Formative Assessment In College EFL Classrooms In China

Formative assessment is taken as assessment for learning instead of assessment of learning. Formative assessment has the potential to directly improve learning because it takes place while instruction is in progress and can serve as a basis for providing timely feedback to improve student learning. Furthermore, strategies that prove to improve student learning should also increase the likelihood that student learning will be reflected in well-designed large-scale assessments.This research is concerned with implementing formative assessment in Chinese college English classrooms in order to effectively improve students'English proficiency. By training students with a series of assessment strategies, this study also aims at finding out if it is helpful and to what extent it can help to enhance learner autonomy in the field of EFL education.This paper is based upon a one-year experimental and empirical research study that dwells upon the application of formative assessment in College English teaching and learning. Data collected through the research work reveal how effective formative assessment could be when employed to address itself to the paradigm of high grade achievement with little real understanding of English. As noted in the paper, formative assessment may reduce students'anxiety as well as boost their confidence and interests; assessment tools can be feasible in classrooms and providing feedback is effective in enhancing learning; self- and peer-assessment may promote autonomy, initiative and creativity.