best choice because the total number of English teachers in Government-owned Secondary schools in Seychelles, eighty- three (83) in total, made up a reliable sample size. It further stands to reason that they were the only ones who were in a better position to provide the researcher with first-hand information of what they do in their classrooms. Data Collection Method and Procedures Data was collected using a questionnaire designed for English teachers who were the subjects of the investigation in the research. Bhattacherjee (2012 ) defined a questionnaire as "…a research instrument consisting of a set of questions (items) intended to capture responses from respondents in a standardized manner’ (p. 74) The questionnaire was chosen for data collection for the reason that it offers different ways of administration which was suitable for this research considering the fact that participants were located on three islands; two which are accessible by boat. Sekaran
33 (2003) stated “Questionnaires can be administered personally, mailed to the respondents, or electronically distributed.” (p 252) Kumar (2011) added “If potential respondents are scattered over a wide geographical area, you have no choice but to use a questionnaire, as interviewing in these circumstances would be extremely expensive.” (p 140) The questionnaire was designed by the researcher following the Likert Scale model which allowed the respondents to rate their attitudes with regards to a particular statement and the frequency at which some assessment activities are performed. The items to rate teacher perceptions were included with the assumption that they have the potential of forming their perceptions. Similarly, the items to rate teachers’ practices were those suggested in the National Assessment and Curriculum Frameworks as more innovative ones to be used in classroom assessments. However, a few traditional common Assessment of Learning practices such as reading a text and listening to an audio recording and answer questions, were also included to see how teachers respond to them. The questionnaire contained three sections: Section A - Background information, Section B – Perceptions on Assessments and Section C- Assessment in the English Language classroom. Section B was aimed at gauging the teachers’ perceptions as they gave information on the type of knowledge they possess on classroom assessment and the training received in assessment in general and then specifically in assessment in the English language classroom. While Section C was included to focus on assessment activities performed by teachers in the English language classroom. Prior to starting data collection, a letter was sent to the Principal Secretary for Education in the Ministry of Education and Human Resources to request for
34 permission to conduct the study. With permission granted, the Education Management Information System (EMIS) of the Ministry of Education was contacted to request for information on the number of English teachers in all the secondary schools. The initial intended mode of mailing hard copies of the questionnaire to each school changed when schools closed because of the Coronavirus community outbreak. An email was therefore sent to the head teachers of each school with the letter of approval and a copy of the questionnaire attached; requesting them to forward same to the English Heads of Department who then took the lead in turn to email the questionnaire to their teachers to be filled, and afterwards returned to them, then forwarded to the researcher. Data Analysis Techniques SPSS was used in analyzing data sets of responses from the questionnaires. A correlational analysis followed, using the same statistical software. First, a scatter plot was created to try and establish whether there is a linear relationship between the variables being studied and if the relationship is positive or negative. Then the r value, i.e. the correlation coefficient was calculated, using the Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient statistic as Shayib (2013) describes it as “a measure of the strength of a linear relation between two quantitative variables.” (p. 238) Pearson r describes the relationship between two (2) continuous variables that are normally distributed, in terms of both strength and direction of the relationship. Since data analysis appertaining normality showed that both variables are not approximately normally distributed, it was concluded that parametric test assumption was violated. Such violation resulted to the use of Spearman’s rho rank test, which is a non-parametric alternative test for the previously mentioned one.
35 Moreover, testing for significant differences between two (2) and among more than two (2) groups were tested in the areas of perception on assessment and actual practices in an English class assessment using non-parametric alternative tests for t test independent and F test or One-way ANOVA which are Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Ethical Considerations Since research participants are employed by the Ministry of Education of Seychelles approval from the Ministry of Education was sought for the participants’ involvement in this research. Confidentiality was also ensured at every stage of the research process in that that participants’ identities were not revealed and their views remain strictly as data for the research. Conclusion This chapter presented an overview of the methodology used for the research. It detailed the research design used, population and sampling frame, data collection method and procedures, techniques used to analyze data collected and the ethical considerations the researcher took to ensure that the identity of the population being studied remained confidential. The subsequent chapters will explain the results of the study and discuss the findings so as to make relevant conclusions and recommendations for future research in the field.
