Northern İraqi efl teachers assessment literacy

Assessment has gained more considerations since its critical impact on learning became clearer. Assessment purpose and functions have extended and teachers are required to be aware of the principles of modern assessment, as a result, one of the current trends in literature of education is teachers' assessment. This research applied a descriptive quantitative method to investigate the assessment literacy levels of Iraqi English language teachers in both private and public schools. The survey was conducted by using Classroom Assessment Literacy Inventory designed by Mertler (2005) based on the seven standards of teachers' assessment competence for educational assessment of students (AFT, NCME, & NEA, 1990). The data was collected from secondary and preparatory schools of Suleimani and Erbil governorate. The results showed that Iraqi English language teachers responded less than 15 correct responses out of 35 questions. The findings showed that Iraqi teachers' assessment literacy are much less than satisfactory. Statistically significant differences were not found for teachers' academic attainment and years of experience. Teachers' lowest performance was found in standard seven, which is recognizing unethical, illegal, and otherwise inappropriate assessment methods and uses of assessment information. The highest performance was in standard 4 which is about using assessment results when making educational decisions. Revision of teachers' quality through teacher preparation program and professional training courses is definitely needed. Keywords: assessment literacy, teachers' assessment literacy, educational assessment, teachers' perception, classroom practice.