Writing Assessment Literacy: A Study of Formative Assessment Practice Among Wattala International School English Teachers

Abstract

Research into the technicaliti es of Writi ng Assessment Literacy (WAL) is an expanding domain, with many scholars stressing that its complex nature has not been fully developed in both pre- and in-service teachers due to oversights in teacher educati on and professional development. This study used survey data (N=20) and interviews (N=5) to investi gate the practi ces of English language teachers related to formati ve assessment of writi ng in internati onal schools in the Watt ala Divisional Secretariat. The results complement existi ng fi ndings that a majority of teachers mirror summati ve assessments in the practi ce of formati ve writi ng assessment, misrepresent their understanding of rubrics and feedback, and face limitati ons in the eff ecti ve use of assessment results. The study concludes that specialized training in theory and practi ce related to WAL is needed to broaden the scope of classroom assessment methods used by internati onal schoolteachers with focus on alternati ve assessment, transparent feedback practi ces, and purposeful collaborati on between educators.