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?he current study explored the effect of specific teaching accommodations for English language learners with dyslexia in a Norwegian primary school. Specifically, this single group intervention project investigated the impact of a range of multisensory techniques on spelling skills and motivation. Participants included a special education teacher and five dyslexic pupils from the fifth and sixth grades. Pre- and post-tests were administered to observe development in spelling, while data were also collected via a pupil evaluation questionnaire and a teacher interview after the intervention. The findings revealed that the intervention was quite successful. The group exhibited substantial differences in mean scores between the pre- and post-test. However, there were individual differences in scores and comorbid disorders appeared to impact the effectiveness of the intervention. Nonetheless, all of the pupils reported gains in their motivation and improvement in their attitude towards learning English, which was confirmed by their special education teacher. The paper concludes by offering specific didactic suggestions regarding accommodations for English language learners with dyslexia.

This article contributes to the on-going discussion of parental involvement in the education of children, with emphasis on new and unfamiliar roles of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case study undertaken focuses on parents of first graders who belong to non-vulnerable and vulnerable social groups, and the first-grade teachers of a public primary school in the north of Greece. Research questions address the experience of 'parents-teachers', the need for technological tools and the required digital literacy, as well as the impact of homeschooling on the wellbeing of the family unit. Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews. The data analysis shows that parents of both social groups took on the role of the teacher to accommodate the learning challenges of first graders. Mothers from vulnerable groups, in particular, encountered various challenges when attempting to support their children mainly in language lessons. Regarding the use of new technologies, the pandemic found parents of both groups unprepared and unfamiliar with the process of distance education. Stress and worry were the dominant emotions from the very start of homeschooling during the early stages of the pandemic while towards the end of the first lockdown, exhaustion overwhelmed parents and pupils. The article concludes with emphasizing the importance of active parental involvement and coaching that enables parents to contribute substantially to their children's education in emergency situations.

The aim of this study was to validate a 24-item TEPID (Teachers of EFL Preparedness to Include Dyslexics) scale measuring the beliefs of 546 pre-service and in-service teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) across three countries (Cyprus, Greece, and Poland) on their preparedness to include learners with dyslexia in mainstream foreign language (FL) classes. Principal component analysis of the scale led to a two-factor structure, that is, knowledge and self-efficacy in implementing inclusive instructional practices with dyslexic EFL learners, and stance towards inclusion. The analysis of measurement invariance confirmed the generalizability of the TEPID across all subgroups and allowed valid comparisons between factor variances and covariances. The scale is a useful tool for investigating perceived teacher preparedness to include dyslexic learners and variables that influence TEPID, comparing the results across countries, and designing tailored pre-service and in-service training schemes on inclusion.

This longitudinal study (2002-2014) investigates the stability of rating characteristics of a large group of raters over time in the context of the writing paper of a national high-stakes examination. The study uses one measure of rater severity and two measures of rater consistency. The results suggest that the rating characteristics of individual raters are not stable. Thus, predictions from one administration to the next are difficult, although not impossible. In fact, as the membership of the group of raters changes from year to year, past data on rating characteristics become less useful. When the membership of the group of raters is retained, the community of raters develops more stable characteristics. However, "cultural shocks" (low retention of raters and large numbers of newcomers) destabilize the rating characteristics of the community and predictions become more difficult. We propose practical measures to increase the stability of rating across time and offer methodological suggestions for more efficient rater effect-related research designs and analyses.

Many researchers have highlighted the central role that assessment plays in second language (L2) classrooms and have expressed the need for research into classroom-based language assessment (CBLA), an area that is gradually coming into its own in the field of language testing and assessment (e.g., Hasselgreen, 2008; Leung, 2014; Hill & McNamara, 2012; Turner, 2012). Motivated by the prominence of CBLA in recent discussions, the present study set out to investigate the CBLA practices, knowledge and skills of Greek and Cypriot primary school EFL teachers. The data was collected through teacher interviews and classroom-based tests. The results showed that teachers employ a summative orientation towards evaluating their students' performance and seem to have unclear ideas about the purposes and implementation of formative assessment, mainly due to lack of professional training in language assessment. The paper concludes with suggestions as to how EFL teachers' CBLA literacy can be enhanced.

The purpose of the study was to investigate English language teachers' perceptions of assessment, their language assessment literacy (LAL) levels and their training needs. 113 teachers from Germany and 379 teachers from Greece completed a survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed through a series of RM ANOVAs, correlation analyses, and confirmatory factor analysis. Data from interviews with 25 German and 20 Greek teachers were used as supporting qualitative data. The results indicated that teachers use similar constructs in their assessment and in their conceptualisations of LAL but their perceived training needs differed depending on their educational contexts. The interviews helped identify deeper insights into contextual factors. The paper discusses the importance of context in assessment and offers recommendations for teacher education programmes in language assessment literacy that are context responsive.

