Working towards more useful and efficient assessment tools and criteria in the field of grammar: A literature review

Revista del Centro de Investigación de Lingüística y de Didáctica de la Lengua Inglesa (CILDLI) Año V, N.º 5

Instituto de Formación Docente ´Nuestra Señora del Sagrado Corazón´

Lugar: Córdoba Capital ; Año: 2017; p. 121 - 137

As a grammar teacher, I often hear students say that their failing or passing an exam depends on who marks their tests; in other words, they feel that their passing or failing a test depends on the luck of the draw, which turns the assessment procedure implemented in the different courses biased and unfair. Hence, it is critical that the scoring procedures be designed to assure that performance ratings reflect the students´ true capabilities and not be a function of the perceptions and biases of the teachers evaluating the performance. For this reason, I support the view that it is mandatory that we work towards a more objective scoring system and a more useful way of testing our students. In line with this belief, I hope that the literature review that follows can shed light on this issue and will work as a useful tool to help grammar teachers refine the assessment tools and criteria implemented in our classroom