Conceptions of Assessment Among Pakistani Teachers of English: Implications for Policy and Professional Development

Abstract

In this study, we investigated conceptions of assessment among 735 English language teachers from different educational institutions and levels across Pakistan, with most holding a master’s degree. Using a validated inventory (Brown, 2006) administered through a random sampling technique, we explored the alignment between teachers’ assessment conceptions, rooted in socio-cognitive contexts, and the prevailing language policies enforced by educational authorities. Derived from the Structural Equating Model, our findings indicated that, despite the significant correlations between perceptions of student accountability and improvement (r = .92) and between school accountability and both student accountability (r = .59) and improvement (r = .55), the statistical and practical discrepancies in the loadings of factors and indicators limited the applicability and construct validity of the original inventory within the Pakistani context. These differences highlighted the mismatch between how assessments are perceived and how they are applied on the ground. In order to resolve inequities and provide teachers with greater professional support, we recommended policymakers recalibrate current assessments to address disparities and better support teachers professionally. The study contributed to the broader discourse on language classroom practices, suggesting pathways for further investigations so that educational outcomes could be maximized within socio-cognitive environments.

Keywords

• Assessment
• Student & teacher accountability
• Improvement
• Irrelevance
• Structural Equating Model