Are English Language Teachers Assessment Literate?

Abstract

The study was conducted to bring the language assessment literacy (LAL) of English language teaching (ELT) teachers into focus. It also attempted to investigate how the pre-service education background of ELT teachers, and the departments they graduated from, affected their assessment literacy. The data were obtained from 180 ELT teachers using a mixed-methods research design through a questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The results indicated that the ELT teachers’ LAL was low, but they did not feel any serious need for assessment training. It was also found that the ELT teachers had different academic backgrounds in assessment. As ELT graduates received training in assessment, the graduates of other departments working as English teachers didn’t. Thus, it was observed that pre-service education background has a significant effect on teachers’ assessment literacy.