Language awareness in language education

Included bibliographical references.Selected papers originally presented at the International Language in Education Conference held at the University of Hong Kong, 14-16 December, 1994.published_or_final_versionCh.7 Towards a critical competence Chew, Phyllis G.L. Chew, Phyllis G.L. 103Ch.14 Oral miscue analysis for Chinese readers reading in Chinese Chern, Chiou-lan Chern, Chiou-lan 215Ch.9 Investigating the oral fluency of 15 EFL teachers: a quantitative approach revisited Lam, Wendy Y.K. Lam, Wendy Y.K. 133Ch.12 First language literacy and second language reading Parry, Kate Parry, Kate 181Ch.8 When does a carrot become a stick? Changing attitudes and English language proficiency of Hong Kong student teachers Crew, Vernon Crew, Vernon 117Ch.11 Self-assessment of pronunciation by Chinese tertiary students Jones, Rodney H. Jones, Rodney H. 169Ch.4 Grammatical terminology: is there a student/ teacher gap? Berry, Roger Berry, Roger 51Ch.5 Hong Kong learners and English words: the formal- semantic gap McNeil, Arthur McNeil, Arthur 69Ch.13 A theoretical framework for teaching Chinese- English/English-Chinese translation to tertiary students: the use of 'foreign translation theories' for 'domestic' purposes through S.E.A.S. Ngan, Heltan Ngan, Heltan Kong, Judy Kong, Judy 199Ch.6 Exponents of repair and other interactional features in small group work Martyn, Elaine Martyn, Elaine 87Introduction Nunan, David Nunan, David Berry, Roger Berry, Roger Berry, Vivien Berry, Vivien iCh.10 Coherence rating: what goes on in the raters' minds? Wong, Grace Wong, Grace 149Ch.1 How aware should language aware teachers and learners be? Carter, Ronald Carter, Ronald 1Ch.2 Using thematic organisation for evaluating school children's written narratives Ghadessy, Mohsen Ghadessy, Mohsen 17Ch.3 Why 'often' isn't 'always' Allison, Desmond Allison, Desmond 3

Bringing about change in language education

Includes bibliographical references.Vol. 1 of selected papers originally presented at the International Language in Education Conference held at the University of Hong Kong, 14-16 December 1994.published_or_final_versionCh.7 Towards a broader view of authenticity in the language classroom: a discussion papaer Galien, Patricia Galien, Patricia Bowcher, Wendy L. Bowcher, Wendy L. 103Introduction Nunan, David Nunanm David Berry, Roger Berry, Roger Berry, Vivien Berry, Vivien iCh.1 The more things change, the more they stay the same: or why action research doesn't work Nunan, David Nunan, David 1Ch.2 Helping teachers change the language of the classroom: lessons from in-service teacher education Hoare, Philip Hoare, Philip Kong, Stella Kong, Stella 21Ch.3 Assessment and change in the classroom Berry, Vivien Berry, Vivien Falvey, Peter Falvey, Peter Nunan, David Nunan, David Burnett Martin Burnett, Martin Hunt, John Hunt, John 31Ch.4 The examination-classroom backwash cycle: some historical cases Spolsky, Bernard Spolsky, Bernard 55Ch.5 Washback or washout? The relationship between examination reform and curriculum innovation Andrews, Stephen Andrews, Stephen 67Ch.6 Methodology washback - an insider's view Lam, Hiu -por Lam, Hiu-por 83Ch.8 Reading and problem solving: the interaction of individual differences and task types Storey, Peter Storey, Peter 121Ch.9 Willingness to communicate among Hong Kong students Asker, Barry Asker, Barry 149Ch.10 Implementing quality in ESP training: experiences from the Hong Kong Vocational English programme Bilbow, Grahame T. Bilbow, Grahame T. 161Ch.11 Assessing corporate foreign language needs: creating a language auditing toolkit adequate to meet international and cross-cultural needs Reeves, Nigel Reeves, Nigel 171Ch.12 Mother tongue education in a multilingual, multicultural society: the Malaysian Chinese experience in the 1990s Ng, Kwei-kuen Ng, Kwei-kuen 183Ch.13 The quantum leap: from essay to thesis Cooley, Linda Cooley, Linda Lewkowicz, Jo Lewkowicz, Jo 201Ch.14 Dialogue journals and course evaluation Shaw, Jonathon Shaw, Jonathon Clayton, Terry Clayton, Terry 21

