AN INVESTIGATION OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ ASSESSMENT LITERACY IN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

In Kazakhstan, English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers seem to be in a challenging position because of the recent changes in the country’s educational system, which requires teachers to radically change their values and beliefs about good teaching and assessment. In addition, although there is a growing demand to improve the quality of English teaching at schools, limited classroom-based research studies in Kazakhstan have focused on English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL), as well as the relationship between state-funded professional development programmes and teachers’ LAL development is underexplored. It suggests that EFL teachers may lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence when appropriating new assessment strategies in their classroom practices, which can be critical for implementing the envisaged educational changes successfully. Consequently, this research investigates how EFL teachers’ LAL reflects the underpinnings of language assessment reform in the Kazakh context and aims to shed light on how state-funded assessment PD courses impact EFL teachers’ LAL.

In this convergent parallel mixed-methods study, the researcher specifically examined the (a) content of language assessment PD training in Kazakhstan, (b) teachers’ skills and knowledge about language assessment, as well as (c) their beliefs and attitudes about language assessment; in relation to Giraldo’s (2018) descriptions for LAL dimensions, which were employed as the conceptual framework of this study. The study sample consisted of 119 participants in a teacher survey, three participants in teacher interviews, and three EFL teacher training course descriptions. Findings showed that state-funded EFL teacher PD courses (a) primarily focus on sharing assessment knowledge related to the recent school curriculum update (criteria-based assessment, formative and summative assessment), whereas (b) the significant component of LAL, the knowledge that includes applied linguistics such as theories of second language acquisition, critical language testing, and multilingualism, is not present. It suggests that completing the courses does not sufficiently develop the teachers’ LAL. The results echoed in both document analysis, teacher survey and teacher interviews. Finally, the study results indicate the needs of in-service EFL teachers that are not covered in the state PD curriculum and propose various implications and recommendations for developing teacher LAL in Kazakhstan.