ABSTRACT
This qualitative research was conducted to determine the English teachers’ assessment practices in the preparation and administration of formative and summative tests as bases for retooling through training-workshop. Results revealed that the assessment practices in the preparation of formative test were: establish learning objectives, create variety of questions, provide feedback for improvement, and align test with objectives, while for summative test, they were: construct Table of Specifications (TOS), align test with competency, create variety of questions, and set criteria or rubrics for scoring. The assessment practices in the administration of formative test were: provide clear instructions, provide timely and constructive feedback, allot time for learners to finish the test, and maintain conducive environment, while for summative test, they were: have clear and consistent instruction, set norms like “no cheating”, allocate appropriate time, and employ fairness. A training-workshop to retool English teachers was proposed as a result of the study.
Keywords: Assessment Practices, Preparation, Administration, Formative and Summative Tests
INTRODUCTION
Assessment is an essential component of effective teaching and learning, serving as a vital tool for measuring students' understanding, progress, and achievement. Among assessment methods, formative and summative tests are the most common.
While formative assessments provide continuous feedback that assists in improving teaching strategies, summative assessments provide a comprehensive review of what is learned or gained by the learners. Successful assessment depends on the ability of the teacher to plan and execute the tasks properly.
According to Cole in Rader (2019), the classroom teacher is the main assessor, evaluator, and processor of learners’ data. The classroom teacher must therefore design and administer tests that encourages learners’ greater personal investments (Marx; in Rader, 2019).
Additionally, English teachers must possess a strong understanding of assessment principles and employ proper and effective assessment practices in designing and administering tests so that tests are appropriately used.
According to Woods (in Erna, et al., 2018), assessment can often influence the nature of what is taught and how it is taught. But nowadays, the teacher who constructs the test items lacks the techniques and skill in constructing it.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) through DepEd Order No. 8 s. 2015, underlined how crucial classroom assessment is to the execution of the program. Although the DepEd has offered trainings for teacher, through DepEd Memo No. 105, (s. 2016), as well as the regular conduct of School-based In-service Training (INSET), it is still not enough to equip all teachers with sufficient knowledge on test preparation and test administration.
In line with the DepEd programs, the Division of Capiz has also released a Memorandum no. 447 s. 2023, which aimed at providing training to teachers in order to assist them in implementing pedagogy and evaluation procedures that foster higher-order thinking skills (HOTS).
Despite these efforts of the DepEd, the researcher believes that there are still gaps in the context.
In reality, a limited number of teachers were recipients of the training and as a result, many teachers were left untrained and still have difficulty in the test construction. Some teachers are also not aware that the quality of their teaching performance is also revealed by the result of the learners’ test.
The researcher believes that teacher trainings are more important now than ever since educators today are also having a hard time figuring out how to address the learning gaps in their students and get them up to their grade level.
As an English teacher for seven years, the researcher has observed that some teachers have poor assessment practices which resulted in low quality of assessment tools, inaccurate table of specifications, unaligned questions with competencies, late submission of examination tests, and even low performance results of the learners. This scenario opens an avenue for the researcher to dig further into the English teachers’ assessment practices in the preparation and administration of formative and summative tests as bases for retooling teachers through training-workshop. Thus, the researcher embarked on this study.
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