Assessment and Evaluation

Teaching and learning a foreign language have always been the subject matter for many
scholars. Since the education process depends on a number of factors key of which are
effectiveness of teaching process as well as how effective the learning process is, it is part of the
teacher job to set up some objectives that should be achieve at the end of each task. For some
tutors, it is quite hard to determine the teaching efficiency. Yet, one way to value the educational
system, the teaching methodology as well as the extent to which the course content was well
understood is through learner’s assessment and evaluation. Thus, continuous feedback and
evaluation permit learners to develop their learning level and allow teachers to monitor their
progress. So, what is meant by evaluation or assessment? And to what extent does it contribute
in the success or failure of learners and teachers achievements?

To start with, assessment and evaluation are essential components of teaching and
learning in English language arts. They the basic means through which teachers might be able to
assess or evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching programme, their students learning, their
teaching effectiveness, and how best to approach students learning. Because students’
performances are widely linked to the evaluation quality, researchers have shown that constant
feedback is essential for learners’ improvement.

Then, the prime objective of both assessment an evaluation is to guide and improve
student learning.  Being effectively planned, assessment and evaluation can promote learning,
build confidence and develop students’ understanding of themselves as active learners.  

To put it clear, assessment is the act of gathering information on a daily basis in order to
understand an individual student's learning and needs. Teachers can enhance students’
understanding of their own progress and needs by involving them in self-assessment, where they
gather data about their own learning strategies and understanding.  This way, students will set
accurate and realistic personal learning goals.  

Then, evaluation is the concluding act of interpreting the information gathered during
daily assessment for the purpose of making decisions or judgments about students’ learning and
progress.  Evaluation often occurs at the end of an activity and provides information to students
about the progress they are making. “Assessment and evaluation procedures should
correspond with curriculum objectives …. In addition, they should be sensitive to the
developmental characteristics of early adolescents”
So, Continuous assessment is crucial, and programs that include a variety of techniques provide
the most accurate portrait of each student’s progress. 

It is most effective to use a variety of assessment and evaluation techniques that will be
selected depending upon students’ learning styles, the curriculum objectives and the intended
purpose of the assessment.  Throughout these tools, teachers collect assessment information
about students’ development as learners.  The data gathered during assessment becomes the basis
for an evaluation.   Students, after all, must be given opportunities to demonstrate the extent of
their knowledge, abilities and attitudes in a variety of ways.

Comparing assessment and evaluation information to curriculum objectives allows

teachers to make decisions about further instructional requirements. That is to say, assessment
and evaluation should help students.  They should provide positive feedback and encourage
students to participate actively in their own assessment in order to foster lifelong learning and
enable students to transfer knowledge and abilities to their life experiences.

Furthermore, there are many types of assessment and evaluation that occur regularly
throughout the school year:  diagnostic, formative and summative. As far as the former kind is
concerned “Diagnostic assessment”: It identifies students’ learning abilities and needs, as well
as their motivational and interest levels regarding specific topics and activities.  Diagnostic
assessments often occur at the beginning of the year and prior to each unit of study, pre-tests,
interview, and self-assessment.

Then, the “Formative assessment” focuses on the processes and products of

learning.  It is continuous and is planned to inform the teacher of the student’s progress toward
the curriculum objectives.  This type of assessment provides teachers with information for
continuous feedback to students, and guides their daily instructional decisions and
adaptations.   Such data can be gathered throughout means as: observation, journals, worksheets
and quizzes.

The last evaluation genre is the “Summative assessment” which occurs most often at the
end of a unit of instruction and at year end when students are required to demonstrate their
achievement of the curriculum objectives for reporting purposes.  The main purposes of
summative evaluation are to determine knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes that have
developed over a period of time, to summarize student progress; this could be done through the
final term exam.
 Often assessment and evaluation results and data provide diagnostic, formative and
summative information.  For example: Summative evaluation can be used to make decisions and
choices about topics of study.  Similarly, diagnostic and formative assessments assist teachers in
making summative judgments about student progress and determining further instruction
necessary for individuals or groups.  

On the whole, during “the evaluation process”, teachers as decision makers strive to

make a close match between curriculum objectives, students’ needs and abilities, instructional
methods and assessment techniques.  Then, the evaluation process carried out involves four
phases:  preparation, assessment, evaluation and reflection.  

In the preparation phase, teachers decide what is to be assessed (objectives), determine

the type of evaluation required (diagnostic, formative or summative), the criteria upon which
student learning will be judged and select the most appropriate techniques for gathering the
necessary information.  

During the assessment phase, teachers use the selected tools to collect and organize
information about students’ learning and progress.  Students should be informed about the
criteria for these assessments so that they can set goals that enable them to achieve the course
objectives as successfully as possible.  

Teachers interpret the assessment information and make judgments about students’
progress during the evaluation phase.  Then, the reflection phase allows teachers to consider
the extent to which the previous phases have been successful.  Specifically, teachers evaluate the
utility and appropriateness of the assessment techniques used.  

To conclude with, it important to know that any educational system needs a well selected
assessments tools and continuous evaluation. Both assessment and evaluation enables the
learners to monitor progress and subject mastery, and allow teachers to determine the success of
their education system and lead them to attain their teaching goals and objectives.