Development of Vietnamese Pre-service EFL Teachers' Assessment Literacy

<p>The importance of teachers’ assessment literacy has been increasingly emphasised in the literature. However, very little research has paid attention to pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy and how they develop this area during teacher training programmes. Moreover, there is a paucity of research on Vietnamese pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy. This study was conducted in three phases to address these gaps: (1) Phase 1 provided a description of current assessment training at four Vietnamese teacher training universities, (2) Phase 2 attempted to map out pre-service EFL teachers’ confidence levels in assessment literacy, and (3) Phase 3 mainly focused on the development of four pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy during their nine-week practicum at Bach Dang University (pseudonym). Phase 1 relied on individual semi-structured interviews with four Vietnamese teacher-trainers to describe the current status of assessment training for pre-service EFL teachers at four key teacher training universities in terms of: (1) teacher-trainers’ background, (2) course content, (3) method of instruction, (4) support for assessment training, and (5) constraints of assessment training. The teacher-trainers noted their lack of professional development in testing and assessment. The method of instruction varied for different teacher training universities. The results showed a greater emphasis on training in summative rather than formative assessment. Also, teacher-trainers identified two main constraints in the current training programmes including: (i) the lack of systematic innovation in language testing and assessment and (ii) the lack of labour, facilities and time for language testing and assessment training. In Phase 2, a questionnaire of pre-service EFL teachers’ confidence levels in assessment literacy was developed and validated. It was then administered to 365 pre-service EFL teachers. The results indicated pre-service EFL teachers’ high confidence levels in assessment literacy. Moreover, gender and career choice did not influence their confidence levels in assessment literacy while teaching experience and training in language testing and assessment did. However, those who had had more training scored lower confidence levels in assessment literacy. Phase 3 was conducted in two parts to focus on assessment literacy development of four pre-service EFL teachers. Part 1 had two stages. Stage 1 administered the same questionnaire as in Phase 2 to thirty-one pre-service EFL teachers to investigate their confidence levels in assessment literacy over three time periods: before their language testing and assessment course, before their practicum, and after their practicum. The findings showed a significant statistical increase in their assessment literacy confidence levels. In Stage 2, eighteen pre-service EFL teachers in Stage 1 participated in two semi-structured focus group interviews to check if their confidence levels reflected their assessment literacy. The results indicated a need for data triangulation to claim their assessment literacy based on confidence levels. Part 2 employed different research instruments including interviews, observation, stimulated recalls, and questionnaires to examine assessment literacy development of four pre-service EFL teachers over a nine-week practicum. The data indicated three main themes in pre-service EFL teachers’ development in assessment literacy: (1) pre-service EFL teachers’ development in: (i) giving feedback, (ii) designing test items, (iii) administering tests, (iv) observing students’ learning, (v) giving instructions, and (vi) improving their content knowledge, (2) pre-service EFL teachers’ individual differences in their assessment literacy development, and (3) incident-based learning of assessment literacy. Overall, this study offered insights into the dynamic, situated and developmental nature of pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy, which has useful implications for theory, research methodology and assessment training for pre-service EFL teachers. Moreover, the findings are very practical for different levels of administration, and for my role as a teacher-trainer in Vietnam.</p>

