An analysis of english language testing and evaluation course in English language teacher education programs in Turkey: developing language assessment literacy of pre-service EFL teachers

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2019

Öğrenci: SEVGİ ŞAHİN

Danışman: ÇİLER HATİPOĞLU

Özet:

This thesis aims to draw a detailed portrait of the status quo of English Language Testing and Evaluation Course (ELTEC) in the English Language (EL) Teacher Education Programs in Turkey focusing on the construct of language assessment literacy (LAL) for prospective EFL teachers. To this end, it examines how ELTEC instructors plan, teach, and assess in the ELTEC, the problems encountered; suggestions and solutions to these problems for effective LAL development as well as pre-service EFL teachers' evaluation of their LAL training in the ELTEC. Designed as a convergent parallel mixedmethods research, the data came from 36 ELTEC syllabi, semi-structured interviews with 21 ELTEC instructors, and a LAL training questionnaire administered to 846 pre-service EFL teachers. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS while the qualitative data were analyzed following a multiple-phased systematic content analysis. The findings show that one single language testing and assessment (LTA) course is not sufficient to cover the required theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to effectively develop LAL. In general ELTEC in Turkey reflects the features of summative v assessment rather than formative assessment heavily emphasizing traditional testing tools. The findings also reveal that major learning objectives of the ELTEC are related to contents of test and testing types, assessing language skills and language areas, and principles of a good test with more focus on theoretical aspect of language testing and assessment and less emphasis on its practical aspect especially due to time limitation. Moreover, the pre-service EFL teachers evaluate their LAL training in the ELTEC sufficient in general, however, exhibiting less satisfaction in terms of alternative assessment tools, formative assessment, and assessing productive skills.