36 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS OF THE STUDY The research sought to analyze how the perceptions on classroom assessment of English teachers of government-owned Secondary schools in Seychelles relate to their classroom assessment practices. This chapter presents the results of the quantitative data from the questionnaire given to the English teachers who participated in the research, totaling 39 teachers. Participants gave their responses on a Likert –scale type questionnaire using a 4-point scale. (See questionnaire in Appendix) Initially, 41 questionnaires were received, in which one was incomplete and a second sent in a file by mail could not be opened, thus declared void. An analysis of the response to each question was made, followed by an examination of responses answering these research questions. (1) What are the profile characteristics or respondents in terms of: a. gender, b. cultural identity, c. age group, d. length of teaching bracket, e. educational attainment, and f. levels taught? (2) What are the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of: a. perceptions on assessment, and b. actual practices in the English language classrooms? (3) Are the teachers’ perceptions on assessment significantly related to their actual practices in the English language classrooms? (4) Are there significant differences in teachers’ perceptions on assessments when grouped according to profile characteristics? (5) Are there significant differences in
37 the teachers’ actual practices in English language classrooms? (6) Based upon the results of the study, what interventions can be proposed? Research Question 1 The first set of questions in the questionnaire were directed at answering Research Question 1. What are the profile characteristics of respondents in terms of gender, cultural identity, age group, length of teaching bracket, educational attainment, and levels taught? Table 1 illustrates the demographic data, summarizing the results of the items under each variable, the frequency of the responses and the percentages they represent. The first question asked for the participants’ gender. Out of the 39 valid respondents, the disparity in gender of teachers teaching English in Seychelles is evident. Table 1 shows 30 female teachers to only 9 males, representing a 76.9% of female teachers to a mere 23.1% males. The object of Question 2 was to find out how diversified in terms of ethnicity the population of English teachers in Seychelles is. The data revealed half of the total number of respondents to be non-Seychellois teachers; namely 10.3% Asians and 23.1% Africans to 66.7% Seychellois. Participants were also asked to state within what age group they fell. It is worth noting the large percentage 38.5% falling in the group 25-35 years. A further significant percentage 33.3% fell in the age group of 36-45 years. 12.8% and 15.4% respectively for the age groups of 46-55 years and 56 years and above. While the data pointed to a significantly young population of English teachers in Seychelles schools, it also demonstrated that quite a good proportion of the population 15.4% are beyond 50 years of age.
38 Table 1. Profile characteristics of respondents Variables Frequency Percentage Gender: Female 30 76.9 Male 9 23.1 Cultural identity: African 9 23.1 Asian 4 10.3 Seychellois 26 66.7 Age group: 22 – 35 years old 15 38.5 36 – 45 13 33.3 46 – 55 5 12.8 56 and above 6 15.4 Length of teaching bracket: 2 – 5 years 17 43.6 6 – 10 years 1 2.6 11 years and above 21 53.8 Educational attainment: Diploma in Education 4 10.3 B. Ed / BA 27 69.2 Med / MA 8 20.5 Levels taught: Students from 2 levels 3 7.7 Students from 3 – 4 levels 12 30.8 Students from all 5 levels 24 61.5 N =39 The next question intended to look at the number of years the participants have been in the profession, specifically as English teachers. Here, the responses revealed that there had not been any new teacher recruited over the past year. Nonetheless, 17 teachers representing 43. 6% have been teaching English for 2-5 years and an even larger proportion, 21 representing 53.8% have been teaching English for 11 years or more. Only 1 person has been teaching English in the bracket 6-10 years.
39 Question five, inquired about the highest level of qualification the participating teachers possessed. Only one respondent either deliberately chose not to answer this question or forgot to do so. The largest population of teachers 26, representing 66.7% possess as highest qualification a Bachelor in Education or a Bachelor of Arts degree. Master of Education and Master of Arts degree holders were 8 in total, making up 20.5% of the population. It is also important to take particular note of the 4 participants representing 10.3% who are currently teaching English at secondary level with only a Diploma in Education. The last question in Section A of the questionnaire, analyzing the demographic data sought to ascertain how many grade levels the teachers were teaching. This is because secondary schools accommodate learners from Secondary Level 1 to Secondary Level 5. None of the respondents were teaching only one grade level. The greatest number of respondents, more specifically 24 which is 61.5% were teaching all five levels. Half of that number, 12 and representing 30.8% of the population were teaching three to four grade levels. Only 3 participants, 7.7% were teaching students from only two grade levels. Research Question 2 Research Question 2 was aimed at determining the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of: a. perceptions on assessment, and b. practices in the English language classrooms. Data in Table 2 relates to the respondents’ profile characteristics in terms of perceptions on assessment in the English language classrooms.
