Exploring the Role of Initial Teacher Education in Promoting Student Teachers’ Language Assessment Literacy Development
A Focus on Formative Assessment Task Design
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22048367 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Shao (0009-0007-5639-3447, Shanghai International Studies University), Siyuan Shao (Shanghai International Studies University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 164 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-21 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Education Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/educsci16010164 |
| OpenAlex | W7125157011 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 48 |
Teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL) encompasses the knowledge and competencies required to design and implement assessment practices that support learning. Although prior research has documented general trends in LAL development, less is known about how individual teachers, particularly student teachers, interpret, appropriate, and negotiate formative assessment (FA) task design within the context of initial teacher education (ITE). Adopting an in-depth qualitative case study approach, this study examines how a single student teacher in a Chinese initial teacher education developed her cognition and classroom practice related to FA tasks across a teaching methodology course and a practicum. Drawing on thematic analysis of semi-structure interviews, lesson plans, classroom observations, stimulated recall interviews, and reflective journals, the study traces developmental changes and the contextual factors shaping the student teacher’s LAL in relation to FA tasks. Findings show that the sustained engagement with FA task design supported more sophisticated understandings of FA, including (1) an increased recognition of the pedagogical necessity of incorporating authentic FA tasks into lesson planning, (2) a growing aspiration to implement FA-oriented instruction that promotes higher-order thinking, (3) an enhanced awareness of the empowering role of FA tasks in fostering students’ self-regulated learning, and (4) a more nuanced understanding of the challenges inherent in implementing FA practices. Meanwhile, the case illustrates how pre-existing assessment conceptions, school culture norms, and limited targeted mentoring can constrain LAL development in relation to FA. By providing a fine-grained account of developmental processes, this study offers insights into how ITE can mediate student teachers’ engagement with FA task design. The findings have implications for teacher education programs in other similar educational contexts, particularly regarding the integration of FA task design into assessment courses and the provision of sustained, context-sensitive support during teaching practicum
Formative assessment · Literacy · Metacognition · Negotiation · Task Analysis · Teacher education · Thematic analysis · Educational and Psychological Assessments · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Student Assessment and Feedback
Integrating theory and practice in the pre-service teacher education practicum
Developing the theory of formative assessment
Educational Assessment Knowledge and Skills for Teachers
Unveiling Classroom Assessment Literacy
Pre-service teachers as learners of formative assessment in teaching practice
The power of a basic assessment course in changing preservice teachers’ conceptions of assessment
Preservice teachers’ implementation of formative assessment in English writing class
Language assessment training in Hong Kong
“Am I qualified to be a language tester?”
Language assessment literacy as self-awareness
The place of language testing and assessment in the professional preparation of foreign language teachers in China
Language testing courses
Communicating the theory, practice and principles of language testing to test stakeholders
Authenticity in language testing
How convincing is alternative assessment for use in higher education
Authentic assessment
Using a collaborative action research approach to negotiate an understanding of formative assessment in an era of accountability testing
Shaping the assessors of tomorrow
A person-centered analysis of teacher candidates’ approaches to assessment
Teacher assessment literacy
Formative assessment and self-regulated learning
Development in student teachers' pre-existing beliefs during a 1-year PGCE programme
The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture
Toward Developing a Framework for Conducting Case Study Research
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |