The Design and Use of Speaking Assessment Rubrics

Speaking is the most difficult skill to assess objectively and reliably. It involves a combination of different variables that may have no or little correlation with each other, and all of them may need to be assessed separately to avoid or at least to reduce the subjectivity of the assessment. The aim of this study is to investigate the existing practices in design and use of speaking assessment rubrics. It also reveals and discusses the most common rubrics used in international worldwide excepted English language tests, as well as recommendations for the development of the speaking assessment rubrics.  This work is believed to be useful for educators to revise their teaching methodology in order to strengthen the alignment between the students' learning outcomes and the assessment of speaking skills in order to increase the benefit of the assessment data enabling teachers to provide more constructive feedback and support the improvement of the English as a foreign language speaking skills. Keywords: Learning outcomes, rubrics, criteria, assessment, speaking skills, EF

Inquiry-Based Learning Implementation: Students’ Perception and Preference

With a bundle of changes in the new age that has brought considerable challenges to the doorstep of teachers and educators, novel approaches to teaching are now emerging to take on the challenges. Inquiry-based learning (IBL), thanks to its well-rooted fundamentals, can be considered a potential approach to addressing challenges in many effective ways. IBL is a learning and teaching process that focuses on using questions as an initial point in learning; learners are immersed in the process of generating and posing questions to find the truth, information, or knowledge through hands-on activities performed by learners themselves with teachers’ guidance on the side. The primary aim of the present study was to find out learners’ perceptions of IBL implementation. The study exposed 26 Iraqi EFL learners to the approach and investigated the participant’s opinions and perceptions of the approach implementation. To collect data, participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire with particular reference to the effects of IBL on students’ class engagement, prior knowledge activation, student-centered environment promotion, and cultivation of 21st-century skills. Results highlight students’ positive preferences toward IBL implementation

Undergraduate Foreign Language Learners Perspective on Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning has a long history which received contributions from many famous names. Projects are of great importance in the process of education due to the helpful features it provides for the teachers and students. The type of projects used can vary, but that does not change the fact that it can be used by teachers to have students apply the knowledge they have learned. The purpose of this research was to explore the perspectives of students on Project Based Learning to determine whether this method was viewed positively. This study transpired in the Education Departments of Tishk International University in Erbil, Kurdistan. A survey of seven questions was administered in this research, and the total number of 100 surveys was gathered from students of the Tishk International University Education Faculty. The students were members of the English Language Teaching, Biology, Physics, and Math departments and varied within stages, which ranged from 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Their participation in the survey did not affect their grades and was strictly voluntary. The statistics analyzed in this study presented that students perceive Project Based Learning as effective, and the majority recommend this method of teaching and learning

E-Book Reading Genre Preferences of Teachers Teaching in Foreign Languages in Private Schools (Case Study / Iraq)

This study examines the electronic book reading preferences of teachers who teach their subjects in a foreign language in secondary school, high school, and university in terms of different variables. This study examines the teachers' electronic book reading interests, the types of books, and book reading pages regarding gender variables. In the research, a descriptive survey model was used. Descriptive analysis was carried out on large groups. The opinions and attitudes of the individuals in the group were taken, and the facts and events were tried to be described (Karakaya, 2012). The study was carried out with 23 teachers working in 3 different private institutions in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in the 2021-2022 academic year. According to the findings, teachers' e-book reading genres increased in subjects that appealed to their careers. The researchers found that the difference between male and female teachers' book preferences is worth examining. This study explored what types of fiction and nonfiction genres teachers prefer to read digitally when digital reading is popular worldwide. This study is expected to contribute to the subsequent studies in related literature

The Implementation of the Authentic Assessment in EFL Classes in Erbil

To prepare students for their professional life through appropriate instruction and context, the most effective assessment types should be chosen to assess them. So, this study’s aim is to find out how frequently authentic assessment is applied in English foreign language classes in Erbil, Iraq. The major problem is that many teachers and educators complain that the results of examinations and tests are not satisfactory and do not represent the actual level of student’s language proficiency and this is due to inappropriate testing, the lack of alignment between the content, methods of instruction, lack of appropriate equipment and inappropriate classroom environment. This is why it is essential to analyze the current situation – applied assessment practices and the attitude towards authentic assessment, and to develop suitable recommendations for English foreign language teachers and educators. This study used quantitative approach to solve the problem and 95 teachers participated in the survey. The results of the questionnaire show that the significance of authentic assessment is well recognized by the teacher participants, and they try using it like making informal observations in the classroom. But when it comes to applying the formal types of assessment most of the respondents are still using the traditional types of assessment more often. Moreover, results of this research will be significant to helping teachers with implementing authentic assessment more by providing them with appropriate equipment, knowledge, and instructions