This book investigates conceptions and practices of teachers of young learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding classroom-based assessment (CBA) in the Chinese context. Specifically, it sets out to examine teachers’ conceptions about the purposes and processes of classroom-based assessment, the effects of teacher attributes (teaching experience, and previous education in assessment) and work environments (school type and grade level) on their conceptions, CBA practices, and the relationship between these conceptions and practices regarding CBA.
Utilising a mixed-methods research approach, this book serves as an insightful research resource, contributing significantly to the field of L2 education and assessment, both within the context of Chinese young EFL learner classrooms and on a global scale. It depicts a comprehensive picture of CBA for young EFL learners from the perspective of teachers, providing a valuable resource for policymakers, teacher educators, and alike.
Dr Qiaozhen Yan has obtained a BA in English Language and Culture and an MA in Foreign Language Linguistics and Applied Linguistics from Chongqing University, China, and a PhD in Education (Applied Linguistics & TESOL) from The University of Auckland, New Zealand. She is a lecturer of English Applied Linguistics at the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures at Chongqing University, China. Her research interests include classroom-based assessment, assessment of young language learners, language teacher cognition, as well as teacher professional development. She has published research and reviews in SSCI- and CSSCI-indexed journals such as Language Testing, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, Language Teaching Research, Frontiers in Psychology, System, and Foreign Languages in China.
Lawrence Jun Zhang, PhD, is a past Post-doctoral Fellow at the Department of Education, Oxford University. He is Professor of Applied Linguistics/TESOL and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Education, University of Auckland, New Zealand. His major interests are in learner metacognition, the psychology of language learning and teaching, teacher assessment literacy, with particular reference to EFL reading/writing and ESP/EAP. He has published extensively along these lines in leading international journals, including Applied Linguistics, Modern Language Journal, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, TESOL Quarterly, Computers and Education, among others. He was the sole recipient of the “Distinguished Research in TESOL Award” in 2011 for his article, “A dynamic metacognitive systems perspective on Chinese university EFL readers”, published in TESOL Quarterly, 44(2). He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of System and serves on the editorial boards of seven international journals. In 2016, he was honoured with the recognition by the TESOL International Association (USA) with the award of “50@50”, which acknowledged “50 Outstanding Leaders” around the globe in the profession of TESOL at TESOL’s 50th anniversary celebration in Baltimore, Maryland. In November 2016, he was successfully elected to the International TESOL Association’s Board of Directors. In the Stanford University Rankings, he has been listed in the top 2% of Scientists in the World in the disciplinary areas of Linguistics/Applied Linguistics.
