Venny Eka Meidasari

The Assessment and Evaluation in Teaching English As A Foreign Language

THE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION IN TEACHING ENGLISH

AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Venny Eka Meidasari
Department of English Education, Faculty of Language & Art
University of Indraprasta PGRI, Indonesia
E-mail: venny_xiaofen@yahoo.com

APA Citation: Meidasari, V. E. (2015). The assessment and evaluation in teaching English as a foreign
language. Indonesian EFL Journal, 1(2), 224-231

Received: 14-11-2014 Accepted: 16-03-2015 Published: 01-07-2015

Abstract: This article is focusing on assessment and evaluation of English as a foreign language
learning (EFL). These are essential components teaching and learning in English language arts. Both
assessment and evaluation are the critical parts of effective literacy development; therefore, it is
important for classroom teachers to know how to evaluate English language learners’ progress.
Without an effective evaluation program it is impossible to know whether students have learned,
whether teaching has been effective, or how best to address student learning needs. The overall goal
of assessment is to improve student learning. Assessment should always be viewed as information to
improve student achievement. One could look at assessment and evaluation as the journey
(assessment) versus the snapshot (evaluation). The assessment and evaluation literacy needs from
the learner’s perspective is also an important part of an instructional program. The needs of
assessment and evaluation process can be used as the basis for developing curricula and classroom
practice that are responsive to learners’ needs. It encompasses both what learners know and can do
and what they want to learn and be able to do. Learners need opportunities to evaluate their progress
toward meeting goals they have set for themselves in learning English.
Key words: assessment, evaluation, foreign language learning, teaching, curriculum

INTRODUCTION Although the terms assessment and

Assessment and evaluation are evaluation are often used interchangeably, in
essential components of teaching and actuality they are two parts of the same process.
learning in English language arts. Without an Assessment is the process of gathering
effective evaluation program it is impossible evidence of what the child can do. Evaluation is
to know whether students have learned, the process that follows this collection of data,
whether teaching has been effective, or how including analysis and reflection, as well as
best to address student learning needs. The decisions based on the data.
quality of the assessment and evaluation in The assessment and evaluation of literacy
the educational process has a profound and needs from the learner’s perspective is an
well-established link to student performance. important part of an instructional program.
Research consistently shows that regular Although they may say they just want to “learn
monitoring and feedback are essential to English,” they frequently have very specific
improving student learning. learning goals and needs; for example, to be able
What is assessed and evaluated, how it to read to their children, speak with their
is assessed and evaluated, and how results children’s teachers, or to get a job. If their needs
are communicated results send clear are not met, they are more likely to drop out
messages to students and others about what than to voice their dissatisfaction. Therefore,
is really valued—what is worth learning, how using informal, self-assessment tools to gauge
it should be learned, what elements of quality learner needs and goals is important. Also
are most important, and how well students important, of course, is using formal assessment
are expected to perform. tools to gauge learner progress.

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The needs assessment and evaluation specifications and content standards, the
process can be used as the basis for content and skill that the item is supposed
developing curricula and classroom practice to measure. If the items require a high
that are responsive to learners’ needs. It level of English proficiency, unrelated to
encompasses both what learners know and the construct as defined, this will likely
can do and what they want to learn and be affect the scores for ELLs as well as
able to do. Learners also need opportunities students in the general population. For
to evaluate what they have learned—to track content area assessments, only include
their progress toward meeting goals they items that require high degrees of English
have set for themselves in learning English. proficiency if they are consistent with the
assessment specifications. Examples of
METHOD items that require a high degree of English
This is a qualitative research and the proficiency are those that ask examinees
research is all about exploring issues, to identify or provide specific definitions
understanding phenomena, and answering or terminology in English that are
questions aims to gather an in-depth unrelated to the construct, or items that
understanding of human behavior and the are evaluated based on the quality of the
reasons that govern such behavior. The language in a constructed response.
object of the research is undergraduate Item writers and reviewers should
students of Indraprasta University, semester work to ensure that all test items maintain
three. However, the procedure used below is specificity in their match to content
also adjustable for any level of language guidelines. As part of the process of
students. creating and reviewing test material to
ensure that it is appropriate and
Procedure: accessible to examinees, it is important
1. Planning the assessment that item developers, state content review
In planning assessments to be taken staff, and state review committees analyze
by the general student population, each item critically to ensure that it only
including ELLs (English Language learner), measures the intended construct.
the general principles of good assessment
practices apply. Defining expectations
Because ELLs—just like students in
Test purpose the general population—come from a
The purpose of a test must be clear in wide variety of cultural and educational
order for valid interpretations to be made backgrounds, item writers should not
on the basis of the test scores. Tests have assume that students have had any
different purposes. For example, one test previous experience with given tasks. For
may be used to evaluate students’ example, students should be told explicitly
readiness to advance to the next grade, what type of response is acceptable for a
while another evaluates students’ need for constructed-response question, whether it
remediation. It is also important to outline is a paragraph, complete sentence, list,
the specific interpretations that will be diagram, mathematical equation, and so
made based on the scores. For example, on. Likewise, the criteria for the evaluation
tests used as a criterion for high school of the response should be made clear to
graduation will affect students differently the student. As this may add a significant
than tests designed to inform instructional reading load to the directions, information
decisions. about how responses will be scored may
be especially helpful if students receive it
2. Developing test items and scoring criteria prior to the test.
Matching the task to the purpose
The first step in developing a test
item should be to link, directly to the test

