The effect of alternative assessment applications on students' academic achievement and attitudes towards learning English in English preparatory school

The purpose of this mixed-method study is to find out the effect of alternative assessment methods on a group of Turkish EFL students' academic achievement and investigate the attitudes of these students towards learning English before and after the implementation of alternative assessment methods. The participants of the study were selected through the convenience sampling method and included 75 preparatory class students. There were 38 participants in the experimental group, while the control group consisted of 37 participants. The participants in the experimental group were engaged in several alternative assessment techniques and tasks where four skills (i.e., reading, listening, speaking, and writing) were integrated and their performances were assessed in a formative manner through predetermined rubrics and checklists throughout the process. On the other hand, the participants in the control group experienced conventional instruction during the process. For each skill lesson, they completed the existing exercises in their textbooks and did the worksheets assigned as homework. Their performances were assessed through traditional assessment methods such as standardized written exams, tests, and quizzes. The quantitative data were collected through an attitude scale, traditional exams, and alternative assessment tools while the qualitative data collection tools included semi-structured interviews and learning journals. The quantitative data gathered from the scale, traditional exams and alternative assessment tasks were analyzed using SPPS 20. On the other hand, the analysis of qualitative data was performed following the stages of content analysis. The quantitative findings of the study revealed that applying the alternative assessment tools had a positive impact on the academic achievement of the participants in the experimental group. Likewise, the qualitative findings indicated that the participants in the experimental group demonstrated favorable attitudes towards both alternative assessment methods and learning English after the treatment process.