Professional Development Gaps and Needs in Speaking Assessment for Malaysian English Language Teachers

Abstract

This study looks at the professional development needs and challenges of Ma-laysian secondary school English teachers when conducting speaking assess-ments. Although Classroom-Based Assessments (CBAs) under the Malaysian Education Blueprint (2013-2025) aim at improving communicative skills among students, challenges, such as lack of training, limited resources and un-clear guidelines make it difficult for teachers to implement them. This mixed-methods study collected quantitative data from 98 teachers using a re-liable questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87) and identified key areas for improvement, including creating speaking assessment tasks, maintaining eth-ical standards, and clearly communicating assessment results. Likewise, quali-tative findings showed that additional contextual challenges, such as large class sizes and time constraints, limiting effective assessment practices. The study provides recommendations for targeted training, policy adjustments, and practical solutions tailored to teachers’ needs.