Assessment of learning in language education

Аннотация

The article deals with the prominent roles of assessment in language acquisition. In the paper, a bunch of theories and thoughts by diverse professors and scholars were discussed. It provides a general understanding of assessing as well as qualities needed for the process. Moreover, some aspects of evaluating properly and its effects are mentioned. Key words: learning language, evaluating, knowledge, valid, assignment, complex tasks, methodology, literacy, assessors, traditional testing, demonstrating knowledge. Assessment is one of the crucial aspects of learning languages effectively. It refers to the process of evaluating a student's understanding, skills and progress in learning. It also serves as a useful tool that allows teachers to see their students improving and gaining essential knowledge. By using evaluation tasks appropriately, both educators and learners could benefit. Namely, teaching and learning languages mainly depend on motivation and enthusiasm, therefore without them the process can have tendencies to become dull and unbearable. As explained by Dina Tsagari, language assessment is the practice of evaluating the extent to which learning and teaching have been successful, focusing on what learners can do with the language, on their strengths rather than their weaknesses. This evaluation usually involves forms other than paper-and-pencil tests, such as portfolios (i.e., compilations of learners’ essays, reports, other assignments that may have been carried out), presentations or demonstrations. Assessment works best if it is continuous (or ‘on-going’), i.e., carried out throughout the entire process of teaching and learning, not just on completion of the learning/teaching process. When assessing is learner-oriented, it helps establish whether learners’ learning needs and styles have been made good use of. Appropriate assessing is also very helpful for teachers because it can facilitate self-evaluation of their own pedagogical decisions. [1:184] Assessing process can benefit both learners and teachers if it is used properly. According to H. Douglas Brown “Assessment is an ongoing process that encompasses a wide range of methodological techniques.” [4:3] Availability of various ways of assessing learners could enable educators to judge them effectively and fairly. Teresa McConlogue emphasizes that each learner is unique with a range of characteristics, prior learning experiences and diverse needs, and each teacher is equally unique. To investigate teaching and learning, it is important to choose a methodology that recognizes and explores this uniqueness. [6:4] Therefore, evaluating tasks should not solely depend on facts, it is essential to take into account learners’ experience and needs. Effective assessment includes providing some information to students about their understanding, however occasionally not only teachers but also pupils tend to focus on grades and numbers rather than literacy. Grant Wiggins has pointed out that “Assessments don’t always provide adequate evidence regarding the most important understandings of the unit. I tend to test what is easy to test instead of assessing what is most 60 important, namely the understandings and attitudes students should take away, above and beyond nutritional facts. In fact, one thing that has always disturbed me is that the kids tend to focus on their grades rather than on their learning. [2:171] Due to this, it is of importance to explain the aim of evaluation which is gaining knowledge. Glenn Fulcher advocates that teachers are constantly assessing, but the primary purpose of the assessment is to inform better teaching and more efficient learning. In the classroom the assessor is therefore deeply involved in the assessment, and cares about the outcomes of the assessment. There is nothing distant or neutral about intervening in the lives of learners. [3:27] Additionally, the issue with managing to judge students properly mainly depends on tasks and activities they are given. There are three main concepts in determining meaningful language assessment: validity, reliability, and feasibility. 1.Validity means that what is assessed should actually be assessed. 2.Reliability refers to the accuracy of the decisions made from the assessment. 3.Feasibility means that the assessment has to be practical. [7] In the opinion of Teresa McConlogue, a valid assessment measures what it claims to measure at the appropriate level. Validity is linked to the aim of the programme and the level of programme. If students have learned about X, and are then tested on Y, the test is not valid. Reliability means that assessors make similar judgements about the quality of students’ work; reliable assessors have a common understanding of the standards students are required to meet and how these standards are represented in the assignment. With this understanding they are able to make similar udgements about student performance. Validity and reliability are often at