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The Assessment and Evaluation in Teaching English As A Foreign Language

Using accessible language in groups (each group consisting of

Using clear and accessible language is a four or five participants) and plan and
key component of minimizing construct- prepare lessons for peer/team
irrelevant variance. However, do not teaching with the help of a supervisor.
simplify language that is part of the  The second phase is peer teaching,
construct being assessed (e.g., the passages where trainees teach sections of their
on a reading comprehension test or prepared lessons to their fellow
challenging vocabulary that is part of the students who act as students. The
construct of a subject area test). In other lessons are observed by a trainer or
cases, though, the language of presentation guest observer; and are followed by a
should be as simple and clear as possible. feedback session.
Some general guidelines for using accessible  The third phase is ‘real teaching’
language are provided below: where participants teach a lesson
 Use vocabulary that will be widely with a group of proficiency course
accessible to students. Avoid learners, and the lessons are
colloquial and idiomatic expressions, observed by a trainer and followed by
words with multiple meanings, and a feedback session.
unduly challenging words that are not
part of the construct. Strategies for Collecting Data
 Keep sentence structures as simple as The assessment/evaluation process
possible to express the intended involves the use of multiple sources of
meaning. For ELLs, a number of information collected in a variety of contexts.
simple sentences are often more At the primary level, this research uses
accessible than a single more complex observation, work samples, and self-
sentence. evaluation as tools in the process of
 Avoid use of negatives and assessment and evaluation.
constructions utilizing not in the
questions’ stems and options as they a) Observation
can cause confusion, especially for Observation is the careful
ELLs. consideration and analysis of students’
 When a fictional context is necessary behavior and performance based on a broad
(e.g., for a mathematics word range of contexts. In order to use observation
problem), use a simple context that effectively, teachers need to know a lot about
will be familiar to as wide a range of students, language, and how students learn
students as possible. language, and they need to be able to
 A school based context will often be interpret what they are observing.
more accessible to ELLs than a home- Students demonstrate what they
based context. think, know, and can do as they engage in
various classroom activities that require the
Technique application of language processes and
Divide the course into three phases: learning strategies. Teachers can learn a great
 The first phase consists of sessions on deal about students by observing them
effective teaching and introduction to engaged in such processes as reading, writing,
Communicative Language Teaching and interacting with others.
(CLT); skills and sub skills of listening, Teachers who have not been
speaking, reading and writing; accustomed to using observation as an
grammar; vocabulary; Classroom assessment tool are sometimes uncertain
management, educational technology about what they should be looking for. The
and assessment. The sessions are key-stage and specific curriculum outcomes
conducted daily from 10 am to 5 pm. provide a framework for teachers to use in
After the sessions, participants work their observations.

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b) Gathering observational data Important and relevant information can

To make classroom observation also be gathered more incidentally. Teachers can
manageable and effective, teachers need to also gather important data about students’
focus their observations. Many teachers attitudes, understandings, and knowledge
develop a systematic, rotational schedule. As through questioning students and talking with
well, they might choose a particular focus for them. Although students may know or be able to
their observations in each of these contexts do more than they put into words, conferences
as they work through their class. and other forms of dialogue can provide a wealth
of information about students and their learning.
Languages of Education Portfolio

Aims:
 to provide a record of achievement in all languages of education
 to provide evidence of developing language competences needed for democratic
citizenship
 to motivate learners to extend their range of language competences
 to ensure that the language needs of all pupils are being addressed

Introductory profile of developing

competence in a range of languages –
linked to other assessment outcomes.

