Standardized testing is viewed as particularly incompatible to the process of learning due to its summative nature as it measures what students are able to recall and produce. Because of the discrepancy between the process of learning and products of learning, educators today have come to recognize that an alternative form of assessment is required to complement the existing form of assessment. This study intends to determine the techniques ESL teachers use in implementing portfolio as an assessment tool. The techniques ESL teachers employed while implementing the assessment process in the classroom enabled the researchers to propose a model for portfolio assessment. Currently, ESL teachers in Malaysia do not have a specific model or technique to conduct the portfolio assessment process because portfolio is heard of but not widely used. Therefore, this study was carried to scrutinize procedures ESL teachers use as a guide in instructional planning and student evaluation based on their teaching in the L2 classroom. The participants were nine ESL secondary school teachers in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and teachers' individual portfolios were utilized to explore the techniques which served as a guideline for ESL teachers employed for the teaching and learning in the classroom. Findings indicate that the portfolio assessment model developed has provided ESL teachers the opportunity to document individual student's growth. Furthermore, the teachers divulged that teaching is sustained when teaching materials, teaching techniques and assessment techniques were upgraded to help students in achieving the learning outcomes. The results of the study have implications for assessment, teaching and learning of English as a second language.

No abstract

No abstract

The teaching practicum plays an important role in the process of introducing pre-service teachers to the teaching profession which ultimately guides their professional growth. This paper explores and articulates an understanding of the experiences trainees go through during the short 12-week placement in schools. A study was carried out to get insights into the experiences and challenges they go through via the reflections written starting from week 1 until week 10. The trainees were asked to reflect on their experiences based on four categories: 1) teaching and learning, 2) relationship with the school administrator, 3) relationship with the mentor, and 4) relationship with the supervisor. A total of 25 teacher trainees' reflections were analysed and key terms were coded and grouped according to the categories identified. The findings revealed that the teacher trainees' experiences with regard to their teaching practicum were generally positive. However, there were also some inconsistencies found from their writings particularly with their expectations concerning their role in the school and their relationship with their mentors as well as supervisors. The kinds of challenges and unexpected experiences faced ranged from interpersonal to pedagogical issues. Some suggestions on improving the quality of the teaching practicum process within the program are discussed.

No abstract

This article focuses on the use of portfolio as an assessment tool for learning in two Malaysian secondary ESL classrooms. Participants included nine experienced lower and upper secondary school classroom ESL teachers who had utilised portfolio as an assessment tool in their classrooms. A qualitative research design was employed within the interpretive research paradigm as to provide an in-depth description of ESL teachers' understanding of the use of portfolio as an assessment tool in the classroom. The interview data were used for triangulating data obtained from the classroom observations. Data collected through both techniques were transcribed and analyzed manually. The nine ESL teachers reported that student's self-reflection and self-assessment helped them to improve their instruction in the classroom. Moreover, the ESL teachers found students showed progress in learning via supplementary exercises which were assessed and then graded. The teachers disclosed that the core features of a portfolio assessment include purpose, content and structure which were considered crucial to bring about effective results of student learning. The qualitative findings contribute to a better understanding of the use of portfolio as an assessment tool and have some implications for teaching and assessment.

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has emerged as an important domain since mobile devices are widely used by the current generation of learners. This study emphasizes that the successful implementation of MALL for language education relies heavily on its acceptance by teachers. This study intends to investigate the acceptance of using MALL for teaching English among college EFL teachers in China. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a frequently used model in technology acceptance studies for m-learning settings, was adopted in this study. A questionnaire survey was administered to collect data on teachers’ demographic information and acceptance of MALL. The respondents were 30 in-service college-level EFL teachers from universities in Yunnan, China, and the data are analyzed using SPSS. Respondents’ MALL acceptance level, their demographic variables associated with intentions to use MALL, and the relationship of Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEU) with Behavioral Intention (BI) were investigated. The results suggested that Chinese EFL teachers have a rather high level of MALL acceptance. Their BI to use MALL differs according to the teaching experience. Both PU and PEU significantly influenced BI which further predicted the Actual Use (AU) of MALL. The findings of the study provide insights into the usefulness of TAM in predicting the acceptance of MALL among college EFL instructors and may assist in explaining the factors influencing their intentions to utilize mobile technology for language teaching.

No abstract