40 Table 2. Profile characteristics of respondents in terms of perceptions on assessment in English language classrooms Questions Results Categories How conversant are you with the following assessment practices: Areas: Mean Interpretation Assessment for learning – classroom 3.28 Very high Assessment of learning – Summative 2.92 High Assessment as learning – performance 2.82 High Assessment for learning – classroom: Frequency Percent I have not heard about it 2 5.1 I heard about it 6 15.4 I know about it 10 25.6 I use it in my teaching 21 53.8 Assessment of learning - Summative I have not heard about it 5 12.8 I heard about it 8 20.5 I know about it 11 28.2 I use it in my teaching 15 38.5 Assessment as learning - Performance I have not heard about it 7 17.9 I heard about it 8 20.5 I know about it 9 23.1 I use it in my teaching 15 38.5 Training attendance: Mean Interpretation Training on assessment 2.72 Recent Assessment in the English language classroom 2.45 Recent Training on assessment Frequency Percent 1 to 2 years ago (most recent) 16 41.0 1 to 4 years ago (recent) 5 12.8 1 to 9 years ago (not so recent) 9 23.1 9 years and beyond (obsolete) 9 23.1 Assessment in the English language classroom 1 to 2 years ago (most recent) 15 38.5 .1 to 4 years ago (recent) 7 17.9 5 to 9 years ago (not so recent) 5 12.8 9 years and beyond (obsolete) 12 30.8
41 Table 2 continued Questions Results Categories What document(s) do you use to inform your assessment perceptions and practices? Frequency Percent The National Curriculum Framework 11 28.2 The National Assessment Framework 9 23.1 Local School Assessment Guidelines 17 43.6 Suggestions from textbooks being used 9 23.1 All of the above 21 53.8 How often do you use these to inform your assessment perceptions and practices? Mean Interpretation The National Curriculum Framework 3.08 Sometimes The National Assessment Framework 2.95 Sometimes Local School Assessment Guidelines 3.59 Always Suggestions from textbooks being used 3.05 Sometimes The National Curriculum Framework Always 18 46.2 Sometimes 12 30.8 Rarely 3 7.7 Never 6 15.4 The National Assessment Framework Always 18 46.2 Sometimes 9 23.1 Rarely 4 10.3 Never 8 20.5 Local School Assessment Guidelines Always 25 64.1 Sometimes 12 30.8 Rarely 2 5.1 Never 0 0 Suggestions from textbooks being used Always 19 48.7 Sometimes 10 25.6 Rarely 3 7.7 Never 7 17.9 As a language teacher, how would you rate the importance of the following reasons for assessing your students? To compare their level with others in the same year level 3.38 Very important To give them marks so as to motivate 3.49 Very important To help them pass the national and international examinations 3.85 Very important
42 Table 2 continued Results Categories Questions To help me evaluate my teaching 3.79 Very important To help me become aware of my students’ strengths and weaknesses 3.90 Very important Note: N = 39 Question 1 of Section B wanted to evaluate how conversant the English teachers were with the three assessment practices; Assessment for learning, Assessment of learning and Assessment as Learning. It was observed that the respondents were making use of these practices in their teaching. 21 teachers 53.8 % using Assessment for learning, 15 teachers 38.5% using both Assessment of learning and Assessment as learning. With regards to training in assessment and training specifically related to Assessment in the language classroom, both revealed respondents having had training in both areas 1-2 years ago. This is represented by a total number of 16 respondents 41.6 percent and 15 respondents, 38.5% respectively. In terms of the documents used to inform their assessment perceptions and practices, most respondents used all the proposed documents, namely, the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), The National Assessment Framework (NAF), their school’s Assessment guidelines and suggestions from textbooks. This totaled 21 out of 39 respondents which is representative of 53.8% of the participant population. In addition, most participants always use these perceptions and practices in their assessment experiences. A total of 18 respondents 46.2 percent always using both the NCF and the NAF. A total of 25 64.1% always using their School’s Assessment guidelines and 19 (48.7%) always using suggestions from textbooks.