Assefa Zeru

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Effects of portfolio-based assessment on EFL students’ conceptions and approaches to writing

By Habtamu Gebrekidan

Researches in general education as well as in language teaching have clearly shown the pivotal role conceptions of learning played on students’ learning outcome. However, there are paucity of researches on instructional and assessment schemes that promote deep conceptions of writing. The main objective of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of Portfolio-Based Assessment (PBA) on EFL students’ conceptions and approaches to writing. To this end, a pretest posttest control group quasi-experimental research design was adopted, and two sections were chosen from first-year Natural Science Stream students at Wollo University, Dessie Campus. From the two groups, totally 60 participants were chosen randomly, and four types of data collection instruments namely; conceptions of writing scale, essay writing tests, interviews and reflection sheets were employed. The quantitative data were analyzed mainly by using one sample t-test and independent samples t-test, and the qualitative data were also analyzed thematically. During the intervention that stayed for 8 weeks, the students in experimental groups were assessed by writing portfolios. The students in controlled group, however, were assessed by using conventional assessment schemes. As the findings revealed, significant changes in students’ conceptions of writing and writing performances were observed between participants in experimental and controlled groups. The findings suggest that PBA influences EFL students’ deep and meaningful conceptions of writing by way of supporting their independent and out-of class learning endeavor. Moreover, the findings hold implications for using PBA to boost EFL students’ writing self-efficacy beliefs and concern for reflection and revision. © 2023 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

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Exploring the impediments on the application of reflective teaching in EFL paragraph writing classes

By Dutamo Fonkamo

Many theoretical and practical impediments prevent the full implementation of reflective teaching in English as a Foreign Language academic setting. This study aimed to explore potential impediments on the application of reflective teaching in English as a Foreign Language paragraph writing class. The qualitative design was used to describe the in-depth study of teachers' and students' challenges in employing reflective teaching when teaching paragraph writing. The total populations of the study were second year English major students. Of which 10 students to carry out interview and 6 students to have Focus Group Discussion were selected by purposive sampling. From 13 English teachers, one English teacher was selected by convenient sampling to easily access data from his journal writing and interview. Two other English teachers were selected by the same sampling technique to have classroom observations and provide peer feedbacks to another English teacher on students' paragraph writing classes. The data gathered were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings disclosed that administrational, egocentric, reflective teaching, and paragraph writing impediments deemed to be hindrances for teachers and students for effective application of reflective teaching in EFL paragraph writing classes. On the basis of the findings, researchers concluded that reflective teaching could have potential impediments such that English teachers and students couldn't appropriately implement it in EFL paragraph writing classes securely.

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