Alternative Assessment in the Moroccan EFL Classrooms Teachers’ Conceptions and Practices

Abdallah Ghaicha, Elmostafa Omarkaly

Abstract


This study aimed at examining the status of various alternative assessment techniques within the Moroccan EFL public high school classrooms. It is governed by three main objectives: eliciting the Moroccan EFL teachers’ conceptions and practices of alternative assessment, identifying the major problems that inhibit the implementation of alternative assessment and, accordingly, suggesting some possible solutions. Additionally, issues related to training, assessment guidelines, as well as the curriculum were all touched upon. Data were collected from 73 EFL public high school teachers from Inzegane-AitMelloul and Agadir-Ida-outanane delegations using a questionnaire and focus group interviews. The results revealed that the practice of alternative assessment is slowly evolving within the Moroccan EFL context in spite of the very positive attitudes expressed towards it. The practice of traditional assessment, on the other hand, seems to be taking the lead in the teachers’ practices up to date. The results also indicate that teachers face different sorts of challenges including mainly time constraints, class size, and lack of training. Accordingly, it is recommended that policy makers should address these problems through providing the necessary facilities and the required training on how to cope with them more successfully for a better implementation of the assessment changes.


Keywords


Alternative assessment; Traditional assessment; Teachers’ conceptions /attitudes; Assessment practices

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/10161

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