Exploring the Practice of Alternative Assessment in the Algerian Classroom: The Case of EFL Secondary School Teachers

Abstract

The Algerian Secondary school ELT teachers‘ practices to alternative assessment is reflecting a bleak picture. The research study at hand then, is meant for diagnosing the in-service teachers‘ assessment practices that cannot be separated from their perception and beliefs about is. A qualitative research paradigm is dependable through an action research pedagogy. Triangulation of research tools is used through a questionnaire, an interview, and a focus group debate for reliable data compilation. Generally, data were textually analyzed, interpreted, then thoroughly discussed. The findings gleaned that Secondary school ELT teachers are of a real misunderstanding to the overall conception and process of assessment reflecting dilemmas and big anomalies in their assessment practices. Moreover, it became clear that the English teachers are of an urgent need to be acquainted with alternative assessment to traditional testing through a serious educational training as well as synergy of both bottom up and bottom down efforts. Hopefully, this study aims at boosting the teachers‘ knowledge about assessment and change their beliefs about it.