Perception and Practice: EFL Instructors’ Transition from Traditional to Communicative Assessment in English Language Skills at Selected Ethiopian Universities

Abstract

This study explored the transition of EFL instructors’ assessment theories and practices from traditional methods to a communicative approach in teaching Communicative English skills. The research examined instructors’ perceptions and practices in relation to communicative assessment within a Communicative English Language Skills I (CELS I) at three Ethiopian universities. Guided by a pragmatism framework and mixed-methods approach, a convergent mixed research design was used to address the key concepts of the four research questions: 1) EFL instructors’ assessment perceptions and practices, 2) the relationship between instructors’ perceptions and practices; 3) challenges in implementing communicative assessment; and 4) differences among various groups of instructors. Data were collected from 128 EFL instructors through questionnaires, lesson observations, and document analysis. Analysis involved descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal Wallis Test, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Four key findings emerged: 1) 71.36% of instructors' perceptions and 78.8% of assessment items did not align with communicative assessment theory; 2) there was a strong correlation (r = 0.7973) between perceptions and practices within traditional assessment; 3) constraints in instructional materials and student behaviors hindered the implementation of communicative assessment; and 4) instructors’ qualifications, experiences, and pedagogical training influenced the use of communicative assessment theories. Therefore, the straight forward solution to transit language assessment from traditional to communicative approach is improving EFL instructors' assessment perceptions and practices through continuous professional development and encouraging work environment.