Assessment Practices in Primary English Programs

Assessment Practices in Primary English Programs

  The purpose of this study was to explore language assessment practices in primary English as a foreign language (EFL) programs in Korea through the voices of teachers and the eyes of a researcher. The study incorporated teacher interviews, classroom observations, and a collection of assessment materials in three different primary English programs (a public school, a private school, and a private after-school language institute) in Seoul, Korea. Various types of assessment tools including performance assessment (e.g., role-plays, information gaps, observation checklists) and other alternatives (e.g., self-assessment) were found to be the most commonly used in the three institutions. Although traditional paper-pencil tests were used as well, its use seemed very limited. The choice of assessment tools seemed to be affected by English educational goals and class size in each institution.