Examining Classroom Assessment Literacy of English Teachers in Iran's Language Institutes: Curricular Gap Analysis of Iranian Universities' Programs (Research Paper)

This study aimed to investigate the disparities between the language assessment pre-service education received by ۱۰۰ EFL language institute teachers (including ۳۵ men and ۶۵ women) before entering the profession, and their perceived actual language assessment requirements. The comparison was conducted using the gap analysis method, along with a scale specifically developed for this study. The scale utilized a semantic differential Likert scale consisting of ۴۴ items. The results demonstrated that all areas received high importance ratings (M ≥ ۴.۹۷ out of ۶). The participants placed the highest importance on items related to ‘assessing different language skills and components’, while the item regarding ‘reporting assessment results to relevant stakeholders clearly and timely’ was rated as the least important area in language assessment. According to the findings, all areas received low scores (average of ۳ or less out of ۶) for classroom assessment preparation. The gap analysis revealed a significant disparity between the participants' perception of the importance of assessment knowledge and skills areas and their level of pre-service training. This discrepancy suggests "under-education" in classroom assessment, with the gaps being more pronounced in skills items. The implications of these findings for teacher education and classroom assessment are discussed in this study.

کلیدواژه ها:

assessment literacy ، English teacher ، Gap Analysis ، Language Institute ، Pre-service Education