Effects of a Learning-oriented Reading Assessment Model on Thai Undergraduate Students’ Reading Ability
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been an attempt to introduce the concept of “assessment for learning” into English language classrooms based on a belief that assessment can be utilized to assist learners in the learning process, not just for teachers to make judgments and decisions. In so doing, the learning-oriented assessment frameworks proposed by a number of scholars have been introduced to integrate the use of both formative and summative assessments into language pedagogy to enhance language skills simultaneously with developing learners’ assessment expertise, hence enabling them to better identify their own strengths and weaknesses, which, in turn, helps promote their learning outcomes. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the implementation of a learning-oriented reading assessment model on Thai undergraduate students’ reading ability. Students’ involvement in several types of assessment embedded in reading instructional procedures was the highlight of the model implementation. The participants were 25 first-year undergraduate students enrolled in a foundation English course at a public university. A mixed-method research design was employed to gather both quantitative and qualitative data using the in-house English proficiency tests, the end-of-unit tests, and the learners’ journal. The findings revealed that the learning-oriented reading assessment model could help develop undergraduate students’ reading ability, thus leading to a conclusion that learning-oriented assessment can be utilized in language classes to help learners learn the target language with more desirable outcomes.
Article Details
References
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Kim, J.-Y. (2018). Best practices in reading assessment. In L. M. Morrow & L. B. Gambrell (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction (6th ed., pp. 309-333). Guilford Press.
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Doyle, B. (2013). Reading: What else matters besides strategies and skills? The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 440-448. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1146
Alderson, J. C., Brunfaut, T., & Harding, L. (2017). Bridging assessment and learning: A view from second and foreign language assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 24(3), 379-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594x.2017.1331201
Alderson, J. C., Haapakangas, E.-L., Huhta, A., Niemnen, L., & Ullakonoja, R. (2015). The diagnosis of reading in a second or foreign language. Routledge. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Anderson, N. (2003). Reading. In D. Nunan (Ed.), Practical English language Teaching (pp. 67-86).McGraw-Hill.
Anderson, N. (2008). Practical English language teaching : Reading. McGraw-Hill.
Anderson, N. (2012). Reading instruction. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to pedagogy and practice in second language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Bachman, L. F. (2004). Statistical analyses for language assessment. Cambridge University Press.
Bachman, L., & Damböck, B. (2017). Language assessment for classroom teachers. Oxford University Press.
Boraie, D. (2018). Types of assessment. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1-7). John Wiley & Son, Inc.
Brown, J. D. (2012). Choosing the right type of assessment. In C. Coombe, P. Davidson, B. O'Sullivan, & S. Stoynoff (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language assessment (pp. 133-139). Cambridge University Press.
Carless, D. (2015). Exploring learning-oriented assessment processes. Higher Education, 69(2), 963-976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-014-9816-z
Carless, D., Joughin, G., Liu, N.-F., & Associates. (2006). A conceptual framework for learning-oriented assessment. How assessment supports learning: Learning-oriented assessment in action. Hong Kong University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1xwdgd.6
Carr, N. T. (2011). Designing and analyzing language tests. Oxford University Press.
Christison, M. (2018). Student Involvement in Assessment. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1-7). John Wiley & Son, Inc.
Cohen, A. D. (1990). Language learning: Insights for learners, teachers, and researchers. Heinle & Heinle Publisher.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.
Grabe, W. (2009a). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
Grabe, W. (2009b). Teaching and testing reading. In M. H. Long & C. J. Doughty (Eds.), The Handbook of language teaching. Wiley-Blackwell.
Grabe, W. (2014). Key issues in L2 reading development. Proceedings of the 4th CELC Symposium for English Language Teachers – Selected Papers. (pp. 8-18). National University of Singapore.
Grabe, W. (2017). L2 reading comprehension and development. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (Vol. 3, pp. 299-311). Routledge.
Grabe, W., & Jiang, X. (2013). Assessing reading. In A. J. Kunnan (Ed.), The companion to language assessment (pp. 185-200). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118411360.wbcla060
Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2013). Teaching and researching: Reading (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833743
Hamp-Lyons, L. (2017). Language assessment literacy for language learning-oriented assessment. Papers in Language Testing and Assessment, 6(1), 88-111.
Jang, E. E., Wagner, M., & Park, G. (2014). Mixed methods research in language testing and assessment. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 34, 123-153. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0267190514000063
Janisch, C., Liu, X., & Akrofi, A. (2007). Implementing alternative assessment: Opportunities and obstacles. The Educational Forum, 71(Spring), 221-230.