Language Other
Across Language as School Subject (LS) Languages
Curriculum (FL etc.)
(LAC) Examples:
Reading log incorporating literature and A variety of
Evidence of non-fiction; evidence of reading for specific test
language different purposes; writing samples; video results both local
competence clip of discussion of literary texts; self- and national.
from other Evidence of
assessment.
subjects: e.g. achieving
video clip of threshold
presentation in competences
geography; Language Biography through
discursive recognized
writing in Personal language autobiography incorporating reporting
history; meta-cognition of language processes – dialect and mechanisms.
technical report accent, language and identity, etc. Details of
from science. certificates,
diplomas etc.

Additional Evidence

Waldemar Martyniuk, Waldemar, et. al. (2007).

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The Assessment and Evaluation in Teaching English As A Foreign Language

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION b) What is Needs Evaluation and Assessment?

Teachers of language as school Needs assessments and evaluation
subject are sometimes hostile to the idea of with adult English language learners examine
large-scale or formal testing on the grounds the following aspects from the perspective of
that it diminishes the subject and ignores the the learner:
significance of context. This view needs to be  English language proficiency
considered.  Native language literacy
a) Basic Principles of Assessment/Evaluation  Literacy contexts in which the learner
 The primary purpose of assessment lives and works
and evaluation is to inform teaching  Learner need for native language
and to promote and encourage translation or aid of an interpreter
learning—to promote optimal  Learner wants and needs for
individual growth. In order to provide functioning in specified contexts
information vital to the teachers,  Learner expectations from the
assessment and evaluation must be instructional program
an ongoing and integral part of the The needs assessment and evaluation
teaching/learning process. It is one process focuses and builds on learners’
continuous cycle consisting of accomplishments and abilities rather than
collecting data, interpreting data, deficits, allowing learners to articulate and
reporting information, and making display what they already know (Holt and
application to teaching. Van Duzer, 2000). It is a continual process
 Assessment and evaluation must be and takes place throughout the instructional
consistent with beliefs about program. The process can influence student
curriculum and classroom practices, placement, materials selection, curriculum
and clearly reflect the various design, and instructional practice (TESOL,
outcomes of the Kindergarten–3 2003).
English language arts curriculum, At the beginning of the program,
including those areas that cannot needs assessment and evaluation might be
easily be assessed with pencil and used to determine course content, while
paper (e.g., processes, attitudes, and during the program, it assures that learner
values). goals and program goals are being met and
 The assessment/evaluation process allows for necessary program changes. At the
involves the use of multiple sources of end of the program, needs assessment and
information collected in a variety of evaluation can be used for planning future
contexts. In order to make decisions directions for the learners and the program
about any aspect of a child’s learning, (Marshall, 2002). These same tools also may
the teacher observes evidence of that be used as a way to measure progress at the
learning at different times, in end of the year. However, for reporting
different contexts, and in different outcomes to funders and external
ways. No one single behavior, stakeholders, standardized assessments must
strategy, activity, or test can provide a be used.
comprehensive picture of a child’s
learning. c) The Findings
 The assessment/evaluation process Utilizing First Language (L1:
recognizes learners as active partners Indonesia) as a facilitating device for EFL
in their own learning and in the reading class is presented in the findings in
evaluation of that learning. Students this study. Questionnaires were distributed
are encouraged to reflect on their to 117 students that are shown in Table 1
own growth, considering progress, below.
strengths and weaknesses, and goals.

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Table 1: Students’ responses to assessment in EFL reading class by utilizing L1

No Question Concerns Yes No
(%) (%)
1 Students’ fondness for English in senior high school. 68 32
2 Students’ difficulties in learning English. 99 1
3 Students’ experience in learning reading by retelling activity in 79 21
Indonesian language in senior high school.
4 Students’ experience in learning reading by retelling activity in 83 17
Indonesian language in senior high school.
5 Students’ easiness to understand a text in retelling activity from 97 3
English text to Indonesian language.
6 Students’ motivation in retelling activity in Indonesian language. 90 10
7 Students’ difficulty in retelling activity using Indonesian language from English text 17 83
to understand text.
8 Students’ easiness in retelling activity from English text by using English to understand 20 80
text.
9 Students’ difficulty in retelling activity by using English 80 20
10 Students’ comprehension on English text by retelling activity by utilizing English. 14 86