Exploring Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy: A Social Constructivist Approach to Understanding Effective Practices

Exploring teachers’ levels of assessment literacy in terms of their previous assessment experiences may help teacher educators to better understand the factors which promote or prevent effective assessment, thus contributing to more targeted and empowering teacher education. The research presented in this paper adopts a social constructivist model of learning and meaning-making, with the language classroom representing the community of practice. The first phase of the project consisted of interviews with teachers, in which they were invited to estimate their understanding of individual components of the assessment process and indicate how much they would like to learn about each. Classroom observations then took place followed by post-observation, reflective interviews. Finally, focus group discussions were conducted with further groups of experienced teachers. Four key findings are presented, highlighting the considerable differences in understanding which exist between teachers and those who research and write about language testing/assessment

Exploring the use of video-conferencing technology in the assessment of spoken language: a mixed-methods study

This research explores how internet-based video-conferencing technology can be used to deliver and conduct a speaking test, and what similarities and differences can be discerned between the standard and computer-mediated face-to-face modes. The context of the study is a high-stakes speaking test, and the motivation for the research is the need for test providers to keep under constant review the extent to which their tests are accessible and fair to a wide constituency of test takers. The study examines test-takers’ scores and linguistic output, and examiners’ test administration and rating behaviors across the two modes. A convergent parallel mixed-methods research design was used, analyzing test-takers’ scores and language functions elicited, examiners’ written comments, feedback questionnaires and verbal reports, as well as observation notes taken by researchers. While the two delivery modes generated similar test score outcomes, some differences were observed in test-takers’ functional output and the behavior of examiners who served as both raters and interlocutors

Beyond surveys: An approach to understanding effective classroom assessment practices

The aim of this project was to provide teachers with training materials that meet their actual, specified needs, based on interviews, classroom observations and focus-group discussions. Findings from the study reveal there are large differences in understanding between teachers and those who research and write about teachers’ language assessment literacy. We conclude by showing an example of materials produced, which were specifically requested by teachers to develop their understanding of the CEFR and its levels

Exploring teachers’ language assessment literacy: a social constructivist approach to understanding effective practice

Jones and Saville (2016) assert that the two key purposes of assessment are to promote learning and to measure and interpret what has been learned. In terms of classroom assessment, this implies that teachers have a central role to play in planning and/or implementing appropriate assessment procedures to monitor and evaluate student progress in their classrooms. But teachers’ attitudes and beliefs, based on their own experiences of assessment, exert a powerful role in shaping their decisions, judgements and behaviour (Borg, 2006). Exploring teachers’ levels of assessment literacy in terms of their own assessment experiences may help teacher educators to better understand the factors which promote or prevent effective assessment, thus contributing to more targeted and empowering teacher education. The research to be discussed in this presentation adopts a social constructivist model of learning and meaning-making, with the language classroom representing the community of practice. Drawing on Davies’ (2008) components of assessment literacy Skills, Knowledge and Principles, Phase 1 of the project consisted of interviews with teachers in which they were invited to estimate their understanding of the individual components of the assessment process and indicate how much they would like to learn about each. Classroom observations then took place which focused on teachers' actual assessment practices, followed by post-observation, reflective interviews. Finally, focus group discussions were conducted with further groups of experienced teachers, which confirmed the findings from Phase 1. Four key findings will be presented relating to teachers’: 1) previous training in assessment; 2) attitudes to language testing and associated theory; 3) understanding of assessment in its broader sense; 4) understanding of ‘language assessment literacy’. It would seem that there are considerable differences in understanding between teachers and those who research and write about language testing/assessment, which may have important implications for the development of future teacher education courses

