Application Of Formative Assessment In College English

Research on educational assessment has been a major field of the western education since R. W. Tyler, the famous American educator, first put forward the concept of "educational assessment"in 1930s. Great achievement in this field has been accomplished both home and abroad. Educational assessment is a vital part of course instruction. Functions of assessment are typically classified as formative and summative according to their different functions in the process of instruction. Confined by the traditional concepts on education and talents, summative assessment has been the main assessment method in instruction of courses while formative assessment has been neglected. Foreign language teaching is no exception. Many side effects on foreign language teaching have been caused by such a traditional assessment system. For example, the traditional assessment system overvalues the cultivation of techniques in taking exams. It fails to bring the activity, initiative, and autonomy of learners into full play. Therefore, it is badly necessary to establish a new assessment system with the intention to promote constant development of learner, the unceasing progress of instruction so that the requirements of the country and society are better met. At present, the Ministry of Education has carried out a new round assessment-focused reform of elementary education. The assessment reform experiments, which focus on formative assessment, have been carried out throughout the country (Zhang Zhonglian, 2001). As the extension and advance of elementary English education, College English education benefits a lot from the implications of elementary English education's reform and its development. Reform and development of elementary English education is one of important foundations to the constitution of College English Curriculum Requirements (Requirements hereafter). The Requirements provides the reform of College English assessment system with theoretical and practical recommendations. The Requirements proposes the establishment of a diversity-based assessment model, which differs from the traditional mono-leveled, test-based one. The new assessment system is supposed to guide College English teaching efficiently by combining formative assessment and summative assessment, especially, strengthening formative assessment and stressing the assessment of learners'ability to use English in an all-round way. Weaknesses and problems of the traditional assessment system lead to the advocation of formative assessment. It is undoubtedly a kind of challenge against the traditional educational concepts. The significance and necessity of formative assessment have been well acknowledged in the educational field. However, researches on the theory and practice of formative assessment are mainly carried out in the field of elementary education, especially in mathematics and science courses. Rarely have researches and experiments been carried out at the university level. So far a proper assessment model built on formative assessment hasn't been established in assessing College English. Formative teaching disciplines haven't been well explored and confirmed. Therefore, the present paper attempts to propose formative assessment to College English teaching and learning and explore an assessment model built on formative assessment in assessing College English properly. The principles, ways, tools and techniques of applying such a model are provided at the same time. This will be much helpful to both enrich and improve theories as well as techniques on English assessment and to guide the English teaching reform. This thesis consists of six chapters. It begins, in chapter 1, with an introduction of research background of formative assessment and the theoretical and practical significance of the present study. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the historical and contemporary issues related to educational assessment at home and abroad. Chapter 3 introduces terms and concepts concerning assessment. Characteristics and functions of formative assessment are illuminated in detail. Chapter 4 proposes a formative assessment-based assessment model in assessing College English. This chapter begins with theories related to formative assessment, next summarizes the weaknesses and problems of the traditional assessment system, and then expounds the implications of elementary English education reform to the reform of College English. Chapter 5 introduces the implementation and appliance of formative assessment in College English, including the principles, ways, tools and techniques. It also presents the limitations and the probable problems in applying formative assessment and suggested solutions to them. An assessment model based on formative assessment is suggested for reference to assess College English in a proper way. Chapter 6 serves as a conclusion of the thesis. In conclusion, difficulties are unavoidable in the process of implementation because of its costs in materials and energy, yet formative assessment has been the mainstream of educational assessment. However, there is still a long way before it is trusted and recognized at all levels, by learners, faculty, and administrators. It could be sure that with the deepening of English teaching and learning reform of the country, formative assessment will promote teaching and learning effectively and promote learners'all-round and sustained development with its incomparable advantages in assessing. The thesis ends with some suggestions on establishing a comprehensive, objective, scientific College English assessment model.