Tree questions in behavior aspects recalling reading content. The findings

from question 2, 3, and 4 and seven questions indicated that students’ motivation for RTA
in attitudinal aspects from question 1, 4, 6, 7, by Indonesian language from their easiness in
8, 9, and 10 were equipped with reasons of EFL text understanding.
each except question 2 and 4 due to the Almost all students (83%) stated they
questions purpose for confirmation for did not find difficulties in performing RTA
students’ learning English difficulty and from EFL reading text by Indonesian
retelling activity (RTA). language due to their L1 meaning
Most students (68%) stated they had familiarities.
liked English since senior high school due to Almost all students (80%) stated it
their willingness to be able to speak English was not easy to perform RTA by English
well. Meanwhile some students (32%) stated language due to (1) their ignorance of
they disliked English due to their difficulties vocabulary, pronunciation, and text meaning,
of vocabulary and sentences. (2) their difficulties in text understanding.
Almost all students (99%) stated The findings indicated the students’ learning
English is difficult subject due to their EFL difficulties in performing RTA in
ignorance of vocabulary, pronunciation and linguistic and comprehension.
their difficulties in grammar. Almost all students (80%) stated it
Many students (79%) stated they had was difficult to perform RTA by English due
been familiar with RTA since senior high to (1) their difficulties in translating and
school school. Most students (83%) stated it understanding text and memorizing text (2)
was not their first time to perform RTA by their ignorance of vocabulary and
EFL use. These findings showed that RTA in pronunciation.
EFL reading learning was not a strange Almost all students (86%) stated RTA
teaching technique for them. by English did not show their text
All students (97%) stated RTA by understandings due to their ignorance of
Indonesian language provided them with vocabulary, words, text meaning and content.
easiness in understanding English reading
text due to their L1 familiar meaning as an Semi-structure interviews were
easier way to understand English reading text conducted to focused group interview which
than EFL use. consisted of six students. Two aspects of
Almost all students (90%) stated RTA interview questions, in which question 2 in
by Indonesian language provided them with behavior aspect and questions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6
high motivation due to their easiness in

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in attitudinal aspects, were analyzed by coding technique that are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Students’ responses to assessment in EFL reading from interview

No Questions Concern Response Coding
1 Students’ difficulties in text Yes. The students’ difficulty in meaning, X Difficult
understanding vocabulary, and text understanding. -Easy
- Other
2 Students’ experience about retelling I ever joined retelling activities when I X Ever
activity in EFL reading was in senior high school -Never
-Other
3 Students’ easiness in retelling I felt easy to retell activity in Indonesian X Easy
activities in Indonesian language language because it would be easy to -Difficult
understand text. -Confused
4 Students’ difficulties in retelling I feel difficult to retell activities in English -Easy
activity in English language because I found that vocabulary and X Difficult
pronunciation were difficult so that I could -Strange
not speak English fluently

5 Students’ comprehension in retelling I could not understand it because I did not -Comprehend
activity in English language. know the meaning and the story content, X Not
comprehend
-Confused
-Other

6 Students’ preference retelling activity I prefer Indonesian language because I -English

in Indonesian or English language. could comprehend the text easily X Indonesian
-Other.

Students’ text understanding by Indonesian language due to their L1

difficulties revealed that they still found it meaning familiarities and text understanding.
hard to comprehend EFL reading text due Students’ difficulties in RTA by
their difficulty in vocabulary, meaning, and English language revealed that they found it
text understanding. These findings were more difficult to perform RTA by English
confirmed by questionnaire responses which than by Indonesian language due to their
indicated that almost all students (99%) vocabulary, pronunciation, and meaning
found English as a difficult subject due the difficulty. These findings were confirmed
difficulty of vocabulary, pronunciation, and by questionnaire responses which
grammar. indicated that almost all students (80%)
Students’ experiences about RTA in found it not easy to perform RTA by EFL use.
EFL reading class revealed that they had been Students’ comprehension in RTA by
familiar with RTA which were confirmed by English language revealed that RTA by
questionnaire responses indicated almost all English did not show their text
students (83%) found it not strange to understandings due to their ignorance of
perform RTA in EFL reading class. meaning and story content. These findings
Students’ easiness in RTA by were confirmed by questionnaire responses
Indonesian language revealed that RTA by L1 which indicated that almost all students
use provided them with easiness. These (86%) found RTA by English which did not
findings were confirmed by questionnaire show their text understandings due to text
responses indicated that almost all meaning and text understanding difficulties.
students (97%) found it easy to perform RTA Students’ preference for RTA by
Indonesian than by English language revealed

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that they preferred Indonesian language due With regard to EFL learning
to their easiness in text understanding. These classroom interaction, it is suggested that
findings were confirmed by questionnaire English teachers should not force their
responses which indicated that almost all students to fully utilize English in the
students (97%) found it easier to perform learning classroom interaction for checking
RTA by Indonesian than by English language device in EFL classroom to avoid
due to L1 word meaning familiarities. misunderstanding, confusion, and
embarrassment. English teacher should
CONCLUSION employ L1 use to teach poor reader to guide
Assessment is important but it is not their comprehension.
without controversy and it can easily lead to
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