Teacher Based Assessment

and the Role of the Teacher

Asma Maaoui
(Chalhoub-Deville, 2015, p.15)
Introduction
The “teacher as assessor” (Rea-Dickins, 2004, p. 255) has the dual role of
teaching and assessing language learners

As Brindley (2001) argues, assessment for language teachers is

considered a relatively mysterious professional area that is of “marginal
relevance to everyday classroom concerns” (p. 127).
Llosa, L. (2016). Assessing Students’
Content Knowledge and Language
Proficiency. Language Testing and
Assessment, 1-12.
TBA Research
• The notion of teachers “as agents of assessment” (Rea-Dickins, 2004)
has been rarely addressed in the recent language testing literature
with the exception of research on washback

• research in different educational contexts (cf. Davison, 2004; Davison

& Leung, 2009; Leung & Lewkowicz, 2006) has revealed problems
associated with TBA
• Research on teacher-based assessment (Davison, 2004; Davison &
Leung, 2009; Leung & Lewkowicz, 2006) revealed problems
associated with:
- teachers’ beliefs, attitudes and practices in educational assessment

- This is despite the significant developments in language testing

research and the implementation of highly recognized test design
models (cf. Bachman, 1990; Bachman & Palmer, 1996).
Classroom-Based Assessment

• CBA has grown in a relatively short period, and a small number of

colloquia (e.g., EALTA-CBLA SIG Symposia), edited volumes (e.g.,
Tsagari and Csépes 2011), and research papers (e.g., Hill and
McNamara 2012)
• These studies and publications have addressed a range of CBA
concerns and challenges.
• These illustrate not only the growth of interest in how assessment is
enacted in language classrooms but also broaden the construct of
assessment that recognizes the socially situated nature of assessment
and accept the role of assessment as a pedagogic tool.

• The field of language testing and assessment is beginning to see the

importance of classroom learning contexts and the teacher factor in
providing information to help inform teaching and learning, as well.
 Teachers as Assessors
• Teachers deal with assessment procedures, responsibilities, and
duties in their professional life on a daily basis

• Teachers also develop or adapt scoring schemes for their institution,

region, or country.

• new developments in foreign language teaching require new

assessment competencies of teachers.
A conceptual framework of teacher assessment literacy in practice

(Xu & Brown:2016, p. 155)