A Study On Portfolios As A Tool In ELT Assessment

This thesis is a study on innovation of assessment with special reference to foreign language teaching in basic education in China. The current English curriculum innovation has resulted in the teachers'design and piloting of portfolios as a tool for formative assessment. However whether the portfolios designed and implemented by secondary school English teachers can really serve that purpose needs to be examined. The seven sample portfolios chosen by the writer are used to provide data and suggestions for practiced teaching.This thesis consists of six chapters. Chapter One starts with the current state of foreign language teaching in basic education, the backwash effect of tests on Chinese secondary school students, and options presented in the new English curriculum. Chapter Two is a review of literature on formative assessment, in which three concepts, namely: humanism, constructivism, and social interaction are discussed respectively. Chapter Three focuses on components of portfolios such as the definition, modalities, features and principles underpinning the use of portfolios. Chapter Four gives an account of the current study on teacher-initiated portfolios. It describes methodology in terms of objectives, sample portfolios and instruments. Findings are produced in the chapter. They indicate that the portfolios do have a positive effect on learner automomy in that they help students assume more responsibility for their own learning and develop their ability of self-evaluation. However the extent to which a teacher can respond to the desire of the students based on the portfolios is not clearcut. This provides room for further research. Four proposals are put forth in Chapter Five, in which the writer attaches greater importance to the meaningfulness of teacher written comments. Chapter Six concludes with remark that changes in ELT assessment such as the use of portfolios present challenges to secondary shool English teachers. A preferable way for teachers to cope with the development is to conduct empirical research on innovation as well as implementing innovation.