A Study On Formative Assessment And The Effects On Students' Learning Attitude

No curriculum model would be complete without an evaluation component. A major reason for carrying out assessment and evaluation is to determine whether learners are progressing satisfactorily or not, and, if they are not, to diagnose the cause and suggests remedies. The amount of student language improvement is the' bottom line for all stakeholders in a language program. Teachers are interested in the changes in student performance they can expect after instructional periods. Language assessment, which is known from research to be the most powerful influence on student learning, has by far merely focused on summative one, especially, relying on examination papers. Actually, language is much more than simply giving a language test: it is the entire process of test use (Norris, 2000).Evaluation can, in fact, occur at various levels. Any element in the curriculum process may be evaluated, as any may affect learner process, and it is up to individual teachers and curriculum personnel to decide how widely they should cast the net. Learning is a goal, teaching is but a tool. Successful learning is viewed as dependent upon the teachers' control and management of what takes place in the classroom. However, what the teacher does is only half the picture, other half concerns what learners do to achieve successful learning, Learners can become the best judges of how they learn most effectively.Summative assessment emphasized the memory of discrete language points and linguistic accuracy, it doesn't create better students. It tends to neglect the process of students' active involvement and self-assessment in language learning. Students and their parents care excessively about performance, as the performance represents progress in studies and determine access to different types of schools for further study, teachers and parents care little about how they learn, what they have learnt, whether they have made progress or not. Consequently, students show less and less interest in theirEnglish study, and less confidence in English learning if it is the case that they couldn't be top students, some even show negative attitude or motivation to English learning. Very little can be accomplished if the learner is not at least willing or motivated, individuals will tend to learn what they think is worth learning.The paper tries to examine the possible factors influencing students' positive attitude towards English learning and to find out whether the necessary link of assessment methods exists. Formative assessment takes place during the course of teaching. It provides information to teachers and students about the kind of learning which is taking place in order to improve learning. It provides information for teachers to use in making appropriate decisions. The concept of attitude and formative assessment was based on the discussion by prominent linguistic. These theories provide the solid foundations for the study on the effects on the EFL learning attitude through formative assessment To sum up, teacher should make students become active language learners who hold positive attitude in English learning.