Author(s)

Roszalina Rawi

National Institute of Education, NTU, Singapore.

This study focuses on how Singaporean heritage language teachers comprehend and mediate their existing assessment practices in light of assessment for learning (AfL). Although AfL has been studied extensively in the Western classroom context, little is known about how teachers in South East Asian heritage language classrooms, such as Malay Language ones, perceive AfL. In the study, a survey regarding assessment practices of 121 heritage language teachers across 80 schools in Singapore was conducted. 20 in-depth interviews were carried out to investigate factors which affected teachers’ acceptance of AfL. The study produces new knowledge regarding AfL in four areas: the impact of cultural disconnects on AfL practice in heritage language classrooms, the influence of teachers’ early assessment habitus, the significance of moral responsibility as a motivational tool for educational reform and the realization that Singaporean educators deviate from centrally suggested initiatives when the desire to fulfil performance-oriented beliefs about learning is strong. There are several research implications. Firstly, enhancing and sustaining heritage language teachers’ capacity of AfL knowledge is crucial to increase their embrace of AfL practice. Secondly, policymakers and school leaders need to be aware of teachers’ own assessment habitus and the impact of habitus on teachers’ current classroom assessment practices.

Assessment, Assessment for Learning, Assessment Reform, Teachers, Heritage Language

Rawi, R. (2023) Embracing the Shift: Heritage Language Teachers’ Perspectives on Accepting Assessment for Learning as an Education Reform. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 11, 128-151. doi: 10.4236/jss.2023.1110009.