Formative assessment practices and perceptions of English language preparatory school instructors at tertiary level

Abstract

This mixed-method explanatory case study investigated the formative assessment practices and perceptions of in-service English language preparatory school instructors in relation to student monitoring and student scaffolding at the tertiary level. The study also explored how these practices vary depending on instructors’ years of experience, degree, and additional assessment training. To this end, 30 in-service instructors completed a questionnaire to obtain the quantitative data in this study. The follow-up semi-structured interviews provided the qualitative data with eight voluntary instructors. The results of the study showed that formative assessment practices are being implemented by English language instructors mainly to monitor student progress, help students internalize the learning process, and encourage student involvement with the help of feedback while creating an interactive classroom culture by using various approaches and methods in teaching. It was also found that instructors’ years of experience, degree, and assessment practices did not create any significant difference in monitoring students; however, in terms of scaffolding, instructors without additional assessment training chose to implement scaffolding practices more than instructors who have training.