The

 Electronic  Journal  for  English  as  a  Second  Language

Language  Classroom  Assessment  

 
February  2014  –  Volume  17,  Number  4  
 
Language  Classroom  Assessment  
Author:   Liying  Cheng  (2013)      
Publisher:   Alexandria,  VA:  TESOL  International  
Association  
Pages   ISBN   Price  
39  pages   978-­‐1-­‐93118-­‐511-­‐0   $16.95  USD  

 
 
Language   Classroom   Assessment   is   a   very   short   book   that   is   part   of   the   practitioner-­‐
friendly  English  Language  Teacher  Development  Series  published  by  TESOL  (Teaching  of  
English   to   Speakers   of   Other   Languages).   By   discussing   current   theory   and   practical  
applications,  the  purpose  of  the  book  is  to  help  equip  ES/FL  instructors  with  the  means  
to   carry   out   meaningful   assessment   of   their   students.   Additionally,   the   book   attempts   to  
help  practitioners  self-­‐evaluate  their  current  assessment  methods.  It  is  intended  to  serve  
as  a  quick  resource  that  allows  for  teachers  to  become  familiar  with  certain  theories  and  
the   application   of   them   and   is   therefore   not   intended   to   be   an   exhaustive   text   on   the  
subject  of  language  assessment.  
 
Cheng   begins   the   book   by   stating   that   the   reader   will   become   familiar   with   three   topics:  
What   is   language   assessment?;   What   are   four   major   aspects   of   language   assessment?;  
and   What   evidenced-­‐based   research   supports   the   described   assessment   methods?   She  
introduces  the  readers  to  six  terms  that  provide  the  structure  for  the  book.  The  first  two  
terms   are   assessment   of   learning   and   assessment   for   learning.   Assessment   of   learning  
happens   after   learning   in   order   to   see   whether   learning   has   actually   taken   place.  
Assessment   for   learning   is   a   process   of   determining   where   the   student   is   in   the   actual  
learning   process,   and   it   ultimately   provides   useful   information   for   the   teacher   and  
student  to  reach  certain  goals.  
 
The   next   four   terms   are   derived   from   Cheng’s   definition   of   assessment,   which   include  
assessment  events,  assessment  tools,  assessment  processes,  and  assessment  decisions.  The  
events   and   decisions   explain   the   purpose   for   why   the   assessment   is   being   conducted.  

TESL-­‐EJ,  17.4,  February  2014   Liying  Cheng/Hueston     1  

Cheng   explains   that   understanding   the   purpose   of   an   assessment   will   help   instructors  
self-­‐evaluate  their  assessment  techniques.  Tools  are  not  only  the  various  methods  which  
can   be   used   in   assessment   for   reading,   writing,   speaking,   and   listening,   but   they   also  
refer   to   the   sources   from   which   the   assessments   come   (e.g.,   teacher-­‐created   material,  
material   found   on   the   internet,   material   dictated   by   a   governing   school   body).   Finally,  
she  moves  into  the  processes  of  assessment  that  deals  with  what  to  teach  and  assess,  and  
how  to  reinforce  the  assessment  so  it  is  meaningful.  In  this  explanation,  she  presents  a  
start-­‐to-­‐end   progression;   notwithstanding   that   the   diagram   she   uses   depicts   this  
progression   as   a   cyclical   event   that   is   continually   happening.   Furthermore,   in   this  
section,   she   devotes   attention   to   the   kinds   of   methods   used   to   solicit   meaningful  
feedback.  
 
Looking  at  practical  application,  Cheng  explains  how  there  is  not  a  great  deal  of  research  
for   classroom   assessment   practices   for   English   teachers   (hence   its   importance).   In  
contrast,   there   are   a   fair   amount   of   studies   examining   larger   standardized   tests   of  
English.  The  relatively  little  research  that  has  been  conducted  on  classroom  assessment  
practices   indicates   that   classroom   assessment   practices   tend   to   be   influenced   by   the  
larger  assessment  structures  (e.g.,  TOEFL).  The  problem  with  classroom  assessment  that  
mimics  these  larger  exams  is  that  such  exams  are  actually  assessments  of  learning,  not  
assessment  for  learning.  Even  looking  outside  of  ESL/EFL  instruction,  for  instance  on  the  
high  school  level,  teachers  of  various  subjects  are  influenced  by  the  high  stakes  of  final  
exams.  Likewise,  in  many  university  and  college  programs,  many  students  are  driven  to  
pass   a   certain   gateway   exam.   Cheng   explains   that   to   have   successful   classroom  
assessment,  certain  areas  need  to  be  considered.  These  include,  for  example,  the  goals  of  
the   English   program   and   the   teachers’   beliefs   about   the   purposes   of   assessment.  
Depending  on  the  structure  of  a  language  program,  it  may  be  easier  or  more  difficult  to  
implement  some  of  the  strategies  in  the  book.  
Another  area  of  consideration  in  language  acquisition  is  the  need  for  students  to  have  a  
motivation   for   study.   Cheng   explains   self-­‐determination   theory   and   the   role   it   plays   in  
the   students’   education.   Understanding   the   motivational   aspect   of   learning   helps  
instructors   decide   on   what   methods   they   will   use   for   assessment   for   learning.   The   more  
the   assessments   involve   the   students,   the   more   “they   take   responsibility   for   their   own  
learning”  (p.  17).  
 