Mind the gap – bringing teachers into the language literacy debate

Teachers’ attitudes and beliefs are frequently cited as exerting a powerful role in shaping their decisions, judgements and behaviour (Borg, 2006; Kagan, 1992). Consequently, exploring teachers’ levels of assessment literacy may help teacher educators to better understand the factors which promote or prevent effective assessment, and thus contribute to more targeted teacher education. Much previous research into teachers’ assessment literacy has relied on survey data (Fulcher 2012, Plake & Impara 2002)). The research to be discussed in this presentation focuses on the sociocultural context in relation to actual assessment literacy practices in the language classroom, since an investigation into what is happening in classes may be of little value without exploring why it is happening. With the exception of a case study following three Chinese University teachers (Xu 2015), no teachers have been asked directly about their attitudes to assessment or their specific training needs. This project sought to bring teachers more directly into the assessment literacy debate in order to provide them with training materials which meet their actual stated needs. The initial phase of the project consisted of a series of interviews and observations of experienced teachers, conducted at the international study centre of a British university. The interviews drew on Davies’ (2008) components of assessment literacy which, following Stiggins (1991, 1997) he defined as Skills + Knowledge but with the important addition of Principles. In the interviews, teachers were invited to estimate their understanding of the components of the assessment process and asked to indicate how much they would like to learn about each individual component. Observations were then conducted which focused on teachers’ assessment practices in the classroom. Post-observation interviews were subsequently conducted with the teachers, in which they were asked to reflect on their observed classroom practice. In the second phase of the project, focus group discussions were held with experienced teachers at teaching centres attached to a major international organisation in two European countries. These teachers taught a variety of different English language classes across a range of ages and proficiency, including kindergarten, elementary, secondary and tertiary level students, plus special-purpose classes for organisations. These discussions confirmed the findings from the initial phase of the project, culminating in the creation of a set of on-line training materials. Four key findings from the project will be presented relating to the teachers’: 1) previous training in assessment; 2) attitudes to language testing and associated theory; 3) understanding of assessment in its broader sense; 4) understanding of ‘language assessment literacy’. From this research it would seem that the gap between teachers and those who research and write about language testing is considerable. This research project sought to narrow the gap by giving teachers a stronger voice in the debate, which, in turn, may have important implications for the development of future teacher training courses

Singing from the same hymn sheet? What language assessment literacy means to teachers

This proposal focuses on a project which investigated language assessment literacy practices in the classroom. The project sought to bring teachers more directly into the assessment literacy debate and provide them with training materials which meet their stated needs. With the exception of a single case study following three Chinese University teachers (Xu 2015), no teachers have been asked directly about their attitudes to assessment or their specific training needs Exploring teachers’ current levels of assessment literacy may help teacher educators to better understand the factors which promote or prevent effective assessment, and thus contribute to more targeted teacher education. However, an investigation into what is happening in classes may be of little value without exploring why it is happening. Teachers’ attitudes and beliefs are frequently cited as exerting a powerful role in shaping their decisions, judgments and behaviour (see for example: Borg, 2006; Kagan, 1992). The first part of the project was based on interviews and observation. The interviews drew on Davies’ (2008) categories of testing knowledge. He defines these as skills, knowledge and principles. The interviews asked teachers to estimate their understanding of components of the assessment process and asked them to indicate how much they would like to learn about an individual component. Observations were conducted which focussed on teacher assessment practices. Post-observation interviews were conducted with the teachers. The observations and interviews were conducted at the international study centre of a British university. Focus group discussions were held at two teaching centres attached to a major international organisation overseas. These served to confirm the earlier findings. The project culminated in the creation of a set of on-line training materials. The presentation will describe the project, its findings and conclude with a discussion of the training materials

Assessment: attitudes, practices and needs

This presentation was delivered as a webinar. The webinar was organised by British Council Wider Europe and was available in 15 countries across the region

What do teachers really want to know about assessment?

This presentation will focus on a project which sought to bring teachers more directly into the assessment literacy debate and provide them with training materials which meet their stated needs. With the exception of a single case study following three Chinese University teachers (Xu, 2015), no teachers have been asked directly about their attitudes to assessment or their specific training needs. Following an earlier study which relied on survey data from teachers (Berry and O’Sullivan, 2015), the first part of this project was based on interviews and observations. The interviews drew on Davies’ (2008) categories of testing knowledge, defined as skills, knowledge and principles. In the interviews, teachers were asked to estimate their understanding of components of the assessment process and then to indicate how much they would like to learn about an individual component. Observations were conducted which focused on teachers’ assessment practices. Post-observation interviews were then conducted with the teachers. The observations and interviews were conducted at the international study centre of a British university and the focus group discussions were held at teaching centres attached to a major international organisation overseas. A workshop was also conducted at a major international conference with teachers from many parts of the world. These all served to confirm the earlier findings. The outcome of the project was the creation of a set of on-line training materials for teachers. This presentation will describe the project its findings and conclude with a discussion of the training materials developed. Audience feedback will be welcome