An Investigation into Approaches to Language Skills Assessment at Universities in Kurdistan Region

Abstract

This study, an extract from a PhD dissertation, explores the effectiveness of assessment practices employed by EFL teachers from English departments at public universities in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The primary aim is to determine whether the assessment practices align with Assessment for Learning (AfL) or Assessment of Learning (AoL). To address this, the study examines the assessment methods, purposes, and procedures used by teachers in language skills classes by employing a mixed-method approach, incorporating teacher questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The findings reveal a blend of AfL and AoL practices among Kurdish EFL teachers, with a stronger emphasis on AoL. The study concludes with recommendations for enhacing assessment practices to better support learning outcomes in Kurdish EFL classes. The teachers’ positive perspectives on the role of assessment in improving learning and the predominant use of AfL in areas such as having formative purposes, providing descriptive feedback, using collaborative activities and authentic tasks, and ensuring clarity and transparency in learning objectives suggests a commitment to supporting continuous learning and student engagement. This finding aligns with the results found in Ho (2015) in which Vietnamese teachers implemented AfL procedures to some extent through the use of questioning and feedback. However, it contracts with Ho (2015) in that observation and peer assessment were also used to enhance the potential effectiveness of AfL in improving student learning. On the contrary, some principles of AfL used by the teachers in the current study were more conceptual than actual and do not fully align with the AfL principles in theory, which is similar to the findings of Yılmazer and Özkan (2017).