Influence of English Language Teachers" Attitudes toward World Englshes on English Language Assessment

Influence of English Language Teachers" Attitudes toward World Englshes on English Language Assessment

  This study aims to identify differences of teachers" attitudes toward World Englishes (WE) for language teaching and language testing, and to investigate their perceptions of various rating criteria for the L2 oral proficiency test. Data were collected through questionnaires from 72 English teachers in the UK, Malaysia, and Japan. The analysis revealed that there are significant differences in their attitudes toward WE among the groups of English teachers depending on their teaching contexts. With regard to the perceptions on rating criteria, it was found that different groups of English teachers considered various rating criteria for the L2 oral proficiency test differently. The English teachers showing negative attitudes toward WE perceive grammar, pronunciation, native-likeness as more important rating criteria than the others such as vocabulary, organization, task fulfillment, and appropriateness for the assessment of non-native speakers" English language oral proficiency compared to the other group of English teachers showing positive attitudes toward WE.