Language Assessment Practices of In-Service English Language Teachers at Pakistani Universities

Abstract

This research study explores the language assessment practices of teachers of English language courses taught at undergraduate level in Pakistani universities. The study aimed (1) to find which language skills and aspects are mostly assessed in practice; (2) to find the teachers’ practices in using test items to assess English language; and (3) to see the types of assessment tools frequently used for language assessment by in-service Pakistani universities’ teachers of English. Using convenient purposive sampling technique, the data was collected through a questionnaire with constructed response items from 104 in-service university teachers of English language courses. The frequencies of responses were calculated with the help of SPSS. The findings indicate that teachers assess writing skills more than other language skills through short-answer and long-answer questions. The findings also show that Pakistani teachers’ assessment practices involve utilization of limited assessment techniques and test items that are mostly traditional in nature. Use of limited alternative assessment types is also noticed with projects and oral presentations as the most frequently used forms. Assessment of listening skills seems compromised in this scenario. There is a need to expand the scope of language teachers’ assessment practices by utilizing the full range of assessment tools and techniques in assessing the language proficiency of the learners within the contemporary context of language use to make the language assessment process more reliable.