Abstract:

The aim of this study is to investigate English language teachers’ perceptions of assessment in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in a Turkish Science and Arts Centers (BILSEM) context. There is no study on how English language teachers assess EFL learners at BILSEM, what they think about the assessment techniques in practice, and therefore this study will be original in its field and undertake a pioneering role for illuminating the further research focusing on assessing gifted learners in EFL classrooms at BILSEM. In this study, the data were obtained from 61 English language teachers from 61 BILSEM in Turkey. As a data collection method, a Teachers’ Conceptions of Assessment Abridged Scale (TCoA-IIIA) was used. Also, to gather teachers’ opinions, interviews were held with the English language teachers working at 5 different BILSEM. The study results indicated that the teachers used Student Written Work assessment practice mostly to assess their students’ language performances and language achievement in their classes. Also, according to the teachers, assessment is a force to make them teach English in a way that is against their beliefs. Besides, they think that assessment does not measure students’ higher order cognitive skills, such as analyzing and evaluating anyway.

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