Large-Scale Educational Assessment against Classroom Assessment: Pedagogy and Measurement Paradigm in EFL Classroom

Abstract

While the assessment principles focus on the large-scale educational assessment, the classroom assessment remains underexplored in teaching, learning and assessment paradigm. Classroom assessment with all its individual features is characterized by the unique context that it accompanies. However, because of the differences it is not easy to apply the assessment principles borrowed from the large-scale assessment on classroom assessment (Fulcher & Davidson, 2007). Taylor and Nelon (1996:17) described this as ‘misfit of the measurement paradigm’. This essay will note these points of challenges before conducting a literature review that explores how classroom assessment can be utilized as both an assessment and learning medium against the backdrop of large-scale assessment principles. The discussion will then be focused on EFL classroom in Saudi Arabia to have a contextual understanding of the topic. In the later part of this essay, we will construct a list of possible activities and exercises based on our new knowledge and findings.