This episode of Teaching English with the British Council is about how to assess English language learners more fairly and effectively.
The speakers discuss the importance of assessment being clear, aligned with learning objectives, and valid. Assessment should also be practical and give learners opportunities to get feedback. Fairness in assessment means that it should be accessible to all learners and not biased against any particular group.
They also discuss the idea that assessment should be formative, meaning that it should help students learn and develop their language skills, rather than just summative, which means it is used to measure what students have already learned.
Some of the challenges discussed in the episode include the fact that it can be easier to assess grammar than speaking skills, and that teachers may not have the time or resources to provide formative assessment.
The speakers also talk about the potential of AI to be used in assessment, and the importance of assessment being linked to the curriculum and the way that English is taught.
