A Process to Support the Validity of an Oral Assessment by Raising Authenticity

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Developing valid evaluations within the classroom context implies a process of contextualization, assessment enhancement and autonomy increase. The Ecological and Sociocultural perspectives offered tools to develop a Teacher Research, with a practice diary as the main tool to record students’ interests and needs, classroom challenges and opportunities, my beliefs, professional realizations and evidences of validity. Developed through essays about theory, methodology, context, findings and conclusions, this qualitative study took into consideration authentic evaluation theory and its application in an English as a foreign language classroom where differences among participants made the common pattern. As a result, students experienced a stimulating and motivating assessment environment that allowed them to deploy their real language abilities. Equally important, I could draw appropriate inferences from their performances and accurately interpret scores, while understanding that assessment is ongoing and embedded in the process of teaching. Concluding, my professional practice evolved as a whole: teaching, assessment and autonomy were the aspects I could enhance during this process.