unique from others. There were not two identical conceptualizations of LAL in the study.
It was generally believed among the participants that they were still inadequately prepared although they already had some exposure to assessment learning and practices. Four participants (Carol, Daisy, Edwin, and Flora) classified themselves as insufficiently qualified for the forthcoming EFL teachers’ assessment jobs due to various reasons: low willingness to join in the teaching profession (Carol), less satisfactory assessment preparation in teacher education programme (Daisy, Edwin, and Flora), and personal late start in learning (Edwin).
I evaluate myself to be inadequately prepared in LAL. Because I don’t desire to become a teacher at the bottom of my heart, thus, I lack the autonomy to learn more [about the assessment] to approach the standard of teaching qualification.
(Carol, Interview Round 4)
I feel I may get a failing grade. Firstly, I have an insufficient mastery of theoretical knowledge in assessment, just a superficial understanding about how to assess and how to feedback. Secondly, I am not familiar with other aspects of assessment. Only assessing students based on their exam scores, relying more on the results instead of the learning process or other aspects. Thus, I evaluate myself as unqualified. I still need to improve on assessment to enrich myself and to have a more comprehensive understanding, which I can apply to the teaching practices. (Daisy, Interview Round 4)
I think I may fail. I have not achieved…how to say, I have not achieved such a proficient level to stand on the podium. I can explain in two aspects. On the one hand, the curriculum design puzzles me a lot. Frankly speaking, I feel that some courses, such as Integrated English, Reading can be changed into other courses.
On the other hand, my personal attitude. I have not realized to study until my third year in college. In the first two years, I did not treat learning very seriously, which leads to my unsolid foundation and less desirably professional competence. I haven’t passed TEM-Band 4, of course, which cannot represent my real English proficiency, but I feel that I am not professional enough to teach students. (Edwin, Interview Round 4)
Maybe the score is 50, below the qualified level, because I think what I have learned in university is so limited... What I have substantially obtained is very limited and inadequate. (Flora, Interview Round 4)
Different from the majority, the other two participants, Amy and Betty, evaluated themselves as satisfactorily and marginally qualified respectively. As shown in the scripts, they expressed a comparatively optimistic evaluation towards LAL.
I believe I am capable, too general, if it can be scored, I will assign 89 to me because 90 represents excellence. A point less may keep me modest. (Amy, Interview Round 4)
I can say just so-so and the score is about 65, merely scrape through. I have not got enough exposure [to assessment] and even the course, English Pedagogy, lays greater emphasis on teaching design, covering too little on assessment. From my perspective, the marginal pass is not easy for me. (Betty, Interview Round 4)
The comparatively optimistic evaluation of LAL from Amy and Betty may be attributable to their excellent academic performance in university. They were top students in their respective classes and passed all final examinations with high marks.
So, they tended to believe they were proficient in every aspect in pre-service stage, with no exception of LAL. Consequently, they showed great confidence in self- evaluated LAL proficiency.
To summarise, there was a diversification in their self-evaluated LAL proficiency level, ranging from insufficiently qualified through marginally qualified to satisfactorily qualified along the continuum (See Figure 4.8). Most of their self-evaluations fell into the first category as a result of mixed factors, including external (i.e., the limited amount of exposure to assessment) and internal factors (i.e., low willingness to become
Figure 4.8 Self-evaluated LAL Proficiency Continuum
4.3.2 Self-diagnosed LAL Improvement
There were both similarities and discrepancies in their self-diagnosed LAL improvement area. What was similar was that nearly all of them expressed a strong desire to further improve LAL driven by the motivation to become an excellent and effective EFL teacher both from the interview data and reflective journals (See Table 4.4). In the interview data, the five participants highlighted the significance of LAL in teaching and they desired to become a good and helpful EFL teachers to facilitate teaching and learning. This motivated them to further enhance LAL. Besides, in the reflective journals kept by Flora, who confirmed the desire to become a (good) teacher motivated her to learn more to enrich her toolbox.
However, only one participant, Carol, expressed her low willingness to become a teacher in the future, therefore, comparatively, she was less motivated to improve LAL for professional development.
Table 4.4
The Self-diagnosed LAL Improvement among the Participants
Participant LAL improvement focus LAL improvement desire P1 (Amy) Way of feedback To become a (good) teacher
Humanistic care in assessment
P2 (Betty) Assessment theory To facilitate teaching and learning
Assessment methods and implementation
P3 (Carol) Assessment framework Little desire to learn because of no desire to become a teacher Assessment implementation
assessment washback
P4 (Daisy) Way of feedback To facilitate teaching and learning
Theoretical knowledge
P5 (Edwin) The dimensions of assessment, especially in reading and listening
The alignment with postgraduate specialization
The importance of assessment in teaching and learning
P6 (Flora) Assessment methods To become a good and helpful teacher
The result and washback of assessment
Yet, what was discrepant was their divergent LAL improvement focus. Four of them mentioned they wanted to learn more about feedback and washback of assessment (Amy, Carol, Daisy, and Flora); three needed to improve in theoretical learning in assessment (Betty, Carol, and Daisy); three wished to be more familiar with assessment methods & implementation (Betty, Carol, and Flora); humanistic care in assessment (Amy) and assessment dimensions (Edwin) were referred to only once by participants.
Therefore, a wide range of aspects in assessment were underscored to be improved with the assessment theory, methods, implementation, results and washback mostly noted by the participants.
It was worth to point out that Carol was the only participant who expressed the
possibility of becoming a teacher is fifty. She desired to be a translator and applied for postgraduate study in translation too. So, it is no wonder she expressed a low willingness to improve LAL initiatively because becoming a teacher is not her first choice in the future career. But she still diagnosed her LAL and expressed improvement aspects in LAL.
To summarise, the self-diagnosed LAL improvement was identified to be focused on diverse aspects of assessment (from the most frequently mentioned to the least):
feedback & washback, theoretical learning, assessment methods & implementation, humanistic care in assessment, and assessment dimensions. But they seemed to be driven by the identical power to become an effective and helpful teacher to facilitate teaching and learning in the future teaching profession.