Teachers' Decision-making in EFL, Classroom Assessments

Teachers' Decision-making in EFL, Classroom Assessments

Teachers spend a great deal of time with assessment, and they see the task as inevitable in school systems for many reasons. This study examines what factors influence EFL college teachers in making decisions for their classroom assessment practices. Two English teachers at the college level were interviewed and their cases were analyzed for the following research themes: teacher beliefs and values, classroom realities, and classroom goals. First, the findings indicated that the important teacher beliefs that influence decision-making in assessment include a larger philosophy of teaching and learning, wanting students to succeed, engaging and motivating students to learn, and promoting student understanding and mastery. Next, along with inadequate home environments, teachers were under great pressure to account for limited effort/inappropriate attitudes and behaviors of students. and for curriculum demands at school. The main feature of the assessment practice is that teachers are in a constant process of reaching reasonable decisions on classroom assessments, as well as reaching a balance between their beliefs about education and learning and the realities of their classroom environments. This understanding will suggest positive actions that can improve assessment practices.