Reconceptualizing language teaching: an in-service teacher education course in uzbekistan

LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT AND TESTING SELF-ASSESSMENT
Name:___________________________________Date:___________
Directions: Complete each of the following items by marking a “T” for 
True or an “F” for False.
_____ I understand and can explain the difference between direct, 
indirect, and semi-direct tests.
_____ I understand and can explain the difference between norm-
referenced and criterion-referenced tests
_____ I understand and can explain the difference between analytic, 
holistic, primary trait and objective scoring of writing (and speaking)…
PEER-ASSESSMENT FOR SPEECHES, CONCLUSION
Speaker’s Name:_____________________________
Yes
No
1.) Does the author (speaker) signal the end of the 
speech?
2.) Is the central idea reinforced by one of the following: 
Summarizing the main points; ending with a quotation; 
making a dramatic statement; or referring to the intro-
duction?
3.) Is the conclusion limited to 5-10 percent of the entire 
speech?
4.) Has the author worked on the language of the con-
clusion in detail?
1) What are the positive qualities of the conclusion?
2) What suggestions do you have for the author?
By including peer-assessments, teachers support inclusive education, 
which enhances students’ involvement and role in classroom assessment. 
Therefore, the two (i.e., self and peer-assessments) are important constitu-
ents in Assessment for Learning. 
Continuous Assessment (CA) – involves a procedure of collecting 
evidence about students’ knowledge and achievements throughout the 

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CHAPTER THREE: LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT/TESTING
course which then results in one final score at the end. CA is different from 
a final achievement test. The final test reflects student performance only 
at the end of the course under certain constrained conditions. One import-
ant features of continuous assessment as a form of assessment is that it al-
lows teachers track the progress of students over a period. Another strong 
quality is that CA results are generated based on various instances, tasks, 
and activities allowing both teachers and students to check and recheck 
strengths and weaknesses. There are two ways of approaching continuous 
assessment in Uzbekistan: accumulation of scores to reach the final top 
and deduction of average results based on all the obtained scores. Teach-
ers have an opportunity to choose which of the assessment instances will 
be recorded and which will not; this choice can even be decided upon 
mutually, among teachers and students. When students are involved in the 
process, assessment can become less intimidating, as they know that they 
have numerous chances to improve their scores. 
ACTION
1) Please discuss the approaches to gather information described 
above by answering the following question: How do you think the ap-
proaches can support teaching and learning in your class? 
2) Also, using your own teaching syllabus, think of the ways you can 
gather information about your students. Explain to a colleague how you 
can use this information?
SUMMARY
Assessment for Learning provides opportunities for both teachers and 
students to form their further path in learning. Used purposefully and pro-
actively, Assessment for Learning can bring about significant changes to all 
stakeholders involved in the assessments. It is important to remember that 
assessment never ceases; it exists in everything a teacher does; in other 
words, anything that is done before and during class sections can provide 
valuable information to a teacher to act upon.
HOMEWORK TASK ELEVEN
Based on what you have learned in this section, develop or choose an 
available diagnostic assessment tool that will measure the concepts you 
want to teach in the lesson plan that you chose in Homework Task. Thus, 
explain the brief diagnostic assessment you will use to measure the con-

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RECONCEPTUALIZING LANGUAGE TEACHING
structs BEFORE the class. Finally, explain how you will use the information 
to make informed decisions about your lesson plan (2 pages total).
RESOURCES