Teacher Beliefs And Practices For An English Language Achievement Test

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative diagnostic stage of an action research study whose purpose is to improve the language assessment literacy (LAL) of English teachers at a Colombian language institute. A questionnaire, interviews and document analyses were used to inquire into the beliefs and practices in the design of an achievement test. Findings suggest that these teachers believe tests should have core qualities, which are partially mirrored in their practices. Finally, the research highlights that beliefs and practices in test design have a dynamic relationship. Conclusions are based on the nature of findings as informative for professional development experiences in LAL.

Keywords

• beliefs
• communicative competence
• language assessment literacy
• testing practices
• test qualities