Jones, N., & Saville, N. (2016). Learning-oriented Assessment: A systemic approach (Vol. 45). Cambridge University Press.
Katz, A. (2014). Assessment in second language classrooms. In M. Celce-Murcia, D. Brinton, & M. Snow (Eds.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (Fourth ed.). Heinle Cengage Learning.
Kim, A.-Y., & Kim, H. J. (2017). The effectiveness of instructor feedback for learning-oriented language assessment: Using an integrated reading-to-write task for English for academic purposes. Assessing Writing, 32, 57-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2016.12.001
Kim, A.-Y. A. (2015). Exploring ways to provide diagnostic feedback with an ESL placement test: Cognitive diagnostic assessment of L2 reading ability. Language Testing, 32(2), 227-258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532214558457
Koda, K. (2012). Insights into second language reading. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139524841
Komiyama, R. (2018). Motivation and Reading. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1-6). John Wiley & Son, Inc.
Leung, C. (2013). Classroom-based assessment issues for language teacher education. In A. J. Kunnan (Ed.), The lompanion to language assessment (pp. 1510-1519). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118411360.wbcla064
Liu, S. (2014). L2 reading comprehension: Exclusively L2 competence or different competences? Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(5), 1085-1091. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.5.5.1085-1091
Mak, P., & Lee, I. (2014). Implementing assessment for learning in L2 writing: An activity theory perspective. System, 47, 73-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2014.09.018
May, L., Nakatsuhara, F., Lam, D., & Galaczi, E. (2020). Developing tools for learning oriented assessment of interactional competence: Bridging theory and practice. Language Testing, 37(2), 165-188. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532219879044
Migliacci, N. (2018). Classroom testing. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp. 1-7). John Wiley & Son, Inc.
Navaie, L. A. (2018). The effect of learning-oriented assessment on learning pronunciation among Iranian EFL learners. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.6n.2p.63
Nejadihassan, S., & Arabmofrad, A. (2016). A review of relationship between self-regulation and reading comprehension. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(4), 835-842. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0604.22
Nunan, D. (1999). Second language teaching & learning. Heinle & Heinle.
Phongsirikul, M. (2018). Traditional and alternative assessments in ELT: Students' and teachers' perspections. rEFLections, 25(1), 61-84
Plakans, L., & Gebril, A. (2015). Assessment myths: Applying second language research to classroom teaching. The University of Michigan Press.
Purpura, J. E., & Turner, C. E. (2014). A learning-oriented assessment approach to understanding the complexities of classroom-based language assessment. Teachers College, Columbia University. https://www.tc.columbia.edu/tccrisls/the-tccrisls-program/Purpura_Turner_TRCRISLS_2014.pdf
Rea‐Dickins, P. (2008). Classroom‐base language assessment. In E. Shohamy & N. H. Hornberger (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education (2nd ed., Vol. 7, pp. 257-271). Springer.
Richards, J. C. (2015). Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Rydland, V. y., & Gr⊘ver, V. (2019). Argumentative peer discussions following individual reading increase comprehension. Language and Education, 33(4), 379-394. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2018.1545786
Salamoura, A., & Unsworth, S. (2016). Learning-oriented assessment: Putting learning, teaching and assessment together. Testing, Assessment and Exam Preparation, 24(3), 2-6.
Stiggins, R. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment for learning: A path to success in standards-based schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(4), 324-328. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172170508700414
Tileston, D. W. (2004). What every teacher should know about student assessment. Corwin.
Todd, R. W. (2019). How is English assessed at Thai schools? THAITESOL Journal, 32(1), 1-15.
Todd, R. W., Pansa, D., Jaturapitakkul, N., Chanchula, N., Pojanapunya, P., Tepsurlwong, S., Towns, S. G., & Trakulkasemsuk, W. (2021). Assessment in Thai ELT: What do teachers do, why, and how can practices be improved? LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network Journal, 14(2), 627-649. https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/253377
Turner, C. E., & Purpura, J. E. (2016). Learning-oriented assessment in second and foreign language classrooms. In D. Tsagari & J. Banerjee (Eds.), Handbook of second language assessment (pp. 255-274). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614513827-018
Wu, J. G., & Miller, L. (2020). Improving English learners’ speaking through mobile-assisted peer feedback. RELC Journal, 51(1), 168-178. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688219895335
Wudthayagorn, J. (2018). Mapping the CU-TEP to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network Journal, 11(2), 163-180.