Tímarit um menntarannsóknir - 01.01.2009, Síða 122

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Tímarit um menntarannsóknir, 6. árgangur 2009
showed that teachers did not look toward the
National Curriculum for direction in regard
to assessment. Teachers felt free to make their
own decisions about assessment although the
majority of them referred to their own school’s
assessment policy, which allowed them
considerable freedom in terms of assessment
methods and materials.
The data from Icelandic studies tend to
confirm that written tests are the dominant form
of assessment in most compulsory schools.
In the 2006 evaluation of English teaching,
the majority of the teachers in grades 9 and
10 used written tests at the end of term and
less formal types of assessment periodically
during the term, such as workbook work,
written assignments, quizzes and classroom
participation. Oral tests or activities were very
seldom used (Lovísa Kristjánsdóttir et al.,
2006).
Helga Sigurjónsdóttir (2006) looked at what
skills were focused on in written tests in
grade 10. Teachers generally tested reading
comprehension, grammar, writing, and content
from the textbook. Homework, classroom
participation, and behavior were also aspects
that teachers included in assessment in English.
Only one teacher in the study reported using
pupil diaries and portfolio assessment as a part
of the overall assessment.
The most recent study of English language
assessment was done by Lilja Jóhannsdóttir
(2008) as a part of her M. Ed. thesis. She
surveyed a volunteer sample of grade 8
English teachers (N=39) with a questionnaire
about teaching and assessment practices. The
findings of the study show once again the
strong preference for written exams and the
very limited use of oral activities such as oral
tests, conversations or oral presentations for
assessment. Listening and writing tasks were
used for assessment but very few teachers used
methods such as pupil diaries, portfolios, and
peer or self-assessment.
The focus of written tests reported by the
teachers was mostly on reading comprehension
and content from the textbook. The most
typically used test items for testing reading and
writing were gap-filling exercises, multiple
choice questions and short writing activities.
Translation activities were seldom used (Lilja
Jóhannsdóttir, 2008).
Lilja attempted to ascertain to what extent
assessment was formative and motivating for
pupils by exploring the types of grading and
feedback teachers used. A majority of the
teachers gave grades based on the number of
correct rather than incorrect answers. However,
scoring rubrics which describe performance
criteria and give examples of acceptable work
were seldom used (Lilja Jóhannsdóttir, 2008).
It seems to be common practice at the
compulsory level to include aspects that can
hardly be seen as language skills as part of
the language assessment (Erna I. Pálsdóttir,
2007; Guðfinna Gunnarsdóttir, 2005; Lilja
Jóhannsdóttir, 2008). These aspects usually
concern pupils’ attitudes and behavior. The
majority of the grade 8 teachers in Lilja’s study
included pupils’ work habits and classroom
participation in their overall assessment and, to
some extent, aspects such as creativity, initiative,
progress, social skills, and cooperation.
Apparently, teachers are not in the habit of
giving separate grades for these aspects.
Teachers’ opinions regarding the main
objectives of assessment were in line with those
discussed in the National Curriculum Guide,
in other words, to obtain information about
learner’s language progress, to inform learners
about their learning, give them feedback, and
to determine learner strengths and weaknesses
(Lilja Jóhannsdóttir, 2008). However, the
study did not determine whether teachers’
assessments fulfilled these objectives.
As stated earlier, the National Curriculum
Guide stresses that formal assessment is
inappropriate in the lower grades of compulsory
school. There is no mention of assessment with
reference to English in grades 1-3 but in grade
4 teachers are instructed to encourage pupils
and praise them for what they can do with
the language. In grades 5-7 the curriculum
guide emphasizes that assessment should be
Samúel Lefever