The  preface  of  the  book  states  that  books  in  this  teacher  development  series  are  “jargon-­‐
free  and  accessible…for  all  types  of  teachers  of  English  (native  and  nonnative  speakers  of  
English,   experienced   and   novice   teachers).”   While   I   believe   the   book   is   highly   accessible,  
some  readers  might  need  more  than  a  single  read  through.  One  term,  for  example,  that  
might   challenge   some   readers   is   the   notion   of   appears   a   theoretical  framework.   A   simple  
way   to   explain   this   is   when   researchers   have   a   problem   they   want   to   address,   the  
manner   in   which   they   go   about   studying   the   problem   is   viewed   through   a   particular  
construct.   Thus,   if   we   would   like   to   study   how   best   to   use   assessment,   we   can   take   a  
method   or   theory   and   use   it   as   a   lens   in   which   to   look   through   in   evaluating   assessment  
techniques   or   beliefs.   Additionally,   with   regards   to   terminology,   Cheng   does   offer  
scaffolding   of   concepts   introduced   in   earlier   sections.   Readers   new   to   issues   of  
assessment   might   find   themselves   paging   back   and   forth   to   follow   the   trail   of   Cheng’s  

TESL-­‐EJ,  17.4,  February  2014   Liying  Cheng/Hueston     2  

terminology.  While  I  would  not  allow  that  to  be  a  deterrent  from  purchasing  the  book,  
the   reader   will   need   to   take   notes   or   keep   a   mental   map   of   what   is   being   discussed.  
Consequently,  this  book  is  very  well  suited  for  Professional  Learning  Communities  (PLC)  
or   other   collaborative   learning   sessions   where   seasoned   and   new   teachers   can  
interactively  discuss  concepts  and  their  applications.  
 
Cheng   put   together   an   interactive   book,   which   contains   reflective   breaks,   teacher-­‐
centered   activities,   diagrams,   and   classroom   examples.   These   breaks   are   spaced   out  
through   the   book,   engaging   the   reader   to   reflect   on   assessment   and   other   teaching  
practices.   There   are   multiple   terms   used   which   are   current   to   the   area   of   assessment,  
and  they  are  explained  or  defined  as  they  occur  through  the  book.  The  references  used  
cover  dates  from  1980  through  2013,  although  the  latest  dated  material,  2011  and  2013,  
are  from  books  she  also  co-­‐authored.  Discussing  assessment,  she  does  not  leave  out  the  
concept   of   creating   teacher   driven   and   student   driven   motivation.   Consequently,   she  
speaks   of   how   to   have   assessment   techniques   that   motivate   the   students.   The  
introduction   and   use   of   current   terminology   allows   for   teachers   to   familiarize  
themselves   with   terms,   research,   and   theories   of   language   assessment   they   may  
encounter  in  other  texts  or  conferences.  The  limited  amount  of  pages  makes  the  book  an  
attractive   option   for   time-­‐constrained   workshops   and   instructors.   It   also   would   prove  
beneficial  to  an  individual  teacher  seeking  to  learn  more  about  assessment  methods  and  
serve  as  a  useful  tool  in  a  teacher’s  repertoire.  
 
Reviewed  by  Colin  Hueston    
University  of  Colorado  Denver    
Colin.Hueston@ucdenver.edu  
 
Copyright  ©  1994  -­‐  2014  TESL-­‐EJ,  ISSN  1072-­‐4303  
Copyright  rests  with  the  authors.  

TESL-­‐EJ,  17.4,  February  2014   Liying  Cheng/Hueston     3