Developing assessment identity as a novice EFL teacher: A balance act between fairness and accountability

Research on EFL novice teachers’ assessment identity development is closely related to the aims of sustainable language assessment from at least two perspectives. One is the positive effects of discussing language assessment connected to professional identity from a teacher perspective. Seeing that assessment identity as a phenomenon is far from a fixed entity, and that each position has its benefits and drawbacks, could strengthen teachers in their assessment identities when implying that change not only is possible, but the normal and even to be the norm. A second perspective is that of students, who gain from quality assessments where teachers have balanced the demands of fair and accountable assessments through insights about themselves as assessors.

As part of the results from a research project about novice teachers’ assumptions and beliefs about assessment, a four-fielder model of language assessment identity positions, LAIP, has been developed. Based on the analysis of 39 hours of recorded focus-group interviews with novices working with young learners (age 10 – 12) over two years, the LAIP-model shows how the main themes of fairness and accountability are played out. 

As such, the LAIP model may serve as a game-changer which offers an understanding of different assessment approaches, thereby enabling discussions bringing more or less sensitive key issues to the fore. Member checks also reveal a need to address assessment identity formation during teacher education, before standing face-to-face with the complexities of assessment.