Date of Award
Fall 2025
Project Type
Dissertation
Program or Major
Education
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
First Advisor
Judy Sharkey
Second Advisor
Andrew Coppens
Third Advisor
Carla Evans
Abstract
As language classrooms in K-12 schools in the United States seek to promote students’ proficiency in the language they teach and to prepare students for a multilingual world, the role of assessment in these classrooms is often overlooked. This study draws from theories of formative and dynamic assessment, as well as a socially-constructed view of language and language learning, in order to examine the way in which secondary language teachers plan for, elicit, interpret, and use evidence from classroom assessments in such a way that promotes and supports the language learning happening in the classroom. Through a series of three qualitative case studies, including data from interviews, classroom observations, and assessment materials, analyzed both separately and collectively, this study revealed the way in which teachers call on different conceptions of language and language learning through their assessments, resulting in varying opportunities to display and engage students’ linguistic resources and developing abilities. Additionally, the study highlighted the constantly evolving nature of teachers’ assessment practices, as they engage in contexts within their immediate school or district and the greater field. The findings suggest that the construct being assessed, the intention with which the assessment is enacted, and the teachers’ role in the processes all bear more careful attention, with implications and recommendations for assessment scholars, professional organizations, and language teachers.
Recommended Citation
Kelley, Rebecca, "The Assessment of Language, The Language of Assessment: Understanding How Language Teachers Support Dynamic, Communicative Language Learning Through Assessment" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations. 2921.
https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/2921