Primary school students' perception of process-oriented English assessments conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

In this study, we applied a model of process-oriented English assessments to primary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored how they perceived it. A series of flexible process-oriented assessments were conducted in the first semester of 2022. A survey was administered to 190 fifth-grade students at the end of the semester. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The respondents were classified into three categories according to their self-rated English levels. The results show that the students appreciated the assessments, and they highly valued the teacher's feedback. Various opinions were presented on providing opportunities for re-testing, reporting results to parents, writing peer reviews in school records, and mental pressures. The process-oriented assessments were found to be conducive for the majority of the young English learners, although some students from the lower group seemed to have experienced a psychological burden. Based on the findings, suggestions are made for educators in the post-pandemic era. © 2022 The Korea Association of Teachers of English (KATE)