Literacy assessment of English teachers: Need analysis for higher education contexts

Abstract

This paper is aimed to describe what knowledge and skills an English teacher should have to be assessment literate. The paper focuses on the following four basic knowledge areas of assessment literacy. First, English teachers should know what assessment is in general and what classroom assessment is. Second, the teachers should know the purposes of assessment. This knowledge will guide the teachers to create general learning goals, construct clear learning targets, and formulate clear rubrics. Third, the teachers should be aware of various assessment methods in ELT. Last, the teachers should comprehend assessment's positive influences in teaching and learning. To have a positive washback of assessment, the teachers should know how to create effective classroom assessments, how to make constructive feedback, how to support the role of students in assessment, and how to modify instruction based on assessments' results. Assessment literacy is an individual's understanding of the basic concepts and procedures of assessment which will be used as a basis for educational decisions (Popham, 2009). To be assessment literate, a teacher should have the knowledge and skills in relation to basic principles of quality assessment. This essay will discuss four basic knowledge areas of assessment literacy: definition of assessment, purposes of assessment, methods of assessment and keys for creating positive washback of assessment that can improve instruction and students' learning.