Development of Vietnamese Pre-service EFL Teachers' Assessment Literacy

<p>The importance of teachers’ assessment literacy has been increasingly emphasised in the literature. However, very little research has paid attention to pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy and how they develop this area during teacher training programmes. Moreover, there is a paucity of research on Vietnamese pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy. This study was conducted in three phases to address these gaps: (1) Phase 1 provided a description of current assessment training at four Vietnamese teacher training universities, (2) Phase 2 attempted to map out pre-service EFL teachers’ confidence levels in assessment literacy, and (3) Phase 3 mainly focused on the development of four pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy during their nine-week practicum at Bach Dang University (pseudonym). Phase 1 relied on individual semi-structured interviews with four Vietnamese teacher-trainers to describe the current status of assessment training for pre-service EFL teachers at four key teacher training universities in terms of: (1) teacher-trainers’ background, (2) course content, (3) method of instruction, (4) support for assessment training, and (5) constraints of assessment training. The teacher-trainers noted their lack of professional development in testing and assessment. The method of instruction varied for different teacher training universities. The results showed a greater emphasis on training in summative rather than formative assessment. Also, teacher-trainers identified two main constraints in the current training programmes including: (i) the lack of systematic innovation in language testing and assessment and (ii) the lack of labour, facilities and time for language testing and assessment training. In Phase 2, a questionnaire of pre-service EFL teachers’ confidence levels in assessment literacy was developed and validated. It was then administered to 365 pre-service EFL teachers. The results indicated pre-service EFL teachers’ high confidence levels in assessment literacy. Moreover, gender and career choice did not influence their confidence levels in assessment literacy while teaching experience and training in language testing and assessment did. However, those who had had more training scored lower confidence levels in assessment literacy. Phase 3 was conducted in two parts to focus on assessment literacy development of four pre-service EFL teachers. Part 1 had two stages. Stage 1 administered the same questionnaire as in Phase 2 to thirty-one pre-service EFL teachers to investigate their confidence levels in assessment literacy over three time periods: before their language testing and assessment course, before their practicum, and after their practicum. The findings showed a significant statistical increase in their assessment literacy confidence levels. In Stage 2, eighteen pre-service EFL teachers in Stage 1 participated in two semi-structured focus group interviews to check if their confidence levels reflected their assessment literacy. The results indicated a need for data triangulation to claim their assessment literacy based on confidence levels. Part 2 employed different research instruments including interviews, observation, stimulated recalls, and questionnaires to examine assessment literacy development of four pre-service EFL teachers over a nine-week practicum. The data indicated three main themes in pre-service EFL teachers’ development in assessment literacy: (1) pre-service EFL teachers’ development in: (i) giving feedback, (ii) designing test items, (iii) administering tests, (iv) observing students’ learning, (v) giving instructions, and (vi) improving their content knowledge, (2) pre-service EFL teachers’ individual differences in their assessment literacy development, and (3) incident-based learning of assessment literacy. Overall, this study offered insights into the dynamic, situated and developmental nature of pre-service EFL teachers’ assessment literacy, which has useful implications for theory, research methodology and assessment training for pre-service EFL teachers. Moreover, the findings are very practical for different levels of administration, and for my role as a teacher-trainer in Vietnam.</p>

A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Experience With Clinical Cough Assessment

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if students (clinicians-in-training) and clinicians of speech-language pathology assess cough during clinical swallow evaluations. We also sought to determine if participants received background education and training regarding implementation of clinical cough assessment. Finally, we aimed to identify participant interest in a cough assessment training program. Method: A clinician-researcher panel developed a 20-question survey to address specific aims. The final survey was distributed via social media and a clinical dysphagia website after two phases of revision. Results: A percentage (84.6%) of the survey participants reported that they assess cough in clinical swallow evaluations, mainly using subjective measures. The majority of clinicians reported no background education or skilled training to implement cough assessment. Background education and training was higher for participants outside the United States, although the total sample size of that group was small. Almost all participants (97.8%) were interested in a cough training program. Conclusions: Many practicing clinicians in this survey reported that they complete cough assessments, despite limited education and training to do so. However, they also reported high interest in participating in a clinical cough assessment training program, which would support the field of speech-language pathology and patients at risk of airway protective dysfunction.

SCHOOL ASSESSMENT: TRAINING, HELP, AUTONOMY

In this paper, we would like to present our evaluation methodology called Accompanied Assessment Learning. Assessment is part of the teacher’s task. In the school context, this activity improves learning. Divided into three stages, our assessment method is first based on training to do a task within a group of cooperative learners accompanied by a teacher. In the second step, based on the help and assistance of peers in the same group, the teacher assesses the proper course of the task by observing the reasoning and work of each group. After the measures taken by the teacher in the previous steps, the learner becomes more autonomous by performing the task individually.

Australia’s Modern Slavery Act and COVID-19: a get out of jail free card?

The COVID-19 pandemic increased modern slavery risk around the world, including in the operations and supply chains of Australian businesses. This article thematically analyses a sample of available business statements under Australia’s Modern Slavery Act to assess how they engaged with modern slavery risks due to COVID-19. Overall, the statements acknowledged that COVID-19 had increased risks through rapidly altered supply chain profiles, urgent demand for items such as PPE, and yet there were widespread reports of reduced capacity to fully execute planned modern slavery risk assessment, training, and audit activities.