Volume 3,Issue 9
Formative Assessment in Chinese EFL Classrooms: Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices
The mixed methods study investigates Chinese EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices on formative assessment (FA) across different educational levels and institutional contexts in southern China. Data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by sixty teachers and semi-structured interviews with six of them. Findings show that while most teachers have only a limited understanding of FA, many routinely employ FA-related practices, such as questioning, quizzes or tests, and written or oral feedback, either consciously or unconsciously. Teachers generally hold positive views about the value of FA for supporting English teaching and learning, particularly in identifying learners’ current proficiency and informing instructional adjustments. However, several contextual factors constrain effective implementation. These include limited professional knowledge of FA, large class sizes, exam-oriented curricula, and the need to adapt FA practices to younger learners. The study contributes to a clear understanding of how FA is perceived and enacted in Chinese EFL classrooms and highlights implications for teacher training and policy support.
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