<p>Even though assessment constitutes an essential component of any educational process, pre-service and in-service teachers at large seem to ignore its multiple implications and manifestations. Assessment continues to be regarded mainly as the summative evaluation which informs teachers of students´ success or failure in their learning process based on a numeric scale. This narrowed approach may be due in part to the lack of preparation and training both in teacher education programs and professional development programs. It is the aim of this paper thus to raise awareness of the relevance of Assessment Literacy (henceforth AL) in the field of English language teaching by re-examining some definitions of assessment, reviewing various studies in the area, analysing some models and alternatives for the evaluation and development of AL in English language teaching, and finally, offering conclusions and recommendations for the development of AL among prospective and in-service teachers so that they can better serve the needs of their students and their institutions.</p>

<p>This qualitative descriptive study aimed to ascertain the extent to which classroom management constituted a problem among pre-service foreign language teachers in a teacher education program at a public university in Colombia. The study also sought to identify classroom management challenges, the approaches to confronting them, and the alternatives for improving pre-service teachers’ classroom management skills. The results revealed that classroom management is a serious problem with challenges ranging from inadequate classroom conditions to explicit acts of misbehavior. Establishing rules and reinforcing consequences for misbehavior were the main approaches to classroom management, although more contact with actual classrooms and learning from experienced others were alternatives for improving classroom management skills.</p><p>Este estudio cualitativo descriptivo buscó determinar en qué medida el manejo de clase constituye un problema para docentes practicantes de lenguas extranjeras en un programa de licenciatura en inglés en una universidad pública Colombiana. El estudio buscó identificar los desafíos de manejo de clase, el enfoque para afrontarlos, y las alternativas para mejorarlos. Los resultados revelaron que el manejo de clase es un problema serio que va desde condiciones inadecuadas del salón hasta actos explícitos de indisciplina. Establecer reglas y consecuencias por indisciplina fueron el principal enfoque de manejo de clase mientras que mayor contacto con sitios de práctica y aprender de otros con experiencia fueron alternativas de mejoramiento.</p>

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This review examines studies in the area of classroom management in foreign language education. It is organized into three large areas: The first area focuses on the distinctive characteristics of foreign language instruction that are more likely to impact classroom management in foreign language classes. The second area provides a description of classroom management issues that foreign language teachers usually encounter in their practice; and the third area centers on the different alternatives to reduce the negative impact of classroom management on foreign language classes. Conclusions suggest a need for more research particularly on the relationship between classroom management and aspects such as target language use and teaching methods.Key words: Foreign language instruction, classroom management, target language use.Esta revisión examina estudios en el área del manejo de clase en la educación en lenguas extranjeras. Está organizada en tres áreas: La primera aborda las características particulares de la instrucción en lenguas extranjeras que más impactan el manejo de clase. La segunda describe aspectos del manejo de clase que docentes de lenguas extranjeras usualmente encuentran en su práctica; y la tercera presenta alternativas para reducir el impacto negativo del manejo de clase en el área de lenguas extranjeras. Las conclusiones sugieren más investigación particularmente sobre la relación entre el manejo de clase y el uso de la lengua extranjera y métodos de enseñanza.Palabras clave: instrucción en lenguas extranjeras, manejo de clase, uso de la lengua objeto de estudio.

This article offers a review of 25 empirical studies to identify the areas and findings of professional development initiatives for in-service English teachers in Colombia. The reviewed studies suggest that language teacher professional development has focused on six major areas: language proficiency, research skills and reflective practice, teachers’ beliefs and identities, an integrated approach to teacher professional development, pedagogical skills and teaching approaches, and emerging technologies. Results suggest that there is a need to move from traditional master-apprentice, content-oriented, teacher-centered models of professional development towards initiatives that allow teachers to critically analyze their particular context and needs, and devise their own local alternatives so that they can become more active agents of their own process of change. Issues that constitute possible alternatives for future research in the professional development of English language teachers are discussed.