Multiple perspectives of stakeholders towards young learners’ language assessment in an international school in Malaysia

Abstract

The issue of assessment in Malaysian international schools has rarely been explored. This qualitative study focuses on the views of three groups of stakeholders regarding the English language assessment of young learners in one such school. Primary-age children, their parents, and their teachers were interviewed online in iterative sessions for their experiences and views on language assessment as it was practised in the school. Thematic analysis of the data revealed how the children suffered from test anxiety; they believed the exams were difficult; and the teachers were seen as strict examiners. The parents agreed that the exams were unfairly difficult; they complained about a lack of transparency and feedback, besides excessive test frequency. The teachers believed they assessed both formatively and summatively; however, administratively their formative assessment results formed no part in students’ final assessment reports. The assessment practices in this case, and likely more widely in Malaysia, need reconsideration and point to a broad paradox.