This article presents results from a needs analysis survey conducted in the first year of a European-funded project entitled 'Teachers' Assessment Literacy Enhancement (TALE)'. The survey questionnaire used asked 1788 learners of English in Cyprus, Germany, Greece and Hungary about their experiences of assessment; which of these they considered conducive to learning and the role feedback played as an instrument of formative assessment. Further questionnaire data from their 658 teachers were included in the data analysis. The results showed that practices differed across contexts. Overall, both learners and teachers reported a wide range of skills and areas to be assessed in the EFL classroom with writing, followed by speaking, being assessed the most. Based on the perceptions reported by the learners, the assessment types used revealed rather traditional approaches with frequent use of e.g. discrete-point tests with closed answers, extended writing and translation. The learners appeared to regard these types of assessment to be supportive of their learning. Feedback given was mostly restricted to marks and brief comments. The perceptions on feedback practices varied among teachers and their learners. Results of the needs analysis were taken as the basis of the online course design for enhancing teachers' language assessment literacy.

The increasing representation of young language-minority students in school settings around the world and recent insights into multilingualism as a potential resource for language learning and development call for acritical study of theoretical and practical implications for the field of language teaching and assessment. Relatively little attention has been devoted to exploring the assessment of very young students' language proficiency in the context of multilingualism. The current study explores the role of multilingualism in language assessment in the Norwegian school context. The study is based on teachers' perceptions and practices as regards the way centrally and locally mandated language assessment is carried out in EFL and Norwegian (language arts) in a multilingual elementary school in Norway. The results of the study identify factors that impact on the enactment of language assessment at the beginner level and the assumptions underlying these practices. The paper contributes to our understanding of issues of validity and social consequences in connection with assessment in a multilingual education environment.

Training of pre- and in-service teachers constitutes one of the most important aspects in the quality assurance of language testing and assessment (LTA). For instance, foreign language (FL) teachers have to deal with standardised tests as well as their own classroom-based assessment procedures. This means they need the necessary expertise that can be provided by training measures. To gauge the current level of FL teachers in LTA literacy and identify their training needs in this area, data from seven European countries were collected in a mixed-methods study that used questionnaires (n = 853) and qualitative data from teacher interviews (n = 63) in selected countries across Europe. Despite the small differences across countries, the results show that only certain elements of teachers' LTA expertise are developed. To compensate for insufficient training, teachers seem to learn about LTA on the job or use teaching materials for their assessment purposes. Teachers overall express a need to receive training across the range of LTA features identified in the study with varying priorities, depending on their local educational contexts.

This paper examines the washback effect of the Greek language test component, of the annual national university entrance examination in Greece. In order to explain the reasons behind student underachievement on the aforementioned language exam, we adopted a mixed methods approach combining (a) sample document analysis of national curricula and past examination papers from 2000 to date and (b) a quantitative and qualitative analysis of practice test papers by 4 focal students, produced during their final year at school. The results suggest that the assessment criteria produced by the Ministry of Education are rather vague and generic. They seem to target the 'correct' production of pseudo-genres with specific content and ideological agenda; implicitly, a single, 'formal' register is expected (indexed by the use of archaic morphology, subordination in the syntax, formal fixed expressions and vocabulary) and emphasis is placed on the 'correct' production of paragraph structure. Despite "teaching to the test", progress in the students' language skills examined in this study was only random. We suggest that this is ultimately an aspect of the washback effect as the criteria covertly implemented for exam preparation target a very narrowly defined subset of linguistic skills, presented out of context and taught through repetition, without honing (critical) metalinguistic awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In early 2020, the abrupt global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in all fields of education. This abrupt transition to online teaching and learning shocked most language educators. Practitioners and researchers around the globe raised questions and concerns as a result of the rapid planning and implementation. In this study, which forms part of an international survey on educators' attitudes and online teaching activities during the pandemic, we look into EFL instructors' behaviours within the Greek educational system. More specifically, the article presents EFL educators' attitudes towards online learning and their reported feelings of confidence and satisfaction when facing the challenges of converting their face-to-face (F2F) courses into online ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of our study, we were able to look into the psychological and instructional difficulties the Greek ELT community experienced when reimagining synchronous and asynchronous teaching in a digital environment. Finally, the article discusses the impact and some of the lessons learned from this national experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth in the use of accountability systems and the influence of frameworks in Europe and beyond have increased the importance placed on various stakeholders to deliver high quality assessments. Teachers of English (ELTs) in particular need to acquire appropriate levels of language assessment literacy (LAL), to be able to design and carry out effective assessment on the basis of which they can make informed decisions about teaching and learning. This study collected data from a questionnaire survey to gain an in-depth understanding of the LAL levels of ELTs in Norway in terms of their assessment practices and training priorities. The article presents and discusses the results in the light of recent literature and offers recommendations that can help ELTs to develop effective LAL competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]