February 2025 – Volume 28, Number 4
https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28112r3
Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment |
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| Author: | Sin Wang Chong and Hayo Reinders (Eds.) (2023) |  |
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| Publisher: | Palgrave Macmillan | ||
| Pages | e-ISBN | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| pp. x + 333 | 9783031189500 | $119.00 (e-book) | |
Language assessments can have a wide range of purposes and uses, ranging from high-stakes university entrance exams to classroom-based assessments used to monitor and provide feedback to learners. This last grouping of assessments, often referred to as formative or learning-oriented assessment, not only provides teachers important information about students’ progress, but it also provides learners a platform to learn and grow as a result of the assessment process itself (Turner & Purpura, 2016). There has been a wide range of literature published on formative and learning-oriented assessment over the past two decades, including book-length treatments (Gebril, 2021), but little has been written on the practical approaches in relation to teacher education, particularly in adapting assessment practices to keep pace with evolving technology. This is important to address due to changes in classroom formats, with online, asynchronous, hybrid, and flipped classes becoming more common. Sin Wang Chong and Hayo Reinders address this gap in their recent edited volume Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment. This book explores recent trends in this approach by discussing assessment practices from a wide range of international teachers and researchers from Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, and the UK.
The book consists of 18 loosely connected chapters all relating to learning-oriented assessment. It begins by grounding readers in 10 essential principles of formative assessment (Chapter 1) that are developed based on the seven principles of learning-oriented assessment introduced by Turner and Purpura (2016) and Jones and Saville (2016). The volume then turns to empirical studies and systematic reviews on different facets of this topic (Chapters 2 and 14), as well as formative assessment in varied global contexts in Chapters 3 to 7 and 11. These chapters discuss issues in its implementation, such as in test preparation, graduate EFL institution, and online classroom settings. Understanding these issues can help teachers around the world because they can address particular needs and challenges that can arise in these varied contexts.
This volume also discusses the possible integration of classroom teaching with technology and digital tools. Chapters cover topics such as virtual reality (Chapter 12), e-portfolios (Chapter 13), and apps on mobile phones (Chapter 14). It also discusses vocabulary acquisition (Chapter 9) and teacher education (Chapters 10 and 16), with the authors urging the incorporation of learning-oriented assessment literacy into teacher preparation programs. With chapters on innovative approaches such as “pro-gamer inspired” portfolios (Chapter 15) and hybrid feedback mechanisms (Chapter 17), the book offers a range of perspectives on how formative assessment can promote learner autonomy, motivation, and engagement.
In general, the chapters lay out useful, practical examples for teachers to consider when using learning-oriented assessment in their language classrooms. The Practice Brief sections provide a synopsis for each chapter, allowing readers to cross-check their understanding and find supporting information. First, teachers can consider opportunities and challenges that this assessment may bring when applied in their own context. For instance, to promote a more holistic approach to teaching, learning, and assessment, incorporating students’ voices into syllabus design, learning materials, and activities can foster greater engagement and participation as demonstrated in Chapter 10. Second, its collection of international perspectives offers adaptable models that teachers can implement by targeting specific language skills. For example, a study conducted in a Chinese university context suggests that providing detailed explanations in the writing scoring rubric along with opportunities for students to engage in self-assessment can help increase their learning autonomy. Third, this book clearly outlines how the concept of learning-oriented assessment can both minimize stress (e.g., Chapters 5 and 11) and ultimately enhance learning opportunities, recognizing that learning occurs differently and at different rates for each student (Turner & Purpura, 2016).
The book has a few weaknesses that deserve mention. For one, the book would have benefitted from a thematic organization of the chapters. For instance, chapters addressing learner autonomy are labeled as Chapter 3, 13, and 18, while chapters discussing the validity of learning-oriented assessment tools are Chapters 7, 12, and 18. In general, clustering chapters that focus on similar points, such as theoretical frameworks, validity, technology, and learner autonomy, may help readers better understand what to focus on. Alternatively, it could have been helpful if the chapters were organized according to the 10 principles summarized in Chapter 1. By rearranging the chapters, readers would understand the explanations for each principle better. Additionally, while learners may not feel anxious about the assessment itself, the use of unfamiliar technology such as virtual reality can create a new source of stress as detailed in Chapter 12. It raises concerns that integrating learning-oriented assessment with technology may not always achieve the desired outcomes. I believe this is an area that requires further exploration by both teachers and researchers in the future.
In sum, this book is a valuable resource for teachers, teacher educators and researchers offering a more varied and deeper discussion of learning-oriented assessment principles across global and technological contexts. It provides practical strategies for teachers to implement learning-oriented assessment using technology, and empirical evidence for researchers for promoting student-centered learning environments by focusing on learners’ needs, roles, and voices for their own success. This book undoubtedly serves as a useful guide towards a more comprehensive understanding of learning-oriented assessment.
About the Reviewer
Andrias Susanto is a Ph.D. student in Applied Linguistics and Technology, co-majoring in Human-Computer Interaction, in Iowa State University. His research interest includes oral communication assessment and technology for second language learning and assessment. <andrias@iastate.edu> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-6694-6814
To Cite this Review
Susanto, A. (2025). [Review of the book, Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment by Sin Wang Chong and Hayo Reinders (Eds.) (2023). Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28(4). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28112r3
References
Gebril, A. (Ed.). (2021). Learning-oriented language assessment: Putting theory into practice. Routledge.
Jones, N., & Saville, N. (2016). Learning oriented assessment: A systemic approach. Cambridge University Press.
Turner, C. E., & Purpura, J. E. (2016). Learning-oriented assessment in second and foreign language classrooms. In D. Tsagari & J. Banerjee (Eds.), Handbook of second language assessment (pp. 255–274). De Gruyter Mouton.
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