Training of pre-and in-service teachers constitutes one of the most important aspects in the quality assurance of language testing and assessment (LTA). For instance, foreign language (FL) teachers have to deal with standardised tests as well as their own classroom-based assessment procedures. This means they need the necessary expertise that can be provided by training measures. To gauge the current level of FL teachers in LTA literacy and identify their training needs in this area, data from seven European countries were collected in a mixed-methods study that used questionnaires (n = 853) and qualitative data from teacher interviews (n = 63) in selected countries across Europe. Despite the small differences across countries, the results show that only certain elements of teachers' LTA expertise are developed. To compensate for insufficient training, teachers seem to learn about LTA on the job or use teaching materials for their assessment purposes. Teachers overall express a need to receive training across the range of LTA features identified in the study with varying priorities, depending on their local educational contexts.

This study examines the effect of demographic variables on the beliefs of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) about their preparedness to include dyslexic learners in mainstream classrooms in Greece, Cyprus, and Poland and identifies their professional development needs. Statistically significant multivariate analysis effects were obtained for country, training, teaching experience with dyslexic learners, and school type. Unlike overall teaching experience and completed level of education (degree), the type of teaching experience with dyslexic EFL learners (direct contact and personal involvement in teaching) seems to shape the perception of teacher preparedness to successfully include these learners. Other interesting tendencies were identified such as between‐country differences concerning sources of prior professional knowledge on EFL and dyslexia as well as preferences for particular modes of training. The paper highlights the demand for professional training on EFL and dyslexia as this was confirmed across the three countries.

This article presents results from a needs analysis survey conducted in the first year of a European-funded project entitled 'Teachers' Assessment Literacy Enhancement (TALE)'. The survey questionnaire used asked 1788 learners of English in Cyprus, Germany, Greece and Hungary about their experiences of assessment; which of these they considered conducive to learning and the role feedback played as an instrument of formative assessment. Further questionnaire data from their 658 teachers were included in the data analysis. The results showed that practices differed across contexts. Overall, both learners and teachers reported a wide range of skills and areas to be assessed in the EFL classroom with writing, followed by speaking, being assessed the most. Based on the perceptions reported by the learners, the assessment types used revealed rather traditional approaches with frequent use of e.g. discrete-point tests with closed answers, extended writing and translation. The learners appeared to regard these types of assessment to be supportive of their learning. Feedback given was mostly restricted to marks and brief comments. The perceptions on feedback practices varied among teachers and their learners. Results of the needs analysis were taken as the basis of the online course design for enhancing teachers' language assessment literacy. Language assessment literacy: definition and conceptualizationAssessment literacy (Stiggins, 1991) has been a focus of scholarly attention in education for over two decades now. It became a focus for language assessment in the early 2000s (Brindley, 2001) and it has been suggested that the specialized nature of our field justifies use of a more specific term:

The purpose of the study was to investigate English language teachers' perceptions of assessment, their language assessment literacy (LAL) levels and their training needs. 113 teachers from Germany and 379 teachers from Greece completed a survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed through a series of RM ANOVAs, correlation analyses, and confirmatory factor analysis. Data from interviews with 25 German and 20 Greek teachers were used as supporting qualitative data. The results indicated that teachers use similar constructs in their assessment and in their conceptualisations of LAL but their perceived training needs differed depending on their educational contexts. The interviews helped identify deeper insights into contextual factors. The paper discusses the importance of context in assessment and offers recommendations for teacher education programmes in language assessment literacy that are context responsive.

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