Assessment Literacy Among Indonesian Pre-service English Language Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Education, University of York, United Kingdom

2 Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia

3 Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia

4 Independent Scholar, United Kingdom

Abstract

Using a sequential explanatory design, this study investigated levels of assessment literacy among pre-service English as a foreign language teachers in Indonesia and their views on how their undergraduate teacher education programmes prepared them for classroom assessment. A total of 320 pre-service teachers completed a Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) questionnaire, and 37 participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated moderate overall LAL, with significant differences based on university status and affiliation, favouring state and Ministry of Education-affiliated universities. There was general satisfaction with education programmes but a desire for more practical training, especially in private and Ministry of Religious Affairs-affiliated universities. Recommendations included increasing practical assessment training, incorporating alternative methods, and integrating technology and Artificial Intelligence into the curriculum. These findings highlight the need to enhance and standardise LAL training to prepare pre-service teachers for effective classroom assessment in Indonesia.

Keywords


Bachman, L., & Damböck, B. (2018). Language assessment for classroom teachers. Oxford University Press.
Berry, V., Sheehan, S., & Munro, S. (2017). Exploring teachers’ language assessment literacy: A social constructivist approach to understanding effective practices. In ALTE (Ed.), Learning and assessment: Making the connections (pp. 201–207). Proceedings of the ALTE 6th International Conference. Association of Language Testers in Europe.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. Sage.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education, 5, 7–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0969595980050102
British Educational Research Association. (2018). Ethical guidelines for educational research (4th ed.). British Educational Research Association. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018-online
Cirocki, A., & Hallet, W. (2024). Professionalising English language teaching: Concepts and reflections for action in teacher education. Cambridge University Press.
Coombe, C., Vafadar, H., & Mohebbi, H. (2020). Language assessment literacy: What do we need to learn, unlearn, and relearn? Language Testing in Asia, 10(3). https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s40468-020-00101-6.pdf
Davies, A. (2008). Textbook trends in teaching language testing. Language Testing, 25(3), 327–347. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265532208090156
Davison, C., & Leung, C. (2012). Current issues in English language teacher-based assessment. TESOL Quarterly, 43(3), 393–415. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2009.tb00242.x
DeLuca, C., & Klinger, D. A. (2010). Assessment literacy development: Identifying gaps in teacher candidates’ learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 17(4), 419–438. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0969594X.2010.516643
DeLuca, C., Coombs, A., MacGregor, S., & Rasooli, A. (2019). Toward a differential and situated view of assessment literacy: Studying teachers’ responses to classroom assessment scenarios. Frontiers in Education, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2019.00094
Directorate of Teacher Profession Education. (2024). 2024 pre-service PPG policy direction. https://ppg.kemdikbud.go.id/prajab/detail-program-kurikulum
Fitriyah, I., Bastomi, Y., Khotimah, K., & Gozali, I. (2022). Implementation of assessment for learning in online EFL writing class: A case of novice undergraduate teachers. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(2), 129–159. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1358706.pdf
Fulcher, G. (2012). Assessment literacy for the language classroom. Language Assessment Quarterly, 9(2), 113–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2011.642041
Fulcher, G. (2020). Operationalizing assessment literacy. In D. Tsagari (Ed.), Language assessment literacy: From theory to practice (pp. 8–28). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Giraldo, F. (2021). Language assessment literacy and teachers’ professional development: A review of the literature. Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 23(2), 265–279. https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.90533
Giraldo, F. (2023). Fostering pre-service teachers’ language assessment literacy. Editorial Ucaldas.
Giraldo, F., & Murcia, D. (2018). Language assessment literacy for pre-service teachers: Course expectations from different stakeholders. GIST – Education and Learning Research Journal, 16, 56–77. https://doi.org/10.26817/16925777.425
Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Sage.
Harding, L., & Kremmel, B. (2016). Teacher assessment literacy and professional development. In D. Tsagari & J. Banerjee (Eds.), Handbook of second language assessment (pp. 413–428). De Gruyter.
Hay, P., & Penney, D. (2013). Assessment in physical education: A sociocultural perspective. Taylor & Francis.
Hays, D. G., & Singh, A. A. (2012). Qualitative inquiry in clinical and educational settings. Guilford.
Hildén, R., & Fröjdendahl, B. (2018). The dawn of assessment literacy – Exploring the conceptions of Finnish student teachers in foreign languages. Apples: Journal of Applied Language Studies, 12, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.17011/apples/urn.201802201542
Inbar-Lourie, O. (2008). Constructing a language assessment knowledge base: A focus on language assessment courses. Language Testing25(3), 385–402. 
Inbar-Lourie, O. (2013). Guest editorial to the special issue on language assessment literacy. Language Testing, 30(3), 301–307. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265532213480126
Inbar-Lourie, O. (2016). Language assessment literacy. In E. Shohamy, I. G. Or, & S. May (Eds.), Language testing and assessment (pp. 1–14). Springer.
Inbar‐Lourie, O., & Donitsa‐Schmidt, S. (2009). Exploring classroom assessment practices: The case of teachers of English as a foreign language. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 16(2), 185–204. https://doi.org/10.1080/09695940903075958
Kiomrs, R., Abdolmehdi, R., & Rashidi, N. (2011). On the interaction of test washback and teacher assessment literacy: The case of Iranian EFL secondary school teachers. English Language Teaching, 4(1), 156–161.
Kremmel, B., & Harding, L. (2019). Towards a comprehensive, empirical model of language assessment literacy across stakeholder groups: Developing the language assessment literacy survey. Language Assessment Quarterly, 17(1), 100–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2019.1674855
Levi, T., & Inbar-Lourie, O. (2019). Assessment literacy or language assessment literacy: Learning from the teachers. Language Assessment Quarterly17(2), 168–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2019.1692347
McMillan, J. H. (2011). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction. Pearson.
Mede, E., & Atay, D. (2017). English language teachers’ assessment literacy: The Turkish context. Dil Dergisi, 168(1), 43–60. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=548906
Mertler, C. A., & Campbell, C. (2005). Measuring teachers’ knowledge and application of classroom assessment concepts: Development of the assessment literacy inventory. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. (2022). Regulation of Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, No 21 2022, on Assessment standard for early childhood education, primary and secondary school education. Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology.
Nyudak, I. B. G., Dewi, N. L. P. E. S., & A.A. Gede Yudha Paramartha, A. A. G. Y. (2022). Assessment literacy of EFL teachers in Badung, Bali, Indonesia: Conception and practices. ELT Worldwide: Journal of English Language Teaching, 9(1), 178–187.
Owan, V. J., Abang, K. B., Idika, D. O., Etta, E. O., & Bassey, B. A. (2023). Exploring the potential of artificial intelligence tools in educational measurement and assessment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(8), em2307. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/13428
Papageorgiou, S., & Bailey, K. M. (Eds.). (2019). Global perspectives on language assessment: Research, theory, and practice. New York: Routledge.
Pastore, S., & Andrade, H. L. (2019). Teacher assessment literacy: A three-dimensional model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 84, 128–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.05.003
Pill, J., & Harding, L. (2013). Defining the language assessment literacy gap: Evidence from a parliamentary inquiry. Language Testing, 30(3), 381–402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532213480337
Popham, W. J. (2009). Assessment literacy for teachers: Faddish or fundamental? Theory Into Practice48(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802577536
Puspawati, I. (2019). Understanding teachers’ knowledge, skills, and principles of language assessment: A survey on teachers’ language assessment literacy. https://www.academia.edu/100883188
Putra, I., Paramartha, A., & Mahayanti, N. (2024). Online assessment literacy level of
EFL teachers in Denpasar. Measurement in Educational Research, 4(1), 49–56.
http://dx.doi.org/10.33292/meter.v4i1.321
Rezagah, K. (2022). Iranian EFL teachers’ assessment literacy knowledge: The impact of the educational system on teachers’ classroom assessment practices. International Journal of Language Testing, 12(2), 76–94. https://doi.org/10.22034/IJLT.2022.157126
Sevimel-Sahin, A. (2020). A survey on the intercultural communicative competence of ELT undergraduate students. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6(2), 141–153. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.775793
Shim, K. N. (2009). An investigation into teachers’ perceptions of classroom based assessment of English as a foreign language in Korean primary education. Doctoral Thesis. University of Exeter.
Stiggins, R. (1999). Evaluating classroom assessment training in teacher education programs. Educational Measurement Issues and Practice, 18, 23–27. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3992.1999.tb00004.x
Suherman. A. (2022). Exploring language assessment literacy of EFL teachers in the context of Indonesian higher education. English Review: Journal of English Education, 10(3), 783–792. https://doi.org/10.25134/erjee.v10i3.6525
Swain, M., Kinnear, P., & Steinman, L. (2011). Sociocultural theory in second language education. Multilingual Matters.
Tajeddin, Z., Alemi, M., & Yasaei, H. (2018). Classroom Assessment Literacy for Speaking: Exploring Novice and Experienced English Language Teachers’ Knowledge and Practice. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research6 (Issue 3 (Special Issue)), 57-77. https://doi.ord/10.30466/ijltr.2018.120601
Taylor, L. (2013). Communicating the theory, practice and principles of language testing to test stakeholders: Some reflections. Language Testing, 30(3), 403–412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532213480338
Tsagari, D. (2020). Language assessment literacy: Concepts, challenges and prospects. In S. Hidri (Ed.), Perspectives on language assessment literacy: Challenges for improved student learning. Routledge.
Tsagari, D., & Vogt, K. (2017). Assessment literacy of foreign language teachers around Europe: Research, challenges and future prospects. Papers in Language Testing and Assessment, 6(1), 41–63. https://doi.org/10.58379/UHIX9883
UCLES. (2018). Cambridge English teaching. Framework competency statements. UCLES.
Vogt, K., & Tsagari, D. (2014). Assessment literacy of foreign language teachers: Findings of a European study. Language Assessment Quarterly, 11(4), 374–392. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2014.960046
Weng, F., & Shen, B. (2022). Language assessment literacy of teachers. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.864582
Xu, Y., & Brown, G. T. L. (2016). Teacher assessment literacy in practice: A reconceptualization. Teaching and Teacher Education, 58, 149–162.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.05.010
Yan, X., Zhang, C., & Fan, J. J. (2018). “Assessment knowledge is important, but ...”: How contextual and experiential factors mediate assessment practice and training needs of language teachers. System, 74, 158–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.03.003
Yeo, M. A. (2021). “Experiencing theory first-hand was delightful and informative”: Bridging the theory-practice gap in online language assessment training. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 9(3), 93-116.  https://doi.org/10.30466/ijltr.2021.121078
Zulaiha, S., Mulyono, H., & Ambarsari, L. (2020). An investigation into EFL teachers’ assessment literacy: Indonesian teachers’ perceptions and classroom practice. European Journal of Contemporary Education, 9(1), 189–201. https://doi.org/10.13187/ejced.2020.1.189